where the pain upon swallowing food is so intense, it is readily taken, owing to its bland and mucilaginous character. It has in my hands made good the claims set forth as to keeping up the weight and strength when taken according to directions. This is the first time that I have ever written regarding any manufactured product, but I feel that the merits of Lactoglobulin deserve it. Yours truly, MURRAY MCFARLANE." Some of the Recent Works of Bailliere, Tindall & Cox, London, Eng.-Rose & Carless' " Manual of Surgery." (University Series.) Fifth edition, with new illustrations, etc. Price 21s. "The net. 6d. "Aids to Dental Anatomy and Physiology," cloth, 2s. 6d. "Aids to Diseases of Children," cloth, 3s. 6d. The Cause and Prevention of Appendicitis.-Under this heading there appears in the Nineteenth Century for January an article which professes to have solved the problem of the etiology of appendicitis. The author of this communication strongly denounces the use of "Hungarian waters, aperient salts, and liver pills." He then remarks: "It is natural to ask what have aperient waters and salts to do with appendicitis? To that a very true answer is that the action of saline purgatives is to cause a flow of water through the intestinal canal. This passes off quickly, but alas! it leaves the solid portions to accumulate in the cecum at the right side, near the appendix, where the small intestine ends and the large one commences. The solid portions left in the colon become more and more putrid, cause obstruction, and infect the appendix." The meaning of the above sentences is somewhat ambiguous, but we conclude that it is intended to convey the idea that those individuals who habitually take laxatives to insure an action of the bowels are liable to fecal collections in the cecum, which produce inflammation of the mucous membrane of the bowel and so cause appendicitis. We venture to express an emphatic opinion that there is no basis for this statement, either on pathological or clinic grounds. Any practitioner who has had experience in the post-mortem room that the contents of the small intestine are liquid, and it is not until the colon is reach d that the fecal matters become solid. It is most unusual to find solid fecal accumulations in the cecum; yet this condition is distinctly implied in the remarks which we have quoted above. Further, in post-mortem examinations of those who have died from appendicitis, although small concre tions may be found in the appendix, no large mass is found in the colon, as would be the case if the etiology which we are sidering were the correct one.. Such a causation of appen is also contradicted by clinical experience. The age at appendicitis usually occurs ("System of Medicine," by knows con dicitis Clifford Allbutt, Vol. iii., p. 896) is from ten to twenty years, four It is certainly desirable to overcome constipation by natural means, notably by stimulus to the intestines is absolutely necessary, and in such cir cumstances "aperient waters and salts " are most remedies.-Lancet, London, Feb. 11th, 1905. valuable The Editor cannot hold him Correspondence.de self responsible for any views expressed in this Department. THE THERAPY OF ANTI-STREPTOCOCCIC SERUM. To the Editor of THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY: DEAR SIR, We are mailing you, under separate cover, a brochure styled "A Contribution to the Therapy of Anti-streptococcic Serum," in which is included everything that is known at the present regarding its usefulness in surgery and medicine. It is unfortunate that this serum, together with anti-pneumococcic serum, were introduced as specific treatments, and the medical profession were led to believe that they were as specific in their action as diphtheria antitoxin has proven to be in diphtheria. Experience with these serums has proven that this is not to be expected. The profession are using these serums more generally and with a better appreciation of how to employ them, viz., dosage and early administration, with more satisfactory results. Preventive medicine is slowly but surely becoming recognized as hygienic conditions improve and the value of these serums as a prophylactic agent become known. Medical treatment for pneumonia has not proven a success, as is evidenced by the ever-increasing number of cases and the largely increased mortality. Still, no one thinks of not using medical treatment in this disease. Anti-pneumococcic serum, while not a specific, when used early in attacks of pneumonia yields better results than any medical treatment. Its employment does not interfere with other remedies, and the treatment itself is perfectly harmless. We are satisfied when the medical profession realize these facts the serum treatment will be more generously employed, since every physician is called upon to resort to every known. method of treatment in saving of human life, and particularly in a disease where medicine has proven itself so unequal to its treatment. We shall be glad to have you carefully read the brochure sent you, realizing that it is to the medical journals largely that the medical profession look for their advanced teaching in the practice of medicine. You will also note the valuable three-color prints showing the different types of diphtheria, which illustration we believe will be of service to the practitioner in impress L ing upon him the importance of thorough examination of the nose and throat in all cases, or suspected cases, of diphtheria. Very truly yours, H. K. MULFORD COMPANY, [We have read with pleasure the brochure above referred to and feel that we cannot do better than advise each and all of our readers to send for a copy for themselves. we can Ophthalmia Neonatorum.-E. Jackson, Denver (Journal A. M. A., March 11th), holds that rigid cleanliness, while it will greatly diminish the number of cases of blindness from this cause, will not always prevent it, and that the Crede method, while efficient, sometimes causes irritation. He sees some hope in the use of some of the less irritant silver salts than the nitrate, but believes that we need more experience in their use before give them the same confidence. Even in case of actual purulent disease, careful treatment will usually prevent blindness. thinks that social conditions favoring or opposing the spread of gonorrhea are more important than legislative measures directly at purulent conjunctivitis, and that gonorrhea is a malignant, contagious disease, and should be publicly recognized and dealt with as such in all its clinical manifestations. He aimed Myxedema and Diabetes Mellitus.-A. A. Strasser, Arlington, N.J. (Journal A. M. A., March 11th), reports the case of a child, eight years old, in whom the characteristic symptoms of myxedema appeared after weaning. The thyroid treatment was instituted with marked improvement in the symptoms, but diabetes intervened and it was discontinued, not because it was considered responsible for the intervening condition, but to eliminate a possible factor. The case was very carefully studied as sions. it as to its metabolism; the child improved greatly in its mental symptoms In a supple reported here observed has not been reported heretofore. 1904, as to Obituary DR. THOMAS H. MANLEY'S DEATH. THE news of the recent death of Dr. Thomas H. Manley, of New York City, came as a sudden and most painful shock to his many friends in Canada. Only a few months ago the doctor visited Lowell, and at that time was the picture of health, but on New Year's Day he contracted a severe type of typhoid pneumonia, which was more than his strong physique could withstand, and finally, after a hard struggle for life, he succumbed to the inevitable and passed away on January 13th. Everything that could be done by means of medical skill was tried to save this man's life. On hearing of his serious condition, the most eminent and learned members of the medical profession of the United States rushed to his bedside and exhausted all known skill to combat the terrible diseases. In this they were successful as far as the pneumonia was concerned, but there were kidney and other complications, which his enfeebled system could not resist, and finally, after a most heroic struggle, he yielded most cheerfully to the will of his Creator. Thomas H. Manley, A.M., M.D., was born in the town of Tewksbury, fifty-four years ago. He received his early education in the district school of his native town, and at the public schools of New York City. Owing to his father's death, which occurred when young Manley was a mere boy, he was obliged to go to work at an early age, to assist the other members of the family. Being of an active and ambitious nature, he devoted his evenings and every spare moment to the perusal of his books, and in due course of time he entered the office of the late Dr. Plunkett, of this city, to begin the study of medicine. Afterwards he entered the University of the City of New York, and in 1875 he graduated with high honors. Immediately following his graduation, he received a hospital appointment in that city, and after a most successful term of service in the large hospitals of the metropolis he located in Lawrence, Mass., where he soon built up a large and lucrative practice. But anxious for a larger surgical field, he returned to New York after a few years and began the practice of surgery as a specialty. There he began the foundation of the work that has since. |