Issue 10, pp. 753-832, October 1861, SMSJ

—786 Joseph Jones, on the Indigenous [October,Testimony of M. Fleury to the value of Cold, Douches in thetreatment of Intermittent iever.—M. Fleury in his memoiron this subject presented to the>French Academy states thatlie was led to these researches by the assertionof Dr. Curric,that the accessions of ague might be prevented by theaffusion of cold water, and that by its repetition four or fivetimes, the disease might be entirely cured. M. Fleury hasemployed this means one or two hours before the expectedparoxysm in the form of a general douche, and in that ofa local one to the region of the spleen.The ends attained by the above plan he believes to be1 . A shock exerted on the nervous system, and on the genoralcapillary circulation. 2. The opposing of a vigorousreaction and general stimulation of the surface to the coldstage of the fever. 3. A modification of the circulation ofthe spleen, combating congestion of that organ. lie haspursued this treatment in eleven cases of intermittent fever.1 1\ seven of them the disease was recent, and there hadbeen but from three to seventeen paroxysms ;quinine hadnot been administered in any one.In two cases the spleenpreserved its normal size ; in five it was enlarged—a curewas effected in all. In one a single douche sufficed to cutshort the fever. In two others, two affusions were necessaryto do so, and to restore to the spleen its natural dimensions.In the remaining four, affusion was practicedthree times.I n those patients where two of three douches were used,the effects produced were constantly the same. By the firsta] (plication the accession was retarded two or three hours,the rigors loss violent, and shorter by one-half or five-sixthsthe time, the heat and headache were equally lessened, andthe total duration of the lit was diminished at least one-half.Age and the type of the fever did not exercise any appreciableinfluence over the effects of the treatment.Where, however, the volume of the spleen was larger, thetime required for the cure was augmented. Four patientshad Buffered from the disease for from two to eleven months,