Notes and Queries. We cordially invite questions for this department on all subjects of practical interest and value to physicians. Brief, pointed, practical paragraphs embodying the personal experience of any of our readers will also be acceptable as contributions to this department. The SUMMARY is thus a valuable medium for the Intercommunication between the medical profession. Correspondents will give their names and addresses, but initials only will be printed when desired. The QUERIES in this issue await the ANSWERS which our intelligent readers may be pleased to contribute for publication in our next. The Treatment of Diphtheria. Editor Medical Summary: We have a great deal of diphtheria in this city and I have had constant opportunities of observing it during the last 23 years. For the last three years, however, ever case has recovered under the following treatment. As soon as called I give the following: B. Hydrarg. chlor. mite.. gr. v .gr. v .gr. v M. Sig. Give at once, and follow in half an hour with a full dose of castor oil or other purgative. In an hour or two after the purgative begin the local treatment of the throat as follows: Add one tablespoonful of Marchand's solution of peroxide of hydrogen to six or seven tablespoonfuls of lukewarm water. Put the cup containing the mixture into an empty bowl or wash basin and, with the ordinary Davidson's syringe, irrigate the throat thoroughly with the solution. The patient is to bend slightly forward over the bowl, and should have a large towel placed over the chest to protect the clothing. This irrigation is to be repeated every hour or two, when awake, and is not objectionable even to very young patients. If the little patient refuses to open its teeth, simply pass the tube inside the cheek and the stream of medicated water will pass behind the teeth, then change the tube to the other side. In selecting the syringe obtain one with hard rubber (not metallic) tubes and use only the female tube. If possible obtain a syringe with the female tube not too bulky at the end. This irrigation of the throat is on the principle of hydraulic mining, where, by the force of water. great hills of gravel are washed away. I have neither the time nor desire to enter into any controversy with Dr. Walling. His so-called "reply" to my criticism concerning parafine electrodes is simply begging the question, and wandering around in matters which do not concern the real point at all. All electricians know that parafine is simply an ideal insulator, but all doctors do not know this, even though they pose as 'teachers." I have read Dr. Walling's "reply" to my friends, as he requests, and their comments were simply that they had no time to waste on such instruction as the writer would be able to give, if his monologue was any criterion of his ability. As the lowest salary of the gentleman named is $1,200, and the rest run from $2,500 to $4,000, it will be seen by those who read this that they are somewhat posted in electricity, and they are excusable for not caring to accept the patronage of Dr. Walling. If parafine insulates the current on the outside of the carbon, as Dr. Walling admits, it will do so in the interior alsothat is self-evident to any one not idiotic. A block of parafine, with wires attached to each end, will absolutely stop any current, and I tried this with a force of 20 amperes under 5000 volts pressure behind the energy. The block of parafine was two inches long and one inch square only. My Own switchboard includes every known form of electric force-galvanic, faradic, from differential coils of twelve windings; static, from rotary multipliers and Rhumkorfs; the so-called X-ray and cathode light for skiagraph work; and, in addition, my connection with commercial work of large extent makes it imperative that I shall know what I am doing in this direction, and it is hardly worth while for the doctor to pose, as he tries to do, in the way of instructing me and my friends. My office plant cost me something over $2,800 some years ago, and the improvements and modifications have added considerably to that sum since its installation. I I was present at the time Dr. Walling alludes to at the Medico Chirurgical College, and I remember that the experiments in cataphoresis failed to pan out as the lecturer wished, and now I know that the reason of this was that he used parafine or some such grease on the carbons, which of coarse stopped the current. have shown the students at that college several times since that properly made electrodes will drive salts through the tissues, as, for example, sodium iodide and starch-the reaction coming out brilliantly; also lead acetate and potassium iodide-the yellow coloring being typical. Any reader can try this