The Greenville times., 1882-12-16
sulphur and Malaria.

zeal News an able article on sui
phur as a preventive of malaria.
We heard the same views advanced
by DIR. Skinner, of Greenville, sew
eral years ago. DR.. Skinner has
practiced medicine for many years
in malarial regions, and has been a
close observer Of everything con
nected with his profession. Sew
eral years ago we had many talks
with him about the diseases of the
country, and we know that he was
an ardent advocate for sulphur as
a preventive for malaria, and as a
cure for malarial diseases. He ex-
pressed his firm conviction that
sulphur would be found a power
in the prevention of the yellow
fever. Now that discussion is
being carried on in the medical
Journals on this subject we find
that DR.. Skinner's opinion is back
ed up by many leading physicians.
1t is complimentary to our town
man to see a theory in which he
expressed confidence so long be.
fore the leaders Of his profession
gave their views to the public ac-
cepted and endorsed by such high
authority in scientific research.
Here is an extract from DR.. YAM
delps article:
Sulphate Of iron probably stands
at the head of deodorants, and its
disiufectant properties are gener-
ally acknowledged. Sulphurous
acid gas is equally destructive to
bad smells aud vermin; aud of its
dislniecting powers we are con
vinced.
In this connection it will be re-
membered that the bisulphates
have been claimed to possess
marked malarial power, and some
enthusiastic germ manias have con
tended that the power of sulphate
Of quinia lies in its element of sui
phur. Aromatic sulphuric acid
has sometimes done good in inter-
mittents, and we have gotten re-
markable results in these troubles
from su'phato of iron and alum.
Quinia in the Confederate States
army was always scarce, and often
absent from our hospital stores,
and hence many substitutes for it
were tned. The writer found the
following quite reliable, though
certainly not palatable: Dried sui
phate of iron, one drachm pow
dered alum, four scruples; max o
into twenty-one powders; one to
be taken thrice daily. Many OBJ
stinate chronic cases were cured
in q week, others in two weeks,
and in others failure occurred. In
dispensary practice before and
since the war, we have gotten sim.
liar results. In capsules the pre-.
scription might be rendered less
unpleasant. The subject under
consideration is one of vital i'm.
portance to the whole world. Ev.
erywhere malaria is now being
recognized as the most abundant,
widespread and polymorphous ol
the fever poisons. Regions OF
America and elsewhere in which
malaria has not before existed, az
it was claimed, have been ravishcd
by it during the past ten years
For instance in localities in Rhode
Island aud Connecticut this is the
case. While it is probable that
malaria has existed all the time to
some extent; though maybe in
masked and comparatively mild
forms. yet tho medical profession
of Newport and of New Haven
could scarcely have failed to rec
ognize intermittent fever as a com
mon disease among them, had il
prevailed in the past to anything
like the extent it has Of late years
Scurvy, a terrible scourge ol
days gone by. since the introduc
ton of the potato and the more
extensive consumption of fruits
and vegetables, is almost unknown
Leprosy and the plague, so preva
lent at one time IN the better por
tions of Europe, are now even
rarer tEan scuryy, thanks to the
drainage and more abundant and
better food and improved ventila
ton. Smallpox a century ago, ev
cry one was liable to, and now its
possible prevention is almost uni
versal. But malaria, although pre-
ventable and curable to large
extent. remains a potent and al
most omnipresent pestilence.
Fogg says his wife is the mos
fckle-minded person he ever saw
The other day she spoke of Misi
Blank as charming young lady
and remarkably handsome. "And.