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BOVININE IN SURGERY.

Dr. Pratt, in a recent pamphlet, very strongly advocates bovinine in surgery. He relates a number of instances where its local application has resulted in cure of ulcerations and gangrene. The most unique use which he makes of it, however, is as a local disinfectant in preparing the "field of operation." We quote: "There is a substitute for scrubbing which is more effective as a cleansing measure, which saves the traumatism occasioned by the mere scratching of the brush, and which has been so satisfactory in my practice now for several years that I desire to give it my hearty endorsement and suggest it as a measure for general adoption by the profession, and that is the local application of bovinine, followed, while the bovinine still covers the surface, by peroxide of hydrogen. Peroxide of hydrogen seems to have a very marked affinity for bovinine, so that it froths and bubbles as soon as it comes in contact with it as though it were attacking pus or blood. It makes an even more active attack upon bovinine than it does upon other matters, as evinced by the heat evolved as the frothy product is produced. Bovinine is so penetrating as to enter both the sebaceous and sweat glands freely, and the peroxide of hydrogen proves to be equally penetrating, for it removes every trace of the bovinine and with it all evidence of grease or filth of any kind. After the froth has been washed away by sterilized water, the surface of the skin appears clean and smooth and is then ready for the aseptic or antiseptic solutions, as the surgeon may prefer. I have now employed this combination of bovinine and peroxide of hydrogen in several hundred cases as the first measure in cleaning an operating field, and it has given me such complete and universal satisfaction that I heartily commend it to the consideration of my fellow surgeons."

PHTHISIS: WINTER COUGHS.

Dr. Albright, of Pottsville, Pa., writes: Prominent among the standard remedies for these allied conditions stands one that may with truth be called Nature's own remedy, inasmuch as it is obtained from the very bowels of Mother Earth-petroleum.

The Angier Chemical Company, of Boston, have placed this remedy in our path in palatable form, combining with it the well known hypophospites. This emulsion supersedes cod-liver oil in more ways than one, not the least of which is that it is palatable; consequently, does not disorder digestion or produce nausea. This, in many cases, is of the greatest importance. In regard to its therapeutis, it may be said that it is antiseptic, antispasmodic, stimulant, diaphoretic, nutrient and expectorant. By its use the cough is at once ameliorated, the perspiration is diminished, the patient is strengthened, thereby enabling him to expectorate the loosened. mucus with greater ease; foetid odors are made less so, and frequently the consumptive steadily improves and regains health. the first stages of this disease, it is certainly curative, as can be verified by any practitioner giving it a faithful trial.

CHOPCHEENEE IN SYPHILIS.

. This is a plant indigenous to India and other Eastern countries. The root is the only part used as medicine; it is said to be useful in rheumatism, epilepsy, insanity and particularly syphilis. It is a most renowned medicine for syphilis in India. Its action is more decided in the secondary stage, especially when the skin and mucous membrane are the seat of suffering. It is a non-poisonous plant, and so its action is not as violent as that of mercury, still it is in no way inferior to the latter in its efficacy in syphilis when the disease has gone to the secondary stage. Dr. Gangadin, of India, says: “I have in my practice seen its wonderful action in hundreds of cases of secondary syphilis." The action of the medicine is generally known within one to three weeks; it should be continued for a sufficiently long time, according to the severity of the symptoms and chronicity of the case. I have always used it in tincture form. Dose: 10 to 30 drops in an ounce of water three times a day."

Chopcheenee Tincture can be had of Boericke, Runyon & Ernesty, 497 Fifth avenue, New York.

Mellin's Food is of real value used in combination with milk. It may be first dissolved in water and the solution used to dilute the milk, or the powder may be added directly to the milk. In either way the milk is rendered more digestible.-From "Domestic Hygiene of the Child," Prof. Uffelmann, University of Rostook, Germany.

