Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-05
THE AMERICAN BANE
RESULTS OF BUSINESS DEPRESSION
ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
A Timely Article Pointing n Remeoy 'o'
Group of Very Common
Troubles.

IlthaemIa. or, American govt as
Professor De Costa terms II. IL the bane
OF our people. and II has been well saia
by eminent authority that It's manifesta-
tions are protean. The victims OF some one
Of the group OF troubles classed under
the head OF lithaemia are perhaps more
numerous than those Of any other disease
Therefore. any article enlightening the
public as regards the many forms OF lith-
aemla and the various guises 1t assumes
and presenting a simple and thorous"iy
tested remedy Is not only interesting ana
timely, but boon to suffering humanity.
Such an article Professor John V. Shoe
maker, A. ~. VI. d., professor OF ma
terra medica and therapeutics. and chemi-
cal professor OF skin diseases In the Me-
dico-Chiruglcal College Of Philadelphia
contributes TO late number of the
New York Medical Journal.
NOT AN ALARMIST.
Professor Shoemaker is not an alarmist'
but a comforter. His article Is entitled
LitheamIa, It's relations TO the gouty
state; Its complications and its treat
ment, and while II will be a revelation to
many as to what they are suffering from
as to what r. the matter with Them 10
use a more homey, but more expressive
phrase-it will point to the cure. Ihat
Professor Shoemaker has made careiul
study of the subject he has In hand Is
shown In every line OF his contribution
After stating that during the past year
his attention had been especially at
tracted to the number OF cases OF lithae-
mia he had encountered in private ana
hospital practice. Professor Shoemaker
says:
1T has occurred to me that the hnancial
panic and prevailing depression In busi-
ness circles have increased the anxiety
and causes of nervous strain among our
people to such an extent az 10 seriously
affect the health Of the community. Al
all events. II moral and emotional causes
may precipitate an attack OF acute govt
which Is generally believed 10 be the
case. then it Is net altogether beyond
the bounds Of probability that depressing
and annoying circumstances. with accom-
panylng disturbances Of digestion, might
in strictly analogous way produce the
condition of lithaema"
NOT PREVIOUSLY SUSPECTED.
The writer then goes on to say that
os some of the cases he had recently
seen presented symptoms such as neu-
ralgic or mylagie pains, skin eruptons'
and digestive disorders. the equity origin
of which had not been previously sus-
uected, but which was demonstrated by
treatment, he had thought II well TO make
a brief record Of some Of them. Before
giving the record however. he lays
down the following. which II a funda-
mental consideration In It's bearing upon
the proof Of the remedy:
Although gout was we'll known 10 the
ancients from "A clinical point Of view, its
actual nature was entirely unknown until
Garrod announced his discovery of uric
acid in the blood. He showed that In
chronic govt. the blood. even In the in
teryals between exacerbatlons, was al
WAYS rich in uric acid. while in an at
tack Of acute govt, even when the urine
showed a deficiency of uric acid, IT exists
IN the blood in abnormal quantities
CHEMISTRY OF URIC ACID.
Professor Shoemaker's next step is TO
present brief abstract OF Sir William
Roberts's views on the chemistry OF uric
acid. gravel. and govt, as expressed IN
The Cronian lectures. delivered last year
before the Royal College Of Physicians.
Of London. With Garrod, y. Haig, and
others. Professor Roberts. says the
writer. regards the accumulation Of th}
biurate Of sodium and its deposit in
various tissues as the most characteristic
feature Of govt The arthritic incidents
of govt. declares Sir William Roberts,
may be said, not improperly, II be simply
incidents pertaining 10 the precipitation
OF these crystals in the structures OF the
Joints. He also declares were 1t possible
FOR us to keep the sodium biurate II
4 state Of solution in the bodily fluids the
clinical proiraiture Of govt would be
completely transhgured.'
THE SIMPLE REMEDY.
Now for the remedy: Professor Shoe
maker advances this more erestinS
statement:
''Fortunately, It appears that In Bunalo
nthia water nature has provided us win
an agent the action OF which Is NANNY
| 10 accomplish the solution Of the sodium
burate and TO carry II on, with other
urlciples of waste. through the ordinary
channels Of excretlon, out OF the body
It's modus operandi being comprehend-d'
IL Is evident that the clinical portIaiture
Of govt may be transigured by the use
| of lust such a simple agent, which by
| the way. has the rare advantage OF being
free from toxic or injurious qualities.
AGREED on ONE POINT.
Professor Shoemaker then proceeds
| discuss the disagreement among the pa
biologists as to the ultimate cause OF
the equity state-that IS, the cause De-
| yond the presence OF uric acid in the
blood-but this part Of his article, though
valuable to the medical profession, does
not address itself to those most interest
| ed-the thousands who are suffering from
| some form OF litnaenia, which Is probably
| being treated as something else. In con-
| Guiding his argument so 10 speak, ITO
fessor Shoemaker says:
ut seems evident, therefore, that while
| a great difference of opinion exists as 10
| the ultimate cause Of govt whether II be
| OF nerve or blood origin. or due to failure
| of liver. kidneys, or the digestive organs
all authorities are In accord upon one
thing and that Is that the condition Ia
| which our therapeutic efforts must be d.
rected in order TO relieve the patient is
| an excess Of uric acid and other waste
| products in the blood II Is TO this cOndi-
| ton that the symptoms and sequelae are
| now generally attributed.
| 1T Is quite probable that there may also
| be a failure of the glands Of the skin &c
| properly perform their functions, as has
| been asserted by some observers. At all
| even s. il can easily be shown that GER
| tain forms OF eruption upon the general
| surface are OF equity nature and are
durable by applying the treatment suit
| able for the underlying equity condition
| Among the notes of cases that are re-
| ferred TO In this paper one or two vii
| be found which furnish good illustration
| of this fact"
| MANY CASES.
| From the cases cited by Professor Shoe
| maker the following are quoted 10 sus
| tain his position and as terrifying tn
contention that there Is an almost soyer
| eign remedy for lithaemia:
G. r.. aged IS years. a clerk in a store
| complained OF pains in different part!
| Of his body with tenderness in th'
| muscles of his back and in the calve,
| Of his legs and shoulders. He had NJ
fever. All muscular labor was irksome
| and he complained of being constantly
tired. He was ordered four ounces o