DISINFECTANT TREATMENT OP CHOLERA. TO THE EDITOB OF THE
touching
INDIAN MEDICAL
GAZETTE."
of n letter from the Civil Surgeon of Jessore, in the Indian Medical Gazette of 1st May last, the use of sulphurous acid as a prophylactic in
SlB,?In support
published
"
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
250
cholera, I would submit, for the consideration of profession, my experience of a therapeutic agent of similar nature; but before doing so, I will refer to another testimony, that of Surgeon-Major II. Blanc, F.R C.s., who, in a contribution to Braitlnvaite's Half-yearly Retrospect, Vol. 68 of 1873, mentions the use of chloralum in cholera, thus, " en desespoir de cause I thought of destroying the poison in the body itself by means of
powerful disinfectant." During the tenure of my office as the medical officer of Muscat Political Acency in 1865 there was a severe outbreak of cholera in an epidemic form through the whole territory of some
Oman, when I was compelled, in much the same way as Dr. B., to look for some therapeutic agent, that would answer better than the usual orthodox remedies, and selected the chlorine gas as destroyer of organic poison, which I supposed the materies morbi of cholera to be, and found that, given in any shape, it produced uniform beneficial effects, so much so that the people looked upon it as a specific. The gas was generated, for want of better apparatus, in a soda water bottle, by pouring sulphuric acid on common salt, nnd decanted into a largo wide-mouthed bottle, half-filled with water, which, by frequent agitation, was made to absorb it to saturation, and a cholera-mixture prepared therefrom,? Aqua
chlorin Soda carb. Tinct opii.
...
...
...
???
...
???
3|*
5'*
haust.
*1*- m-
for distribution throughout the town and territory of Muscat, with a very sntisfaetory result. In cases treated by me personally, I used the inhalation of diluted chlorine gas to relieve cramps with satisfactory results, and, when the gas was not available, salt thrown over fire and fumes permitted to pass over the face were not the less
useful, though tardily. In a case of collapse I was particularly struck with the immediate operation of chlorine: I administered the hydrochloric acid in form of drinks, and the following morning I was agreeably surprised, when informed that a gentle reaction had set in during the night, with a change in color of motions
and freed secretion of kidneys. Chlorine was used as a prophylactic also, the gas was made to evolve gradually to impregnate the air of dwelling houses, and in some instances the fumes produced by throwing salt over fire. The account of the epidemic and of the chlorine treatment was submitted to the ITead of the Medical Department, beyond which I did not deem it expedient to do anything, on the " principle that one swallow does not make a summer," but now I may safely concede that the sulphurous acid and the chloralum will be a fair approach to the principle. I am, Sib, Tours truly, G. D'Rozabio,
Honorary Surgeon,
Medical
Civil Station 13/^ June 1S75.
charge. Vingorla.
[Skptembeb 1,
1875.
touching
INDIAN MEDICAL
GAZETTE."
of n letter from the Civil Surgeon of Jessore, in the Indian Medical Gazette of 1st May last, the use of sulphurous acid as a prophylactic in
SlB,?In support
published
"
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
250
cholera, I would submit, for the consideration of profession, my experience of a therapeutic agent of similar nature; but before doing so, I will refer to another testimony, that of Surgeon-Major II. Blanc, F.R C.s., who, in a contribution to Braitlnvaite's Half-yearly Retrospect, Vol. 68 of 1873, mentions the use of chloralum in cholera, thus, " en desespoir de cause I thought of destroying the poison in the body itself by means of
powerful disinfectant." During the tenure of my office as the medical officer of Muscat Political Acency in 1865 there was a severe outbreak of cholera in an epidemic form through the whole territory of some
Oman, when I was compelled, in much the same way as Dr. B., to look for some therapeutic agent, that would answer better than the usual orthodox remedies, and selected the chlorine gas as destroyer of organic poison, which I supposed the materies morbi of cholera to be, and found that, given in any shape, it produced uniform beneficial effects, so much so that the people looked upon it as a specific. The gas was generated, for want of better apparatus, in a soda water bottle, by pouring sulphuric acid on common salt, nnd decanted into a largo wide-mouthed bottle, half-filled with water, which, by frequent agitation, was made to absorb it to saturation, and a cholera-mixture prepared therefrom,? Aqua
chlorin Soda carb. Tinct opii.
...
...
...
???
...
???
3|*
5'*
haust.
*1*- m-
for distribution throughout the town and territory of Muscat, with a very sntisfaetory result. In cases treated by me personally, I used the inhalation of diluted chlorine gas to relieve cramps with satisfactory results, and, when the gas was not available, salt thrown over fire and fumes permitted to pass over the face were not the less
useful, though tardily. In a case of collapse I was particularly struck with the immediate operation of chlorine: I administered the hydrochloric acid in form of drinks, and the following morning I was agreeably surprised, when informed that a gentle reaction had set in during the night, with a change in color of motions
and freed secretion of kidneys. Chlorine was used as a prophylactic also, the gas was made to evolve gradually to impregnate the air of dwelling houses, and in some instances the fumes produced by throwing salt over fire. The account of the epidemic and of the chlorine treatment was submitted to the ITead of the Medical Department, beyond which I did not deem it expedient to do anything, on the " principle that one swallow does not make a summer," but now I may safely concede that the sulphurous acid and the chloralum will be a fair approach to the principle. I am, Sib, Tours truly, G. D'Rozabio,
Honorary Surgeon,
Medical
Civil Station 13/^ June 1S75.
charge. Vingorla.
[Skptembeb 1,
1875.
