152 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[August 20, 1870. 
could lessen the sufferings of the body occupied by the 
disease, shield it from outer injury, repair its waste, sup¬ 
port and reinfdrce its powers; while it. could ward off 
those causes which tended to increase or re-awaken the 
■disease by lessening the intensity of its action, inflam¬ 
matory or otherwise, especially upon the local struc¬ 
tures. To watch, then, the treatment of a disease was 
to watch, so to speak, not the remedy and its immediate 
effects, but the disease itself and its behaviour during a 
certain method of treatment. The thoughtful physician, 
while taking notice of this or that change in the malady, 
knew that such change was due mainly to the natural 
growth of the disease; he did not attribute it to the 
means which he had employed unless he had good grounds 
for doing so. Dr. Sibson then proceeded to describe in 
detail the working of his rest and ease system as carried 
out in St. Mary’s Hospital. 
Among the papers read at the several sections, the 
following possess an interest for pharmaceutists :— 
Dr. Sansom read a paper “ On the Sulpho-carbolates, 
and the Antiseptic Method in Medicine,” in which he 
alluded to the difference of opinion with regard to what 
is termed the “germ theory” of disease. He thought 
much of the diversity depended on the connotation of 
the word “ germ.” There is abundant evidence that the 
<l contagia” of transmissible disease are material and or- 
ganic; they bear a strong analogy to ferments in their 
mode of operation; whatever the initial cause of each, 
the existence of organized material possessed of repro¬ 
ductive powers is intimately bound up with both pro¬ 
cesses. The author alluded to the recent researches of 
Chauveau on vaccine, glanders, and sheep-pox, as show¬ 
ing that the activity of “contagia” depended on the 
solid particles proved by Beale to be actively-moving 
masses of bioplasm. He considered the efficacy of disin¬ 
fectant and antiseptic measures was due to no obvious 
chemical influence, but to the poisoning of those septic 
organisms which are intermediary agents of decompo¬ 
sition between organic and inorganic matter. He thought 
that the proliferation of contagia (bioplasm) might be 
checked within the living body. He then discussed 
Polli’s treatment by the sulphites. From the well-known 
properties of carbolic acid he hoped more from the sulpho- 
carbolates, of which he gave a succinct description. 
(1.) The alkaline sulpho-carbolates. There was evidence 
of great success from the administration of the sodium 
salt in throat ulcerations and in scarlatina. There was 
promise of success in variola. In enteric fever, Dr. 
Ligertwood, of Newbury, considered the treatment to 
be efficacious. (2.) Sulpho-carbolates of alkaline-earth 
metals. Of these the most interesting is the very soluble 
calcium salt which the author had employed in cases of 
rickets with remarkable success. (3.) Sulpho-carbolates 
of the metals . The zinc and copper salts had been used 
by surgeons, especially by Mr. John Wood, as antiseptic 
dressings for woimds. A very favourable opinion of them 
had been given. The author had employed the iron 
salt internally, with varying success; he was doubtful 
whether it had any advantage over other salts of iron. 
In conclusion, he hoped that the remedies would be tried 
upon their merits, as he considered that, all theory 
apart, they would prove a useful addition to the materia 
medica. 
In the Physiological Section, Dr. Bolton, of Lancaster, 
drew attention to the Turkish Bath, expressing his con¬ 
viction that, properly constructed, it would become a 
valuable addition to the British Pharmacopoeia. He 
showed that it had been used by our forefathers 2000 
years ago, and he regarded the part taken by David 
Urquhart in reviving the use of this bath as constituting 
him one of the greatest benefactors of the present age. 
In the Section of Public Medicine, Dr. Leonard 
Armstrong read a paper on “ Difficulties in applying 
Sanitary Laws,” in which he took a retrospective glance 
at the efforts which had been made in South Shields to 
secure an abatement of the smoke nuisance. The water 
supply was an excellent one, the population increasing 
and prosperous ; yet, on comparing the Registrar-Gene¬ 
ral’s return for the last two years, the mortality of 
South Shields exceeded Sunderland greatly. To what 
were they to attribute this excessive mortality in South 
Shields P Lack of pure air. The atmosphere was pol¬ 
luted with smoke and gaseous nuisances. Continuing 
his remarks, Dr. Armstrong enumerated the various 
efforts made of late years to abate the nuisances, and 
expressed his opinion that no abatement could be ex¬ 
pected when local and interested authorities would not 
inflict the pains and penalties of the law. He hoped the 
President would support some representation that all fu¬ 
ture sanitary Acts should not be permissive, but unfet¬ 
tered by local interests and feelings. 
Dr. Stewart, of London, mentioned that at the works 
of Mr. Titus Salt, at Saltaire, the smoke was consumed ; 
what had been done by Mr. Salt, in his great establish¬ 
ment, might be done in nine out of ten of the manufac¬ 
tories of the country. 
After some discussion, Dr. Armstrong moved the fol¬ 
lowing resolution, which Dr. Robinson seconded, and it 
was agreed to:— 
“ That in future sanitary legislation the smoke nui¬ 
sance and other gaseous pollutions of the atmosphere 
must be dealt with by compulsory measures to be carried 
into effect by authorities independent of the district, and 
instructed by competent local inspectors unfettered by 
local interests and feelings.” 
In the evening the members of the Association were 
entertained at dinner by Sir W. Armstrong at Jesmond. 
_ The President’s Soiree in the Town Hall was bril¬ 
liantly attended. Among the objects of scientific and 
artistic interest were ornithological specimens, archaeo¬ 
logical collections, photographs and porcelain. The 
principal table was devoted to the display, under a 
series of microscopes, of some of the most remarkable 
results of modern zoological research in the collection of 
deep-sea organisms, kindly placed at the service of Dr. 
Charlton by Dr. Carpenter, V.P.R.S. It may be re¬ 
membered that in the recent ‘ Lightning ’ and ‘ Porcu¬ 
pine ’ expeditions, in the course of which these specimens 
were obtained, the sea-bed was explored even to the 
enormous depth of three miles and these organisms were 
obtained, creating a large addition to our knowledge of 
several divisions of the animal kingdom. 
On Thursday the Third General Meeting was held, 
and, after some business had been disposed of, the ad¬ 
dress on surgery was delivered by Mr. Heath. This 
was a most satisfactory and masterly production, philo¬ 
sophical in spirit, comprehensive and practical in its 
scope, besides being eloquently delivered. In sketching 
the characteristics of modem surgery, he remarked upon 
the “ boldness and magnitude of its proceedings; its re- 
spect for the integrity of the human body, and its reti¬ 
cence of the knife. It stretches out its hand to regions, 
and takes within its grasp organs, formerly thought be¬ 
yond its reach, grappling, not unsuccessfully, with dis¬ 
eases hitherto considered incurable by scalpel or drug. 
Dangers and difficulties do not appal it, nor does it fear 
to undertake the gravest responsibility, if only its auda¬ 
city is justified by the well-founded hope of destroying' a 
fatal disease, or removing one which, although not fatal 
to life, may yet render that life a misery, a burden so 
wearisome to him who carries it, that death itself is not 
a greater calamity than life so oppressed. 
Paradoxical as it may seem, whilst in one direction 
it is thus acquiring new dominions and showing itself 
capable of the most daring enterprises, in other quarters 
it lays down the knife and employs measures more sure, 
safer, and attended with less suffering ; or it substitutes 
milder for more severe operations, shrinks from unneces¬ 
sary mutilation of the human body, in every way seek¬ 
ing to conserve and maintain its integrity as complete as 
may be compatible with the object to be gained. 
