Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-03-21
MEDICAL SCIENCE.
The Earth Closet and the Treat
meut Of wounds.

40 inc lUttOFS " utS ANtU - OTh VSt
i As you were foremost in calling after
ton of the American public to th
Earth Closet System-the use of site
dry earth for the deodorizing and disir
fection of human feees-and thus be
come thu pioneers, of, a reform tia
promises not only unspeakable relic
from the grayest annoyance of our lives
but the prevention Of the gravest vast
! of the fertility Of the earth, it is jus
that to you should be communicated a
outgroWth of this system that offers,
possible, a still greater benefit to suffer
ing humanity.
/ One of the experimental commode
1 sent out by the Earth Closet Compan
vas placed at the disposal Of DR.. Add
nell Hewson, of the Pennsylvapi
Hospital, in Philadelphia. Its intro
duction into the surgical ward, where
has been for two weeks in constant US
by about twenty patients, and has beel
subject to the serYerest test possible, ha
been so entirely satisfactory that it i
proposed to substitute earth closets fo
water closets wherever these exist in tha
| institution.
| At the time of its introduction ther,
was lying in the ward patient suffering
from very severe compound fracture o.
the lower leg. The wound was in al
unhealthy condition, and its exudations
amounting to a pint in twenty-foul
hours, were so offensive as to cause
sickening and even dangerous stencil
that the excellent ventilation of the
ward and the use of the usual disinfect-
ants were hardly able even to mitigate
1t occurred to Dr. Hewson to test the
power of dry earth to absorb this odor
as vt had that of excrement. The effect
was magical. Not only was the often
siveness entirely overcome, but the effect
on the character of the wound itself was
such as no previous treatment had been
able to compass. The supperation was,
within few days, so reduced that the
daily dressing of single half pint OF
earth was not even saturated; the edges
Of the flesh wound lost their inflamed
character; the intense pain of the sore
was entirely relieved, and healthy
granulatien has ensued. .
Such an indication of a newly found
healing agent was not disregarded.
On Monday last, being in Philadel-
phia, / was invited to attend the morning
dressing of the earth treated wounds.
This is what saw:
First. Two patients suffering from
serious varicOse ulcers, after prolonged
suffering, and with little relief from the
usual treatment, have ceased to be often
sive to their ward-mates; they find their
sores growing daily smaller all pain
and Inflammation have left them; and
they feel the certainty of an early cure.
Second. A railroad brakeman, whose
hand was-a year and a half ago
crushed between the coupling heads of
two cars, and who has never been free
from pain, and seldom from intense
pain whose hand from the wrist to the
knuckles was fostering mass of carious
bones and inAamed flesh, and whose
system had been so reduced that he
could not have survived the amputation
which alone can entirely relieve him,
is now happy in freedom from pain.
His fesh-wounds has taken on healthy
character, and his strength is fast return
ing. He even hopes to save his hand,
but the long continued decay of the
bone makes this impossible.
Third Another brakeman. suffering
from a similar injury, in no respect
less serious, but received within few
days, was Immediately treated with new
earth. Its constant application has
entirely prevented Inflammation, and
healthy healing of the flesh and knitting
of the bone will soon return him to his
duties with two useful hands.
Fourth. A farm laborer, on Friday last,
had three of his fingers nearly cut off
and his hand fearfully torn by horse
power hay cutter. Since the first appli-
cation Of the dry earth few hours
after the aceident) he has been free from
pain and he will save his hand.
Fifth. On Saturday laborer engaged
in breaking up condemned shells, ex
ploded one that was charged. The
powder burned his face and arms, and
(seriously) one of his knees, which was
struck by fragment of the iron, that
completely shattered the knee pan. His
burns and the fracture we're Immediately
dressed with dry earth, and the freedom
from pain and the absence of inAam-
nation have been as marked in this case
as in the others. Without this dressing
the knee joint must inevitably have be-
come involved, and the leg must have
been lost. Now the wound is evidently
healing, and (although it is too early to
speak positively there is every reason
to hope that the only result of the in
jury viii be stiff knee. I'd
Sixth. Within a few days woman
was brought to the hospital with her
neck and a large part of her body very
severely and dangerously burned. That
she could escape long weeks of agony.
was beyond hope. Yet on Monday her
eye was clear and calm, and her voice
was strong, and when the doctor asked
her how she felt, she said she was a
great deal better, and that she mad no
pain.
Seventh. Last Wednesday an entire
breast was removed for cancer, and the
wound was dressed with dry earth. It is
now healing rapidlys There has been
no Inflammation and no suppuration, aud
this woman, too--calm and happy look
ing, with healthy color and steady
voice-spoke far more than her cheerful
words in thankfulness for her relief.
: Surely, with our gratitude to the Vicar
of Fordiagton; who has conferred the
greatest benefit on the human race that
it has ever been given to one man to ae-
eomplish, who must unite our thanks to
the senior surgeon Of the Pennsylvania
Hospital for thus supplying the prin-
ciples of his invention to the saving of
life and limb, and to the alienation of
unspeakable suffering.
And the end, ! trust, is not vet. 1t
seems inevitable that the pustules of
small .pox must give up their pain and
their Ofensiveness at this magic touch of
mother earth, and if it is true that its
contagion spreads from its exudations,
may we not hope that DR.. Hewson has
bound its feet as Mr.. Moule has those