Even in those cases

the rapidity with which many cases recover. of laceration of the cervix in which I thought an operation would have to be performed the os uteri has contracted and assumed a more natural form.

SICK HEADACHE.-Dear Doctor:

Allow me to call the attention

of the medical profession to fl. ext. guarana (paullinia sorbilis), (P., D. & Co.), which I tried in three cases of sick headache. The first dose, 20 gtt., lessened and the second dose, followed in fifteen minutes, stopped the headache entirely. Respectfully yours,

F. v. FRANCKENSTEIN.

LIGATING ARTERIES.-Dr. Rennie, in Brit. Med. Jour., says: When picking up an artery of any size, give the vessel a complete twist on its own axis. It is easily done by twirling the forceps between the finger and thumb whilst holding them for the ligature to be applied. This accomplishes two things: first, by temporarily closing the artery, it prevents any blood oozing between the blades of the forceps; and, secondly, by freeing its divided end from the surrounding connective tissue, it causes it to " 'stand out," so that it can be easily seen and ligatured without any risk of including other structures. I have found this little maneuvre so valuable in dealing with large vessels, that I venture to put it on record here.

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EDITORIAL.

GASEOUS ENEMATA IN PHTHISIS, ASTHMA, SEPTÆMA AND OTHER AFFECTIONS.

We are in the midst of great excitement over the use of gaseous enemata for the treatment of pulmonary diseases and septic conditions of the blood.

To Dr. Bergeon, of Lyons, is due the honor of having inaugurated this movement.

In July last, he communicated to the French Academy of Science, a series of experiments made with various gases and vapors, injected into the rectum, and, after frequent trials, was led to

abandon many of them on account of their local irritant action. He found, however, that a mixture of carbonic acid gas (carbon dioxide), and sulphuretted hydrogen (sulphide of hydrogen), could be administered with safety through the bowels when completely deprived of atmospheric air.

Bergeon evidently siezed upon the ideas of Bernard, who, in 1857, advanced the theory, that poisonous gases taken into the system through an organ at a distance from the arterial blood, could not penetrate this current because of the ready elimination of the gases through the exhalants.

Bernard experimented upon animals with sulphuretted hydrogen. Injecting this gas into the bowels, he found that it was expelled by the lungs without harm, but if inhaled into the lungs, the animal died of suffocation or poisoning. A small amount, thus inhaled killed, while a large amount injected into the rectum could be administered with impunity, when free from atmospheric air.

Bergeon put these facts to the test on the human subject, and, in phthisis, especially, he has found what promises to be a boon in this dread disease.

Gaseous enemata has, therefore, for its object the introduction of sulphuretted hydrogen into the economy in amount sufficiently large to act upon the consumptive process as an antiseptic.

Introduced into the rectum it becomes absorbed by the intestinal venous system. Passing through the portal vein to the liver, from thence to the right cavities of the heart, and from thence, with the venous blood through the pulmonary artery, to the lungs, where it is immediately eliminated. The proof of this is very clearly made in a very few minutes after an enema, as it is detected upon the patient's breath.

The germ theorists assume that the beneficial effects are due to the power of the antiseptic gases destroying the bacillus, but this does not necessarily follow, since the gases act upon the suppurative and septic surfaces through the virus of decomposition.

The theory on which gaseous enemata is based seems in every way reasonable. The human body has the power of inhalation and exhalation. By inhalation the vapors enter the arterial blood and by exhalation they pass through the venous blood.

It has been proven that these gases act as poisons when taken in

to the arterial system, and it has been equally shown that the venous blood, carrying the effete material, throws off carbonic acid through the lungs.

While it has been claimed that sulphuretted hydrogen, administered by injection into the bowels, is comparatively inocuous, certain cases have been reported in which disagreeable effects have followed-a few cases of exhaustion, dyspnoea, diarrhoea and severe colic, but these effects have been attributed to want of necessary precaution.

It is essential, therefore, that the gas should be pure and free from atmospheric air, that it should be collected in a resorvoir from which the air has been excluded, and that the injection should be made at least an hour before meals, or not till three hours after meals. That the injection should not be taken while the patient is weary, and it is more satisfactory when the bowels have been emptied by an enema of warm water.

The experiments have not yet reached that point when this procedure may be called curative, but it is being tried most extensively just now. So great is the sale of the apparatus that manufacturers can hardly supply the demand. The good effects reported have been astonishing, and in a short time we shall be able to report as to the real value of gaseous enemata.

The effects thus far may be embodied as follows:

Rapid amelioration of the suppurative phenomenon in phthisis; marked lessening of the cough and expectoration; improvement in the breathing; relief of night sweats; lowering of the temperature; slowing of the pulse; improvement of the appetite, and increase in the weight of the body.

In some cases a lesser degree of improvement, and in a few cases no improvement.

The treatment seems specially applicable in tuberculosis, but has been of value in bronchitis, whooping cough, asthma, typhoid fever, eruptive fevers, septicemia and gonorrhoea.

We proceed now, to describe the apparatus and the methods of its manipulation:

A generator, reservoir, wash-bottle, rubber bulb and rubber tubing complete the apparatus as devised by Dr. Morel, according to Dr. Bergeon's method. Put in case.

Generator.-This consists of a wide-mouthed bottle, provided with a rubber cork having two perforations; one for a flask holding dilute sulphuric acid, the other connecting with the gas-bag or reservoir.

To generate the carbon dioxide, put one ounce of bi-carbonate of soda into the generating bottle and with it one fluid ounce of water. Fill the small flask (A) with dilute sulphuric acid, made by adding one drachm of strong acid to each ounce of water. By opening the stop-cock (3), allow a teaspoonful of the acid solution to drip into the generating bottle on the bi-carbonate. This should be done before the reservoir is connected so as to exhaust all the atmospheric air from the generator. The gas-bag must also have the air thrown out of it before connecting. This is done by rolling it tightly towards its mouth, and in this position it may be connected.