138 
THE EPIDEMIC OF 183G. 
it while in a healthy state ; for the removal of the carbonic acid 
by means of the oxygen did not produce any change in its colour, 
until a portion of neutral salt was mixed with it. 
I then commenced the practice of administering some of these 
salts, the carbonate of soda and nitrate of potash, combined with 
digitalis, and sometimes minute doses of aloes at the commence- 
ment of the attack, and continued to do so as long as the pulse 
indicated febrile excitement. When the fever was reduced, I 
gave the carbonate of soda in combination with some vegetable 
bitters, such as gentian and calumba. In some instances I have 
been under the necessity of#abstracting blood ; but this practice 
I have always avoided if possible. 
A very common symptom that made its appearance in most 
cases that came under my notice was, a difficulty of deglutition. 
My practice has always been to apply a strong blister to the throat. 
I found, likewise, great benefit from causing my patients to inhale 
the vapour of boiling water oftentimes during the day. 
The reader will perceive that I have not recommended the neu- 
tral salts as a specific, inasmuch as I do not neglect to employ 
other methods of cure at the same time. Of this we are certain, 
that the remedy I recommend is a very simple one, and cannot 
possibly do any harm ; and of its efficacy as a means in restoring 
the healthy stimuli to the heart, when the blood is much vitiated, 
I am certain : and I have proved it in a great many instances, 
that the blood loses its saline properties in influenza, by the test 
of experiment. 
Now, when we look to influenza as a disease of the solids, we 
are constantly at a loss to understand the symptoms ; but when 
we consider it as a disease of the blood, almost all the pheno- 
mena explain themselves. 
I was particularly struck with a question put by Mr. E. Braby 
at the meeting of the Association to the President, Mr. Sewell : 
“ What was the disease at the first stage ?” “ It was a constitu- 
tional disturbance that increased the action of the heart, but pro- 
duced more general irritability than inflammation . ” I per- 
fectly agree in this answer — that it was not an inflammation, 
for common inflammation was chiefly confined to the vessels 
themselves, whilst in this malady there is not only a morbid ac- 
tion of the bloodvessels, but the blood itself was diseased. It is 
now no longer a healthy stimulus — hence the constitutional dis- 
turbance and the general irritability observed in the first stage of 
the complaint, so commonly followed by extreme weakness; and 
hence the irregularity in the action of the heart, and the great 
variation from the healthy temperature. 
In simple inflammatory diseases, when we reduce the increased 
