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Reading Notices.

Physicians are earnestly requested to investigate the unexcelled advantages offered for sick people by The Alma, Alma, Mich. The buildings were especially designed and erected, furnished and equipped to meet the requirements of sick people or persons desiring rest. At The Alma is offered every comfort, the most scrupulous care, the most healthful and enjoyable pleasure, the constant attention of skilled physicians, the benefits of AlmaBromo, the strongest bromide water known and a positive remedial agent for the relief of rheumatism, skin, kidney and nervous diseases and constipation. The accommodations are luxurious and the management is liberal in every respect. Every physician should read their brochure, which gives a full description of their system of treatment, equipment, physicians and charges. The booklet is sent free to any address.

The Treatment of Eczema Capitis.-Called to attend a child about eighteen months old with eczema capitis. I found that by neglect the eruption was in a pustular stage, the entire head being covered with a thick, yellow green brittle crust. It was with great difficulty that the child could be restrained from scratching and rubbing its head, the itching, no doubt, being very great. child taken to the Children's Hospital, the hygienic surroundings of its home not being very desirable, and given the best care and treatment. The head was thoroughly washed with water, the greater part of the crust coming off. The hair was cleaned as good as it possibly could have been, and its matted condition removed. The surface of the scalp presented a raw, bleeding appearance. I had PINEOLINE thoroughly applied, wrapping the head in a cap made of cheese cloth. The scalp did not heal at once, but there was a cessation of the pustular eruption, and thin, dry, white scales took its place. I gave Fowler's Solution internally one m. every four hours, having the ointment applied regularly. In four weeks the head was completely well. The child was returned to its mother, and to my knowledge there has been no return of the eruption. I attribute the case to mal-assimilation, and in conjunction with the local application and the internal treatment had the diet and the times of feeding regulated. DR. A. O. LAWRENCE.

A Remedy in Nervous Disorders When Characterized By Melancholia. The "Reference Book of Practical Therapeutics," by Frank P. Foster, M. D., editor of The New York Medical Journal,

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which has recently been issued by D. Appleton & Co., of New York
City, contains an article of which the following is an excerpt, which
we feel expresses the consensus of medical opinion, as adduced by
actual results: "Antikamnia is an American preparation that has
come into extensive use as an analgetic and antipyretic. It is a
white, crystalline, odorless powder, having a slightly aromatic taste,
soluble in hot water, almost insoluble in cold water, but more fully
soluble in alcohol.
As as antipyretic it acts rather
more slowly than antipyrine or acetanilide, but efficiently, and it
has the advantage of being free, or almost free from any depressing
effect on the heart, Some observers even think that it exerts a sus-
taining action on the circulatio. As an analgetic it is character-
ized by promptness of action and freedom from the disagreeable
effects of the narcotics. It has been much used, and with very fa-
vorable results in neuralgia, influenza and various nervous disorders
characterized by melancholia. The dose of antikamnia is from
three to ten grains, and it is most conveniently given in the form of
tablets."

Premature Labor With Hemorrhage.—I had a most excellent case on which to try Sanmetto. It was that of a woman about forty years of age, followed by a terrible hemorrhage. She bled about two hours before I was called, and when getting there I found a pale looking form of a woman, which had fainted away twice from loss of blood. I gave her two teaspoonfuls of Sanmetto, and the hemorrhage ceased in about five minutes. She rested quietly for about one half hour, when she took to coughing, then the hemorrhage commenced again. I gave her another large dose of Sanmetto and it stopped again. I stayed with the patient about three hours, and no more hemorrhage occurred; and so I went home, leaving no medicine except the part of the bottle of Sanmetto, advising the attendants to give it if hemorrhage should occur again, and the woman is improving nicely now, whereas at first I thought it a hopeless case. I do believe that it was the Sanmetto that saved her. I have also used Sanmetto a couple of times previous to this case, in combination with ergot, and the effect was all right then also. WM. B. STOKER, M. D., Lancaster, Ia.

Insomnia From Over-Excitement.-Suggestions on the treatment of insomnia are always of value in view of the increasing prevalence of this condition especially in our cities. The following taken from the "International Medical Annual and Practitioner's Index," will prove of interest: "A writer in the Gazette Hebdoma

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daire de Medicine et de Chirurgie .dvises in cases in which insomnia is due only to simple over-excitement of the encephalic cells, the following rules and prescriptions: All prolonged literary work at night, remaining in very hot rooms for any length of time, and a too abundant and too exciting diet should be avoided. A capsule containing fifteen grains of Sulfonal, or one containing twelve grains of Trional combined with four grains of sodium bicarbonate may be taken in the evening just before eating. Persons who cannot swallow capsules may take Sulfonal pure or in sugar, flavored with vanilla, just before bed time, but it must be immediately followed by a hot infusion of linden flowers or of orange leaves." Should these drugs fail the writer advises the use of bromides, chloral and, in rare instances, of opium and hyoscyamus.

The Treatment of Chronic Rheumatism.-One of my patients, whom I had treated for some time for chronic rheumatism, with but indifferent results, as is usual in such cases, asked me to make a special effort to find some remedy that would not only give him temporary relief, but which would cure him. I had given him from time to time the various coal tar products, salicylates, singly and combined with colchium, mocrotyn, iodide of potassium, etc. Phytoline was recommended to me and I concluded to give it a trial. The result was far beyond my most sanguine expectations, and a happy one, indeed. Phytoline "just touched the spot." In the course of six weeks my patient was entirely free from rheumatism, and has been well ever since. E. C. BECK, M. D., New York.

