The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-01-26
Lemon cure for small p.x.

DIR. James Moore. of Ironton, O..
furnishes the following for publication,
which is of great interest at the pres
ent time: i-"
1 wss taken sick April 10th, with
what L supposed was a severe cold,
having had my hair shingled the day
previous. Friday, 18th, L was quite
feverish, with severe pain in head and
back. Saturday, 18th, was no better.
Sunday, fever somewhat reduced. L
presume by the aid of aconite; erup-
ton very indistinct under the skin.
Monday mornidg, 18th, eruption un-
mistakabIy that of smallpox. Tues
day msrning, 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
was suffering Intensely from those
upon the scalp. By half-past ten
o'clock the pain was almost intOlerable.
My nurse had retired and was sound
asleep in bed behind me. My feet were
so tender that dare not let them
touch the footboard. My head 1 could
not suffer to lie upon the pillow. lay
raised up on my elbow. my neck rest
ing upon my hand. / had by this
time ecome SO nervous dare notsh
my ey es from fear of seeing unpleasant
visions. Pulse about 80. 1 had upon
the table by the bedside. a pitcher of
water and a drinking glass, box of
Seidlitz powders, and one ounce OF
chlorate of potash in crystals. had
l.. H. Of Iar
and also one of oranges. These were
all the agents within my reach.
recollected that lemon juice in suf-
ficient quantity, was \ sedative and
would lower the hearts action, and by
SO doing might relieve me Of those un-
pleasant visions. / therefore squeezed
all the juice l possibly could out of
the lemons into the glass, to which L
added about two tablespoonful 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. Iu asehort time L felt very
cold, as if I were lying in close proX-
unity to u large mass of snow or ice.
My pulse had drOppsd to 60. I shut
my eyes to see if the unpleasant Wis.,
ions were gone.
not only found that they were gone
but Sy placing my hand upon my head
1 found that the pocks on my head had
gone also. My head was bathed with
grumous like tiuid which had eXuded
from the pox. 1t stained the napkin l
had applied to wipe it off. 1t seemed
as if each had given up its contents
and wilted down to u level with the
surface. The same had taken place
with those Oh my face. My beard was
glued together with the same kind of
Iiuid. Those upon my neck had net
burst, but had shrunken away and di-
minished in size considerably. i lay
down and slept two hours comfortable.
I awoke presume from cold although
[ had plenty Of cover upon me and the
fire was still burning in the CRATE. I
felt so we'll pleased that took little
more lemon juice. / kept my pulse at
about 60 to 81 for 36 hours, when all
eruptions and elevations had disap-
peared from my skin. / then bid good
bye to lemon juice and small pOx.
So strongly am 1 convinced. in the
power of lemon juice to abort any and
every case of small pox, if adminis-
tered as administered it to myself,
that look upon it as specific of
Is much certainty and power in small
pox as quinine in intermittent fever.
L therefore publish my experiment,
hoping every physician having case
of small pox will give it fair trial
and report the result to me.