462 
ON  THE  HYPOPHOSPHITES. 
abstinence  from  acidulous  food,  indirectly  favors  the  emulsion 
of  the  fats  in  the  intestinal  canal.  6.  The  use  of  sour  food  is 
to  be  forbidden  to  marasmatic  patients,  and  the  reconvalescent, 
because  the  acids  prevent  the  emulsion  of  fats  necessary  for 
nutrition.  7.  During  the  use  of  cod-liver  oil,  acids  must  be 
avoided.  8.  Oily  catharics  should  be  acidulated.  9.  Oil  is  as 
general  a  solvent  as  water.  It  dissolves  all  substances  necessary 
to  the  formation  of  organic  matter,  a  large  number  of  metallic 
oxides  ;  it  combines  (not  chemically)  with  the  excess  of  a  base 
in  alkaline  salts,  and  dissolves  stearates  and  oleostearates  with 
mineral  or  organic  bases.  10.  Metallic  oils  thus  formed,  and 
yielding  in  a  fluid  state  the  most  powerful  remedial  agents,  are 
nearly,  or  entirely  tasteless,  and  do  not  irritate  the  tissues ;  the 
metallic  and  organic  bases  cannot  be  detected  by  the  ordinary 
reagents.  11.  Stearates  and  oleostearates,  easily  soluble  in  oil, 
tasteless,  and  readily  assimilated,  are  prepared  without  diffi- 
culty. The  bases  are  either  directly  dissolved  in  the  fatty 
substances  ;  or  they  are  gained  by  decomposition  of  their  soluble 
salts  with  solutions  of  soap.  12.  In  cases  of  poisoning,  atten- 
tion must  be  paid  to  the  fact  that  oil  dissolves  oxides  and 
carbonates. — Medical  and  Surgical  Reporter,  July,  1858. 
ON  THE  HYPOPHOSPHITES. 
To  the  Editor  of  the  Medical  Circular. 
Sir, — In  reply  to  the  inquiry  of  your  Correspondent,  "  Dr. 
W.  J.,"  I  beg  to  inform  your  readers  that  the  dose  of  the  hypo- 
phosphites  which  I  have  found  the  most  manageable  is  ten  grains 
at  first,  increasing  it  gradually  up  to  one  scruple  daily.  This 
quantity  I  seldom  exceed,  though  in  some  cases  I  have  used 
larger  doses  with  benefit.  Children,  under  four  years  of  age, 
can  seldom  take  more  than  from  one-fifth  to  two-fifths  of  a  grain 
daily.  In  all  cases,  however,  with  this  as  with  any  other  remedy, 
the  physician  must  watch  its  effects  upon  the  system,  which  vary 
with  the  idiosyncrasy  of  the  individual.  To  be  used  with  effect 
the  hypophosphites  must  be  perfectly  pure;  otherwise  they  may, 
in  some  cases,  appear  altogether  inert  or  even  injurious.  In  five 
cases  out  of  six  the  salts  usually  sold  pure  in  Paris,  under  the 
name  of  hypophosphites,  are  totally  unfit  for  medical  use.    I  am 
