SPRING FEVER— HOW NOT TO SAVE IT. 181 



time be proved to be as clearly of septic character as diphtheria, but it is 

 only within the past two years that he considers this to have been demon- 

 strated. He goes on to say : — 



The first antiseptic administered internally, in my own practice, was 

 •carbolic acid ; but it was never used with entire satisfaction, because it 

 could not be diffused through the blood in sufficient quantity to destroy the 

 living germs, without producing toxic effects of its own ; and it was, besides, 

 objectionable on account of its odor and taste. The sulphites, especially 

 the sulphite of soda, was found to be quite diffusive, but lacked energy, and 

 hence efficiency. In the chemical combination of the carbolic acid with the 

 sulphite of soda (or the sulpho-carbolate of soda) we have all the objection- 

 able qualities reduced to the minimum, while all the desirable properties 

 are retained. 



During nearly two years I have administered this salt in many hund- 

 reds of cases of scarlet fever and diphtheria, as well as a reasonable number 

 of cases of erysijDelas and puerperal fever — both with a view to the preven- 

 tion of epidemic contagion and in the treatment of these forms of disease. 



The sulpho-carbolate of soda is readily soluble, and very diffusive when 

 brought within reach of the absorbents. It is odorless, and of a taste differ- 

 ing but little from soda. 



By its administration the blood and tissues of the human body may be 

 thoroughly disinfected without exciting any toxic effects of the drug. Ad- 

 ministered to children breathing an atmosphere loaded with scarlet fever or 

 diptheritic contagion, it acts as an absolute preventive, with excep- 

 tions so rare, and with symptoms so slight when any appear, that one is 

 forced to believe that the fault was rather in an insufficient dose than in the 

 agent. Given when either of these diseases has developed an attack, and 

 within a few hours the activity of the disease has ceased, and the remain- 

 ing symptoms speedily fade out into health. 



I cannot dismiss this subject without a warning to those who pretend to 

 make use of this agent, but use so small a quantity as to be utterly valueless. 

 I do not know that this agent posesses any other therapeutic properties 

 than as an antiseptic; and to be useful as such, it must be given in quantity 

 sufficient to disinfect the blood, otherwise it will be as useless in the face of 

 these diseases as the spray of an atomizer in extinguishing a conflagration. 



SPRING FEVER: HOW NOT TO HAVE IT. 



In the Christian Union, a writer gives the symptoms and several remedies 

 for a very common complaint, prevalent with almost every one to a greater 

 or less extent at this season of the year : 



The hampered body, says the writer, which has been coddled, petted, 

 stuffed with carbon -bearing fats, and calorified in every possible way, be- 

 gins to protest. The machinery is clogged ; headache, dyspepsia, and the 



