New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-06
TREATMENT OF SEASICKNESS.

TOPIC or GREAT INTEREST TO THE HOST OF PEo-
PIE NOW GOING To EUROPE.
A visitor TO any Of the outgoing steamers
just before sailing finds topic and one thought
occupying tho attention of the passengers. This Is
the manner in which their respective stomachs will
endure the motion Of the waves. Some, struggling
TO put brave face on the matter, endeavor to con-
ceal their apprehensons by silence or by insncere
Of confidence, while others retire to their
stateroOms and calmly and deliberately prepare to
be sick. With the present great rush of ocean travel
remedies for seasickness in hot demand. and
ply sicans are besieged by patients eager for spe-
cifcs against the malady Of the deep Among those
that have been advised are champagne and other
alcoholic stimulants, capsicum, cathartics OF
various kinds, bromides, nitrate of amyl,
atropa caffeine, phosphOric and other acids choral.
creosote acid phosphates, bitters electricity the
use of ice bags and belts about the body Careful
dieting has also been said to be preventive.
Nevertheless il is stated that immense as the ocean
travel il, thousands yearly prevented from VEN
turing on the sea by fear of long and exhausting
sickness. For the same reason the land routes to
the South are much better patronzed than the coast
steamers Many physicians consider seasickness,
which is regarded as disturbance of the nervous
centres, unprevcntibe. and advise only palliative
treatment The views of leading practitioner and
two prominent neurologsts have been obtained in
regard to the disorder and its treatment.
What advice in regard to seasickness would you
give patient going to scar was asked of DR..
AlOnzo Clark.
81 should tell him to take o wash-basin into his
state room,r responded DR.. Clark checrfully.
Then there is no remedyf
.'One remedy, yes-to stay ashore" DIR. Clark
continued: IL think people will be seasick until the
Millennium comes. The disorder is in q way puz-
zlc to doctors II is caused by disOrdered action in
the brain and nervous system, and the stomach feels
il az a part supplied with nerves. There is per-
ceptible change in the tissue but nerve dis
turbance and probably all the brain is affected. 1t
is unaccountabe that the practice of going to sea
cures the disorder although this may be owing to
cIrculatory accommodation. / have never made
use Of the various remedies suggested. SeaSickness
is modified by low dict. and if health is much de-
pressed the patient should keep his bed. Food
should be taken as constantly as possible, and the
best form is soup with toasted crackers. Any alco-
hoIc drink will soothe some stomachs. The sup
posed benefit 10 be derived from seasickness
amounts to very little except perhaps III the of
large feeders. OF course, land sickness caused by
riding back ward and in railway ears is practically
the same "a seasickncss An instance has been
lately related OF q oman cured by wearing sheet
Of paper over her chest when illustrates the power
of faith
Dir. George NJ. Beard said "A year ago there
was no disease of which ~ little was known and
which was ~ iucurablc scLsckness, now there ~
no disease Of which 80 much is known and which is
80 perfectly durable. II functional disease OF
tho Central nervous system mainly OF the brain, but
sometimes also of the spinal cord, and comes from
purely mechanical and physical causes. being the re-
suit of series of mild conclusions No more bcneht
can bc derived from ii than from an attack OF ~,
phoid fever. Infancy and old age are least affected
by aud ismOst frequent and severe with the ner-
and senstiyr. In some cases there ~ SIMPLY con-
pcstion of the brain. The chief symptoms are
headache backache nausea, vomiting pain in the
eyes, mental depression, neuralgia pans sleepesS-
ness and nervous exhaustion. DIR. +. ID. Lente. OF
Florida first suggested the use OF bromide OF poas-
sum as n preventive OF Sasickness in voyages be-
tween the North and South, and II was used with
good results This hal also been recommended by
Dr. Barker, who carefully studied the subject. Ny
experience had led Ia my developing this treatment
for long voyages and suggesting bromide of sodium
in large doses instead of bromide OF potassium Ihe
former less irritating to the stomach and contains
more brominc than the latter but when not pro- |
curabe bromide Of potassium may be used. The |
patient should take thirty, sixty. or ninety grain
doses OF bromide OF sodium thrce times day u lew
DAYS before embarking and keep IL up at sea until
the danger seems to be past Inc result aimed at Is
n mild bromiZatiOn OF the central nervous system,
rendering il less susceptible 10 the disturbances |
caused by the movements OF the ship. |
dns bs effect SnI the grsni point is to ESp%
when to stop taking IL, avoiding an excess, and not
to take too little. A few people have an ijlosJn-
Grassy against DrOulue, Dut there ~ NIUE ol no
danger from ts if patients will carefully watch
for the sleepincSs aud ndlspoHtion for exercise
which are the symptoms of mild bromization. /
have known of but one fail nre from the proper use
OF bromides and | have here several letters from
persons who have crossed safely by their use, al-
though always sick before. OF course the drug
should be taken inteigently and under competent
directions, there is great difference III dliierrnt
people aud every Sc ought to be studied sepa-
Tately 50 far as possible ,,.,,,
What is se;.sickness I" asked Of Dr. W illiam
A. Hammond
Well should call it disorder of the nervous
system"
8 cant Inv down rules for other people, but |
can tell what / have found beneficial IN my own
case aud that is ten fteendrops ol chorotorm on
lump sugar and the use OF brOmde OF potaSsluhl. |