True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-08-19
PeeuliarieS of DR.. Calvin M. Fitch's
Treatment Of pnlmnnarv nisAasa

Tue speCldllueS IN meulcln61 dnuutu 10
the case Of wealthy farmer, a we'll
known citizen of Fayette county, whom
be had recently met, and who, on the oc-
casiOn OF DR.. Fitch's former visit to our
city, came to see him SO much reduced
from long continued cough, night sweats
&co that he was carried from his house to
the boat, and from the boat to DR., Fitch's
rooms, YET who has now so completely
recovered that be looked as if he had
never known days sickness, weighs
l75 or $50 pounds, and was able enough
to do the work of full hand in the har-
vest field last year The Cleveland Her
aid of last week publishes a case of still
greater interest coming under the imme.
diate notice of one of the proprietors oI
that journal, inasmuch as the patient was
the son Of neighbor and intimate friend
and had from the age Of Two years been
an invalid, and literally 50 rapidly decln-
ing that all hopes of recovery had been
lost. The case is so remarkable that we
shall hereafter give it in detail, We will
only add that the lad, now thirteen oil
fourteen years old, was prescribed for by
Dr. Fitch, previous to his departure fol
Europe, and continued during the winter
under the care Of Dr. Sykes, whose thor
ough acquaintance with DR.. FltCh's sys
TEN enabled him TO treat the case with 81
much success that the boys cough hac
abaled, his ngat sweats have long since
ceased, his strength has greatly increased
and he now weighs nearly or quite
third more than when Doctor Fitch frs
saw him. We can ourselves name ;
young lady in Allegheny City for whom
DR.. Fitch prescribed some two year:
since, speedily relieving her of cougl
of more than a years standing, and tc
another person, Mr.. Roberts, fnow IL
California, who, when he visited DR.
Fitch tGo years since, was carried tC
him at the hotel, being hardly able tt
support his weight upon his feet. Ou
informant, a man who was working il
the same establishment with the sicE
man previous to his illness, said he gain
ed like magic "and is now as hearty as
a brick" We have just received letter
from a gentleman in ONO, which we
shall publish in a week or two, showing
DR.. Fitch's success in his own case after
he had been given over by his physicians
to die of consumption and not an hour
since an editorial friend from Brownsville
mentioned 10 us an interesting case of DR.
Fitch's success in that neighborhoud. Ir
fact we see almost every week in our eX'
changes some notice of DR.. Fitch's skill
which we feel tempted tc lay before ouT
readers. Under these circumstances, il
is but natural to enquire how it is thai
DR.. Fitch secures these results Wha
are the peculiarties of the treatment
which he proposes which gave it sucl
manifest superiority over all other plans
hitherto proposed!
TO these inquiries, DR.. c. NJ. Fitch:
recent publication, ",he Invalid's Guide
and Consumptive's Manual" gives suf
iciently full reply. There the principles
of his treatment are laid down. and al
interested in this important subject would
do well to possess themselves Of this lit
lie work. The Doctor regards consump'
ton both as local and general disease,
and, therefore, requiling both local and
general treatment. The disease of the
lungs he regards local manifestation of
constitutional disease in the same way
that scrofulous ulcers on the limbs may
be, and as these ulcers should be treated
both by topical or local application by
stimulating lotions, &C., &c T., and also by
general or internal remedies by tonics
and alternatives, by attention to diet, &c.,
&C., and not by local applications to the
exclusion of general means or internal
remedies to the exclusion of local meas.
ules, so DR.. Fitch holds that the treat.
ment of diseased lungs should be both
local or topical and general, that while
by the employment Of appropriate inhal,
atoms, the local disease of the lungs is
reached, we should at that time by ap,
propriate internal remedies, build up the
strength of the system, cleanse the booc
and remove the constitutional faint o
which the local disease is merely a mani
festalion. For this purpose also, all lht
secretions, the bowels, kidneys and skin
must be kept duly active. The patien
must be kept in the open air, proper at
tenlion paid to the diet, and every mean
taken to sustain his general strength
Other diseases which may chance to b.
present must be removed; measure
must be taken to keep the lungs so per
fectly expanded as to prevent farthe
depoat of tuberculous matter. By dail
bathing, &c., the patient must promot
the action of The skin, and at the sam
time rortify himself against colds.
Thus it will be seen that DR.. 9. NJ
Fitch rides no hobby. He does nc
promise to accomplish great object with
out employing adequate means for so dc
ing. He does not claim for any on
thing that which common sense tells us i
plainly absurd. He does not make col
water a remedy for every malady unde
the sun, although he admits its value a
an adjuvant in the treatment Of mos
chronic diseases. He does not rely upo
mechanical means alone, as some hav
done 10 the exclusion of everything else
He does not content himself with lnhali
tions alone, nor with internal remedie
alone, but he combines these and thus Sc
cures at once all the advantages whic
these different systems afford, and h
ample experience enables him to do th
with so much judgment as TO secure d
gree of success which has, we believ
never yet been attained by any other pra
titioner. DR.. Fitch possesses singul