The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-18
ALL WANT THE SALT CURE.
Chicago Threatened with an Epi-
demic of scurvy

CHICAGO. Ill. Feb. 17.-Physicians
| throughout Chicago are complaining that
an epidemic of salt has broken loose
They say these days when they are called
TO attend a patient about the first things
they hear is Doctor. don't you think an
injection OF salt would cure me?"
This is attributed TO the recent agita-
ton OF the merits of salt solution as
given publicity through the scientific diss
coveries recently made by Prof. Jacques
Loeb. OF the University OF Chicago. and
DR.. W. Byron Coakley, a North Side ply
stefan.
DR.. Elmer e. Prescott. of the West Side
today expressed the opinion that so preva-
lent has become the idea that salt would
cure any ailment that II the public was
not put on It's guard the whole city would
be suffering from seurvy inside of six
months
Dr. Prescott said: The public must
understand that normal saline solution
is not to be used in chronic cases. but
only in emergency work. There is no fac
tor in the surgeons operating list so I'M
portant as the sterilized salt solution.
mere is not surgeon today. and there
has hardly been one for years. but what
has had his salt solution ever at his eide
| would as soon do a major operation
without my artery forceps or iigatures
for tying an artery as to start a surgical
case without my salt remedy for an
emergency.
II was called some days ago to attend
a woman suffering from scurvy She had
been complaining for several years from
nervous trouble; had become depressed
and respondent, when some time ago she
read of the discovery of the elixir of life
IN the common table salt or chloride OF
sodium.
'She Immediately began putting salt
into her drinking water. eating sailed
meats, and using 1t in every conceivable
way. in the hope that the alleged great
discovery would prove a panacea to her
ills.
s'She began to get weak rapidly. her
limbs became very tender to the touch.
and finally the hemorrhagic stage OF the
disease made its appearance under the
skin and into the connective tissues OF
the body. having very much the appear
anee of the black and blue spots follow
ing an injury.
Here we have two very peculiar cir
cumstanees. simple article of diet, yet
so potent as to sustain life even after the
greater part of the blood of the body
has been drained from the system; yet
the same simple article of diet will bring
on hemorrhages and even destroy the
u
short time.
I'm one instance 1t relieves the deadly
effects of severe hemorrhages and in the
next instance acts as a positive poison to
the system. II the public is not put upon
its guard it will not be six months before
half the town will be suffering from mall
nutrition, anaemia, scurvy, and the allied
symptoms of blood impoverishment
There is nothing original in the facts
l have given. They have been known for
years, and are in daily use by the aver
age practitioner. What l am trying to
convey to the public is that there Is moth
ing SO injurious to the system as the con-
tinuous use of an excess of salt.
IF the people would like an example
of its terrible ravishes let them read the
suffering OF shiawrecked crew at sea
with nothing but sal, water to drink: let
them ask the boys who went to the front
how they felt after use for six months of
the meat dried and cured by the alleged
elixir of life.
81 do not contend that a person in abb
solute health would suffer much from the
use of an excess OF salt for short time
il he has all the other foods that go to
make up a healthy general diet; but a
person in perfect health is not looking
for or even thinking about an elixir CT
life.
ut is the person who is sufferer
usually from diet and one who can Ill
afford TO consult a physician, who tries
the alleged panacea, only to find after he
has passed through the experiment that
he Is in a more depIorabfe condition"