ESTABLISHED PRACTICE in town of 50,000 inhabitants. A homœopathic physician writes us that he is about to vacate an established practice in Michigan, and would be glad to spend a week introducing a good man. Address "Saginaw," care of this journal.

FOR SALE. An interest in one of the best Sanitoriums in the Eastern United States. A rare opportunity for the right man. Address "Sanitorium," care of this journal.

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Readers of the JOURNAL are cordially requested to send personals, removals, deaths and all items of general news to Dr. William S. Pearsall, 128 West 78th Street, New York City.

Secretaries of societies and institutions are invited to contribute reports of their proceedings, and as it is intended to make this department crisp and newsy reports should be complete but concise.

The Homeopathic Medical Society of the County of Philadelphia held its regular monthly meeting in the Hahnemann Medical College on the evening of December 9, when two important papers were read and vigorously discussed: The first by Dr. Mary Branson on "Eclampsia," and the second by Dr. Claude R. Norton on "Abortion."

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Dr. Branson said, in part:

The threadbare story of the doctor who was glad when he could get his patients to having fits because he could cure them does not apply to our case, as it can hardly be said that we find it easy to cure eclamptic convulsions. The subject is one of such magnitude that it seems as if a few remarks regarding cause and prevention would more than occupy the prescribed ten minutes.

One theory, that urea in the blood is a cause, is now exploded, and another equally improbable is that of the microbic origin. The American Text Book of Obstetrics gives preference to the theory of poisons present in the blood in too large quantities to be eliminated by the kidneys or their assistants, the skin, lungs, etc. But there seems to be no satisfactory explanation concerning the origin of these poisons. It is agreed that although the kidneys are congested during pregnancy, the presence of albumin is not enough to justify the statement that eclampsia will occur, nor its absence any guarantee that convulsions will not come. Eclampsia usually occurs in the first stage of labor, though it has been known even as late as twentyeight days after parturition. The first attack may occur without warning or without preliminary symptoms. The headache is of great importance, and is considered a diagnostic symptom, especially when associated with disturbances of vision. It is an open question whether we have been able to prevent an attack of eclampsia when this violent headache has occurred, or when together with this the urine is highly albuminous, and yet a normal labor has followed. In the case of Mrs. T. G., who was first seen in labor and was suffering from a severe congestive headache, rapidly increasing in violence, belladonna relieved it in five minutes and delivery took place without complication. Much can be accomplished by watching the patient during pregnancy, by regulating the diet, keeping the skin, kidneys and bowels active, and insisting on fresh air and exercise. It goes without saying that loose clothing is important for every reason. One authority speaks of the attacks of eclampsia resembling epilepsy more than anything else, and mentions instances where the cases terminate in confirmed epilepsy.

After the reading of the entire paper, Dr. E. W. Mercer, Chairman of the Bureau of Obstetrics, called on Dr. J. N. Mitchell to open the discussion. Dr. Mitchell thought that if a sufficient

amount of care was given the pregnant woman by her attendants, puerperal convulsions would rarely occur. He thought that throughout the pregnant condition the examination of the urine for albumin was a necessity, and that the kidneys ought to be tested to see whether they are performing their full functions in eliminating urea. He advocates the use of purges, hot sweats and all such methods for getting rid of the excessive serum.

Dr. Charles M. Brooks cited a case of a healthy pregnant woman who died in the eclamptic condition, though no cause could be attributed to her demise, especially in view of the fact that her urine had been examined for urea which was not found. He also said: "I have a patient who has been subject to epilepsy ever since she had a child. I have delivered her three times and every time she had a normal labor with no signs of epilepsy."

