The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-10-04

uicy Do dppileu near all dcute uIccr, 1Ol
their bites are apt TO degenerate in this case
into ulcers: if the ulcer be of specific char
acter, the bites become inoculated, and
thus extend, instead of decreasing the ulcer.
ated surface. Neither should they be placed
where bandages are of paramount impor-
tance as in fractures, for in such cases The
bites are apt TO infame and akerate, and thus
cause the removal OF the apparatus at crit
ical period"
Prof. Bigelow, of Boston, says
tI have known children to be killed by
the bites of foreign leeches: caution should
be observed in their application, as it is ex-
tremely difficult to stop the bleeding"
In the London Practice of Midwifery we
find the statement that can infant has been
known TO die under the operation Of single
lcech."
Boisseau on Fcver, says
"We are bound in conscience here 10 note
the fact, that leeches are capable OF destroy
ing lie In addition TO sufficient evidence
to be drawn from books, the writer OF this
article has himself been witness, in more
than single instance, 10 the fact"
But in the face of all this evidence, COM
piled from the most celebrated Allopathic
authorities, leeches arc still used indiscrm-
inately by all old school practitioners of this
country. The bright, smiling and lovely
babe, whose sweet and merry voice was
often heard by all the household, who was
once the idol of mothers heart aud the
Joy of fathers affection, now lies mouldcr-
ing in the cold and silent tomb only one of
the innumcrable victims TO the use OF leech-
es. And why do such cases occur? Sim.
ply because parents remain Ignorant of an
innocuous system Of medicine and allow
themselves TO be carried away by prejudice
and upon the wings OF popularity.
have already stated that perncious and
deleterous effects often arise from the APP
plication Of lecchcs directly over important
arteries and veins. A case of this character
occurred here not long since. An Allopath-
ic physician ordered several leeches to be
placed on the neck Of a child about four
years of age, which was Immediately done
as directed One or two filled very rapidly
and were taken of, when it was asccrained
that an important blood vessel had been
wounded. Here, any compression of the
neck might seriously affect the cerebral cir
cuiation, and the skill of the doctor 10 sup
press the hemorrhage proved futile, until
an extravagant cflusiou of blood had taken
place and left its debiitating effects upon
previously weak and delicate child
There is always more or less hemorrhagc
from the bites after. the leechcs have been
taken off, which often continues for long
time especially from those parts Of the body
where compression is impossible and s;yp-
tics must be depended on, and also among
those persons who possess a hcmorrhagic
diathesis, the bleeding is in all cases inev-
itably and dangerously profuse But the
most forcible objection TO the use of lceches
is one which has not received from the
medical profession that consideration which
its importance demands, viz: the tfahsmis-
sion of diseases from one person 10 another
by them And is it not evident 10 every in
vcstigating mind that morbid condition
may be transmitted from one body 10 anoth-
er by the application of the same leeches to
persons laboring under different Diseases
May not variola, syphilis and other conta-
gious affections be propagated in this man.
ncr? And may not leech applied to a
scrofulus tumor and afterwards to healthy
person incorporate the constitutional con-
tamination OF the former into the latter? |
answer without qualification tina, such trans
mission can take place just as eifectually as
small pox can be produced by inocula'ion,
or that syphylis can result from the matter
coming in contact with mucus surface
In support Of this assertion, Twill present
to the readers Of your widely circulated
Journal few we'll authenticated cases, cor
roborating the fact that morbid conditions
have been transmitted from one body to an
other by lceches.
Case FrSt-A colored servant woman OF
MIR. W was attacked with inhammatory
Rheumatism. An Allopath was called TO
her relief and recommended the application
of several leeches TO the inilamea joints
The leeches were applied as directedj and
in the course of two or three days the pre-
monitory symptoms of variola presented
themselves, followed by the eruption which
passed through its different stages with reg
ularity. Upon inquiry it was ascertaincd
that the same leoches had been previously
applied to a person confined with the small
pox.
Case Second--A physician of this city or
dered German man to be leeched for some
indispositon A German pretender Of the
cuppig and leeehng profession performed
the duty as directed In short time after,
the patient was surprised to find himself at.
fected with syphylitic disease, and future
investigation into the cause OF the disorder
conclusively proved that the leechos had
previously drawn blood from the scrotum of
q man laboring under Syphylis!
Case Third-Dr 49,, popular physician
of Washington, D. c., lost his reputation
and practice on account Of producing scrof-
ulous affection of lady's face, by the ap
plication of leech which had been placed
upon a scrofulous tumor,
Having now impartially but iraperfectly
considered some ftho more important OBJ
jections to the absurd prsctce Of leeching
for the purpose of controlling abnormal ac-
ton OF tho human organism, | will think
mvsclf amDlV renaid if Tho ,Yrecood;oo n,, IN !.