192 
POPULAE SCIENCE NEWS. 
[December, 1S90. 
Lastly, in a doubtful hospital case the sputum was 
examined and found to contain the diplococcus, but 
at the post-mortem examination no pneumonia was 
discovered. M. Crocq has never met with any cases 
of contagion in pneumonia, and Finckler's cases he 
considers were not pneumonia at all. Moreover, 
Fraenkel's microbe is found in affections which are 
neither pneumonia nor contagious. The mortality 
usually reported by other observers in pneumonia 
varies greatly — that is to say, from 5 to 35 per cent. 
M. Crocq has no mortality at all. He arrests all his 
pneumonia cases by bleeding. Rheumatic fever, 
and even puerperal metro-peritonitis, he treats in 
the same way. The latter, he declared, — amidst 
tokens of dissent, — can be thus cured in the great 
majority of cases. "Never," he went on, '.'have I 
regretted having bled a patient, though I have often 
been sorry that I have abstained from doing so. 
If I were to be forbidden to bleed, I would give up 
the practice of medicine." He was, of course, care- 
ful to explain that bloodletting, to be of any service, 
must be practiced intelligently and not abused, as 
he fears it may again come to be after the wave 
of reaction has once more made it popular. — Lancet. 
The Treatment of Pyloric Carcinoma. — Mr. 
F. B. Jessett reports two cases of gastro-enterostomy 
for pyloric carcinoma, (Lancet), in which Senn's 
bone-plates were used. One patient died from ex- 
haustion five days after the operation ; the other 
patient recovered. Mr. Jessett has now records 
of seven cases operated on in this way, and none 
died from the operation — that is, although two died, 
yet the operation was a success, as there was perfect 
union between the stomach and intestines in both 
cases. These cases he believes would have recovered 
had they been fed earlier. Mr. Jessett dwells on the 
importance of uniting the jejunum to the posterior 
wall of the stomach instead of the anterior; he 
thinks this avoids all risk of kinking of the intestine. 
Mr. H. G. Rawdon, of the Royal Southern Hos- 
pital, Liverpool, {//osp. Mirror and J,ancet), reports 
a successful case of pylorectomy for carcinoma. 
The stomach was sewed up all but one inch, and the 
duodenum was similarly treated ; then Senn's plates 
were introduced and the parts brought together. 
The patient made a good recovery. He was sup- 
ported by nutrient enemata for the first six days. 
Dr. W. T. Bull last April, at the New York Hos- 
pital, excised the greater portion of the stomach for 
carcinoma. The cut ends of the stomach and duo- 
denum were sewed up, the edges being inverted 
and a Lembert's suture employed ; then the jejunum 
was joined to the stomach by a separate operation as 
a gastro-enterostomy by Abbe's rings. The patient 
recovered rapidly, and when last heard of was quite 
well. 
Accidents ix An.esthesia.— According to Dr. 
H. C. Wood, of Philadelphia, the rules for the 
proper treatment of accidents during ana;sthesia 
can be summed up in a very few words : 
Avoid the use of all drugs, except strychnine, 
digitalis, and ammonia. 
Give th> tincture of digitalis hypodermically. 
Draw out the tongue, and raise up the angle 
of the jaw, and see that the respiration is not 
mechanically impeded. 
Invert the patient briefly and temporarily. 
Use forced artificial respiration promptly, and in 
protracted cases employ external warmth and stimu- 
lation of .he surface by the dry electric brush, etc. ; 
and, above all, remember that some, at least, and 
probably many, of the deaths which have been set 
down as due to chloroform and ether have been 
produced by the alcohol which has been given for 
the relief of the patient. — Jour. Am. Med. Asm. 
Cannabis Indica in Affections of the Stom- 
ach. — One of the most troublesome symptoms asso- 
ciated vpith disordered functional conditions of the 
stomach is the pain to which they not uncommonly 
give rise. This may take the form of colic, due to 
gaseous distension ; heartburn ; or the mere sensa- 
tion of weight and malaise referred to the epigas- 
trium. Nothing, according to Prof. Germain See, 
gives so much relief in this class of affections as 
the extract of cannabis indica in one-third of a 
grain doses. This drug does not interfere with 
digestion, while the irritability of the stomach is 
overcome. To effect a cure it is, of course, neces- 
sary to carry out the usual treatment, dietetic and 
medicinal, and when there is hyperacidity of the 
gastric contents, alkalies should be given three or 
four hours after a meal. It is necessary to bear 
in mind, however, that no relief is afforded in 
atonic or dilated conditions of the stomach. 
Resection of the Liver and the Regenera- 
tion OF This Organ. — At the recent congress 
of German surgeons held in Berlin, Dr. Ponfick, 
of Breslau, reported some experiments he had made 
on the liver in rabbits. He chose the rabbit because 
the liver was strongly developed. He did not excise 
portions of liver with the thermocautery, but with 
catgut ligatures. If a quarter of the liver was 
excised, the animal stood the operation well ; but 
if half the organ was removed, the animal, for the 
first few hours, lost its appetite, became feebler, but 
by degrees it recovered, and the greater number 
survived for some months; one hundred rabbits 
were experimented on. If three-quarters of the 
liver were removed the disturbance produced was 
still greater; twelve i-abbits survived this operation. 
