ON THE MAGNETIC THEORY OF CHOLERA AND OF THE POTATO BLIGHT.

532 water.

At

noon

violent diarrhoea

came

on, and continued

throughout the day and night. Gave compound chalk mixture, with tincture of opium, every three hours. Lochia,which had never ceased, now became profuse. 12th.-Diarrhooa abating; she vomited frequently, in a great deal of pain; pulse 110; brown, dry tongue; much tenderness and distention of the abdomen. Applied a blister to the epigastrium. Ordered, one grain of calomel and one grain of opium to be given night and morning; with two tablespoonfuls of a mixture composed of carbonates of soda and magnesia, and peppermint water, every four hours. 13th.-Vomited less; complained of cramp; abdomen distended ; pulse 110; furred, brown tongue; much pain. Medicines continued.

15th.-Vomiting had ceased; great hardness and distention of the abdomen. I this day observed a slight blush of redness, of the circumference of a common tea-saucer, inclining to the left of the umbilicus. 16th.-Much improved; pulse 100; tongue cleaning, and moist at the edges. Omitted calomel. Gave effervescing medicine, with tincture of opium. She continued thus, without much alteration, until the 23rd, when the redness of the abdomen left, hardness and distention remaining. 25th.-Redness suddenly returned, of the same cirumference as before, in the middle of which a small swelling of the size of half a walnut was seen, apparently containing matter. Ordered poultices to be applied on this and following day. 27th.-Abscess burst in the night, discharging over the bed and bedstead a hand-basinful of foetid matter, besides what Pulse rapid; fainting, and was absorbed by the bed-clothes. great perspiration.

28th.-Continued discharge of foetid matter; violent local inflammation and sloughing of the integuments, to the full ex-

previous redness. Pulse 120; great perspiration. doses of sulphate of quinine and diluted sulphuric acid, with tincture of opium. Ordered beef-tea, port wine, &c. 29th.-Purulent discharge great externally, through the ’abdominal aperture; similar discharge now came per vaginam; the integuments over the space of a tea-saucer all sloughed away, leaving the muscles of the abdomen exposed. Continued quinine, acid, and tincture of opium, in decoction of cinchona, every four hours. Ordered to be taken daily a pint of port wine, a pint of Guinness’s stout, one pound of meat, beef-tea, &c.; fortunately,my patient’s appetite was equal to the occasion. 30th.-Discharge very great from the external opening as well as from the surface of the sore, which looks more healthy. Tongue almost clean; pulse 100; great perspiration and debility. Oct. 1st.-From this day the sore granulated kindly; the matter externally and internally became healthy. The hard substance whence the internal matter proceeded, which I presume to be the uterus, gradually lessened, but was seemingly attached to the walls of the abdomen. 16th.-Discharge of matter per vaginam ceased, though still great from the external opening in the abdomen. The space in the integuments continued filling up with healthy granulations. From this time to Nov. 17th, 1848, she continued to improve, on which day all discharge had discontinued; and the wound healed, leaving a large puckered cicatrix. Underneath, seemingly attached to the walls of the abdomen, was a hard substance, of the proportion of a middle-sized lemon. She is now, with the aid of a suspensory bandage, able to get about and attend to her family. How my patient continued to live from day to day during the first part of the time, I am at a loss to imagine, and nothing but the unlimited quantity of nourishment she took enabled her to bear up latterly against the tent of the

Gave

large

pains first set in; whether or not there.was any irregularity iti the brim, or deformity of the pelvis; the state of the rectum,.

stomach, and bowels; tution of the

also the

bladder; the habit and consti-.

