The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-08-03
From Galignani's Messenger.
Consumption..Dr. Churchiirs Discoveries,

From Galignani's Messenger.
Consumption..Dr. Churchiirs Discoveries,
An interesting paper on the successful
treatment of this dreadful affection, and
the allied diseases Of scrofula, tabes mesen
t0rica, etc., by tho hypophosphtes of lime
and soda, has just been presented to the
Academy of Sciences, by DR.. ]. F. Church
i'll. 1t has long been known that among
the inorganic or mineral substances which
enter into the composition of tho body,
phosphorus is TO be met with in considera-
bic quantities; but chemists and physiolo-
gists are as yet unable to decide whether it
is found only as phosphoric acid, that is, in
state of complete oxydation, and as such
no longer liable 10 be burnt by the oxygen
of the atmosphere (as for instance in the
mineral matter of bones,) or whether it al
so exists in lower state of oxydation,
and as such capable of keeping up the slow
combustion which constitutes one of the
principal phenomena Of life. Opinions up
on this point are very nearly balanced; the
celebrated Liebig, for instances, stating
that il is impossible to decide the question
in the present state of chemical analysis,
while his chief disciple in England, the
late DR.. Gregory, professor Of chemistry at
Edinburgh, declares that it is absurd to
suppose that phosphorus can exist in the
snimal frame in any other condition than
as Thosphoric acid. lr. Churchill, by
series of scientific deductions, which it
would be foreign to our purpose to exam
inc, came in 1855 TO the conclusion, that
.N,lx, 10 IN admit that
phosphorus existed in the body in an oyy
dizabe or combustb!e condition, but like
wise that the proximate cause, or at least
an indispensable condition TO the existence
of consumption or tuberculosis, was the un
due waste or deficient supply Of this princi
pie. Hence he drew the obvious inference
that the means Of curing disease consisted
in the restoring of the deficient elements.
For this purpose it was necessary TO seect
some compound Of phosphorus, which sho'd
be ut the same time oxydizsble and assimi
liable, that is, capable Of entering into and
forming part of the system. These con-
ditions were found to exist in the hypo-
rhosphites above mentioned. DR.. Church
ills views were first made known last July,
in a paper presented to the Academy Of
Medicine, and subsequently, embodied in a
work on consumption which appeared in
October. Since then, the author has con-
tinucd and extended his researches, and his
recent communication to the Academy of
Sciences is founded on tho observation of
forty-one cases. He administers the by
pophospbites Of lime or Of soda in small
quantity of sweetentd water, in doses va
rying from five TO twenty grains daily ac-
cording to tho constitution of the patient
and the nature Of the case. The cure of
consumption III the second and third stages,
(at period, consequently when there can
be no uncertainty as TO the nature OF the
disease,) can be obtained in all cases bv
this treatment, except when the existing
lesion of the lungs is of itself sufficient to
produce death. Contrary to the opinion
generally received, the third stage Of con-
sumption is, all other circumstances being
equal, more amenable to treatment than
the second. Hereditary predspositon
seems in no way to counteract the effect of
tho hypophosplites; patients in whom it
was most strongly marked recovering as
rapidly as Others. The paper has been re-
ferred by the Academy to a committee
consistingof Drs. Series, And'aland Claude
Bernard, and it is highly desirable that
these gentlemen should lose as little time
as possible, in verifying whether and how
far DR.. C.'s views are founled in truth,
more particularly as tho author states that
the remedy discovered by him has not on
ly curative effect, but will, il used wher-
ever there exists a suspicion Of tho disease,
prevent its development, and thus act as a
preservative with regard TO the consump-
ton, just as vaccination does with regard
to small pox. 1t is already extensively
used throughout the whole of the Cont
nent, and favorable results have been al
ready obtained in France, Germany, Italy
and Spain, rs well as at st. Petersburg and
Coustantinople. We may also state that
in consequence of DR.. Churchill's discovery,
the manufacture Of the hypophosphites in
Paris has already attained a considerable
degree of Importance, whereas before they
were applied to no use, and were only to
be found as chemical specimens in tho la
boratory. These facts alone, DR.. Church
i'll contends, are at least presumption
that the remedy is found to be Of benefit.
Should any Of our medical readers feel in
clined to investigate the subject, we may
state that DIR. Churchill has established
public dispensary at No. 8 Rue Larrey,
near the Ecole de Medicine, where he leo
lures every Friday at halfpast ten.
80 -F'I-77I TUITTF = ~