THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, JUNE 18,1861.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 381, 18 June 1861, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, JUNE 18,1861.

The distressing Tatality of the disease called Diptheria will be a sufficient excuse for our culling from any source whatever is likely to mitigate so dreadful a scourge.. At the same time let it be understood that wherever a medical practitioner can be called, it should be done on the first symptom of throat disease; we believe that many lives would have been preserved had medical advice been earlier resorted to.

We are indebted for the substance of the following remarks on croup to the Launceston Examiner :—

We have at different times touched upon the subject of this dangerous disease, describing the most recent endeavors of distinguished practitioners to rid the trachea of the false membranes which encumber it, either by mechanical or by chemical means. Dr. Ozanam has now communicated to the Academy of Sciences a series of numerous experiments made with different chemical agents not hitherto tried :— Chloride of potassium dissolves the false membranes completely in 24 hours; Chloride of sodium in 36 hours; A solution of 100 th part of bromide of potassium in water in 12 hours; A mixture of bromine and bromide of potassium is more powerful still; One part of chroxnate of potassium in ten of water will harden the membranes in the course of 2 days; Sub-carbonates and bi-carbonates of potash, in concentrated solutions, will dissolve the membranes in 12 hours; Phosphate of soda is less active; Cyanide of potassium in a concentrated state will dissolve the membranes in 15 hours;

Pure glycerine will soften them in 24 hours;

But the mother-water of wrack-soda will effect a complete solution in 4 or 5 hours.

Dr. Ozanam concludes from his experiments that, if it be intended to attack the membranes by dissolvents, alkalies should be preferred; and from what we have quoted above it will appear that the subcarbonate and chlorate ol potash and the phosphate of soda, so long advocated, are the lowest on the list in point of efficacy. If, on the contrary, segregation or separation be aimed at, then chloride of bromine, bromine itself and chlorine, or else iodine, perchloride of iron and chromium, should be resorted to, since they harden the membrane and make it detach itself.

These conclusions acquire great value from the fact that Dr. Ozanam has been pursuing these researches since 1849. He quotes a singular instance of a cure which occurred in 1860. A country physician having, in a case of croup, attempted to cauterise the false membrane by stickcaustic, the patient, somehow or other, swallowed the whole piece. In an agony of terror the practitioner forced a concentrated solution of kitchen salt(hydrochlorate of soda) down the patient's throat by way of antidote; and, to his surprise, not only saved him from the effects of the caustic, but also cured him of his croup by the same simple remedy. DfrKingdon, of New Plymouth, has also written some interesting letters on Diptheria, or Diatheria as he prefers to call it. Until medical aid can be procured he recommends the introduction of a small stick with a piece of rag secured to the end of it, dipped in hot water, into the throat every hour. * ■ .

The schooner Ocean Queen, from Lyttelton on the 6th instant, arrived in harbor yesterday with a cargo of grain; she returns shortly. The strong sea breeze, accompanied with rain and mist, that prevailed yesterday caused some very heavy water in the Bay. The Grace Datling which arrived from the Wairau, ran for the Waimea river. At dusk another small craft was observed running down.

Concert.—The Nelson Harmonic Society hold their next private concert on Thursday evening, the 20th instant, in the Provincial Hall. The entrance to the concert room will be by the central door in front of the building.

Prize Shooting.—We call attention to the advertisement in this day's issue with respect to the firing for the Provincial Prize, and record a hope that the weather will be of a more acceptable kind than on the occasion of the firing for the General Government prices*