Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-06-18
RATIONAL VIEWS ON CHOLERA
AND DIARRHEA.
SECTION Y

holic preparations to an abraded surface
externally Would not pain be the
natural and legitimate result? How,
then, ia it possible for tincture of capsi.
cum, tincture of myrrh, and others Of
same class, to soothe and relieve the
pain of an irritated condition of the
stomach and bowels2 True, now and
then, the patient viii rapidly improve,
but it will be the exception, not the rule.
Stimulants may be resorted to during
the collapse, but should not be admins
tered during the forming stage of chol-
era, nor previous to the cold stage.
We are well aware that many will op-
pose this unstimulatin9 treatment; we
have with our own ears heard it de-
nouneed, and pronounced silly.
II is very foolish for any one to op.
pose the stimulating treatment of cholera
these days public opinion will oppose
all such Innovations says gentleman
on the streets few days since. Public
opinion indeed Do modern physicians
prescribe according to public opinion ?
If this be so, reason and Judgment are
dethroned, and public opinion holds
despotic sway. Oh, ye beacon lights and
guiding stars, ye followers of public, you
may yet boast OF name in the casket
of nations glory The physician who
yields his knowledge to mere public
opinion, would do we'll to retire to the
sombre shades of private life, aud there
permit his own evaneseent fame to be-
come his winding sheet. -.
Those who administer these powerfully
stimulating remedies, should certainly
be willing to give some plausible reason.
BY carefully examining the treatment
of cholera proposed by the best authors
and the ablest physicians of the country,
we find that various remedies and modes
of treatment have been advocated.
Blood dieting has been resorted to and
strongly urged by many able medical
gentlemen. but discarded for want of
success 1t has been resorted to even
when the blood refused to course through
its channels
Among the principal drugs that have
been used, and each in turn received Its
mete of glory, are, caloInel, opium, act.
lead, quinine, powerful astringents,
stimulants Of every degree Of strength,
camphor, myrrh, capsicum, ginger, tur-
pentine, strychnine, cinnamon and pep
permint water, camphor water, tartar
emetic, creosote, acids, pernitrate Of
iron, chlorate potash, nitrate silver,
croton oil, sulphur, etc, etc.
1t ia our present duty To CLEAN from all
this confused and conflicting mass of
medicines, what little there is, that can
diminish suffering and improve the
chances of recovery. Calomel, opium,
quinine, camphor, valerian, bismuth,
siimulants in the later stages, eapsicum,
cinnamon, peppermint and camphor
waters, ginger, ETC., appear to stand
foremost on the list They have been
given in all stages of the disease with
varying success; from heroic to homeo-
pathic doses.
Calomel has been given in doses from
one grain to half an ounce, but it has
been most successfully administered in
small and repeated doses.
During the cholera season, if diar
rhea, nausea, vomiting, cramping, or all
combined, should occur, administer mild |
mucilaginous drinks sparingly, cool and |
sooihe the slightly irritated stomach and |
bowels, arrest the excavations with mild |
unstimulating remedies, auell the begin !
ming storm, queneh the raging fire, quiet |
the aEitated nerves, control the cramps, |
excite the dormant liver, decrease the
intestinal excitement.
II the stomach should be loaded with |
indigestible food, it should be emptied |
at once. So soon as the stomach be- |
comes somewhat quieted, give small
doses Of calomel every two or three
hours, and small doses of quinine Of |
cramps) every four hours, and continue
this treatment in connection with other 4
remedies directed to the stomach, bowels !
and nervous system, until the patient is |
relieved. IL the symptoms should be !
aggravated apply mustard freely TO the
whole length Of the spine, TO the stomseb,
bowels and extremities. II considerable
crampiug, resort - friction with mus
tArd. 81.
Patient must be perfectly quiet, per
hitting no water TO be drank, nor urging
any food. Small billeis Of ice OCCASION
ally permitted, is very cooling TO the
stomach.
In all cases Of simple diarrhea, or
complicated with nausea, vomiting aud 1
cramping. cholera morbus, etc, in or
der to relieve the pain and oramp, 70
cool and soofhe the stomach. 10 check
The bowels sad the vomiting, We use the
following combination, which scarcely
ever fails 10 relieve old OF young, VIZ: ]