are colored. Enough is obtained to make it a commercial article at a very high price. Imitations are to be had. My informant was surprised that I had never heard of Chenova Red-its commercial name. I assume that I am truthfully informed.

Professor Fürth, in his "Chemistry of Insects," I think under the subject of Spiders (Spinners), mentions a spider that seizes flies and injects into the fly a fluid that reduces the inside of the fly to what I would call a chyle. I do not remember the word used in my translated copy, and can not now conveniently recur to the text to see the word he employs. This reduction is then drawn out by the spider for its own sustenance, leaving the fly in the proper fly shape, but it has become an empty shell.

The Individual is consumed by Nature. Life is but the empty shell, The poetic mind sees not the dark side of the moon-is unmindful of the fiery, lashing arms of the Sun.

Festus is reported to have said: "Much knowledge drives me mad." I can say: "Much information makes me weary." What a world! What a world! It is mad. Of this world weary, of the next world "leery"!

A FEW OBSERVATIONS ON OX-GALL.

BY W. E. PUTNAM, M. D.,

Ex-Surgeon-General of Vermont.

[Written for the MEDICAL BRIEF.]

Many years ago it was found that the inspissated gall had a remarkable tendency to counteract the constipating effects of opium, which drug not only checks the secretion of bile, but almost all other secretions of the body. Although this property of the gall was well known and made use of then, for some reason or other physicians of the present day are neglecting its employment as a means of overcoming the constipation following an exhibition of opium, or its alkaloids. I have used the drug for several years in such cases, and generally with good effect. Five to eight grains of the inspissated gall should be given at bedtime if the opium is used at night, and smaller doses two or three times a day if the narcotic is given at intervals during the day.

In all cases of marasmus, whether of children, or in the atrophy of adults, ox-gall is a most valuable remedy. In acidity of the stomach, etc., of children, it gives most decided, effectual, and immediate relief. The curdled vomitings, green motions, abdominal gripings and restlessness immediately disappear, and a better state of general health is substituted in all such cases there is apt to be decided action on the kidneys, increasing the secretion.

Its effect upon children as just stated, especially while at the breast, living almost entirely upon milk, where the remedy is indicated, it will

generally be found adequate to do the work it is called upon to perform. It is said that it prevents milk from turning sour, and dissolves it when in a state of coagulation. As an antacid it has no superior, overcoming fermentation promptly.

To show its direct effect upon hardened fæces, a child sixteen months old passed a very hard motion with very great difficulty, not having had one for three days; a solution of ox-gall was poured over it in a vessel; immediately its chalky appearance was changed to a more healthy bilious color, and reduced to a pulpy mass in half an hour. Owing to my knowledge of this property, I made use of it last week to relieve one of my patients of a hardened fæcal mass in the rectum that she had been quite unable to pass off, while enemas seemed to have no effect, they having been used freely before my arrival. I was called into the country to see this case, a farmer's wife, and found conditions as stated. The husband had just killed a cow; I took the bile from the gall bladder, diluted onehalf with water, and injected over the fæcal mass, with the result that in half an hour she passed a large disintegrated stool, the whole having been broken down in that short time; there only remaining the center of the mass that was not dissolved. I might state here that in giving ox-gall to overcome the constipating effects of opium, it in no way interferes with the sedative action of the narcotic.

THE SIMPLICITY OF EXAMINING THE BLOOD FOR MALARIA. By N. W. MCVEY, M. D.,

Professor of Histology and Bacteriology, and Lecturer on General Pathology in the University Medical College, Kansas City, Mo.

[Written for the MEDICAL BRIEF.]

The diagnosis of malaria is no longer dependent upon guess work, but is reduced to an exact science. The simplicity of this test as a diagnostic aid will commend itself to every practitioner of medicine. Very little time and a small amount of paraphernalia and materials are required. By using the Wright stain no heat is necessary in conducting the test. Two ordinary glass slides, stain, some distilled water and a microscope are all that are necessary to succesfully demonstrate the presence or absence of the plasmodium in a case of suspected malaria.

With a lancet, needle, or a small, sharp knife, an incision is made in the lower lobe of the ear and a drop or two of blood secured.

Two glass slides, which have been previously cleaned, should be in readiness. These must be absolutely free from dirt or oily substance and should be cleaned with alcohol or ether.

On one end of a slide is placed a drop of the blood, as small a drop as possible. That slide is laid on the table and the edge of the other slide placed in the center of the drop and by means of a little lateral motion the

blood can be spread along the edge of the second slide. Then holding the slide at a little less than right angles, push it to the other end of the slide underneath, thereby smearing the blood over the side. The smeared slide is immediately waved in the air to dry the blood as rapidly as possible, when it is ready to be stained.

The blood should be spread so that the corpuscles are separated and not piled up on each other. Wright's stain is employed, the stain completely covering the blood; and as the slide, is held in the fingers it can be gently rotated or tilted to keep the blood covered with the stain and to prevent evaporation. The stain is allowed to remain on the slide thirty seconds by count. At the end of that time the stain is covered with distilled water (rain water, or any clear water which is not too strongly impregnated with lime or salt, may be employed if distilled water is not available) until a metallic luster appears on the surface. The slide is rotated and tilted as before to keep the water washing evenly over the smear for fifty seconds. The stain is then washed off rapidly with the water until all, or nearly all, of the color disappears. The slide is placed on end until it is dry, when it will be ready for the microscope.

