The Canadian Medical Review Vol 6 PDF Download

Excerpt from The Canadian Medical Review, Vol. 7: January, 1898 Phthisis And Its Treatment. Phthisis is pre-eminently a wasting disease, and by exalting failing nutrition, cod liver oil being little more than a given food, a great advance was made in therapeutics. It has been found, however, that the oil does not in many cases meet the indications; for not only is nourishment needed, but the digestive power is so reduced that but little use is made of the food taken. Hence a demand both for nutritious material and also for something which will aid food suitable for assimilation. The clinical startingpoint in the history of the greater number of cases of phthisis is malnutrition, and when that is guarded against much is accomplished. After a full trial of the different oils and extracts of malt preparations in both hospital and private practice, I find Maltine most applicable to the largest number of patients, and superior to any remedy of its class. Theoretically we would exect this preparation, which has become pr.ctically officin.l, to be of great value in chronic conditions of waste and malnutrition, especially as exemplified in phthisis. Being rich in diastase, albumiiioids and phosphates according to careful analysis, it aids in digesting farinaceous food, while in itself it is a brain, nerve and muscle producer. In practice this hypothesis is sustained. A female patient in St. Lukes Hospital, aged 35, with phthisis, signs of deposit in left upper lobe, losing flesh for six months, poor appetite and night sweats, was put upon Maltine. Within a few weeks her weight was increa.sed to 121 pounds, she ate well, no night sweats, and the evidences of local disease were much less marked. Another case of phthisis: A gentleman from Alabama, with all the physical signs of phthisis, rapidly losing health and strength. His was the remarkable gain of 10 Vo.from six weeks use of Maltine. Seven pounds increase in as many weeks is the record of a third patient, a lady of 41 years, who had no other medication than the Maltine. In these and other cases the increase in strength and mental vigor was in proportion to the gain in weight. These instances are sufficient for illustration, and are duplicated many times in the experience of physicians everywhere. There is a universal reluctance always to testify to results from medicinal preparations, but when, as in this case, the composition is fully known, and the profession invited to investigate the manner of preparing it, there is no reason why the remedy should not receive general approbation, provided it be worthy. Quarterly Epitome of Practical Medicine and Surgery. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.