CHLOROSIS.
The treatment of this condition has been referred to under Anaemia and Amenorrhoea; it consists mainly in the exhibition of iron. 131aud's Pills, 2 four times daily; 3o to Go mins. of Dialysed Iron; or 3-gr. doses of Re duced Iron are the best preparations. The dose of the metal, in whatever preparation selected, should be large and often repeated. Failure in treatment is owing to the too early cessation of Iron administration and too small dosage. Allbutt rightly insists that it must be given continu ously for at least three months; his method is to give i gr. Sulphate three times a day for the first week, 2 grs. in the second, and 3 grs. in the third week, 9 grs. being taken daily for two months, after which the dose is gradually lessened.
It sometimes occurs that the results of Iron soon cease after stopping its administration, and it will be well to leave off for a period, in which Arsenic may be given, or Iron and Arsenic may be given together. In these cases the nature of the food-supply should be carefully investigated; it will often be found that the patient is living upon a dietary poor in iron, such as rice, potatoes, and milk, fish or veal. Undercooked red meat with spinach or fresh peas and lettuce should be freely administered and the condition of the teeth carefully seen to. In some instances it may be discovered that the patient is intentionally keeping up the condition by imbibing vinegar with the view of producing pallor, or she may be daily resorting to large doses of antipyrine or other analgesic to relieve head ache, or there may be unsuspected melxna from a duodenal or gastric ulcer. In all intractable cases absolute rest in bed for a few weeks is essential, but a free open-air life should be a routine in ordinary examples of the diseased condition.
Organic Iron salts and enemata of defibrinated blood of oxen have been advocated, but the common experience is that it is not the nature of the preparation, but the amount of iron introduced into the blood, which is the potent factor in Sir Andrew Clarke insisted upon the necessity of giving purgatives, and gave nth part of the following twice a day:---Ferri Su1ph., 24 grs.; Mag. Su1ph.. 0 des.; _\e. Scl jib. Amin., t dr.; That Zingib., 2 drs.; Inf. Gent. Co. ad S oz.
The auto-intoxication theory of chlorosis has led to the advocacy of purgatives anti intestinal disinfectants. and the discovery that the mass of the blood is increased has led some physicians to advocate purgatives. The universal experience is that the routine USC of disinfectants is Un nOTSSarV ;Mil continual purgation decidedly injurious. Iron alone meets all the deniands of the condition as far as drugs are concerned. The questions of food. exercise, change of scene, environment, oral sepsis, &c., all discussed under Amenorrhcea and Anaemia, where various formulae are given. When the condition of the gastric membrane resents Iron, the ?? viler gives reduced Iron and Arseniate of Iron in a Keratin-coated pill (Ferri Redact. gr. ii., Ferri Arsen. gr. Pepsin may be indicated and peptonised foods are often beneficial. Often resort to a chalybeate spring is ellic;«•ious, and some patients with feeble digestive powers can take the Iron in 50(.11 waters as sdadImch in Nassau and Spa in Belgium when ordinary ferruginous preparations are badly tolerated at home. Matwanese salts sometimes succeed where iron fails.