Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-08-23
Or. Brown-Sequard's Elixir.

bodies Of animals as means OF pro-
longing and invigorating human life
has been recently advocated by DR..
Brown-Sequard after series OF sue
cessful experiments upon himself.
The details were first recited in
paper read in Paris before the Societe
de Biologie, and were received by the
learned audience with thrill OF as
tonishment and an air OF scientific in
credulity. AS DIR. Brown-Sequard
was in his seventy-third year he was
promising subject for hypcdermic
injections OF his new elixir OF life, and
the emphasis with which he describes
the freshness OF youth pulsating
through his veins and the recovery
of impaired vital functions producted
profound impression upon the
psychologists and surgeons there as
sembled. subsequently one OF his as
sistants. DR.. Variot, selected three
debilitated men. ranging In age from
fifty-four TO sixty-eight and turned
the syringe upon them with the result
OF Immediately improving their diges
ton. increasing their muscular action
and also OF causing general nervous
excitement. Sufficient time has not
elapsed 10 enable DIR. Brown-Sequard
To Judge Of the permanent effects OF
the treatment OF these three patients,
but he has prepared for The Lancet
a synopsis of his papers on the sub
ject, and Of his own experience, with
the reservation that DIR, Variots es-
periments, so far as the results have
been observed, strengthen his own
conclusions respecting the potency OF
the elixir
DIR. Brown-SeQuard's preliminary
experiments were tried on animals IN
order TO prove the innocuity OF the
elixir, which was derived from the
blood and certain glands OF guinea
pigs aud dogs. Before using the
syringe upon himself he tested the
decoction by administering II to two
superannuated rabbits and one old
dog. After this dog had received
twenty subcutaneous injections with
out harm he considered II safe to OPP
crate upon himself. From May 10 to
June 4 he made ten injections In his
arms and legs, using dark reddish
fluid obtained from the glands OF n
very young healthy adult dog aud
several guinea pigs. The results were
most surprising. Before the expert
ments upon himself he was so weak
that he was invariably compelled to
sit after working half All hour In his
labratory; and for many years he
had been so exhausted after returning
home at o'clock as to be forced at
once TO go TO bed, where he would be
too tired to sleep. After the expert
ments he was able TO stand for three
or four hours in his labratory and To
write in the evening for an hour and
half without feeling n sense Of weari-
ness. Instead OF creeping and hob
bling on n staircase, as had been his
habit In recent years, he could run
up and down like IA boy. His arms
tested in n dynanometer, regained n
strength which they had not possess
ed for twenty-six years. Digestion
and other functions were markedly
improved. With regard to the facility
OF intellectual labor, which had
greatly diminished with advancing
age, he records decided return TO
normal conditions In the prime of
life. In brief all functions depend
ing on the spinal cord and nervous
centres were notably and rapidly
strengthened 10y the action OF the
'vitalized principles" Of the healthy
dog and the agile youngguinea pigs.
Having demonstrated In bis own
person the efficacy OF his rejuvenat-
ing medicine, DIR. Brown-Sequard,
like the scientific investigator he ID,
stopped taking IL In order 10 ascertain
how long the beneficial results would
last. For four weeks there was no
marked decline Of vitality, but from
July there was complete return of
the pre-existing inHrmities and weak
ness OF old age. As he was no worse
than he had been before receiving
the first injection. he pbilosophicaiIy
accepted the temporary loss Of rein
forced strength ss counter-proof of
the vitalizing influence exerted by bis
elixir for n month. With the Dor
rowed resources Of another robust
dog and few more guinss-pig he
calmly contempIates Ia writing to
The Lancet" the prospect Of another
months lease OF youth and manly
yigor. He does not, however, ctaim
the merit Of discovering the secret Of
perpetual youth, but rather Of easing
the burdens OF old age.
He modestly gives the results to the
scientific work rs basis for further
experiment, expressing belief that
while special nutritive actions bring
ing on certain changes In men and
animals are absolutely fatal and ir-
reversible, It is possible by means of
the yitalized elements used by him
and the three superannuated Parish
ans TO re-endow tissues. muscles and
nerve-centres with power once pos
sessed but impaired by the weight OF
years Popular faith In DR.. Brown
Sequards antidote for old age will de-
pend In larger measure upon his own
success In keeping himself alive and
vigorous by means Of his mcnthly
doses Of dog and guinea-pig. That
he will live long and thrive on bis