36 THE MICROSCOPE. 



the foudroyante character of the others, just mentioned, entitles 

 them to be placed in the same category. 



But the micrococcus, if left unheeded, may attack the white 

 corpuscle as distinctly seen under the microscope, and destroy its 

 contents. The red cells also change in appearance, and finally 

 probably become, to all intents and purposes, useless in the economy. 

 When such a condition is seen by the microscope, and found exten- 

 sive, a fatal prognosis can be given, despite the most active treat- 

 ment. 



In cases where the white blood-cells are as yet unaffected, treat- 

 ment, when active, will be followed by good results, provided the 

 other complications, as visceral inflammation, etc., are not in them- 

 selves excessive. 



Alcohol (whisky in our cases) seems in some way, when given 

 in large amounts, to check the progress of the marauders, to arrest 

 the process of destruction, and, if needful, can be associated with 

 quinine and iron in small repeated doses, digitalis perhaps, and 

 frictions, baths and poultices, etc. As we have seen, the symptoms 

 presented are contemporary with the changes going on within the 

 blood; they may, in lieu of a careful microscopic examination of the 

 blood, be taken as a gauge for treatment; knowing what can and 

 will take place, early active treatment will give the patient some 

 chance for the future. — Medical Times. 



The Tongue Under the Microscope. — The examination of 

 the tongue in sickness is universally resorted to, and its diagnostic 

 importance often supersedes that of even the pulse. In the late 

 war, while on duty at Exchange Barracks in Nashville, Tenn., I may 

 venture to say of many thousands of disabled soldiers, I examined 

 nearly every man's tongue, and the pulse hardly oftener, perhaps, 

 than one in a hundred. As this diagnostic labor tallied with subse- 

 quent examinations at the respective hospitals, to which the soldiers 

 were assigned, I could hardly be charged with any omission of duty, 

 at least, 1 do not remember that my diagnosis ever differed much 

 with the subsequent examination of others. I state this to show the 

 importance of the examination of the tongue as a factor in making a 

 diagnosis. It oftener reveals prints of disease we can not learn 

 from any other source. 



More recently I have been led to make microscopic examina- 



