Tobacco Habit.-Thymol in Typhoid.-Syr. Hydriodic Acid.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-I write to ask you and your many subscribers for the best treatment for the tobacco habit. I find many persons suffering from the effects of the stuff who seem to be unable to quit without help. No doubt good articles have appeared in your valuable journal heretofore, but it will not hurt anything to reopen this, to my mind, very important subject.

What is your experience with thymol in typhoid fever?

Is hydriodic acid a better preparation than others to use to get the effect of iodin? J. M. COKER, M.D. Yellville, Ark.

too.

[Yes, the tobacco habit has been discust in the columns of THE WORLD, and very thoroly We do not believe a demand exists to reopen it when many other vital matters are waiting publication, yet the space belongs to the family, and if communications of value come in we will gladly insert them.

We have used thymol with great satisfaction in typhoid fever, but there are other intestinal antiseptics less costly which give just as good results. The claims made by some as to its power to abort typhoid are nonsensical. It is merely a good intestinal antiseptic, and will do just the good such drugs do, and no

more.

Do you not mean "to get the effect of the iodids?" in speaking of hydriodic acid. As used in the syrup it is a very weak preparation indeed, and the effect of the iodids may be obtained better in many other ways.-ED.]

Started with a Mosquito Bite.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD-A woman patient of mine was bitten by a mosquito, she says, last summer. Soon after, the finger began to itch and pain at the place; a growth like a corn appeared, which she tore out. Finally she came to me with a growth like a callus from a shoe rub, about as large as a pea, reporting itching and pains most of the time. Under the idea that the mosquito had left either a part of his digging apparatus or some substance which acted as an irritant, which stimulated the growth, I excised the growth and cauterized the base with 20 percent silver nitrate. The wound healed in a few days, and now, three weeks after, the itching is beginning again. What is it? MILTON H. BAKER.

Rogers Park, Ill.

[It is common for condylomata to take origin at the site of irritation, and such irritation could easily have been induced by a mosquito bite. It is not probable that any portion of the insect remained in the wound; if it had, a small abscess would have developt instead of the condylomata. The itching may have returned thru some nervous reflex or because of imagination, or both the itching and the growth may have occurred at this location if she had never been bitten. If the growth should reappear, make your next operation and cauterization more thoro. If the alarm exprest by the patient should justify it, and you have a machine or

the facilities for the treatment, subject her to the X-ray; this will cure it permanently.-ED.]

Formaldehyde Poisoning.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Will you be kind enuf to give in your next issue the symptoms of poisoning by formaldehyde? A doctor's office and clothes were sprayed with the 40 percent commercial formaldehyde diluted with a little water but not much, just how much they could not say. Shortly after, those doing it were taken very ill. It is difficult to get much about symptoms of poisoning by formaldehyde, particularly by inhaling. I have a library which cost over $1000, and altho I can find considerable about formaldehyde, I can find but little about symptoms of poisoning by it. The best I got was in Sajous' Cyclopedia, 1903. Kindly give full symptoms in your next. The treatment is simple. Many are using it, but few understand its dangers. Two others here could find nothing in their libraries about symptoms of poisoning, tho they have good libraries. J. PHILP.

Listowel, Ont., Canada.

[When the commercial formaldehyde is used as a spray, considerable care should be exercised to get away from the fumes as quickly as possible. There is some doubt as to the efficiency when used as a spray, too. It is much better applied in the gaseous form from a properly constructed apparatus which can throw the gas into a room which has been completely sealed before starting the gas, and which can be left vacant for 24 hours afterwards, and then well aired before again being occupied. The following is taken from "Pharmacology and Therapeutics" Cushny, publisht by Lea Brothers & Co., Philadelphia: -"The vapor is very irritant when inhaled, causing stinging and pricking in the nose and throat, salivation and tears, and bronchial irritation and catarrh. In the few cases recorded of poisoning in man, the symptoms were those of gastric irritation and consequent collapse. When swallowed by animals the watery solution produces nausea and vomiting, which are followed by narcosis, coma, and in the rabbit by convulsions and opisthotonos. The respiration in the dog is very greatly accelerated some time before death, while in the rabbit this is not so markt, or is entirely absent. The blood pressure is increast at first and the heart is slow, presumably from direct or indirect stimulation of the medullary centers. Part of the formaldehyde absorbed has been shown to pass thru the tissues unchanged and to be excreted in the urin, and it is possible that the whole of it escapes in this way. Beneficenti states that formaldehyde is a blood poison, causing alterations in the form of the cells and leading to formation of hematin. He is disposed to look upon the effect as the chief factor in the intoxication."