himself. Place one electrode, soaked with the salt, on one hand of the patient, and the other agent elsewhere and a good current will develop the color at once if the electrode is clean and free from grease. Coat the electrode with parafine, however, and not the slightest result will ensue-no bearable current will produce any effect whatever. Parafine, or other waxy grease, at the 44 top of some cells is only to prevent creeping of salts-it has nothing to do with the current. Many cells do not have such coating, although Dr. Walling thinks they do. I have 200 of three different makes which have nothing of the kind about them. The Mesco-Dry-Cell," which is deservedly gaining great hold in opencircuit work, has not a particle of parafine or any other grease about it, the zinc forming the cell being insulated from the carbon by specially prepared bitumen. Being interested in this particular product I know about it. You cannot "saturate" carbon such as is used in electric work with parafine or any other grease-it simply coats the exterior. I have boiled a stick of light carbon in parafine for 24 hours in order to test this, and the fracture shows clean carbon interiorly-not a speck of grease elsewhere than on the outside. W. R. D. BLACKWOOD, M. D. 852 N. 23d St., Philadelphia, Pa. A Curious Case of Quinine Poisoning. Editor Medical Summary: A singular case of quinine poisoning came under my care not long ago, differing from anything that I had known, and I would like to know if it is a common occurrence. Á lady came in my office to ask if she was suffering from ivy poisoning. It did not seem just like that, and upon questioning her I learned that about a year before, from a similar trouble, she came near dying. She had called upon a physician to treat her for neuralgia. He had prescribed for her some capsules, and in a few hours she was very sick; her face was scarlet and so swollen that her eyes were nearly closed; throat dry, tongue red, with white points on it. The doctor was called in and he said the druggist had made a mistake in the medicine. She kept growing worse and the doctor gave the case up to another physician. She got no better, and finally he gave up the case and stopped all medication. She again had a return of the neuralgia and took some pills, with the effect of the return of the trouble. I was then called in and found her worse off than before, and told her not to take any more of the neuralgia pills. I knew the doctor had used a formula for neuralgia of quinine, belladonna and nux vomica, and suspected the belladonna as the cause. She said she had only taken some quinine, and I found that this was a fact, and when she stopped taking the quinine all signs of the poisoning passed off. It has been a little more than two years now and no signs of any return of it. MARY E. LITTLE, M. D. Nevada City, Cal. Membranous Laryngitis. Editor Medical Summary: In this little article I do not propose to say what is the cause of the false membrane. It seems that so far as life is concerned we need not stop and worry about whether the Klebs- Loffler bacillus, streptococcus or some other outlandish family of bacteria have taken up their abode in the larynx. Often we find difficult breathing when a case is first seen, and we have no time to lose in making fine discriminations in germs and their effect. I have happened to give quick relief in a few cases, and the parents and friends were very much elated to see it. a The latest and most effectual treatment I have used is turpentine and oil eucalyptus inhalations. After careful study and no little worry over this class of cases, I have decided that the inhalation of something is the rational coarse to pursue. My plan is to put one quart of boiling water in a small pitcher, or other suitable vessel, and drop on the water 8 or 10 drops of turpentine and 5 or 6 drops of oil eucalyptus. It immediately makes strong medicated steam. You may hold your own mouth over it and test its strength before giving it to the child. The child may be held in its mother's arms for treatment. First place a large towel or cloth over the child's head to gather the steam, and then hold the vessel containing the hot water and medicine under the cloth, 5 or 6 inches from the child's mouth; let it breathe it 3 or 4 minutes at a time. The child will begin to sweat about the face and may cry very vehemently, but you need not be deterred by that. Something must be kept wrap ped around the child's head for sometime after the inhalation. I have used this treatment in only four cases, and it seemed that in 30 minutes they were better and all recovered. The plan also presents the advantage of cheapness and is generally to be had anywhere. A friend out in the west writes me