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BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

THE first woman physician was Madame Boirin, who was given the degree of doctor of medicine about a century ago.

PROFESSOR KOCH has gone to South Africa to complete researches begun on the cattle plague.

THE death is announced of E. Abbe, the improver of the microscope. To him bacteriology owes its marvellous strides in recent years.

A COMPANY of British physicians and surgeons will visit Paris in a body, under the leadership of Sir William Broadbent, on May 11th, 12th and 13th.

PROFESSOR MIKULICZ was operated on by Professor von Eiselsberg, of Vienna, in January for umbilical hernia, and an uneventful recovery is reported.

IN nine months there have been but forty deaths from disease in the immense Japanese army commanded by General Oku, although, since the 6th of May last, there have been 24,642 cases of disease. Of this number 5,070 were cases of beri beri.

A PARIS publisher recently issued a pamphlet on Atavism; and a young man, engaged to a widow, read it, and now refuses to marry the widow in case children by the marriage would look like the former husband. The widow is suing the publisher for $20,000.

THE first crematorium was opened in England in 1885, but cremation is not very popular there yet. The number of cremations performed since that time number 4,407. The success of the movement is the outcome of the untiring advocacy of the late Sir Henry Thompson.

A MEMBER of that well-known house of E. Merck, Darmstadt, Germany, Willy Merck, Ph.D., has had the honorary degree of doctor of medicine confirmed upon him by the University of Halle, Germany, by reason of the numerous meritorious contributions emanating from him towards the advancement of the therapeutic side of medicine.

Special Selection.

IRON THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF SMALLPOX.

BY MARTIN C. WOODRUFF, M.D., ST. LOUIS, MO.

As far back as 1893 my attention was first called to PeptoMangan (Gude). But it was not until the spring of 1895, when I was appointed Superintendent of Quarantine and Smallpox Hospital at St. Louis, that I had opportunity to test thoroughly its merits.

Upon my entrance to the aforesaid institution I found 118 patients in various stages of variola. The sanitary conditions were not of the best, consequently septicemia, 'pyemia, boils and abscesses were of frequent occurrence; in fact, one ward of some twenty-five odd beds was used exclusively for this class of patients.

In my endeavor to combat this condition of affairs, my mind of necessity reverted to the iron preparations. After using iron in its numerous forms, I found it entirely too astringent and acid to exhibit for any length of time.

It was at this time that my previous experience with PeptoMangan (Gude) led me to make some experiments to ascertain for my own benefit the actual value of iron and manganese in these conditions.

After several months' continuous examination (microscopical) I found that in all cases of variola the hemoglobin was diminished to less than 42 per cent., and the red blood corpuscles were diminished to such extent that the actual average count in some eighty-five cases was less than 2,273,000. After four weeks' treatment (the general average time patients were confined to the institution) the hemoglobin had increased 50 per cent. and the red blood cells 46 per cent. Believing that these cases were exactly suitable and amenable to treatment by PeptoMangan (Gude), provided it would do what was claimed for it, I decided to exhibit it exclusively and prove the results by actual demonstration in the increase of the hemoglobin percentage and the increase of the number of red blood corpuscles.

The similarity of these cases of necessity make the history

of one the history of all. For this reason I will not burden my readers with a repetition of a number of cases, but will confine myself to a few exceptional cases.

CASE 1.-Age seventeen; diagnosis, variola confluens, followed by a general pyemia. Period of treatment, twenty-four weeks. First count 2,323,000, hemoglobin 42 per cent. Second examination, after eight weeks, red blood cells 3,722,000, hemoglobin 58 per cent. Third examination, sixteen weeks, red blood cells 4,122,000, hemoglobin 67 per cent. Fourth examination, red blood cells 4,899,000, hemoglobin 79 per cent. Result, cured.

CASE 2.-Age twenty-five; diagnosis, variola semi-confluens, followed by puerperal septicemia. Period of treatment, fifteen weeks. First count, 3,123,000 red cells, hemoglobin 62 per Second examination, red cells 5,325,000, hemoglobin 89 per cent. Result, cured.

cent.

CASE 3.-Age sixteen; diagnosis, variola semi-hemorrhagic, uncomplicated. First examination, red cells 2,824,000, hemoglobin 42 per cent. Period of treatment, six weeks. Second examination, red cells 4,376,000, hemoglobin 83 per cent. Result, cured.

CASE 4.-Age ten; variola discreta with scarlatina, both infections occurring simultaneously, a most malignant and rare disease. In this double infection the anemia and depression were profound. First examination, red cells 2,036,000, hemoglobin 28 per cent. Period of treatment, eight weeks. Second examination, 5,102,000 red cells, hemoglobin 88 per cent. Result, cured.

At the beginning of my first term as Superintendent of Quarantine the mortality was 21 per cent. In twelve months it has been reduced to 9 per cent., and in the last year of my incumbency there were but sixteen deaths in 1,749 cases, showing the very low mortality of less than 1 per cent. It may not be generally known, but it is a fact, that death occurs in variola during the time that absorption begins to take about the twelfth day of the eruption.

place, which is

Now, if by the administration of drugs the percentage of hemoglobin and the number of red blood cells can be brought anywhere near the normal before this period of absorption takes place, we, of necessity, increase the power of resistance tenfold.

I would not like to be understood as saying that the mere use of pepto-mangan caused the remarkable decrease in the mortality at our institution, though I am quite sure that it played a major part in producing the result.

During my incumbency as Superintendent at Quarantine Hospital, I had under my sole care a case of leprosy, which was finally pronounced cured after no recurrence had taken place for a year after a total abeyance of all symptoms. From first to last in the treatment of this case pepto-mangan was used as a tonic and reconstructive. The blood count was never made in this case at any time.

Eight years of my time was devoted exclusively to this institution, and I treated personally some 4,000 cases, and that my faith in pepto-mangan, as the very best treatment in variola, had not diminished one iota is exemplified by the purchase of quantities just prior to severing my connection with the smallpox hospital.

Before bringing this article to a close, I wish to make it plain that constipation throughout the entire course of variola is a contending factor. For this reason preparations of iron, which would further aggravate this condition, are contraindicated. At no time did I find this to be the case where peptomangan was administered.

Another and very great feature is the stability of the preparation. In my twelve years' experience with this preparation I have never found a single bottle with the least particle of precipitate. Last, but not least by any means, it being a perfectly neutral solution, it can be taken indefinitely without the least fear of injury to the patient's teeth.-Reprinted from The American Therapist, June, 1904.

The Rational Treatment of Dyspepsia

associated with deficient gastric juice depends for its success upon the gentle stimulation of the gastric glands by the action of certain chemical excitants.

Ext. carnis fl. comp. (Colden) contains a number of the most potent of these physiological or chemical excitants so proportionably combined that effective excitation may te secured without undue stimulation.

The administration of Ext. carnis fl. comp. (Colden) a short time before meals, will stimulate the appetite, increase the quantity and quality of the gastric juice, and promote a proper functioning of the musculature of the stomach. Write for sample and literature.

Sold by all druggists.

THE CHARLES N. CRITTENTON CO.

Sole Agents,

115-117 FULTON STREET, NEW YORK.

The tonic and nutritive properties of Scott's Emulsion are strikingly proven in the case of rickety children and pale, delicate girls. The ease with which it is assimilated makes Scott's Emulsion especially valuable in the treatment of mal nutrition.

SCOTT & BOWNE, Chemists, Toronto, Ont.

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