If the plasmodium is of the tertian variety, in the mature form, there will be observed in the red corpuscles a greenish body with black spots or stippling, irregular in shape, and filling the entire corpuscle at times. The younger forms are in ring shape, with a red dot on one side of the ring, commonly designated as a signet.

This test is made most satisfactorily about eight hours after the chill, the parasites being much larger at this time, and might be readily overlooked in the earlier stages. The specimen must be well stained or the figures will not be brought out distinctly.

Rialto Building.

CLEANLINESS IN OBSTETRIC PRACTICE.

BY Z. T. CASON, M. D., Kansas City, Kan.

Professor of Obstetrics in the Medical Department of the University of Kansas; Obstetrician to Bethany Hospital, etc., etc.

[Written for the MEDICAL BRIEF.]

While much has been written upon the subject of surgical cleanliness in obstetrics, I feel it may not be amiss to add a few words on personal cleanliness of the obstetrician. There is no gainsaying the importance of aseptics and antiseptics in the lying-in room, but unless the obstetrician observes the strictest personal cleanliness not only in the care of his hands but of his clothing as well, the danger from these sources is considerable. Aside from the esthetic effect, cleanliness is absolutely necessary in the interests of the patient. Clothing may not be worn in the lying-in room which has been worn a few moments before in the sick-room of a patient

suffering with an even mildly infectious disease. That this is done is borne out by the fact that infections have followed the practice. Puerperal fever due to infection from the improperly cleansed hands of the attending physician is of sufficiently common occurrence to deserve mention.

There are so many excellent methods of disinfecting the hands that a résumé of them is scarcely necessary. One of the most popular and effective, however, is the Halstead method as described by Kelly:

"The hands are thoroughly scrubbed with hot water and green soap for from three to five minutes, the water being changed several times. "The hands are immersed in a warm solution of permanganate of potassium until they stain mahogany brown.

"They are then decolorized in a hot saturated solution of oxalic acid. "Soak the hands and forearms for at least two minutes in a 1-100 solution of bichloride."

Next in importance as an antiseptic measure is the cleanliness of the nurse in attendance. She must be free from disease of any sort; be sufficiently well trained in the science of asepsis to properly cleanse her hands and to appreciate the importance of doing so. She should not be permitted to make a vaginal examination without taking proper precaution in the disinfection of her hands; nor, indeed, at all, unless the physician is assured of her ability to do so. This applies also to the passing of a catheter, or any service which will bring her in contact with the patient.

The lying-in room should be as clean as it is possible to make it. All superfluous hangings and furniture should be removed. It is better to remove carpets also, when this is possible. If not removed they should. be covered with a cotton sheet to prevent dust from arising. Bed and bedding should be perfectly clean, and an abundance of bed linen provided. The mattress should be protected with a rubber sheet, over this a second rubber sheet may be spread to serve as a draw sheet. When absorbent obstetric pads are available, they should be used. If not at hand, ordinary sheets may be folded and placed over the rubber sheet to retain discharges, being removed as soon as soiled. The use of the Kelly pad in this connection promotes cleanliness.

As to the proper preparation of the patient much will depend upon whether the case is in private practice or in a hospital. In either instance the patient should receive a warm sponge bath and the field of operation disinfected first by means of warm water and green soap, followed by irrigation with bichloride solution. Irrigation cleansing should precede each examination.

A post-partum douche is harmful unless there is positive indication for its use; in other words, evidence of infection.

Osage and Packard Avenues.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor:

Raped by Ghosts.

A prominent lawyer of Ft. Wayne, Ind., late Prosecuting Attorney of Allen County, has just mailed to me a copy of the MEDICAL BRIEF for October, 1908, directing, in a letter accompanying it, my attention to a well-marked article by Dr. J. A. Houser, of Indianapolis, entitled: "Raped by Ghosts," knowing that I had for some time been engaged in the study and investigation of phenomena known as spiritualistic.

Whatever may have been the motive which prompted my legal friend to mail this article to me, he being a devout communicant of an orthodox church, I duly acknowledged its receipt, in the following language:

"Hon.

"FT. WAYNE, IND., October 2, 1908.

“MY DEAR SIR-I am in receipt of a copy of the MEDICAL BRIEF, containing an article entitled, "Raped by Ghosts," by Dr. J. A. Houser, of Indianapolis, which you have so kindly mailed to me, together with a letter directing my special attention thereto, for all of which please accept my most sincere thanks.

"While it is true, as is quite generally known, that I have been for some years past interested in certain phenomena of Spiritualism which are now established as scientific facts, I have not yet credited and accepted, and presume I never will credit and accept everything spoken, or printed, or written, under that general head, or relating to it. Surely, I can no more believe the story related by Dr. Houser or his patient, "Raped by Ghosts," than I can believe and accept the story that the Virgin Mary was raped by a ghost. Both stories seem to me to be equally ridiculous and absurd, as I presume the former only, appears to be to yourself, to which it seems to afford you peculiar satisfaction to direct my attention.

Remember that the ill-effects following the use of fish (Ichthyismus or Ichthyotoxismus), may be due to a number of causes, some of which are well understood, while others are far from being satisfactorily explained. Poisoning with fish is naturally more common in the countries where fish is the principal article of diet, such as Russia, Japan and the West Indies. The several causes may be grouped in the order of their importance under four heads. First is the presence of normal or physiological poisons in the fish; second, the presence of bacteria or their products; third, invasion by animal parasites, and, fourth, contamination with metallic or other poisons.