patient, whether plethoric or otherwise;

also the

state of the parturient canal; the character of the discharge, if any, from the vagina previous to the rup-

temperature and

it has been stated by Dr. Davis very recently, that in of very protracted labour, when the discharge assumes a dark olive colour, it indicates the necessity for instrumental All these particulars have been omitted. or speedy delivery. Moreover, as there was doubt about the presenting part of the child, whether or not the examinations were very frequently made, and whether or not they were instituted during or in the intervals of the pains, should have been mentioned. It appears, that about eight o’clock on Saturday evening, the 5th of August, the patient had then been " in hard labour about ten hours," and " little progress had been made; the os uteri dilated to about the size of a five-shilling piece, and felt elastic, like a warm India-rubber ring." A short time after this,the pains became excessively violent," and, with the assistance of’ Mr. Batten, instruments were about to be used to perforate the head; but before doing this, the patient was allowed to, stand up, and then very speedily followed the rupture of the uterus. The head was not delivered before the mother died; it was subsequentlv found to be about twice its natural size.: In remarking on the above case, there can be but one opinion, that delivery most unquestionably ought to have taken place sooner. (" Medicus" proceeds to enumerate his reasons for this conclusion.) " The allowance of the erect position wasmost unwise, as we well know that this position increases the intensity of the pains by bringing the body and head of the. feetus into immediate contact with the inner surface of the neck and mouth of the womb, and with a uterus already in an over-excited state, must have tended greatly to produce the fatal result. Bleeding largely, if the patient could bear it, or the exhibition of tartar-emetic, not given so as to produce vomiting; emptying the rectum by injections, or, perhaps, chloroform, or a large opiate, to tranquillize the nervous and vascular systems, and speedy delivery, either by turning and perforating the head, or theperforation of the head first, would have been, in my opinion, the proper course, particularly after waiting sufficiently long, and being at the same time tolerably, certain that there was a malposition of the head. The life or death of the child previous to this step might also, with much judgment, have been first ascertained by the stethoscope, applied to the parietes of the abdomen. The nature of the laceration of the uterus from side to side is important, as bearing out the observations of Dr. Tyler Smith, that rupture of the uterus takes place generally, not from the advancing feetus, or from the uterus being crushed between the foetal head andbony pelvis; but that it tears itself by its own contractions,that the rupture takes place more frequently in post-primal than primiparous women, and that the prolonged efforts of the uterus in cases of laborious parturition probably first induces, softening, and then laceration. Dr. T. Smith’s very practical remarks on the irritation of the orifice of the vagina, the parturient canal, and os and cervix uteri, inducing uterine reflex. action, are most important, and require the attentive consideration of all engaged in the practice of midwifery. Nottingham, 1849.

ture,

as

cases

ON THE MAGNETIC THEORY OF CHOLERA AND OF THE POTATO BLIGHT. BY WILLIAM REEVES, ESQ., M.R.C.S.E.

discharge. MEDICAL OFFICER TO CARLISLE UNION FEVER HOSPITAL. it ought to be conceded, that such was the consideration and liberality of the board of guardians of the IN the first volume of THE LANCET, for the year 1845, at page Feversham Union, and neighbouring gentry, that but for their 320, there is a paper written by me, which you kindly inserted, truly kind co-operation all professional effort would probably treating on the cause of cholera. It is headed thus: "Cholera, have been frustrated. the Result of Inflammation of the Spine." I believe this is Green-street, near Sittingbourne, 1849. the first paper written and published unequivocally attributing the disease to spinal mischief. Whether cholera is the A CORRESPONDENT, signing himself"Medicus," has addressed result of actual inflammation of the spinal cord, or of some to us some observations on the case of ruptured uterus re- derangement affecting its functions, and resulting from magerror, a derangement affecting our true magnetic relation ported by Mr. W. H. Borham, in THE LANCET, vol. ii. 1848, p. netic ,6S1. After praising the candour of Mr. Borham in detailing with the globe, is open to question. We know of late there has been extraordinary magnetic phenomenon exhibited; such, a case unsuccessful in his hands, he remarks,"But while commending this faithfulness on the part of for instance, as powerful magnets having their attracting Mr. Borham, I must dissent, in some measure, from the plan force almost entirely withdrawn from them, as it were subadopted in this case. At the same time I am aware of the stracted. Annesley, who certainly is even yet the best rarity as well as the extreme difficulty of accurately diagno- authority on cholera, has the following, in his work on the of India," p. 122 second edition :" Dr. Johnston obsticating and managing the uterine efforts in most cases where "Diseases there is a risk of rupture taking place. It would have been serves, in speaking of the diseases of the Mediterranean, that better to have stated the precise period at which the labour- during the strong southerly winds the circulating system in enormous

