omniverous. He is otherwise healthy, but the itching and burning is intense. His age is about seventy.

My treatment has been iodide of potassium, internally iron and phosphorus, and locally mild zinc ointment, chloroform and hamamelis in solution. Hot sulphur baths, etc.

As a brother said, in the BRIEF, let the old-fashioned Methodist class meeting open and as many as can take a part in the discussion of this case.

With many kind wishes for the numerous readers of the BRIEF, one of the best journals, I close this lengthy report of a troublesome case.

D. A. GOSHORN, M. D. North Manchester, Ind.

Offensive Breath.

"Offensive odor of the breath, due to bad teeth or other causes, may be overcome, or at the least greatly abated," says the Sanitarian, 'by the habitual use of Listerine. Add a teaspoonful to a tumblerful of water for a mouth-wash and gargle, and if a little is swallowed, so much the better. Indeed, a bad breath is not infrequently caused by the gaseous eructations of indigestion, and for this also Listerine is an excellent remedy, in doses of twenty to thirty drops in a little water."

Pink Eye.

The BRIEF is the best medical journal in the world, and I value it highly, for in it we can ask and give information from others. Now, I wish to ask the opinion and treatment of its readers in regard to a disease of the eye called pink eye, which is quite common here.

The first symptom is a blur or shade before the eye; next, it feels as if something like a grain of sand is in the eye, or perhaps several grains of sand. On examination, small sharp pimples are seen on the inside of the eye-lid; the eye soon becomes blood-shot, water or mucus runs from it, the lids stick together with the substance oozing from the eye; when asleep, the eye fills and bursts through between the lids and runs down over the face on to the pillow, then it becomes swollen and tender around the eye. At this stage, which is about the fourth day, pus forms; and there will be

a dull pain in the head on the affected side, the white of the eye now looks like a mixture of blood and mucus.

The disease appears to run its course, which is about two or three weeks, and all treatment is of but little good. It usually affects one eye at a time.

Is pink eye the correct name for this disease? I have not seen this disease mentioned in a medical work. Is there a specific that will stop the disease and heal the eye, or what is the best treatment? Please answer through the BRIEF, that others may be benefited.

side, I find I am unwarranted in asserting that it is a scientific fact that can not be intelligently or logically controverted. As an assurance of my confidence as to the scientific accuracy of this fact, with modest boldness challenge the scientific world to contradict it.

If any of your many readers desire a more extended discussion or presentation of the subject by way of corroboration or explanation in detail, I will be pleased to do so in some future number of your excellent journal.

I. W. CHISHOLM, M. D.

New Concord, O.

Born With a Bustle.

A somewhat amusing story got afloat in this section not long since. A midwife delivered a woman among the poorer class of people, the new born having an enormous tumor in lower lumbar region. The old midwife, as is usual with this class of individuals, is full of superstition,and she accordingly went about the country telling the ladies that Mrs. B's. baby was "borned with a bustle." Her idea being that it was a "punishment" upon the human family because of the ladies adorning their person with that well known article.

44

But the most curious part of the story is, why Mrs. B. and her offspring should be so afflicted, when, as I am satisfied, Mrs. B. never, during life, added a bustle to her wardrobe. The 'baby with a bustle" was considerably talked about and finally some one asked me my opinion of the case. I politely informed them I had never seen the child, but I had an idea what the trouble was from the information I had received. And explained to them, as well as I could, the nature of spina bifida, and upon learning that the tumor was large and the skin covering it thin and reddish in appearance, I gave an unfavorable prognosis, stating that the child was liable to be seized with convulsions and symptoms of spinal meningitis, death speedily resulting. To-day I learned that the child died early yesterday morning, after having several convulsions. No physician was ever called to see the child.

A. M. GLASS, M. D.

Traveler's Rest, Ky.

Acne-Chronic Rheumatism-Stric

ture.

In answer to Dr. R. C. M. Lewis, page 114, of March BRIEF, will say the treatment of acne varies with the cause. If torpor of the skin, daily baths, and strengthen or deplete as indicated. Guard the diet, avoid stimulants of every kind, correct any error hepatic or gastric. Internally, use mineral waters. Iodide of iron, iodide potass., or other alteratives. Many esteem liq. potass. arsenitis locally.

Carefully open the pustules and bathe with warm water, containing demulcents and mild stimulants, as carb. soda, either sulphur or sulphuret of potass. in lotion or unguent spiritous washes, or sol. corros. sublimate.

