INFLUENZA-AND ITS CURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8815, 2 March 1892, Page 3

INFLUENZA-AND ITS CURE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —After spending several weeks in research, I came across the following, which is, as far as I can ascertain, the only record where hundreds of cases of influenza have been successfully treated by one remedy. Several of the patients, the doctor remarks, were so far gone as to be hopeless of recovery under ordinary treatment, but quickly rallied under this. The paper is by John Crerar, M.11.C. P., Hdin, etc. After a learned discourse ou a new theory of the treatment of acute infective diseases lie states: —" Having regard to the essential state of a severe attack of influenza I conceived that I should get the most effective antagonism in greatly increased alkalinity, and he bicarbonate of potash was the agent I first thought of." After stating the advantages of this salt lie follows on: — " Having found it answer all my uurposes I have not looked for another remedy. I give liberal doses (.'lO grains) in a teacup of milk, every two or three hours. 1 add a few drops of the tincture of capsicum, but this is not at all essential." A word or two of caution, he winds up with: "In two or three cases (out of hundreds) the action of the heart was weakened to an unpleasant degree, but digitalis and the aromatic spirit of ammonia <|u ok restored normality. Diarrhoea also sometimes superveuos, hut is effectively met by Dover's powder. In cases where weakness was induced by previous disease, or where some other disease is corncomitant, or where pregnancy existed, the action was somewhat retarded, but nob rendered by any means any less certain. Where the salt was intermitted too soon, the symptoms returned, but readily gave way on resumption of the treatment." Another expert makes the important statement that influenza is nor in the air as is usually supposed, as isolation is an effectual preventative. He proved this by isolating a large orphan school, shutting the inmates strictly within the walls for months. None took the disease, although it was raging around them.—l am, &c., FRED. A. G. COTTF.RELL. Mount Roskill.