The Shasta courier., 1869-11-06
HASTA COURIER.
How Fever and Ague may be
Prevented.

Prevented.
AT this season of the year, when malarial
diseases are most frequent, especially fever
and ague, it becomes a matter of much
Importance to those compelled to live in
district where the causes of these fevers
exist is to use preventive measures II
has long been question in the medical
profession whether the same remedies
which break up the fever and act as anti
periodics would not, judiciously admins
tered, also prevent the fever. 1t is now
satisfactorily proved that these agents do
act as 'preventives as we'll as curatiyes.-
So well established is this fact, that the
British army and navy are under. orders to
employ these remedies when located in
malarial districts. Whenever in tropical
climates men are sent on shore from vessels
to procure wood and water, the surgeon is
directed to recommend for each man, be-
fore leaving the ship in the morning, a
halt gill of wine containing teaspoonful
of Peruvian bark and the same preparation
is to be given to the men on their return
evening The beneficial effects of this
treatment is constantly witnessed. The
following are examples: Twenty men and
one officer went on shore at Sierra Leone ;
the former took the remedy, but the latter
refused, and he was the only person in the
group who had fever. Two boats crews
were sent to explore a river, and were
absent a fortnight; one took the preventive
agent regularly, the other refused it alto
gether; the former crew entirely escaped
the fever, while the latter all suffered from
fever except the commander. Du Chaillu,
the African explorer, states that he found
quinine an excellent preventive of malarial
fever.
In the Southern States, the value OF pre-
ventive measures in malarial regions is well
understood. A physician in that section,
in an article on this subject, relates the
following illustration "An overseer
agreed to take charge of several rice plan
tation in one of the sicklest regions of rice
culture, undertaking to spend the summer
months on one of the plantations. He made
no inquiry as TO the health of the one chosen
as his residence it was selected from its
convenient locality. When warned Of the
danger of his residing there in summer,
he said he would never have the fever; his
confidence in his capacity to resist malarious
disease seemed unlimited The result
fully justified this confidence He lived
ten years or more in that neighborhood,
spending every summer on the plantation
He visited his rice-felds without hesitation,
at any hour, day or night. He never had
an attack of fever during that time I saw
him after he had been there several years,
and finer specimen of robust health it
would have been difficult to find 1t was
ascertained, on inquiry, that it was his
habit to tfke quinine daily, during the
summer, before leaving his house.
Many other examples might be quoted
illustrating the same fact, but my own ex-
perience is most conclusive. | have for
many years been accustomed to prescribe
bitter wine for families living in malarious
localities, to be taken occasionaly during
the summer and fall months, and with great
benefit. Though it does not prevent all
attacks of fever, it very largely diminishes
the number, and renders the fever very
mild in those attacked. The real benefit
from these agents lies in their power to
tone up the spstem, enrich the blood,
strengthen the nerves, and stimulate the
Digestion. They thus antagonize the ma
larial poison which weakens the system by
impoverishing the blood, enfeebling the
nerves, and destroying the appetite and
digestion.
A great variety of bitter infusions and
tinctures may be used for this purpose, but
the best is, undoubtedly, Peruvian bark or
its active principle, quinine. The bark of
dog-wood Cornus Fzorida), or of the wild
cherry, or of the willow, made into tea, or
put in wine or brandy, answers the same
purpose, though it is not as reliable. A
tea made of boneset (Eupatorium) is also
very useful when taken in small quantities
daily. Many other common bitter veg
etablas have the same tonic effect-Hearth
and Home