The sea coast echo., 1897-05-15
FREAK CURES.
Queer Remedies for Rheumatism
Described by a Doctor.
Singular "Whale Cure" Practised
at q Hotel in Australia.

~ -" N&StSA AA~ ~A ~ASS@ eSAAeNs
or oil diseases to which the human
family il subject, writes ]. 7. Whit
myer, NJ. D., In the Now York World,
there is mono that receives SO much
popular attention rs rheumatism. Nor
is there any other disease for which 80
many ''freak" remedies and "cures"
have been invented.
All sorts and conditions have con-
tributed to this wonderful assortment
OF remedies which contains medica-
ments derived from animal, vegetable
and mineral sources.
Thousands OF infalible (?) remedies
coulibe enumerated. From the ring
OF Paracelsus to modern whale, bee
and ant cures. One OF the standard
works on medicine at the present time
contains no less than $50 drugs, all of
which are said to be useful in the
treatment of different forms OF the
disease.
Some OF the methods OF treatment
are extremely painful and cause in
tense suffering to the patient. The
blistering treatment, which was much
in vogue at one time. consists in the
application OF circlets of blistering
fluid above tho affected joint Cup
ping, both dry and wet, have also had
their day. A measure that might be
considered very painful is tho subcu-
taneons injection of pure carbolic acid.
As matter OF fact, how yer, it is
painful for an instant only. for the
acid acts rs local anaesihetic. The
eilicacy OF the remedy is rather doubt
full.
Bleeding, general and local, morcu-
rialization, purging. vomiting and the
administration of large doses of salt
petro have all been employed, with
more or less effect, generally less. Ice
to the joints was at one time favorite
treatment in Germany. E co rioity
also has its advocates.
In France quinine was formerly
much in vogue, the drug being given,
in doses of 10 to 80 grains three times
a 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 ac-
count OF its anti-rheumatic properties,
but for tonic effect as well. This
drug is obtained from willow bark. A
year later salicylic acid was highly COM
mended as remedy. The results fol-
lowing the administration of this drug
were in measure satisfactory. but it.
was noticed that it caused severe and
alarming stomach disturbances, there
fore the remedy was gradually aband-
oned.
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 fartaric
One of tho strangest Of the 'freak
cures" is that known as the whale
cure. There is hotel in o town on
the coast OF Australia. whose patrons
are almost entirely "rheumatios. They
remain at the hotel till whale is
caught and landed on the beach. Then
the treatment" is applied. After
beaching the whale holes are dug into
the body of the monster. The holes
are made large enough to admit tho
body of patient, who is placed there
in and allowed to remain for spool
fed time. according to severity of the
disease.
In the island of Malta the bee sting
cure is practised. This cure was sug-
gested by the discovery that certain
people who had been stung by bees
enjoyed immunity from rheumatism.
A French journal calls attention to
this remedy, also to the fact that it
has been used among certain Indian
tribes, who admit that the remedy is a
very painful one, but they console the
sufferer with the assurance that ''when
it does not kill it sometimes cures"