and advises the steam from lime water and turpentine. I see no reason why the eucalyptus could not be added in also, as it is very valuable. I used the turpentine and eucalyptus in one case where the father was fussing for antitoxin and the results were very satisfactory. J. J. WALLER, M. D. Oliver Springs, Tenn. Reply to Dr. Brodnax Relative to the Nose. Editor Medical Summary: I read the following in a copy of the American Practitioner and News, about the nasal centers having connection with the organs of the body: "The anterior third of the left middle turbinated bone is the center for the heart and stomach, and the lower turbinate for the pelvic organs, etc." Well, they amputate these bones in Germany for certain diseases, and are you not glad that you do not live in Germany. Why don't they cure these diseased bones instead of amputating? I had a case to try it on a week ago-a fat lady. She had a pain in the side which, she said, was very severe and bent her nearly double at times. I mixed 10 grains of slag in half a glass of sweet milk and had her to sniff it for five minutes and the pain was gone. It came back in about. an hour and she repeated it and the pain has not returned. I wove my idea into some notes, which I will send you. I think there is something in the medicine we have not found out yet. There are no direct connecting nerves between the nose and vital organs, and, better than that, there are no nasal centers. They will get everything into centers after awhile. Each vital organ has connection with a certain part of the brain and is influenced by it, if not governed. The nerves of the mouth and nose connect with all of the brain centers, and thereby an influence may be pro duced by holding medicine in the mouth or nose. Three grains of acetanilid held in the mouth for 20 minutes will cure headache; it would take 5 or 10 grains and two hours time to do the same if swallowed. One eighth of a grain of morphine, sniffed dry, will do even better than more swallowed. Am I right? "OLD STUDENT." A Case of Subacute Traumatic Synovitis Treated with Dry Hot Air. Editor Medical Summary: The dry hot air treatment of articular affections is one of the latest advances in therapeutics. The beneficial influence of intense dry heat has been strikingly demonstrated in sprains (traumatic synovitis) by trustworthy surgeons. It has been my good fortune to observe the action of dry hot air in a severe case, which I herewith report: Mrs. S., while riding her bicycle, struck her knee against a post and was thrown from her wheel in such a manner that her left leg was bent under her, the whole weight of the body falling on it. She was taken home in a carriage, where I first saw her. On examination I found the internal lateral ligaments of the left knee completely torn, and the patella ligament lacerated. I put the limb in a straight splint and kept it there six weeks. After the removal of the splint the limb was painful, edematous and generally swollen. I put the limb in a Betz dry hot air apparatus and subjected it to 400 degrees Fahr. for 45 minutes, after which the pain was relieved and the swelling reduced. Before this treatment the limb measured: calf, 17 inches; middle of thigh, 25 inches; 24 hours later, calf, 16 inches; middle of thigh, 24 inches. Treatment was continued for eight days, administered ether and bent the leg, it having become anchylosed. Another dry hot air treatment was administered, and, to my great surprise, the manipulation was followed by neither swelling nor soreness, something which never occurred in my practice before. I have used the apparatus every day, and as soon as the limb is removed use passive motion. The treatment seems to relax the inflamed and contracted tendons and ligaments so as to admit more motion, and as the inflammation improves there is very little pain. The apparatus I use is manufactured by Frank S. Betz & Co., Chicago, Ill. EDWARD NORTH, M. D. Hammonton, N. J. Rational Treatment of Asthma. Editor Medical Summary: The January number of the Popular Science News records the death of a IIyear-old boy, in Indiana, caused by using a patent fumigating remedy. In this connection I will mention that there is an asthma remedy, used by the inhalation method, manufactured in an extreme eastern city, and largely sold to the unsuspecting asthmatic sufferers, that con tains a large amount of opium, the sale of which should be prohibited by law. Asthma is regarded by the laity as an incurable disease, and physicians are never consulted by the sufferer, except in the initiatory stage, and the sufferer is a sure victim of the patent medicine venders. The treatment of asthma resolves itself into two problems: to cut short the attack and prevent its recurrence-in other words, to treat the paroxysms-and to treat the patient in the intervals between the paroxysms, and for the latter there is no better combination of remedies than the following: B. Fld. ext. euphorbia pilulif.. Z ij M. Strychnine sulph.. 