To the Editors of the
National Intelligencer.
Rose Mount
,
12th July, 1825
Dear. Sirs. If convenient your would oblige me and serve
the cause of humanity, by inserting in the Intelligencer the inclosed [sic]
letter from Dr. W. Baker of Bladensburg, detailing an entire new treatment of
that horrible and fatal disease , the Dysentery.
The
Doctor so far has been completely successful.
The cases in Mrs. G's family were of the most violent character, and, in
order that this original mode of treatment may be generally known and tested by
others, I have taken the liberty of asking of you the publication of his
letter.
 |
Maryland Governor Joseph Kent of Rosemount,
Prince George's County/
Image from
Maryland State Archives via Wikipedia
|
Very
respectfully, your friend and servant,
JOS.
KENT.
Messrs. Gales and
Seaton, Washington.
Bladensburg, July 10,
1825
To the Honorable Joseph Kent, M. D.
Dear Sir: The heat of the weather in the latter part of last month,
has already brought about a number of cases of Dysentery, which is unusually
early for the appearance of this disease.
It is more apt, as you know, to appear in autumn, or the last summer
month, and more particularly after dry and sultry weather. If I do not mistake you are well acquainted
with this horrid disorder, having been remarkable for your successful treatment
of it, as I recollect often to have heard some years ago when you were actively
engaged in the practice of Medicine. Few
disease have led to a greater contrariety
of practice than this, in every instance I presume founded upon opposite
theories as to the remote and proximate causes.
It must be viewed, however, as a remarkable fact, that, in those
particular instances and seasons of the year that dispose the system to bilious
disorders, dysenteries are apt to to
[sic] ensue; and it is quite likely that the remote causes of both complaints
are the same. It is certain, however,
that in most cases of dysentery, which have fallen under my observation, a
considerable degree of hepatic derangement
has been very evident, and the functions of that important viscus the liver
morbidly affected. But whatever idea may
be entertained of the remote or proximate causes of the dysentery, one thing is
very certain, that the villous coat of the large intestines, is in a state of
considerable inflammation, attended with fever, and all the well known
distressing train of symptoms that take place from obstinate constriction.
Most
practitioners discern two stages of the disease: in the early stage I have
generally used the lancet with the best effect, together with free and copious
purging, for which purpose I have found nothing to compete with calomel,
together with antimonial [sic]diaphoretics.
Viewing dysentery as presenting an inflamed state of the lower
intestines, I have been led to adopt a practice predicated upon that view,
which, although novel in a great degree, has been attended in every instance
with the most certain success. I use very COLD WATER, (rendered so even by ice)
thrown up the bowels in form of an enema, every half hour. This course, in some instances, I have
directed to be continued for twenty hours or more without intermission. The effect has more than equalled [sic] my
expectations. Every distressing symptom
is speedily alleviated, the tenesmus subsides, the fever abates, and the
dejections assume a better aspect. I
would not be understood as depending upon this remedy alone, but as part of the
plan of cure it has proved of infinite advantage in every instance where I have
employed it. The practice appears to me
to be sanctioned by the soundest reason; for, if the gut be topically affected
with heat and inflammation, what, let me ask, can be more likely to allay that
inflammation than bathing the inflamed coats of the intestine with cold
water? We use it to inflamed eyes and
other parts, then, why not the bowels?
Nor has cold water, thus applied to the lower intestines, at any time
forbid me the use of all the other remedies commonly employed. I bleed, I give calomel with other purges, I
use diaphoretics, the warm bath, or whatever the particular symptoms may at the
moment call for, without any interruption to the injections of cold water. And here I must just stop to remark, how
often have I witnessed in the course of my professional career, the sufferings
from thirst in ardent fevers; when the unhappy patient, parched with heat and
drought, would give a kingdom if he owned it, for a draught of cold water. This, by many too fastidious physicians, is
cruelly denied him, for what good reason I know not, and warm insipid teas, at
which his stomach revolts, urged in its stead.
In a
course of twenty years practice, I can assure you, sir, I have never, in any
instance, seen injury from an indulgence in cold water under such
circumstances; on the contrary, the good effects of it have often been
strikingly apparent, and I always allow it, unless, indeed, some medicine may
have been taken which might forbid drinking it for the time. It is to be hoped, that the day is not
distant, when old dogmas, medical as well as political, will yield to the good
sense of mankind, when reason shall stand forth disenthralled from the fetters
of old prejudices and habits. But to
return. I am very much inclined to think
that too much dependence in dysentery is often placed upon opium, and that it
is generally retorted to too early in the disease. The temporary ease it procures is delusive,
while the inflammatory diathesis is heightened by its stimulating as well as
its costive influence. Sydenham seems to
have regarded it merely as a tranquilizer; for he expressly says, "
Ut scilicet symptomatum ferociam debellaret,
atque inducias impetraret, dum cum humore peccanie exterminando ipsi res esset."
He would hold, by means of opium, a sort of
truce with the disorder until he could resume more potent remedies.
The idea
of using cold water in dysentery first occurred to me in the summer of
1823. I directed its use, with ice, in
the case of an interesting little boy, the grandson of Mr. Davis, formerly inn
keeper in Washington. The child was
extremely ill, and I almost despaired of him, but he recovered. I have prescribed it since with undeviating success
in many cases, in conjunction with other remedies. Very recently, I have given it a perfect
trial in the family of Mrs. Gantt, of your neighborhood, whose little sons were
dangerously ill with this disease, but which has happily yielded to the
remedies employed. It has seldom,
however, fallen to the lot of a physician to have his prescriptions and
directions attended to with so much promptitude and punctuality, directed by so
much intelligence and understanding as the lady just mentioned displayed in her
parental attentions to those little boys, who, I am happy to tell you, are now
getting well. It would afford me much
pleasure to receive your sentiments upon the subject towards which I have drawn
your attention. Whatever may tend to
lessen the measure of human misery, will not fail to interest you.
I am
with great respect and esteem, your obedient servant, W. BAKER.
