The Red Cloud chief., 1878-01-31

The Possibility or Curing II.

The medical study Of hydrophobia is
pursued with two objects: to prevent
the disease, if possible, and, if it cannot
be prevented. then to cure it whenever
it occurs. Sir Thomas Watson, in his
essay on the subject, which we lately
printed, speaks hopefully of several
measures Of prevention. but sees DO
prospect of cure. The physician that
cures, he says, is death. ut would be
idle to discuss any curative measures
after the peculiar symptoms Of the dis
ease have one set in"
This discouraging view may be cor
rect, but it is pleasant to know that it
has not as yet been adopted by all quail
flied investigators. Not only are the
physicians competent to give q valuable
opinion on the subject, who think it
likely that a cure for hydrophObia will
one day be discovered, but there are
those who assert that the disease has
actually been cured in at least two cases
already. Since the publication of Sir
Thomas WatsOn's paper, two articles
on hydrophObia have been contributed
to Nature by q writer evidently thor
Oughly acquainted with an that is known
concerning this terrible malady. He
refers to these alleged cures. They are
said to have been effected by introdu-
cling into the blood the South American
arrow poison known as curare or WOO
rara. This drug paralyzes all the VOL
untary muscles without. it is believed,
destroying s%ensibility. 1t acts upon the
respiratory muscles, also, to such an
extent as to destroy lite, unless artif-
cial respiration can be maintained. and
this makes its administration very dan
gerous. Its value in hydrophobia is
attributed to its action in allaying the
spasms. II these can be prevented and
the patient be kept from suffocating,
life may be continued long enough to
let the organic poison Of the disease
pass of, or until it shall have lost its
power for evil.
The writer in Nature doubts whether
the two cases said to have been cured
by curare were certainly cases Of hy-
droph0bia, especially q he has himself
seen it administered in one case Of that
disease without any effect at oil. He
admits the beneficial action of the drug
on the spasm0dic symptoms, but he
does not think that the spxsms are the
immediate OF the remote cause Of death.
The curative agent which he hopes and
believes will yet be discovered must act
directly upon the poison to which the
disease is due. In the meantime, the
awful suffering characteristic Of hydro
phObia can be alleviated. without risk
OF Fastening death, by the use Of bro
mide OF potassium, the calabar bean,
and choral. Indeed, entire relief from
pain q said to have been afforded BY
choral.
Psychologists have ascertained that
the portion Of the brain known - the
medulla oblongsts ispeculiarly affected
in hydrophobia- 1t assumes . morbid
Of intense excitsbility. and
this extends BY reflex action to the spi- |
nal cord. The nervous phenomena in
important respects resemble
those produced by poisoning with
In that case, However. |
death Is caused by the mechanical ef- |
6ect Of the commissions, while In hydro
phobia It results from . more general
but unknown action Of the disease pois-
On oa the whole organism. So, at least
nays authority. He points out, also,
hat while most other zymotic diseases.
Duch - smallpox, scarlet fever and
neasles, tend toward recovery rather
han toward death, Il i otherwise with
hydrophobia-
NotWitAstanding N this, the outlook
moro hopeful than therecentepidem-
IN Great Britain and the apprehen-
iioa Is has aroused have I'D many per-
- 70 suPpose. The British Medical
has Just Instituted . fresh
IeTies Of researches on the disease in all
y various phases, through . commit
including among its members 50
prominent . psychologist - Dr.. I. Lam
Ter Brunton. the editor of the Pracfi-
Toner. and % distinguished . physician
Prof. Burdon-Sanderson. It can
lsrdly Be doubted that their Abors win