3 iv m 96 gr. 1-5 ..gr. 4-5 Syr. acid hydriodic (Hostelley) ..ad. vi Sig. Teaspoonful, after meals, for an adult, three times a day. For the former, or paroxysmal dyspnoea, caused by a peculiar catarrh, with spasm of the bronchi: R. Stramonium fol..... .gr. xxiv Thea (com. green tea) gr. xxiv M. powder and moisten with a saturated solution of potassii nitratis, dry and keep in well-stoppered bottle. Sig.-A teaspoonful of the product is sufficient for one inhalation. The fumes of saltpeter have been used for 50 years, and probably no single remedy has so wide a range of utility. It is as Dr. Slater remarked, “always a matter of surprise to learn that the individual has not tried this remedy." The patient may make the solution himself or buy it prepared, alone (charta, potassii nitratis) or with other drugs; ordinary blotting paper, not too thin or too thick, is dipped in a warm, saturated solution of saltpeter, dried, cut in squares or strips and ignited, the patient breathing the fumes as they arise. The room should be small-a closet with a partly opened door, a seat under an umbrella, a tent of bedclothes over the back of a chair, or substitute the curtains of the old "four poster," which we rarely now see. Stramonium is a still older remedy, having been introduced from India in 1802. Stramonium may reach cases in which niter fails. The converse is more frequently true-patients should cease to use the Jamestown weed with the first confusion of sight or intellect. Sturgeon, Pa. R. L. PATTERSON, M. D. Tape-Worms-Query. Editor Medical Summary: Are tape-worms transmitted from parent to offsprings, and how? I once owned a female dog and she and all her pups had tape-worms. I removed a tapeworm from Mrs. G., age 30, and afterward one from her 4 year-old son; one from Mrs. K., age 35, and one from her 3-yearold son; also one from Mrs. W. and her 8-year-old son. I have removed several tape-worms from infant children, ranging from three months to one, two and three years of age, which would destroy the theory that tape-worms originate from uncooked meat eating, especially when a child of one month old, who had never eaten any meat, had a tape worm. I believe these pests are transmitted through the blood of the parents to the offspring. as pin-worms, which are also the result of a diseased condition of the stomach and bowels from constipation, etc., and are transmitted from parent to child. If these worms are not transmitted from parent to child, or the diseased condition which produces them is not transmitted, why are children born with these pests? I recently removed three distinct tapeworms, with separate heads, from a lady of my own city. Has any other professional brother ever met with a similar case ? W. H. GRAY, M. D. Michigan City, Ind. "What About Salt ?"-Rheumatism, Etc. Editor Medical Summary: Dr. E. Mather, in the October number of the SUMMARY, page 221, asks the above question and gives some of the more common uses of the very common and necessary mineral. This leads me to think, that in our wild race after new medicines and fads, we have got off after the rabbit and forgotten that it was a fox that we started in for. If the reader will refer to "The Biochemic Treatment of Diseases," page 14, edition of 1895, he will find natrum muriaticum (common salt). The preparation used is 1x to 3x trituration; dose, five grains 3 to 5 times a day. Natrum muriaticum cures pains in head, teeth, face, stomach, etc., when accompanied by salivation, increased lachrymation, vomiting of water or mucus; also catarrhs of all the mucous membranes with secretions of transparent, watery, coarse, frothy mucus, as also vesicles with watery contents which burst and leave a thin scurf. The watery vomiting and increased aqueousness of the brain in acute diseases (typhoid, scarlatina, smallpox), indicated by stupor, etc., are dependent upon a disturbance of functional molecules of common salt." The above quotation will cause some of our country doctors to put on their thinking cap. Why? Do we not know that in our section, where salted meats-beef, pork, bacon-are almost daily rations, that scarlet fever is a rare visitor, as also watery blebs on the skin? Waterbrach is also rare, as I have seen but two cases in 27 years' practice. Any old woman will tell us that warm salt water, sipped, will settle a sick stomach and stop vomiting. Salt is a splendid stimulant to the skin when used in the bath. Nothing better for a sudden cold than a hot foot bath with salt in the water. Cold |