"ELIXIR VIYÆA."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6695, 7 November 1889, Page 4

"ELIXIR VIYÆA."

THE BROWN SEQUARD DISCOVERY RESULTS OF ITS TRIAL IN CHEISTCHURCH. It will be newa to mo3t people that Dr Brown Sequard's process of recuperation, by hypodermic injection, lias been practised iv Christchurch for some little time past. Two of oar physicians, observing that so celebrated a physiologist; and physician as Dr Brown Sequard had recommended the adoption of thia process, deemed it their duty to Btudy the matter carefully and ascertain what benefit would result from the use , of the process. With one of the medical gentlemen referred to our reporter had some conversation, and from him obtained the reaulta which hare so far been observed in the cases treated here. It may be premised that the fluid which i 3 injected under the skin has to be prepared about twelve houra before using. To give an explanation of the preparation of the fluid will not be attempted in this article. It may, however, be described as a vital fluid, and the theory of its action upon the system is that it has the effect of re-juvenating, to a certain extent, the enfeebled powers of the patient. It has been stated in some of the reports that have appeared on the subject, that blood poisoning had followed in the case of a Negro into whose body the fluid ;had been injected. T.lhb most likely resulted from the fluid becoming partially decomposed, or putrifled, before injection. It is not likely that the use of the fluid in this way would have attracted much attention among medical men, but for its association with the name of Dr Brown Sequard, who was a few years ago the leading physiologist of the day— celebrated more especially for his discovery of a large number of important physiological facts in connection with diabetes and diseases of the liver — and he is still, though advanced in years, one of the leading lights in physiological and medical science. There is, of course, the onus lying upon gentlemen with whom the curative art is a profession to keep pace with every new idea or discovery within their domain, especially when the names of eminent men are linked with the new discovery. Ifc was for this reason that, with the patients' consent, Dr Brown Se'quard's hypodermic injection wa3 tried in Christchurch. Now as to the results. The doctor interviewed stated that it had been tried in over fifty cases •— the patients were principally elderly persons of either sos, suffering from complaints which had exhausted their system, and left them in a very low condition. In one case, that of an old man of seventy-seven, who was dying from senility, and unable to rise from his bed, he partially recovered from his prostration and was able to walk about. Under tho treatment prescribed in connection with the injections, hia life was prolonged for sis weeks. It must be understood that in this case the patient was considered to be at the point of death when the treatment was resorted to —it was said, indeed, that hia coffin had been ordered. In classifying the results, obtained by the treatment, the doctor eaid these could be beat stated by arranging ' the cases under three heads. First, those cases in which not the slightest good had been produced— o&ot a vestige of benefit to the patient. These are by far the greater number, Bay 75 per cent of the whole. Secondly, those cases in which thepatients expressed themselves slightly benefited, though it was doubtful if such benefit had really resulted. These were mostly old people suffering from rheumatism and debilitating affections, and represented about 15 per cent. Thirdly, there were a few cases — also those of old people, in which there was decided benefit, these being about 10 per cent. In young people the injection cf the " elixir " produced very little result. It was found that the beneficial effect waa only temporary, that ib to say that the injection had to be repeated from time to time, but it was not found necessary to increase the amount of the fluid injected. The doctor did not believe for a moment the glowing accounts of its success, but he and his brother physician had determined to give the method a fair trial for the reasons stated above.