ous articles of food which supply abundance of nutrition to the lungs, but the mode of its action is this, it stimulates the circulation in the walls of the air sacs, and causes absorption of any exudation that may be present in the airsac or air vesicle, and produces a healthy condition of the entire pulmonary tissue, by a free circulation of the blood, which furnishes constantly a new amount of material to supply the waste which is always great in the substance of the lungs in this affection. It also aids in clearing the bronchi of the large amount of mucus which is most always present, and also prevents collapse of the lobules. I do not claim that carbonate of ammonia is curative in consumption, but I do claim that it has given me more satisfaction than any one remedial agent that I have ever used. If there is enlargement of the lymphatic glands the iodide of ammonium should be given in lieu of the carbonate; in the same doses.

The cough may be allayed to a certain extent by the various sedatives.

The following combination is very efficient:

M. ft. sol. Sig: A teaspoonful in water every four or six hours.

The cough often calls for expectorants, and the syrup of wild cherry, syrup of squills, and sanguinaria will be found useful to aid expectoration.

Night sweats are best reduced by elixir of vitriol and muriated tincture of iron in equal parts, given in twenty-drop doses in sweetened water, every four hours after noon. The oxide of zinc, gallic acid, and the extract of belladonna, are also useful remedies to remove night-sweats.

Diarrhea is usually controlled by small doses of mercury with chalk, combined with bismuth and opium, and afterwards some astringent such as catachu, krameria, tannic acid, etc.

Pulmonary phthisis is an affection that we have to treat the symptoms as they arise, and in a large number of cases the treatment is only palliative. W. S. ELLIOTT, M. D. Woodford, Tenn.

SEND 50 cents for a Binder.

Hydrophobia.

I have just attended a case, which on account of its infrequent occurrence, may be of sufficient interest to the profession, to report.

Sunday, June 23, 11 A. M., I was called to see Julius Gill, a colored boy, aged twelve years. His mother said he had been complaining since Saturday noon, would eat nothing, had "choking spells" and.could not swallow. Boy said his throat was sore, and head pained. On examination, I found considerable hyperemia of fauces, tonsils a little enlarged and oedematous; pulse 120, respiration 36, temperature 100°, and very nervous.

Prepared a simple sedative mixture, and on offering it, he was seized with sudden trembling, eyes seemed starting from their sockets, gulped at the fluid, followed by violent pharyngeal spasm, with complete inability to swallow. The symptoms were so peculiar and suggestive, that my attention was at once called to hydrophobia, and upon inquiry if the boy had been bitten, drew out the following history, which enabled me at once to diagnose that disease.

Eight weeks previous, a dog, supposed to be mad was seen to bite the Gill dog and though shot at several times escaped. The family were told of the occurrence, but contented themselves with tying up their dog for a while. He broke the rope and left and was absent several days when he returned looking very much emaciated and sick.

The patient attempted to fondle him and was bitten severely on the left cheek. The dog was immediately killed. The wound was not cauterized but quickly healed and gave no trouble.

I gave fluid ext. gelsemium five drops, antifebrine five grains, in a teaspoon of water. Spilled about half, but patient was quieted. I then prepared:

count of its infrequency. Found him quiet, pulse 120, temperature 99o, respiration 36. Reflex irritability somewhat diminished under the sedative. Solids

could be swallowed with an effort, but liquids with the greatest difficulty, though thirsty. Bowels confined. Respiration costal, with a peculiar catch about every half minute. Neck stiffened, and constant effort was being made to clear the throat from ropy, tenacious saliva which accumulated in great quantities.

As Dr. C. had not seen the reflex spasms very well marked, and as he thought the free flow of saliva was caused by the gelsem., I withdrew that mixture, in order to free him from its influence, and put him on :

At 6 P. M., was recalled. Reflex paroxysms very strongly developed.

Could force, with the greatest difficulty, a few drops of water at a time. Faning produced the same results as an effort to swallow. Temperature 100°, respiration 38, shallow; catch very prominent; pulse 120, and very feeble and irregular. Resumed the gelsemium which seemed to quiet. Bowels had not acted.

At 9 P. M., visited patient in company with Dr. C.; quiet. Temperature 101°, respiration 38, frequent sighing, pulse 120, irregular. Flow of saliva lessened. Continued the antife brine and bromide.

