The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-26

The Great Value of Quinine-Its Almost uni
versal Medical Use.

versal Medical Use.
Prairie Farmer.
No other substance in the whole range Of the
materia medica has been so great boon to the
human race as quinine; and in later years it has
been administered to many aiiing domestic ami
mails with decided benefit. A vast amount of
suffering has been alleviated by it; and many
hundreds of thousands of lives have been saved
or prolonged, during the settlement of our new
country, where there has been constant exposure
to decaying Accommodations of centuries Of vege
table growth "Ague," "chills," "fever and
ague" have been the thing, of all others, to be
dreaded by those going into new regions, espe-
ciay those covered with forests in somewhat
level countries We we'll remember that when
our neighbors, in families and groups, emigrated
to the wilds of Michigan the first inquiry made
concerning them was whether they had yet had
or how they got through with the inevitable in
term tteut fever, or "fevernague," as it was
usually termed During the late war, probably
more men were placed hors du combat, and
came home with health shattered by malaria
than persisted from the rifle and cannon missiles
1t is perhaps safe to say that the amount of suf-
ferng from this cause would have been doubled
had not quinine been u leading article in the
army medical supplies.
The large increase in the average length of
human life during the last forty years is due in
no small measure to the increased production of
quinine and its almost universal use by ply
sicians The writer of this can but speak with
gratitude and feeGngly, on this subject, after
the effects of malaria brought home from long
day and night service in the hospital camps of
Virginia during 1S63-64. Finding little relief
from any other treatment, excepting when
residing among the mountains of Switzerland
he began the use of quinine III 1876, by the adj
vice of the late Bishop Simpson. The change
was wonderful With the exception of tempo
rary ppostraton by heat in the summer of 1881
he has not lost a dozen days from i'll health
since taking the Bishops advice; and to-day by
the continuance of very small quantities Of
quiniue only, he is more vigorous than even in
the prime of life" period, between forty and
fifty. He goes through fourteen or sixteen
hours day of vigorous work, and even enjoys
it. We attribute this almost wholly to quinine,
and one reason why will be seen further on.
A little history of euinine will be interesting.
The natives of some parts of South America.
particularly In Peru and Eucador had long
known the beneficial effects of the bark of the
cinchona tree or shrub. Perhaps from its hav
ing been found largely in Peru, it received the
appeation of Peruvian bark. 1t has, in its dit
ferent varieties, been called cinchona bark, cali
saya bark and score of other less prominent
names. One report is that the Spanish Countess
of Cinchon, whose husband has been Viceroy of
Peru, brought the remedy into Spain on her re-
turn in 1910 After its introduction it was sold
l. by the jesuits for its weight in silver. 1t only
became known in England and France justabout
two hundred years ago. But the powdered
bark or decoction of it, mainly employed
up to the present century and leading medical
NOfhS VI only lOFtH years dSo Iuo YARN
was chiefly specified. Since then, the
work Of extracting quinia, or quinine,
from the bark, has gone forward with rapid
strides, and during twenty-five years past the
use of auinine has very greatly extended. There
is now made and used double if not three-fold
the quantity of twenty years ago. The English
government established the culture of the Gin
chona tree in East India possessions and these
plantations are now supplying an immense
amount of the bark from which quinine is ex-
tracted. The present unprecedented low price
is largely due to this new source of supply.
We do hot believe in recommending any
medicine to promscuous use. We refuse all
medical advertisements, because, however good
a medicine may be, unprofessional person
can say that this or that may be used or useful
in his case. What may be highly valuable to
one may be injurious or even poisonous to an
other. and no one but quack will offer to cure
or prescribe for distant person on his own
statement of his symptoms. The best physi-
clans will not prescribe for themselves, well
knowing that they can not do so safely when
their own judgment is distorted by i'll health
and therefore unreliable. But we consider qui-
nine in small Doses to be tested and increased
only after carefully observing its effect, as one
of the safest and most universally useful medi-
cines for ordinary Illness
| 1t has specific effect in destroying malaria in
| the system, and is an antldote for intermittent
fevers aud many other ailments. In our own ex-
| perience OF It's use we reason thus: Strength,
| recuperatIon from a low condition of system,
can only come from good food we'll digested; but
! if the system, and especially the digestive
organs. be out of sorts 0e weak, they will not
! digest food well. Now one, two, or more grains
of quinine taken before or even with the meal,
| tones up the digestive organs. enabling them to
| perform their appropriate work. The food thus
! dgested enters into and builds up the system
| and thus restores strength and vigor. So, when
! weary and languid at the close of days work,
! if before partaking of Il late dinner on arriving
home, one takes grain or two, more of qui-
dine, it tones up the system to appropriate a
good meal. which in turn furnishes the vigor
and strength needed for another days toll. AS
the quinine itself is Il vegetable or organic sub
stance it is digested along With the food, and is
wholly out of the blood in a few hours. During
the past eight years the writer has probably
taken from $4,000 to 20, 900 grains, seldom over
ten or twelve grains in one day. and often none.
Contrary to the long held opinion of physicians,
it does not lose its effect from continuous use.
When in full vigor and not overworked, it is
omitted, but in this case, usually within a week,
the old malarial symptoms the heritage of the
war camp reappear very plainly