URINE
Urine increased in quantity, and of a lighter color.
UTERUS.
Clinical Remarks.- In uterine haemorrhages the application of cold Vinegar and water to the pubes is not only agreeable, but tends considerably to arrest the discharge of blood.- J.C.P.
LARYNX, TRACHEA, AND CHEST.
Irritation of the windpipe and chest; dry cough, attended with oppressed respiration, succeeded by a moist cough with fever, increased difficulty of breathing, emaciation, night-sweats, oedema of the feet and legs, diarrhoea, and death. Deposition of diphtheritic false membrane. True croup. Klusemann reports three cases of haemoptysis caused by the use of Acetic-acid in from one of four weeks.
Clinical Remarks-Vinegar, much diluted with water, has often checked night-sweats, bronchial haemorrhages, and diarrhoea from hectic fever. Kopperstaetter, Oettinger, and others, have cured several a cases of hydrothorax by the use of Vinegar, in from two to six weeks.
In phthisis, the value of the external application of diluted Vinegar to the chest and upper part of the body, in allaying the profuse perspirations, is well known, it is a measure attended with salutary effects, and is of great comfort to the patient. The mixture employed by Sir C. Scudamore for this purpose is composed of one pit of Vinegar, one of Cologne warm and two of water. Alcohol or spirits and water is often more useful than Vinegar. Dr. Roberts strongly advocates both the internal and externals of Vinegar for choking the hectic and night-sweats, restraining haemoptysis, and producing costiveness. As a preventive of Phthisis, Dr. Graves speaks favorably of washing the chest with Vinegar and water, beginning with it tepid, and reducing the temperature gradually until it can be used cold.
In haemoptysis, the internal and external use of Vinegar was highly esteemed by the ancients; Caelius Aurelianus Avicenna, and Rhases are among its chief advocates.
In asthenia and angina pectoris, it is of great importance to diminish the susceptibility of the patient to cold; one of the most effectual means of effecting this is to bathe the chest with vinegar and water., It is measure frequent with benefit also to those who are liable to continual catarrhal attacks-J.C.P.
BREASTS.
Clinical Remarks. To milk or mammary abscesses, the application of warm Vinegar is stated, by Dr. Dewees, to be so successful, in the early stage of he disease, that we need not in generally look for any other remedy. It is, he state, s particularly useful when the breasts are greatly and painfully distended with milk; it should be perseveringly employed for twenty-four hours. This testimony in favor of its is very strong.
UPPER EXTREMITIES.
Diminished muscular power of the arms and hands; paralytic sensation in the wrists and hands; coldness and prickling in the hands.
LOWER EXTREMITIES.
OEdematous swelling of the feet and legs; Impaired muscular power of the legs; diminished sensibility of the feet; coldness of the feet.
Fever.
Hectic fever, with emaciation, cough, night-sweats, diarrhoea, dyspnoea, and dropsical swelling of the feet and legs; typhus fever, with violent delirium, diarrhoea, pain in the abdomen, rumbling in the gastric region; also typhus with stupor, tympanitic abdomen, and obstinate constipation.
Skin.
Skin pale and waxen; general anasarca; diminished sensibility of the surface of the body; temperature of the skin below the natural standard.
In scarlatina, dilute Acetic-acid, internally, has been strong recommended by Dr. Isaac Brown. He considers that it is more efficacious than any other treatment, and that it tends to prevent the occurrence of dropsy. Dr. Webster relates four cases, in which it appeared to him conclusive that sponging the body of the patient prevented the spread of the diseases beyond the original patient-J.C.P.
In Psoriasis, Dr. Cummin states that his trials with strong Acetic acid have been highly satisfactory;the diseased cuticle separating in flakes, and a new surface being exposed, of a much more healthy character. the application of the acid is hot and painful, especially when there is excoriations and fissures; but these should be protected by Glycerine, or simple create. The acid requires, in most cases, to be repeated two or three times. In obstinate cases of lepra, much benefit has been derived from the use of baths acidulated with Acetic-acid-J.C.P.
Naevus Maternus.
Dr. Behrend, of Berlin, advises, in the case of the small flat
naevi, the application of strong Acetic-acid; under this treatment he blood is made to coagulate in its vessels, the naevus becomes hard and yellow, and is thrown off in the form of the parchment-like lawyer. In obstinate causes, the Muriatic Tincture of Iron, or a slight application of strong Nitric-acid may be used.
Warts and moles
May be removed effectually by the application of the strong acid. The warts should be first carefully parted down, and the acid should then be applied with a camel’s hair brush. Large miles may be touched lightly with strong Nitric-acid, a wet rag may be applied at once to prevent the acid from burning too deep, and subsequently the mole may be touched every day or two with Acetic acid. I have found this mode of treatment very successful- J.C.P.
Cancer.
Acetic-acid is the only known agent which dissolves the true cancer cells; it may be used freely, internally and externally.
Burns and Scalds.
Cleghorn, of Edinburgh, recommends the immediate application of Vinegar to the burnt surface, to be continued until the pain abates, and when this returned the application as repeated.
In purpura, whether attended by fever or of a torpid character, Erasmus Wilson advises sponging the body with tepid Vinegar and water.
In hospital gangrene, when of a mild character, Delpech speaks highly of the topical application of Acetic-acid and Vinegar. The ulcerations having been previously cleansed, are to be washed with strong Vinegar, and then covered with charpie, wet with the same liquid. ]If this fails, caustics must be used.
Vinegar in Itch.
Professor Le Coeur, of Caen, recommends for the cure of itch, forcible frictions of the parts affected with a hard sponge, in good Vinegar, thrice daily, so as to penetrate the skin and rupture the vesicles. He has tried this treatment with the most complete success in ten cases, the average length of the treatment being less than five days. He thinks this treatment preferable to mall others, on account of its speedy action, it inexpensive nature, its freedom from all unpleasant odors, and its easy application. He suggests that similar results might be obtained by frictions with the mineral acids, diluted with water.
GENERAL SYMPTOMS.
Febrile symptoms accompanying typhus; hectic fever; dropsical affections arising from loss of blood, diarrhoea, or functional derangements;l haemorrhages from the nose, lungs, and stomach; local eruptions, of an itching and burning character; determination of blood to the head, with delirium, convulsive movements, and severe pains in the head.
PATHOLOGY.
Concentrated Acetic-acid acts as a caustic poison to dogs. It causes blackening of the mucous lining of the stomach, analogous to that produced by Sulphuric-acid. Four or five ounces of common Vinegar proved fatal tom dogs in ten or fifteen minutes, when the oesophagus was tied to prevent vomiting. Injected into the blood, it does not appear to act energetically. Its chemical influence depends principally on its power of dissolving fibrin, albumen, and gelatine, by which it is enabled tom dissolve many of the animal tissues. On animals, it was noticed that large doses of the impure acid affected the cerebro-spinal system, and caused giddiness, insensibility, paralysis, and convulsions. A very constant effect of it was an affection of the windpipe and lungs,. The acid was detected by its odor in the blood and secretions.
