28.2 Extracts from the Older Journals. [Nov., 



often times judged necessary to empty the barrels in whole or in 

 part. During this operation, it generally happened that some of 

 the materials flew about in the form of dry-powder, and passed 

 with the air into the nostrils, mouth, throat, and lungs of the by- 

 standers. The effects of the inhaled powder of caustic pot-ash, 

 are well worthy to be noted. One of the inspectors ascribed to 

 it the purity and soundness of his teeth, and relief from the sen- 

 sation formerly caused by an acid in his stomach. His decaying 

 teeth ceased to rot any more since he applied pot-ash to them. 

 But much more serious was its operation upon the steady laborers. 

 Sneezing, coughing, and impeded respiration were among the 

 first of its effects. Spitting of blood sometimes came on after- 

 wards. The lungs, if still exposed to the saline dust, became 

 more and more disordered, the strength diminished, and as the 

 disease increased, the persons were affected, as with a sort of con- 

 sumption, and died. The death of a number of men that had 

 worked in the pot-ash stores, is thus accounted for by the inspec- 

 tors. It has been common to have a considerable part of the work 

 done by slaves; for free laborers, who are acquainted with the 

 nature of the business, engage in it reluctantly, and many of them 

 altogether refuse to work at it. Apprehensive of the danger 

 which arises from starting all the contents of every barrel upon 

 the floor, the inspectors have been reduced to the necessity of dis- 

 continuing this part of the practice in some degree. These caus- 

 tic alkaline atoms, when they are inhaled and dissolved in the 

 mucus of the passages, are thus productive of a lingering indis- 

 position, in which the lungs particularly suffer; but they have 

 never been known to excite yellow fever, or any set of symptoms 

 that resemble it; so far is this from being the case, that during 

 that epidemic sickness which has so often visited the city of New 

 York, I could discover no instance of the inspectors and their as- 

 sistants having hitherto been infected by it. 



The information you gave me in your letter from Clifton, of 

 June 15, concerning the cure of diabetes mellitus by hepatized 

 ammonia, or by volatile alkali alone, is very interesting. In ad- 

 dition to the plan I suggest the propriety of prescribing lime in 

 preference to ammonia. The reason of my hint is this: It is 

 said at Schoharie, in the state of New York, that in that part of 

 the country, where much sugar and molasses is made from the 

 juice of the maple tree (acer saccharinum), and used plentifully 

 .by the inhabitants, diabetes is a frequent disorder. To got relief 

 from the complaint, it is a common practice to take astringents, 

 and that the drinking plentifully of lime-water in addition to 

 them, often, wrought a cure. This fact leads to a little specula- 

 tion. The sugar-making process is familiar to many plants. 

 Diabetes seems a sugar-making operation going on in animals, 



