The Sun.
London, England, 1822-03-16 00:00:00

HYDROPHOBIA.

The following important statement of the mode
of cure practised in the Ukraine, for the bite of
a mad-dog, is translated from the Berlin State
Gazette, (No. 20) of the 14th of February 1822,
and is certainly entitled to the consideration of
medical practitioners :
" When Mr. Marochetti, an operator in the Hospital at
Moscow, was in the Ukraine in 1913, in one day 15 persons
applied to him for cure, having been bitten by a mad-dog.
Whilst he was prepering the remedies, a deputation of se-
veral old men made its appearance to request him to allow a
peasant to treat them, a nian who, for some years past, en-
joyed a great reputation for his cures of hydrophobia, and of
whose success Mr. Marochetti had already heard much. He
consented to their request, under these conditions, Ist, that
he, Mr. Marochetti, should be present at everything' done bf
the peasant ; Rdly, in order that he might be fully convinced
that the do:: was really mad, be, Mr. Marochetti, should
select one of the patients, who (should only be treated ac-
cording to the medical course usually held in estimation. A
girl of six years old was chosen for this purpose.
The peasant gave to his 14 patients a strong decoction'
of the Summit,' and ' Fl. Genista lutese tinetorise,' (about
a pound and a half daily), and examined twice a day under
the tongues, where, as he stated, small knots, containing the
poison of the madness, must form themselves. As soon as
these small knots actually appeared, and which Mr. Maro-
chetti himself saw, they were opened, and causterised with a
red hot needle ; after which the patient gargled with the de-
coctien of the Genista: The result of this treatment was,
that all the fourteen (of whom only two, the last bitten, did
not shew these knots) were dismissed cured at the end of six
weeks, during which time they drank this decoction. But
the little girl, who was treated according to the usual me-

thods, was seized with hydrophohic symptoms on the seventh
day, and was deed in eight hours after they first took place.
The persons dismissed as cured were seen three years after-
wards by Mr. Maroohetti, and they were all sound and well.

" Five years after this circumstance (in 1818), Mr. Maro-
chetti had a new opportunity in Podolia of confirming this
important discovery. The treatment of 2G persons, who bad
there been bitten by a mad slog, was confided to him; nine
were men, eleven women, and six children. He gave them
at once a decoction of the Genista,' and a diligent examina-
tion of their tongues gave the following result:—five men, all
the women, and three children, had the small knots already
mentioned; those bitten worst, on the 3d day, others on the
sth, 7th, and 9rh, and one woman, who had beers bitten but
very superficially in the leg only; on the list day. The other
seven also who strewed no small knots, drank the ' decoct=
gensite six weeks, and all the patients were cured.
" In consequence of these observations, Mr: Marochetti

• believes that the hydrophobic poison, after remaining a Oust
time in the wound, fixes itself for a certain time under the
tongue, at the-opening of the ducts of the ' gland's!: sub-
maxeller,' which are at each side of the longue-string, and
there forms those small knots, in which one may feel with a
probe a fluctuating fluid, which is that hydrophobic poison.
The usual time of their appearance seems to be between the
3d and 9th day after the bite; and if they are not opened
within the first. 24 hours after their formation' the poison is
re-absorbcd into the. body, and the patient is lost beyond the
power of cure.
~For this reason, Mr. Masochetti recommends
that such patients should.be immediately examined under the
tongue, which shemld be continued fur six weeks, during
which time they should take daily IA pound of the ' decoct.
geoist.' (or four times a day the powder I drachm pro dosi
If the knots do not appear in this time, no madness is to he
apprehended; but, as soon as they skew themselves, they
should be opened with a lancet, and then cauterised, and
the patient should gargle assiduously with the above-men-
tioned .4 decoct.' •

......
" We hasten to communicate to our readers this important
discovery, (which we borrow from the Pet,r,burgh Miscel-
laneous. Treatises in the lienho of Medical Science, for 3821,')
which certainly deserves the, full attention of all. medical
practitioners; and which, if confirmed by experience, may
bare the must beneficial results.).4i,

PARLIAMENT,

HOUSE OF LORDS, FRIDAY, MARCH 15.

ROYAL ASSENT.

At half-past three o'clock the
sLoau CHAN-.
zl.Lolt, the Earl of SiLlyrr.setntY, and Vis-
cou:lt INIELvIr.r.r., appeared as his Majesty's Corn-
7::sslboners, and gave the Royal Assent to the Na-
y Five per Cents. Bill, and the Judges of As-
t.izo Commission Bill.