564 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



IMMUNITY OF COPPERSMITHS FROM CHOLERA. 



During the cholera epidemic which prevailed in Europe 

 several years ago, it was observed in Paris and elsewhere that 

 workers in copper appeared to enjoy an almost absolute im- 

 munity from the disease, and a similar experience has been 

 met with in Bagdad, where the disease was very prevalent 

 the past year, indeed to such an extent that between the end 

 of April and the end of October about 800 persons died in a 

 population of 80,000. Out of this latter number about 500 

 were engaged in making or selling copper articles, and it is 

 asserted that among them there was not a single victim to 

 the cholera. 18 A, July 12, 1872, 422. 



CHLORAL IX CHOLERA. 



During the epidemic which has recently prevailed at Riga, 

 Dr. Yon Reichard has had recourse to chloral, administering 

 it according to the following indications : 1. To relieve cramps 

 at the commencement. 2. To assuage the precordial suffer- 

 ing which is so distressing during the latter stages. 3. To 

 arrest vomiting. 4. To procure the sleep so urgently de- 

 manded by the patients. Not only were these indications ful- 

 filled, but the success obtained from the medicine surpassed 

 all expectation. In one case in which the ordinary treatment 

 had been pursued, and the patient seemed as if he had only 

 a few hours to live, a dram of chloral was given him in four 

 times the quantity of water, so that a strong sense of burn- 

 ing was felt while swallowing it. In two minutes sleep had 

 commenced, and, troubled at first, it became calm, and lasted 

 three hours. Respiration became easier, the w T armth and tur- 

 gescenoe of the surface reappeared, the cholera fades disap- 

 peared, and the pulse diminished from 130 to 90. The vom- 

 iting and stools ceased, and,infact, a true resurrection w^as 

 effected, the patient rapidly recovering. M. Blumenthal, also 

 of Riga, has employed it successfully in two bad cases, giv- 

 ing the chloral in doses of a dram, which were repeated two 

 or three times within the hour. 20 A, October 28, 1871, 547. 



TREATMENT OF CHOLERA BY HYPODERMIC INJECTION. 



Dr. Patterson, superintendent of the British Seamen's Hos- 

 pital, Constantinople, gives an account of his experiments in 



