with the happiest effects, having so far never met with any such unpleasant results as have been seen resulting from the old method. I feel that I can confidently recommend Nitrousoxyde when properly made, chemically washed, and adminis tered with a valve inhaler, as a safe and sure anæsthetic agent, and also as a fine excitant and tonic to the system; hardly a person inhaling it, but what expresses himself as feeling better for it.

The hygienic uses of Nitrous-oxyde are varied and important--and have yet to be demonstrated.

This gas has a wonderful effect in speedily relieving and curing nervous sick-headaches, and even headaches produced by inordinate use of liquor.

The medical profession generally are respectfully and cordially invited to call at my office, examine the apparatus and witness the effect of the gas.

ARTICLE XL.-Acute Hydrocephalus.—By B. F. Joslin, M.D., of New-York.

CASE I.-Arthur W. Visited this patient at Morrisania, Feb. 4th, 1859. On the 31st ultimo he was attacked about 10, A.M., with convulsions, clonic spasms; continued several hours completely unconscious, since then has been only partially conscious at any time. Present state: pupils dilated, strabismus, eyes rolling and turned upwards, moaning. Head hot, pulse 112; an allopathic physician had been called in at first, and has been in attendance since; he has applied a bladder of ice to head, blister to nape of neck, &c. &c., and given Veratrum-viride internally. I met him, and on one point we agreed, viz., that the case was one of extreme danger, and the recovery exceedingly doubtful under any treatment. He considered it a case of sub-acute meningitis, with most likely effusion. I prescribed Bell. 12, a dose every two hours.

Feb. 5, 12 noon. Pulse 120. Was more restless than usual during the night. This morning he has seemed more rational than he has done since this sickness. Pupils dilated, when awake somewhat sensative to light, at first contracting

slightly when exposed to light, but then dilating under the full glare. Pupils contracted when asleep. Gave Bell. 30. Feb. 6. Pulse 120, noon; was quite restless during the night; cried out as from acute pain; has not spoken since I saw him yesterday; passed urine three or four times; pupils dilated; eyes quite red; twitching of eyelids; can swallow without much difficulty. Gave Stram. 30, every two hours.

Feb. 7. Respiration 38; pulse 120; but when he became perfectly quiet it fell to 102; was restless during the latter part of the night; previously quiet. This morning skin cool; pupils not so much dilated, seem to contract and dilate more naturally. Stram. 30.

Feb. 8. Respiration 30, when apparently asleep. Pulse 120 when restless, afterwards fell to 110, then to 104, when quiet. During night had several black slimy and offensive stools; not so much redness of eyes and cheeks. Has passed urine; small ulcerated point on each eye; pupils dilate and contract more naturally, although they sometimes seem to move without reference to stimulus of light or absence of it. Gave Merc. 12.

Feb. 9. Pulse 120 when quiet, 130 when restless; tongue dry and thickly coated brown; pupils dilated, and are much less sensitive to light than yesterday. Has had one evacuation this morning of a dark color, but not black.

Lach. 30, every three hours.

Gave

Pulse 105,

Feb. 11. Visited by Dr. Joslin, Sen., 31 P. M. rather feeble; tongue, white coat or aphthæ; lips dry, and cough and cracked; fever; afternoon or evening, consciousness partly lost. Some little consciousness to-day; grates teeth; pupils rather dilated, and somewhat sensitive to light. Deglutition difficult; fixed looks at times; jerking of eyelids yesterday. Respiration 25, rather, slow; blue under eyes; aphtha. Prescribed Sulph.-ac. 12, and Hell. 3, every three hours alternately.

Feb. 14. Pulse 112; seems restless, tossing about from one side to the other, has been so much of the time since day before yesterday; trembling of feet when he holds them up; does not cry nor moan as much as he did; ulceration of left cornea increased; right eye remained as before. Continued Hell. 3, and Sulph.-ac. 12.

Feb. 15. Office.-His father thinks he is somewhat worse than he was yesterday; seems quite restless, constantly moving about when awake; catches hold of feet, &c. Pupils more dilated than at any time yet; has had one normal evacuation from bowels; passed urine several times. Gave Nux. 30, every three hours.

Feb. 16. His father says his pulse has varied from 80 upwards. I found it at 118, after he had been up and drinking and eating. When he lay down his pulse was 84; is much more conscious than he has been since the first day I saw him; drinks readily, holding the glass in his hand. His father put some caraway seeds in his hand, and the boy picked them out and put them in his mouth. On being asked to give one to his mother, he reached his hand with one to her, was asked to give one to his father, which he did. His pupils appear more natural, contracting promptly when he looks out of the window, notices chickens out of window. Took my pencil and held it; was evidently disturbed by the noise of his father raking the fire; evidently distinguishes water, beef tea, &c.; seems to desire water; skin quite cool; he passed urine three or four times in twenty-four hours. Continued Nux 30.

