MS\ a a YELLOW FEVER AND ITS TREATMENT BY S. pAjHLEIN, M. D. YELLOW FEVER AND II TREATMENT. NEW AND SUCCESSFUL PLAN STEPHEN P. UHLEIN, M. D. OF STARKE, BRADFORD COUNTY, FLORIDA. Copyright, 1887, by Stephen P. Fheein, M. D. I PALATKA, FLORIDA : PRINTED BY THE NEWS PUBLISHING CO. 1887. ^: G <*<** PREFACE. Having been successful in the treatment of thirty-one cases of pernicious Malarial Fever, or more commonly known by the name of Yellow Fever, that had all the features of the disease, as it prevailed in Jacksonville, Florida, in the months of August, September and October, of L877, I thought proper I should make known to the pro- fession and the public my course and plan of treat- ment used and followed out at that time, believing it to be a humane act, though with some hesitancy, on the ground that some of my medical brethren, who have had experience in the treatment of this disease, may entertain doubt that thirty-one case should have been treated without one death. However, let this be as it may, the facts as above stated are true. Following are the testimonials of two of the thirty-one cases successfully treated in Jackson- ville at that time : In October. 1877, when an epidemic of Yellow Fever prevailed in Jacksonville, myself and wife w T ere attacked with disease. Dr. S. P. Uhlein, who was a practising physician in the city at the time, was called in, and under his skillful treat- ment Ave were soon restored to perfect health. In the same house where we boarded there were three other cases, all of which Dr. Uhlein treated with complete success. During the prevalence of the epidemic he treated to my knowledge from fifty to seventy-five cases of malignant malarial and Yellow Fever, without losing a single patient, while other physicians under different treatment were loosing numbers daily. M. I. Coxe, Palatka, Fla. YELLOW FEVER \M> IT> TREATMENT. It is not my objecl (in the main), in tin's work or treatise on Yellow Fever, to enter into any discus- sion as to the contagiousness or non-contagious- ness of the disease, or as to its cause or supposed cause ; but to present a more rational, definite and successful plan of treatment to the public and profession than lias hitherto been made known by any ^\' our authors on the subject. Yellow Fever is a disease that prevails in warm climates, or Southern latitudes, and originates from a specific cause, malaria] in character, being developed in the highest degree of intensity from decomposition of organic matter. And in corrob- oration of this view, Dr. Hamilton, as quoted by Dr. Roberts (page 239, " Roberts' Practice "), says thai " bellow Fever is the highest development of a group of diseases which appears to be in some way connected with, or dependent on. organic decom- position." The cause of this disease is generated in low marshy places, along the hanks <)( rivers, by insufficient drainage, by decay of tilth <>r veget- able mattei-, under certain degrees of heat or tem- perature, and other circumstances peculiar to Southern latitude-. And when we come to examine into the features of this disease, its nature and character, we can then more readily understand it, and we will then be better prepared to treat it successfully. As we have already mentioned, this disease has a specific cause, as well as most other affections, such as small pox and scarlet fever, typhoid and typhus fevers. The poison in these affections being ab- sorbed into the blood, through the lungs, becomes contaminated or diseased, which has different effects on the system, according to the nature of the poison absorbed. Whatever may be the fea- tures of this poison absorbed, whether in the shape of parasites or spores, it is evident that its force is first spent primarily on the blood — secondarily, on the liver, portal circulation and the nervous system. Some of the most prominent symptoms first ob- served is a peculiar cold sensation along the spine, coldness of the extremities, chilly sensations, se- vere headache, stiffness of the neck, pain in the back and limbs, accompanied in some cases with jerking of the muscles of the lower extremities, and sometimes coma and unconsciousness ; also a sensation of weight in the epigastric region, with nausea and tendency to vomiting. And when vomiting does occur in malignant and violent cases, its appearance is of a dark color. Nothing but a poison extremely virulent in its nature generated to its highest intensity, could produce symptoms of such a grave character as those al- ready mentioned. The poison so absorbed into the system generates a diseased state of the blood. The peculiar poison that develops typhoid, or gastro-enteric. fever — the lesion is found in ulcer- n of pi gland and irrital ion of I he tntf- cus membrane of the Btomach and intestinal canal. Thai poison thai develops cerebro spinal meningitis the force of the disease is spenl on the membranes of the brain and spinal cord. The poi Bon peculiar to small pox in thai disease its de velopmenl is upon the skin. So in scarlel fever and all other eruptive diseases the poison peculiar to each one develops its own symptoms. So with Yellow Fever having a specific <>r peculiar poison of its own, it develops a diseased or congested con- dition of the liver, portal circulation, gastric veins, and more or less disturbance of the brain and spinal cord, affecting it in a more or less degree in a certain manner. The natural tendency in all malarial affections, and almost all other diseases in warm climates, i> to develop congestion in one or more organs of the body. And this is particularly true in a marked o kept over the region of the Btomach so long as