Later, use oint. nit. merc., or oint. of iodi sulphur. Touch the apex with sol. corros. sublimate, two to four grains to the ounce of water. After which apply carefully acid nit. mercury.

.

M. Sig. One teaspoonful every six hours.

Give it a thorough trial, doctor, and I think you will be pleased with the result.

If Dr. J. W. Hammons, of Ola, Ark., will locate the stricture in his patient and establish the extent of contraction by the use of graduated conical-shaped bougies, and measurement of the flacid penis, then introduce, according to the location of stricture, a straight or curved insulated metallic rod, on the end of which is an egg-shaped metallic bulb, one size larger than the stricture will admit. Make this the terminus of the negative pole of a galvanic battery, and applying the positive pole over the abdomen, regulating the number of cells used by the sensation of the patient, it being necessary only to produce a mild tingling or burning sensation - actual pain must never be produced. By keep

ing the bulb of the electrode gently pressed against the stricture, for from ten to twenty minutes, it will pass through the stricture.

Then withdraw the current, introduce an instrument one or two sizes larger, and re-apply the current in the same manner, and when the second electrode has passed that is sufficient for a sitting, and at intervals of from six to ten days the same course should be repeated, until the normal size is reached, after which a solid metal curved catheter or bougie should be introduced once a week, for several weeks, when the patient may be dismissed, cured.

G. T. MASON, M. D.

Redwood City, Calif.

Ordinary Case of Obstetrics.

I would be glad if many physicians would comply with Dr. W. W. Baker's request on page 502. Dr. Catron has complied, and I, for another, will endeavor to briefly do so.

When called early to attend a case of obstetrics you will ordinarily find the woman sitting up, or about, or, at least, this is the way she ordinarily should be. Make a digital examination per vagina early, while the patient is standing against the wall, or door, or bed, in order to learn the progress of the labor, etc. You can learn the progress of the labor in this way better than having her lie down, because you can reach the os uteri easier. Encourage the patient to sit up, or be up and about, in the first stage of labor, as long as she consistently can, for these positions favor the proper descent of the head in the proper axis of the pelvis in the first stage of labor; but as the labor advances, and the os uteri has become well dilated, and the head has arrived in the excavation, the patient will be inclined to lie down. Do not allow her to lie in the recumbent position, but if the uterus is somewhat obliqued to the right, have her lie on the left side. If the uterus is somewhat obliqued to the left, have her lie on her right side. If the uterus is somewhat obliqued to the right, it ordinarily indicates that the vertex is in the first position. If the uterus is somewhat obliqued to the left, it ordinarily indicates

that the vertex is in the second position, i. e., towards the right acetabulum.

The physician should, ordinarily, dur ing this part of labor, gently dilate the perineum from time to time by pulling back on the perineum with two fingers, sometimes during the absence of pain and sometimes during pain, but when the head comes down on the perineum and begins to dilate it you can not practice this procedure further, but must then guard the external parts from rupture by the bare fingers, so that you can perceive any danger of rupture of the external genitals, and guard against it.

Up to the time that the vertex begins to jut out under the arch of the pubis, the lying on the side has favored the proper descent of the head in the proper axis of the pelvis according to the progress of the labor, but now the patient ought to be placed in the recumbent position, because at this stage of the labor it favors the exit of the head by causing it to emerge from the outlet in the easiest manner, the body of the child falling back, thus acting as a lever to pry the vertex and head up and out.

Children can generally be born without observing all these rules, but I am convinced that they can be born much sooner and easier by carrying out these rules.

Before your first examination, wash your hands in warm water with a proper disinfectant in it. Use plenty of clean grease in all your examinations per vagina. Deliver the placenta according to the Credéan method-winding the membranes into a cord so that they will not break off.

If the child has been born with the vertex in the first position, the vertex will ordinarily bulge to the right, and the right parietal bone will be higher than the left, and vice versa, if the position was the second.

The most of my remarks are original and can not be found in the books or medical journals, only as I have published them.

Bandage the woman, and grease, and wash, and dress the babe, and give it a teaspoonful of cold water and have it put to the mother's breast.

Give a dose of ergot as soon as the placenta is delivered, to prevent hemor

rhage and promote involution and prevent infection. Give the patient a dose of quinine and oxide of iron, morning and evening, for three or four days, to prevent fever, etc. Give the patient a laxative on the third day after confinement.

The doctor further inquires, "is ergot still the best remedy to increase and prolong flagging pains? What is next best?" Ergot is best, and ustilago maidis next. SILAS HUBBARD, M. D. Hudson, Ill.