9:30 A. M., June 24. Temperature 101°, pulse 120, respiration 35, sighing more frequent. Patient very restless and garrulous, eyes bright, mind wandering. Reflex paroxysms very strong on attempt to drink, slept none previous night. Urine diminished in quantity and highly colored. 3 P. M. Symptoms unchanged. Respiration 36, temperature 101°, pulse 120, very weak. Opened bowels with enema glycerine, one grain, more quiet afterward. 9 P. M. Pulse 120, very weak, first sound of heart distinct, but second scarcely observable. Respiration 38, costal, sighing frequent, temperature 1034. Reflex irritability of skin was increased so much that faning brought on terrible paroxysms and patient was wild with fright but soon become quiet when faning was discontinued.

Paroxysms of shouting and singing in the monotonous tone common to negroes. Mother had been telling him to pray and encouraged him in his shouting.

Flow of urine free but diminished in quantity. Ate a bowl of bread softened in milk, swallowing solid part with a gulp, but avoiding the fluid part. On attempting to drink would spring up from bed and a violent paroxysm would follow. The sound of water poured from one vessel to another, and mirror shown him did not seem to affect him perceptibly.

6 A. M., June 25. Patient had got up and dressed himself. Too restless to take temperature. Pulse absent at wrist. Respiration quick and shallow with the "catch" coming more frequently. Heart very weak. Mind wandering, but knew those around him. Skin having a water-soaked appearance, and wet with a cool, sticky perspiration. Would not attempt to drink. Paroxysms of shouting continued though very weak.

Death occurred at 7:30 from exhaustion.

If any of the profession wish to ask any questions I shall be happy to reply through the BRIEF or by letter. J. J. SLACK, M. D.

Friar's Point, Miss.

Abdominal Aneurism.

Please publish the following inquiry in the BRIEF:

Will the many readers of the BRIEF give best treatment for abdominal aneurism?

Brother M. Ds., give me something, as I have a case on hand in which I have done all that I can, and no relief.

Success to the BRIEF and its subscribers. J. A. GREEN, M. D. Balloon, Ark.

[The treatment of Langenbeck, Wolff, and others, has been to take one-half to four and a-half grains of watery extract of ergot dissolved in a mixture of one part of glycerine to five of alcohol, or in glycerine and water, equal parts, and inject over or in the neighborhood of the tumor, at intervals varying from half a day to several days. Cures have been obtained in subclavian, radial, and even of abdominal aortic aneurism.-ED.]

Fœtus Killed in Utero by Lightning.

On May 10th last at 11 P. M., I was summoned hastily to see Mrs. B., in a case of confinement, at full term, age thirtyfive, mother of six children.

On arrival, I found her suffering with bearing down pains, and a severe headache. I made a digital examination and found os dilated to the size of a silver dollar, with vertex presentation. On removal of my hand, a very offensive odor was observed. Iat once suspected a dead fœtus,and on examination no heart sound could be heard, so I was convinced that the child was dead and asked the lady if she ever had any thought that the child may be dead, she said she did. Then I asked her how long she thought it had been dead and what was the cause. She said, "I believe it was killed by lightning. You remember one month ago yesterday a very dark cloud arose from the northwest and it lightened and thundered very heavy." I responded in the affirmative. "Well I was sitting on the front porch, and there came a streak of lightning through the porch near me and struck a tree in the yard, and it shocked me awful bad, and I felt the child turn clear over and quivered for a time, I have never felt any more movements, and I believe my child was killed by lightning, don't you?" I told her I thought the lightning was the cause of its death.

Learning this, I resolved to take the child from her as soon as possible. I made another digital examination and found the os to be dilating very slowly. So I gave her one drachm of fluid ext. of ergot. In about thirty minutes I made another examination and found the dilation to be some better and the pains more regular. In about one hour I gave her another dose of the ergot and in a short time she said, "the pains are bearing down heavier and stay on some longer and my head does not hurt as bad as it did."

I kept on giving small doses of ergot at intervals; but labor progressed very slowly until 5 A. M., when I resorted to the forceps, and in a very short time I delivered the body of a dead foetus, which was the most offensive operation I ever experienced, and the most horrible

object that a mother ever witnessed. It was so putrid that I had to handle it very carefully to keep it together. The integument had given away in several places, the fontanel was opened and most all the brains had come out, and at the umbilicus the bowels were visible.

