IRELAND. APPROACH OF THE CHOLERA.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 287, 28 February 1849, Page 3

IRELAND. APPROACH OF THE CHOLERA.

Tha Irish Central Board of Health lias published a circular of instructions in anticipation of the ariival of the cholera in this country, an event which they rei gard as certain. The circular insists par tieularly'upon the now ascertained fact that the disease is generally uncontagioug and uninfeclious ; and grounds on this /act the recommendations that the hospital arrangements of past yeais need not be again resorted to, but a more simple and effective system of dispensaries he o'ga'iised for the public behoof. To effect the objects which they consider desirable they urge the following arrangements :— 1. The prescribing room of every medical institution, nhether hospital or disponsary, should be open day and night without intermission during the prevalence of cholera, and a medical officer should be in cotutant attendance to prescribe for all applicants. 2. Each hospital and dispensary should have a certain district allotted to it j and the attending porter or clerk should keep a book in which he Ehould enter the names and residences of all applicants for relief within the district who are unable to leave their hornet. The book should show the time of application and the name and residence of the patieot. 3. A. second medical officer should be constantly in readiness to receive the names of all such applicants, and to proceed without delay to visit them. The viaiting physician, instead of writing a prescription at the residence of the patient, ihould be provided with a small portable pocket medicine box, containing the medicines most generally required, made up in 6Uch a form as to render their administration as speedy and as simple as possible. Such portable medicine boxes can, be piocured at a very small cost, or may be made up, on an emergency, of pasteboard, or thin board, or tin, in (he form of a book, about seven inches long, four inches broad, and one inch deep, with one of the aides to fold back, or open on hinges. The services of au apothecary will be requited u> keep up a constant supply of the medicines required, made up ready for use. The medical officers will generally gjve formulas for the medicines they may deem best. The following may however serve as an example of whit should be generally piovided in the pocket medicine boxes. The most portable forma for the medicines are selected ; the directions ehould, as far as practicable, be printed. Powders.— Carbouatc of ammonia, in waxed paper*, each paper containing forty grains, with the following printed directions on the outside— Dissolve this powder in half a pint of water j giyc two tabio spooufuls every hour. Powders.— Compound powder of chalk with opium, (Pulv. crela; c. opio) in packets each containg six papers, each paper containing ten grains of the powder, with printed directions— One powder eveiy half hour until the looseness ceases. Pills of powdered opium, each containing one quaiter of a grain of opium, and two grains of powdered ginger, made up with oil of peppermint. The pills to be m boxes, each box contmu'.ug ux pills, with a printed label — Opium pills ; one every half hour until the looseness ceases. Pills of mercury and opium, each containing one quarter of a gram of calomel, two grams oi hydrargyrum c. cieta, (mercury with chalk,) and a quarter of a grain of opium, made up with oil of carraway (which will serve to distinguish them from the plain opium pills), in box« 9, each containing sixpilW, with a printed label— Mercury und opium pills, one every half hour. Uottles (one or two ounce phials), with cork stoppers. 1. Containing — Tincture of opium (lau3auum) 2. " Hoffmans liquor 3i " Tincture of i hatany 4. " Oieosotlie. Along with the box should be earned a small jar of strong brown niustaid. The visiting physican should nlso be furnished with, printed forms tot- t!i e removal lo hospital oi patie who aie destitute of assistance in tneir own dwellings ; in short, every measme should be adopted that «i)l obviate the least delay. It may be necessaiy in some instances to establish temporuiy distiict dlspciibanes; but it la moat desitaMe tui reasons niready given, that the permanent iusiuuliuiis s»hould bj iirst made avai>abl<j. It is not within the purpose of a communication such, as thib to go into details of Ueairaent. 'ilare, are however, two points on which the Commissioners ot Health feel it will not be out of plate to give an opinion — viz., the employment of frictions, unvl tlie allowance of drink lo the sick. The Commissioners cimiot recommend that fluid applications of any kind should be employed in frictions on the body oi linibd, us the co d consequent on prolonged exposure and evaporation more than counic balances at>y supposed good effect from friction; wluci 1 , i( at ail used, should be made merely with the warm band, without dibtuibin^ the bed colhis-. The Commisioiura aibo uilviue that when patients biiffi-r from thiist they ► hould m be pciniittcd todr.nU ficcly •, as experience shows ih.it the denial of drink <lo<!b not check vowi uh\, wml« it mcreiues vciy much the MilFeun^ of t!it> j.'.itieiu t\ov.\ th) kmiing tlurat that no o'teu ucio.di , men tbc Jit-. use.