In this

case

533 the human frame becomes wonderfully deranged, and accord- governed by some influence termed vegetable irritability,ing to Ritter, the electricity of the positive pole augments, allied to nervous action,-then we need not ask for anything while that of the negative diminishes, the actions of life; to be granted, but assume it as a legitimate proposition. tumefaction is produced by the former, depression by the ’Vegetable poisons,and especially those which destroy animals latter; the pulse of the hand (he says) held a few minutes in by their action on the nervous system, also cause the death of contact with the positive pole is strengthened, that of the hand vegetables, whence M. Marcet infer.", that in the vegetable in contact with the negative pole is enfeebled, the former is ac- kingdom a system of organs exists which is affected by poisons companied with a sense of heat, the latter, with feelings of nearly as the nervous system of animals.’ cold. "Now, if we are justified in concluding that magnetic de" From these facts and considerations, therefore, I am led to rangement, such as we have spoken of, creates and excites conclude, that either the absence of electricity from the human derangement in the nervous system of man and animals genebody, or some important change in its electrical state, arising, rally, then I maintain we are justified also in concluding that perhaps, from exposure to a negative electrical atmosphere, the like derangement will also create and excite disorder in may be the cause of the dreadful and destructive epidemic the vegetable kingdom, through that system of organs bearing which has recently ravaged the East, and that the vicissitudes so strict an analogy to those found in the animal kingdom." of the seasons preceding this formidable visitation may supCarlisle, 1848. port this opinion. If, then, this view of the subject be correct, we may readily account for the sudden attacks of the disease, ON THE the change in the temperature and sensibility of the body, and THE INFLUENCE OF WINDS; AND ENUMEin the fluids, which changes seem chiefly to characteriza it,. and for the manner in which it has been limited to some disRATION OF APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN tricts, extended to others, and has successively ravaged METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. all." , BY J. C. ATKINSON, Esq., Surgeon, Westminster. Here is a position taken up by Annesley, which the of to tends to confirm. We have the fact (Continued from p. 318.) up present day defective magnetism in the globe, and we have the fact of cholera raging; and if the latter be not the consequence of the BEFORE proceeding with the subject, as intimated in the conformer-post laoc, propter hoc-it is at least acurious coincidence. cluding paragraph of my last paper on the winds, it will be The treatment by stimulating applications along the spine necessary, for its more full elucidation, to notice one or two quite accords with the above view of the cause of the disease, for circumstances with which it is particularly connected. The commonly received theory of the winds may be undersuch treatment is likely to excite a natural electrical condition in the body; if the disease is owing to defective electricity, irri- stood by the following sketch-viz., that a large portion of the tation applied to the spine may restore it; if to an excess, the whole atmosphere moves constantly from east to west with the negative or positive state of electricity, on the contrary, exist, diurnal motion of the earth, more especially near the equator, the irritation may have a tendency to equalize them. My and that this is supplied and impelled by air from the temconviction rests upon the idea that the mischief arises from a perate and cold climates, or latitudes on each side towards withdrawal of the magnetic fluid from the body, and the re- the poles, which again receive, by a superior current, the overcent magnetic errors observed support this view. An awfully flow of the tropical regions, where the air, rarefied by the heat. grand idea naturally arises from these considerations-namely, of the equatorial sun, is constantly rising and tending to lateralthat the Creator, by the most trifling change in the magnetic diffusion. I shall now make brief mention of a few more distinct winds,relations existing between the globe and the whole of vitality, vegetable or otherwise, might deprive animated beings of ex- although I cannot find that they have any special or sanatoryistence, and leave the world one blank again-one chaotic influence ; at any rate, no statement to that effect appears tohave been made by those observers to whom I am indebted for mass. As I look upon the potato