ment he advises was practiced. During the first period there were ninety premature undersized and underweighted children born, of whom seventeen, or 18.88 per cent., died within ten days of birth, while during the latter period there were seventy-four such births, of whom ten, or 13.51 per cent., died within the same time. In cases where the mother became feverish, a wet-nurse was had recourse to. "This striking difference of mortality can only-in the absence of any other visible cause-be attributed to late ligature of the cord."-Med. Times.

ECZEMA IN THE GOUTY.-I am all the more disposed to admit that the leucomaines or other products, of whatever nature they may be, morbidly found in the economy, intervene in the pathogeny of certain dermatoses, since, faithful to the old French doctrines of Hospital St. Louis, I have always believed. and always contended that the diseases of the skin could not in all cases be considered as purely local lesions. On this account I cannot too highly approve of the recent communication of Dr. Deligny upon Eczema of the Gouty (Union Medicale). He there shows that there exist incontestable relations between certain dermatoses and certain general states, especially of an artificial nature. He has observed distinct alternations between cutaneous eruptions and visceral phenomena, bronchitis, attacks of articular gout, neuralgias, attacks of asthma, etc. He has, moreover, observed that eczema in the gouty does not become tenacious, chronic, rebellious to local medication, until the period of life when these patients begin to present evidences of dyspeptic trouble, that is, from twenty-five to thirty-five years of age. Now it is quite pertinent to inquire if the incomplete digestion does not facilitate the production in the organism of the noxious elements of which I have already spoken.

Abandoning now these questions of pathogeny as, perhaps, somewhat too abstract at first glance, but which, nevertheless, are of the greatest practical importance, since the rational treatment of these rebellious dermatoses depends upon their correct understanding, we may say that, according to Dr. Deligny, eczema of the gouty resembles eczema of the rheumatics; the lesions are dry, rarely exudative, squamous, circumscribed, especially affecting the discoid or orbicular form. It is much oftener observed in men than in women; it is situated especially upon the head (face and hairy scalp in nine of thirty-six cases), and at the anus (in thirteen of thirty-six cases). He thinks that its frequency in this latter region should be attributed to the anal pruritus so common

in these patients, to the scratching which it occasions and to the irritant applications which are continually applied for its relief.

As to treatment, Dr. Deligny is quite pronounced. According to his experience, which embraces about one hundred and forty cases of gouty eczema, he believes that alkaline medication gives by far the best results. It is quite otherwise, he adds, in the case of eczema occurring in rheumatics; in this class of patients alkalies often fail. It is not then a matter of indifference whether a gouty patient with eczema is sent to an alkaline or to a sulphurous mineral spring. There are cases in which irritability of the skin, or other individual conditions, will not admit of the employment of fresh alkaline mineral waters; it is then necessary to have recourse to chlorinated sulphur waters.-Correspondence in Journal of Cutaneous and Venereal Diseases.

THE BABY AS A WATER DRINKER.-Dr. C. A. Bryce (So. Clinic) says regarding this subject:

In my earlier years of practice I devoted much attention to the study and treatment of infantile disorders, and have never regretted any labor or pains spent in the direction of ameliorating the ills of this large class of little sufferers. It would doubtless surprise many of my readers if I were to state that many infants annually die for the want of water— pure drinking water!-and still the assertion is true. Let me invite the attention of mothers and nurses to the fact that three-fourths of a child's nourishment for the first twelve months of its existence is, or should be, water. It is useless for me to explain just how oxygen is supplied to the tissues by this water, how the blood circulates by the pressure of this water, how the impurities of the blood are carried along in a watery menstruum and eliminated by skin and kidneys through the medium of water. Physicians know this, and mothers hardly need to be told that such is a fact. It should be apparent then that this agent is a most important one in, as well as out of, a child's economy. Our paper shall not be a long one-but our practical application is-never allow a child to suffer for so important an agent as water. In fevers and inflammations it is cruel to withhold this health-giving beverage, upon the principle that the disease will be made worse by the use of water. There is no disease in which water should be withheld. I have seen a little infant with cholera-infantum, with dry, husky skin, parched tongue, rolling and whining feebly, and almost in a state of collapse from frequent watery discharges, go into a sweet sleep, have

a soft, velvety skin, a cessation of diarrhoea and a speedy recovery ensue from the free use of spoonful doses of iced water, when all other agents had failed. Do not imagine, mothers and nurses (and doctors also), that the watery discharges are due to too much water in the child's system. This is not the cause of your cholera infantum. But, unless you supply this waste of water, your little patient will die from the want of it. I have a lively recollection of a case such as I have described, which occurred quite a number of years ago in my practice, in which I called in my esteemed friend, Dr. Jno. G. Skelton, of this city, in consultation. The doctor approved of all I had done in the case, and had nothing to suggest-but taking a saucer of cracked ice and a spoon he approached the infant (about nine months old) and offered it a spoonful of the iced water. As soon as it touched the lips of the little patient it swallowed it eagerly, and it never took its eyes off the doctor as long as he had the saucer and spoon. in his hands. After drinking enough it fell into a sweet sleep and soon recovered. We need not mention the fact of the extreme fatality of genuine cholera in the adult, and would call the attention of all to the condition of these patients in the last stage of this disease. It is one of absolute loss of all the watery portion of the blood. My friend Dr. H. W. Davis, of this city, tells me of his treatment of a few cases of this disease on commonsense principles (ice water in it) by determining not to let them die from the want of water. He supplied them with iced water by the bucketful, and the result was a cure of several hopeless cases! What is true of the adult is true of the child. Water, plentifully used, will never kill-will always afford comfort, and will many times save life.