I hurried through with the case, and did the best could under the circumstances. I did not have any disinfectant with me but carbolic acid and I used it very freely, but if it did any good I never discovered it. I used a vaginal injection of warm carbolized water, and ordered it to be kept up twice a day, for three days, and issued out three little powders containing the mild chloride of mercury, bichlor. of soda and chlorate of potash, five grains each, this to be given three hours a part.

I threw my pill bag across my shoulder and said to Mr. B., if you need me any more you can let me know. He asked "what do I owe you for the night's work." "Twenty-five dollars," was the reply. He paid the coin to me and congratulated me. I gladly received all, bade them farewell, mounted my horse, and went home in search of fresh air.

The lady, while carrying this dead foetus, was in about as good health as when she bore her other children. She is now up and doing well.

I am a subscriber of six medical journals of which the BRIEF is my favorite. It is just what every physician needs; it always brings something fresh to cheer the idle moments of the busy practitioner. HENRY M. JOHNS, M. D.

Calomel in Fever.

Will you allow me a small space, even in the remotest corner of your valuable journal, to answer some of the accusations, found in almost every issue of the BRIEF, against mercury, and those who use it in their practice in the treatment of disease? Some of these articles charge us with ignorance and insanity, and almost with willful murder, but I feel not unlike the man when the mule kicked him, and that where "ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise."

Before going any further, dear reader of the BRIEF, I will tell you that I have never written a theory and practice, therefore, am unable to cite it as authority. I have, however, learned in a thirty years practice and experience, that in vain will we have stored our minds with the precepts of great teachers; in vain will we have watched the progress in late discoveries in physiology, pathology, chemistry, or therapeutic science, if we have not followed the results of our studies and investigations to the bedside of the sick, impartially, and there made a test of their virtues upon the human body. Otherwise we can not have, neither that prompt appreciation and correct judgment, nor that firmness of resolution necessary to combat disease successfully. Moreover, such experience I believe to be the correct basis from which to argue scientific medicine.

Before entering upon the physiological action of mercury, I will promise the intelligent reader of the BRIEF, not to bore him with a two-column article upon the chemistry of either the mild or bichloride of mercury, as I am well aware of your intelligence, and believe it would be an insult. But for the benefit of those who denounce calomel, that ivory canine monster of death, I will admit, without argument, that it is a poison, not unlike many other mineral and vegetable remedies. But let me ask the intelligent reader, however, if you ostracise a remedy because it contains poison, where will you begin, or where will you end? Is there a remedy that is not a poison? Are not our carbo. hyd. and proteid foods poisonous in their crude state? Even peptones and parapeptones taken from the portal vein and transfused into

the circulation beyond the liver has been found by "Bidder & Schmidt," to cause almost instant death in the dog.

Therefore, it is very unscientific to attack a remedy because it contains polson, and it is still more unscientific to attack those who do not agree with you in your blind prejudices. Is it because you know nothing of its physiological action upon the human body, or what is the matter with you? What the medical student is anxious to know is the physiological chemistry and therapeutic action of remedies upon the various tissues and organs of the body; not whether it belongs to the mineral or vegetable kingdom; not whether it belongs to the "regular" or "irregular" schools of medicine. Truth is what he is after: nothing more, nothing less.

In the articles that have been published against calomel, I find not one tangible thought or scientific fact brought against it, except that "it is deposited in the tissue and salivates a patient."

Now, gentlemen, is this all you know for or against mercury? Do you know nothing of its intrinsic or extrinsic value that prompts you to proscribe it? Or is it because your ignorance has blindly prejudiced you against it? But you tell us that it is a "poison." Have you forgotten or did you ever know, that morphine, opium, strychnine, arsenic, aconite, with thousands of other remedies, both mineral and vegetable, are poisons, and that each has killed more than five hundred to where mercury has killed

one.

Is it not true that the success of modern surgery, in a great measure, is due to the antiseptic and germicitic properties of mercury? An aqueous solution of the bichlor. 1-20,000 kills spores of bacilli in ten minutes, 1-5000 is a certain germicide (Cohn). It not only destroys bacteria, but it also destroys and prevents the formation of indolent and other nutritive soil in which they germinate. Mercury is not only given for its germicitic properties, but also for its stimulant and alterative properties upon the glandular system. Here, my dear reader of the BRIEF, I invite your special attention to its specific action on physiological grounds; here I ask you