Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-03-20
RHEUMATISM CURES.
Some OF the Queer Remedies That Are
Brought Into Use.

Some OF the Queer Remedies That Are
Brought Into Use.
or all diseases to which the hui
man family is subject there is none
that receives so much popular at
tention AZ rheumatism. Nor is there
another disease for which so many
freak remedies and cures have
been invented.
All sorts and conditions have con-
tributed to this wonderful assert.
ment of remedies, which contains
Inducements derived from animal,
vegetable and mineral sources.
Thousands of infallible CD rene
dies could be enumerated, from the
ring of Paracelsus to modern whale,
bee and ant cures. One of the stand
ard works on medicine contains no
less than 250 drugs, all of which are
said to be useful in the treatment of
different forms of tho disease.
Some of The methods of treatment
are extremely painful and cause in.
tense suffering to the patient, The
blistering treatmaat, which was
much i'll vogue at one time, consists
in the application of circlets of bis
tering fluid above the affected joint.
Clippings, both dry and wet have
also had their day. A measure that
might be considered very painful is
the suEcutaneous injection of pure
carbolic acid. AS matter of fact,
however, it is painful for an instant
only, for the acid acts as Il local
annsthetic. The efficacy of the rem
edy is rather doubtful
Bleeding, general and local, mer
curialization, purging, vomiting and
the administration of large doses of
saltpeter have all been employed
with more OF less effect-generally
less. Ice to the joints was at ono
time Il favorite treatment in Ger
many. Electricity also has it's advo-
Gates.
In France quinine was formerly
much in vogue, the drug being
given in doses of Is to 30 grains
three times day. The remedy was
recommended principally for the
acute form of rheumatism.
In 1874 salicine came into general
use. 1t was employed not only on
account OF its antirheumotic proper
ties, but for tonic effect as well.
This drug is obtained from willow
bark. A year later sulicylic acid
was highly commended as a rem
edy. The results following the adj
ministration Of this drug We're in a
measure satisfactory, but it was no
ticed that ii caused severe and
alarming stomach disturbances
therefore the remedy was gradually
abandoned.
The alkaline, one of the best and
most popular methods of treatment,
consists of the use of soda or Potash
salts, with vegetable acids, such as
citric and taltarip,
One of the strangest OF the freak
cures is that known as the whale
cure. There is hotel in town on
the coast of Australia whose patrons
are almost entirely "rheumatics.
They remain at the hotel until
whale is caught and landed on the
beach. Then the treatment" is ap-
piled. After heaching the whale
holes are dug into the body of the
monster The holes are made large
enough to admit the body of a pa
tient, who is placed therein and al
lowed to remain for a specified time,
according to the severity of the dis
case
In the island of Malta the bee
sting cure is practioed, This cure
was suggested by the discovery that
certain people who had been stung
by bees enjoyed immunity from
rheumatism. A French journal calls
attention to this remedy, and to the
fact that it has been used among
certain Indian tribes, who admit
that the remedy is very painful
one, but they console the sufterer
with the assurance that "when it
does not kill it sometimes cures. -
New York World.
A int