The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-09-16
Gonsnmp tion--Dr. Churchi!l's Discoveries.

| expects TO llnQ pug. 90 llOtc IL pc
Golden Era.
Cons.imp ption--Dr. Churchill's Discoveries.
An interesting paper on the successful
treatment Of this dreadful affection, and
| the allied diseases of scrofula, tabes, NE
senterica, &c, by the hypophosphites of
| lime and soda, has just been presented to
| the Academy of Sciences, by DIR. }. f..
Churchill. 1t has long been known that
among the inorganic or mineral substan-
| ces which enter into the composition OF
the body, phosphorus is to be met with in
| considerable quantities, but chemists and
Psychologists are as yet unable to decide
whetherit is found only as phosphoric acid,
that is, in state Of complete oXydatlon.
and as such no longer liable to be burnt
by the oxygen of the atmosphere (as, for
| instance, in the mineral matter OF bones,)
or whether it also exists in lower state
Of oxydation, aud as such capable of keep
| ing up the slow combustion which consti-
tutes one of the principal phenomena of
life Opinions upon this point are very
nearly balanced, the celebrated Llebg,
fyr instance, stating shat it is impossible
to decide the question in the present state
of chemical analysis, while his chief dis
ciple in England, the late DR.. Gregory,
professor of chemistry at Edinburgh, de-
clares that it is absurd to suppose that
phosphorus can exist in the animal frame
in any other condition than as phospho-
ric acid. DIR. Churchill, by series of
scientific deductions, which it would be
foreign to our purpose tol examine, came
in 1855 to the conclusion that. not only
was it necessary to admit that phospho-
rus existed in the body in an oxydlzable
or combustible condition, but likewise
that the proximate cause or at least an
indispensable condition to the existence
of consumption or tuberculosis, was the
undue waste or the deficient supply OF
this principle. Hence he drew the obvl-
ous inference that the means OF curing
the disease consisted in the restoring OF
the deficient clements. For this purpose
it was necessary to select some compound
of phosphorus, which should be at the
same time oxydizable and assimilable,
that is capable of entering into and form
inc part of the system. These condl-
tions were found to exist in the hypophos-
phites above mentioned.
DR.. Cburchill's views were first made
known last July in a paper presented 10
the Academy of Medicine, and subse-
ouently embodied in work on consump-
ton, which appeared in October. Since
then, the author has continued and e2-
tended his researches, and hisrecent com
mnnieation to the Academy of Sciences
is founded on the observation OF forty
one cases. He administers the hypo-
phosphites of lime or Of soda In small
quantity of sweetened water, in doses
4 VARYING from five to twenty grains daily,
according to the constitution ofthe patient
and the nature of the case. The cure OF
consumption in the second and third sta
ges lat period, consequently, when there
can be no uncertainty as to the nature OF
the diseased can be obtained in all cases
bv this treatment. except when the ex-
Fl isting lesson of the lungs is OF itself sui
iicient to produce death Contrary TO
the opinion generally received, the third
stage of consumption is, all other clrcum-
stances being equal, more amenable to
treatment than the second. Hereditary
prelisposition seems in no way to coun-
4 teract the effect Of the hypophosphites ;
, patients in whom it was most strongly
|, marked recovering as rapidly as Others.
The paper has been referred by the Aead-
envy TO committee consisting OF Dfs,
, Sefres, Andral and Claude Barnard, and
i it is highly desirable that these gentle
!, men Should lose as little time as possible
! in verifying whether, and how far, DR.
. Churchill's views are founded IN truth
more particularly as the author states
that the remedy discovered BY him ha;
{ not only curative effect, but will, if nsee
wherever there exists a suspicion OF th'
i disease, prevent its development, an(
!. thus act as preseryative With regard t
i consanption, just as vaccination doe