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STAINBACK WILSON, M. D.. ATLANTA, GA. Note. —Questions pertaining to health and disease will be answered in this paper, when it can be done with propriety. When, from the nature of the case, or other rea sons, a private answer is desired, a lull de scription should be sent. Address as above, writing my name in full, and enclose stamp. THE COOLING TREATMENT IN FEVERS. The external use of cold water in fevers is as old as the history of medicine, but on account of false theoretical notions, it fell into disuse, until revived ot late years by the Hydropaths, who have again brought it into discredit by their extravagant, un scientific, and indiscriminate use of it. Within the past few years it has been rescued from the reproach brought on it, having been recommended by regular physi cians who have used it on correct scienti fic principles, adapted to the requirements of the cases in which it is indicated. Dr. Carrie was the first regular physician to revive its use in modern times. He treat ed 229 cases of severe epidemic typhus fever with water, losing only four. Another physician. Dr. Brand, reports 170 treated in the same way without the loss of a single one ; and similar results have been obtained in the large hospitals of Germany and France. Indeed we couldhardly expect anything but success from the judicious use of a remedy so per fectly in accordance with the dictates of reason, science, and common sense. Certainly the safest way to allay the ex citement of fever and to reduce the tem perature is to use water externally and in ternally. Alate medical writer, says, ‘‘l have proved to absolute certainty, that the pouring of tepi J water through a sheet, so folded that it will reach from the lower part of the hips to the arm-pits, will in a shoit time, two hours at most, reduce the highest fever heat to the normal standard, and hold it there for days, and even weeks, as in many cases ot typhoid which I hav treated with invariable success, when the treatment began with the first rise of the fever. And then he adds, “with the lights I have from my own extensive experience, not only in typhoid, but in every other fever known to this country, yellow »fever included. Ido not question the favorable results of the Brand system ot using cold water.’’ I may say in explanation, that the sum and substance of this Brand treat ment is to keep the heat down by the ex ternal use of water of a lower temperature than that of the body. As the physician above quoted says: “The desir ed thing is to cool the blood, and I found that it can be most effectually done by the free and persistent use of water whose tem perature is but a few degrees below’ that of the blood ; and that the cooling treatment in typhoid (and other fevers) should be directed almost exclusively to the body; the head needing no especial attention it the blood is cooled in the citadel of life, the great vital organs. This treatment, instead of being unpleasant to the patient, is quiet ing and agreeable. No reaction occurs, no increase of heat; because the tempera ture is constantly held at the same iegree by the tepid pouting; and the cool extren.- eties are warmed by artificial means until the vital force gains full control.’’ In carring out this treatment he avoids wetting the bed and floor by having a “bathing cot or fever bed, constructed with two bottoms, that upon which the pati ent lie® being composed of a strong net work of cotton cord, readily pervious to water, and an impervious bottom of lubber cloth so adjusted beneath as to catch and carry the water into a vessel at the foot.” “With this cot, he says, and I think truly, that any case of fever, taken in its inci piency, can be treated successfully with water whose temperature is agreeable to the patient. « This treatment has the advantage of any other, not only in its success, but in its economy, simplicity and safety. In carrying this out, we have these infalli ble guides that can be followed by any one of ordinary intelligence. The first is the feeling of the patient. Whenever there is a sensation of chilliness, the water should be less frequently applied, or should be warmer. The second is the temperature of the skin. Whenever the skin of the patient feels warmer to the touch of a healthy at tendant than that of the attendant, the water sh, uld be re-applied by wetting the sheet encircling the patient. The third guide is the pulse. Whenever it beats faster than natural—that is, when the skin is hot and the pulse seems up to a hundred or more in a minute, the water should be applied at short intervals until the pulse does not run over ninety-eight. In some cases, the skin will not be ex cessively hot, while the pulse is frequent. In these cases the internal heat is excess ive. and is but tested by placing a little clinical thermometer in the month or arm pit. But the best guide in domestic prac tice is the frequency of the pulse and the temperature of the skin as ascertained by counting the one, and by the sensation ot touch in the other. In obscure cases when the skin is cool, with a frequent pulse, the aid of a physician should be sought. Two things should be borne distinctly in mind: 1. That the use of cold water is not a necessary, or evena desirable part of the treatment. The normal temperature of the body is ninety-eight degrees, and warm water, if only a few degrees below this, will as effectually cool a lever as ice water, and when the water is warm or tepid, or a little below the fever heat, it is more pleas ant to the patient, the reduction of tem perature is gradual, without °hock or re action, more easily controlled and regulated, and more permanent than when a sudden reduction is accomplished by cold water. 