The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-31 00:00:00

BIRTHS IN THE WEEK.

856
782

1,638

THE CHOLERA.

(From the Medical Circular.)
The epidemic has 'no sooner come among us than it
appears to be about to retreat. So soon as the public
are struck with alarm, the rate of increase of the mor-
tality begins to diminish, and confidence is gradually
creeping back to the hearts of the timid and d.,sponding.
Is this visitation merely a menace of future havoc ?
Are we to compare the tactics of our invisible enemy to
the manoeuvres of our own fleet before Sebastopol ;
few rockets are thrown up and shells fired at midnight;
the foe awakes in alarm, lights his flambeaux, casts his
shot into the furnace, when the fleet unexpectedly re.
tires, leaving the surprised battalions to recover from
terror and to abate their vigilance ? The illustration does
not seem inapposite. We have an enemy among us
which wields a more terrible weapon than any missile
of human invention ; but, for the season, he has
shortened his arm, and we are beginning to breathe
with more freedom and security. Let us not, however,
diminish our watchfulness, or suspend the carrying out
of those sanitary regulations on which our future im-
munity must depend. We fear that the destroyer is
only preparing for a more vigorous and fatal onslaught
upon our homesteads ; we should, therefore, hold our-
selves in readiness to meet him.
With the usual caprice of epidemics, some portions
of this metropolis, which were fearfully scourged during
the last visitation, have hitherto escaped on the present.
The city of London, for example, has enjoyed, if not en-
tire exemption, the favour, at least, of being very lightly
afflicted ; .and that part of the city of London surround-
ing the Fleet-valley, where the epidemic was pre emi-
nently mortal in 1849, has not yet, we believe, added a
-ingle death to the bills of mortality, Some part of this
privilege may be due to the more a.:tive sanitary
in,pection now in force, and on this ground the citi-
zens have cauqe to be grateful for the able services
of Mr. Simon, and the exemplary vigilance of the
Commissioners of Sewers for the City. We can-
not, however, believe that this remarkable exemption
is due entirely to this cause, but are inclined to think
that it must be put to the account of those mysterious
. .

and inexplicable phenomena which have made the origin
' and progress of epidemics a problem to stir the curiosity,
and mock the hopes of the most ardent investigators of
truth.
With respect to treatment, we cannot perceive that,
up to this time, any novelty has been tried which has
proved more successful than the old remedies, or any
old method of treatment which has acquired a more
assured success. Of the general systems, Dr. Stevens's
saline method seems deservedly to enjoy the greatest
confidence, and to be most extensively employed ; alter
that the acids have been administered almost exclusively
by some practitioners, and the reports of the result of
their use are generally favourable. The calomel treat-
ment, whether on the IHdian plan of large doses or Dr.
Ayre's plan of small ones, certainly dogs not appear to
enjoy much support. Notwithstanding the pertinacity
with which the use of the latter method has been advo-
cated, the higher class of practitioners in this metropolis
especially the physicians of ho-pitals, do not seem to
consider that its actual claims to confidence are equal to
the pretensions which have been set up for it.
Differences of opinion are still maintained on the point
whether the purging should be considered curative, as
nature's means of eliminating a poison, and, there-
fore, to be encouraged, or as the disease itself.
to he arrested without delay. It is difficult to com-
prehend the advantage of artificially accelerating
an action which is already going on with the
utmost violence and rapidity, and which, unaided, must
be amply sufficient, in a very few hours, to expel the
poison, if it did not kill the patient. The medicines
which have been administered under the impression that
they exert a purgative action, appear to us to have a
direct effect in controlling the evacuations which it is
presumed they augment. Caster oil, for example, has
been recently given, and it is said with great advantage,
at King's College Hospital ;. but we believe that the
true action of the oil is altogether misapprehended.
Many surgeons are in the habit of administering castor
oil, in moderate doses, repeated three times a day. for
the relief of dysentery, and of a form of diarrhoea as-
suming the dysenteric character ; but it is not found to
act as a purgative; on the contrary, after a few days'
employment of the remedy, the irritability of the bowels
has been appeased, the stools have become fmcul and
firm, and the health has been re-established. Shall we
change terms, and call purgatives astringents in these
circumstances ? We do not theorise ; we are merely
stating facts—facts which, we believe, the experience of
hundreds of practical men can confirm.
The real question appears to us to be, which is the
quickest and the surest mode of restraining the intesti-
nal evacuations ? Shall we determine on the so called

