INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR 1872. lxv 



Apomorphia, which was brought forward some time ago 

 by Dr. Richardson as an anaesthetic, has been declared of lit- 

 tle or no value in that connection; while the assertion of Dr. 

 Liebreich as to an antagonism between chloral hydrate and 

 strychnine, such that either is a perfect remedy for the other, 

 has been disproved, in a measure, by experiments in France. 



Bromide of potassium continues to be manufactured by 

 the ton for medicinal purposes; although, according to Dr. 

 William A. Hammond, of New York, it may be replaced in 

 many cases, to great advantage, by bromide of calcium, 

 which is less stable in its nature, and more readily gives up 

 its bromine (the essential remedial element) on being taken 

 into the stomach. 



Professor Polli, an eminent Italian physician, continues to 

 urge the use of various sulphites in cases of malarial disease. 



A great many communications have been published during 

 the year in reference to the precise nature of the action upon 

 the system of different substances, such as tobacco, quinine, 

 coffee, delphinium, guarauna, etc., some of them being of much 

 practical importance. 



The use of nitrite of amyl as a remedy for epilepsy and 

 any ina pectoris, etc., has been warmly recommended. The 

 discussion as to whether the various beef extracts, beef tea, 

 etc., are actually nutritious or not, has been continued dur- 

 ing the year, and a tendency is manifesting itself to consider 

 them rather as stimulants than as articles of food. 



Various parts of the world have been scourged by the 

 ravages of the small-pox, which has been an epidemic during 

 the year in many parts of the United States, and involving 

 many deaths. The disease, however, appears to have run its 

 course in many localities, as in Philadelphia, where it caused 

 great mortality in 1871, but which has been measurably free 

 from it during the past year. The subject of protection 

 against that exceedingly distressing malady known as sea- 

 sickness lias occupied the public mind to a considerable ex- 

 tent, and several vessels are being constructed, and will be 

 soon ready for use, intended to prevent its inconveniences. 

 Among others, Mr. Bessemer is preparing a steamer for the 

 route between England and France, in which the cabin is ar- 

 ranged to swing freely inside of the vessel, so that, in what- 

 ever position the latter may be, the floor of the cabin will, 



