April, 1883.
THE TREATMENT OF CHOLERA. To the Editor
ofthe
''
Indian Medical Gazette."
every article of the British Pharmacopoeia has been tried with but little or no success in the treatment of probably the most loathsome and fatal disease known in the annals of medcine, viz., malignant cholera; yet I propose to suggest to the profession and public in general, from my experience in this place and abroad, one thing not hitherto noticed, which is calculated to rescue unfortunate victims from the iron grasp of death. The assertion is based upon the theory of the operation of the remedial agent in question in the morbid condition and my success in the cure of this dreadful malady which is attended with the most acute human suffering in numerous cases without If we analyze the stools in cholera, we would find failure. amongst other things a large quantity of salt, particularly of chloride of sodium, and in order to make up the loss the blood administer we saturated solution of has thus sustained, or ten common table salt in iced water, every five minutes, as the case might require, a table or dessert spoonful at a The good and beneficial effects of the drug is imtime. mediate, direct and obvious, but its operation is somewhat If the patient cannot attended with pain and discomfort. retain it, a large thick mustard poultice over the gastric region the desired effect. Whatever the will be sufficient to cause pathology of cholera may be, our knowledge of it at the present not is limited and very precise, but there can be little day doubt that in this disease the blood is altered in composition, and that saline constituents, especially chloride of sodium, the plan of treatment which I proare deficient in amount ; pose. therefore, as deserving of notice, is certainly based upon reasonable pathological grounds. In cases of extreme prostra-
Sir,?Although
vii
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE ADVERTISER,
]
tion with imperceptible pulse, oppressed breathing, icy cold extremities, sunken eyes, it has been injected into the veins to
and re-action, and recovery has followed in many As a vomit it may be employed with remarkable cases of cholera in preference to other emetics, as suggested by Doctor Pereira. It is universally admitted that malignant cholera is due to the introduction of poison in the blood, and in order to eradicate the poison from the system the method of treatment we should adopt, is to assist nature in its efforts at elimination ; and as cholera evidently arises from a deficiency of chloride of sodium in the blood, it may safely be administered ad libitum in preference to other salines to bring on recovery and infuse life to patients. As a rule stimulants, the best consisting of aromatic spirits of ammonia with chloroform or ether, should only be allowed in combination with the salt in those cases where the pulse has gone down and all symtoms of life commenced to diminish. Brandy (Exshaw No. i) should be given sparingly, for it may prove injurious where the urine is suppressed and the action of the kidneys is embarrassed, death may ensue although the patient may be drenched with spirits. I trust the medical profession will give this medicine a fair trial in their numerous researches for a discovery in science, and record their experience and results, for it has met with incalculable success in my hands in both hospital and private restore
pulse
instances. success in
practice. Yours
faithfully,
Dwarkanath Sen,
Sara, 2nd February, /SSj.
Assistant-Surgeon, N, B. S. Ry., Bamangaon Hospital.
THE TREATMENT OF CHOLERA. To the Editor
ofthe
''
Indian Medical Gazette."
every article of the British Pharmacopoeia has been tried with but little or no success in the treatment of probably the most loathsome and fatal disease known in the annals of medcine, viz., malignant cholera; yet I propose to suggest to the profession and public in general, from my experience in this place and abroad, one thing not hitherto noticed, which is calculated to rescue unfortunate victims from the iron grasp of death. The assertion is based upon the theory of the operation of the remedial agent in question in the morbid condition and my success in the cure of this dreadful malady which is attended with the most acute human suffering in numerous cases without If we analyze the stools in cholera, we would find failure. amongst other things a large quantity of salt, particularly of chloride of sodium, and in order to make up the loss the blood administer we saturated solution of has thus sustained, or ten common table salt in iced water, every five minutes, as the case might require, a table or dessert spoonful at a The good and beneficial effects of the drug is imtime. mediate, direct and obvious, but its operation is somewhat If the patient cannot attended with pain and discomfort. retain it, a large thick mustard poultice over the gastric region the desired effect. Whatever the will be sufficient to cause pathology of cholera may be, our knowledge of it at the present not is limited and very precise, but there can be little day doubt that in this disease the blood is altered in composition, and that saline constituents, especially chloride of sodium, the plan of treatment which I proare deficient in amount ; pose. therefore, as deserving of notice, is certainly based upon reasonable pathological grounds. In cases of extreme prostra-
Sir,?Although
vii
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE ADVERTISER,
]
tion with imperceptible pulse, oppressed breathing, icy cold extremities, sunken eyes, it has been injected into the veins to
and re-action, and recovery has followed in many As a vomit it may be employed with remarkable cases of cholera in preference to other emetics, as suggested by Doctor Pereira. It is universally admitted that malignant cholera is due to the introduction of poison in the blood, and in order to eradicate the poison from the system the method of treatment we should adopt, is to assist nature in its efforts at elimination ; and as cholera evidently arises from a deficiency of chloride of sodium in the blood, it may safely be administered ad libitum in preference to other salines to bring on recovery and infuse life to patients. As a rule stimulants, the best consisting of aromatic spirits of ammonia with chloroform or ether, should only be allowed in combination with the salt in those cases where the pulse has gone down and all symtoms of life commenced to diminish. Brandy (Exshaw No. i) should be given sparingly, for it may prove injurious where the urine is suppressed and the action of the kidneys is embarrassed, death may ensue although the patient may be drenched with spirits. I trust the medical profession will give this medicine a fair trial in their numerous researches for a discovery in science, and record their experience and results, for it has met with incalculable success in my hands in both hospital and private restore
pulse
instances. success in
practice. Yours
faithfully,
Dwarkanath Sen,
Sara, 2nd February, /SSj.
Assistant-Surgeon, N, B. S. Ry., Bamangaon Hospital.
