TREATMENT OF DISEASES. 175 



cured by rubbing the part affected with a lemon. It is valuable, also, to cure 

 ■warts and destroy dandruff on the head, by rubbing tlie roots of the hair with 

 it. In fact, its uses are manifold, and the more we use of them the better we 

 shall find ourselves." 



Remarks. — See also their value for freckles, and the use of hot lemonade 

 to cure colds, and also lemon juice a cure for small-pox, etc. 



Food as Medicine. — Dr. Hall relates the case of a man who was cured 

 of his biliousness by going without his supper, and drinking freely of lemonade. 

 Every morning, says the doctor, this patient arose with a wonderful sense of 

 rest and refreshment, and a feeling as though the blood had been literally 

 washed, cleansed and cooled by the lemonade and the fast. His theory is, that 

 food will be used as a remedy, for many diseases, successfully. For example he 

 cures cases of spitting blood by the use of salt : epilepsy and yellow fever, by 

 water-melons; kidney affections, by celery (water-melons are very valuable also 

 for the kidneys); poison, olive or sweet oil; erysipelas, pounded cranberries 

 applied to the parts iiffected; hydrophobia, onions, etc. So the way to keep in 

 good health is really to ktiow what to eat — not to know what medicines to take. 



Remarks. — These are all good for what he recommends them; then use 

 them freely, in their season. 



1. ERYSIPELAS— New and Successful Remedy.— Dr. T. B. 

 King of this city (Toledo, O.), an old physician, of the "Old School, "-Allo- 

 pathic — tells me he has cured erysipelas upon a woman's leg (by the way do 

 women have "legs" — I believe not so understood, but "limbs"), after ulcer- 

 ated and swollen so bad that other doctors said it must be amputated. But by 

 simply dusting upon it, freely, the per sulphate of iron (Monsel's salt), cleaning 

 off twice daily, with warm suds, and re-applying, without other treatment, 

 effectually cured her. 



Remarks. — This salt, or preparation of iron, is a great favorite with Dr. 

 King. He applies it, through a speculum (from the Latin specere, to look), to 

 ulcers at the mouth of the womb, or upper part of the vagina, he says, with 

 equal success. I have also used it, with success, in several of these ulcerations, 

 so I have confidence in it, in erysipelas also. To avoid staining the clothing, in 

 these cases, wear a suitable bandage to absorb any escaping fluid, as the iron in 

 this leaves an iron-rust appearance upon the clothing. 



2. Erysipelss of the Face (Facial Erysipelas).— Dr. J. B. John- 

 son communicated the following to the Medical and Surgical Reporter, which 

 he has always found to arrest the disease at once and allay the heat and burning 

 promptly. He says: "As the tongue is always more or less coated, I usually 

 introduce my treatment by a dose of pills composed of blue mass, 10 grs. ; calo- 

 mel, 5 grs.; mix and make into 3 pills; to be taken at one dose; and to be fol- 

 lowed in 3 hours by a dose of sulphate of magnesia (epsom salts, dose, ordi- 

 narily, a heaping table-spoonful); and without waiting for the action of the pills 

 and salts, I immediately commence with iodide of potassium, 1 dr. ; tinct. of 

 hyoscyamus, 2 drs. ; tinct. aconite leaves (tincture of aconite root is seldom 

 given internally), 12 drops; distilled water (clear soft water will do) 8 ozs. : mix. 

 Dose — A table-spoonfnl every hour, day and night, when awake; and I luive 