The symptomatology of poisoning by formaldehyde has not yet found its way into the text books. Phenomena now supposed to be due to the drug may later be found to have been

[Chronic constipation is, in the majority of instances, more a vicious habit of the bowels than a disease in itself. It is never cured by strong cathartics alone. The best plan of treatment is the one which strives to institute a regular habit of the bowel in evacuation, while endeavoring to restore the lost tonicity. Instruct the patient to go to stool every morning immediately after breakfast, whether any sensation of desire for evacuation is present or not; remain on the closet seat for at least ten minutes, but without straining. If a passage occurs, good; but if not, repeat the procedure each morning just the same. It will usually be necessary to administer some laxativ medicin for some time after beginning the treatment, but the dose can soon be reduced, and it can soon be withdrawn altogether. The patient should eat plenty of food known to be laxativ in nature, such as dates, stewed prunes, stewed dried peaches, uncookt fruit, etc. Oatmeal and the prepared farinaceous foods are not so laxativ as popularly supposed; indeed, they are just the opposit with many people. Just Just before retiring, and just after arising, direct a large draught of water, hot or cold, as the taste indicates. Just before arising, clinch the fist, and knead the abdomen thoroly and deeply for a period of ten minutes. Begin at the head of the colon and continue upwards and across the abdomen and down the other side, following the line of the colon. Arise, don clothing, eat breakfast, and go to stool. If this treatment is thoroly and persistently carried out, it will cure any case of chronic constipation. If the syringe be used, its use must be discontinued as soon as possible, for the syringe habit is another form of slavery as bad almost, and in some respects worse than the constipation itself. In the worst cases it

[Any man of brains will admit that the "patent medicin business" is one that can only exist by fraudulent claims made in such manner as to ensnare the ignorant or unwary. Will any man of honor assist, encourage, aid and abet the obtaining of money from those who should be pitied and shielded, rather than deluded and robbed? The publisher who allows such advertisements to appear in his sheet actually does this, and the money he receives for the publication of such advertisement is "blood money," in all truth. It is taken from those who are not only infirm in body, but also in mind; could degradation be greater?

The better class of journals are now excluding advertisements of such firms as they style "objectionable; " this is understood to refer to those who advertise means of producing abortion and of restoring "lost manhood." Of course this exclusion is not brought about by any lessening of their cupidity, but because the public is offended by the insertion of such advertisements. We doubt whether the firm that advertises a sure method of restoring the absent molimen does as much actual harm as those firms which advertise sure cures for cancer and tuberculosis. It is not a different matter at all; to exclude the one and to allow the insertion of the other is to attempt making a distinction without a difference. Hence those journals which act logically, exclude all medical advertisements, because they well know that honorable men who purpose doing what is right, do not advertise. Thus they face the issue squarely, and do not dodge it in any particular. It is well known that some of the most barefaced and preposterous schemes to delude the public by medical advertisements are heralded in the religious (?) press; great the shame.

Pure Food Laws, Etc.

My Dear DOCTOR TAYLOR:-This is the eighteenth dollar that I have sent you as a subscription to THE MEDICAL WORLD, and yet there are more. I congratulate you upon your past, your present, and your future. I know many doctors who read THE WORLD with interest who, like myself, do not like your spelling, your politics, nor your therapeutics; yet we all like you and THE WORLD. You are uplifting the profession, humanity, and justice, and we bid you God speed, and send our little dollars as evidence of good faith.

In the near future will you kindly give us an idea of the present working of the pure food laws, if we have any? The condition of manufactured food products in the United States is deplorable. Meats are inspected for export, but not for home consumption. Waverly, N. Y.

FRED'K A. REW, M.D.

[We think that Dr. Rew is an eclectic. If so, it is certainly all right, for we venture that no medical magazine has more eclectic readers than THE WORLD, not even the leading eclectic journals, and there are some good ones. We mention this merely because it may account for Dr. Rew not liking our therapeutics. We say frankly that we do like the therapeutics of the eclectics, only we do not believe in them exclusivly, and perhaps we are not as thoroly acquainted with them as a Simon pure" eclectic. However, the eclectics have done and are doing enuf good to justify a hearty God bless them.

