SALOL IN CHOLERA. M.D., F.R.C.S., Ed,, Surgeon, Bengal Service. During the year 1889, 612 cases of cholera were recorded as having occurred within the municipal limits of Chudderghat (a suburb of the city of Hyderabad), 88 of which came under ray direct supervision for treatment. Of these, 77 took place up to the end of August last, and 11 after that date. In the former set of cases, the perchloride of mercury^ treatment was adopted with 39 deaths, a mortality of 44'7same as that to be per cent., or much the from any system of expectant treatBy Patrick Hehik,
anticipated ment.
Happening to come inacross Professor Lowconnection with the investigations germicidal propertiestheof salol on the commaenthal's
presence of pancreatic bacillus of ICoch in in July, as cholera was prevalent at the time, I determined to put his suggestions to a practical test. From the 1st August all cases admitteil into the Cholera Hospital were treated
juice,
136
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
with it. Ten grains were given to each patient every two hours with 15 minims of spirits of chloroform. The maximum quantity given to any one case was 90 grains and the minimum 40 grains. The result was unexpectedly successful?every case so treated recovered. The drug did not appear to produce any immediate influence,?all the urgent symptoms gradually abating. Two effects, however, were markedly manifest?a shortening of the period of convalescence, and an absence of symptoms of uraemia. The general effect appeared to be to put a stop to the exosmotic process in the alimentary tract, and to re-establish one of endosmosis; for the patients, after a few doses of salol, drank with avidity and began to retain whatever nourishing fluids were administered to them. Under the influence of an increased quantity o? fluid in the circulation, the heart's action gained in vigour, the pulse returned, the temperature rose, the cyanosed aspect shrunken features disappeared?in short, reaction was accelerated. Mention of this treatment was made in the Sanitary Report of the Chudderghat Municipality for the Fasli year, terminating 8th October last. Personally I should not have attached much weight to the unusual results obtained in these cases did they not, in a way, support the statements already made by Surgeon-Major C. F. Nicholson, M. d., of Patna*. Mine were the final cases of an epidemic, and it is a well-recognised fact, that the last attacks in an expiring epidemic of cholera are of lees severity, and that in them the mortality is lower than in those occurring in the early stage of an outbreak, or when it is at its acme. In 1888, of the last 21 cases that were treated by me in the ordinary way, only three proved fatal, and in 1887 an almost similar result is recorded. Yet when two
and the
physicians are carrying out, simultaneously independently, a series of observations on
and arrive at identical and it gives more importwould have been ance to the subject, than accorded to either results alone. Dr. Nicholson's cases afford a better proof of the usefulness of this drug than do mine, as the salol was in them given from the beginning to the termination of the outbreak. The least that can be said for salol is, that it has proved itself deserving of further trial. At present it would be premature to attempt to predict the part it is to play in the future treatment of cholera. When it has been more extensively used, we shall have a statistical basis, upon which to arrive at some definite conclusions, as to the merits of this promising same
drug,
equally satisfactory results,
?
addition cholera. *
to
our
defences
against death from
Vide Indian Medical Gazette for Sept. 1889, pp. 26i
et stq.
[May
1890.
anticipated ment.
Happening to come inacross Professor Lowconnection with the investigations germicidal propertiestheof salol on the commaenthal's
presence of pancreatic bacillus of ICoch in in July, as cholera was prevalent at the time, I determined to put his suggestions to a practical test. From the 1st August all cases admitteil into the Cholera Hospital were treated
juice,
136
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
with it. Ten grains were given to each patient every two hours with 15 minims of spirits of chloroform. The maximum quantity given to any one case was 90 grains and the minimum 40 grains. The result was unexpectedly successful?every case so treated recovered. The drug did not appear to produce any immediate influence,?all the urgent symptoms gradually abating. Two effects, however, were markedly manifest?a shortening of the period of convalescence, and an absence of symptoms of uraemia. The general effect appeared to be to put a stop to the exosmotic process in the alimentary tract, and to re-establish one of endosmosis; for the patients, after a few doses of salol, drank with avidity and began to retain whatever nourishing fluids were administered to them. Under the influence of an increased quantity o? fluid in the circulation, the heart's action gained in vigour, the pulse returned, the temperature rose, the cyanosed aspect shrunken features disappeared?in short, reaction was accelerated. Mention of this treatment was made in the Sanitary Report of the Chudderghat Municipality for the Fasli year, terminating 8th October last. Personally I should not have attached much weight to the unusual results obtained in these cases did they not, in a way, support the statements already made by Surgeon-Major C. F. Nicholson, M. d., of Patna*. Mine were the final cases of an epidemic, and it is a well-recognised fact, that the last attacks in an expiring epidemic of cholera are of lees severity, and that in them the mortality is lower than in those occurring in the early stage of an outbreak, or when it is at its acme. In 1888, of the last 21 cases that were treated by me in the ordinary way, only three proved fatal, and in 1887 an almost similar result is recorded. Yet when two
and the
physicians are carrying out, simultaneously independently, a series of observations on
and arrive at identical and it gives more importwould have been ance to the subject, than accorded to either results alone. Dr. Nicholson's cases afford a better proof of the usefulness of this drug than do mine, as the salol was in them given from the beginning to the termination of the outbreak. The least that can be said for salol is, that it has proved itself deserving of further trial. At present it would be premature to attempt to predict the part it is to play in the future treatment of cholera. When it has been more extensively used, we shall have a statistical basis, upon which to arrive at some definite conclusions, as to the merits of this promising same
drug,
equally satisfactory results,
?
addition cholera. *
to
our
defences
against death from
Vide Indian Medical Gazette for Sept. 1889, pp. 26i
et stq.
[May
1890.
