The North-Carolinian., 1850-11-23

Nevertheless, he declares ne WOutO give al
he possesses in the world. or all he hopes
to possess. if he could only Danish from
his memory the many torOrs he felt and
witnessed on his terrible journey.
Yours, truly, g. p. w.
TREATMENT OF SCARLET FEVER.
The following article from an eminent
physician OF Washington will possess in-
terest for every family Ms we'll as for the
medical profession:
TO the Editor of the Boston Medical and
Surgical journal.
WAsHlScroS. April II. 1850.
Sir AS every thing relating to the treat
ment Of scarlet fever-a disease almost as
fatal and destructive as cholera itself--is
Of great interest to the profession and the
public. desire to call the attention of
your readers to the mode Of treatment re-
commended by DR.. Schecmanp, physician
to the King Of Hanover, as contained in a
recent number Of the London Lancet. The
plan proposed by DIR. S. has not received
the attention from the medical profession
in this country or in England. SO far MS INV
knowledge extends, that its importance
demands. My experience with it is now
considerable. and | think can safely re-
our means Of conducting this dreaded dis
ease to satisfactory termination. 1t is
philosophical and rational in theory--sim.
pie and efficient in practice.
hope fair trial will be given to this
mode Of treatment by the profession, and
the results made known through the jour
nails, that its true value may be definitely
ascertained. subjoin the most important
directions given by DR.. Schnecmann, in a
somewhat abbreviated form.
HARVEY LINDSLY, Nj. ID.
Treatment Of Scarlet Fever by Munclion.
soon as we are certain Of its nature, the
ing over the whole body with a piece Of
bacon, in such a manner that, with the cx-
ception of the heac, covering Of fat is
everywhere applied. In order to make
this rubbing-in somewhat easier, it is best
to take piece Of bacon the size of the
hand, choosing part still armed with the
rind, that we may have firm grasp. On
the soft side Of this piece Sits are to be
made. in order to allow the oozing out of
the fat The rubbing must be thoroughly
performed. and not too quickly, in order
that the skin may be regularly saturated
with the fat. The beneficial results of this
application are soon obvious. With
rapidity bordering on magic, all--even
the most neutrality-suspicious. Of the disease
are aIIayed quiet. sleep, good humor.
appetite return, and there remains only
the Impotence to quit the sick room.
The advantages Of the treatment indicat-
ed may be summed up as follows:
!. The improbabiity--wem might almost
say the impossbility--of the patient gett-
ing cold while the skin is thus covered
with fat--a point in no disease more i'm
portant than here.
2. The dry brittlcness Of the skin and
the tormenting itching are by it not only
aIleviate.. but generally entire
ly removed. Every practitioner knows
how often the itching and burning Of the
skin in scarlet fever are unendurabIc to
keeping them constantly in dis
tressing movement, and robbing them Of
Hence children are generally
we'll satisfied with this process, and often
ask for it's repetition long before the time
is come.
S. The influence on the physical func-
.ions of the skin is still more important.
During the coming on Of scarlet fever the
skin becomes diseased. in consequence Of
which it loses its vital power. During
this illness, and until new covering Is
again prepared for the surface. the func-
tions of the skin are very imperfectiy per-
formed, or during the 'lesquamation pro-
bably Y not at all. In order to explain the
extent and Importance Of the impercepti-
ble functions Of the skin IN a merely
view Of the matter, the read
er is referred to the accurate experiments
Of Segun. which fix the quantity Of matter
thrown of from the outer skin at eleven
grains per minute in grown person, and
therefore more than two pounds per day.
What efforts must it cost the organism to
lead SO large a quantity into other paths.
in order to throw it oil, when the skin IS
incapable OF doing so!
4. With this disappearance OF the des-
quamationl disappear all those bad 'ymp-
toms which attend on it. In order to give
a striking proof of the Importance and bad
influence which the interrupted functions
Of the skin produce on the healthy activity
Of relative, even it distant organs. we may
cite the fact that death is always the result
where more than one-half Of the skin has
been destroyed by fire or boiling liquid.
A similar destruction Of the skin ensues in
scarlet fever, with this difference, that it
takes place gradually. and thereby the or
ganism is better enabled, by employing all
the activity Of the body. to find aid against
the mischief which must result from the
cessation OF the functions Of the skin.