Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-04-06
Hs Tned Lemons,
And Rseonnsnds Them as an Excellent Rsnsdy
for the smzli-Pox.

The Scientific american publishes
some interesting particulars respecting
the practice Of DIR. A. $. Payne, late
Professor in Southern Medical College,
Atlanta, Ga. DR. Payne says that as
early as 1916 he noticed that the initial
smallpox fever could be discovered by
its peculiar pulse before any other symp-
tom appeared. Having discovered this
pulse, he proceeded TO vaecinate. II
this is done within ten or twelve hours
after the inception of the fever the patti
ent will have slight indisposition, with
out sign Of eruption, and as positive
exemption from recurrence Of the dis
ease as if he had passed through its
stages. A remarkable feature of this
experience is that if the patient is vac
cinated early after the initial fever sets
in he may bc allowed to go where he
pleaseS without fear of spreading the
disease. Professor Payne has tried his
plan for thirty-four years on more than
n hundred cases, without failure. He
advises the discOntinuance of smallpox
hospitals, as tending TO increase the
ravages of the disease. and instead rec
commends isolation of patients, and
where parties are exposed to the small
poX, visit them twice day, and as
soon rs the fever is recognized vaccinate
them. He believes this method would
soon stamp out the disease which is now
becoming so prevalent.
Last April DR.. James Moore, of Iron
ton, Ohio, published his experience with
lemons as remedy for smallpox. 1t
is as follows:
was taken sick April IA with what L
supposed was severe cold, having had
my hair shingled the previous Friday.
The 14th was quite feverish with Il Sc
we're pain in the head and back. Satur-
day, 10th, was no better; Sunday, fe-
yer somewhat reduced, presume by
the aid of aconite, which had been adj
ministered to me by Drs. Morris and
Dunn; eruption very indistinct under
meath the skin.
Monday morning, 18th, eruption un-
mistakably that of smallpox. Tuesday
morning eruption very abundant, crop
increasing rapidly in size and number.
Wednesday morning a very dense crop
all over the face, forehead, scalp of
head, neck, and soles of feet. Upon
the arms, hands, legs, and body they
were pretty evenly distributed, but not
so closely packed as upon the above
mentioned parts. By evening l was
suffering intensely from those on the
scalp. BY 1880 o'clock the pain was
almost intolerable. My nurse had re-
tired and was sound asleep in bed My
feet were so tender that | dare not let
them touch the footboard of the bed.
My head | could not suffer to lie on the
pillow. lay, raising up on my elbow,
my neck resting on my hand. l had by
this time become so nervous l dare not
shut my eyes from fear of seeing I'M
pleasant visions. Pulse about ninety.
l had upon the table at the bedside
pitcher of water and drinking glass,
box of seidlitz powders, and an ounce
of chlorate of potash in crystals. had
also at my bedside paper of lemons,
also one of oranges. These were all the
agents within my reach.
| recollected that lemon juice in suffi-
cient quantity was sedative, and
would lower the hearts action, and by
so doing might relieve me of those ml-
pleasant visions. l therefore squeezed
all the juice l possibly could out of one
of the lemons into the glass, to which !
added about two tablespoonsful of wa
ter, and drank it. l then opened the
rind and sucked the balance of the juice.
In about twenty minutes took another
lemon and used it in the same manner.
In short time | felt very cold, as if
were lying in close proximity to large
mass of snow or ice. My pulse had
dropped To sixty. [ shut my eyes to see
if the unpleasant visions were gone.
l not only found that they were gone.
but by placing my hand upon my head
l found the poX had gone also. My
head was bathed with gummous-like
fluid, which had exuded from the pox.
1t stained the napkin | had applied to
wipe it off 1t seemed as if such had
given up its contents and wilted down
to level with the surface. The same
had taken place with those upon my
face. My beard was glued together
with the same kind of fluid. Those up
on my neck had not bursted, but had
shrunk away and diminished in size
considerably. l laid down and slept
two hours comfortably. l awoke, 1
presumed, from cold, although l had
plenty of cover over me and the fire was
still burning in the CRATE. felt so well
pleased that | took little more lemon
juice. l kept my pulse at from sixty to
sixty-seven for thirty-six hours, when
all eruption and elevations had disap-
peared from my skin. l then bid good
by to lemon juice and smallpox.
So strongly I am convinced of the
power of lemon juice to abort any and
every case of smallpox, if administered
as administered it myself, that l look
upon it as specific of rs much certain
ty and power in smallpox as quinine is
in intermittent fever therefore pub
lish my experiments, hoping every ply
sician having a case of smallpox will
give it fair trial, and report the result
to me.