Considerations on the Bitterness of Vegetables. 277 



To determine the intensity of a symptom whose results may be 

 happy, is then the end of the practitioner. But, whatever may be 

 the part which the affection of the liver acts in cholera, whether 

 relatively to haematosis or to the biliary secretion, it appears to me 

 very proper to employ aloes, either by the mouth in the form of 

 bolus, powder or tincture, or by the anus in the form of lavements. 

 The frightful rapidity with which the disease advances, would be 

 the only obstacle to its employment ; for according to what we have 

 said above, its action is slow and is not manifested until several hours 

 after its administration. But, may it not still be very useful to ex- 

 hibit aloes to the patient at the first onset of the disease, that is to 

 say, as soon as vomitings, dejections, coldness of the extremities, or 

 cramps, announce a choleric attack ? I communicated these reflec- 

 tions, in the early part of April to the learned and unfortunate Dauce, 

 one of the first victims of the scourge, as well as to M. Rostan, who 

 objected that the inflammatory state of the intestines would not ad- 

 mit of the administration of so irritating a medicine as aloes. It is 

 clear that these celebrated physicians grounded their supposition 

 upon the general opinion that this medicament exerts a primary ac- 

 tion upon the intestinal canal, and that they had not given sufficient 

 attention to the researches of Baron Wedekind in this respect. I 

 believe then that there is good reason, in regard to this subject, to 

 institute experiments which may have an important bearing upon the 

 interests of science and humanity." 



" This view, which I expressed at the beginning of July, just as 

 the cholera was disappearing, has since been set forth by one of our 

 most able therapeutists. Dr. Biett, physician to the hospital Saint 

 Louis, immediately after the communication of my paragraph upon 

 aloes did not hesitate to administer this substance to some cholerics, 

 and has obtained satisfactory results. The following is the note 

 which he has had the goodness to address to me upon this subject." 

 " I have been very tardy, sir, in returning the manuscript which 

 you have been so obliging as to lend me. Your researches upon 

 aloes presented a great deal of interest ; you have summed up, with 

 great conciseness and clearness, all the facts which prove the proper- 

 ties of this substance, and you have been led to think that this medi- 

 cine might be advantageously employed in Asiatic cholera. The 

 objections of Dr. Rostan have great force ; but in the actual state of 

 our knowledge, it is impossible to say that all irritating substances are 

 injurious in the treatment of this terrible malady, since we observe it 



Vol. XXIV.— No. 2. 36 



