Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1849-08-31
TILLEY.

R The following very interesting letter
from DR.. Cartwright, upon the subject of
cholera, is laid before our readers, with the
hope that it may benefit some. DR.. c., is
one of the most distinguished physicians
in the United States, and has probably had
OF the effects Of medicine upon cholera pa
tients. He is said to have attended at least
one thousand cases, and lost but very few.
DR. CARTWRIGHT ON CHOLERA.
New ORLEANS, May Ia. 1919.
DEAR SIR " our favor Of the 9th April
has just been received. In reply to your in
quiries, whether the symptoms of the present
cholera agree with those of 1888, | answer,
they do. The disease is the sane--the same
symptoms, and the same variety If sysnp-
toms observed in the epidemic CT 80 and SO,
found III the present. The symptoms va
~ In different places, and often In the same
mily-some have cramps, others not Most
of the cases commence by diarrhea, and a
few by vomiting and diarrhGa at the same
time; some rapid In their progress, others
slow. In general, there is no feeling of in
disposition when the diarrhaa begins.
1t is only after the system has been robbed
Of much Of its watery fluids by the diarrhpa,
that the sinking sensation commences
as in loss O.: blood. The patient is thus lulu
ed into fatal security because he does not
feel sick and thinks that he has only premon-
itory symptoms, which may end i'll cholera or
not The error lies III taking II for granted
that the disease has premonitory symptoms,
requiring a mider or different treatment from
the disease itself.
The disease consists in a pouring back eff
the contents Of the absorbent vessels into the
| alimentary canal, and fitering Of the watery
parts of the blood from the extrenities Of the
| capillary arteries. Before the diarrlIea man
ifests itself, the disease has begun. The alb
! sofbents, or some of them, have poured back
their contents, furnishing the Serious or rice
water matter that IS thrown out by the diar-
rhGa. How erroneous. then, to cali the diar-
| rhGa premonitory symptom, when it is ac-
| tually secondary effect OF prior diseased
| action of the disease itself
| TO cure the cholera clio, ttlto Ell jucu7lde.
| this pouring back process must be arrested
! Asirlngents, oplates, Stimulants, &C., may
check it for a while, and nature NAV re-estab-
lish the natural course of the circulation in
the absorbents; but there is no security that
she will do SO, unless the fluids be determin-
ed to the skin and the liver set to work.
When act on the skin by inducing per-
spiration. we make the absorbents of the ali
mentary canal hungry for fluids. A sucking
up instead of pouring back action is estab-
llShed In them. The disease consists in the
latter action. and is cured at once by estah-
fishing the former. Fluids in the body or out
of it cannot run in opposite directions at the
same time. Hence diarrhea, from retro
grade action of the absorbents, must stop as
a matter of necessity when the natural course
of the circulation in the absorbent vessels is
restored by inducing perspiration. The per-
cd
drinks. until we have time to bring the liver
into play.
The liver is torpid in cholera. When the
liver acts, the natural course of the abdomin-
al circulation is restored. But until the alb
dominal circulation through the liver is re-
stored, we must act on the skin. We cannot
act on the liver and restore the natural course
of the circulation of blood through it, under
six or eight hours. The disease often kills
in three or four. But we can act on the skin
In five minutes. which will answer every pur-
pose, and give US time to act the liver
How can act on the skin and actually cure
the formidable cholera in so short time is
the question. | answer that bv stimulating
sudorihc cholagogue. formed upon the basis
OF the celebrated composition of the ancients
which the experience of two thousand wears
has proved to be emnently successful in cold
/ congestve aHectons-a composition where
1e PuIiotiil dfoIIidllcS. antl-S pdSTnodIcS, and
slow purgatlves. are brought into happy union.
My composition differs from the ancient
| preparation. In having only one kind of pep
per instead OF three; one anti-spasmodic the
camphor, instead of many; and one slow pur-
gatlVe, the chalk mercury, or calomel. instead
OF the drastic vegetable cathartcs used bv
the ancIents. 1t is composed of 20 grains Of
chalk mercury (Hydraryrum cum creta) or
English calomel, 20 grains Cayenne pepper,
10 grains gum camphor, Is grains cal.ined
charcoal, and the same quantity rum arabic.
! The above united constitute dose for an
adult 1t is best given in two tahle-spoonf,ls
of cold water. II should be swallowed at
once without stopping to taste it, 1t pener-
ally causes sweat to break out i'm the stnm
ach. bowels and extremities. with little sins
| of hot camomIie, sage. balm or mint tea mr.
chicken water. Then when the sweat com
| mences, all that is necessary is to support the
sweat by drinking freely Of warm teas or
chicken water, until the purgative part of the
composition has time To empty the GALL bIad
der of its atrabillious contents, and to enable
the blood to circulate through the liver. The
heat to assist the above powder in capsin1
sweat. may be applied to the extrenities. in
the shape of bottles filled with hot water. and
to the stomach and bowels, by a Jacket or
shirt wrung out of scalding water and rolled
into ball as large child's head, wrapped
in dry flannel.
!, As soon "a the powder is swallowed. a
napkin dipped in cold water shouid be Stuffed