Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-06-14
RATIONAL VIEWS ON CHOLERA
AND DIARRHEA.
SECTION ".

EDITOR PUBLIC LEDGER: We oppose
the stimulating treatment because it has
failed to relieve; it has proven unsuc'
cessful in the hands of all physicians /;
because the experience Of those who have
treated thousands Of casesis adverse to it;
because it violates the plain dictates of
reason and judgment, and because milder
treatment promises equal if not better
success.
As many may be rather reluctant in
placing proper reliance upon our honest
opinion, we will turn the pages of few
medical works, and consult older and
wiser heads;
DR.. King says: 4" Use neither internal
nor external stimulants.
DR.. Lacsck gives this advice: Take
care not to irritate the gsstro Intestinal
mucous membrane"
DR.. Hall, who has had much experience
in the treatment of cholera, says: "The
most important remedies are diluents,
which relieve in the gentlest manner the
Irritation Of the stomach and bopetS.
DR.. Clark, forcible writer, says :;
Stimulnnts have been used with great
freedom and without going into details,
/ will state that except in small quanti-
ties in the initiatory diarrhea, or possibly
when injected into the bowels, the
generalrietc is that they are not service
able-that they cannot accomplish any
good results"
At St Bartholomew Hospital, where
thousands of cases Of cholera were
treated, stimulants and astringeuts were
considered useless. bEi..U
Choroform was used at the London
Hospital, by the stomach and by inhala-
tion, but oil the patients died,
DR.. Richardson says: avoid giving
stimulants."
DR.. Chitty is guilty ofssying; Excess
of stimulants is fraught with great dan
ger"
DR.. Wood, the beloved of Southern
practitioners, says, stimulation can be of
but little avail and when carried too far,
has the effect of still further aggravating
the disease"
Many other valuable quotations might
be adduced, but these are deemed sufii-
cient.
Can you rely upon. the advice of these
authors, each one Of whom has treated
more cases Of cholera than ever APP
peared in Memphisf
If the stimulating treatment has proven
so very unsuccessful, as conscientious,
philsnthropic physicians, should we not
discard such practice, and endeavor to
adopt one less Objectionable and more
congenial TO the condition of the sys-
tent
Why persist in its use, when it has so
signally failed1 Do you resort to 1t as
a mere routine practice" or do you
act upon your own judgment and reason,
based upon knowledge OF the disease
and the action of rem sdies2
ItisA conceded TACT, that in cholera,
the lining membrane of the stomach and
bowels is in high state OF irritation,
and that the epithslisl cells are rapidly
destroyed and dislodged early in the dis
ease. This theory is supported by re-
pul.tion that will not permit US to doubt
its correctness. II any physician is of
different opinion, we hope he will reason
ou the subject rra
The fluids Of the system are concen-
trated and excreted, through the CASTRO
intestinal mucous membrane, in proper
hon to the degree Of irritation then and
there eriSting. Increase this irritation
and you naturallS increase the disease.
To increase the irritation is 10 hggraTste
the disease Stimulation increases the
irritation, therefore stimulation agEra-
Yates the disease. The lining membrane
Of the stomach and bowels in this disease
is exceedingly sensitive and lender, is
raw and easily excited. Pour alcohol
upon this raw and irritAted surface, and
what would se the natural reault1 Does
il not appear reasonable TO suppose that
il would be adding fuel 10 ire1
Some may argue tbst during an attack
Of cholera, the system il not so susoepti-
bic Of medicine, hence Il requires more
powerful remedies and more heroic
doses
II the proper action Of tie medicine
rou administer depends upon absorption
into the system, then It requires larger
doses. hee.ase the irritation is 20 rapidly
n