PALPITATION OF THE HEART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20306, 13 July 1929, Page 29 (Supplement)

PALPITATION OF THE HEART.

A lady, about forty years of age. bad suffered twelve years from periodical attacks of palpitation of the heart, so nolent as to shake the bed on which the patient lay. During one attack, feeling thirsty, she expressed a desire for soda water. No soccer had she swallowed the first draught than her palpitation left her, and recurred no more until the period of the next attack. As soon 33 it commenced. she sent for her medical attendant, and told h:m what had occurred a month previously, and requested to fce allowed to try the same remedy a second time. Ee consented, but, wishing to ascertain which of the ingredients of the soda water had relieved the complaint, he gave her a dose of citric acid by itself. Tids had no effect. He then pave her a dose cf carbonate of soda, which also failed. He then mixed the powders and gave her seme ordinary soda water, placing his hand at. the same time upon her heart. The moment she swallowed the first mouthful the palpitation ceased and recurred no more for that time. From that period, whenever ihe palpitation came on, she couJd always stop it by this simple remedy. It appears. from the experiments made by medical men that the carbonic acid was the active element :n relieving the complaint, beca-j-e, until the cas v.-as liberated by the mixture of citric acid and the carbonate of soda, no benefit accrued.