THE WORLD as regards the following case:

A young man of 20 years, of strong, robust,. muscular build, at times is apparently as well as anyone, when all at once he is seized with an attack of an epileptic nature in which he gets perfectly helpless, and during these attacks there seems to be a temporary paralysis of the sphincters, the bowels and bladder acting involuntarily. He gets blind during these attacks, and is unable to speak or swallow. There is a rigidity of all the muscles, going through a complete course of clonic spasms. At the beginning of an attack there is an oscillation of the eyes, and he turns his head to the right, when the spasms strike him at once. Family history is good, there being two other children in the family who are perfectly normal every way. He will average from 5 to 30 attacks during 24 hours and the period lasts from 2 to 15 days sometimes. His general health is good. I can find nothing abnormal about the heart in any way.

When he gets better of an attack he may go for 2 months without any trouble, when, with. out any warning except about a day's stupor, he is seized with another attack. He has been affected since birth. I have treated him with the bromides, chloral and the zinc salts, and, in fact, most of the remedies used in such cases, with only temporary relief. Now, I would like to hear from the editor and the readers of THE WORLD as to just what the trouble is and as to treatment, as he has gone through the hands of several good physicians without any permanent benefit, and I am a young man and am anxious to help him if there can be anything done for him.

I herewith thank Prof. Waugh for his opinion concerning a case of which I wrote in the May WORLD, and hope he and any others who will, may contribute in this case. Any help from any source will be kindly and thankfully received.

Glezen, Ind.

W. H. SMITH, M. D., [The doctor should always report the method of treatment which benefitted his cases, as these quizzes are not for the benefit alone of the doctor who presents the puzzling case, but for all the readers as well, some of whom may some time have just similar cases. The case here given is one of mild epilepsy—petit mal, of obscure causation. Whatever medicinal treatment is employed would be greatly aided by free elimination by means of hot air or vapor baths, begun as soon as possible after the prodromal stupor manifests itself.-Ed.]

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Will some bro. ther give symptoms and treatment of diseases

of the spleen? Also treatment for sweating feet?

I am very thankful to those who answered my last queries

I have a case, Mr. C., who accidentally stepped on a sharp nail, continued to work about two weeks before he took to bed, when I was summoned to lance his heel. On arrival I found that his ankle joint was implicated considerably, but lanced his heel at the nail hole, and told him that his ankle would be to lance in two or three days.

He had some fever, tongue slightly coated white, which I succeeded in cleaning off in a few hours, to find it very red, and it has continued red to the present time. I lanced the inside of ankle; the outside bursted. Bowels assumed a diarrheic condition for four or five days, then became constipated.

Please give treatment. Wheeling, Ark.

Foot is doing well. Dr. W. FINLEY.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-I write to request some of the numerous readers of your valuable journal to kindly-give me advice as to a plan of treatment in my own case. I have been a subscriber of THE WORLD for many years, and now call on you for help.

I am fifty-six years old, temperate in habits, use tobacco moderately, never drink whiskey, have been an active practitioner of medicine for thirty-three years. I have had occasional attacks of amaurosis or amblyopia for more than thirty years, at intervals, when first afflicted, of once in two, three or four years, but recently I have had them in the same number of weeks or months, lasting me about half an hour. I have suffered for a great while with dizziness, musca volitantes, tinnitus aurium, general dimness of vision, and many indescribable perverted sen· sations. I have a good appetite, but after eating a hearty breakfast I sometimes have a painful oppression at the precordia, with an intermittent pulse beat for a short time, and feel it no more during the day. In ny younger days I suffered a great deal with dyspepsia. I have not given up work yet, but frequently have to stop a while, on account of a confused, dazed feeling about my head. I have had my urine tested by the most delicate tests, and not a trace of albumen or sugar found; my heart examined by many physicians, and they assure me that there is nothing abnormal there. There is no specific taint.

Under the advice of a most excellent physician, I am taking gr. of bichloride mercury three times a day, but with no change in symp

toms.

