The

Southern Botanic Journal.

VOL. II.]

"Great names may give splendor to error, but cannot transform it into truth."-ROBINSON.

CHARLESTON, S. C., AUG. 4, 1838.

The singular manner in which persons were affected who had been bitten by the Tarantula, (a large ground Black Spider,) appearing first in Apulia, in Italy, taking its name from the City of Tarentum, on the River Thara, in Apulia, is mentioned by the learned Nicholas Perotti, born 1430, written In "latinæ linguæ," 1480.

Who ever wishes to see how extraordinary this disease was in the 14th and 15th century, will find it recorded by the most excellent and learned Professor, J. F. C. Hecker, of Berlin, translated by Dr. B. G. Barrington, of London.

[No. 12.

ischuria, watchfulness, lethargy, & death". so that the fear of this dreaded spider was great indeed in all Italy.

In making the above preliminary remarks, my object is two-fold. 1st, to show that the bite of all Spiders should be immediately attended to, more especially in nervous people. 2d, that our large Black Ground Spider, common along the seaboard of Georgia, living in the ground, is very similar, if not identically the same venomous reptile, as the ancient Tarantula of the Romans, its color, size, and habits, being characteristic. Here if disturbed they will rush out furiously from their dens, through small, they are sufficient to do mischief, for they will run up the sleeve or pantaloons, and bite repeatedly, until crushed to death-the only way to escape. Who ever may be called to attend a person bit by a venomous reptile, will see at once how soon the strongest mind becomes overwhelmed with sudden, and overpowering fright. The mind, nerves, strength, all appear to vanish in an instant—“I am dead" is generally the hopeless exclamation of all, either white or black-and without aid in some form, death must, and will follow. Reader, our first effort then should be to cheer up the mind, revive hope, and then to contend with nature, against a deadly poison, actually introdu ced into the human system before you were called.

There are a great number of remedies Those who were bitten, "says Perotti, for the bites of venomous reptiles, probaAetius, Garispontus, Athanasius Kircher, bly not less than 1,000 and 1; and I think and others, fell into a state of melancholy, so much the better. If I was bit myself, and appeared to be stupified, and scarcely should be very glad to make trial of one, in possession of their senses. Others dan- and all, sooner than be made food for ced in madness-others again wept con- worms. My mode of treatment has been stantly. Lividity of the whole body, as very simple. 1st, to cheer up and revive well as of the countenance, difficulty of hope. 2d, external remedies. 3d, interspeech, tremor of the limbs, icy coldness, nal remedies. If the place bit be muscupale urine, depression of the spirits, head-lar, tip of toes or fingers, our first external ache, a flow of tears, nausea, vomiting, sexual excitement, flatulence, syncope;

remedy here is to apply a bottle, phial, or cupping glasses, the former we prefer as a

counter acting power or relevant, half full of hot alcohol, the part being carefully, and deeply scarified. This simple remedy can be applied by any person once seen. It is most powerful, and if done immediately, will cause the poison to be forced back, and pass into the bottle. Where alcohol cannot be had, brandy, gin, or whiskey, applied hot, will answer. This then is our treatment in the first stage of Tarantism, or bites of serpents.

2d stage,

Thomas, Etat 13, bit by a Rattle Snake, cured, and still alive. These cases convince me that the poison of all reptiles, though terrible in the extreme, are, nevertheless, completely within the reach of the medical art, and can be cured 4 out of every 5 cases, provided aid and remedial agents can be had in time, or so long as the individual is able to swallow medicines of a stimulant, diaphoretic, and anti-spasmodic nature, they will, one, and all, be found useful in these cases.

I have heard of many deaths occurring, even on this Island, from the bites of Rattle Snakes-but when I have carefully enquired into the history of the case, I found the treatment was often of a most careless and neglectful manner, and entirely different from a vigorous, and continued mode.

Fine salt rubbed in well to the part bit, is excellent and simple, but it has not powVolatile alkali is also er to effect a cure. very good-but the most safe, and secure, if possible, is to apply the bottle or phial, with heated alcohol directly to the part bit.

