Report on the progress of pathology, practical medicine, and therapeutics; for the years 1842-3-4 / By James Risdon Bennettt.

  • Bennett, James Risdon, 1809-1891.
Date:
[1845]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the progress of pathology, practical medicine, and therapeutics; for the years 1842-3-4 / By James Risdon Bennettt. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    which had percolated the soil,) and the action of the summer heat. Decaying vegetables and alluvial soils contain carbon in excess, and are powerful deox¬ idising agents. If a sulphate be brought into contact with them, it will be de¬ composed by the destruction of its acid. Vegetables contain sulphates of lime, soda, potassa, and magnesia. Spring water also usually contains sulphates of lime and magnesia, which Professor Daniel has found are decomposed by decaying leaves. The comparative amount of deleterious gas is determined by the amount of the sulphates, for the requisite changes in which, a certain degree of heat is necessary. Dr. Gardner’s 2d proposition is, “ The character of malarious regions is similar to that of those in which sulphuretted hydrogen is generated.” In support of this he adduces the facts recorded by Messrs. Laird and Oldfield in their account of the Niger Expedition and numerous others of the same kind, many of which are very striking and decisive. He, however, admits that “ it would be premature to state that in every case where bilious fever has been de¬ tected, sulphuretted hydrogen also existed. The catalogue of endemics at¬ tributed to this cause includes a host of ailments, from ague to yellow fever, typhus, and plague itself. There is some mistake here, either the exciting cause varies, or the whole of these diseases are not produced by miasma. Some of these complaints are undoubtedly produced by other causes.” Again, he says, “ in some of the cases adduced in the enumeration of places remarkable for malaria, it is questionable whether the means for generating sulphuretted hy¬ drogen exist.” “ This is the case in all inland positions where it is uncertain that sulphates are found in the waters of the place.” 3d proposition. “ Cer¬ tain agents have been supposed to give activity to the exhalations arising from marshes, called malaria.” Dew being acknowledged to be the vehiclewhich conveys it, watery vapour has been regarded as the noxious matter. M. Boussingault has recently advocated the theory that carburetied hydrogen is the active agent. He detected carbon in the dew of marshes, in the depart¬ ment of Ain, and having ascertained that hydrogen existed in the same situ¬ ations, he concluded that carbon existed as carburetted hydrogen. This gas is undoubtedly produced wherever vegetable matters are undergoing putre¬ faction; but, remarks Dr. Gardner, “the conditions which increase the un¬ healthiness of particular localities do not contribute to the increase of this gas. The most dangerous sites are on the sea-coast, and where sea water finds access to marshes. Those circumstances which augment and even pro¬ duce malaria (as in the Ligurian marshes and those of South Carolina) are in no way concerned in the development of carburetted hydrogen gas.” Under the head of his 4th proposition, that “The properties of malaria are fully re¬ cognized by the profession,” he refers to the principal of the best established facts in reference to the outbreak, spreading, arresting, and extinction of mala¬ rious diseases : and then gives as his 5th proposition, “ Sulphuretted hydrogen is the active agent in the production of those forms of malarious fevers met with on the sea-coast, and the diseases belonging to the same class found in¬ land.” The sulphur is supposed to exist in malaria as a component of an or¬ ganic body, containing carbon, hydrogen, sulphur, and water. In a supple¬ mentary letter, Dr. Gardner attempts to account for the absence of malaria from certain marshes—viz., those around Boston, (U. S.), and the bogs of Ireland—by supposing that iron, or zinc, or other metals exist in the subsoil, and that these by uniting with the sulphur prevent the development of sul¬ phuretted hydrogen. These views of Dr. Gardner are in opposition to the opinion expressed by Dr. Pritchett,* in his account of the African remittent fever, for he denies the existence of sulphuretted hydrogen in the water of the Niger, and maintains that, “ even if it were evolved from the waters of the west coast of Africa, it would not explain the fevers which there prevail. He in¬ deed denies altogether the miasmatic origin of the fever, which he attributes to the ordinary atmospheric influences of hot climates. * Some Account of the African Remittent Fever, which occurred on board Her Majesty’s steam¬ ship Wilberforce, &c.; London, 1043.