As to spelling, we predict that in twenty-five years the orthodox and then recognized spelling will then be far more advanced toward simplification and rationalization than that found in THE MEDICAL WORLD today. Somebody has to lead; why not we? We are taking only a little step, and an easy step, and that in the direction of the recommendations of the best English and American authorities.

As to politics, there are none of a party nature in THE WORLD. We have some economics and sociology. If Dr. Rew and his friends do not like what we present in this line, they are showing the best, most commendable, and most hopeful spirit-toleration. We heartily congratulate our friends upon this spirit, for the exercise of it by us all will surely lead finally to harmonious understanding and agreement.

Concerning pure food laws, the Constitution of the United States allows every state to take measures for its own "police protection," and this term embodies all such measures as laws which look to the protection of the health of the citizens. Each state, therefore, must pass its own laws in this respect. Several states now have " pure food laws." They work very satisfactorily, after they have been in existence long enuf to admit of their imperfections being eliminated, where the citizens take enuf interest in them to see that they are enforced. Some states with such laws have reacht a much higher state of perfection than others, mainly because they have been in operation longer, or because the citizens have taken a sufficient interest in them to see to their enforcement and improvement. Doubtless if you were to bring this matter to the attention of your local assemblyman or state Senator, it would not be difficult to get the matter before the state Legislature, provided New York does not already have such a law; on this point we have no information. If such a law is on the statute book, get your assemblyman to send you a copy, and see if its provisions are being complied with in your section. If such a law is being violated, take measures to see that its provisions are enforced. This is the practical way of getting at these things. No law is of value unless enforced, and the manufacturer of food products will hardly be the one to enforce such a law if the consumer neither demands it nor cares for its enforcement. The Legislature can make the law, but its enforcement rests with the citizen himself, and in this respect many are most remiss, and of all citizens, doctors are the least account when matters of this kind come up.-ED.]

Copaiba, in 10 minim capsules every four hours, has proven of decided benefit în cirrhosis of the liver.

"

Toleration.

Dear Editor WORLD:-I like to read THE WORLD. I suppose it is because of its liberal principles. I do love liberty. I honestly feel sorry for the man who styles himself doctor," or physician," that is so contracted as to think his system of curing diseases the only one. Such men are naturally getting where they belong, that is, in the background-they are slowly but surely having to go way back and sit down." The real facts in the case are, that as yet there is no perfect system of medicin. I seriously doubt if there ever will be. Just how far suggestion (by this I mean the various isms of healing) goes in the curing of disease, I must confess I am at this time not prepared to say. That people are healed without medicin, we must admit. You say, "Oh, yes, when they are there is nothing the matter;" well, that's all right, Brother; but draw the line if you dare. Hence, I say, that when a little one-horsed, two by four doctor swells up and says his is the only system of medicin, that he is "it" ad infinitum, ad nauseam, it reminds me-well, I was going to say, of some of our socalled ministers that get up and tell the people that their religion is the only one, and--but if you will excuse me, I'll not refer to anything so sacred; or in other words, try to stick to my text. The strong probabilities are, that such men will die in their sins, from self-asphyxiation-or a kind of autoinfection, as it were. I have said over and over again, and now I repeat it, that the egotism in the medical profession has been and is today its worst enemy. In fact, it seems to be the principal stock in trade of some would-be physicians. I also feel the deepest sympathy for the physician that styles himself ""eclectic," regular,' homeopathic,' osteopath,' etc. I have been dubbing myself" oculist," and I am thinking that it is not the proper thing either; why not just say physician and let it go at that. Not the only physician, but physician only. Of course, there are no such physicians in this neck of the woods, but as the darkey says, "we'se all hearn tell on um." I wish to say further, that some of the best men I have ever known are peddling pills." Great big, honesthearted fellows they are. But, oh, how they need consistency-in fact, how we all need it! Truly has it been said, "Oh consistency, thou art a jewel."

66

Well, excuse me, Brother Editor, for this abrupt visitation to your quiet quarters. I will state that I am prepared for any old kind of a roast (I don't eat roast pork, however, nor dead hog in any form) that you or any other brother should choose to give me. I'll try to be at the "meetin'." Later on I may decide to swell up and come again. I enclose $1.00 for next year's subscription to the WORLD, which I don't feel is enuf, but it is all you ask.

Joplin, Mo.

FINIS L. ANDERSON.

