infection; further, as the infections are prone to be of a composite form a composite serum must be used, which would be a return to the old shot-gun' mixture. The future undoubtedly will furnish us with a reliable preparation of serum for each of the usual germs found in infections of the lying-in period, the use of each being dependent upon the bacteriological findings of the lochia."

Sig: One-half a dropperful warmed, to be instilled into the ear, for adults; less for a child.

Synovitis:

Used in acute conditions. This solution may be employed hot, and joint surrounded with hot water bags; or, if more agreeable to patient, may be employed in cold, and joint surrounded with ice-bags. The rubber bandage firmly applied frequently relieves pain and swelling.

R Liquoris plumbi subacetatis.

M.

Tinc. opii.

Aquæ bullientis

fzii.
f zii.

.q.s. ad. f3xxxii.

Sig. Apply upon soft cloths saturated with solution, and place joint at rest.-The Medical News.

Carbolic Acid

Bufalini recommends Persodine, which is a Poisoning: mixture of sodium and ammonium persulphates, as an antidote in carbolic acid poisoning. N. Y. M. J. states that the soluble sulphates are the most efficient antidotes to this poison, but the persulphates are more energetic and more quickly effective.

Operation for

Lucien Lofton (N.Y.M.J. and P.M.J.),

Varicocele: finds the ligation method of operating for varicocele satisfactory. The patient in a semi-recumbent attitude, the surgeon grasps the scrotum with the left hand, the index finger and thumb at the same time separating the vas deferens and spermatic artery, while the pampiniform plexus is brought well up against the anterior and upper walls and held there. A surgeon's ordinary curved needle three inches in length, with double strand of No. 2 fiddle string, is employed, and the point pierced at the seat of election, and the mass fixed. The needle is not allowed to perforate the opposite wall, but is guided around to emerge at original opening. Gradual tightening of strands is advisable unless you are sure you have isolated the vas and artery.

Society Reports--Notes of Interest.

Typhoid Fever and
Appendicitis:

At the seventeenth annual meeting of the Southern Surgical and Gynecological Association, Dr. John C. Oliver, of Cincinnati, gave the following conclusions regarding the irregular manifestations of typhoid fever and appendicitis: 1. That typhoid ulcers may appear in the glandular structures of the appendix and give rise to a typhoid appendicitis. 2. That the infiltration of the ileum and cecum in typhoid fever may be so great as to give rise to a distinct tumor mass in the right iliac fossa. 3. That the Widal test is of but little, if any, value in the early diagnosis of the disease present. 4. That the leucocyte count proved in his series of cases to be of value in distinguishing between the two diseases. 5. That an exploratory laparotomy in typhoid fever is not devoid of danger. 6. That abdominal incision is imperative when it becomes necessary to establish the differential diagnosis between a typhoid perforation and fulminant appendicitis. 7. That in the absence of perforation cases of typhoid appendicitis should not be operated on.

The Antitoxin Treatment of Diphtheria:

Dr. B. Franklyn Roger, of the Philadelphia Municipal Hospital, at the regular meeting of the Philadelphia County Medical Society, January 11th, 1905, pleaded for a dose of antitoxin proportionate to the amount and position of the exudate. He recommends large doses in nasal, naso-pharyngeal and laryngeal diphtheria. He strongly advocates using it early, before and without waiting for culture returns. There should also be a more general use of antitoxin as an immunizing agent.

Schafer's Artificial

Respiration:

At a recent meeting of the Edinburgh Medico-Chirurgical Society, Professor E. A. Schafer demonstrated his method of artificial respiration. He placed the patient in the prone position and kneeling on one side rhythmically compressed both sides of the chest with each hand. With this method there is no fatigue to the operator and consequently it can be kept up for a long

time. Water and mucus naturally drained away from the patient, and the tongue could have no tendency to fall back into the pharynx.

A New Method of
Exploring the
Abdomen:

Dr. Alex. Hugh Ferguson, Chicago, told of a new method of exploring the female abdomen at the recent annual meeting of the Western Surgical and Gynecological Association. The hand and entire forearm are passed into the abdomen through the vagina, enough space being secured by cutting through the mucous membrane of the vagina its whole. length on each side post-laterally. The mucous membrane cut, the other structure would stretch at once. Dr. Ferguson has employed this method for three years in private practice and at his clinics, passing his hand through to the diaphragm, and thus palpating all the abdominal organs.

Extirpation of Gasserian Ganglion:

Dr. John B. Murphy, of Chicago, stated before the annual meeting of the Western Surgical and Gynecological Society, that he had operated on twelve cases, with four deaths, extirpating the gasserian ganglion for facial neuralgia. There has been no recurrence of the neuralgia in any case thus far.

Hard Paraffin in Nose
Deformities:

1

Dr. Walker Downie, of Glasgow, before the recent meeting of the British Medical Association, said that in two and a half years he had operated on one hundred cases of nose deformity, using hard paraffin in the correction of the same. tion is devoid of danger when properly performed. deformity is of the nature of a sinking-in, and the sunken area healthy, the shape of the nose can in all cases be improved.

The opera-
Where the

Stipticin in Uterine

Hemorrhage:

Stipticin, introduced by Dr. Martin Freund, is narcotine hydrochlorate obtained from narcotine by oxidation.

At

the recent annual meeting of the Southern Surgical and Gyne

cological Association, Dr. H. J. Boldt, of New York, said that he had used stipticin now for seven years in various cases of uterine hemorrhage. Two and one-half to five grains seems to be a large dose, and if three doses are not beneficial it may be discontinued. Dr. Boldt considers it better than any other drug.

Radium in Carcinoma Before a recent meeting of the Practitioners' Society of New York, Dr. Robert Abbe in reply to Dr. Charles McBurney, said that he had not employed radium in more than half a dozen cases of carcinoma, but in every case some improvement was noticed.

Roentgen Rays and
Cancer:

Dr. Charles McBurney said before the Practitioners' Society of New York, that many patients had been treated with the Roentgen Rays, thus excluding operation, until the disease was too far advanced, where an operation would be beneficial.

Cancer:

Dr. Joseph D. Bryant, New York, recalled before the Practitioners' Society, that clover flowers, turpentine, the introduction of electrically-charged needles into the tumor, condurango, Roentgen ray and radium, have successfully been tried in the treatment of carcinoma, as had the surgeon's knife, and he would reverse all these and use the surgeon's knife first, and then if necessary use one of the above agents in prevention of recurrence.

Chloroform Anes

thesia:

Sir Lauder Brunton said before a meeting of the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society of London, that the success of the anesthetist would depend upon maintaining anesthesia steadily and thoroughly until the operation was over, thus avoiding risk by shock from the operation or shock from too concentrated a vapor to the respiratory passages, and shock, spasm and suffocation from regurgitated food. Position of the patient was also strongly emphasized.