Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-02-05
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF SALT.

DR.. Stevens, an eminent physician ofLondon,
has recently made certain discoveries relating
to the diseased and healthy state OF the blood,
and the agency of salt upon the circulation,
which seem likely to produce great revolution
in the treatment of fevers and malignant dlsea-
ses in general
It is well known that the blood of the arteries
is of bright crimson color, while that of the
veins, which is returning to the heart after hav-
ing spent its vivifying influence, is of dark pur
pie According to DR. Stevens, the bright red
color, the vitality and the stimulating power OF
the arterial blood, are all dependent on the
quantity of salt which enters into its composition;
while all acids and alkalies and, in general, all
poisons, tend to blacken the blood, to reduce its
stimulating powers and Of course to diminish
the force of its circulation. The purple color OF
the venous blood is owing to the carbonic acid 1t
has imbibed. In the lungs, the oxogen of the at
mosphere removes this deleterious acid, and the
circulating fluid then resumes its bright scarlet
appearance.
According to this theory, poisons, and those
malignant disorders, such as the marsh fever,
yellow fever &c. which originate from the pa
tent having imbibed febrile poison, are, in
their very last stages, accompanied with black
ness ana stagnation of the blood, occasloned by
the destruction of its saline principle; and to
cure the patient, this saline principle must be
restored.
Take, for instance, the bite of a rattle-snake,
In this case, the poison of the serpents fang
mingles with the circulation, destroys its red
color, and its vitality, brings on backness OF
the blood, stagnaton fits current commissions,
and death. The unfailing antdote, which ex-
perience has taught the Indian to apply, is to
scarfy the wound to the bottom and to fill it
with salt This salt is taken into the circulation,
restores the redness and vitality of the blood,
and the wound soon heals. Malignant fevers,
and other malignant disorders, operate in the
same way. They begin by destroying the color
and vitality ofthe blood, and reducing it to a
black and putrid mass; and, says DR.. Stevens,
have seen patients, in the last stages of these
disorders, recover under the internal use of
large doses of common salt and other saline
agents, where the cases at first were so hopeless,
that their recovery afterwards appeared to be
almost miracle.
The climate fever of southern religions, and
some other fevers, are produced IN different
way; cold climate requires different con-
stitltion from warm one In the cold climate,
the digestive organs are more vigorous, and the
blood is rich. stimulating and fall of salts. The
blood in southern climates is of less brilliant CO.
lor, thinner, and less impregnated with same
substances. When the constitution OF north
ern stranger is suddenly exposed TO the lnhu-
ence OF southern climate nature hastens 10
produce the necessary change in circulation,
and this change is generally accompanied with
an awful disease. While the skin performs its
functions OF perspiraton, there is no danger;
but the moment perspration becomes obstruct-
ed, from imprudent exposure to the cold night
air or any other reason, the fever breaks out
The cause is, that the blood is too stimulating,
too fullof salt; and the danger is, lest this op-
Grafton of nature, for reducing it, should be car
ried too far and the blood so much blackened
and weakened, that the patient dies from mere
exhaustion These disorders, therefore, ac-
cording to DR.. Stevens, in their first stages re-