Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-09-14
re rnr EDITOR orTur ENQUIRER.

re THE EDITOR or THE ENQUIRER.
Public enquiry having been much excited
OF late. by several publications recommending
species OF scuil-cap, asa certain remedy tor
hydrophoba, and AS that enquiry has as yet
been but lily satisfied /; have thought pro-
per 10 make known The two following cases,
ln winch the above plant was Literally used
Without farther preamble l shall proceed 10
relate them.
July 29th, was called to see Daniel, the
property OF Col. + Pova aged about Is years,
who II was stated 10 me, had been bitten about
twenty hours before by dog supposed To he
| mad; upon examination, l found that he had
been bitten in about ten different places, on
he lefi side of his body, between the lowest
short rib and the spine Of the ilium. He
stated that while playing with the dog on the
preceding evening, the latter was taken with
something like TIT, and bit him in the above
described manner, without having shown any
symptoms OF previous i'll nature Upon eXa-
mining OF The deg, found him lying Oh the
right SIDE, tongue out, breathing with couside-
rabie difficulty, his back curved forwards very
much al intervals offiv or ten minutes, he
would attempt TO rise and bite at every thing
within bIs reach; he died during the night.
BEING informed that two hogs had been bitten
by him, ordered them into immediate cSu-
tinement. The bites being numerous aud some
time having elapsed since their inliIctiou,
applied lunar caustic Ia them. very literally.
and over that laid dressing OF Epispastic un-
gueut.
July 30, upon visiting Daniel to-day, was
requested TO see Griffin. aged about 10, the
property OF Nh. James Brander upon uues-
tioning Ut him, lie gave me the following at
count that, about iorty-iive hours before the
same dog. alluded TO above. came 10 him,
gently bit, or nihbed oil the scab from sore
On the FIRST Joint of his thumb, licked 10 Tor
some time, and then left him. As both of the
above patients were treated in the same inaiI-
Ber. have united the descriptions at their
raseh. Wishing. u possible to make trial Vt
the SCntelIaiid which had ipeu much extoil-
"A hN hDt Il .ror
10 pr0cure some, hui every species gathered
in THIS neishbOuiloOd proved TO he either III.
Scntsli"ria Integrlioiia or pilosa oideIswere
Immediately sent 10 New York for d suppiy OF
lhe ScujPilaria LaierihOra.
august Ist.-lhIs day l removed the es-
char, caused by tie caUstic, from both patti
cuts, and scattered enciic tartar freely over
the clean surfaces 0f The sores 4 NAV her,
observe. that, fou1d this article superior To
nny other which have ever uied as an mi
TAM, III Keeping up continued ulce iatIOH. The
above 1, eatmeHt was daily repeated, untiIthe
eighth when, each one took dose OF salts.
August l0.-Haying through the pOlIteness
OF Mr.. tiizwhylsonn of Richmond, received
supply of the Scutelaria LaterihoIa 1 COM
meuced fhe use of IL, in form of decectiOn
msde IN tue following manner to Que ounce
OF the tred plant. 1 put one quart OF water,
aud having boiitd II for twenty five minmt es
the boys were ordered TO take one gill; three
times day.
I3.-Ihs day the dose of the above medi-
Ing the day; the sores sill very much iniiam-
ed. from the application OF eaieiic tartar,
which had been repeated daily.
l5.-Ihs day both OF the hogs seem TO be
very much affected Que of them lies on has
side, having conclusive twitclibgs in the iIrr
leg aud jaw, repeated al Intervals {; the other
one is violently affected with general convnl-
sioIs, which may he increased By tanning lIeI
or throwing water upon her.
H.-This day both of the hogs died.
23.-1he decoction increased TO l quart a
day, TO each the applications OF the caustic
entirely suspended.
ing the thiriy-trst day since they were bitten;
sttli taking one qnart each a day
September Forty one days have now
elapsed since they came under my care al
thongh, consider them as nearly oul of all
danger yet, have advised continuance OF
the medicine iOI a few days lon..er.
Having related the treatment and issue Of
the above cases, shall now endeavOur to anti
cipate and satisfy some OF the inquiries. which
believe, vii. arise in the mind, of every man
who may read them. IA 10 the dogs having
been mad, ] think there cannot bp the least
shadow of doubt : aud when we take il into
consideration, flat one of the hogs v hIcii died
mad, was bitten only OIL the ear, aud one Of
the boys, Was bitten in ten different places
every one will admit, that, the canine virus
mus have had asgood, II not "a better oppor-
tuuity of injecting The latter, than the former.
When we take 1t into consideration also, that
every Thing which the dog bit, hat those boys,
died with HydrOphoDia, aithU' nothing AS
bitten so badly, as one of the latter; | think
we may safely draw the conclusions, that, tie
vins was mol only absorbed into their systems,
but they would have been affected with dis
case, bad II not been prevented Which. then,
OF the REMEDIES, enumerated above, cOnidhavc
cOunieracted the morbid effects of the poison:
was III The eanStIc ! think not; for, many
hours had elapsed, between the lniiictiun OF the
bite and the application of The causiic; and
even whenit Is applied Immediately. upon the
reception OF awound, ii is agreed OH, by most
respectable physicians. That ii will not succeed
In preventing the disease.
oar uext euqniry is mutually directed ia the
neat place 10 tie Scutellaria could thai nave
succeeded IN preventing the infection. 10 this
Question, j Know the advocates tor the virtues
OF tbs plant, will nBheSiIatingiy answer yes
Dat, II behoVes us to possess sufficient degree
OF sCepticiSuI, TO prevent the too ready aCccp-
TALON OF tile numerous remedies, which, are
daily presented to the pubiic, by the dupeS of
prejudice, or ignorance but may not this
SCeptlcisnI he carried too faT3 As regards
the subject, at present under consideration
l am persuaded, that, il AT least, merits a fur
ther trial. than the epbemeral notice, which.
u generally bestowed on remedies of this
kind. In iavOur OF the SCuieIaria IT may be
advanced that the most simple aud seeming
~ ipert vegetables, succeed III curing the most
VITulent animal poIsons witness the drci-
ded effects OF such remedies, IN the hands OF
the Indians, III curing the bite of d raitlesnske
the principal OF which, believe is a species
OF the Colinsonia. Ii will, l hope, he plainly
inferred from what have advanced, that, IT is
not my object TO assert an entire belief IN the
Scuiellarla, as specific but to excite "A fur
ther inquiry, aud remove thatapathy which is
too often, perhaps the cause OF failure. Ia
medIes which might otherwise prove useful -
One word with respect TO the plant one spe-
Cies OnlN rs said to be useful, the ScutelIdTia
LaterIdorai as there ave three species grow
ing III this neighborhOod, this may be easily
cOntounded with the others; the only specl-
men OF this particular species, which have
seen gathered IN this stale, ranie from POwha
tan; the species mistaken for il IN this Neigh