Dr. Theodore J. Gramm thought that there was not a singletreatment universally adopted before eclampsia because of the fact that the pathology of this state was not at all settled. He said, in part: "The tendency is to-day to believe that puerperal convulsions are due to toxemia, and kreatin and kreatinin are believed to be the toxic agents. Prior to the eclamptic seizure the woman has

from two and a half to three times the amount of leucomains in her urine that exist there immediately after the convulsion; and so it is believed that there is present an auto-intoxication, a toxin circulating in the blood which is not eliminated. As regards the treatment, I very fully agree with Dr. Mitchell that the case should be watched during pregnancy; that the pregnant woman should receive the attention of the attending physician throughout her entire pregnancy, not to be sent for when the first pain comes on or when the nurse thinks it is time for the doctor to come." Dr. Gramm did not think that the urea and defective elimination of the presence of albumin were absolute indices that the woman was likely to have a convulsion, but pointed to the fact that the functions of the kidneys were interfered with, and that the urea and albumin indicated the direction in which the case was likely to go.

Dr. Isaac G. Smedley spoke of the efficacious use of cuprum arsenicosum in puerperal convulsions, and also believed in purgation and sweating, as well as large doses of morphia.

Other gentlemen who took part in the discussion were Dr. Theo. D. Clegg, Dr. Augustus Korndoerfer, Jr., and Dr. Frank G. Bunting, Norristown.

Dr. C. R. Norton's paper on "Abortion" was, in the words of one of the discussers, entitled to the very earnest consideration of the society and the endorsement of all its members.

In the discussion Dr. J. N. Mitchell said that the absolute necessity of looking upon abortion as a surgical operation could not be emphasized too often and frequently. He had found gossypium (tincture of cotton root) very effective in stopping abortion.

Drs. Mercer, Branson. Ealey, Smedley and Gramm also dis

cussed very thoroughly the treatment of abortion therapeutically and surgically.

Dr. J. N. Mitchell was elected chairman of the Bureau of Obstetrics.

The Medico-Chirurgical Society. The fourth meeting of the Medico-Chirurgical Society was held at Syracuse, December 2, 1897. The morning session was called to order by the president, Dr. Deuel, at 10.45.

The minutes of the annual meeting were read by the secretary, and duly approved. The Committee on Membership reported favorably upon the applications of E. M. Santee, Cortland; G. E. Barker, Tully; R. W. Chaffee, Syracuse; W. T. Laird, Watertown; C. T. Haines, Whitesboro, and by unanimous vote of the society were. elected members.

The first paper was read by Dr. Dake on the "Menopause." This gave, in a concise way, the doctor's personal experience in the management of those so-called cases of "nervousness" occurring at the change of life. The discussion was opened by Dr. Anthony, who claimed that all the changes in the woman, physical, mental, or psychological, in character were due to pathological conditions in the uterine tissue and the result of retrograde metamorphoses. All outside symptoms are purely reflex, and have their origin in the uterus and ovaries. The remedy is to overcome these reflex symptoms by paying attention to these conditions.

Dr. Young, of Liverpool, though this the most serious period of a woman's life. The trouble mainly mental. Believes nearly every uterine neoplasm may be traced to some mental disturbance.

Dr. Keeler called attention to the fact that the eyes at this time and for several years after, frequently failed out of all proportion to the patient's age.

Dr. Hale stated that one of the essentials in this class of cases was positiveness. Women are frequently told by neighbors and physicians of the old school that nothing can be done at this time. This is untrue. Much can be done in the treatment of the annoying nervous trouble.

Dr. Dake stated that she believed that men have passed through a period corresponding to change of life.

"Puerperal Mania" was the title of a paper by W. M. Follett, of Seneca Falls, read by the secretary. It detailed the symptoms of a severe case occurring three weeks after delivery, in which the prevailing mood was of a melancholy nature cured by puls. in ten days. Dr. E. B. Kaple then read the most witty, logical, interesting and instructive paper on "Constipation." The need of proper food, exercise and habits were given especial prominence by the doctor.

This valuable paper was thoroughly discussed by Drs. Laird, Hartman, Young, Hale, Haines, Dake, Nickerson.

J. R. Young read a paper on "Diphtheria, Symptomatology and Homœopathic Therapeutics." He made the statement, which

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