Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-08-09
MALIGNANT CHOLERA-No. >.


The cnleI lnlng 70 DC accomplished IL NN
management of this disease, par
ticularly in the first stage, is to stop the
vomiting and purging. 1t is these that
kill the patient. This is the universal
opinion of scientific medical men the world
over. But how, you may ask, are these
excavations to be arrested! Have we re-
liable medical agents that will fill our
wants in this desperate case? I answer
most unhesitatinglY we have. We have
remedies Of great and wonderful power to
cure this disease, b1t unfortunately vast
numbers perish with it, who never apply to
the physician for advice until their case IS
well nigh hopeless, and little or nothing
can be accomplished by medical treatment
The disease should be met promptly and
"strangled in its birth"
I have no new plan of treatment to pro
pose for the cholera. The one I recommend
| and have pracuced in three epidemics is the
stereotyped medical treatment for malig-
| nant cholera in every enlightened country
| of tho world. And if you will take the
| trouble to examine all our standard works
I IAS@
on the Principles and Practice Of Medicine,
YOU will fud that they all agree in recon-
| mendiug substantially the treatment we are
| eeout 70 describe. The chief medical agents
employed are ostringents, stImulants ana
onium. And from my observation, and the
present state Of our knowledge upon the ma
ture of cholera, ! am at q loss to see now
any scientific physician could expect TO
treat the disease successfully who entirely
IGNORES the use Of these time-honOred thera-
p%eutical agents, even in heroic doses. But
to the treatment. 81.
As soon as the disease has declared itself,
the natient should be Immediately sent q
bed. He should be placed etween enough
wooden blankets, not to sweat hl;n, but 70
keen him warm. Then administer 2 pow
der composed of the following: sugar oil
lead 10 grains, eamphor > grains, and opium
, c-sins7 These ingredients should be very
finely powdered, and given Immediately
after vomiting, for the stomach will then
he more apt to retain them. II the surface
of the body is cold, 1t may be rubbed
p~entallv and assidiousiy with & ianne.
glove dipped in equal parts OF dry Hour anc
mustard. Violence is not necessary cen
tinual gentle friction without exposing tx
body 10 the air, by two or three pairs o
hands. with intervals of s quarter or hal
an hours rest is the proper plan.
If the first dose OF medicine, as directed
above. does not sensibly arrest the diar
rbea, it should be repeated IN one hour
Neanwhile, if the patient suffers from THIRST
he NAV take small pieces OF ice into hi
mouth and retain them there until they ar
melted. He may also have 3 teaspoon IuL
of the following mixture every ten MINUTES
lust as the stomach can retain H. rresi
hens eggs, 6: cold water, 10 ounces nltr&''
of potash. . drachms; fnet. cardamam,
ounces. This mixture IS commonly very
grateful to the patient, and as water IS onll
admissible in very small quantities. 1t vii
be found an almost Indispensable agent II
the treatment Of this disease for Iuld o
some Kind must DO taken taken to make ~
for that which has been so rapidly lost by
IF the diarrhpa should still continue, i
spite of the above treatment, we must with
out further delay resort 70 injections 0
tannin . a drachm dissolved in a quart o
warm water, thrown up the intestines BY
means of the gum-elastic stomach tubes IN
troduced ten or twelve inches into the rec
tum. This is attached TO the ordinary stom
ach pump, and the fluid slowly introduced
it will reach the lining membrane OF tn'
intestines through its whole length. IN
more than probable that the uuld VIII O'
elected in . few minutes, but II viii nav
touched the mouths OF the countess my
RAIDS of vessels which throw out the nuit
partof the blood. Let 1t be repeatedll Ih'
diarrhGa continues
Should the disease still progress, and TIKI
patient fall into q state Of collapse, we mu
not abandon his case as altogether hopeless
but persevere in the use Of appropriate
means for his restoration. Thousands have
been saved from the terrible condition, by
the pArsistent use Of such in~strumentaIItei
as we have at our command. Perhaps there
Is no AGENT that has been found more useiul
at this stage of the disease, than the hot s1A
bath. Eight ounces of common salt tor
| every gallon of water IS sufficient Tor ordI-
nary cases. The bath should be raised 10 8
temperature, the highest capable with SAFE
| ty, iO0o-l099 Farh. or more IS aosolutly
| necessary for an adult; children having
/ a delicate cuticle, and being much more I'M
Dressible, do not need 50 high tempers-
ture.
The time which The patient is TO be left
in the bath, must be determined by the
wants of each particular case. Is e general
thing the patient should not be removed
| until there is marked symptoms Of reaction.
| on removal from the bath, he should be
| thoroughly rubbed with warm towels and
| placed in bed, when a ~teaspoontaI OF the
| following mixture may be given every H.
teen minutes, until symptoms OF improve
ment are observed Strycnnia ! gram
! spirits turpentine . drachms; unct- caPsl-
| cum I ounce muciisge gum arabic = ounces.
| Under the use of this prescription reaction
will sometimes run too high, when 1t should
be given at longer intervals or dlscoh-
tinued.
When the patient is recovering greatcare
must be taken that ne does not relapse, ior
this is almost always attended with fatal
results. His diet must be particularly at
tended to. At first it should be composed
exclusively Of beef tea, or animal jelly; 10
vegetables must be allowed, nor even the
| fbres of meat. He will soon bear 1t, how
ever, and should have the tender-loIn OF
beef and rice alone, until his digestive or
| CANS are restored to their usual health.
Cold water. tea and coffee may be allowed
for drinks, but at first should be taken
in limited quantities, for the absorbing
anparatus Of the stomach is left in such
n condition by the disease, that it can only
a up a small quantity III 4 given time /;
if more be taken han can be disposed OF,
the organ is overpOwered and a fatal re-
lapse may ensue. The patient should at Ne
time be permitted to assume the erect pos
ture, until c~onvalescence IS firmly estab-
lished. Ventilation, clesuliness, and every
other bvCienic measure should be rlgidly
insisted upon. In this case the physicians
word should be law. And here allow me to
sayin conclusion, that no man when threat
ened with malignant cholera should ever
attempt to treat his own case. Let him send
for his physician, and follow his prescrlp-
tons to the very letter.