272 
FINE  CLAY  AS  A  DRESSING  TO  SORES. 
the  solution  is  ready  for  use.  Clean  the  surface  to  be  silvered 
with  a  cotton  plug  impregnated  with  a  few  drops  of  nitric  acid, 
then  wash  it  with  distilled  water,  drain  and  place  it  on  supports 
on  the  surface  of  a  bath,  composed  of  the  argentiferous  liquid, 
to  which  has  been  added  one-tenth  or  one-twelfch  of  the 
solution  of  sugar  (4).  Under  the  influence  of  diffused  light 
the  liquid  becomes  yellow,  then  brown,  and  after  from  two  to 
five  minutes  the  whole  of  the  surface  of  the  glass  will  be 
silvered  ;  after  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  it  will  have  attained  the 
required  thickness;  it  must  be  washed  first  with  ordinary  water, 
then  with  distilled  water,  and  stood  upon  its  edge  to  dry  in 
the  air.  The  surface  will  then  be  covered  with  a  light,  whitish 
veil,  easily  removed  by  a  little  polishing  rouge  or  chamois 
leather,  leaving  a  brilliant  surface  perfectly  adapted  by  its 
physical  constitution  for  the  purposes  for  which  it  was  intended. 
— Joum.  Franklin  Inst.,  March,  1864,  from  London  Artizan, 
Oct.  1863. 
FINE  CLAY  AS  A  DRESSING  TO  SORES. 
Dr.  Sehreber,  of  Leipzic,  recommends  the  use  of  clay  as  the 
most  "  energetic,  the  most  innocent,  the  most  simple,  and  the 
most  economical  of  pallicative  applications  to  surfaces  yielding 
foul  and  moist  discharges."  He  moreover  considers  that  it  has 
a  specific  action  in  accelerating  the  cure.  Clay  softened  down 
in  water,  and  freed  from  all  gritty  particles,  is  laid,  layer' by 
layer,  over  the  affected  part  to  the  thickness  of  about  a  line. 
If  it  become  diy  and  fall  off,  fresh  layers  are  applied  to  the 
cleansed  surface.  The  irritating  secretion  is  rapidly  absorbed 
by  the  clay,  and  the  contact  of  air  prevented.  The  cure  thus 
goes  on  lauidly.  This  clay  ointment  has  a  decisive  action  in 
cases  of  foetid  perspiration  of  the  feet  or  armpits.  A  single 
layer  applied  in  the  morning  will  destroy  all  odor  in  the  day. 
It  remains  a  long  time  supple,  and  the  pieces  which  fall  off  in 
fine  powder  produce  no  inconvenience. — British  Med.  Journal, 
April  11,  1863,  p.  381. 
[We  can  quite  corroborate  Dr.  Schreber's  observations,  having 
used  fine  clay  poultices  for  several  years — chiefly,  however,  in 
cases  of  local  inflammation  requiring  the  application  of  co\d* 
Rags  wet  in  water,  or  goulard  water,  so  rapidly  become  dry  and 
