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which have become paretic from overdistention. Use massage over the abdomen; rub from right to left with sweet oil. Persist in the use of enemas of salts, asafoetida and glycerine. The hips should be elevated, and a long elastic tube should be inserted into the colon as far as possible, through which administer the enemas. Ol. ricini and glycerine in warm water make an excellent enema. The patient should be supported with liquid nourishment and stimulants. No case should be abandoned as hopeless, for under the most unfavorable conditions, and the gravest symptoms, the stenosis has been relieved and the lumen restored, after all hopes of relief had been given up.

I will describe briefly three cases that have occurred recently in my practice, believing they may be of some interest to the readers of your valuable journal:

Case I. Mr. C., æt. 22 years, a farmer, taken suddenly with violent spasmodic pain in the abdomen, soon followed by nausea and vomiting; his bowels acted a few times naturally, but soon became of a mucous nature, tinged with blood. Drs. Dorris and Hornsby of Cranesville were sent for. They found the young man suffering great pain of a paroxysmal character in the bowel, great nausea and occasional vomiting, with a. frequent desire to defecate, which was ineffectual. Opiates were administered to relieve pain, and an active cathartic given. The symptoms increased from bad to worse, notwithstanding active purgatives and enemas, which had no effect whatever. On the night of the ninth day of sickness I was consulted. The patient had all the symptoms of obstruction, almost constant nausea and vomiting, which had become stercoraceous, dejections from the bowels consisting of mucus and blood; abdomen tympanitic, and tender on pressure. I directed the pills of belladonna, nux vomica, aloin and podophyllin to be given every four hours; if rejected to repeat the dose immediately. Enemas of salts, glycerine and asafoetida to be injected through an elastic tube, inserted as high up into the colon as possible, one to be used every six hours until relieved, also to rub the abdomen, using sweet oil; the hips to be elevated, and occasionally to give a large dose of castor oil.

On the eleventh day the patient almost in a collapse, vomiting stercoraceous matter, hiccough, and body bathed in a cold perspiration. He requested that his affianced should be sent for. She, like the most of her sex, lost no time in obeying the summons, and was soon by the side, and in the arms, of her inamorata. It is said that the potent magnetism of a loving heart counterpoises the combined attraction of the spheres, and even recalls the unshackled soul from the heavens just open to receive it. There was, during the osculatory gum, gum, generated vital electro-magnetism, which was transmitted from the living organism through the nerves, which served as conductors to the almost inanimate body. The potent magnetic current, generated from the healthy inamorata, brought back the soul that was about to take its flight to the realms above to the scene of its mortal imprisonment; and during that ecstatic moment the magnetic current was transmitted to the spasmodic contraction of the muscular coats of the bowels, which caused the stenosis, which was immediately relaxed, the lumen restored, and the contents, which had been obstructed, glided by with the peristalsis, with a rumbling noise unnoticed by both; caught the sphincter in the same extato-partu condition, then out into the world with an explosion like distant thunder and odoriferous reality. So there is in woman's love a superhuman power that can repel disease and even death, and "stay the parting soul." The young man rapidly recovered.

Case II. Miss A., about 48 years old, constipated habit. When visited patient was suffering from violent pain in the hepatic region, radiating to right shoulder, very much nauseated, bowels constipated, had been for several days. The pain was so great that morphia and atropia were administered hypodermically. I then prescribed a purgative composed of calomel and soda of each grs. v, aloin grs. 4, followed the next morning with a large dose of castor oil. The next visit. found patient more uncomfortable. Medicine had no effect. Directed salts and neutralizing cordial to be given every four hours, and enemas of warm water. Glycerine and asafoetida to be administered every six hours. Day after day the case

grew worse. Cathartics and enemas had no effect; nausea and vomiting increased, without the slightest disposition to defecate except when enemas were administered, which were only thrown off, followed by a little mucus. Tongue coated, pulse quick; abdomen tender on pressure; very little tympanites. The colon could be felt through the abdominal walls; very much distended; breath had an unpleasant fecal odor. I directed the pills or capsules of belladonna, nux vomica, aloin, and podophyllin, to be given every four hours. Rectal tube to be inserted as far as possible, and the enemas to be administered through it—enemas composed of salts, glycerine, asafoetida, and warm water. On the twelfth day bowels moved. The pills of aloin comp. continued for several days, one or two daily. She soon recovered her usual health.

