﻿250 The Philippine Journal of Science 1914 



We have had several infections that have occurred in the 

 Philippine General Hospital during the years of 1911-12 through 

 the agency of flies, as we had a pest of these insects at the time 

 we were taking care of patients suffering from bacillary 

 dysentery. So also the epidemic of dysentery in Baguio during 

 the summer of 1912 was evidently spread by flies, as is proved 

 by the article of Banks read before the Manila Medical Society 

 in the same year, entitled The Baguio fly campaign. 



CURATIVE TREATMENT 



Our routine treatment in the Philippine General Hospital which 

 has given the most satisfactory results consists in the following : 



First, absolute rest to save the strength of the patient and 

 to prevent the involvement of the larger segment of the intestine. 



Secondly, the early administration of some mild laxative, pre- 

 ferably sodium sulphate or magnesium sulphate, preceded by 

 fractional doses of calomel in order to diminish the presence 

 of infecting material in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as to 

 get rid of some irritating material that might be present there. 

 The administration of simaruba officinalis combined with some 

 opiate is highly recommended, for it has given us the most 

 satisfactory result in comparison with the use of other drugs. 

 As an adjuvant to this treatment, the judicious use of normal 

 salt solution as an enema, or given in the form of the drop 

 method per rectum in the amount of 1 liter once a day, is some- 

 times very beneficial. 



When the acute stage of the disease has subsided, enemas 

 of hydrogen peroxide in a weak solution (about 25 cubic centi- 

 meters in 500 cubic centimeters of water) once a day are a great 

 help toward prompt recovery. 



The use of ipecac, although strongly recommended by some 

 writers, has not given us universal satisfaction. While some 

 patients are benefited by this drug, there are a great many 

 cases in which the use of ipecac becomes another sort of torment 

 to the sufferer. There are many persons who abhor this drug 

 to such an extent that even the smallest amount of it, though 

 combined with opium, is apt to produce in them marked 

 emesis. We have seen cases that are not even able to tolerate 

 Dover's powder given in almost homeopathic doses. This is the 

 greatest drawback to ipecac, and the deemetinized preparation 

 is almost useless as the active principle of the drug, the emetine, 

 is the one that has some therapeutic action in the treatment 

 of dysentery. The use of astringents and the so-called gastro- 

 intestinal antiseptics we have given up as unsatisfactory. Al- 



