It is not an uncommon thing, the National Association declares, for whole families, who can hardly eke out a living in the East, to migrate to the West in the hope of saving the life of some member of the family. In most instances, the abject poverty of such cases forces them to beg, or to live on a very low level. Often consumptives who cannot afford the proper traveling accommodations are found dead on the trains before reaching their destination. The resources of almost every charitable organization in the Southwest are drained every year to care for cases which would be self-supporting in their eastern homes. It costs, on an average, at least $50 per month for the support of a consumptive in the Southwest, including some medical attention. The National Association strongly urges no one to go to this section who has not sufficient funds to care for himself at least one year, in addition to what his family might require of him during this time. It is also urged that no persons who are far advanced with tuberculosis go to so distant a climate. Consumption can be cured, or arrested, in any section of the United States, and the percentage of cures in the East and the West is nearly the same. Any physician, therefore, who sends a person to the Southwest without sufficient funds, or in an advanced or dying stage of the disease, is guilty of cruelty to his patient. Renewed efforts are being made to stop this practice, and to encourage the building of small local hospitals in every city and town of the country. Attempts are also being made in Southern California and in Texas to exclude indigent consumptives or to send them back to the East.-Monthly Encyclopedia and Medical Bulletin. ABSTRACTS. Economy In Hypodermic Needles. Thousands of hypodermic-syringe needles are thrown away each year as useless by members of the profession, which could, with a slight amount of trouble, be restored to their original state. The channel of the needle becomes occluded, owing to the deposition of material derived from the injected fluid. This precipitate is readily dissolved and removed by boiling the needles for a period of ten minutes in a solution of sodium carbonate, which not only cleanses the needle internally, but restores the brightness of the external surface as well.-Adolph G. Brown, in New York Medical Record. Electrical Treatment of Menstrual Disorders. In the Journal des Practiciens for April 3, 1909, Laborderie emphasizes the utility of static electricity in the treatment of various gynæcological disturbances, especially amenorrhoea (The British Medical Journal, October 2, 1909). He has found that the electric bath regulates the menstrual period, and prevents the occurrence of dysmenorrhoea. He begins with daily sittings of twenty minutes' duration, finishing with about five minutes' "sparking" in the lumbar region, to induce congestion of the pelvic organs. He greatly prefers this treatment to that of ordinary emmenagogues, and prescribes at the same time general hygienic measures, Swedish gymnastics, suitable exercise, and change of air. The Employment of Extract of Cannabis Indica In In the Klinische Therapeutische Wochenschrift, Cramer reports upon the effect of what he calls "extractum cannabis indica butyricum" in the treatment of exophthalmic goitre. He calls attention to the fact that in his experience it is one of the best remedies in this obstinate malady, and points out that before the International Medical Congress of 1890, See recommended this drug in functional disorders of the heart and stomach, such, for example, as cardialgia and pyloric spasm. Cramer states that he has treated thirty-four cases by this method, and that he would in all cases resort to its internal use before proceeding to more radical measures.-Ther. Gazette. Acute Poliomyelitis in Germany. This epidemic, which has been referred to by our Berlin correspondent, is the first actual epidemic of the kind in Germany. It affects the northwestern province of Prussia, bordering on the Netherlands. Steiermark is also involved, a number of cases having occurred at Graz. A total of 450 cases, with 70 deaths, were reported up to the middle of October. G. Vieten of Hagen, the center of the epidemic, in Westphalia, describes the symptomatology, course, treatment and prophylaxis of the disease in the Zeitschrift fur aerzliche Fortbildung, October 15th, page 633, urging the necessity for compulsory notification of cases of the disease. This will permit isolation and disinfection, and by study of the cases in the hospitals it may be possible to discover the causal agent and means for effectual treatment. He also urges the necessity for legal regulations compelling the parents to permit autopsy in the fatal cases as the only means to obtain better insight into the processes of the disease. Colloidal Medication. The success reported by Crede, Vaivrand, Minet, Robin and others in using colloidal preparations to combat infectious diseases is a sign that the elemental forces are being brought to bear upon pathological processes in an effort to produce an environment characterized by "bactericidal, antitoxic, catalytic and leucocytogenic" influences. If Netter is responsible