Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-10-23
BALM IN GILEAD.
The Story of the. Mercury Treatment
for Consumption as Observed by
Rocky Ford Physicians.


Th Rocky Ford physicians, Doc
tors Kearby and Lawson, made an
auto trip to the U. S. Navy Hospital
at Fort Lyon last week on purpose
to enquire into the practical results
OF the Mercury Treatment for con-
sumption, which is just now exercis-
ing the minds of the medical protes-
sion greatly, and awakening large
hopes in the breast of many victims
of the dread "white plague"
The recent international Iubercu-
losis Congress held in Washington
and attended by the worlds great
specialists of this disease. including
the renowned Dr.. Koch himself. has
given a hearing to the Mercury
idea among the others. and DR.. Bar
ton Lisle Wright. Chief Physician at
the Fort Lyon Naval Consumptives
Hospital, to whom the origination OF
the idea is to be credited. was before
the Congress to tell his story. He
had not got back to Fort Lyon when
our doctors made their visit, but the
visitors were accorded a very hearty
reception by the physicians in charge
and given every opportunity to IN
form themselves.
An interview with one of the doc
tors was asked for by the Enterprise.
believing that the subject is one OF
verv great Importance to commun-
ity like ours. where so many persons
attacked with this disease come seek
ing the advantages that our climate
affords for its resistance The Rev.
DR.. Coker, Field Agent of the Meth
odist Church in the West. who has
recently taken up his residence in
Rocky Ford because of the invalid
ism OF a daughter from this malady,
accompanied the. local physicians on
their trip because of his own personal
interest in the virtues of the mer-
curry treatment. :,
The party came back loaded with
statistical and other information re-
lating to the cures effected at Fort
Lyon, having pumped both the physi-
clans and the patients for data on the
subject Perhaps the most signiii'
cant summary that could be made
of their visit would be to say that
not only Miss Cokcr but several 9th
er patients of these doctors were i'm
mediately put upon the mercury
treatment. But while the mercury
has "gone up several degrees. so to
speak. in the breasts OF local patients
and doctors as the result OF what was
learned at Fort Lyon. it would be
misleading for the Enterprise IA
make the impression that Drs. kear-
by and Lawson have jumped to the
conclusion that sure and certain
cure for. tuberculosis in all cases has
been found. The medical profession
has had its hopes raised and dashed
so often about Consumption cures
that they are inclined to go slow III
rroclaiming an unlimited faith in any
new one.
And vet the clinic records at Fort
I.von show that about Ss per cent
of the patients DR.. Wright has put
under his mercury treatment are ap-
parentlv cured or on the road to cure.
The treatment consist OF the dircc,
Indictment of mercury into the mus
cuIar tissue of the patient. The
form OF the mercury for hypodermic
of mercury. a chemical reaction that
is said to be particularly soluble and
available for this form of dosage. In
cases where for any reason the hypo.
dermic cannot be used the treatment
is given through the stomach. when
the bi-chloridc of mercury is used. III
tablet form. The mercury is given
every other day for some time. or
until the patient shows signs of mcr-
curial disturbance: when rcvcrsion Is
had to a course of idodidc OF potas-
sium to eliminate the mercury. The
uniformity of beneficial results re-
ported by the physicians of the Fort
Lyon hospital astonishcd our doctors
Personal interviews with the patient
7 La al. b