THE WATER-COMPRESS.-Among the therapeutic measures in vogue in Germany there is none which attracts the attention of the American physicians so eminently as the watercompress. It is no fable that the "compress," as it is briefly called, is prescribed for every affection of the throat and lungs, for a clinical experience of nearly three months, in the Carite and other hospitals, convinced your correspondent that it is the first thing ordered in nearly every ailment of the respiratory tract. A piece of linen, being of the size of a napkin if intended for the throat, or of the size of a towel if intended for the lungs. is dipped into cold-not lukewarmwater, applied to the desired locality, and retained in situ by means of a woolen shawl or oil-silk, and renewed every half hour. A poultice is never exhibited for these affections.

The compress, as may be expected, has also become the routine treatment in every household, and is quite familiar to every mother and nurse. Your correspondent has taken especial pains in tracing the therapeutic results of this procedure-which, of course, is often accompanied by medical treatment-and feels highly gratified with the results observed. The value of this hydriatic procedure consists in the frequent renewals and prolonged application-extending often over two to three days-of a medium which not only abstracts the surplus of heat in the part, and by its secondary physiological action dilates the vessels of the integument, and thus relieves the engorged internal parts, but which also has an undeniable invigorating influence. It seems superfluous to add that strict individualization is, as in all hydriatic procedures, an indispensable requisite in the application of the cold compress.-Therapeutic Gazette.

TYROTOXICON AND CHOLERA INFANTUM.-Dr. V. C. Vaughn (Medical Age) of Ann Arbor, Mich., who will be remembered as the discoverer of tyrotoxicon, the poisonous element of decomposing cheese, calls the attention of the profession to the similarity between the symptoms of tyrotoxicon poisoning and those of cholera infantum. After pointing out the close analogy between the symptoms, he says:

A little dried milk formed along the seam of a tin pail, or a rubber nipple, or a tube or nursing bottle not thoroughly cleansed, may be the means of generating in a large quantity of milk, enough of the poison to render it highly harmful to children. The high temperature observed in children with cholera infantum, and which has not been observed in adults poisoned by tyrotoxicon. may be caused by the continued production of the poison in the child's intestine. by the continued administration of milk, and by the greater susceptibility of the sympathetic nervous system in children.

If this causal relation does exist between tyrotoxicon and cholera infantum, a knowledge of it will aid us, not only in the preventive, but in the curative treatment of the disease. The first thing to do in the treatment of the disease is to absolutely prohibit the further administration of milk, either good or bad, because the fermentation going on in the intes tine would simply be fed by the giving of more milk, even if that milk be of unquestionable purity. I would suggest that some meat or rice preparation be used for food, though experience will soon give us valuable information on this point.

A germ which forms a poisonous ptomaine by its growth in milk may be wholly harmless when placed in a meat or rice preparation.

Secondly, mild antacids should be administered, because the poison, so far as our information goes, is produced only in acid solutions. The great value of the chalk mixture in the treatment of the disease is well known

Thirdly, theoretically at least, the employment of small doses of some disinfectant would be of benefit. I find that there is considerable difference of opinion in the profession as to the use of small doses of calomel in this disease.

Fourthly, the use of opium in some form is consistent with the theory.

And lastly, the administration of stimulants, brandy and ammonia, to counteract the depressing effects of the poison, already formed and absorbed, should be practiced.

All of these, save the first recommendation, have been practiced in the treatment of the disease empirically; but the first absolute discontinuance of the use of milk-I regard as of prime importance.

Of course it will be understood that attention to securing fresh air, and to other hygenic measures, is also desirable.

It is altogether probable that an amount of poison which would escape chemical detection, might be sufficient to produce poisonous effects in children.

6

WE Copy the following from the editorial pages of the St. Louis Med. and Surg. Journal, which is a beautiful tribute to his dead friend by the genial Dr. Frank L. James:-[EDS. "Dr. Arthur K. Taylor, one of the oldest and best known physicians of Hot Springs, Arkansas, died at that place on June 19th, of epithelioma of the face. The deceased was a native of North Carolina, and at the time of his death was not far from the limit of three score and ten.' The writer knew him intimately in Memphis, Tenn., where he practiced years ago, and a more genial, kind-hearted and generous man never lived. Prior to the death of his wife (whom he always spoke of and everybody knew as Sue') Dr. Taylor was a great practical joker, his wife, whom he loved tenderly and devotedly, being often the subject of his mischievous pranks. After her death a great change came over him in this respect, and though he was enjoying a good practice in Memphis, the place seemed to have lost all charm for him and he moved to Hot Springs Old Memphians-these who lived there from the close of the war to 1875, wherever they be scattered, will learn of Dr.Arthur Taylor's demise with feelings of sorrow, and each one will feel that he has lost a personal friend. death removes almost the last one of the 'old set' of gentlemen-lawyers, physicians and journalists-that made Mem

His