Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-03-14
WEDNESDAY, MARCH IA, 1889.

The Ch0iera.-The following article from the
pen of DR.. Mfflin, of Phil, on the subject of
the Asiatic Cholera, will be read with general at
tention. 1t will be seen that DR.. Mifilin had
an opportunity ofpersunally examining the nature
Of the disease, whilst it ragged in Russia.
arrived at Cronstadt on the 26th OF Septem-
Der, 1851, and remained there and at st. Peters
burg until the goth of October. The crew ct the
vessel of which had the medical charge. con-
sisted Of about no, (officers inclusive)-lmme-
dia,ely ON arrival. I directed my enquiries touch
inc the existence If the Cholera, and the modes
of treatment most approyed-but IN vain sought
for consistent system OF treating-and 1t seem
ed pretty evident, that as vet, no "SPec.Fc' had
been attained. The disease itself was pronounced
of varied character, requiring as varied treatment
I was informed by an old German physician at
the Hospital Cronstadt, that there we're what ne
termed the Cholera Spurlosa. the Malignant
Cholera the former under proper treatment Gu
rable, the latter incurabe. referred to the treat
ment IN the Hospital Books, and was satisfied
that the treatment was involved in great OBSCURE
". The care of our men deprived me of the oppor-
,unity of extending as much personal observation
on shore, as | could have desired-and the in-
formation | was enabled to collect but threw
me more exclusively on my own resources, in the
treatment Of those cases falling under my care.
During a period Of eighteen days, that Is trom
the time of our arrival until the crew was dis
charged. about forty cases more or less alarming
occurred on board among the men: Ut this num-
Der only one case proved fatal.
The following is a brief outline of three cases,
embracing the one that terminated tatally:-No.
]. commenced with the ordinary symptoms OF
- cholera, spasms in the stomach, and convulsed
state of the whole muscular system: owing to the
rapidity with which these symptoms increased,
and the extrepe debility which attended them,
promp,itude in their treatment became highly i'm
portant At once, commenced giving the pa
tnnt very minute doses Of caonel and opium,
and applied the common spice plaster over the
epigastrium. These, IN short time. so tar quI-
eted the irritability OF the stomach and almenta-
ry canal. as TO enable me to meet the more Vlo-
lent $, mptoms. viz:-spasms-by increasing the
quantity of the narcotic, without entirely sus-
neuding the action Of the disease, and with the as
sistance of ordinary doses of card ammonia, which
the feeble state of his pulse and system seemed
TO require. the patient, in less than forty eight
hours, was convalescent.
No III. was the case of man, who having
been on shore till late hour in the afternoon, re-
,urned on board of ship in a state of (apparenD
perfe,t heal,h-he was very suddenly attacked
with symptoms of the disease-but the derange-
ment of the digestive system was soon merged in
the most violent spasm under which have ever
seen n patient suffer. The arteral system was
IN a state Of high excitement, as indicated by his
mise. Horid face, and cOngested eyes-so severe
were the spasnls there the greatest difficulty
IN administering medicine-ln attempting It he
hit glass cup in pieces, and literally ground 1t
in his mouth With this embarrassment, de-
termined to open a vein, and allow the blood to
flow until some change took place-happv, this
was for the better, the spasms gradually yielding
to the deplstion-after having applied some cups
TO the head. to relieve local congestion. opates
were freely administered, with hot toddy and the
carbonate of ammonia. These stimuants 1t was
necessary to employ on account Ot the extreme
debility which succeeded, and which was a'togeth-
er dispropurtonate to the small quantity OF blood
the man lost; his body was rubbed with strong
external stimulants, and his feet STEPPED in hot
mustard bath-under these remedies, the patient
gradually recovered. and by observing great eau.
zion in his diet. his stomach soon recovered its
usual tone. The very slight irritabilitv of the
digestive system may not seem TO entitle this case
4, the name of Cholera MOrbus; but it commenc-
cd in disorder of the stomach and aimentary ca
nal. and through all its stages, was distinguished
nv me of the most formidable features OF that
disease which has committed such ravagss in Eu-
rope. L a..
the na,ient had been taken ill. without any pre-
yious indispositlou. His attack commenced with
a diarrhea, though he did not make any COM
ulaint before O'Clock in the morning, when the
SYMPTOMS assumed serious character; being &C.
cuplsd with other cases | could not attend him
till near 9 o'clock-when first saw him. he was
in a condition in which life seemed scarcely sus-
tanned, with the " facies hippocratica," his body
was covered with cold clammy perspiration,
the muscles in state of general CONFUSION. and
his pulse 50 feeble, as to be scarcely perceptbe.
he seemed almost insensible to every external
impression. The whole treatment consisted of
rowerful internal and external stimulants, but
without any evident relief; he remained in this
tate until 4 O'Clock in the afternoon. when he
died. The spasms continued in the lower extre,
,n;t;es some time after every other appearance of
life was extinct. Circumstances forbade any