THE EAK-FUNOUS. 259 



Only lately we find the confession made by Kiichler 

 (Official Report of the Hospital at Darmstadt in No. 38 of the 

 f German Klinik' for 1855) that, in spite of the pitch-plaster, he 

 has experienced two relapses. That this extremely energetic 

 physician did not, perhaps, proceed mildly in the application 

 of the pitch-plaster, the following will show. I give this 

 account because it indicates particularly the preparation and 

 application of the pitch-plaster. One takes ordinary, not 

 thin, liquid cobblers' wax, and places it not too thickly on 

 strong, not too fine, nor too new, nor too smooth, nor 

 very heavy linen, with the addition of a few drops of oil of 

 turpentine. After the most thorough removal of the hair possible, 

 as far as it goes, and after removal of the crust which becomes 

 softened by oil, the pitch-plaster is placed on the diseased 

 part, over all the space implicated. The plaster for two or 

 three finger-breadths near its anterior border should be kept 

 free from pitch and turned over, by which it can be better 

 taken hold of and pulled off. Incisions also should be made 

 round the edges of the plaster, by which it fits closer, but not 

 too deep by which it is not pulled off afterwards. The 

 pitch remains on eight days, and is then removed. The 

 patient is seated on a stool without a back or crosswise, and 

 his head and neck made fast sideways under the plaster by the 

 grasp of a strong assistant. A second assistant at the head 

 stands behind the patient, with his eight fingers on the fore part 

 of the slightly loosened plaster, places his knee on the neck of 

 the patient, and draws off, if possible, the whole plaster with 

 a haul. This proceeding has sometimes to be gone over 

 again. The stench on the removal is often horrible. The 

 part never remains bare. Kiichler saw relapses twice ; still he 

 has not specified altogether the number of cases. On the removal 

 once all the pitch remained on the diseased part, because the 

 assistant had taken very strong linen. Kiichler ordered a 

 smoothing iron to be heated, and better linen to be ironed on. 

 With such faults, and such heroic corrigentia, who would not 

 admire the pitch-cap treatment ! 



Page 202. On the question of Reubold. Is the thrush fungus 

 peculiar to man? In October of this year, (1856), which 

 distinguished itself by its mildness, and at a time when aphthae 

 frequently associate themselves on sloughing sores, I pro- 

 cured, from a boy twelve years of age, affected with inflam- 

 mation of the neck (probably scarlatinous), from the country, 



