The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-23
DIR. HAMILTON ON BRowN-sE-
GUARD
He Doesn't Believe in the Elixir
Another Remarkable Partisan REM
0dv

He Doesn't Believe in the Elixir
Another Remarkable Partisan REM
edy.
From the Mem York Sun.
DIR. Allen McL4sne Hamilton. who has
Just returned from abroad, was at his
home, 20 East Twenty-ninth street, yester-
day. He talked very freely with a reporter
about the Brown-Sequard elixir of life.
sit is one of the sensations of the day in
Paris" he said; lin fact, it is the chief SEN
satlon. AT the time left there only two
men had taken the injecion-the doctor
and one other
IF it had not been the work of a man of
standing should not have considered the
matter at all; should have put it down as
an arrant humbug. But investigated the
matter sufficiently, and l am sure the
attempt to renew a mans youth in that way
is absurd. 1 have not made any expert
ments, and do not intend to make any.
The theory is opposed to all the laws of
physiology and chemistry.
Further than that believe it is very
dangerous proceeding. and that it is time
for reputable physicians to express their
disapproval of the experiments"
I'm what way is it dangerousm the re-
porter asked.
There is great danger of Introducing a
virulent poison into the system. 1t is we'll
known that the putrefaction of albumen
produces some of the most deadly poisons.
1t is quite possible that this substance in
jected into the the veins should act there as
the arrow poison does, which is used by the
South American Indians.
Nv lille the elixir is sterilizsd by heat or
the admixture of substances to prevent de-
cay, 1t Is quite certain that the elixir must
be so changed as to lose any beneficial ele-
ment it may have had when perfectly fresh.
But | do not believe it has any beneficial
element when fresh. When skillfully pre-
pared and injected before decay sets in it
would have no more effect than water
would.
But there is always danger. It is hard
to tell when the moment has passed at
which the harmless substance becomes dan
gerous. The juices of newly dead body,
as undertakers and medical stude IS know,
are much more dangerous when absorbed
through wound than those of body that
has been preserved some time. DIR. Brown
Sequard's injections were all very painful.
| believe that many cases of erysipelas ha Z q
followed them"
ION the theory that it might have the eff
feet claimed for it, how could the substance
act on the systemW
st couldn't act. Those who have tried
it offer no exploration of tho result OBJ
tanned. They say practically that vital
fluid has been given to the patient. 1t is a
return to the medical systems of the middle
ages. 1t affects some through mental exhil-
aratloa. Its hold on the public is due to a
love of the mysterious.
1T is not a new idea. Mention of its use
was made three centuries ago. Although
DIR. Brown Sequard is we'll advanced in
years, | believe That ante1ates his time
"Have you been requested to prepare the
fiuid for any of VDur natientSG'
"a gentleman came to me with such q
request the other day. | refused his re-
quest, but if under any extraord nary con-
| dition of affairs | should be persuaded by q
patient to try it, / should inject the fluid
with the same confidence shat | should in
| Jet alter. People do live longer now than
| they did formerly. hut heightened life is
| due solely to the q vance of sanitary science
to the care which people take of them
| solves
As an offset to the Brown-Sequard elixir
there is a device for the treatment OF
nervous diseases, which DR.. Hamilton
| brought from Paris with him, a I'd which
he says is well worth consideration
is the invention OF DR.. Lewis of Paris. 1t
| simple atfai There Is lit ie cherry boz
about five inches square. abo whicl
| project two sh fits, one within the other
| sleeve and arm fashion. On each shaft
balanced black bar nine inches long. a
inch wide and a quarter inca thick, edg
up. BY clockworG in the box these ebon
arms or bars are made to revOlve in op
posite directions. Six little round mirror
are placed on each side of each bar
The patient is placed in a chair il
a dark room, facing the machine. Al
electric light, or any bright lig t, is o)ncen
trated on the black arms Of the m chine b,
a convex mirror placed behind the patient
and then the arms are set awhiring. The
patient wat hes them whirl. The motor
and the flashing lights operate on the
nerves through the eyes. Dr.. Hamilto,
said he had seen patents put to sleep by
this means and some extraordinary cure
| accomplished.
The explanation of the effect of the whirl
ing arms and flashing lights is that they
change the habit of the brain. The effec
is analogous to that produced by soft music
on q nervous or irri ated man, but the
rhymth of regularly flashing lights has
more powerful effect upon the brain than
! ha n u, !, IF music