New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-02
BROMIDE IN SEASICKNESS.
A PROVED PREVENTIVE OF DISCOMFORT
FOR OCEAN vOYAGERs.
TAKEN IN PROPER QUANTITIES IT IS wrrHoW
HARMFUL REsULTs-A PHYSICIANS Ex-

PERIENCE WITH THE DRUG.
There Is something about the now you 80 up
now you go down' motion OF vessel al sea. wheth.
err propelled by wind or steam, which creates sen.
satons the reverse OF comfortable In the majority
of those who essay voyage.
Il am not a good sai.or" admits one; II am sick
most Of the time; but am willing to pay the PEN
atty for the sake OF the Pleasure which awaits
the other side"
II hear OF the delights Of ocean travel" avows
another. but although have sailed many times.
have seen little e.se but the inside OF my state
room. Knowing that am sure to be III. not sck
but IL. go calmly to bed while there is yet time
and emain In my berth I'll the ship IL safely moored
at her destination. have tried all devices for es-
Gaping the ma:ady stayed bravely out on deck.
as recommended. unit. my b.anched face and evident
misery elected the concern OF my feow-passen-
gers. have put writing paper my chest
and provided myself beforehand with everything
calculated to propitiate the dread monster All to
no purpose For me there is escape so have
learned to submit to the inevitable"
" NO one is seasick who is In good condition when
he comes on board airms the captain. the mate
or others supposed to know. In vain protest that
l was in admirable physical condition at starting:
they shrug their shoulders. ook ncredu.ous. and I
remain as unhappy as was before"
For these and such these there Is the certainty
Of many happy and comfortable voyages. since II
Is now clearly demonstrated that bromidzation IN
duced and kept up two three days before and
continued for several days after sailing. sometimes
even through the entire voyage. will efrectually
prevent seasickness
And does this bromidizaton have any evil after
effect the person subjected to t?" was asked
of Dr. A. D. Rockwell the exponent OF this treat
ment.
WITHOUT EVIL EFFECTS
Il can safely say no. replied the Doctor II have
used the bromdes so extensively In my practice
in the treatment Of various diseases that I feel
satisfied that the quantity necessary to prevent an
attack OF seasckness is not In the east harmful.
Idosync-asies against the drug are occasionally
net with; but few adults Will experience the slight.
est inconvenience from a thirty-gran dose of the
bromide OF sodium three times day Bromide of
sodium Is preferred for this purpose to bromide of
potassium because II Is much mere acceptable to
the stomach. Bromide of sodium IS mder than the
potassium. I administered co grains OF bromide Of
potassium daily for eight years to patient suffer-
ing from epilepsy. with ultimate evil result
That proves the innocent character OF the drug"
What are the symptoms of bromdizaton. ~
taken 10 prevent seasickness?"
"A slight drowsiness and heaviness Of the limbs;
FOR instance, II the patient sitting and rose
suddenly the limbs would feel slightly stiff and
peculiar. l ought to add that the drowsy feeling
quickly disappears when the mind becomes inter-
ested'
And does this condition interfere with the diges-
ton? Can the patient relish food while under its
influence"
AS l myself have tried the preventive on two
occasions, can safely assert that the subjec, en-
joys his three meals a day: and. what is more is
visited by unusually restfGl and refreshing sleep.
Seasiekness does not come primarily from the
otomacn No intelligent physician holds that IL
Goes person going on shipboard afflicted with q
disordered digestion is without doubt apt to
be sick than II he were in Il perfectly healthy con-
dition: but. on the other hand. a person whose
functions are all acting harmon.orsy. as Is well
known. instantly succumbs to seasckness when the
snip encounters rough waters. Seasickness Is de-
pendent upon functiona. disturbance OF the central
nervous system and upon this theory is based the
use Of the bron.des"
The nausea and vomiting come from the brain?"
THE TROUBLE ALL FROM THE BRAIN.
81 Undoubtedly. an inevitable consequence in Ger.
tain susceptibites Of the constant series of mild
conclusions OF the brain attendant upon the rolling.
pitching and tremor OF chip Any method that
vii. obtund the sensorium rendering 1t in a meas
u-e anaesthet!c and insusceptb.e 10 slight mo.ecu
AR changes IS rational method for preventing the
ma aiy The battle against seasickness must be
fought on land can give no better instance to
prove the correctness OF the theory that the ds-
order comes from tho brain than the following
An intelligent man. personal friend OF mine
much impressed with my views regarding
reconciliation as a preventive OF seasickness. bu,
originated plan OF procedure his own author
ity Hearing me say that thirty grains OF bromide
Of, sodium taken three days before sailing and con-
tinued during the voyage. according to Judgment
and circumstances. would give immunity from sick
before the voyage would have a still more beneficial.
effect In pursuance OF this plan. he took enormous
dcses 50 long In advance that when the time came
for him 70 set sail his stomach much disor-
dc red: he feverlsh. and entirely OF cond-
ton. He took the trio, however. and. IN spite OF
his d!sordered stomach was not seasck in the
least although on every previous voyage he had been
miserable sailor from start to finish Although .
he had overdone the matter and disordered his
stomach bromidlzaton had taken place in his brain
ard the -easckness was averted ont OF twenty
cases which can now remember In which tn.
three days before sailing and continued during the
fects "'
The theory has often been advanced tina. seasick.
tenn ana cleared it up somewhat after the fashion
OF thunderstorm on on, hot day What is your
AN UNMIXED EVIL
IAN utterly fal.acious :dea. l my self have known
cases where the effect OF seas.ckress the nervous
effect did not wear off for many months after tho
voyage 1t IS stated on trustworthy authority that
Darwins nvalidsm mainly due to a sea voy-
pge made years and years before his death He
was extremely seasick. and had the highly nervous
temperament which all great thinkers have"
Does death ever result from seasickness?"
VERY rare.y Cases where the malady has had
fatal results not unknown, but sufficient per-
centage OF selsick sufferers have sustained evil
after effects TO make IL certain that seaslckness
does one any good know man subject to
seasictness who can never enter a close room or
an apartment where there is any suggestion OF that
peculiar smell OF ship without feeling nauseated
There pcculartles about this description OF sick
ress which are recognized without being accounted
for for instance. some people who cannot ride in
a carriage without experiencing the aualms can
travel for days on a rough sea ami be exempt from
discomfort.
40 the bromides alleviate PAIN"
NO: they induce sleep: they are hvpnotlc b,. ~ a
person is suffering acute pain even II taken in large
doses they vii. not deaden the senses"
"Dl this theory of bromidiZaton originate with
YOU"
"Oh. no The first person 10 suggest tho use Of
;la, fn aCfn ~.
dyce Barker. Afteryard DR. Lente advocated tho
administration OF the remedy before sailing Or
Beard then took no the subject and. perhaps d.d
more than anv other to demonstrate its efficacy
In spite OF this however, there is vet the part
OF the profession and the aity tendency 10 ignore
tho whole subject. PERHAPS because se1slckrees
aeo-rs TO be always regarded In the light OF A
,oke EXCEPT by the sufferer himself. and because
.. tho general disbelief In the efficacy OF any rene-
DIV either greatly to relieve or prevent seasickness
SHIP SURGEONS INDIFFERENT.
..,..I. is shared. strange 10 by