disease as arising from the same the succeeding facts. The trade-winds are north-easterly and south-easterly winds, cause as the cholera, perhaps the following account of that disease may not be out of place here. In July, 1847,I pub- which constantly prevail, with slight variations, in certain lished, in a provincial paper, the following arguments concern- regions within the tropics. They extend to about 280 of latitude on each side of the equator. For nearly six months they. ing the potato disease :" Since its first appearance many causes have been assigned, blow from the north-east, and the remaining six months from only to be disposed of by pure reasoning and fair conclusions,and a south-east direction. They do not appear to be in any way then consigned to the grave of oblivion. Such has been the fate inimical to health. The monsoon is, in fact, a kind of tradeof the aphis vastator cause, and the only merit of those still in wind, and peculiar to the Indian seas. The harmattan is the existence is their obscurity, the impossibility of their being prevailing wind on the coast of Africa, and is of a peculiarly demonstrated, either on the side of truth or error. Such is dry and parching character. The typhoon of the China seas the atmospheric cause. There is one cause which, though is a species of hurricane, and does great damage rather by its wrapped in mystery, yet, when assisted by analogical reason- violence than by its intrinsic nature. Winds travel at various rates, from half a mile an hour, as ing, may be made to present somewhat of a fair form, and this is, attributing the potato disease to magnetic derangement. attributed by the ancient Greeks to the zephyr-a west wind, We will try and enter a little into this subject. First. Sailors (a rate not fairly applying to this country, as too frequently we and observers of magnetic phenomena will tell you, that the have storms from that quarter, and it is rarely of a specially period occupied by the potato disease has presented peculiar mild character,) to the tempestuous hurricane, uprooting trees, magnetic deramgements and errors. Second. In the latter part dislodging houses, and travelling at the rate of one hundred of 1844, and all throughout the years 1845 and 1846, and I miles an hour. All these winds excite different effects on the may now say, up to the present moment of 1848,’apeculiar human system. It has been noticed that some seasons and years are more disease has existed amongst the human family-a disease characterized by great nervous depression and pains, in many strongly marked by the prevalence of winds from one quarter cases almost amounting to a general paralyis. Many deaths of the globe, than others, and we have, in consequence, a certain have occurred from this disease, and such have often taken irregular assemblage of symptoms in diseases, arising from the place suddenly and unexpectedly. Sudden deaths have been long continuance of some one in particular, which causes even frequent within the last four years. Third. In the argument the most practical man to doubt, at first, respecting the real stands the potato disease itself. Many other peculiarities oc- nature of the complaint; and this will apply to constitutional curing within the above period might be enumerated, but the as well as incidental disorders. We have asthenic forms of three mentioned may serve as occurring within the same diseases when the winds blow from one quarter, while a truly sthenic state of body is determined by the prevalence of other cycle of time. "Now for the argument. Magnetism and electricity are winds, if exposed to them without shelter, in some localities. It is therefore of importance to ascertain, if possible, before nearly allied to the cause of nervous action. At the present day this requires no confirmation, and when magnetic aberra- fixing on a spot for a permanent residence, that it is not extions occur so generally and extensively as to affect the posed to an ungenial aspect. We know that many residences magnet, we may be excused for referring erratic nervous of the nobility are not erected in the best and most healthy action, occurring simultaneously and generally, as an effect. situations; indeed, it not unfrequently happens that chance Now, to carry on the analogy, we must have it granted that -has had most to do in these matters, and that small beginnings vegetable life is governed by a nervous system, or something have accidentally ended in the growth of extensive and splennearly allied to it; but when we reflect that the vegetable did edifices, afterwards found to be in unfortunate sites. kingdom and economy speak for themselves, that they are ! Osborne Palace, in the Isle of Wight, the marine residence of

observation