Remarks on the Use of Piperine. 331 



disease. He then ordered a scruple of piperine, divided into 

 six pills, to be taken in three doses, the last of these doses to 

 be given two hours before the fever, and the two others at 

 intervals of two hours preceding. After the administration 

 of this remedy the paroxysm did not appear ; the patient, who 

 believed himself cured, wished to leave the hospital, notwith- 

 standing the remonstrances of the physician, who assured him 

 he could not calculate yet upon an entire cure. The pa- 

 tient soon repented not having taken counsel, for on his way 

 to the shore, he had a fresh attack of the fever, and was obli- 

 ged to return to the hospital. He again made use of the pi- 

 perine, and having continued it for several days, he went out 

 perfectly cured. 



Third. Joseph Torsi, aged twenty-six years, entered the 

 hospital of St. Antoine, the evening of the sixth of Septem- 

 ber, 1824 ; had been attacked six days before, with a true 

 quotidian fever, and it was the first he had ever experienced. 

 On the morning of the 17th, sixteen grains of piperine were 

 ordered to be divided into eight pills, of which, four should be 

 taken every two hours before the fit : but before the last dose 

 was taken, the fever returned in spite of these means. The 

 piperine was then carried to eighteen grains, to be taken in 

 the same manner — when the fever disappeared : and the use 

 of the remedy being continued for several days, preserved 

 the patient entirely from all symptoms of recidivation. Dr. 

 Orisini, who directed the treatment, was fully convinced of 

 the perfect recovery and cure of the patient, who, having en- 

 tered the hospital three months after, to be treated for peri- 

 pneumonia, assured him that he had had no accession of fever 

 since he left the hospital. 



From these observations, and many others, Mr. Gordoni 

 draws the following conclusions : — 



1. That the piperine will cure intermittent fevers, in the 

 dose of eight or even six grains. 



2. That it will cure fevers which have resisted the sulphate 

 of quinine. 



Finally : That it will prevent a relapse of fever better than 

 that substance. 



M. Meli* has also successfully employed the piperine, and 

 considers it more certain, as a remedy in intermittents, than 

 the sulphate of quinine. 



* Ainslie's Materia Indica, vol. 2. page 622. 



