62
REPLIES TO QUERIES ON THE TREATMENT OF EPIDEMIC CHOLERA. [Appendix
Query No. 6,—continued.
Maclean, A., Surgeon, Bom. B.—I hardly know what to say about checking the looseness.
Should this be attempted by astringents or by tonics? I should say the latter, at any rate,
at the commencement of the diarrhœa. By tonics I mean the remedies most powerful in
maintaining and restoring strength, such as brandy, wine, extractum carnis, and warmth.
MacLeod, A. C., Surgeon Major, Mad. I.—Evidently contra-indicated. Like opium,
they tend to lock up secretions, on the restoration of which life itself depends.
Munro, W., Deputy Inspector General, Ben. B.—Yes, I am not at all convinced that
in choleraic diarrhoea there is any visible cause of irritation, or at least that there is any
irritating substance in the intestines. I have seen cases of choleraic diarrhœa in which
there was no fear whatever.
Summers, J., Deputy Inspector General, Ben. B.—Astringents have but very little
power in choleraic diarrhoea ; frequently none in restraining discharge in true cholera.
Wood, D., Surgeon, Ben. B.—They protract the symptoms and fail to cure. In some
cases I have attributed hepatic abscess, which followed, in part to their administration.
Acetate of lead and opium is perhaps an exception ; but it has failed to do after weeks what
a succession of aperients has effected in a few days.
Query No. 8.—The combination of carminatives and opiates removes the pain and checks the
looseness without suspending the action of the liver, or affecting the brain.
Clark, S., Surgeon, Ben. I.—The exact time during which the incubation of cholera
takes place, is, as in many other diseases, a difficult question ; but according to my experience,
the first dawn of the disease occurs between 2 and 3 A. M. I have almost invariably found
that persons suffering from cholera state, that they felt restless sometime during the previous
night, and had a copious evacuation in the early morning, after which they felt better, and
slept quietly till about their usual time of getting up, when they were suddenly seized with
uneasiness and an urgent desire to go to stool.
Gray, R., Assistant Surgeon, Ben. I.—Even combined with carminatives, opium to some
extent interferes, in my opinion, with the action of the liver.
Query No. 9.—Cholera pills are very valuable, convenient in form; they are composed of
assafœtida and opium with black and red pepper, and sometimes camphor.
Baillie, N. B., Surgeon, Ben. I.—Ordinary cholera pill, acidulated drinks, abstinence
from food and alcoholic drinks, frictions, sinapisms, hot bottles, bricks.
Banister, G., Surgeon Major, Ben. I.—I have always added camphor, believing it to
be of great use. These pills are very convenient for distribution, and judging from the
quantities I have known to be indented for by Native officials and Heads of villages,
I conclude that the people have great confidence in them, and that they do a vast amount
of good in the early stages of the disease.
Barnett, 0., Surgeon, Bom. B.—Are very good, and most valuable, I believe, in arrest-
ing premonitory diarrhœa.
Beatson, J. F., Officiating Deputy Inspector General, Ben. I.—Perhaps so, as calcu-
lated to give a feeling of confidence to many, and as being besides by their constitution suited
to arrest the earlier symptoms of looseness. They cannot fail to be in some degree useful. I
have seen chlorodyne cut short as by magic a diarrhœa which was unquestionably the first
stage of cholera, and I entertain a high respect for its influence for good. If taken early,
it seems to act as a highly restorative cordial, checking diarrhœa, diffusing warmth over
the surface, and in a marked manner augmenting the force of the pulse.
Chappell, J. J., Assistant Surgeon, Bom. B.—I have never known an European who
could take more than one or two doses of the cholera pill. Natives of Bengal will take
any number, and put great faith in them. I believe them to be only useful for natives
at the commencement of the disease.
Chalmers, C. B., Deputy Inspector General, Ben. I.—Cholera pills are valuable, but
they should be fresh and soft. As often seen they are as hard as shot, and if not masticated,
prove inert, or, at all events, do not check the disease.
Cockburn, R., Surgeon Major, Ben. I.—These are very useful for general distribution
during the prevalence of cholera, as they can be entrusted to non-professional persons for
administration where medical aid cannot be readily obtained.
Cooke, A. L. T., Surgeon Major, Mad. I.—Cholera pills are valuable and convenient
in form. Dr. Paterson's pills, with and without opium, are the best of the kind I have
seen used. The former contain opium, calomel, acetate of lead, camphor, aromatic powder,
and acetic acid. In the latter red pepper and canthurides powder are substituted for
the opium.