Remedy for the Hooping-Cough.

The acetite of lead has been lately recommended for the hooping-cough; it may be given to children, without producing any bad effects on the stomach and bowels, and it is said to relieve the symptoms of the disease very speedily. The following formula has been employed:-R. cerussæ acetatæ gr. iij. ad gr. v. syrup. viola 3 ij. aquæ rose 3ij. M. f. mistura. Capiat coch. parvulum 4ta vel 5ta quâque horâ. [Ibid.]

Efficacy of Gestation in Typhus; extracted from a Dissertation by Dr. Wake.

The object of this dissertation, besides a general review of the remedies of Typhus, is to state the author's experience of the beneficial effects of gestation in that disease; a practice which at first arose out of necessity, but which has since been successfully imitated, though only to a very limited extent, in other instances. To the novelty of the treatment, Dr. Wake does not lay any claim. Celsus, he observes, describes it to have been the practice of Asclepiades. Of modern medical authors, Dr. Jackson is the only one who recommends gestation in fevers from actual experience; but his recommendation does not appear to have met with the attention to which it was entitled. Dr. Wake's observations of its utility were made some years before the publication of Dr. Jackson's work, and at a time when he was wholly unacquainted with its having been mentioned by any author.

In the spring of 1794, the British army began its retreat from Holland, and it became necessary, in consequence, to remove all the sick who were confined in the hospitals. In that of St. Guislain, among other patients, were several labouring under typhus fever. These were conveyed, in open carriages, to Dendermonde, a journey which was not completed in less than four days. During this time, several, who were dangerously ill, experienced a great remission of

* Outline of the History and Cure of Fever, 1798, p. 287. Remarks on the Constitution of the Medical Department of the Army, 1803, p. 296.

their symptoms, and all became convalescent. One man, in particular, who had so severe a disease, that it had been determined to leave him behind, and who was removed only in consequence of his own earnest entreaties, in a few days after arriving at Dendermonde, was entirely out of danger.

During this journey the temperature of the air was mild, and the sky serene; but, in the next spring, the same advantages were experienced in a very opposite state of the atmosphere. More than a hundred patients, labouring under fever, were removed, in open carriages, from Embden to Bremen, a journey of four days, and with the same happy event as before, though the weather was extremely cold, accompanied with frequent falls of snow. It was observed, that delirium in particular was abated by the locomotion.

From Dr. Wake's observations of the effects of the removal of these patients, he lays down the following rules respecting the use of gestation. 1. It is most beneficial in the last stage of fevers. 2. It should be performed in an open carriage, in order that air may be freely admitted, and that the patient may be amused by a succession of new objects. 3. It should be continued for eight or ten hours daily, till the patient begins to recover.

The following cases were communicated to Dr. Wake, by Mr. Jones.

October 10, 1803. Joseph Bassett had been ill seven days. An emetic had been given on his admission into the hospital; afterwards a cathartic, and antimonial powder. His body had been sponged with vinegar and water; camphor was exhibited; and bark and tincture of opium. Porter was allowed, and afterwards wine. On this day, his pulse was very quick and feeble; continual nausea; inclination to stupor; the countenance had an idiot-like stare; he had passed an involuntary stool in the morning. In this state of extreme and alarming debility, he was carried in a spring-waggon seven miles into the country. On his return, he took some broth, and after it some wine, without nausea being produced. There was less stupor; his countenance looked better; and he had two voluntary stools in the course of the evening. 11th, He had a very good night. His pulse was not so quick; no nausea; his countenance looked better; no appearance of stupor. The day before, he could not sit up in his bed without support; and it was necessary

to carry him to the spring-waggon. This day he walked down stairs, and to the waggon, holding the arm of a comrade. William Finch, a pauper at Ipswich, aged fifty-five, in the month of January, 1806, had been ill six days of typhus gravior; the medical attendant had said that his recovery was impossible, and discontinued his visits. The patient's wife applied to me; in consequence of which I visited him, and found him labouring under the following symptoms: Very feeble pulse; low delirium; subsultus tendinum ; petechiae; tongue dry, and dark-coloured. I asked his

wife, if she could procure a cart and horse, to have him taken into the country five or six miles daily. The poor woman could hardly be prevailed upon to think me in earnest; but, upon my assuring her that carrying her husband out was the only chance left for his recovery, she promised to obtain a cart the next morning early. However, I told her, if she could not obtain a horse to draw a cart, she should have my bat-horse; so anxious was I that the remedy should be tried in this apparently hopeless case. Gestation was tried the next morning, with evident advantage; in the evening of that day there was less subsultus tendinum; and the pulse was less feeble. On the evening of the second day of using gestation, the subsultus tendinum was entirely removed; the delirium was very considerably abated; and the pulse was stronger. On the evening of the third day, all the alarming symptoms had ceased; and, in five days more, gestation was no longer necessary, patient being convalescent. It is worthy of remark, that no medicine was administered to this patient except tincture of opium, and once half an ounce of tincture of rhubarb. Utility of Gestation in Scarlatina.

