N. MATERIA MEDICA, THERAPEUTICS, AND HYGIENE. 629 



times its weio^ht of water is as decided in its action as when 

 concentrated ; indeed, he has been successful with vaccine 

 when diluted with one hundred and fifty times its weight of 

 water; but in this case with less certainty. 



Professor Chauveau next took up the determination of the 

 action of virulent and morbid pus, and found here, as before, 

 that the specific action rests entirely in the elementary cor- 

 puscles held in suspension in these humors. He ascertained 

 that they could be washed without losing their specific prop- 

 erties, and that a continued retention in the water had no 

 other effect than to communicate the virulence to this liquid 

 itself. 



Another point in his investigation was the refutation of 

 the common impression that virulent substances introduced 

 into the stomach are harmless, from being digested and ren- 

 dered inactive after enterins; the alimentarv canal. The con- 

 trary was proved to be the case, especially in regard to mat- 

 ter of a tubercular nature. 6 B^N'ovember 25, 1872, 1327. 



ARTIFICIAL RESPIEATIOX IN ASPHYXIA AND IN SNAKE BITES. 



According to Grehaut, carbonic acid which has entered 

 the lungs from without may be eliminated again by means 

 of artificial respiration without having been changed or un- 

 dergone any combustion. In cases of ajDparent death from 

 asphyxia caused by charcoal vapors, the employment of arti- 

 ficial respiration has, it is said, resulted in finally restoring 

 the patient to life. According to Dr. Fayrer, artificial respi- 

 ration is the best method of counteracting the effect of snake 

 bites, and in his opinion it is the only method that gives the 

 slightest promise of enabling a patient to overcome the ef- 

 fect of the poison. A bitten rabbit has been kept alive for 

 several hours by artificial respiration, whereas under the usual 

 operation of the poison it would have survived but a fiiw 

 minutes. 18 A^ February 21, 1873, 551. 



HEATED IRON IN RESUSCITATING THE DROWNED. 



A case of restoration from apparent drowning has lately 

 taken place in the city of Brussels, where a man had fallen 

 into the water, and was only recovered after a considerable 

 time. Dr. Joux, an eminent physician in the city, immedi- 

 ately initiated the necessary measures toward his restoration, 



