The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-02-07
Hoarseness- Sure Cure for Loss OF
Voice.


DIR John W. Corson, of Orange, y.
J.. communicates to the Medic0t Record
II valuable paper ON " Borax ana Nitrate
of Potass in the Loss OF Voice from
Colds in Public Speakers and Singers.
DR.. Corson says that some years ago,
while in charge Of the class of Diseases
of the throat and chest, i'll connection
with the New York Dispensny, at tie
suggestion of non-professional friend
engaged in teaching elocution, he was
led to test the efficacy of boray, or the
biborate of soda, in many cases of sud-
den hoalseness from cold, which he Mt
once found in mild attacks acted Ike
magic Ten minutes before any contin-
nous effort mt speaking OF singing,
lump of boraX the size of garden pea,
or about three or four grains, Is to be
held in the mouth till it is slowly dissolv-
cd and partially misunderstanding,
as it were, down the throat. For an
hour or so IT frequently renders the voice
quite silyery and clear. For this pur-
pose il possessed three special advant-
ages. 1t is easily obtained, convenient
tn carry III the vest pocket, and perfect
" harmless. BorGx thus used, as one
may readily prove, stimulates the secre-
ton of saliva and makes the whole
mouth and throat "water" profusely.
DIR. Colson is careful not to claim too
much for boray, and he remarks that
neither in chronic affections of the
throat nor in acute inflammation nor IN
A" tonsillitis. once established, has he
found borax of any special efficacy as a
curative.
The use of the other remedy above
named, nitrate of potass, is thus III
troduced
can early friend and patient of ours,
since deceased, New York dock-buld-
or. much exposed to the weather. claim
ed to have Il secret remedy for colds.
But he was too generous 10 bury any
thing useful. At length be confessed
that it consisted III covering up warmly
in bed. drinking glass OF water, and
sucking piece Of the nitrate OF potass,
or saltpctre, rs he preferred to call 1t
the size of garden pea, or little
larger, till il was slowly dissolved and
swallowed. We think we improve his
prescription by sweetening the water to
cover the mawllish taste OF the saltpetre,
mixing them, and swallowing them both
together. We also increase the dose,
from gratifying personal experience, five
grains. As a courtesy from our profess
sion to clergymen and singers, we may
suggest that they viii find it very conve-
nieut in travelling 10 carry few five-grain
powders of the nitrate of potass, pre-
pared by the druggist for ready use
Like the borax, it relieves the dryncss
of the vocal cords. 1t is also easily OBJ
tanned in every household, and, taken in
the dose recommended. is quite harm
less With the help of the extra cloth
ing and the glass of water it eXcites for
a whole night IA gentle Precipitation, and
thus. if taken mt the very commencement,
breaks mp the cold. 1t accomplishes
this rs do warm footballs, with hot
teas, OF Turkish or Russian baths, if
used early, by opening those millions of
pores of the skin which Erasmus Wilson
counted through his microscope As the
aching, the WEAKNESS, and the headache
of severe cold tell us, the blood is
slightly poisoned by suppressed rerspi-
ration. And the simple lesson of cure
is promptly to open these pores. We
may add that the efficacy of any of these
remedies is much increased by putting
on warm shawl or great-coat and
throwing the AIMS about, and walking
the floor rapidly, till the hands and feet
are in a perfect glow before retiring TO
bed.