Case III. Negro woman, 70 years old, previous health good, though suffered from habitual constipation. When visited, bowels had not moved for over a week, complained of great abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Abdomen tympanitic from meteorism. There was visible peristaltic movement above the obstruction, flatulent eructations, borborygmus, breath very offensive, and decided fecal odor. I relieved the pain with a combination of chloroform, Hoffman's anodyne, and syr. of mint, to be given pro re nata. Also prescribed an active cathartic, to be followed with oil or salts every four hours, enemas to be used as in the previous cases. In a few days prescribed the aloin comp. capsules every four hours. The case continued with the usual symptoms of obstruction. On the 14th day the bowels moved, the result of the persistent use of the pills and enemas. The sphincter ani was dilated, and a spoon handle was used to assist in removing the impaction. The case recovered.

I could enumerate several more cases that have come under my observation in the last few years, but it would be only a repetition of the above cases. One case, an infant 18 months old, died; had all the symptoms of intussusception.

INFLUENZA (LA GRIPPE).

M. B. HERMAN, M.D.#

Physician to St. Joseph's Hospital, Memphis.

Influenza is by no means a new disease. According to medical history the first epidemic occurred in 1510. From that date down to the present time records of some 150 epidemic outbreaks at irregular intervals and in different parts. of the globe are presented to us. Among the principal ones I would mention the epidemic of 1675, described by Sydenham; again, in 1732 and in 1742 it spread through Italy, where it received the name of "influenza."

In 1775 it invaded the whole of Europe, and again in 1832 and 1837.

Influenza attacks simultaneously countries very far apart : thus, in 1832 it appeared in Moscow, Odessa, Alexandria, and Paris.

In 1847 it appeared at an interval of a few days in Spain, Valparaiso, Syria, and Hong Kong. We know not, as yet, from whence it comes. We know that it sweeps over the world like a cloud at the mercy of the winds, and stays long enough to attack about one-half of its inhabitants, when it again disappears as abruptly as it came for a certain undetermined length of time, often for a number of years.

The epidemic of 1891, like the preceding one, came to us from Europe, where it had spread with remarkable rapidity. Beginning in Eastern Europe, it had invaded the entire continent in less than a month, and it was not long before it reached our own shores. Here, like abroad, it soon became general, and it would be safe to say that forty to fifty per cent. of the inhabitants of the United States fell victims to the disease.

Influenza claims all classes-the rich, the poor, the young, the old. However, the proportion of women and children attacked is considerably less as compared with men and old people.

* Read before the Memphis Medical Society, Jan. 19, 1892.

Persons exposed to cold and dampness have, in proportion, suffered more than those with the opposite surroundings.

The unsalutary effects of cold and dampness have been exemplified in the frequent relapses in those who have ventured out before convalescence was complete.

Influenza is evidently an infectious disease, differing essentially in this respect from the simple cases of cold (coryza) and bronchial catarrh which we are called upon to treat every autumn and winter.

The facility with which the disease spreads would lead us to believe that the virulent agent is suspended in the air and is propagated in the same manner as other infectious diseases.

There has been no small amount of controversy among leading scientists regarding the nature of the contagium of influenza, some claiming that it is of miasmatic origin, while others contend that it is bacterial. Neither faction have produced sufficient proof to substantiate its theory, and further investigation is necessary. At all events, all seem satisfied that the contagium is suspended in the atmosphere.

The instances of contagion reported by Proust and others are strong evidence in favor of the bacterial theory.

*

Proust states: The steamer St. Germain received at Santander a passenger from Madrid where influenza was prevalent. The day after he came on board he was seized with the disease. On the fourth day the physician on board who attended him was taken sick, and in a few days 201 out of 436 passengers and crew were prostrated with influenza.

Anthony† adduces two more arguments in favor of the theory of contagion, viz.: That the anomalies of contagiousness are to be explained by what is known as individual receptivity, and by the fact that influenza is often present long before it is recognized.

Anti-contagionists claim that influenza is to be accounted for only by a universal infection, depending on meteorological conditions. This is not tenable, as it is unreasonable to suppose that the infecting element was in existence all over the *La semaine Medicale, Nov. 3d. † Gazette des Hopitaux, Feb. 25th.

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