592 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



very weak, or almost nothing, in chronic phlegmons ; fift\ 

 the morbific action of the pus appears to be influenced by its 

 age, that recently formed being more potent than that which 

 is older. 



The professor also remarks that it may be considered, as 

 well established that a putrid pus which produces mortal or 

 gangrenous ulcers, when brought in contact with tissue, be- 

 comes inert when freed of its solid particles by filtering. 

 8 B, July 20, 1872, 68 ; and July 27, 1872, 91. 



HOT SAND-BATHS. 



One of the therapeutic novelties in London, recently intro- 

 duced from the Continent, consists in the erection of estab- 

 lishments for administering hot sand-baths, as a remedy for 

 rheumatism, recent cases of nervous disorders, affection of the 

 kidneys, and all cases where heat is wanted as the chief ther- 

 apeutic agent. The advantages of this treatment are that it 

 does not suppress perspiration like the hot water-bath, but 

 rather increases it, and does not interfere with the respira- 

 tion like the steam-bath or Turkish-bath. The body can en- 

 dure its influence for a much longer time, and a much higher 

 temperature can be applied. It can be used for infants, and 

 permits of easy application to a part or to the whole body. 

 20 A, August 31, 1872, 243. 



PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTION OF DELPHINIUM. 



Recent researches made at the physiological laboratory at 

 Leipsic have shown a remarkable action of the poisonous 

 principle of delphinium, or the common larkspur, upon the 

 muscular tissue of the heart. The lower two thirds of the 

 ventricle of the frog's heart have not, as is well known, the 

 power of spontaneous rhythmical contraction when cut out 

 and placed in a condition of isolation. If a portion of the 

 base of the ventricle be included, however, in the piece cut 

 off from the frog's heart, rhythmical contraction will contin- 

 ue in the isolated portion, on account of the presence in that 

 case of some of the nervous jxanodion cells which lie at the 

 base of the ventricle. Dr. Bowditch has found that the in- 

 troduction into its cavity of a solution of delphinium in se- 

 rum acts upon an isolated lower two thirds of a frog's heart 

 ventricle like providing it with a nervous system. The por- 