The poison having actually passed up to the heart, lungs, brain, and viscera. The unfortunate sufferers agony and misery are now rapid, and almost indescribable. He says at one moment I am in a flame of fire-his blood is all changing. Again, he feels a chill of death, his nerves are all paralysed. The Dr. who attends, should never leave the patient for a moment-my constant aim, and effort, in such a situation, is to bring on a free, and copious perspiration-this must be done, and continued hour by hour, until all the poison is neutralized, and thrown off the vitals upon the surface. Hot bath, steam and vapor bath, blankets dipped in hot water, If any cases should occur hereafter. I and repeated, must not be forgotten. Then will be careful to preserve a note of every follows equal parts of Spirits of Turpen- minute circumstance, and communicate to tine, Hartshorn, "Eau de Luce," Cay-you-and I hope, and would request your enne, Sencka-Snake-Root, Carbonate of Ammonia, and with this have patience, and perseverance. So soon as a free, and copious perspiration can be produced, I have in all cases coming under my care, found that pain, agony, and misery, would diminish, and the mind begin to feel hope, and if carefully persevered in, will finally, in 24 hours, triumph over the poison-sometimes in 10 hours, 12, and 15. But, reader, in cases of poison from bites of venomous reptiles, we must not delay, there is not one moment to be lost. Neither must you hesitate in the quantity of the medicine-do not be timid. Death being actually within, his ravages must be arrested, or time will soon cease with those who are bit either by the ground black Spider, or any of our Southern poisonous serpents. The quantity which I have been compelled to give of Hartshorn and Spirits of Turpentine, to an old man, (Chance, tat 70,) bit by our Georgia Tarantula, was great indeed-he was cured, and is still alive.

Sam, Etat 50, bit by a Rattle Snake, cured, and still alive.

readers, to make a report of all cases which may have passed under their notice—such information will be of the greatest practical usefulness-many persons die annually from the bites of poisonous reptiles in Georgia and Carolina. They are never heard of, and the mode of treatment, and remedies used, die with them. How much better would it be if an honest statement were made, by who so ever attended, be it owner, overseer, or doctor. The world could then judge if the patient dies, was he treated with skill, and judgement. If cured, so much the better-we would be happy to learn the mode of treatment, and the remedies found successful.

During the last summer, August, (1837.) Toney, Etat 35, a slave of mine, was bit by a snake-it occurred in the night-his fright and terror was so great, that he could not tell for certain what kind of serpent. The symptoms of poison following rapidly, he was treated as the others-cured and now alive. Col. Hazzard, nearly about the same time, fishing twelve miles from home, was stung by a catfish, it pierced deep into the palmar portion of the thumb,

causing most excruciating pain and agony -he immediately applied fine salt, rub bing it in well, then his handkerchief soaked in spirits to the whole hand-next morning the pain was all removed, and a cure speedily effected..

No other remedy was within his reach. The stings of catfish, ray, wasp, bees, hornet, scorpion, red ant, small spiders, mosquitoes, sometimes are extremely distressing to Europeans, but they can all be cured by a number of simples, if applied at once. Equal parts of Friar's Balsam, and the best Spirits of Hartshorn, will, in general be sufficient.

In addition to my external remedies for bites of poisonous reptiles, I use in large quantities, before hot bath can be prepared, and after coming out the bath, the following stimulating Liniment, to open the skin, and cause a counteracting absorption, and hasten perspiration so soon as it may be possible,

or

leave it with our readers to judge whether our "temper suits with dispute," whether we have not retreated sufficiently to prove ourselves almost cowardly dispo sed. When we have refused swallowing a dose, another is ready with a serynge charged to administer to us whether we will or no! Without further prelimina ries, we shall enter upon the subject matter at once, and give our views.

1st. Of our duties to our subscribers. 2d. Of the cause we support.

3d. On the grounds that we differ with our contemporaries.

1st of our duties, we have expressed the nature of them in the prospectus of our Journal. We consider the Thomsonian system of practice, a real and beneficial improvement in the healing art; and as there is a great and "uncompromising hostility" to it, and that we consider its extention a blessing to mankind, we feel bound to defend it, and give it, as far as we can, more currency and support, so as to better overcome the opposition, but when we' espouse the cause thus warmly, it is not with a view to sanction mere speculative opinions, mere verbial phrases, but truths, practical and useful truths.