ourgatives—salines, castor oil, and croton nil ; or on as.-
tringetits---as nitrate of silver, acetate of lead, sulphuric
acid, catecliu, opium, &c.? Shall we adopt wholly Dr.
Stevens's plan of giving salines, on the supposition that
they not only control the evacuations, but also supply
the lost salts to the blood ; or shall we aid the action of
these remedies, however they may be introduced into
the system, by the occasional use of catechu, as, if we
remember right, Dr. Stevens himself recommends, or
by the occasional employment of nitrate of silver, &c.,
taking care that, in the event of mineral salts being
employed, too rapid chemical decomp .sition be prevented
by allowing a short time to elapse before the salines be
administered ? The latter plan appears to us to be the
best, but we leave it to the judgment of our brethren.
Experience must determine these questions.
Our readers should remember that general state-
ments of so many cases of cholera having been
treated, and so many recovered, under a par-
ticular plan, are of very questionable utility
as evidence for the formation of a sound judgment on
the influence of remedial agents. The science of medi-
cine cannot be advanced by such vague assertions, the
value of which must always rest upon personal credit.
In forming tables and reports, the leading symptoms
exhiiiited by the cases grouped under each head should
be faithfully enumerated ; that others, as well as the
writer, should be able to form an opinion of the efficacy
of the remedies that were administered. We know
from experience that the difficulty of separating mid
grouping a given number of cases is immense ; never-
theless, an approximation to truth cannot be attained
unless it be effected, :mil it is done conscientiously,
science will he placed under an obligation which in due
season she will repay.
We exhort our readers to keep accura'e notes of their
cases, and when the pressure of present duty shall have
subsided, to send us their reports, that the profession
may be able to fix with more confidence upon some rule

of practice in tiieevent o£ a future visitation.

[ADVERTISEMENT.]—Holloway's Pills an Astonishing
Remedy for the Cure of A-thrna —Mrs. Newton, of
Hyde, states, in a letter to Mr. Wild, chemist, of Hyde,
that for many years she had been afflicted with Revere
attacks of asth:na, great difficulty Of breathing, a violent ;
cough, and acute pains in the side. She tried various
remedies, and was under the treatment of several sur-
geons for months together, without obtaining any be-
nefit. At length she was induced to try Holloway's
pills ; the fir-t dose gave relief, and. by cm tinning them,
a wire has been effected B inn anxion4 that others BO
afflicted should obtain relief, desires this act
be publicly known.—Sold by all venders of medicine,
and at Profeasor LtolloWay's Elt-abliidunent, 244, Strand, I
London.

