The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-12-24

medical practice In Lyons. SIX mOnLHs
later he wrote distressed letter to M
Gautier, saying that he had discovered
that his system was attacked by tubeh-
culosis, and that he was in a critica
state. Could Professor Gautier do any
thing for him? The latter wrote al
once, recommending cacodylic acid
which he had just used with complete
success. DR. Renaud of Lyons, who
was tending the young doctor, declined
to follow the suggestion, stating that
as he had previously administered ar
senic without result, it would be useless
to continue a similar treatment, even
with q different compound Of the me-
TABLOID. In February last the young
doctor was at Deaths door. Cacodylic
acid was then at last tried. Now re is,
if not quite hale and hearty man, at
least almost completely cured. Since
then Dr. Renaud has finally adopted
the caeodylic treatment, though he de-
scribes it merely as a variation of the
arsenical cure quite true" agrees M.
Gautier, but the point precisely is that
it is cacodyhc acid, and no other COM
pound, that must be used"
"Cest une merveille," calculates M.
Gautier, talking of the compound the
new use of which he has discovered.
He and another doctor have expert
mented with it on a very large scale,
notably at the Boucicault hospital
founded by the late proprietor of the
Bon Marche Emporium, and with al
most unfailing success 1--WE have not
cured everybody" remarked the profess
eor, though in my elation and aston
ishment at the first results of the treat
nent I fairly thought we should" In
the vast majority of cases, however, the
new medicine has proved literally a
sovereign remedy Only one form of
tuberculosis has resisted the treatment
-phthisis of the larynx.
In all other forms the effect of caco-
| dylic acid has been marvellous It's
paramount virtue is the fact that 1T Is
assimilated practically by every one.
Among thousands of cases, only two or
three occurred in which the drug disa-
| greed with the patient. Many con-
eumptives have, under Professor Gau-
| tiers direction, taken the medicine con-
| tinuously for NEARLY three years in
perfect safety as regards the general
health, and with the most remarkable
results in respect to the reduction of the
phthisis symptoms. M, Gautier pointed
out, however, that the proper course to
pursue is to take the drug regularly
every day for week, then leave it off
altogether for the same length Of time,
resumng the treatment afterward for
is,
mistake in the statement that Mr..
Cloete Smith increased the amount of
Professor Gautier's dose AS matter
of fact, the latters method Is to admin
lister by injection two centigrams the
first day and five on the second and
each Of the succeeding days of the
week. This dose he has usually found
sufficient, but in some cases he has adj
ministered ten centigrams day in
perfect safety and with excellent re-
suits The exact form under which the
cacodylic acid is employed is cacodylate
of soda NJ. Gautier showed me a bot
tie of this-a white substance, crystal
LIKED in comparatively large agglomera-
lions Of crystals. Put out your fin
ger" he said. I did so, and on 1t he
placed small pinch of the substance,
which I ate. You have just absorbed"
he then remarked, enough arsenic to
kill a man If it had been In any other
form than that of cacodyic acid. Gao
odylate of soda contains, in chemical
compound 81 per cent by weight of
arsenic metalloid and rs per cent. ar
senious acid" Both the latter are, Of
ooIrrca deadly poicous
How does cacodylic acid act upon the
system? Professor Gautier obligingly
expounded, for my benefit, in simple
terms, understanded of the vulgar his
lately -formulated and now substantial
ted theory on the subject. He has, he
told me, made the important observa-
ton that the thyroid gland, in a normal
condition, contained arsenic, and that |
unless supplied with the metalloid fails |
to accomplish it's function. AS the lat
ter is, in Professor Gautier's pictur- |
esque words, the fy-wheel or the regu-
lator Of the system, is arrangement |
puts the whole machine out of order
Conversely, arsenic, when properly as
simulated by the system keeps the reg
in proper working condition
OF course, 7 am putting the professors
theory in shockngly unscientific lam
guage M. Gautier has also detected
arsenic in the epidermis, in the nails of
the hands and feet, and the hair, and
he states that these organs, when in a
normal condition, contain the sub
stance. AS regards the effect produced
by the new compound upon the glob-
ules of the blood, the rofessor told me
that in one case a young savant, DR..
Vidal, observed an increase in the num-
Der of red slobules from 900 to $780,
600 in a patient after few days treat
ment. In many cases the quantity
doubled even q few hours after an in
lection Of cacodylic acid.
The treatment has attained wide
spread success M. Gautier related to
me that the other evening he was din
ing with an important chemical product
l suppose you are sell
ing hundreds Of Silos of cacodylate of
Soda" the professor laughingly re-
marked. Hundreds of kilos," was the
answer. "Why, l have been selling
tonsl" M. Gautier added that as the
drug is sold very dear some fortunes
must have been made by the new treat
nent In June last year Professor Ar
nand Gautier was in London on the oc-
,asiOn of the centenary of the Royal In
-