The Shasta courier., 1866-10-27

days, and then every other day for three re.
petitions. AT the end of this course the re.
lief was complete, and six months have
elapsed without any return.
A lad who worked in a shipyard was seiz-
ed with violent rheumatic pains in the back
and hips. When saw him he had been
under treatment two weeks without improve
ment, and suffered much and constant pain,
with sleepless nights though using anodynes.
An injection of half grain of morphia pro.
cured him perfect repose for the night. The
application was repeated whenever the pain
began to return, to the extent of three times
after the first. The urine being acid, alkalies
were also employed. The pain passed into
the knee first. then into the foot, and so dis.
appeared. He was well in three weeks from
the first injection.
In collie, the effect is highly satisfactory,
even in certain cases which suggest doubt
Of the propriety of suppressing the pain
without evacuating the bowels. have just
treated patient who, before retiring at
night, filled his stomach with peaches, pears,
bacon and lager beer. Next morning he
was reused from bed by sudden diarrhea,
which ceased after several free evacuations
lie went to his counting room, and in the
course of the day was seized with violent
abdominal pain, to relieve which he took q
glass of brandy and ginger. Not being re
lieved, he took a second glass, and then a
third dose of burnt brandy. But the pain
increased and / fonnd him writhing in
agony and retching violently by turns, and
crying out that he had the cholera. / in.
jected into the skin of the abdomen half a
grain sulph. morph., and took my seat at
the bedside. In three minutes he was en-.
tirely relieved. He passed the night in
sound sleep, without twinge of pain, and
without any nausea or vomiting, which are
such common attendants of the hypodermic
use of morphia. No other treatment was
necessary than an aperient.
1t will be objected in this case, that to
lock up acrid matters in the intestnes was
not sound practice, and that the pain was
not the disease, but only symptom, or an
effect of disease. | hold that in all such
cases, the proper course is Immediately, if
possible, to relieve the intestine from spasm
and place it, for the time being, beyond the
irritating power of its contents, and then to
remove the irritating matters. Although
pain may not be disease, technically speak.
ing, yet disease so often vanishes with the
removal of pain, that we shall not 90 far
wrong In the practice by treating pain as
disease.
| am inclined to believe that there are
cases of malignant cholera in which hypo-
dermic medication will prove eminently use.
full, especially in relieving the painful cramps
In a case Stimulating that disease, which fell
under my charge not long since in this city,
! employed the remedy with marked success.
The patient had labored under diarrhea for
several days, attended with great prostra-
ton. He was seized in the night with
vomiting. and when | saw him, cramps of
the muscles of the legs were setting in. His
voice was husky, his tongue cold, and his
skin wet and relaxed. l gave him hypo-
dermic injection of half grain of morphia.
In two or three minutes he expressed him
self as perfectly relieved, and in ten min
utes he was cheerful and happy. and dispos-
ed to sleep. No subsequent difficulty oc.
Cured. Should the cholera visit our Dor.
ders. look to the hypodermic syringe with
much interest, as one of the weapons with
which to encounter it."