Bloodless Labor, Etc.

Enclosed, please find $1.00 for which send me the BRIEF for another year. The sample copy sent me was the first one I have seen in two years, but I find it the same as it was, only better. It is quite a relief to return from the reports of State and other societies, contained in the average medical journal, to the contributions of the everyday worker, who is not posing before the society, and struting out his brief limit of time in airing some pet theory that may be of no practical benefit to anyone. The queries and answers are of special interest to me.

In the January number was an account of several so-called bloodless labors. I am ready to admit, with one writer, that there are many things in this world that border upon the supernatural, but in a matter like this I must confess that I am entirely at a loss to account for such a condition. Notwithstanding the testimony offered, I am still a doubting Thomas. I can very easily conceive of a case, where the amount of blood lost would be reduced to a minimum, but to be entirely bloodless is beyond my comprehension. I have had as much experience in obstetric practice as falls to the lot of any one in the length of time I have been in practice, and I think I have some conception of the conditions present in a case of labor.

It would be an anomaly to find a woman that could have a large portion of her skin removed from any part of the body without hemorrhage. It is just as impossible for me to believe that a placenta can be torn from its union with the uterine walls without loss of blood.

Up to the time of labor, circulation has been going on between the placenta and uterus, and when the separation takes place there must be rupture of arterial and venous capillaries. What becomes of the blood that is in them at the time of rupture? Does it receive some supernatural warning that something is going to happen and leave?

As I have said, I can easily see how the loss of blood might be small, with immediate and perfect contraction after the placenta has become loosened and expelled, closure of the capillaries follows and stops the hemorrhage.

Dr. Goss, in his article, entitled "Climate for Consumptives," speaks of the "humid atmosphere of Florida and California." I am aware that it is perfectly natural for an M. D. to recommend his own locality as a health resort, but when the doctor speaks of California as having a humid atmosphere I must remonstrate. Three years ago my wife came to California for the benefit of the change of climate, and the result speaks volumes for this climate as regards the beneficial effects to phthisical patients.

Compton, Cal. J. M. Downs, M. D.

M. Sig. One teaspoonful after each meal. Shake well before using.

Also give five grains of quinine at 9 A. M. and at 12 noon.

Am satisfied that if Dr. F. will give above treatment a fair trial, his patient will improve.

I will state that I have successfully treated two cases, within the last eight weeks, that were very much like Dr. France's cases, though both of my patients were females, and one of them was very much constipated. In this case I gave, in addition to above, from thirty to sixty drops of cascara at bed hour.

May the grand old BRIEF live long and prosper! F. M. GORDY, M. D. Cusseta, Ga.

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The Operation of Episiotomy, to Prevent Lacerations of the Perineum.

In a recent number of the BRIEF, appeared an article by our well-known friend Dr. T. Griswold Comstock, upon episiotomy, to prevent lacerations of the perineum. Dr. Comstock requested any of the subscribers, experienced in obstetrical practice, to give their experience, in the columns of the BRIEF, as to the expediency of the operation. As yet, no

answers have been received, and no criticisms upon the proposed operation. Dr. Comstock learned the operation in the obstetrical clinic of Vienna, twenty-five years ago.

We notice, in a little essay that has just appeared. "Observations in the General Hospital in Vienna," made in the year 1888, by Charles Warrington Earle, M. D., Prof. of Obstetrics in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Chicago, that he says, in speaking of the conduct of a labor in the wards of Prof. Carl Braun of the University of Vienna, 'Episiotomy, to prevent lacerations of the perineum, is frequently performed."

As this operation, the technique of which was described in the September number, in Dr. Comstock's article, is claimed to be one of great importance, we hope to hear from some of the subscribers who are experts, regarding their experience with it and criticisms upon it.

Dr. Comstock states, in his article, that obstetrical authors in this country as well as in England (with the exception of Prof. Lusk) seem to ignore it; but he insists that in cases of lingering labor where the perineum is greatly distended, and where laceration will certainly result, as soon as the head passes, that it may be prevented by making the operation of episiotomy.

The recommendations of the operation made in the BRIEF seem to be confirmed by such high authority as Prof. Warrington Earle. If the operation is so frequently performed in the Vienna Obstetrical Clinic, it should not be ignored by our own obstetrical authorities.

C. B. A.

This issue closes Volume Seventeen and the large increase of subscriptions fully demonstrates the value of the Brief.

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