the

A young gentleman, at school here, took the disease during an epidemic; it was among the worst cases of that fatal malady, and in the hottest weather in August. There were little hopes of his recovery; and he entreated to be taken home, a distance of eighteen miles. His parents came, and seconded his wishes, provided I would accompany him. Their coach was large; a bed was put in, and he laid on it. I followed in my carriage. The procession. was slow. Twelve miles passed in half as many hours. We stopped to rest and dine. He was then revived greatly, and sat up a little at table, to please his parents. At length the journey ended, with his greater amendment. He slept comparatively well that night; was convalescent next day, and was well recovered in a week more.

[Ibid.]

MEDICAL REPOSITORY,

FOR

NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, & JANUARY, 1808-9.

An ACCOUNT of the YELLOW FEVER, as it appeared at STABROEK, in the COLONY of DEMERARY, during the prin cipal part of the years 1803 and 1804. By Dr. WILLIAM FROST, physician at that place; addressed to Dr. JEREMIAH BARKER of Portland, and by him communicated to Dr. MITCHILL.

YOUR

OUR request, previously to my departure from Portsmouth, (N. H.) for the West-Indies, that I would "communicate to you any observations I might make on the Yellow Fever during my residence there," has drawn from me the subsequent account, &c. of that malady as it occurred in my practice while at STABROEK, in the Colony of Demerary; a place, perhaps, as noted for malignant diseases as any in the West-Indies, and for their destructive effects on persons unassimilated to that climate.

This account of that insidious disease, generally known by the name of Yellow Fever, was thrown together during the few spare moments I had by day, and at night, after considerable fatigue; which doubtless will be a sufficient apology to you for its imperfections. But before I enter upon the history of this disease, it may not be deemed improper to premise a topographical account of Stabroek and the country contiguous, as far as relates to its CLIMATE, SOIL, &c. which may perhaps point out to you its causes.

STABROEK, the principal town in the Colony of Demerary, in Dutch Guiana, South America, is situated on the East bank of the river Demerary, about a mile and a half from the place where that river flows into the sea, in latitude* 6° 45 North. Longitude 17 E. from Philadelphia:

Nearly the same degree of latitude North, that BATAVIA in the Island of JAVA is South.

and is nearly equidistant from Paramaribo in the Colony of Surinam and the river Oronoco.

The town is built in the form of the letter T inverted ; and contains perhaps 250 or 300 houses, including stores: but stands on more ground than almost any other place that has only an equal number of houses.

As there never has been a regular census taken, and as its population is very fluctuating, it is difficult to say precisely how many inhabitants this town contains: but I presume not more than 1200 white inhabitants, nor less than 4000 slaves.

This town, in point of elevation, is short of two feet above the surface of the sea from high water mark in common tides; and at the Equinoxes, it is frequently overflowed by the tides, to such a degree, that the inhabitants are obliged to have recourse to boats for conveyance from one house to another. The town, as it stands along the banks of the Demerary, is about three quarters of a mile in length, and not more than the eighth of a mile in breadth, excepting one street, which is called the Brick-dam-street, or more generally Brick-dam. This street runs back from about the centre of the town, nearly three quarters of a mile; and has a pavement of brick in the middle of it, four or five feet wide. This is the only dam in town that has any pavement. The houses on each side of this street, and in the town generally, are tolerably well built, and all of wooden materials; and erected mostly in the English fashion of building houses in tropical countries; some with glass windows, but generally wooden shutters or jalousies, with piazzas built out either in front or on the back side; and are erected on elevated foundations either of brick, or on piles of wood, sometimes drove into the ground. These piles are from two to six feet high. It is not customary to plaster their houses inside, as in some of the Islands, or to use much whitewash about them; but they are generally painted inside and out.

The streets or dams are in general straight and spacious, and have trenches on each side of them, which, at the

* Since I left Demerary, I am informed by a medical friend residing at STABROEK, that " a tax has been laid on the inhabitants of the town for the purpose of paving all the dams or streets, sixteen feet wide with brick;" which I am told has been done.