there is any tendency to nan or vomiting, and also over the whole Length of the Bpine as long as there is any sensation of coldn< The blister, recommended to be applied over the sixth cervical vertebra, which is situated or Located just above the first dorsal or prominence between the shoulders, on the lower pari of the back of the neck, is calculated to aid in removing the c<»ld sensation along the spine and congestion, by arousing the splanich nerves. In the course of one or two days, or as soon as the bowels have been thoroughly acted upon, and the secretions of the liver have been started, a tonic should be commenced in the shape of cincho- nidia orquinine. If cinchonidia is used, about two grains should be given at a dose once in four hours. If quinine, but one grain, at the same intervals. Calomel, although recommended by some authors in large doses, should be avoided or dis- carded, as it has a deleterious effect on the blood by destroying its fibrin, thereby aiding in pro- ducing its disorganization, which, in our treat- ment we are endeavoring to prevent. A good pill to use in the first stages of the dis- ease, for the cathartic, is verthapsus, aloine and extract of traxicum. Say, verthapsus, 6 grains; aloine (not crude aloes), one-half of a grain ; ex- tract of traxicum, 12 grains ; well mixed and made into twenty-four pills, each pill containing one- fourth of a grain of verthapsus, one forty-eighth 12 of a grain of aloine, and one-half a grain of traxi- cum. ( toe pill is to be given every six hours until the bowels have been freely acted upon. After the free action of the bowels has been obtained, then one pill night and morning will be sufficient to keep the bowels open : if not, take 1 oftener. A free action of the bowels does not weaken as it does in many other diseases, for the patient gen- erally feels stronger and better after an action. But if there is hemorrhage from the bowels, as it sometimes occurs in the latter stages of the dis- ease, one pill at night will be sufficient, and de- pend upon the antidote mixture, given quite free- ly, for the control of the bloody discharges. That is the result of disorganization in the latter stages, as is also the black vomit ; but the black vomit in the first stages is from congestion. ( )piates should be avoided in any form (especially in the first stages) because they serve to check the secretions of the liver and bowels, as well as pro- duce and increase the congestion and irritation of the brain. If any medicine is required to produce sleep, bromides are best — say bromide of potassium in doses of fifteen to twenty grains each. Stimulants may be useful in the latter stages of the disease, after the secretions are fully started, but in the first stages, it being necessary to give the antidote mixture in such large doses, it seems to serve as sufficient stimulant without the aid of any other, the skin becoming moist soon after it is taken, and a peculiar sense of stimulation is felt all over the body and its extremities. YELLOWNESS OF THE SKIN. To remove the yellowness of the skin that is a usual concomitant of this disease, the following mixture has proved successful : Bi-Chloride of Mercury (1) One Grain. Sulphate of Strychnia (1) One Grain. Alcohol (2) Drams, or i oz. Water (4) Four Ounces. Well Mixed. Dose. One teaspoonful every six hours, to be taken after meals. This medicine antidote mixture is a propha lactic, and is not only good ;is a cure for Yellow Fever, bul is a good prophalactic or preventative to the disease. Wherever I had a patienl in a family I always recommended thai other member <>f the family or household should take about one tablespoonful of the antidote mixture once or twice a day, as a preventative. It is also one of I he besl of remedies in the cure and prevention of \\'\. or neutral- izer of, the Yellow Fever Poison. 14 Yellow Fever Antidote, or Neutralizer. Anti Parasitic (5) Five Drams Reparin (2) Two Scruples. Comp. Tr. Cinnamon (1) One Drain. Saccnarine Alba (1) One Ounce, Warm Water (1) One Pint, Mix. Dose. — In case of Yellow Fever ; to com- mence with, four ounces, or about one teacupful. should be given in one draught. After four hours, three tablespoonfuls should be given every two hours (in connection with other remedies used), till after the third day : then to be given every four or six hours, in two-tablespoonful doses, ac- cording to the condition of the patient, through the course of the disease. One-half doses to children ten to twelve years of age, smaller children in proportion. The antidote is also useful as a prophylactic, to prevent the disease, and also in the prevention and treatment of other low forms of fever, whether there is hemorrhage or not, as well as in dys- entary ; but in these affections, the dose required is not so large, say one table spoonful every four hours, or six hours, except in dysentary, then the dose should be one table spoonful every two hours. The next important prescription or formula? — which is to be given in connection with the anti- dote mixture — is the following: Verthapsus (0) Six Grains. Aloine (not crude Aloes) . . . (-*) One-half Grain. Extract of Traxicum (12) Grains. Mix. Made into 24 Pills. Dose. — One pill every six hours for adults, chil- dren, one-third to one-half a pill, until the bowels are acted upon freely — after that give enough to keep bowels open, one pill at night — one night and morning if necessary to keep bowels open. This pill is good in the commencement of all billious affections, as well as in Yellow Fever, to break up the disease. Given in about the same dose and fre- quency as in Yellow Fever. 18 The n