Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-07-10
6coneludeel tiron. as paae.l

retire to my room to prevent the exposure of
the fact that was tipsy. Before I say any>
thing further about remedies, will redeem
my pledge to say something about the symp-
toms of this fearful disease. I,shnll be very
brief.
First OF all, it may be proper to state that
there aretwo distinct classes of cases of Lock
jaw-the one caused by wounds or mechani--
cal injuries, the other arising from what ply
sicians call general or naturalcauses. Thefirst
nauied are designated by this term frGumatic,
the last idiopathic. have seen fatal case
ofthe latter class caused by an infant only four
days old, whose ignorant mother, from whom
the poor little innocent inherited spasmodic
tendency, had administered large dose of
castor oil, because she ''thoughtit would dolt
good,'' while there was really nothing the mat
ter with it, then. Yielding as its jaws might
be supposed to be, they we're locked beyond
my power to open them by ordinary means :;
and hence the little ill>used victim of ignors
ance died, in that condition fearful spasms
closing its young existence.
Lockjaw generally approaches gradually
and insidiously. At first, slight spasmodic
sensations are felt in that part of the throat
called the IaTynr. whereby the voice is made
rough and swallowing somewhat difficult
At the same time an uneasy sensation is ex-
perienced in the neighborhood of the heart
In what is, in medical phraseology, denomi-
mated the cordial region. The muscles of the
Jaws now begin to grow stiff This tendency
gradually increases, until the teeth arc press
ed together as if literally locked together with
metallic frmness-and hence the popular name
of "Lock-jaw," which, it will be perceived.
is derived from single symptom of the dis
ease.
The~other symptoms of Tetanus I have al
ready sufficiently indicated at the beginning
ofthis narrative. A word further, now, about
remedies, for the purpose of serving humans
ty:
Relaxation of the muscular system is what
IS wanted. Various means have been tried to
effect this, with about the ssme result, which
is mostly failure to save the patients life
The usual Alopathic treatment will have been
learned from the notes of the fearfully fatal
case above given. But have lived to see
the folly, nay the aoickedness, ofrefusing to ac-
cept the suggestions ofother schools than our
own, especially where life is at stake, which
is so common among physicians, and of which
I confess to have had my share Therefore
name the powerfully relaxing 'pack" of
the Hydropaths the great standby of Thomp-
son, (whOse book [ dared to read when a stu
dent. to my proft,) and his botanic or "eclec-
tic" disciple, Lobelia, whose efficacy, both
1u(eLHdlty anu externally, IS SLrOEgly Voucned
for; and that unquestiopably powerful relax
ant of the Homeopaths, when given in appre-
ciable doses-Acontte.
a young practitioner, of the last-named
school, who stands high among his brethren
CDR. Marcy of New York; suggests, in his
treatise on Homeopathic practice, the saliva
ofmad dogs, or other rabid animals, as rene
dy for Lockjaw, on the principle of 'similia
similbus curantur," or like curing like, and
sayiew of the resemblance of the sym ptoms
of this disease and those of Hydrepho6ia in
their earlier stages. In support of this sug-
gestion, he reminds us that the experiments
of Majendie and Brechet have shown that, if
the saliva of mad dog be introduced under
the skin or into the blood Of healthy animal,
it contracts Hydrophobia, and asks, :'Why
should it not, then, be employed in these mala-
dies which are characterized by symptoms
similar to those of Rabies 2''
In consistency with the doctrine OF his school
just cited, it seems to me shat at least the
Homeopaths ought to try his remedy before
they give their patients up to die, amid THE
IERRoRs OF LOCKJAw.