Treatise on the immediate cause, and the specific treatment of pulmonary phthisis : and tubercular diseases / by J. Francis Churchill.
- John Francis Churchill
- Date:
- [1859]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Treatise on the immediate cause, and the specific treatment of pulmonary phthisis : and tubercular diseases / by J. Francis Churchill. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.
106/116 page 104
![been unsuccessful, has this fundamental principle been observed, or appears even to have been understood. In no negative case yet upon record have I been able to discover that the investigator's acquaintance with my views of the treatment of consumption extended beyond the mere fact, that the hypophosphites had been used by me at a certain dose. Will my brethren pardon me if I remind them that antimony, bark, ipecacuanha, hemlock, vaccination, the ergot of rye, eta, were not only neglected, but for yeara (antimony for one whole century) condemned and proscribed by the mass of the profession, not because their medical action was slight or equivocal, but because FEW OR NONE WOULD BE AT THE TROUBLE TO INQUIRE INTO, OR LEARN THE CONDITIONS BY WHICH THAT ACTION WA8 GOVERNED? I remain, sir, your obedient servant, J. FRANCIS CHURCHILL, M. D. [FROM THE LONDON MEDICAL CIRCULAR.] ON THE HYPOPHOSPHITES. Sir,—In reply to the inquiry of your correspondent, Dr. W. J., I beg to in- form your readers that the dose of the hypophosphite which I have found the most manageable is ten grains at first, increasing it gradually up to one scruple daily. This quantity I seldom exceed, though in some cases I have used larger doses with benefit. Children, under four years of age, can seldom take more than from one- fifth to two-fifths of a grain daily. In all cases, however, with this as with any other remedy, the physician must watch its effects upon the system, which vary with the idiosyncracy of the individual. To be used with effect, the hypophos- phites must be perfectly pure; otherwise they may, in some casea, appear alto- gether inert or even injurious. In five cases out of six the salts usually sold pure in Paris, under the name of hypophosphites, are totally unfit for medical use. I am sorry I have not time at present to enter more fully into particulars, but shall endeavor to do so completely in one of my earliest letters. The hypophosphite of soda having, when pure, nearly the same taste as common salt, may be given in any form. I usually prescribe each dose to be taken in a tumbler-full of sweetened water, or sweetened milk, or wine and water, or broth, or any other drink that can be taken at breakfast or dinner. I use no other treatment of any kind unlesa required by the existence of complications, such as intercurrent inflammation of the lungs, diarrhoea, cardiac disease, etc I remain, &c., J. FRANCIS CHURCHILL 17 Boulevart de la Madeleine, Paris, April 24th, 1858.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21030066_0106.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
