Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-10-10

-Nr. Jennings, Went W "lcic titt boys lay,
| examined them slightly, and then asked the
| family and some female nurse how they were.
They told me they We're taken pretty much
| in the same way; that they had been com
planning two or three days before they were ia
| ken down; that the oldest boy was taken with
| vomiting, which lasted for three days: that
ching all that time that nothing would lay on
5,h stomach, not even cold wa e.; the fever
Ia u remit i'll moving, and would return to
III i the afternoon, and rage through the night
| WI --,nm. asked other questions which
I [ canl5-ssz@y recollect asked, during the
was thrown np-she replied there was not |
then asked if they had been particular IN exam
nng their discharges downward-they said
they had. asked if they had seen any dis
charged in that way-they replied they had
not, but said that their discharges all along
: had been thin and watery and not the least
appearance of bile, although calonel had been
given After made the enquiries deemed
necessary, | resumed again the examination of
the patients Ny attention was directed to the
oldest first found the region of the stomach
was distended, and on making moderate pres
sure seemed to give him great pain, 50 also
when pressure was made on any part of the
Bowels The patient seemed to be entirely in
sensible TO every thing else, and was actually in
a dying state. The other boy was not SO far
gone, was entirely deranged pulse pretty ac-
tive, when pressure was made on the abdomen
and stomach it give pain, but not seeming to feel
as the other. AS it is an old saying, while there
! Is he there is hopes, accordingly told the
family what thought ought to be done, but
| gave him no medicine; had none with me-
! Having finished the examination, Mr. Jen-
nings asked me what thought was the disease,
to which replied, that it was clearly Castro
!nteritis or Inflammation Of the Bowels, atten-
ded with remittent form of Fever. | then eX-
{ planned TO him as short way as could the
! Pathology of the disease. | told him that the
obstinate vomiting for the three first days,
demonstrated the highly irritated and infam-
ed stat OF the mucous coas OF the stomach.
and that the inflammation had extended itself
along the mucous coats Of the bowels, and
from thence to the liver, and from It's enoorged
and infammed state, suspended the secretion
OF bile. This told him was the reason why
no bile was discharged by vomiting and none
by s.ool, the functions of the liver having been
suspended during the whole time of the sick
ness, from the engorged and inf1amed state
having still continued. From the Castro In
terlstlc etate, the brain becomes involved Soon
er or later, and inflammation, with all its con-
! sequences ensues. Mr.. Jennings then enquired
OF me what course of treatment | would pur-
sue. told him, that in this high imfammatory
state of the stomach and bowels, had imme-
! date recourse to general blood letting, cupping
on the stomach and abdomen, clustering, cooling
drafts, and laxative, &c. After the inflammato-
ny state of the stomach and bowels Were pretty
much reduced, by the foregoing remedies,
generally had recourse to calomel as revelent,
and to restore the healthy secretions of the
liver. This gave us the outlines of my prac-
tice in such cases. The Doctor says ..being
called in at so late period, would not hazard
an opinion, OF if did, it would be an errone-
Gus one." 1t would be very strange if could
not, after having been told how they were af-
tected from the beginning till that time, and
after having examined their present condition.
that could not tell what was their complaint
/ would like to know what other way we have
when late called in but the above of ascertain
ing what the disease is, where there is no
physician employed, or is absent or dismissed
1t is very seldom that two physicians attend
the same patient in the country at the same
time; the one is generally dismissed before they
call in another, and if called late in the disease
which is most frequently the case, then ac-
cording to the gentleman's notion. no opinion
could be formed, and if there was, it would be
an erroneous one. To a physician who has
had little or no opportunity Of getting acquain-
ted with the different forms of bilious fever,
this would be very likely to happen But to
one that has SCENT in all its forms and changes,
year after year, and has seen patients in all
stages OF it, to such an one | should think it
would not be 50 difficult as the gentleman
would have it. During the bilious Epedemics
that ragged in Woodstock, and its vicinity for
several years, | met with vast number of ca
SEES similar to that of the boys, and indeed in
most OF the cases inflammation of the coats of
the stomach and bowels in greater or less
degree prevailed. 1t was the case some wears
more than others. The gentleman might as
we'll tell me that | would not know my near
est neighbor, if should meet him in the street,
as to tell me did not know the disease of the
boys. Now as to the dose of calomel that had
been given at the commencement of the dis
ease, hold it as | do other irritating cathar-
tics, entirely inappropriate, as their tendency
IS to increase the Inflammation of the bowels
and thereby aggravating the disease instead of
retrieving it, till finally destruction of the
bowels takes place and death ensues. Dose
alter dose OF caloinel is given in this inflamed
otalc VI TIE SlOHldcH ana bowels Tor the pur-
pose of discharging the bile, but instead of its
producing discharges Of bile its tendency is to
increase the engagement and inflammation of
the liver, and thereby destroy its function alto
gether. 1T is this injudicious use or abuse Of
calomel in the inflammatory state of the stom-
achand bowels in bilious fever that has brought !
d.scredlt on it, and hence the Thompsonian !
system with others in oposition to its use. The
gentleman states if 'shave no objections we
viii discuss the matter through the public I
prints | think the gentleman had better write |
tire aties on Congested Bilious Fever. from
the long experience he has had and shaving
spent whole days and nights" in watching its
movements In his two patients. have no |
doubt the work will take well with the profess
sion. entirely decline the invitation of meet
ing him in the public prints. 1t has been hui
initiating enough, to have met him thus far I
The character OF his letters, entirely preclude |
all further communication with him.
JOSEPH IRWIN.