Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1849-07-21
From the Philadelphia Inquirer
DIR. CARTWRIGHT'S TREATMENT OF
EHlI ERA

tiCd'lhSilI VI CiioiCId, the pen OF Cart
wright, Of the most celebrated physicians of New
Orleans. 1t will be remembered that DIR. G.. is the
gentleman to whom EX-Secretary Walker some time
since referred, in letter which he addressed to the
public 1t will be that he states that the pre-
sent symptoms of cholera agree with those OF 1882,
'33; and that the symptoms vary in different places,
and often in the same family The most of the cases
commence by diarrhGa, and in general, there is no
feeling of ndisposition when diarrhHa begins. The
patient is thus luled into fatal security, because he
does not feel sick; and thinks he has only Fremont
tory symptoms, which may end in cholera or not
But Dr. Cartwright, like Dr. Cox, of New York,
says that before the diarrhna manifests ITSELF the
disease has begun, and instead of being premonitory
symptom, it is in fact secondary effect. The dis
ease he says, consists in pouring back of the con-
tents OF the absorbent vessels into the aimentary
canal, and filtering of the watery parts of the
blood from the extremites of the capillary arteries
70 cure the cholera, this pouring back process
must be arrested. But the letter seems to us too
important to abstract, and therefore give it in
detail:
New ORLEANS May ID, 1S49
Dear Sir:-Your favor of the 9th April, has lust
been received. In reply to your inquiries, whether
the symptoms of the present cholera agree with those
OF 1882, answer, they do. The disease is the same
the same symptoms, and the same variety of symp-
toms observed in the epidemic of '32 and '33, are
found in the present.
The symptoms vary in different places, and often
in the same family-some have cramps, others not.
Most OF the cases commence by diarrhpa, and a
few by vomiting and diarrhna at the same time;
some rapid in their progress, Others slow. In gene
raj there IS no feeling OF indisposition when the
diarrhGa begins.
1t is only after the symptom has been robbed of
much of its watery fluids by the darrhna, that the
sinking sensation commences just in loss of blood
The patient is thus lulled into fatal security be-
cause he does not feel sick, and thinks that he has
only premontorv symptoms, which may end in
I,la 1tac
ed that the disease has premonitory symptoms, re-
quring mildcr or different treatment from the
disease itself.
The disease consists in pouring back of the
contents of the absorbent vessels into the almentary
canal and ltering of the watery parts of the blood
from the extremties of the capillary arteries. Be-
fore the darrhna manifests itself, the disease has
bcgun.-The absorbents some of them have pour
ed back their contents, furnishing the rice
water matter that is thrown out by the diarrhea.
How erroneous then to call the diarrhua a pre-
monitory symptom, when it is actually secondary
effect OF prior diseased action, of the disease ITSELF
To cure the cholera citO, t,tt0 ct jIcu,de, this
pouring back process must be arrested. Astrngents,
opiates stimulants, Sc, may check it for a while,
and nature may reestablish the natural of the
circulation i'll the absorbents; but there is
rty that she will do so, unless the fluids be deter
mined to the skin and the liver put to work. When
we act on the skin by inducing perspiration, we
make the absorbents of the amentary canal, hungry
for fluids. A sucking up instead of pouring back
action is established in them.-The disease consists
in the latter action and is cured at by establish
ing the former Fluids in the body or out of it can
not run in opposite directions at the same time.
Hence diarrhGa from retrograde action of the
absorbents must stop matter of necessity when
the natural of the circulation in the absorb
ent vessels is restored by inducing perspiration.
The perspiration should be supported by diluent
drinks until have time to bring the liver into play.
The liver tnrDid in Cholera When the liver
acts the natural course of the abdominal circulation
through the liver is restored. But until the alb
dominal circulation through the liver is restored,
we must act on the skin. We cannot act ON the
liver and restore the natural course of the circua-
ton of the blood through it, under six eight hours.
The disease often kills in three or four. But we
can act on the skin in five minutes, which will
swer every purpose and give us time to act on the
liver. How act on the skin and
tualy cure the formidable cholera in so short a
space of time, is the question. l answer that by
stimulating sudorifc choagogue formed upon the
basis of the celebrated composition of ancients
which the experience of two thousand years has
proved to be emnently successful in cold congestive
Affections composition where the pungent
matics, anti spasmodic and slow purgatives
brought into happy union
MY composition differs from the ancient prepara-
ton in having only kind of pepper instead of
three, one antispasmodic, the camphor, instead of
many, and one slow purgative, the chalk mercury;
or calome instead of the drastic vegetable cathar
les used by the ancients 1t is composed of 20 grains
of chalk mercury, QIydraryrum cum creta) or Eng
lish calomel, 20 grains Cayenne pepper, 10 grains
cum camphor, Is grains calcined charcoal, and the
same quantity of gum arabic. The above united
constitute dose for adult 1t is best given in
two table spoonsful of cold water 1t should be
swallowed at once without stopping to taste it. 1t
generally sweat to break out in the stomach,
bowels, and extremties, with little sips of hot
mile, sage, balm, mint tea chicken water
Then when the sweat commences, all that is neces-
sary is to support the sweat by drinking freely of
warm teas chicken water, until the purgative
part of the composition has time to empty the gall
bladder of its atrabous contents and to enable the
blood to circulate through the liver. The heat to
assist the above powder in causing sweat, may be
applied to the extremities, in the shape of bottles
filled with hot water, and to the stomach and bow
els by jacket shirt wrung out of scalding water
and rolled into a ball as large as child's head,
wrapped in dry flannel.
As soon as the powder is swallowed, napkin
dipped in cold water should be stuffed into the
mouth, to take out the burning taste and to pre-
vent vomiting-lf instead of sweat flushing
of the face and heat of the skin be caused by the hot
applications the lancet should be used to bring the
system down to the sweating point, free cuppng
over the stomach. Drinks should be given while
the blood is flowing, to prevent the loss of blood
from debtating which it is well to do if the drinks
be absorbed; blood letting, by removing venous
plethora, facilitates absorption sweat will stop
the diarrhoea and vomiting if it can be established.
While the diarrhea goes on, and before perspration
occurs, stimuants may be used freely-none are too
strong itself is scarcely too strong, if it could
be swallowed. The Powders though are generally
strong enough. When sweat is once established,
stimulants are injurious and apt to drive the
blood to the brain, and secondary fever. Warm
teas or chicken water then the best stimulants;
they dilute the blood; they be taken cold or
warm or alternated with ice But suppose the pow
ders cannot be kept on the stomach, what Them
grain to grain of sulphate of morphine dissolved
in dessert spoonful OF camphor water 0he aqua
camphor of the shops) should be given after every
spell of vomiting every stool, also little calomel
or chalk mercury. Coffee after the morphine pre-