Will you kindly favor me with your opinion in the case, and, if possible, rescue me from this awful condition, which will be most gratefully appreciated. F. R. GREGORY, M.D., Stovall, N. C.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Mr. M., who is engaged in the furniture business, and who is a strong, healthy man of 32 years, some six months ago detected a slight ulceration on the roof of the hard palate. He at once summoned a physician, who prescribed a mouth wash of chlorate of potash and bi-chloride of mercury internally. Despairing of a cure under this treatment, he sought the advice successively of two other physicians, who used the very same wash as their predecessor, with, of course, the same result. The ulceration continued to increase until most of the upper palate presented a decidedly whitish, sloughy mass; the gums of both sides of the inferior maxilla became infiltrated, and on the right side the disease seemed to have eaten into the tissue.

In this condition he applied to me for relief, assuring me that he knew of no constitutional tendency whatever. I first cauterized the ulceration thoroughly, and then put him on bichloride of mercury, gr. 4, and iodide of potash, gr. v, twice daily.

He is now improving steadily, the upper palate being almost entirely well, and every ves tige of the disease having disappeared from the lower right jaw, where it seemed to have eaten into the tissues. Indeed, there only remains a redness under the uvula.

Will some of your many readers favor me with a diagnosis? I. E. S., M.D.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-I wish a formula for a hair dye without lead or silver; one that is harmless to the user. I want to dye the hair brown or a dark color. Colfax, Ind.

HIRAM J. COON,

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Will some of the contributors to THE MEDICAL WORLD suggest some plan of treatment for the relief of a child two years of age, who constantly, or rather, on every occasion possible, eats a great quantity of dirt and swallows all the pebbles he can find about the size of a cherry? I know of the clay eaters of Kentucky, but the soil of California is alkaline and has no clay in it. He relishes the alkaline soil most, but will eat any imported article in that line. Any communications through letter or THE WORLD will be thank, fully received.

He has been taking, I might add, bicarbonate of soda in his milk, but so far, with no relief.

The child seems very healthy, quite fat and in high spirits. WM. R. PATTON, M. D., Lindsay, Tulare Co., California.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-I have patient, about 17 years of age, who had first, when about a year old, liver congestion, which was relieved at that time. Some years afterwards he took cerebro spinal meningitis, from which he recovered; had measles, whooping cough and mumps very bad; the latter affected the head at the time-in fact, several cases were severe. Some two years ago he was accidentally hit with a rock, which was in a tuft of weeds and earth, on the back of the head. After a while he could not bear the noise of school or meetings. Can get along with a moderate sun shine and in the shade very well. Has improved in many respects. The headache in the cere brum has ceased and the pain also. The main or almost entire pain and soreness is in the cerebellum, occipital region and spine. Capsicum

plasters have relieved the spine. He has taken alteratives and sedatives with some benefit. He is careful as to diet, uses no coffee. The boy is anxious to be cured, and I wish to accom. plish it while he is growing up to manhood. We will appreciate any suggestions.

E. S. BRONSON, M. D., French Creek, Upshur Co., W. Va.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Why is it, or what is the cause, of one half of the cattle and hogs of northern Michigan having a diseased liver? The liver is so bad that it is not fit to eat. R. E. FINCH, M.D.,

Gladwin, Mich.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Will you or some of your numerous readers kindly furnish the process of making glycerol of calendula from fresh plant? CONSTANT READER.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Can any of THE WORLD readers give directions for making splints from cloth, by using a material which, when warmed, the cloth becomes quite pliable and can be fitted to any part, and when cool the cloth or splint becomes stiff and hard, making a good splint? DR. M.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-A child, aged two and a half years, has umbilical hernia from a few months after birth, caused from crying. I have used all kinds of trusses and bandages to hold it back, but it now can not be held back, as all kinds of apparatus slip around and let it come out. I wish to know who can suggest anything to cure. Please let some one re

Moor's Antidote for Opium.

