768 INTERNAL SECRETIONS AND PRESERVATION OF LIFE. 



speak from the standpoint of experience, including Laveran and 

 Maurel. Now that the source of the parasite has been traced 

 to the mosquito,, we can readily understand the nature of the 

 prophylactic process, i.e., dissociation of the morbific agent in 

 the peripheral .capillaries into which the system's protective 

 agencies have accumulated. But quinine is not the only agent 

 capable of producing this effect: arsenic, ammonium muriate, 

 apiol, strychnine, and other drugs have each been lauded by 

 various observers and evidently on good ground, if, as we 

 believe, the majority of drugs more or less actively stimulate 

 the adrenal system. 



Among the agents recommended for the same purpose, 

 i.e., as a febrifuge, is carbolic acid, Treulich, 97 Declat, 98 and 

 Einger," among others, having recognized its value as a proph- 

 ylactic. Though it is not to be recommended as such against 

 malaria, this agent is nevertheless shown by this feature of its 

 physiological action to also produce engorgement of the pe- 

 ripheral capillaries owing to its effect upon the adrenal system. 



Packard and Willson, 100 to whose article we have already 

 referred, speak of the treatment of tetanus in the following 

 terms: "Baccelli states that of 40 cases of tetanus treated with 

 carbolic acid subcutaneously only 1 died; and Pinna notes 

 statistics, compiled by Ascoli, of 33 cases treated by Baccelli's 

 method with only 1 death." While they correctly state that no 

 such results are reached in other countries, the fact remains 

 that results vouched for by an investigator of the rank of 

 Baccelli command confidence. It suggests that we should look 

 elsewhere for the untoward results obtained in other countries. 

 That the simultaneous or previous administration of cannabis 

 Indica, chloral, the bromides, etc., commonly used in tetanus, 

 and which, in the light of our views, react upon the adrenal 

 system much as does the tetanus toxin itself, account for these 

 untoward results seems to us very clear. Indeed, the use of 

 such remedies besides Baccelli's carbolic-acid treatment can have 

 but one result: i.e., adrenal insufficiency. If, on the other 



"Treulich: Medical Age, vol. 1892. 

 w Declat: Gazette Hebdomadaire, vol. xvii, 1880. 

 99 Ringer: "Hand-book of Therapeutics," 1897. 

 100 Packard and Willson: Loc. cit., p. 1023. 



