ing-out effect I can readily appreciate both by ear and touch, but as I am in the habit of increasing the number of revolutions of my machine under these circumstances, I am able to compensate for any such loss and maintain sufficiently rapid oscillations to secure the same clinical effect as when there is no rheostat in circuit.

The form of the rheostat is not a new one, but an adaptation from a constant current controller already on the market. The features of originality to which the writer lays claim are the conception of the idea of regulating the current strength of the static induced without varying (in any practical degree) the frequency of the oscillations and the peculiar form of rheostat by which that idea is reduced to practice. This rheostat was shown at the New York Electro-Therapeutic Society last April, and at the American Electro-Therapeutic Association at the annual meeting in September. 68 MADISON AVENUE, December 15, 1894.

In

By its use all metabolic processes are encouraged. vagino-abdominal applications, patients speak of the effect as much more pronounced than from either the induced or sinusoidal currents; an effect which they characterize as a feeling of lightness and buoyancy in the pelvis, with an ability to walk with greater ease. It is not well borne in subacute inflammatory conditions of the pelvic organs. Patients with such trouble are prone to have recurrence of pain and soreness, save with the mildest applications.

The current best adapted to the treatment of pelvic conditions, where relief from pain is desired as well as

Progress of Medical Science.

Fatty Heart.-According to Dr. Schott, who has had a very large clinical experience of cardiac cases, there are no certain signs of this condition. But there are several symptoms, such as the general state of the patient, the condition of the heart-sounds, rhythm, etc., which make the diagnosis very probable. Often fatty deposit in and about the heart cannot be distinguished from fatty degeneration. The author gives some account of the physical and dietetic treatment of the disease. The object of the dietetic measures is to diminish the amount of fat. There is no means of making collections of fat disappear from certain parts of the body. The fat round about the heart disappears last in starving animals. Thus the improvement in the patient's condition cannot be brought about in this way. Purgative measures are harmful, and the doubtful effects of iodides are often further obscured by other symptoms produced by them. If anæmia, diabetes, gout, and especially arterio-sclerosis, be present, dietetic treatment must be adopted with great caution. Any considerable loss of weight must be carefully guarded against. Patients who have lost weight in consequence of treatment by mineral waters and dietetic restrictions, may develop signs of cardiac weakness. As regards limitation of fluids, the amount of alcoholic beverages must be lessened. It is probable that the loss of weight which may occur when fluids are diminished is really due to the impaired appetite. The author's method of treatment consists in methodical exercises, bath treatment, etc. He thinks his treatment may be carried out with benefit, and without the risks attending other methods recommended. He quotes cases to show that unpleasant symptoms may be removed without the patient losing weight. It is only when the heart has gained strength and is not to be distinguished from a adopted. Any rise of temperature is also a contra-indinormal heart, that any thinning treatment should be cation to it. Moderate exercise in the fresh air, which may be increased later, is useful, but over-exertion may produce unpleasant symptoms. Mental over-excitement must be avoided. Dietetic treatment should be used judiciously. He concludes that the reducing treatment should be adopted cautiously, and only in young indigeneral diseases, senile manifestations, are, at least at viduals; too rapid loss of weight must be avoided; first, a contra-indication to the reducing treatment; the fatty heart may often be treated successfully without loss of weight; and the dietetic mechanical treatment is the best.-Deutsche medicinische Wochenschrift.

relief from congestion, is obtained by using the large or medium jars, standardizing the frequency by a very small spark gap, say from one-eighth to one-half of an inch, and gradually turning on the whole available current strength by adjusting the controller. Where profound massage effect is desired, as in prolapsus uteri or relaxed vaginal walls, a longer spark of greater E. M. F., but with less rapid oscillations, is of greater value, and for such uses no other current can take its place. By means of this instrument, when once the spark gap is arranged, the machine in motion, and the patient in circuit, the operator is able to make any application, general, intra-uterine, intra-vaginal, intra-nasal, to the eye or the ear, and so perfectly regulate the current as to make the treatment absolutely painless.

As a result of the physical peculiarities of the static induced, it is impossible to place a resistance in the circuit without damping the oscillations. This damp

The Pasteur Institute has now a stud of one hundred and fifty horses all undergoing treatment for the preparation of the diphtheria antitoxin.

MEDICAL RECORD:

the adhesions will have to be forcibly broken down under an anææsthetic.

The treatment was applied at the Northwest London Hospital, by Mr. Mayo Collier, upon eight cases.

GEORGE F. SHRADY, A.M., M.D., EDITOR.

PUBLISHERS

New York, February 9, 1895.

gout, chronic leg ulcer, and tuberculous knee-joint. Improvement was reported in all cases, and in some it was quite striking.

THE VALUE OF PHYSICIANS ON HEALTH BOARDS.

FOR Some weeks, says The American Lancet, the matter of a new law reconstructing the Detroit Board of Health has been under consideration. The physicians have uniformly held that the majority of the Board should be medical men. Many laymen, including the

AFFECTIONS.