Dr. Ponfick does not believe that the removal 
of more than three-quarters of the liver is compati- 
ble with life. The most remarkable fact noticed in 
connection with these experiments was the rapid 
regeneration of the liver, and that the amount 
of regeneration exceeded the quantity of liver 
removed. In a case where he removed three- 
quarters of the liver in a rabbit the whole right 
lobe was regenerated and increased in volume ; it 
presented an irregular surface. This reproduction 
is very rapid: In one case the rabbit was killed five 
days after excision of a portion of the liver, and on 
examination the regenerated portion amounted to 
80 per cent, of the amount removed. 
Lactic Acid in the Treatment of Diarrhcea. 
— In small doses (one to two fluid drachms) lactic 
acid is a valuable aid to digestion, and, in view 
of its anti-putrefactive powers, it is of service in the 
treatment of various forms of diarrhoea. When 
given in small doses its eff'ects are confined to 
the stomach, but in larger doses (over two drachms) 
it appears in the urine and fieces; hence, when 
desired, its topical effect on the large intestines can 
be obtained. A very good formula is lo present 
it in the shape of a lemonade containing about one 
part of the acid in a hundred with syrup and water. 
Dr. Hayem claims to have derived great benefit 
from it in the treatment of cholera nostras, as well 
as in the diarrhcea due to tuberculous lesions of the 
intestines and other varieties of gastro-intestinal 
irritation. 
The First Laparotomy ever performed in Eng- 
land was by Sir Benjamin Brodie, in 1827. The 
cause of obstruction was a hernia of intestine 
through a tear in the rectum. The woman died 
of peritonitis. The operation had been performed 
in Italy long before — as early as 1677. 
®l}ii: J^rOiiptxi&lX ^CXUnCH: JlifcJxtSi 
Boston Journal of Chemistry. 
A Monthly Journal devoted to the popular 
presentation of all the branches of Phy- 
sical AND Natural Science, and the 
results of the latest discoveries 
and investigations. 
Popular Science News Company, 
publishers, 
fi Somerset Street, Bogton. 
SETII C. BASSETT, - Manager. 
SUBSCRIPTION RATES. 
One Dollar per year, post paid. One Dollar and Twenty-five 
Cents to foreign countries in Postal Union. 
The date on the address label shows to what issue your sub- 
scription is paid. The change to that of a later issue is your 
receipt for remittarjce. 
If you do not wish your Popular Scie '.'Ce News continued 
for another year after your subscription has run out, you should 
notify us to discontinue it. The courts ht ve decided that sub- 
scribers who do not order their paper discontinued at the 
expiration of the time for which it has been paid, are held 
liable for payment up to.dite when they order the paper dis- 
continued. 
When changing address, give old as well as the new address, 
ADVERTISING RATES 
For any amount of space or time furni-hed on application. 
I-iberal discounts on yearly contracts. 
No advertisements of doubtful nature inserted at any price. 
Publisljers' Colunjij. 
Attention of our readers is called to the Clubbing List 
on page 2 of this issue. We club with all leading periodicals. 
'* Take away the sword, States can be saved without it, bring 
the pen," but always the Esterbrook I'en. They are made 
in every style to suit every hand. 
The best patterns, the latest improvements, the greatest 
economy in operation, and, in fact, all the qualities for tin- 
successful manufacture of Artificial Ice are found in thu 
machines manufactured by David Boyle, of Chicago. 
Special attention is directed to the advertisements of Popu- 
lar and Scientific Books on page 6. Some of the icadin<i 
publishers of the country are there represented, and among the 
works they advertise there will be found jomething to suit all 
literary tastes. 
Thayer's Nutritive combines the tfi.ic properties of Cal- 
isaya and Coca, and the nutritive properti ,'s of Beef and Malt. 
In convalescence from acute diseases, aij in enfeebled condi- 
tions of the digestive and assimilative functions, it has been 
found of the highest service. 
"I have made sufficient experiment of ' Colden's I.iqiin 
Rkef Tonic' to enable me to say it is by far the best of all the 
preparations of the kind (food and tonic) that I have ever used. 
To the sufferer from chronic diseases, or the convalescent, it is 
invaluable, being both nourishing and strengthening." — Dr. C. 
C. Clark, Oswego, N. Y. 
A large class of diseases require to be treated with food as 
well as with medicine. Maltine is not only an easily assimi 
latcd and concentrated form of food, rich in flesh and bone- 
making substances, but readily combines with medicinal sub- 
stances, and can be obtained either plain,or combined with the 
hypophosphites and many other valual'le remedial agents, 
adapted to almost every possible state of the system. 
The firm oi S. S. Pierce & Co. is one of the oldest in 
Boston, and is known in every corner of New England. They 
have a remarkably full stock of the best and purest plain and 
fancy groceries, as well as many spec alt its which cannot 
be obtained of any other house. Persor.s living in localitir 
remote from Boston will do well to correspond with them, .1 
the cost of expressage is small, and is more than made up by 
the low prices at which they offer their goods. 
