The morning call., 1892-01-25
a CURE FOR PNEUMONIA.

So many cases Of pneumonia are occur
ring in connection with grippe and the NOR
talty from the former disease is so large
that any discovery Of Il new remedy de-
serves attention from the faculty and the
public In what proportion cases Of grippe
develop into pneumonia il is not easy TO de-
eide, but when the latter has fairly set in
the mortality VIII range from 20 90 30 per
cent. Nearly all the deaths which are re-
ported q resulting from grippe were really
caused by pneumonia. When, therefore,
we are tuld that the physicians of contiuen-
tai Europe have discovered that treatment
by dieitalis In large doses Will reduce the
mortality resulting from pneumonia to
something ike 8 per cent. the subject de-
serves examination.
Pneumonia, or Inflammation Of the lungs,
is Il condition Of the organ in which the
blood vessels become coHgested, aud the
air cells fiji with matter eXuding from in
Il med surfaces. One Of two results fol-
l.n,-either the Eorged blood vessels are
g.. eyed Of their contents by increased cir
ca..uon. while tbs air cells purge them
selves Of their morbid contents. and the
. patient RECEIVERS; or the congestion goes on,
the air cells resolve themselves into a solid
death ensuaS. In the cid practice. blood
citing was The favOrite remedy. Now, ma
tufc is relied upon TO effect a cure, medicines
being ch ely employed to c0unteract col
lateral QuiniBe TO cheek excess
siye fever loeches TO alleviate pain, warm
pcU,tices 10 the chest 10 counteract infam-
nation, carbonate % ammonia TO stop the
cough, and occasionally aconite to break
The force Of the infammatory attack. The
normal instinct of nature in a healthy per-
son is TO throw OF fever; physicians have
been In the habit Of relying upon that 10
fight the disease.
Now, such eminent medical men as Drs.
TIKI and PetT0sc0 say that they have found
in their practice that large doses of digj-
ta.s-S!Nty to ninety graius-aim0st inya-
rldlly cure pneumonia often within twenty
four or f0gty-eiEht hours Di-i,alis, which
is chiefly used in medicine iorcases If heart
disease IN consequence Of its stimulating
action on the ganglia Of the heart, is known
70 he a powerful poison, capable Of killing
The smaller animals q a few hours. Ia
small doses il is used as q Sedative, and
/ Gains excitement Of the heart by acting On
/ the nerves. Il is the standard remedy for
| palpitatiau. IL la, always heel known
/ that il acted on the nerves Of the lungs and
/ stomach, but until lately il had not been
/ SUSPECTED that ia eases Of congestion of the
( former organ II might, In large doses, pro
/ mote circulation SO vigorously as to arrest
/ tie ell, EEing Of The blood vessels, While at
/ the same time It lowered the temperature
7 If tie body. This Is what The Austrian
I doctors affirm. u they are right, dis
/ ceyey ii no mean Importance Las been
/ made.
/ The event once IN re reminds Us Jla- tie
/ science ~ healing IS in its cradle. As
/ general rule tie best doctor to-day is he
I a" ho iuterieTes tAe least with The oUera,ions
/ of nature. and this for the reason that the
tue action Of drugs on tie human body is
still imperiectly known. or a few simple
drugs the primary action is familiar 20 the
urac..uCuer bus the most learned pharm8-
clst VIII net pretend to understand their
secondary working, or their ultimate effects
~ the system. Every Gag that passes over
adds to the list If disease-carers some new
substance whose utility had not been Sus-
g1ctad. When clal-tar was invented
It vas merely supposed that new
material for pitch ard coarse paint
had been found. no one suspected that
drug had been discovered which wheu Il is