Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-08-16

pale, cold, and coated-breath like tn,
vapour from vault-in short, case o
Cholera Asphyxia; considered by al
who saw her at this time, (twenty or thir
ty physicians,) as desperate; espe ciall,
as all testimony from Europe, published
in the English language, concurs in pro.
nouncing such subjects in this stage ut.
terly incurable. In the face of circum-
stances so discouraging, the writer's con-
fdence in the Camphor treatment, as ad-
equate to the resuscitation of even such a
case, and the reasons for his confidence,
were publicly avowed; and the physies.
ians present (some of whom afterwards
confessed they had thought him insane, J
were urged to rest their opinions solely
on the evidence Of their senses, and con-
fide in their testimony in preference to
that OF any man or body of men, and
even to that Of their past experience of
the powers Of camphor, as administered
in large doses in other diseases. in one
hour the countenance Of the patient wore
new aspect; the tongue began to be
warm-the pulse was manifest at the
wrists-and in fifteen hours after admis-
sion, means so simple us minute doses of
Cdmphor in cold water, and four bottles
fwarm water applied to the cxtrcmities,
with the blessings of Heaven, proved
sufficient for the complete manifestation
Of 'convalescence.
What impression did facts like these
make upon the minds of the many ply
sicians who Witnessed them? Some so
far believed, that they went away and
repeated the practice 10 The letter, upon
their own patients, with like happy re-
suits: and thus daily added confirmation
to their convictions. Some, unwilling to
abandon wholly their pre- conceived ideas,
either gave large doses of the remedy, or
combined with some favorite medicine
Of their own; and forsooth, because they
failed, the camphor treatment was TO be
condemned in toto. Others, incredulous,
because unable to comprehend how such
simple means should effect such results,
or, blinded by prejudice, or by feelings
less pardo9ablc, strove. already to per-
vert the truth, and to discredit the treat
ment. II
But to recur to the patients On Sun
day, the 9th, the convaescence of both
was more clearly marked, in the imrrov-
cd state of their secretions, their desire
for nourishment, and their increased {
strength, all of which were still more ev- t
idcnt on Monday, particularly in the case {
OF Bartram, who, in the morning, during ]
the absence Of the writer, had been per- d
mitted to leave his bed and walk barefoot s
ed on the pared floors, quite down stairs, d
before his course was arrested by the at B
That afternoon typhoid symp- C
toms first showed themselves,-and with r
in an hour or two the writer was formal Il
ly notified, that, by an order of the ply Il
sician then just appointed, all the patients
must be subjected TO the treatment of the v
house, and 10 no other. Accordingly the Il
merit morning, TUESDAY, when his symp- 81
toms had assumed an alarming charac- C
Ter, Bartram's temples were cupped, and a
sinipisms applied to his feet, by order of u
he house physician. The succeeding n
evening, when his case seemed despe- st
rate, on the remOnstrance of the writer, d
he was permitted to resume the treat a
nent of his patients Bartram died at d m
o'clock on Wednesday morning. Why' Il
Let the facts answer. fr
In reference to Ford, with n pulse 70
ranging from 20 to 80, and no symptom tn
but Of the debility incident to SO severe b'
IN attack, and no desire but for brandy
md nourishment, rarely obtained but by a
he interpositon Of the writer, and then di
With difficulty; and, in common with the of
'ther cOnvalescents, surrounded by the st
ick, the dying and the dead; lying in the dy
ame bed which first received her, and CT
With no change of clothing, g,-she con- at
inued under his inspection unlil the 18th ha
lst. Friday 0 p. m. AT this time, er
nding that an order to the head nurse of tn
he ward, given an hour before, for nour- ad
;hment, for which the patient had been so
aling in vain, had been totally disre- tn
arded, although one Of the assistants di
ad promised to see it executed, the W;
ritter was no longer willing to bear the in
esponsibility of a life, the means of sus- Of
lining which he could not control, and ci;
ccordingly no surrendered her subse-
uent treatment to the physician Of the thu
hospital, stating his reasons in the pre- SIR
ence two of his assistants. Ford died ine
n the 9Th inst. Sunday at o'clock tac
. m. eight and a half days after her ad- in
,ission Comment would be superhu- Wi
US. aD
The details Of these cases, which can VIII
Q substantiated by testimony the most us'
Dnclusivc, are demanded thus mnutcly, sal
ecause of the misrepresentations which TO
y some have been so industriously cir
lated: and because .sthe truth, the sid
hole truth, and nothing but the TRUTH" to
II