105
is still obscure. Its antizymotic action is well known, especially in preventing
fermentation, and it has the power of arresting molecular processes detrimental
during the hyperpyrexial state. It is an antipyretic capable of considerably reduc-
ing the temperature, and, though accused of disturbing the cardiac centre under
ordinary circumstances, it does not appear to do so in plague. Indeed phenol is a
natural product resulting from the pancreatic ferment on proteids, and as
tympanitis is a common accompaniment in this disease from fermentation, we are
only adding an excess of an item which nature has already provided in our natural
state. It may be pushed in 2 or 3 minim doses every three hours and beyond a
point where it not only discolors the urine greenish, but causes retention. It is the
most reliable drug at our disposal.
Iodine is another valuable medicine which has found favor in the treatment of
plague ; it is a diffusible antiseptic, exerting especial efforts on the glandular or
lymphatic system and is best administered in the form tincture. Even in 5 minim
doses, continued every three or four hours for a week, it did not act apparently in
breaking clown red corpuseles and causing a bloody condition of the urine. It may
therefore be summed up that the bulk of my cases were treated as follows for the
glandular variety :-
Liq. strych. ... ... ... m. 3
Carbolic acid ... ... ... m. 2
Tinet. Iodine ... ... ... m. 4 every three hours.
Tinet. Digitalis ... ... ... m. 5
Aqua ... ... ... ... oz. 1
Hot poultices to bubo. 1 oz. of rum every three hours ; about 2 pints of milk
during the 24 hours, and in every caso where the temperature exceeded 103 an
ice-bag was applied to the head.
At bed-time dr. to 1 dr. of the liq. morph. hyd. B. P. was given and repeated
once if necessary. When a patient was incapable of swallowing from any reason,
everything was administered per rectum.
Pneumonia-
Liq. strych. ... ... ... m. 3
Sodii salici ... ... ... gr. 5
Carbolic acid ... ... ... m. 2
Tinet. digitalis ... ... ... m. 4 every three hours.
Spt. theris ... ... ... m. 10
Tine. scill ... ... ... dr. 1/2
Aqua .. ... ... ... ... oz. 1
The whole of the thorax to be kept enveloped in hot linseed poultices. Stimu-
lants, food, &c., as in the other type. There was no use in trying speculative treat-
ment after these two prescriptions showing the best results.
Tympanitis was relieved by hot turpentine stupes or hot linseed poultices
over the whole abdomen, and where constipation was present with tympanitis,
an enema of turpentine, with 15 or 20 oz. of hot water, saturated with dr. of
tincture of iodine, afforded relief. A slight variation had occasionally to be made
where unforeseen symptoms appeared. A persistent hiccough was best stopped
with a dose of laudanum and the application of a piece of ice on the pit of the
stomach.