for this attitude in therapeutics, at least to Crede the primary impulse may be attributed. It is true, says Minet, in the Echo medical du Nord for June 13th, that Spillman, of Nancy, with a list of cases of pneumonia unsuccessfully so treated, opposes the enthusiasm of Crede, whose reports are so favorable. But many other observers have met with striking results, and have published in detail just what they have observed. As a matter of fact, injections of colloidal silver may cause an elevation of temperature of one degree, but this is followed within twelve hours by a notable reduction in the fever and a general effect for good upon the patient. Etienne advises two daily injections continued into the convalescent period. Leucocytosis is greatly encouraged, say Raoul de Laire, Caussade, and Joltrain. As long ago as in 1890 the studies of Tschistovitsch in the Pasteur Institute showed the need and process of leucocytosis in this connection. Minet quotes Netter, Hedon, and Gompel to show the innocuous nature of such injections. We must admit that, between the subcutaneous administration of a colloidal mineral and the introduction of the same heavy element by electrical means, the former has the advantage of simplicity. Not every physician today is prepared to give electrotherapeutic treatment wisely and well. If in this age of specializing a new field for the medical chemist in the matter of reinforcements has developed, so much the better, and may the fight against pneumonia, septicemia, and all infectious processes go bravely onward!-New York Medical Journal. Boils and Carbuncles. In cases of acute or recent eruptions of boils, Adamson says one may expect a cure by the use of vaccines; that there are, however, many methods of local application which give excellent results, particularly collodion painting in early lesions, injection of carbolic acid, hot fomentations, and glycerin dressings; that in chronic furunculosis vaccines may be given a trial; but that the best results are to be obtained from continuous boricacid fomentations, and from X-ray application to lesions which are much indurated. In cases of carbuncles, the lesion if seen when small, may be painted with collodion or injected with carbolic acid, but, better still, merely protected with a boric-acid fomentation and a thick pad of wool, and a staphylococcus vaccine administered; the injection to be repeated in three or four days if improvement takes place. If the lesion continues to spread in spite of the vaccine, then it should be treated surgically by complete excision, or by scraping or cutting away all the diseased tissue. In the case of very large carbuncles, complete erasion is the treatment which gives most rapid relief to all symptoms.-J. A. M. A. The Woman Who Went the Rounds. First she consulted the corner druggist, who sold her a patent medicine containing 40 per cent alcohol, which made her feel boozily easy when she took enough of the "dope." So one day, when she had imbibed more than usual, she signed a testimonial stating how she had been "cured" of all her troubles. But she was duly punished, for the very next day she felt worse than ever before. Next she went to a burly osteopath, who exerted himself to the utmost. He pulled her legs, wiggled her toes, crushed her ribs, wrenched her arms, wrung her neck and broke her back. So, to save her life, she fled from his presence. Then she resorted to one of those nice, fat old ladies who "practice" "Christian science," by whom she was informed that it wasn't really necessary for her to come regularly to the sanctum-just pay $30 per month, and "Ich und Gott" would do the rest. But the only thing "done" was the patient. After this she dallied with various forms of mental moonshine, such as "high potencies," "divine science" (diluted Eddyism) and "new thought" (reviewed historically by Plato). none of these appeared to fit her case. But Now came the turn of the specialists-all good men and true, skillful with their tools and indispensable to the profession, but some of them mentally just a little lopsided. One washed out her stomach every day; and another, her bladder. A third took a reef in her right kidney, and a fourth lightened her womb trachelorraphycally. A fifth did a submucous resection of the nasal septum, and a sixth ablated the "valves" of the rectum. All these procedures were without avail, and when it was proposed to excise the seat of sorrows, the big bowel, she balked and shied. She Finally, in her agony and despair, an inspiration came. sought the advice of the old family physician who had helped nature bring her into the world. He gave her iron and arsenic; beefsteak, bread and butter, eggs and milk; time to rest and seclusion from fool friends. The roses came back to her cheeks, the cry of the nerves for pure blood ceased, the wheels of life began to circle without friction, and she was well and happy ever after. Denver Medical Times and Utah Medical Journal. If You and I Knew. If I knew you and you knew me, But, never having yet clasped hands, But often fail to understand That each intends to do what's right, Then face to face we each shall see And I'll know you and you'll know me. -Selected |