G%S -LIGHT AND COKE COMPANIES.
Dividend , Amount
Name of Company. per 1 of Paid. Price
Annum. Share.
--11-4 5. d. £ e. d.
' British •- • • ••••'• •• - . - - , -
• Ditto Provincial .• •• 11. Bs. 20 0 0 20 0 0 -
, 'frighten •••,•• •• • • • s 51. 20 0 0 20 0 0' 'l5
. City of London -•• •• 4 Ins. 100 0 0 150 8 0 -
. oontinontal (3,1 Cap.)... 41. 10s. BO 0 0 43 10 0 -
Equitabl.• • . ........ 1/. ss. 50 0 0 all 26
:real Central .. -•• • 71 per cent. 10 0 0 all 11;'
Imperial ............ 6, & bonus. 50 0 0 all 86 ~.
• Independent ... -••- • 51. 40 0 0 /P .....
London.. .. -••• • - • - 50 0 0 PP .....
I Do., Parl. Preference 6' per cent. 25 0 0 OP 25
Pceix . • • ........., •Ik per cent. 60 0 0 5) 0 0 264.
RatclitT •-• ••..• •• • 51. 100 0 0 90 n 0 70
United j;eneral ...• •• 21. 10s. 150 0 0 all i 191,4
Westminster • hartered si. per cent,' 50 0 0 •• 36
Ditto, 'ew ... .... M. oer cent. 50 0 '1 10 0 614
IISVELLANFAUS.
Dividend Aim wit
Name of Company. per of Paid. Pric,.
Annum. Share.
£ s. 1. I £ s. 0.
.ssam Tea • - • •.. 5 . 5u 0 0 20 0 0 -
', ~ • Mart- • . 1/. & bonm. 50 0 0 - -
• ustralian 1.:-Culturl 1/. Is. 100 a 0 17 10 0 41
Austroshan Trust .... h'. per cent. - 25 0 0 -
Australian Rota! Stall • 51. 10 0 0 all -
nglo Mexican Stint. 1' lOs. 10 0 0 all -
British American Land 155. - 41 0 0 • -
Can tda ... .., . r",t. per cent. 100 0 0 32 10 0 -
Do. S per cent Bonds 51. per cent. - -
' titt o, 5 per cent • . 64. per Gent. - . -107 s•
A.
'titv Vavigatioh bonds - - - -
Electric Telegraph (A) 7 per cent. 25 0 0 20 0 0
25 0 0 15 0 0 1611
-
Ditto .. .... (Li) -
Equitable Reversionry 51pr:fent 12 0
0
IN
I: g :
Ditto New
Gel,.:. evens. & Invest. sp.c. & be, 100 0 0 100 0 0 -
Gen .•=teamNavigation
to p.ct. 15 0 0 14 0 0 _
Hudson's 8ay.... .• • - - Stock. - _
Hfingerlord
2/. 55. 100 0 0 100 0 0 -
.. •• •• ••
London 'nititution . • - - - -
London Reversionary 51. per cent. 15 0 0 al -
Russell Institution •• • -.- 12 10 0 -
Pricc's Patent C and. Co HU. per cent. 20 0 0 17 10 0 -
Reversionary Int. Soc. 4361. pr cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 -
Royal si ail ,team.- • • il. P. share. 100 0 0 60 0 0 -
South A ustralian •• • • 6/. per cent. 25 0 0 all -
Trust and Loan comp.
Upper Canada .. • • . - - - _
LIST OF SCOTTISH COMPANIES' PRICES..
-------
Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per of Paid. Price.
Annum. Share.
-- -
X a. d. Z s. d.
Rank of Scotland .. • • it. per cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 1791 0
British Linen Company B'. per cent. 'OO 0 0 100 0 0 204110
Caledonian Bank .. .. 81. per cent. 10 0 0 210 0 3.. 18.
City of -;lasgow Bank 51. per cent. 10 0 0 10 •) 0 101 13s
Clydesdale Bank .. - 541. p cent. 20 0 0 10 0 0 12 4s
- mtnercial Bank .• 71. per cent. s'o 0 0 100 0 0 1961 es
Eastern Bank .. •- - ,•:. per cent 25 0 0 10 0 0 10115 s
Edinb & Glasgow .. •• 34, p cent 5 0 0 5 0 0 4/. 12e
Exchange Bilk of Scot.. - 100 0 0 31 5 0 -
Nattonal Bank • • . fli, per cent 50 0 0 10 0 0 15'10s
North of cotand Bank 5, per cent 20 0 0 210 0 41. 7s
Royal Rank of ' cotl. ~ 51. per cent. 1(.0 0 0 100 0 0 1231 o
Union Bank of Scot. .• Mi. per cent. 100 0 0 SO 0 0 91 iOs
West, rn Bank -.. .... 7/. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 75' Ihs
lliance Fire and Life.. 84 t. pr cent 100 0 0 11 0 0 2411''s
British Guarantee .. .. si. per cent. 10 0 0 2 0 0 IL Os
Caledonian Fire Insur 'Ol. pet cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 25' Os 1
I ity ~f la•tgow Lite.. •i/. per cant. 25 0 0 2 0 0 4/. lls
Colonial Life .... .. . 5/. per cant. 50 0 0 1 0 0 5 28
Edinburgh Life Incur •H. per cunt. 100 0 0 15 0 0 251 10s ,
Eng. & Scot, Law Life at.psr cent. 50 0 0 3 5 0 41. 7
Life ssoc. of 3Cattnn,l iii. per cent. 10 0 0 110 04 . 15s 1
National Fire and Life 61. per cent. (0 0 0 10 011. 13s 1
North British Insur:.. 71. per cent. 200 0 0 20 0 0 34/ is
Sicettith Union Insruc. 74/ pr cent. 20 0 0 1 0 0 I'. I°'
Standard Life .... .. - 5 per cent ',II 0 0 7 0 r' 171 "
United Dep. Assurance 51. per cent. 10 0 0 i I 0° ' - (1
_ _____......„..................._............------_.
CHOLFRA IN BELFAST.-The Brlfast News" Litter of a
Monday htate4 that tillrin, tha Di.ut. five days the number '

CHOLFRA IN BE
Mondav htates that
of chi•lera cases has
recollect. that the tf
week ended on Tu(
safely assert that the

.FA ST.— Th e Belfast News Letter of
luring the last five days the number
heen 59, awl a 41,14 :—" When we
otal Lumber of similar cases for the
usday evening,' last was 77, we may
epidemic is not increasing."