History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

Internal Medicine 121He posed the question: "Is the disease sui generis not a form of typhus asis claimed by some?" He believed it was definitely not malignant scarletfever but probably due to a special external epidemic caused through aircontact—contagious rather than infectious. His suggested treatment was notspecific and included sedatives, venesection, cold applications, belladonna,opium, quinine, aconite, veratrum, strychnine, and alteratives such asiodides, bromides, potassium, emetics, purgatives and others.Dr. William H. Veatch, Pawnee, discussed a disease which had beenepidemic from 1864 to 1865 and implied a "double character" to the conditionwhich he felt probably to be typhoid but with some few cases complicatedwith malaria (typhoid-malaria). He decried the use of calomel,emetics and powerful diuretics but had good results with rest, opium,hyoscyamus, fluids and enemata.Dr. N. Wright, Chatham, read an informal essay on cholera, which heconsidered to be of miasmatic origin. Dr. D. B. Trimble, Chicago, raisedthe question as to whether it was transmissible and whether quarantinewas necessary.Dr. J.H. Hollister, Chicago, gave a lengthy report on "Bromine and itsCompounds," including pharmacology, forms of administration and physiologiceffect of sedation. He considered its chief use to be in functionalrather than in organic disease, but stated that it was valuable in whoopingcough, frequency of urination, epilepsy and tetanus.Dr. Ira Hatch described ammonium bromide and itsvalue in allayingirritation and procurement of sleep.The Northwestern Medical and Surgical Journal published an importantarticle by Dr. E. C. Seguin, New York, on "The Use of the Thermometer inClinical Medicine as a Means of Diagnosis and Prognosis."Of the 1581 cases of cholera reported in Chicago there were 970 deaths.1867There was a heated debate among the physicians attending the annualmeeting of the State Society on the advisability of eating fresh fruit duringthe season when cholera was prevalent. The final decision was that "moderateuse of ripe fruit taken at ordinary meals is not objectionable." Thecholera epidemic which had swept through the city of Chicago lasted fromJuly to November, 1866, with the following incidence:J ul Y>August 215September 268October 1082November 15Total cases 1581