2. Coldness of the hands and feet, if the body is hot and the pulse frequent, is no reason wdiy the cool ing treatment should not be carried out. The best way to warm the extremities is to equalize the circulation by abstracting and diffusing the heat accum ulated in the body, by applying the water to the body alone, or to the head and body, if the former is excessivly hot. At the same time the establishment of the equilibrium can be hastened by hot bricks or bottles of hot water to the feet, and bv active rubbing of the patient’s hands and feet with the hands of the attendant. As a rubbing instrument, nothing is equal to the human hand. It is always on hand. adapts itself to the inequalities of the part rubbed better than anything else, and doubtless has magnetic vitalizing proper ties that no liniment, or mere mechanical friction has. Not only in fevers, but in ell other diseas es attended with excessive heat of the body, it is safe to cool the parts that are too warm with water a little lower in tempera ture than the body, and to warm the parts that are too cool by friction, hot applica tions, etc. In view of these facts, it is my candid opinion that if people understood the judicious use of water in all diseases, the world would be much belter off if the domestic treatment of disease were limited exclusively to it, relegating other remedies that might be needed, to a physician. And yet. many people have a hydrophobia horror of water, while they dose themselves with all kinds <>f unknown quack medi cines, and habitually resort to opium, chlo ral, and the strongest drugs in the materia medico.. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes once as tounded a medical association by a declara tion before them that “ the world would be better off if all the drugs were thrown in to the sea, but it would be “worse for the fishes." Medicine has its place, and does good when properly used, but considering its indiscriminate use by the people on their own responsibility, its abuses in and out of the profession to the exclusion of safer remedies, there is some truth in Dr.Holmes’ declaration. Though he did not mean all that he said in a humorous way, it was much to the ast mishment and disgust of his brother doctors, who filled the journals for months with denunciations of his heterodoxy. CURING A DRUNKARD. None of my lady readers will be likely to need the following, but they may be so unfortunate as to be connected with some one who does. The tincture of capsicum is a strong tincture of African cayenne pepper in alcohol. According to an article in the British Medi< al Journal, it has been found by Dr. Renger that the tincture of capsicum in ten drop d<>ses is the best remedy to count eract that craving for alcohol which is the curse oi all inebriates, preventing their re turn to rational conduct. This remedy has been tested by other physicians, and they report very favorably in regard to it. They give several instances of vari ous men ofall ages who, half-muddled, hung around low drinking saloons, or at home; and who, when the liquor saloon shut up, would pick the lock, or when their money was taken from them,would tipple on credit whenever there was a chance. The best way to administer this remedy is to commence with five drops in a little syrup of orange peel before meals, increas ing the dose ot capsicum to twelve drops. In one month most of them became quite different men, changing from half idiots to men who attended to their business and took an interest in all that was going on in the world. HOT WATER AND THE PRIN TERS. In my last article on Hot Water as a Remedy, there were two points the im portance of which I particularly de-ired to impre-s, viz: that the quantity of water should be as large as the stomach could bear without oppression, and that the water should be taken on an empty stomach, and not just before meals. Instead of this the printer makes me say that one or two spoonfuls should be taken b fore each meal, and at bed time. This should read—a drink should be taken mid way between meals, and at bed time. The spoon has nothing to do with it. only as the medium for taking the water, because the water should' be too hot to be taken in any other way. The measure of the water should be from a half pint to a pint or more according to the action on the stomach and the urinary organs as ex plained in the article. I make this correc tion because I am very desirous that the manner of using this valuable remedy, should be well understood and strictly carried out. As stated before, if this is ’ done, it will prove one of die most valua ble contributions ever made by me, or any one else, to domestic practice. There are other verbal errors in the article, but I pass them over, with the simple declara tion that the printer of medical articles will get “into hot water” if he is not more careful. What would he think of a phy sician who would make no difference in a prescription between a pint and a spoon ful? HEALTH NOTES. Fresh pure air is as much a necessity as good food, because all vital activity arises from the mutual action of the oxyaen of the atmosphere and the elements of the food. Tonics used to brace one’s self up when weary, are simply goads urging the tired brain to farther exertion, causing one there by to fall back on a reserve fund lor energy, and perhaps fatally exhausting one’s cons titution. The use of all tonics, narcotics, nervines and stimulants should be carefully avoided ; they are only safe and helptul under certain conditions, and these will be known to the skillful physician. To take quinine, mor phine.cocaineorchloral for every slight ache or pain—in other words, to take any of these habitually, is as dangerous as to take whiskey or other stimulants habitually. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Mrs. S, Eatonton. Ga.—Your facial neu ralgia can be cured by a course of bathing and electricity. Other remedies, such as morphine, quinine, etc., are often only palliative and temporary in their action The yellow spots on the, face, when con nected with the condition mentioned in your letter, will generally pass off with the condition causing them. It not, then, I will make a prescription. The spot on the cheek is caused by an enlargement of the small arteries or veins where it is lo cated, and can be removed only by elec 'trical or surgical treatment. F"t - this, and for a radical care of your neuralgia. I would 1 advise you to come here for treatment. I would be pleased to hear from you again. Other answers deferred to next month. DON'T RUN MISK of 10-ing your child by permitting Worm-* to work out its destruction. Wh n a child fails to sleep well, is restless, unnatiral in its appetite and grinds its teeth, yon have strong indications of Worms; the I positive cure lor this is B. A. Fahnewtoek’s Vermifuge. Ask your druggist for it. Its timely use may save your child from its grave. ■■■■■i Aptin ir for one of the most use \Ln!|j IkA ful articles ever conceived. It ■ I ■llia is indispensiblo to Old Maids. Bachelors, Young Men, Every Household and especially to every Young Lady and Young Man contemplating marriai’e. No II nmbiig. Strictly Business. Ollie J. Pease, 51 Calhoun St, Atlanta, Ga. THE FLORAL INSTRUCTOR. 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