PHTHISIS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5, 6 January 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

PHTHISIS.

> The hopea of a cure for a consumptive patient lie now m two directions. First, by means of change of climate, scene, and employment, oombined with open-air exercise, ample nourishing food, and medioines only to check irritating cough and weakening diarrhoea, exhausting night sweats, etc. For there is no drug known which has the least effeot on the actual tubercular disease. The other mode of treatment waa introduced a few years ago from Germany, and promised at first excelled t results. This is the treatment by inoculation with tbe so-called tuberoulin, an animal artificial chemical extract. The idea was 'that the introduction into the system of this antidote would destroy the germs of tubercle m the lungs and elsewhere. This treatment was not painful, and generally only produced a slight attack of fever, but was discontinued for two reasonsfirst, because the injeotions seemed to poison some patients, and, secondly, because m many persons fully treated by tuberculin the disease still progressed and ended fatally, Jtfore recently there has been great attention given to a reliance upon healthy open air m sheltered situations as a curative, and sanatoria have been opened m Germany, Switzerland, and other countries to give the system a full trial. It must, however, be many years before any large number of these cases can be treated m such institutions. In tbe attendance upon consumptives ample ventilation of rooms is most desirable, and the food must be of the most nutritious nature;

generally, also, some wine is needed. Tonio medicines, such as iron, quinine and arsenic, with vegetable bitters, suoh as the tinctures or infusions of gentian, quassia, and oinchona bark, will all improve tbe appetite and general oondition. Cod liver oil, maltine, several other malt extracts, meat extracts, Valentine's meat juice, and milk foods will all be usefully employed to feed the wasting body. The syrup of white poppies m very small doses is a medicine suitable to soothe cough. Diarrhoea needs to be ohecked by compound aromatio powder, or by oatechu, rhatany, kino, or tannin powders. Medical men will also give opium and mineral acids. The long chronic course of phthisis should always be watched by a medioal adviser.