13.07.2015 Views

History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

134 <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> Medical Practice <strong>in</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>oisEven dur<strong>in</strong>g those days, strong articles appeared from time tothe press <strong>in</strong> opposition to vivisection <strong>of</strong> animals.time <strong>in</strong>Dr. C. W. Purdy <strong>of</strong> Chicago made a plea for cremation on the basis <strong>of</strong>economic advantage and the absence <strong>of</strong> danger from disease.Dr. Charles Warr<strong>in</strong>gton Earle <strong>of</strong> Chicago (<strong>of</strong> the Wash<strong>in</strong>gtonian Homewhich still operates) spoke on "The Etiology and Treatment <strong>of</strong> Inebriety."Chicago aga<strong>in</strong> was hav<strong>in</strong>g a serious epidemic <strong>of</strong> smallpox: 2997 cases reportedwith 1 180 deaths.1882The Committee on Medical Practice reported that because <strong>of</strong> the severeepidemic <strong>of</strong> smallpox <strong>in</strong> Chicago dur<strong>in</strong>g the previous year, vacc<strong>in</strong>ationwas ordered for all public school children throughout the state. The reaction<strong>of</strong> public and press was reported to complications <strong>of</strong> vacc<strong>in</strong>ia fromthe use <strong>of</strong> bov<strong>in</strong>e virus. There was much discussion <strong>of</strong> the type and quality<strong>of</strong> the virus.The Committee also reported the unsuccessful, although not altogetherfruitless, search for the supposed malaria germ. Bacillus malaria and parasiteswere suspected. It was po<strong>in</strong>ted out that Laveran's bodies were pigmentedand variable. The old argument as to typhomalaria cont<strong>in</strong>ued: isit typhoid complicated with malaria or vice versa, or are they totally separatediseases, rarely occurr<strong>in</strong>g together?That the Committee was devot<strong>in</strong>g attention to unusual diseases andvariants is shown by the queries: Is croupous pneumonia a local <strong>in</strong>flammationor a general zymotic disease? What is the modus operandi <strong>of</strong> antipyreticdrugs? What is their therapeutic value <strong>in</strong> fevers?The smallpox epidemic was still rag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Chicago; 3611 cases werereported, with 1292 deaths.1883Drs. N. S. Davis, J.H. Hollister, David Pr<strong>in</strong>ce, E. P. Cook and EphraimIngals still advocated bleed<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the first stage <strong>of</strong> pneumonia.Dr. Davis argued aga<strong>in</strong>st the tubercle bacillus as be<strong>in</strong>g the cause <strong>of</strong>tuberculosis, and <strong>in</strong> this regard he def<strong>in</strong>itely opposed Drs. H. Gradle andWilliam Belfield.Also, Dr. Davis raised the question whether <strong>in</strong>ternal remedies couldaffect organisms <strong>in</strong> the liv<strong>in</strong>g body, and he presented new methods <strong>of</strong> adm<strong>in</strong>ister<strong>in</strong>gmedic<strong>in</strong>es: by hypodermic and epidermic <strong>in</strong>jection either forthe use <strong>of</strong> a s<strong>in</strong>gle remedy or for small doses frequently repeated.The Committee on Medical Practice stated that aconite was the bests<strong>in</strong>gle known remedy, but they also favored veratrum viride, gelsim<strong>in</strong>e,ipecac, belladonna, bromides, pilocarp<strong>in</strong>e, podophyll<strong>in</strong>, calcium, and evensome others. The Committee stated its op<strong>in</strong>ion that the new issue <strong>of</strong> thePharmacopoeia was a great improvement over former issues.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!