Medicine has always been an intricate and dark subject, continually fluctuating and vascillating with the opinions and notions that prevailed in the world from time to time, and it continues to do so at this period. We shall not here pretend to write a history of medicine, this is foreign to our purpose, but merely examine what our duty is in our present capacity. And first, it may be asked what is the end of medicine? The answer is, to alleviate human sufferings and prolong life, to diminish the great mass of misery and pain to which flesh is heir to. This is what renders the profession of medicine an honorable pursuit. Take from the art, the attribute of healing, and what is it? Nothing, a mere nothing-nay, worse, it is but imposture and robbery. The duty of a physician then is to learn to cure disease in the speediest manner possible, and in the safest way that can be done, and not merely to adopt speculative opinions, and thereon found his practice, and right or wrong, square it by these on all occasions, and let the consequences be what they may. From these premises then, we are led to inquire what are the sources whereby one may acquire the knowledge which will incapa

citate him to exercise the profession? Tolished, it is a subject as deeply involved in

this inquiry, all will respond with a unanimous voice, it is experience, it is upon this alone that we may found our knowdedge, it is here that we must look for the bases, the principles that are afterwards to govern our future labors, and not upon bare speculations, no matter how plausible they may be. Yet, a mere accumulation of experience, or a report of numberless cases of disease, where the symptoms would all be faithfully reported, the remedies given, and the probable results of their administration, would be but a confused mass of rubbish, totally inefficient in a practical point of view: there must be some meth od-some system-to govern the future practice Medicine without a theorywithout a system-would be a monster in the arts, totally unsuited for the human mind." Yet, in forming that theory, we must seek for the premises in experience, and the one must prove the truth of the other. We may form some notions of the living system in a healthy state-we may know, or suppose that we know, what constitute the living principle, and what causes will derange or extinguish it, and what will reinstate health. This is the first step in the acquisition of medical knowledge. The material, or visible parts of our bodies are not life. However, upon this there are numberless theories, because the creator of all has not seen fit to reveal this to his creatures by instinct; while one will have it a direct emanation from the deity -a second, has it a mere "circumstance" -a third, attributes it to a chance-a fourth seeks it in the organization of dead matter-a fifth, has the human machine a galvanic battery-and a sixth, calls life an unknown principle, which has been variously denominated-a seventh, attributes it to the contraction of the muscular fibre-but of all, the most ancient is, that which makes fire, caloric, or heat, the cause of life, this is the opinion of Thomson, and of a few of his adherents. But some who should know better, endeavor to ascribe the whole merit of Samuel Thomson to this discovery, which, in fact, is no discovery at all, and which, he never pretended to advance as such. There is no end to the speculative opinions that have prevailed, and are still prevalent, as regards the nature of the cause of the living phenomena. What the precise nature of this principle is, is by no means estab

in darkness as it ever was, and consequently we have considered that we were in duty bound not to enter upon these obstruse questions any more than we possibly could. Although we have been repeatedly solicited to do so, we have our own views of this matter, and consider it of great importance, but we always looked upon it as foreign to our immediate purpose, because we never considered it as essential to the successful practice of the Thomsonian system for the cure of diseases. Some of our contemporaries being more bold and emperious in their notions, have seen fit to give their own opinions on these matters, advanced them as the oracles of all the Thomsonian family; and here, not being ready to recognize them as such, we have expressed our dissention from them without giving our own ideas of the matter. We have assumed the position, and it has never been disputed, that the living essence was a something, and perhaps that the many phenomena exhibited in the living economy, were the effects of more than one acting cause, without entering upon the speculation on the nature of these causes, and for the sake of convenience we have often denominated them, vital powers, vital principles, life, powers of life, vitality, &c. We never considered that we would be justifiable in going further, bet we felt it a duty not to recognize the speculations of others as truths, when we do not have the proofs of them. Yet we do not condemn them as heterodox, nor charge them with "abandoning their principles," but still look upon them as co-laborers in the same cause with us.