Glyco-Thymoline (Kress) in a Case of Follicular Tonsilitis.— Mr. K., 15 years old, came to my office and had a fully developed case of follicular tonsilitis, both sides being involved by the inflammation. Placed him on constitutional treatment for the fever and on glyco-thymoline (Kress) as a local treatment, by swabbing the affected part with one-half strength solution, and ordering him to use a spray (one-fourth strength) every one or two hours. The next day to my great surprise all the inflammation and the white patches had disappeared-the spray was ordered continued three times a day. In three days the case was all well and sound. Have treated three cases since that time with uniformly good results. April 10, 1897. O. W. MAYER, M. D., Hamilton, Ohio.

The British Medical Journal, in its issue for January 23rd and again in that of February 6th, speaks of the dangers that attend the popular use of so-called coca wine-that is, some kind of wine in which a salt of cocaine is dissolved. For the most part, the wine is of poor quality, but sweetened and highly fortified with rectified.

spirit. The amount of cocaine contained in many of these products is variable, too, and in prescribing them one really does not know what doses of the drug he is ordering. Moreover, the contention seems reasonable that the tonic and stimulant virtues of a real wine of coca-such, for example, as the well known Vin Mariani--do not depend altogether upon the cocaine contained in it.-New York Medical Journal, March 20, 1897.

Sanmetto in Bright's Disease.-Charles F. Reiff, M. D., of Fremont, O., writing, says: "I prescribed Sanmetto in a case of advanced Bright's disease. The patient became more comfortable, and since then has used several bottles of Sanmetto. In my opinion Sanmetto is the most efficient remedy for diseases of the genitourinary organs, and I shall continue to prescribe the remedy."

In entering its fifty-fourth year The Living Age seems to have entered a new career of prosperity and popularity. Among the evidences of this is the opening of new departments which enable it to cover a much wider field than ever before. Its translations bring its readers into close touch with the leaders in thought and action of continental Europe, while, in the monthly supplement selected readings are given from leading American periodicals and from new books, as well as a list of "Books of the Month." The quantity is shown by the addition of eighty-eight pages in the first quarterly volume of this year. This alone, continued through the year, would make a good-sized volume of 352 pages. Of the quality of the contents it is enough to say that it well maintains its former high standard. It could not do more. In the course of a year twelve such numbers are given, besides forty of the usual size, sixtyfour pages, aggregating over three and a half thousand double column, octavo pages of the choicest reading that can be obtained; and the price is only $6 per year. Address,

THE LIVING AGE Co., Boston.

The attention of physicians is invited to the advertisement of the Laughlin Fountain Pen on advertising page six. The pens are in use in our office and are giving good satisfaction, and we have great pleasure in recommending them to the profession.

THE WYETH TREATMENN OF GONORRHEA.—In a recent issue of the New York Polyclinic Dr. John A. Wyeth outlines his present method, which from personal professional experience we commend to our readers as one of the safest and best. As soon as the disease is diagnosed urethral irrigation is instituted twice a day and

continued until the gonococci disappear from the discharge. A 1-3,000 solution of potassium permanganate is employed; a drachm of the potassium salt in six ounces of water, using two tablespoonfuls of this solution to two quarts of hot water, makes the requisite strength. A fountain syringe is much to be preferred; it should be hung about three feet above the level of the urethra. The irrigation is best performed in males standing; in females lying down. If the patient is very sensitive to pain one to three drachms of a two per cent. cocaine solution may be injected previously. Glass catheters only ought to be employed, as they can be readily sterilized. The one for males should be five or six inches long with two or three lateral openings near the closed end (the ordinary female glass catheter suffices). The catheter should be lubricated with glycerin, not with oil or vaseline, both of which interfere with perfect cleansing of the mucous membrane. The discharge should be caught in a not too tight bag made of oiled silk, rubber or thick. cloth. The patient must be warned of the danger from the secretion to the eyes, and should be instructed after touching the genitals to wash his hands in a 1-5000 bichloride solution. He should be told to avoid excitement or over exertion, stimulants and rich or spicy foods. A warm hip bath morning and evening is a soothing measure worth the trouble of taking. Internally, Dr. Wyeth recommends a combinations of one drachm salol and two drachms oil of wintergreen, twenty drops of the mixture four times a day. preferably in capsules. Citrate of potassium, 20 or 30 grains four times daily, is useful in the first week to make the urine bland. The bowels should be moved every day. Under the above treatment, says the writer, cases of acute gonorrhea recover without complications in from six to twenty-five days, the average being thirteen days.

Dr. D. D. Stewart, (Am. Therapist, April, 1897), states that a favorite combination with him consists of equal parts of deodorized tincture of opium and Fowler's solution, one or two drops of the mixture to be given in water ten or fifteen minutes before eating. The addition of two to four minims of dilute hydrocyanic and ten minims of spirits of chloroform serves to reinforce the good effects of the opium and arsenic, and to these ten or twenty grains of finely powdered subnitrate of bismuth should be added in intractable

cases,

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