Feb. 19. Received letter. He continues to improve; speaks more, is very particular in regard to his eating, does not want the same thing twice. Continued Nux 30.

Feb. 24. Office.-Improving; sits up in chair all day; intellect seems to be unimpaired; talks and notices as when in health; very particular about eating; eats meat mainly; slight cough and coryza; last night slept better than usual, has been somewhat restless. Continued Nux 30, three times a day.

Feb. 26. Father says he remains about in the same condition as before. Pulse during sleep last night was 120; skin is warm; complained of pain in the ear, now in right ear, formerly complained of pain in left ear; mind as clear as it was before sickness; Notices everything as was usual for him. Gave Bell. 30, four times a day.

March 1. Visited another patient, saw him up and dressed; appears bright.

March 2. Office.-Swelling behind the right ear, which he has complained of much pain in of late. Hep. 30, three times a day.

March 5. Has had a lump behind the right ear for some time past, sensitive to the touch. They think his left side bulges out when he sits; has a lump on abdomen just to the right of the umbilicus; bowels regular; the lump on the abdomen is very sensitive to the touch; does not sleep well; has grinding of teeth. Sil. 30.

March 9. Office.-Rather better, the lump on the abdomen is of bluish color. Sil. 30.

March 14. Office.-Abscess behind the ear broke yesterday; the other on the abdomen has not changed. To-day he has not so good an appetite as before; tongue coated. Hep. 30. March 16. Office.-Tongue coated; respiration rattling, weak apparently. Nux 30.

March 17. Pulse 140. The lump on the abdomen is now evidently an abscess; it is uniformly red. Has fever at night; coughs. Examination of the chest-anteriorly could not discover anything abnormal. Under the scapulae heard various sounds accompanying expiration and inspiration, a dry creaking and moist rattling sound. The hand applied to the back distinguishes a vibratory motion; grinding of the teeth. Phos. 12, three times a day.

March 21. Office. The abscess on the abdomen broke this morning at 5 A. M. He was quite restless last night and previous night. Sach.-lact.

March 24. Office.-On the night of the 21st his father gave him some "cough medicine," which relieved cough for the time being. On 22d, and yesterday he was quite irritable, pushing at persons if they would not get what he wanted immediately; this is his usual temper when well. This morning cough is rather hoarse and has coryza; yesterday was taken out. Hep. 30, three times a day.

A short time after, this patient was taken to Massachusetts, under the care of his grandmother; he there improved rapidly and became quite hearty.

I have thought this case worthy of record, and probably of publication, as being a complete recovery from one of the most

fatal diseases of childhood. The case was considered, when I first saw the patient, both by myself and the intelligent old school physician, who had charge of it during its earlier stages, as exceedingly unpromising, if not inevitably fatal. It was with this understanding that I undertook the charge of it. For several days there was no improvement, but on the contrary, the symptoms appeared to indicate with even more probability, a fatal termination. Ulceration of the cornea took place; deglutition became very difficult.

CASE II. Edward F. I was called, Dec. 28th, 1860, to Mr. J. Hyde's, in 20th-st. to see a child about three years old, named Ed. Everitt Fowler; the child had been attacked several hours before with a convulsion, which continued until they gave Bell. 12, which I sent from the office (as I could not call immediately); the convulsion ceased before my arrival, but the patient was in a semi-conscious condition. For several days the bowels had been loose, and the night previous (to present attack) he was supposed to have croup, and Cox's Hive Syrup was given; had high fever during the night. I left Sulph. 30 a dose every three hours, and Bell. 12, if required.

Dec. 29. Found him still in a condition of stupor, had no convulsion, pulse 128; asked for a drink. Restless during the night; crying out frequently as if from sharp pain. Cough loose; general rattling respiration over the chest and in the throat; no evacuation. Acon. 12, and Bell. 12, alternately every two hours.

Dec. 30. Pulse 130, respiration short, with fine rattling; cough loose; sleeps with eyes open; takes more notice to-day, his friends think. For several weeks the child has asked why they did not "bring a light," showing partial blindness; now the finger can be brought near to the eye without the child winking. Pupils rather dilated. Gave Acon. 12, and Nux 12 alternately.

Dec. 31. Pulse 116; said to be, when awake, more conscious than yesterday; does not worry so much; urine scanty, high colored; less cough. Acon. 12, and Nux 12.

Jan. 1, 1861. Sleeping quietly, slept much better last night. Acon. 12, and Nux 12, alternately.

Jan. 2. Pulse 108 during sleep; said to be partially con