310 On the, late efforts in France and other 'parts of Europe 



The two extraordinary cures accomplished at the InstitutioD at 

 Bordeaux, early attracted the attention of M. Itard, and induced 

 him to make the greatest efforts to become acquainted with the com- 

 position of the remedy employed. This, however, its possessor ut- 

 terly refused to disclose, but consented to send him a certain quan- 

 tity of it, prepared by himself. This was employed on three deaf 

 mutes, but without any effect whatever. When informed of its 

 want of success, he alledged in excuse that it was owing to the al- 

 teration of the liquid, which was of such a nature, that after two 

 or three days, it would lose its power. M. Itard then offered to buy 

 the secret, but was refused on the ground that the discovery was 

 one, which only the government should know and recompense. On 

 the death of the inventor, liowever, his wife communicated to M. 

 Itard the composition of the remedy.* As several of the ingredi- 

 ents were such as were known to be useful in cases of deafness, and 

 «is its use had been attended with such flattering success at Bour- 

 deaux, it was employed on all the deaf mutes in the Paris Institu- 

 tion, who had lost the power of hearing in infancy. But in this, as 

 in so many other instances, his hopes were completely frustrated ; 

 since none of the effects observed at Bourdeaux took place. It was 

 subsequently used in a number of other cases, but, with one slight 

 exception, with the same want of success. 



M. Itard, with a degree of perseverance in the midst of such con- 

 tinual failures, which k\Y men would have had, and which does him 

 great honor, both as a benevolent and scientific man, was determined 

 to leave no means untried, from which any rational hope of success 

 could be drawn. On a child, therefore, of three or four years of 

 ,age, whose deafness was attributed by his parents to violent convul- 

 sions, caused by dentition, he resolved to employ a new experiment. 

 Without describing it minutely, it will be sufficient to say, that it 

 consisted principally in the application of blisters. In this instance 

 it was happily successful ; but in forty cases in which it was subse- 



* For the information of physicians, who may be supposed to take an interest 

 in it, we subjoin the recipe. 



R. Pulverized Asarabacca, two drams. 



Rose leaves, one pinch. 



Horse Radish, one dram. 



Parsley Pert, or Stonebreak Parsley, ... one pinch. 



White wine, - eight ounces. 



Boil to one half, strain and add 



Sea salt, - - - -- - -- two drams. 



