174 Miscellaneous Notices Respecting Cholera. 
Arr. XX. Miscell. Nott ting Cholera.* 
: 
1. Essay on the Epidemic, usually called Asiatic Cholera, &c.; by 
T 
Homas Spencer, M. D. 
This is a pamphlet of one hundred and thirty pages, giving at 
large the author’s views of the epidemic cholera, as it appeared in the 
interior of the State of New York. It is in the form of an address to 
the Medical Society of that State, of which Dr. Spencer is President. 
A principal object of the essay is to prove that the disease, instead 
of being a Cholera, as it was extensively considered in the East ; or 
a malignant fever, of which the symptoms affecting the alimentary 
canal, constitute but one stage, as it has been thought to be by many 
‘perhaps most European and American physicians, is essentjally a 
diarrhea, and should be named, diarrhea #rosa. This opinion is 
with much ingenuity, sustained, throughout the essay. In accord- 
ance with this opinion, he considers the discharge from the intestinal 
canal, of a peculiar fluid, under particular circumstances, as the es- 
sential and pathonomonic symptom of the disease. This peculiar 
symptom, he believes to have been co-extensive with the epidemic 
influence, and in many places, where this influence was weak, or 
unaided by powerful exciting causes, to have constituted the whole of 
the disease. The characteristic marks of this diarrhea, are, the ab- 
sence of bile from the evacuations, preceded or accompanied by a white 
slimy tongue ; distress at the pit of the stomach and indigestion ; 
slight abdominal pain, emaciated expression of countenance, prostra- — 
tion of strength, and indisposition to corporeal and mental exertion. 
Many other symptoms, which are known to be present, in a large 
proportions of severe cases, ‘as vomitings, spasms, suppression of urine, 
coldnesss and peculiar color of the surface, diminished action of the 
circulating system, &c. are considered as secondary and unessential to 
the character of the disease. 
The following propositions laid down by the author as a summary 
of the pathology of the second stage of the disease, or that stage 
which immediately precedes collapse, will give a better view of his 
notions concerning its nature, than can be derived from any other ex- 
tract of the same extent. 
* These notices, tag a the preceding No. by a valued medical friend, were 
excluded, for want of roo the same reason now prevents the addition of other 
similar notices of works since sc veveived aia which, is one by Mr. Daniel Drake, 
of Cincinnati Ed. 
