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History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

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Internal Medic<strong>in</strong>eligthe illness and <strong>of</strong> the convalescence. ... It is a pleasant disease to lectureabout because <strong>of</strong> its uniformity and requires no modification <strong>of</strong> the usualstandard therapy."3. Editorials on, "Is Camp Fever Typhoid Fever?"; "Malaria—An Enemy<strong>in</strong> the Camps," which emphasized the disease as more dangerous than allthe physical forces that the rebels could br<strong>in</strong>g totroops.bear aga<strong>in</strong>st the loyal4. There was a warn<strong>in</strong>g by Surgeon General W. A. Hammond that the<strong>in</strong>judicious use <strong>of</strong> calomel and tartar emetic was do<strong>in</strong>g much more harmthan good.While there were no statistics published concern<strong>in</strong>g contagious diseases<strong>in</strong> Chicago itself, smallpox and erysipelas were reported prevalent at CampDouglas.l864A Symposium on "Cerebrosp<strong>in</strong>al Men<strong>in</strong>gitis or Spotted Fever (likeTyphus?)" was presented at the annual meet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the State <strong>Society</strong>. Anepidemic <strong>of</strong> fifteen months' duration <strong>in</strong> Morgan County was reported byDr. R. E. McVey <strong>of</strong> Waverly, and Dr. J.Adams Allen <strong>of</strong> Rush MedicalCollege gave a comprehensive report on a personal experience <strong>of</strong> not lessthan 1000 cases. He noted that the prevail<strong>in</strong>g epidemics usually were denom<strong>in</strong>atedas spotted fever; that the first epidemics occurred <strong>in</strong> Michigan<strong>in</strong> 1847, 1848 and 1849, and subsequently <strong>in</strong> five states <strong>in</strong> the Northwest.The Committee on Medical Practice, Dr. N. S. Davis chairman, emphasizedthe cl<strong>in</strong>ical value <strong>of</strong> potassa, particularly <strong>in</strong> paralysis <strong>in</strong> children.Reports were given on blood poison<strong>in</strong>g, although the bacterial naturewas not known. The <strong>in</strong>troduction <strong>of</strong> the use <strong>of</strong> bromides, iodide <strong>of</strong> lime,sulphates <strong>of</strong> soda and lime, and the permanganate <strong>of</strong> potassium was discussed.Many articles appeared <strong>in</strong> the Northwestern Medical and Surgical Journalfrom 1862-64: "Rambles <strong>in</strong> Military Hospitals" by several authors;"Trich<strong>in</strong>iasis <strong>in</strong> Germany"; "The Use <strong>of</strong> Male Fern <strong>in</strong> Tapeworm," "TheTaenicide Properties <strong>of</strong> Pepo (pumpk<strong>in</strong> seed)," and publication <strong>of</strong> a Code<strong>of</strong> Ethics.Severe epidemics <strong>of</strong> smallpox, erysipelas, measles and pneumonia werereported from Chicago.The annual meet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the State <strong>Society</strong> was the occasion <strong>of</strong> anotherpublic address by Dr. N. S. Davis on the "Nature <strong>of</strong> Medical Science andits Relation to the Community." Follow<strong>in</strong>g are some pert<strong>in</strong>ent extracts:"The true nature <strong>of</strong> <strong>medical</strong> science and its relation to the welfare <strong>of</strong> civilizedcommunities is, perhaps, less understood than that <strong>of</strong> any other important department<strong>of</strong> human study. Many seem to regard it as little more than a collection<strong>of</strong> theoretical dogmas <strong>in</strong> regard to the nature <strong>of</strong> diseases and the mode by which

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