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THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY. 
BROMIDE OF ETHYL AS AN ANAESTHETIC. 
In an article contributed to the Journal of the American Medical Association r 
Dr. Lawrence Turnbull expresses his preference for this over sulphuric ether 
or chloroform in any operations that have yet come under his notice. Thus far 
he has used it in quantities not to exceed four ounces, (by weight) in any one 
case, nor has the patient been under its influence for forty minutes. Among 
the advantages claimed for it are that it is without the nauseous after- sickness 
of sulphuric ether ; it is much more prompt in producing anaesthesia ; it is, thus 
far in his experience, without risk to life ; it produces no irritation of the throat, 
coughing, or undue secretion of mucous ; complete anaesthesia is usually produced 
in one minute. 
There are certain preparatory precautions which are necessary to the safe 
inhalation of the bromide of ethyl: 
1. All tight-fitting garments in and about the neck and chest should be 
loosened. 
2. The saturated ethyl vapour must be inhaled almost to the exclusion of 
atmospheric air. The best form of inhaler is a thick towel folded in the form of 
a cone, closed at the apex with a large pin ; between the folds of the towel 
place a sheet of newspaper. 
3. Instruct the patient in advance to make deep and long inspirations. In 
the cone place about one dram (by measure), and at once cover the nose and 
mouth with it, and do not remove the cone until ansesthesia is produced, which 
will be in from twenty to thirty seconds. 
The anaesthetic sleep will not last more than from two to three minutes. The 
patient retains the usual healthy colour of lips and skin, and the pulse first 
becomes rapid, then slower and stronger as the narcosis becomes profound. The 
patient, as a rule, awakens suddenly and completely ; but if there is nausea 
or much agitation it is best for him to remain quiet and in a horizontal posture 
for some time. 
LACTIC ACID AND TUBERCULAR LARYNGITIS. 
Fkom the British Medical Journal we learn that in a discussion which 
recently took place in the Berlin Medical Society on the value of lactic acid in 
laryngeal tuberculosis, Dr. Krause stated that of fourteen undoubted cases he 
had treated in this way some were improved and some completely cured. The 
least satisfactory cases were those where the posterior wall of the larnyx was 
affected ; also, those where there was a lesion below the vocal cords, which 
could not be well brought under the influence of the application. The voice- 
improved, also the power of swallowing and the general condition of the 
patients. Dr. Rosenberg confirmed the statements of Dr. Krause as to the 
good effects of lactic acid ; but he, for his own part, was still more satisfied 
with the results of a twenty par cent, solution of menthol. He was 
also treating pulmonary phthisis with menthol inhalations. Dr. Lublinski 
had had a certain amount of success with lactic acid, but found that after 
the ulcers had healed they again broke out. Professor Virchow pointed out 
that when these ulcerations healed, a cicatrix only was formed, not true 
mucous membrane. He hoped that further observations on this subject might 
be made, especially on cases that had healed for some time. 
REPORT OF THE ENGLISH CHOLERA COMMISSION. 
The British Medical Journal thus summarises the conclusions adopted by 
the committee to which the report of Drs. Klein and Heneage Gibbes on the 
“Etiology of Asiatic Cholera” was submitted by the India 'Office: — 1. Comma- 
