EXTRACTS FROM FOREIGN JOURNALS. 
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cal researches into antiseptic formulas, in order to discover, 
if possible, a sufficiently powerful combination to destroy 
microbes, yet, while still in such a degree of concentration, 
weak enough to be harmless to the organism. The following 
formulas have given them the best results : Benzoic acid, i 
gramme ; phenic acid, 8 grammes ; chloride of zinc, i gramme. 
An aqueous solution of one per cent, of this mixture kills 
the staphylococcus of suppuration in thirty seconds, and an¬ 
thrax in the vegetative stage; pyocejanic bacillus, that of 
diphtheria and that of typhoid fever in one minute. Similar 
effects are obtained with a one per cent, solution of a mixture 
of: Phenic acid, 8 grammes ; benzoic acid, 8 grammes; oxalic 
acid, i gramme; or with one of 9 grammes of phenic acid 
and 1 of salicylic acid. The authors have obtained still bet¬ 
ter results with a degree of concentration of half of that 
strength. 
The last mixture adopted is of phenic acid, 8 grammes, to 
1 of salicylic, and 10 drops of English oil of mint. 
An aqueous solution, one-half percent, of this mixture kills 
the above named organisms in thirty seconds. The bacillus 
anthracis is destroyed with a solution of 2 at 1,000, which cor¬ 
responds to an antiseptic strength five times greater than that 
of pure phenic acid.— Ibid. 
REFLEX PARAPLEGIA DUE TO THE ACARUS OF THE EAR IN 
RABBITS. 
By M. A. Laveran. 
The author had watched a rabbit which had paraplegia, 
with scabs or crusts in the ear. He killed it, and in a careful 
post-mortem found the following lesions: Both ears were 
filled with cerumen, and at their bottom were easily seen a 
great number of small, whitish moving bodies which proved 
to be acarus. They were present in enormous numbers, and 
presented under the microscope all the characters of the 
acarus of the ears of rabbits. There were no lesions in the 
brain or cord, or elsewhere. From this it seems that the par. 
aplegia was due to the parasites of the ear.— Ibid. 