[Yes, it is well to avoid religious subjects, or even religious comparisons; for the easiest and quickest way to get a fight out of the average man, or woman either, is to refer to his or her religion, thus proving that there is little, if any, real religion present. Even the most innocent question sometimes is like a red rag to a bull; and when it comes to arguing, their meanest nature comes to the surface. This is true in proportion to the narrowness of the religion entertained. Perhaps this remark, which is a gospel truth, may cause some of our readers to "bristle" as they read it, thus proving its truth. But this readiness to fight for narrow religious concepts is much less prevalent and extreme than it was a quarter or a half century agotimes easily within the memory of many of us; and in earlier times it was still worse. As people learn more, they become more tolerant-and more truly religious. The same is true in medicin and in politics. Let us open ourselves to every source of light, and strive to find the truth.-ED.]

After applying a plaster-of-paris splint, if the hands are washt in water containing sugar or molasses, all traces of the plaster are readily removed, and the skin is left as soft and smooth as if the hands had not toucht the plaster.

CURRENT MEDICAL THOUGHT

Notes From our Homeopathic Friends. [We are askt occasionally how our homeopathic brethren would treat certain conditions, and herewith append some brief notes from Practical Medicin: Lawrence.]

Hemoptysis:-Place the patient at rest in a semi-recumbent position, let him swallow small bits of ice, and administer such remedies as aconite, arnica, erigeron, ergot, ferrum phos., geranium, hamamelis, hydrastinin hydrochlorate, ipecac, and millefolium. In grave cases morphin may be given hypodermically.

Appendicitis-Early in the attack such remedies as belladonna, bryonia, colocynth, cuprum, nux vomica, and sulfur may be given; the onset of suppuration calls for mercurius or hepar; and peritonitis frequently affords indications for the use of such medicins as arsenic, cantharis, and merc. corr.

Constipation:-Never use a purgativ if it can be avoided. More useful medicins are nux vomica, suggested by ineffectual urging to stool, with headache, nausea, bad taste in the morning, and often hemorrhoids; and strychnin, which in atonic cases may be substituted for nux. Cases with symptoms of portal hyperemia, especially if diarrhea alternates with constipation, are benefited by sulfur. Hydrastis is suggested by sensations of epigastric weakness and sinking, sour eructations, and hemorrhoids, and hard stools coated with mucus. Opium is indicated for the complete intestinal torpor which occurs in old people or which follows acute diseases or lead colic; the feces are hard and dry. Bryonia may be given when similar stools are due to lack of intestinal secretion, especially in irritable hypochondriacs. Many other remedies may be suggested by associated symptoms.

Tape worm :- -Precisely the same remedies used by the rational school are recommended: ethereal extract of male fern, kousoo, pomegranate, and pumpkin seed.

Biliary colic:-During a paroxysm of biliary colic some relief may be obtained from the application of heat and the administration of symptomatically indicated remedies (bellaremedies (belladonna, calcarea carb., nux vomica); but since the pain is essentially mechanical, only an opiate can be expected to afford decided relief. Morphin, gr. 4, with atropin, gr. ro, may be given hypodermically, and in aggravated cases inhalations of chloroform may be necessary. When the attack has subsided, the patient should be placed on a diet free from alcohol, fat, sugar, and starch. Medicins should be selected in accordance with the indications present; the most important are

calcarea carb., chelidonium, lycopodium, nux vomica, and sulfur.

Pleurisy, dry stage :-Administer bryonia or esclepias in uncomplicated cases. Associated pneumonia or phthisis may require ferrum phos., kali carb., phosphorus, or squills. A rheumatic cause may suggest the employment of colchicum or rhus; and nephritis may afford indications for arsenic, canth., or merc. corr.

Stage of effus on:-The lessening of pain as a result of the development of an effusion suggests a change to such remedies as apis, arsenic, cantharis, or sulfur.

Bronchitis :-During the dry stage, with painful cough and scanty expectoration, such remedies as ferrum phos., bryonia, or squills are indicated. Hyperesthesia of the larynx, with tickling cough, suggests hyoscyamus; while sensitivness to external pressure, which excites cough, indicates the need of rumex, sticta, or lachesis. Ipecac and apomorphia aid in promoting secretion; and the appearance of free expectoration calls for antim. iod. or kali bich. Cyanotic symptoms may demand tartar emetic or antim. arsen. Coexisting laryngitis may call for such remedies as phosphorus, spongia, belladonna, or hepar.