Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-05-24
THE HOME DOCTOR.
QUININE HYPODERMICALLY.

QUININE GEOGRAPHICALLY
DIR. Sawyer, of Alabama, says that
qulnine used hypodermically- is.
thrown under the skin with a syringe
results beneficially when large doses by
the mouth have completely failed.
ANEsTHETICs
The London Lancet, of August 81.
1881, says, "We admit, and have always
admitted, that on the whole ether is the
safest general an@sthetic yet discovered.
1t is probably three times safer than
chloroform." Still deaths occasionally
occur under it's administration, especial
ly where there is some disease of the
lungs unsupported by the patient, and
not discovered by the operator. The
Lancet adds, "We are inclined to the
opinion that ia all cases where there is
disease Of the structure of the lungs.
the an@sthetics OF the chloroform group
are the safest and best" This doubt
less from the fact, that ether acts direct
ly on the pulmonary nerves, while
chlorOfOrm acts on the cardiac. In
surgical operations of the mouth. the
danger of asphyxia (suffocation) is much
increased by the blood finding it's way
into the windpipe. In such cases the
quickest acting anWsthetic is to be pre-
ferred-say n1ethyLeqae. Ether is one of
the slowest. There is reason to believe
that chloroform has not proved specially
dangerous IN cases of parturition and
military surgery; but that the fatal cases
are mainly in the minor operations, such
as the extraction of teeth. Nitrous OK
ide is always safe. But as its effects are
brief It's use has been necessarily con-
fined to minor operations. Some later
experiments, however, seem to show
that, If a certain per cent. of oxygen is
mixed with it, its effects last long enough
for the more difficult and protracted
operations. If this becomes fully estab-
hshed as a fact, it will render surgery
both painless and safe.- Youths COM
2009a5O1a.
CEREBRO SPINAL MENINGITIS.
The brain is covered with three mem
branes. The one next to the skull is
thick and tough, and is called the dara
mater. The one which Immediately in
vests the brain, as the skin does the
body, IS thin and tender, and is called
the pia mater. Between these is cob
web-like membrane, called the arachnoid,
which secretes a thin lubricating fluid
whereby all friction from the movements
of the brain is prevented. AS the spinal
cord is simply an extension of the cere-
bral substance, the same three men,
branes accompany and invest it down
through the spinal canal. Each of them
may be the seat of disease. Cerebro-
spinal meningitis has it's proper seat in
the pia mater. AS the name shows, the
membrane both of the brain and the
spine is affected inhamed. The disease
is fearful one, from it's pain; it's rapid
lty OF action; it's great mortality-thirty
to eighty per cent; and from its liabil-
ity, In cases OF recovery, to leave behind
it more or less of permanent injury. The
| inhamed membrane exudes gelatinous
fluid which presses on the cerebral and
spinal substance, both of which increase
in volume. Abundance of pus is gener-
! ated, especially at the base Of the brain
and down through the spinal cord. The
inflammation may extend to the other
membranes, and most of the organs of
the body may be more remotely affected.
The early symptoms are headache, dir
Zlness, numbness in the limbs, stiffness
! OF the neck and limbs. But it's onset
may be in full force with high fever, in
tense headache, vomiting, deliriun,
spasms of the muscles of the neck, back
and limbs, and intensely painful sensi-
bility of the skin. These symptoms may
continue from twelve to twenty four
hours and be followed by the stage of
depression, at the beginning of which
the patient may die, or, if he passes
through it, is most likely to live. The
disease is generally epidemical. But
the one fact which we would strongly
emphasize is that it follows in the track
of defective hygienic conditions. It
seeks out filth. The better classes enjoy
remarkable immunity from it's attacks.
"Forewarned is forearmed. . Youth's
GO172 110Y3iO11