Vol. 60, 1909 - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

412 THE CHARLOTTE MEDIOAL JOURNAL
a medical practitioner on behalf of a
ents of his who suffers at such times
pati- courage" by means of alcoholic stimulant.
from — British Med. Jour,
"extreme nervousness and an all 'gone'
feeling accompanied by palpitation"— in
short, from the symptoms of speech fright,
The question is, can medical art give
Complications ot Scarlet Fever.— Gor-
don London Practitioner, says that in the
accompaying nephritis the renal tubules
relief in such a case? In the particul- are nut as a rule disease, but are merely
ar case referred to, the administration of pressed upon by the intestinal infiltration
20 grains of potassium bromide an hour the natural tendency is to complete rebefore
the dreaded moment has not been covery. We. give these organs as little
of much use. Our correspondent asks if work to do as possible; diuretics, or renal
a small hypodermic injection of morphine stimulation of any kind is harmful. We
not sufficient to cause drowsiness, would encourage action of the skin by hot packs
do good. We have no experience of this '>i' hot baths, but when the electric current
treatment, but it is within our knowledge from the main is available, free perspiratithat
the great actress who has been men- on is well induced by placing a cradle covtioned
was enabled to face the trying ordeal ered with hot blankets around the patient;
of the first night by means of 7 drops of to the top rail of this cradle several incandlaudanum.
She learned to rely confident- escent lamps are attached, and the current
ly on this medicine, which never failed of is turned on. Upon diaphoresis being
its effects. As the drug was given only on established, this cradle is withdrawn and
these special occasions she never contracted the hot blankets themselves envelop the
the opium habit. Years after learning patient, by which means the risk of exempirically
this method of preventing stage posure to cold is diminished,
fright, we read that John Hunter, who dis- The bowels are kept open by means of
liked public speaking, never gave the salines; coma, with suppressed urine, refirst
lecture of his course without nerving quires venesection and subsequent intravhimself
for the trial by taking 30 drops of enous saline solution. Dry or wet cupping
laudanum; this gave him courage to face may be employed, but these are likely to
his audience. We think it likely that lau- be useless. Uremic convulsions are rare
danum is used as a preventive of stage in children; they are not often alarming;
fright more frequently than might be sup- they mav conveniently be allayed by chlorposed.
Lord Erskine, the celebrated advo- oform inhalation, followed by chloral hydcare,
who suddenly appeared in the course rate per rectum. Diaphoresis is here again
of the trial of Queen Caroline, disconcerted essential, we avoid pilocarpine especially
the prosecuting counsel, for a great speech in children, by reason of its uncertain actwas
naturally expected; after saying a few ion. Albuminura does not usually require
words, however he fell into the arms of special treatment; it does not require con-
Lord Stanhope, who was sitting next to finement or prolonged milk die; the albumhim.
As Erskine was an old man at the in is likely to diseappear when such patitime,
it was thought that the strain and the ents are fed in an ordinary way and are
excitement had proved too much for him. allowed to get up; the microscope will at
The truth, however, appears to be that he once determine whether the albumin indihad
drugged himself for the effort with cates a lesion or is merely symptomatic,
opium, and had taken an overdose. Our Scarlatinal endocarditis decidedly requirreaders
do not need to be told that this es attention; rest in bed for the milder
method of conjuring away speech fright forms, with little alteration in the puls-rate
must be used with the strictest precautions rhythm or tension; the graver cases are no
against abuse.
We have seen it stated that an American
doubt rheumatic in origin and require the
salicylates with alkalies- The cervical adprofession
was in the habit of giving 10 enitis of convalescence usually presages
drops of fluid extract of gelsemium three nephritis, the urine being frequently found
times a day to students about to offer themselves
as a sacrifice to examiners; the effect
to contain blood and albumin two da3's later
We avoid formentaions, but if the neck is
is said to have been that "all feeling of painful we pack with cotton-wool and
uneasiness was abolished during the or- and bandages firmly. The incision for
deal, and the students were able to tell pus (should this supervenue) should be
just what they knew." This treatment made at the lowest point, and a capillary
would equally well apply to speech fright, dram inserted; it may be necessary to
but we cannot testify to its efficacy from scrape thoughly the abscess cavity, followpersonal
knowledge. As it is, harmless, ing this with a packing of dry antiseptic
however, it might be given a trial. The gauze. In hospital practice we separate
very worst method of preparing oneself to the convalescent from the acute cases by
speak in public is the arousing of "Dutch transference to another ward after the