Dr. E H. Callender reports in the Medical Record a case in which potassium permanganate has again proved an efficient aid in combating opium poisoning. The patient was a frail boy, aged seven years, who was given two teaspoonfuls of laudanum, which was mistaken for aromatic syrup of rhubarb. It was three hours before the physician was called, but he responded at once, and, the mistake being ascertained, he lost no time in administering a hypodermic injection of whiskey and applying hot water bottles. Luckily having 15 grains of potassium permanganate with him, he dissolved it in three ounces of water, and in three hours and twentysix minutes after the laudanum had been given he gave a deep hypodermic injection of 30 minims of the solution in the arm. At this time the respiration was 8, and the pulse 46 and unstea ly. In twenty five minutes another injection was given, the pulse and respiration showing improvement. A third injection followed in about ten more minutes, and the pa tient showed evidences of feeling the pain caused by the needle, and in another ten minutes opened his eyes when called loudly by name. One more injection was given, and the physician left at noon. In an hour, upon returning, he found his patient doing well, and by evening the only sign of his narrow escape was the pain left by the needle.

Dr. Callender compares this with a case which he had seen of an older child, who had taken less of the poison. Treatment was had within two hours, by two good physicians, without the permanganate, but the case terminated fatally. -Drug Circ.

Some of the Uses of Permanganate of Po'assium.

In a paper read before the American Medical Association and published in the Journal, by Dr H. I. Jones, of San Francisco, we find the following:

"Permanganate of potassium is contra-indicated whenever an acute congestion or a general

condition of sthenic reaction exists. It is obvious that a power which can stimulate the sexual apparatus, must when exerted in other directions, prove equally effective. From its irritating effect it must not be given in acute gastritis, but will be found of great value in chronic gastric and gastro-intestinal catarrh, accompanied by fermentative changes in the food. Eructation of gas and vomiting of yeast-like material are promptly relieved by the administration of this salt. The permanganate checks fermentation of food elements prone to this process. promotes oxidation in the tissue undergoing metamorphosis. According to clinic investigation, uric acid in the urine is converted into urea. Physiologic deduction has shown that it is of great value in lithemia, the hepatic form of glycosuria.

It

"Dr. Bartholow states that there is no remedy more effective for obesity and digestive disorders than this salt. I have myself (some years ago, when in general practice) used it in functional amenorrhea with brilliant success. I have also found it excellent in catarrh of the bladder, to wash out that viscus. For the qualitative analysis of drinking water we found it an excellent companion when on the march in the East Indies; by adding a few crystals of this salt to the suspected fluid, it confirmed the information when the drinking water contained organic matter, by turning it of a reddish dirty color. As a bath in skin disease, it is found to act with great benefit, one gram to one bucket of water. It is of great value as an antidote in phosphorous poisoning. It acts by coming in contact with the phosphorus in the stomach, and converting it into ortho phosphoric acid (Bokar). As an antiseptic it is more desirable than corrosive sublimate, because it is non-toxic and has great oxidizing power and is a true dis

infectant."

The Doctor also mentions Dr. Moor's recent discovery of its antidotal powers in morphine poisoning.

Toxicity of Scalded or Burnt Tissues.

In 1880 Lesser made some experiments to ascertain the effects of injecting the blood of a burnt animal into a healthy one. He seems, however, to have succeeded only in producing certain functional disturbances never a fatal effect. Vassale and Sacchi followed a similar line of investigation, and studied the effects of extracts of parts actually burnt or scalded, and of the non affected parts of the same animals, on healthy animals of the same or allied species. Their researches show clearly that the juice of parts burnt has a much more toxic effect on

