New-York daily tribune., 1859-01-03
THE HYPOPHOSPHITES AGAIN.

To he Edi,O, Of The ~ L. Tribune.
SIR: The almost annual announcement, and
frtque,t failure, Of some remedy called specific for
Consumption, is productive of an immense amount OF
mischief.
Thousands Of nvalide who might recover by more
raops course lose their lives IN trying, one after
another the remedies for which 80 much is claimed,
and thousands Of physicians are confirmed IN the erro'
and pernlcOus 0eef that the disease Is III is
nature incuIabe.
TIE late remedy Of ths hnd lie the Hypophosphite
the use Of which based upon Dr. Churchils alleged
discovery that deficiency of Phosphorus in the sys-
tenn lie condition of tuberculosis aud also, his very
sing ular conclusion that this condition Of the disease is
s cause a deficiency OF iron in the blood has Also
vpe been known to be condition OF Phthlss but no
one thinks of considering this cause OF the disease
II has also been well known for nearly half century
hat phosphorus, iron ard lime are often 6enehcal IN
c, nsumptiOn but whether given separately or IN the
form of the HypOplosphltes, they do not effect cures
except in extremely rare cases.
DR.: X. Payne Cotton of the celebrated Brompton
Hospital has ied the bypophosphites IN the manner
prescribed by DR.. Churchill, and reports the following
resuts, which | quote from the July number ot
"Brathwaites = Retrospect" He says:
My experience Of tis remedy is based upon c.isf made
p coS.smppn Dr. churchrs rules for administering
carefully attended The consisted OF nine maes
" umuon Eve in ,he second ard wsvc in the third
Al were affected with the disease in its simple FORM with ony
the disease two we've not percepby influenced by the hypO
Others felt but before entering
lie Hospa had almost starved that good Diet Sc,
NAV reaiopsbly olsiIn full share Of the credit
Of the second stage Of the disease two were not
perceptby benefited By the hypophosphte slightly inn
oyeo but got on o. well and rapidly under other
sdes and the remaining from an advance oil
the disease
the in the last stage OF the disease one ie better
under the than under other remedy one
sesy than under subsequent use OF
9th. tonis slightly but serward progressed
steel aud cod liver o two were not AZ al
improved under other trestment In tvs cases
the disease IN spite remedy became worse
but ard mproy.d under oil AID quinne the Remaining
Thus In only two instances could this remedy be sd TO act
with marked bn.t Of these the good effect was
squyos the patient having previously been IN al sos
starving condition In al the rest ated In no way sPe
cifc AID in most case IL seemed inert"
| might add that my associate, DR.. I. NJ. fitcD,
and myself have prescribed the hypophosphites IN
many hundred cases during the past year, and have
only very rarely witnessed any beneficial effects from
them. ,
Well thep will this search for a specific for phthisis
ever cease Probably not, for every drug, as well
as every dog" must have lis day. Indeed the dogs
have had their day in this matter; dog tat having
long been considered by certain cure for co.,
rum ption while iodine, cod liver OIL nsphha, hydro
cyapc scd and others by the score, have each in its
season. been loudly announced as nfslhble specifics
for phti isis; and we may expect continuation OF
such announcements until physicians shall recognize
the truth, that drug remedies have out secondary
importance in the treatment Of tbs disease.
Fin,bu,oh Pa Dec ST. 1855. J. w. SYKES, d. D.