96 



POPULAE SCIEI^CE NEWS. 



[June, 1889. 



in the dose of one-third of a grain, three or four 

 times a day, in sixteen cases of angina pectoris, 

 associated with cardiac or vascular disease, or, as in 

 some of the patients, angina caused by excessive 

 tobacco smoking. The results obtained justify the 

 author in regarding cocaine as a genuine specific 

 remedy for angina. The attacks were invariably 

 relieved, and ceased altogether and permanently in 

 the course of a few days. Recovery took place still 

 more rapidly when inhalations of oxygen gas were 

 simultaneously employed. 



The tannin treatment of phthisis has been given 

 a thorough trial by Dr. E. Houze, at the Hospital 

 St. Jean, Brussels, (London Lancet), and it gave ex- 

 cellent results in all stages of the disease, especially 

 in cases where cavities existed. He declares that of 

 all the different kinds of treatment for phthisis 

 which he has tried, this has given the most encour- 

 aging results. The dose he employs ordinarily is 

 fifteen grains, which quantity is taken three times a 

 day. As a rule, it is well borne ; when not, it is or- 

 dered to be taken with meals. After the first few 

 days, the expectoration and the sweats diminished, 

 the cough decreased, and usually the appetite im- 

 proved. The majority of the patients had some con- 

 stipation, while others had diarrhaa, but, after these 

 effects of the tannin were regulated, the general 

 symptoms improved, the sputa becoming white and 

 frothy, instead of green and firm, and the hectic 

 present in many of the cases vanished. 



Glycerine suppositories, for producing defeca- 

 tion, have been satisfactorily employed, as shown by 

 a number of cases reported in the Medical Age. Dr. 

 L. B. Anderson was called to a patient suffering 

 with a violent attack of acute peritonitis, following 

 rapidly upon delivery. The fever was very high, — 

 the bowels constipated. As it would have been un- 

 wise to excite the peristaltic action of the bowels, 

 under such inflammatory conditions, he bled her 

 freely, administered opium and calomel, and applied 

 to the abdomen hot poultices. The bleeding brought 

 down the temperature and pulse, and there was no 

 reaction. The constipation persisting, a glycerine 

 suppository was administered, and, in a few hours, 

 she had a copious evacuation, without any griping 

 or pain. Its action was exceedingly gratifying in 

 every respect, and her recovery was rapid. 



These suppositories have been found to be very 

 effective in labor obstructed by accuinulated scvbilla;. 



Dr. Salzer, assistant to Prof. Billroth, has given 

 (Med. Press and Circular) a report on the treatment 

 of swallowed foreign bodies by the so-called potato 

 cure. The method consisted in requiring the patient 

 who had swallowed a foreign bod^', to eat large 

 quantities of potatoes, which had the effect to pro- 

 portionately dilate the whole intestinal canal, so 

 that the foreign body was enveloped, and could not 

 cling to any part during its passage. Dr. Salzer 

 showed several foreign bodies which, in this way, 

 had been removed at the clinic of Prof. Billroth, — 

 one of these being a weight of twenty grammes, 

 which had been swallowed by a child; the second, a 

 set of artificial teeth, upwards of five centimetres 

 long and three centimetres broad, and the third was 

 a needle. According to both Prof. Billroth and Dr. 

 Salzer, many gastrotomies could be obviated by 

 this method in the case of swallowed foreign bodies. 



Chloroform, as an internal remedy, has been 

 given a trial (^London Lancet) by Dr. Stepp, of 

 Nuremberg, Germany. In gastric ulcer, Dr. Stepp 

 gave chloroform (fifteen grains in a five-ounce bis- 

 muth mixture) with great effect, which he believes 

 to be due to its disinfecting, astringent, and stimu- 



lating properties. In various affections of the throat 

 and mouth, — as follicular pharyngitis, catarrh of 

 the pharynx, gingivitis, and diphtheria, — washes 

 and gargles containing chloroform proved very ben- 

 eficial. In one case of severe psoriasis of the mu- 

 cous membrane of the mouth, which had been 

 unsuccessfully treated by several medical men, 

 chloroform water effected a complete cure. Two 

 cases of pneumonia, treated with chloroform, did so 

 well that Dr. Stepp ineans to make a further trial of 

 it in this disease. Perhaps the most encouraging 

 results were obtained in cases of typhoid, though 

 only six were thus treated. The details of treatment 

 are not given. 



Several methods of treatment of dyspepsia bv 

 chloroform are given in the Revue Gen. de Clin, et de 

 Therap. Chloroform, administered in the various 

 forms of dyspepsia, overcomes fermentation and 

 flatulence. The following is the method of Dr. 

 Wils : From ten to twenty drops of chloroform, to 

 be taken in a few spoonfuls of sweetened water, in 

 flatulent dyspepsia. Aftera few minutes, eructations 

 occur, followed by improvement. 



In cases of painful dyspepsia, with dilatation of 

 the stomach, Drs. Regnault and Laseque recom- 

 mend the following: R. Chloroform water, 150 

 parts; orange-flower water, 50 parts; water, loo 

 parts. M. One dessert-spoonful to be taken, at 

 intervals of fifteen minutes, until pain ceases. 



Sajous (Amer. Prod, and News) points out that 

 nausea is a frequent symptom of elongated uvula, 

 marked on rising in the morning, the upright posi- 

 tion causing the uvula to rest against the base of the 

 tongue. He cites the case of a girl who has been 

 troubled with nausea, for months, on rising in the 

 morning, but who did not have any "hawking" of 

 mucus. She had little appetite for breakfast, and 

 was very liable to vomit if she ate before 9 o'clock. 

 No tickling in the throat. Various medicines had 

 given no relief. The redundant portion of the 

 uvula was clipped off two months ago, and she has 

 been entirely free from nausea since. 



At a children's party in London, a number of the 

 guests were seized with curious symptoms, which 

 could not be traced to the infection of any partic- 

 ulai" food or liquid of which they had partaken. 

 Attention was then drawn to the candles used on 

 the Christmas tree, many of which were green, and 

 these, when submitted to analysis, proved to contain 

 arsenic, which was diffu.sed through the atmosphere 

 and inhaled as the poisonous candles burned. 



A NEW antidote for morphine is recommended in 

 the Internationale Kliiiische Rundschau, by Prof. 

 Arpao Bokai. This is picrotoxine, which, he says, 

 exerts an antagonistic action to morphine on the 

 respiratory centres ; for, while morphine tends to 

 paralyze these centres, picrotoxine exerts a powerful 

 stimulating effect. Prof. Bokai further suggests 

 that the previous administration of a small dose 

 of picrotoxine might reduce the danger of asphyxia 

 in chloroform narcosis. 



Saccharin is regarded by a French writer {London 

 Lancet) as a valuable antiseptic. A strength of i to 

 500, as an addition to mucillaginous and other solu- 

 tions, prevents the formation of low organisms. 

 Thus a valuable, inexpensive dentifrice may be pre- 

 pared by simply dissolving saccharin in water, to 

 the proportion of six per cent. A teaspoonful of 

 this in a half-pint of water forms an admirable 

 antiseptic mouth-wash. In cases of malignant or 

 other disease of the stomach, requiring the washing 

 out of that organ, a solution of saccharin of the 

 strength of two per cent, will be found very suitable. 



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Wanted. — A few copies of the Science News tor January, 

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Nestle's Milk Food resembles mothers' milk much more 

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Dk. Wm. Alex. Greene, Macon, Ga., writes: '*! cheer- 

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