As regards our numerous correspondents, we have taken a different course, as a conductor of a public Journal, we hold that every one has the right, according to our promise, to express his sentiments through our columns, and as they all have appeared under their own colors, we do not hold ourselves responsible for their opinions, when we have been requested to state our views, we have done so with as much perspicuity as we were abfe, always keeping our object in view, viz. to be useful to the majority of our rea ders, and when we considered that our speculations might not prove so to them, however pleasing the task of a discussion might have been to us, we have preferred

cause the bowels are evacuated. These are not the reasons why we disapprove of the use of the above articles and means. It is the plan upon which they are used, and the consequences that follow, which we oppose. The regular practice is based upon the assumption that the powers of life are too great in disease, and that, therefore, they must be diminished, in or der to remove the offending cause; and to obtain the desired object, the above means are used. This we contend is erroneous, and contrary to the laws of nature, and therefore we are opposed to it. The system of Thomson, on the contrary, assumes that disease is a direct diminution of the living power, or vital essence, which he calls heat, and that "heat," being "life," has the power to remove disease if not destroyed, or overpowered by its antagonist, (cold,) disease, which he considers death in its nature. To obtain this end, in the removal of disease, he then directly in ac

declining altogether, and give the victory to our opponent, or refuse to com. ply with the wishes of the inquirers. This course, however, seems to displease our contemporaries, and they are finding fault with us, and with our correspondents, for expressing their own opinions. We have opened our colums to all alike, those that oppose us as well as those that are with us, and when the former have contributed to our pages, we have made it known that they were "no Thomsonians," yet some of our friends rail because one who is not a Thomsonian has reported cases where he used the Jamestown weed! We shall not here pretend to justify the practice, the fact that it proved successful, is a sufficient justification for publishing it. Another one says that this correspondent who uses mercury must be a curious Thomsonianand here is also an objection, now we had already apprised our readers that he was a regular physician, and therefore it was easy to infer that he used mercury some-cordance to his theory, employs such times, but even here, he proves that vegetables were superior, and this experience so far was useful to us, he reports his failure with the "Sampson," and his success with Botanic remedies. Yet, notwithstanding this, we are condemned as “abandoning our principles."

Of the cause that we support.-We have already said that we did not support a mere system of words, but a reform in practical medicine, we are under the solemn conviction that we are engaged in the cause of humanity, and this is our sole aim, viz. to be useful to our fellow man. If we were "seeking the bauble reputation" alone, we would take a very different course from our present one. But as we have already expressed it, we support the system of Thomson, because it is superior in the cure of disease, and not because Dr. Thomson is the author it. If Paraalsus was here, and show us that he had found out a superior way to alleviate human sufferings, we would endeavor to help him in preference to the former. If we were convinced that Fowler's arsenial solution was preferable to No. 6, we would recommend that, and use it in preference to the latter.

In opposing the regular practice, we are not merly against mercury because it is quicksilver-calomel, because it is a combination of mercury and chlorine-bleeding, because blood is lost-purging, be

agents as will arouse the vital energy, and others, to remove from the organic tissue, the morbid matter that would extinguish life, and give the ascendancy to death.

To use cayenne, lobelia, steam, bayberry, is not Thomson's system. Neither is it because these articles sting the mouth and throat, puke, sweat, and coagulate mucus, that we prefer them to mercury, &c. but we prefer them, because they expel disease from the system sooner and better than calomel, bleeding, purging, etc. it is because they are better suited to execute his designs that we use them, but could we find a plan to do it still better, and means to execute that plan, we should give these the preference, and in doing this, we should consider that we do not abandon our principles, but on the contrary, we should feel bound by our principles thus to act. We support the system of Thomson, not because he calls heat life, and cold death-nor because he uses cayenne, lobelia, steam, &c. but because, by his plan, and means to execute it, disease is removed from the system sooner, than when purging, bleeding, salivating, &c. are resorted to-neither do we oppose the old system, because they talk of inflam mation, phlogistic-diathesis, &c. and say that heating remedies are contrary, but because disease and death are often nourished by this notion, and the means used under this system of practice.