BORIC ACID AND BORAX. 59 



are marked as soft. There are no variations from the normal noted 

 until the 26th of January, when No. 8 reports a very bad cold, afi'ect- 

 ing chiefly the larynx and bronchial tubes. The cold is better on the 

 following day, when, on the advice of a physician, 10 grains of quinine 

 are taken. There is only a slight febrile excitement, the recorded 

 temperatures being 98.6 and 99 F. 



On the 28th, the first day of the preservative period, the symptoms 

 of the cold have diminished and the temperature is normal, but no 

 passage of feces is recorded. The next day there is a slight febrile 

 excitement, and the feces voided are firm and dark colored. The 

 febrile excitement continues on the following day, namely, the 30th, 

 but the temperature is again almost normal on the 31st, which is the 

 last day of the first subperiod. On the 2d of February the feces are 

 voided twice, the second movement marked as soft and dark colored. 

 On February 3 there is a very marked diarrhea, five movements of 

 the bowels being recorded and the feces being very soft and yellow in 

 color. There is, however, no appreciable febrile excitement. During 

 the whole of this period, namely, the second preservative subperiod, 

 No. 8 had more or less of a dull headache, followed by gastric irrita- 

 tion, with marked nausea and vomiting. The character of the vomited 

 matter is a mucous, watery discharge. There are also marked pains 

 in the intestines, which are relieved by the establishment of the diar- 

 rhea above referred to. The character of the feces toward the end of 

 this period is very thin and extremely yellow. There seems to be at 

 first a depression of the temperature rather than a rise, since the 

 recorded observations on the 5th of February are temperature 96.9 

 and 98.1 F. and the pulsation 60 and 66 per minute, respectively. 

 During this period also, on account of illness, No. 8 missed eating 

 breakfast and lunch on February 3. By reason of the nausea and head- 

 ache developed in the case of No. 8, a further administration of boric 

 acid to him is discontinued on February 3. The disturbed condition, 

 however, of the patient continues, with a considerable febrile excite- 

 ment on the 9th, the temperature reaching 100.4 F. There is a 

 gradual improvement after this in the general symptoms of the patient, 

 the headache and nausea disappearing, and there are only occasional 

 variations from the normal temperature. The patient, however, is 

 left in a condition in which further observations respecting the influ- 

 ence of the preservative ujaon the digestive processes are of no value, 

 although he remained under observation continuously until the 15th of 

 February, which would have been the end of the regular aftei period 

 if the members of the series had retained their ability to go through 

 with the work required. In this case there exists a probability that the 

 boric acid induced or increased the nausea and vomiting complained of 

 and that the diarrhea established may be in some measure due to the 

 same cause. On a subsequent occasion, however, this subject took 



