The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1884-12-10
A NEW PAIN l.
TIE Discovery and use OF II Rare Anas.
thetic-Experiments In Augusta with
u new Drug.

directorate Of cocoainc as q local nneS-
thetic. The medical journals arc full Of
the discovery, and the experiments with
the drug are leading to- some interest
ing developments. If not tending to-
ward an entire revolution in the practice
Of an;rsthcSia.
This drug is one Of the extracts of
cocoon, found in India, and up to one
month ago probably was not used out
side the solution Of n kind of tea.
Quite recently, however, n young mcdi-
cal student in Vienna applied the two
per cent. solution as a local anmSthctic,
and since then some remarkable expert
mcnts have beer made.
IT'S APPEARANCE IN AUGUSTA.
The first supply Of the drug was re-
ccived in Augusta by DR.. James NJ. Hull,
who tclegraphcd to Philadelphia and re-
ccivcd Il small quantity. Encouraged by
its use in operations upon the. eye and
throat he resolved to put it into practi-
cal effect in his work here, and two
weeks ago last Sunday, November 10th
used it by dropping the solution upon
the ball Of the eye for the purpose Of
scraping the corner. lie found that the
eye was rendered, after n few applica-
tons, inscnsiblc TO pain aad his opera
tion Was satisfactorily and successfully
performed. Since then DR.. Hull has
employed the drug twice in operating
upon catarrhs, twice in removing the
iris, three fines in pterygium and once in
a case Of cross-cyc. He has applied
two drops Of the two per cent. solution
every two or three minutes, and finds it
produces absolute inscnsihility to pain
in the surfaces touched by it. The cf-
feet lasts from 20 to 25 minutes, when
applications can be made
DR.. Hull tells the Chronicle that
Drs. Agnew, Knapp, Miller and Chisolm,
Of America, are much Interested in the
drug, which ~ manufactured solely hy
Merck, Of Darmstadt. The drug, be-
fore it is dissolved, is a white powder
resembling quininc, costs about 5000
II pound. In solution it is colorless and
odcrlcss, but has a bitter taste. 1t has
been found that it can be swallowed to
the quantity OF fifteen grains, producing
inscnsibility with no serious after ef-
fccts.
EST IN THIS CITY.
On the 18th Of November DR.. w. II.
Doughty, Jr., in this city, received his
supply of the drug, and resolved to use
it in surgical operations. Ityhad been
ascertaincd that it can be applied to ad-
vantage principally upon mucous sur
faces-the eye, mouth, nose, etc.. rs the
outer skin does not absorb it rapidly
enough, and as the anmsthctic quality
extends ovcr a small space, say three
quarters Of an inch.
DR.. Doughty, however, on the 18th
instant made a most satisfactory cutting
into a ccsico rogina1 fst"l". and found
that during the operation Of the drug
the process was painless to the patient
which ordinarily occasions intense sur-
fcring. AS the effects Of the drug wore
of the pain increased, but upon it's re-
application, the same happy effects were
Obtained. DR.. Doughty found also that
that the employment of the drug
considerably arrested hcmorrhagc and
since that, has used it upon other deli
cate operations with general success.
The drug can also be administered
simultaneously with hypolcrmic injcc-
ton, although this branch Of its effects
has not yet been deeply investigated.
DR.. Hull believes that it can be employ
ed with fine advantage in dentistry and
We learn that DR.. Winklrr and himself
will ties: its efficacy on The gums and
tooth-ncrvc tomorrow.
The promise Of the drug is great and
these experiments in Augusta where the
power and pith Of the chloratc arc being
more cxhaustively and accurately stud
led than in any Southern city, will he
watched with intense interest.