SCIENTIFIC .SUMMARY. 
507 
lemma and the contractile fibrillge, and on the other hand with the interstice 
between the matrix of the nervous tube and the medullary layer. — Vide 
Comptes Rendus , June 25. 
An Artificial Eye for Restoring Sight . — An apparatus of this kind, whose 
efficiency we much doubt, has been described by M. Blanchet, in a paper in which 
he details the operation for its insertion under the title of Helioprothesis. The 
operation consists in puncturing the eye in the direction of the antero-posterior 
axis with a narrow bistoury, and introducing a piece of apparatus to which M. 
Blanch et gives the name of “ phosphore.” The operation in most instances 
produces little pain, and when the globe of the eye has undergone degenera- 
tion there is no pain at all, and the “ phosphore ” apparatus is introduced 
without difficulty. The description of this contrivance is this : “ It consists 
of a shell of enamel, and of a tube closed at both its ends by glasses, whose 
form varies according to circumstances.” M. Blanchet thus describes the 
operation : “ The patient’s head being supported by an assistant, the upper 
eyelid is raised by an elevator, and the lower one is depressed. The operator 
then punctures the eye with a narrow bistoury, adapting the width of his 
incision to the diameter of the 1 phosphore ’ tube which he intends to insert. 
The translucent humour having escaped, the ‘ phosphore ’ apparatus is applied, 
and almost immediately, or after a short time, the patient is partially 
restored to sight ! ” Before introducing the apparatus it is necessary to calcu- 
late the antero-posterior diameter of the eye, and if the lens has cataract it 
must be removed. Inasmuch as the range of vision depends on the quantity 
of the humour left behind, M. Blanchet recommends the employment of 
spectacles of various kinds. 
Cure of Diabetes by the Employment of Citrate of Soda . — The theory that 
diabetes results from the imperfect combustion of glucose has found a warm 
advocate in M. Guyot Danecy. This physician, therefore, proposes to 
employ citrate of soda in order to supply, by decomposition, the alkaline 
carbonate which is requisite for the combustion of the glucose. His reason for 
employing the citrate instead of using the carbonate in the first instance is 
that it tends less to upset the digestive functions. He recommends medical 
men to employ the citrate in doses of from four to eight grammes. His 
analyses of the urine of patients who were under this treatment demonstrate 
that under the influence of the citrate the secretion of sugar is arrested. He 
states that the salt may be administered mixed with bread. 
Explanation of the Origin of so-called Spontaneous Cow-pox. — M. A. 
Chauveau has given what appears to us satisfactory proof that there is no such 
condition as spontaneous cow-pox, and that the train of symptoms to which 
this term has been given, results from the ordinary virus which has been in- 
troduced through an unusual channel. M. Chauveau supposes the powder of 
the vaccine scab to be suspended in the air, and in this way to be introduced 
into the lungs of cattle. To try this experimentally, he injected the matter 
directly into the vessels of eight horses : in four animals it was introduced 
into the blood-vessels, and in four into a lymphatic vessel. The following 
were the results : — In the first series there was no perceptible consequence. 
In the second, all but one showed, on the seventh to the twelfth day, a fine 
eruption, having all the characters of what is called “ spontaneous horse-pox.” 
This, says the writer, proves manifestly that one can produce what is called 
YOL. V. — NO. XXI. 2 M 
