salol. This drug, in powder, given by the mouth, supplemented by hot enemata of a strong watery solution of boracic acid, has been found most successful in the treatment of dysentery in this country. And certainly such treatment appeals to one as being eminently rational. We shall be pleased to publish the results of the comparative treatment of cases by ipecacuanha and salines and by this method.?Ed., I. M. G.~\
THE SALINE
TREATMENT
To the Editor of
"
OF
DYS^N
The Indian Medical Gazette."
Kin,?I have just read Capt. \V. J. Buchanan's article on Saline Treatment of Dysentery " in the December number of JM Indian, Medical Gazette with much interest. Some time ago a-fter seeing some lettors in the British Medical .Journal advocating this method of treatment, and depreciating that by ipecacuanha, J made a comparative trial of the two methods in a Followers Hospital of which I then had charge. The number of cases treated was not largo enough to draw very dogmatic conclusions from, but so far as the experiments went, the results agree those of Capt. Buchanan. The patients were kept on mi'k with arrowroot congee until convalescence was quite establishe 5ii of a saturated solution of magnesium sulphate with 20 minims of dilute sulphuric acid were given every two or three hours, the dose was reduced as convalescence advanced : those on lpec.t^ euanlia treatment were given '20 to 30 grs. ipecacuanha daily ?' two or threo days. Both sets of patients did well, but those treated with ipecacuanha recovered somewhat more quickly than the others. The cases were all cases of acute dysentery, but only a few were very severe. The writers of the letters in the *>rius Medical Journal who condemned ipecacuanha so unsparingly na gained their experience in South America, and possibly the disease there differs from the type found in India. Soon after tnes? letters appeared, I had an experience of two cases which con firmed my faith in ipecacuanha. The first was a ease of and obstinate dysentery supervening on enteric fever. patient was roduced to a skoleton, had been treated by saline , enemata, perchloride of mercury, liquor ferri pernitratis, e ., with very slight improvement: the persevering use of ipecacuanna, beginning with large doses and gradually reducing them com me with great care in diet was followed by recovery. The second cas was one of acute, but not very severe, dysentery occurring in nij ot own family. Tlio treatment by 5" of a saturated solutioni magnesium sulphate with 20 minims aromatic sulphuric aci cv two hours was followed by improvement within -y for some days afterwards no further improvement followed ,, w motions were less numerous and more faiculent than before ment, but still contained blood and mucus ; a single large dose of ipecacuanha was followed by marked improvement, and arroi a second dose the symptoms entirely disappeared.
wit^
dl*jt .
?
'
I am, Yours I sincerely, G. McNAUGHT,
Capt., l fy// bcccnihrr ]S98.
R.A-V-C-
,
in dythe undoubted value of ipecacuanha nausea and vomiting even and the dangerous sentery. distressing an equally which this drug excites should make us anxious to find disoase. effcctivo but less objectionablo remedy for this common Such a remedy we ?eem to have in the new intestinal antiseptic
[Notwithstanding
THE SALINE
TREATMENT
To the Editor of
"
OF
DYS^N
The Indian Medical Gazette."
Kin,?I have just read Capt. \V. J. Buchanan's article on Saline Treatment of Dysentery " in the December number of JM Indian, Medical Gazette with much interest. Some time ago a-fter seeing some lettors in the British Medical .Journal advocating this method of treatment, and depreciating that by ipecacuanha, J made a comparative trial of the two methods in a Followers Hospital of which I then had charge. The number of cases treated was not largo enough to draw very dogmatic conclusions from, but so far as the experiments went, the results agree those of Capt. Buchanan. The patients were kept on mi'k with arrowroot congee until convalescence was quite establishe 5ii of a saturated solution of magnesium sulphate with 20 minims of dilute sulphuric acid were given every two or three hours, the dose was reduced as convalescence advanced : those on lpec.t^ euanlia treatment were given '20 to 30 grs. ipecacuanha daily ?' two or threo days. Both sets of patients did well, but those treated with ipecacuanha recovered somewhat more quickly than the others. The cases were all cases of acute dysentery, but only a few were very severe. The writers of the letters in the *>rius Medical Journal who condemned ipecacuanha so unsparingly na gained their experience in South America, and possibly the disease there differs from the type found in India. Soon after tnes? letters appeared, I had an experience of two cases which con firmed my faith in ipecacuanha. The first was a ease of and obstinate dysentery supervening on enteric fever. patient was roduced to a skoleton, had been treated by saline , enemata, perchloride of mercury, liquor ferri pernitratis, e ., with very slight improvement: the persevering use of ipecacuanna, beginning with large doses and gradually reducing them com me with great care in diet was followed by recovery. The second cas was one of acute, but not very severe, dysentery occurring in nij ot own family. Tlio treatment by 5" of a saturated solutioni magnesium sulphate with 20 minims aromatic sulphuric aci cv two hours was followed by improvement within -y for some days afterwards no further improvement followed ,, w motions were less numerous and more faiculent than before ment, but still contained blood and mucus ; a single large dose of ipecacuanha was followed by marked improvement, and arroi a second dose the symptoms entirely disappeared.
wit^
dl*jt .
?
'
I am, Yours I sincerely, G. McNAUGHT,
Capt., l fy// bcccnihrr ]S98.
R.A-V-C-
,
in dythe undoubted value of ipecacuanha nausea and vomiting even and the dangerous sentery. distressing an equally which this drug excites should make us anxious to find disoase. effcctivo but less objectionablo remedy for this common Such a remedy we ?eem to have in the new intestinal antiseptic
[Notwithstanding
