The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-06-14


4 Our medical friends who are gem
erally a little skepticaI as to new dis
coveries, especially those which are
heralded by great pretensions and puff
ferry, are destined, we think, to be most
agreeably surprised at the wonderful
results of the application, on n gigantic
scale, of method of treatment with
which all well-educated physicians
have for many years been familiar.
We mean nothing more nor less than
dry cUppirig, by exhaustion of atmos-
pheric pressure.
This simple agency, which has here
tofore been so very ethcientin relieving
local pain and intiamation, has recently
been applied on scale ofmagnitudesuf-
ticent to embrace any part of the hu-
man body, one or more limbs, or even
the whole person. The gentlemen who
have constructed the necessary ap-
paratus and made the experimental
application to patients arc themselves
physiciana engaged in practice, and
appear to be gentlemen of Intelligence
ard veracity, whose statements are
fully confirmed by all that we have
seen, and who take pleasure in showing
their newly-invented apparatus and its
application.
Although we should reasonably e1-
pect from this more efficient and ex-
tensive application of well-tested
principle many valuable results, We
were not prepared for the wonderful
power over disease and marked struc-
lures which the new apparatus dis
plays.
Judging from experience, we suPpos-
ed that would be more efficiently re-
lieved, Inflammation controlled, ana
states of torpor or feeble vitality aroused
by the new apparatus, but, in practice,
its power is not limited to such effects.
1t appears to be a general renoyator OF
life, by taking oil n portion OF the nj
teen pounds of atmospheric pressure
which rest upon every square inch OF
the body, and thus enabling the blood
to circulate with less of friction and
obstruction. s--.-
When the patient is put into the
pumping chamber, from which the air
is partially extracted, a glowing circu-
lation is produced, commonly produc-
ing perspiration, and such a renovating
impression on the constitution as TO
cure most cases of ague and fever.
Rheumatism yields with great facility !
paralysis, neuralgia, and a host OF COM
plants, for which no one ever expected
mechanical treatment to accomplish
much, are SO readily benefited or cured
as to force the conclusion that the re-
suits are attained by reuovating the
circulation, and giving to every nerve,
capillary and fibre, its due supply OF
arterial blood
There is really nothing more wonder
full than this in the history OF medical
improvements; and we should not be
surprised if this mechanical or atmos-
pheric treatment of disease should
rank, in the history of the times with
the discovery OF the application of ether,
chloroform, and the nitrous oSyde gas.
Indeed, it promises far more valuable
results, as it accomplishes some tnlngs
which have been heretofore beyond the
power of art.
We would refer merely to one case
which was promptly cured in our city
by Drs. Limerick and Starkey, who
have the apparatus at their Office, on
Jefferson, iust above Third street. This
apparatus was gotten up by Drs. Had
field, Limerick and Starkey, the latter
of whom are in our city, the former in.
Cincinnati.
We refer to the case of Mrs. a. Drake,
the celebrated queen of tragedy in
America, who is enthusiastic in praise
of an agency by which she has been SO
greatly relieved. In consequence of a
fall, some years since, she has been suf-
fering severely with pain and lame
ness, which bid fair to last through her
life. To use her own Language, For
four years" says she, 81 have not
known what it was to be free of pain in
my knee for 0ne hour. 1t was like
perpetual toothache. Frequentlyit il has
confined me to my bed for weeks at a
time, with total loss of sleep for sew
eral days and nights in succession.
And when / have been able to walk, in
the better conditions of this lameness,
it was with difficulty that1 could walk,
even by dragging the lame limb after
the other; and, after sitting for while,
to rise upon my feet was perfect torture,
causing the cold perspiratiOn to run
down my face and my teeth to chatter.
L have consulted the most eminentp ply
sicians, of different schools, of New
York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati and
Louisville, but without benefit" I'D. .
In addition to this laIneness and pain
there was u kind of tumor upon the
inner portion ofthe knee, of about the
size OF a hens egg. A few days since
the apparatus of Drs. Limerick and
Starkey was applied 10 the limb, and
days the pain and lameness have en-
lirely disappeared, and, what is most
marvellous, the tumor has entirely dis
appeared alsoi
We are not surprised at the relief of
the pain by the cuPping operation so
powerfully applied; similar things have
been done by much less efficient ap-
paratus, but we are astonished at the
Dispersion 0ftHe tuMOT by so simple and
speedy process. And the pro ession.
as well as the community, will be as
toniShed to learn that this process Is as
signnlly successful in edematOuS and
engorged conditions of parts as in the
opposite cases of anemia and atrophy.
Viewed as triumph of practical
science for the benefit of humanity, we
are most struck with its practical re-
sults in cases of paralysis, in which it
serves to restore nervous power when
it would o herwfse be beyond the reach
of the healing art. II the results al
ready realized by Drs. l.. and s. are
confirmed by wider experience, there
will be few cases of chronic disease 10
which their Invention will not be ben
eticiaI. 1t is certainly worthy of a trial
by invalids; and we would respectfully
suggest that members of the medical
profession should give it their attention
and publish a sketch of its practical
value in medical journals, which would
bring il before the medical profession
and men OF science. Drs. Limerick
and Starkey are not mere practitioners
of this mechanical process, bnt treat
their patients by medicine also.
This invention and application are
new here, but the principles involved
are old and familiar. 1t was recon-
mended in Paris by high authority
some fifteen or twenty years since, but
did not come into much use, possibly
on account of the expensiyeness of the
apparatus. 1t was warmly recon.
mended about that time by DR.. Breck-
Ter, OF Baltimore, and Prof. Buchanan,
at Cincinnati. DIR. Buckler published
some remarkable illustrations of its
power-among others, remarkable
cases OF intermittent fever. The re-
suits attained by DIR. Buckler, almost
destitute OF apparatus, authorize us to
expect the most brilliant achievements
from the apparatus used by Drs. Linn
erick and Storkey.