POSTSCRIPT.

14th September, 1849.

In addition to the 12 fatal cases of cholera recorded in the text, one occurred late on the 3lst of August. The subject was received at 6 P.M. of that day, in a state of complete collapse, and died six hours after admission.

During the currency of the month there have been admitted 12 cases of cholera, two of which, being in a state of profound collapse, terminated speedily in death; 5 cases of bilious cholera which are doing well; 10 cases of febrile diarrhœa which are doing well; and one case of colic with spasms of the extremities.

The number of cases of cholera, and of allied affections, excluding fevers, and adopting the nomenclature proposed above, between the 4th July and this date, are as under.

CHOLERA ABILIOSA.

Cases. Cured Dead. Remain, covalescent or improving.

49 26 15 8

CHOLERA BILIOSA.

25 19 0 6

FEBRILE DIARRHŒA.

53 44 0 9

CONVULSIVE COLIC.

11 10 0 1

Further experience has confirmed the opinion that the means specified at the commencement of this paper constitute fit and remedial treatment in the formidable division of cholera to which they especially refer; and established the conviction that when the impression is not overpoweringly severe at the onset, and when sinking has not made great progress, a large proportion of patients will pass safely through the disease, under their use, if perseveringly and unswervingly employed. Latterly the opiate draught administered on admission has been omitted, the treatment consisting almost exclusively of calomel, turpentine draughts, and turpentine enemata, with friction when required. A rubefacient, consisting of strong mercurial, and cantharides ointment, each one ounce, with half-an-ounce of oil of turpentine, well mixed, has been used with effect. The calomel, and turpentine draughts have generally been given every half hour, at first, in violent cases, and less frequently as the symptoms subsided, being suspended when tendency to collapse was overcome, or when bilious vomiting set in.

The practice in bilious cholera, febrile diarrhœa, and convulsive cholic, was simple, and similar in all, consisting of a bolus containing three grains of calomel, and one of crude opium, repeated every second, third, or fourth hour, according to the force of symptoms. Cathartics were often required in the colicy affections, as was occasionally abstraction of blood by venesection, or leeches. The remedies were extremely uniform, and have been uniformly successful.

It may be observed in conclusion that, up to this date, none of the nurses, medical attendants, or other persons associated with the sick of cholera have been affected by the disease, although one or more of the medical officers of the Establishment have been almost constantly in the ward, and one or other of the juniors has slept in an apartment close to it; and further that no case of cholera has arisen within the walls of the Hospital, while it has been frequently brought in, and had continual existence within them, upwards of ten weeks, amid a population of patients, servants, including the women who washed the foul linen, and officers with their families, of nearly 600 souls.

LEGG, PRINTER, GOSPORT.