animals of the same species than that of the nonburnt parts of the same animal, This last juice, in its turn, has a toxicity much greater than that of the juice taken from corresponding parts of a healthy animal, which is, in fact, harmless. All the juices from a burnt animal are highly toxic, and generally produce lethal effects whether injected hypodermically or into the veins of normal animals. The chief pathological effects produced were marked subserous hemorrhages, in one case especially marked in the duodenum. Filtration through porcelain somewhat diminishes, but does not destroy, the toxicity of the juices; boiling, however, renders them innocuous, which lends support to the view that the toxic principle is an albumose, or some substance coagulable by heat. These results are of interest as bearing on the mode of production of the after effects of burns, attributed by Foa, as early as 1881, to a process of autointoxication. Not long ago, Kianitzin (Ann. di Chiw. e di Farmacol, 1892) examined the blood, organs and urine of animals suffering from burns, and by Brieger's method obtained a substance from them which was not to be found in normal animals similarly treated. When injected into normal animals it produced torpor, somnolence, reduction of temperature, slow, shallow respiration, diarhea and death. The necropsy showed nothing but hyperemia of the brain and kidneys. This substance was classed by its discoverer with muscarin, neurin and pep toxin.

More recently, Reiss (Archiv fur Dermatolgie und Syphilis, i., 1893) studied the effects of subcutaneous injection of the urine of patients suffering from burns. Such urine was very toxic, and it was found that it owed its properties to the presence of bases of the pyridin group. In cases of severe burn he recommended the speedy removal of the sloughed parts, so as to minimize the absorption of poisons formed in the lesion. Vassale and Sacchi are of a similar opinion. They also recommend the employment of every possible means such as keeping the burnt limb as low as possible, and the application of bandages of preventing the too rapid absorption of the degeneration products, the toxicity of which they have so fully established.-Brit. Med. Jour.

Ichthyol in Acute Pharyngitis.

(Dr. Sonnenberg, Sem. Méd., 1894; xiv.; p. cevi.) According to the author, the best treatment of pharyngitis consists in the application of a 2-3 per cent. ichthyol solution, every ten or fifteen minutes. It is said that in all of his cases (forty in number) the inflamma

tory phenomena disappeared with this treatment within from twelve to twenty-four hours.Amer. Med.-Surg. Bul.

Intra-Laryngeal Therapeutics.

The results of this plan of treatment are reported in two cases. One was phthisis pulmonalis, with troublesome cough, and the other bronchiectasis, which latter the author believes to be the disease most likely to be benefited by the injections. The cough is greatly relieved, while the danger of sepsis from local destructive processes is greatly lessened. The favorite medicament is a ten per cent. solution of menthol in olive oil, though salol (five per cent.), salicylic acid (two per cent.), carbolic acid (one per cent.), guaiacol (two per cent.), and other antiseptics can be used.

For the injection, a syringe with a curved vulcanite tube is used. Each patient should have a separate end-piece.

As to technique: A cocaine solution may be used in irritable throats. The author describes

the mode of injection as follows:

"I get my patients to sit facing a good light, and ask them to take hold of their tongues and pull them well forward, and to take a few deep breaths. The latter not only fill the chest, but likewise render the throat less sensitive. I either stand or sit not quite opposite my patient, but a little to my right. The syringe having been previously filled and rendered free from air by forcing a little of the fluid along the tube, the nozzle meanwhile being turned upward, I then pass the point of the syringe, not over the middle of the tongue, but in a slanting direction.

In this

In this way I avoid the tip of the epiglottis, which is so sensitive. I endeavor to just clear the tongue and strike a line which would pass straight along the middle of the dorsum of the tongue, and when extended backward would touch the back wall of the pharynx. way I reach the glottis, and gently but firmly force the nozzle of the syringe into the trachea at the moment the patient takes a deep inspiration. The patient soon gets to know when the syringe has gone to the right spot. I now move the piston, and the fluid drops slowly into the larynx. One must catch the glottis just as a deep inspiration has been taken, for soon the patient wants to inspire again, and with the glottis plugged this is impossible; but in every case I have found the time sufficient in which to inject one fluid dram of oily fluid, and if it is desired the operation can be repeated even five times at a sitting without evil effects; in fact, in no case have found the least discomfort follow."London Lancet.