A SOMEWHAT novel method of treating chronic rheumatic and gouty affections has been tried at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and at the Northwest Hospital, in London. As described by Mr. Alfred Willett, the Tallerman-Sheffield local dry hot-air bath is an invention by which dry air at temperatures from 250° to 300° F. is applied to a portion of the body, such as hand or foot, knee or elbow, an arm or leg. The bath itself consists of a copper cylinder, varying in size and shape according to the part to be enclosed. At one end the limb enters, surrounded by rubber sheeting, and the other is closed by a movable cap working on a pivot, by the use of which, and outlets at the top and bottom of the cylinder, it is found possible to keep the air in the chamber practically dry throughout the operation, notwithstanding the moisture thrown off by the limb enclosed, and instant relief can be afforded the patient if the temperature causes any discomfort. The cylinder is heated by gas burners placed underneath. Precautions are taken to prevent the skin from coming into contact with the heated metal. Mr. Willett's conclusions are decidedly in favor of the treatment in certain cases, and his results may be summarized as follows: The first effect of the heat is to induce a copious diaphoresis; and the circulation of the blood in the part is enormously increased, as is well shown by the bright redness of the limb when removed from the bath. The anodyne effect is often remarkable; pain is generally not only relieved but entirely removed, so that the patient expresses the great relief he feels and moves the limb with much greater freedom and with much less pain. The cases that appear most likely to be relieved by the treatment are sprains, stiff joints (where there are no very strong adhesions), flatfoot, gonorrhoeal rheumatism, acute and chronic gout, chronic ulcers, and rheumatism. It deserves also to be employed for its anodyne effect, after forcibly breaking down under an anesthetic adhesions which have formed in or around a joint; if the limb be placed in the cylinder the pain, which is generally severe, is greatly lessened and the secondary stiffness is much diminished. Mr. Willett was of opinion that but little assistance would be afforded by this bath in overcoming firm, fibrous, articular adhesions. Sooner or later

men or only a minority upon the Board.

Voicing the sentiments of the laity, the Detroit Tribune says: The members of the Board of Health need primarily to know what the people expect of their department. Their necessary additional equipment is the force and zeal to exact from the department the service the people want. Medical knowledge or medical skill has no part in the work of the Board of Health. While a doctor might not find his technical acquirements a detriment in performing the duties properly devolving upon the Board, as has been rather unkindly suggested, it is certain that he would find them of no use whatever. The qualifications of a member of any commission are entirely apart from professional attainments."

66

Naturally, any medical journal which attempts to argue against this view will be accused of partiality. Yet we cannot understand how sensible people can accept the logic of the Tribune's argument. The primary need, it says, of members of a health board is to know what the people expect of it!" We should say that the primary needs were a knowledge of how to prevent disease, and how to teach the people to live healthfully. This involves expert and technical acquaintance with the natural history of disease, organizing power, and executive skill. A health board without experienced medical men upon it would be an absurdity. The best suggestions for preventing disease and the best sanitary organizations have come from medical men. A law such as we have in New York, making it impossible for a medical man to hold the office of President of the Board of Health, is a strange anomaly, and has been a continued affront and source of irritation to the profession of this State. It is not that a good man could not be obtained as simply an executive of the board, but that a medical man should be specially prohibited from holding such an office, whether qualified or not, merely, it would appear, because he might, under all other circumstances, be justly entitled to an exclusive right in that direction. The distinction is quite invidious from every other point of view than the purely political one.

be spared for instruction in the art of preserving health.

This is the view taken by the committee, and we do not see how any reasonable man, however conservative he may be, can take objection to their modest recommendations. The committee recommended that a chair of anatomy, physiology, hygiene, and first aid to the injured, be established at West Point, that it be filled by the senior surgeon, and that the course should cover at least thirty lessons and demonstrations. To gain the necessary time for this course, the committee further recommended that the eleven recitations on hygiene now held by the professor of chemistry, be given to the proposed chair, and that the remaining hours be taken from the courses on mineralogy and geology. The study of these two subjects, while doubtless very desirable in a general way, is of far less importance to a future leader of large bodies of men than that of sanitary science. It is true that the matter of hygiene is more especially the province of the surgeon of a post. But some small posts have no medical officer, and in any case the army surgeon is a subordinate who can work for the greatest good of the men whose health is entrusted to his keeping only when his hands are intelligently upheld by his commanding officer.

FIRE IN A HOSPITAL.

A FIRE Occurred in the Deaconess's Hospital at Cleveland, O., on February 1st, and almost destroyed it. Three patients and one nurse lost their lives. The accounts say that the nurses got out safely, almost at the start, with the exception of Minnie Baumer. When her sister-nurses called to her that the building was on fire she cried, "No, I will not leave my patient-I will die first." She was nursing Krause, who was also burned to death. She sat by the side of the sick man until death came to both of them. The act was a brave and heroic one, and it might well inspire the orator to eloquence and the poet to verse. But was it necessary? Should the nurse feel that she had no right to her life because her patient had no chance for his? Most people would say no, and yet it is such acts as these that stir enthusiasm and renew faith in the nobility of human nature.

News of the Week.

Antiseptic Treatment of Diphtheria. - Dr. C. J. - Dr. C. J. Proten writes: "In the recent issue of the MEDICAL RECORD (page 119), are recorded some remarks which I indulged in, at a discussion of a paper read by Dr. Amende on 'A Treatment of Diphtheria upon Antiseptic Principles.' Among other remarks you quote me as saying, 'that the application could not reach the nose nor the larynx and was less harmful than irrigation of the nose.' What I did say was as follows: 'that the applications, as practised by the author, could not properly disinfect the pharyngeal cavity. Besides, no allowance was made for disinfection of the nose and naso-pharynx, when this locality was affected. That such applications were conducive and favored

an extension of the disease owing to the infliction of traumatism, which necessarily follows, and were far more harmful than irrigation of the nasal passages.' I am simply misquoted in saying less harmful than more harmful, which gives the statement a different color. A statement of this sort would and should be subject to just criticism, if it were to go unchallenged. The author of the paper read, recommended an ordinary small size camel's-hair pencil, as usually used for painting iodine to the surface of the body."

The Society for the Relief of Widows and Orphans of Medical Men of New Jersey. This society was incorporated in 1882, and has continued to grow both in influence and membership. Since its organization 241 physicians of the State have become members; of which number 22 have died, 28 been dropped for various reasons, leaving at the present time 191 active members. The permanent fund amounts to $1,338.42, and it is intended eventually to allow small annuities. to widows and minor children in cases of need. The amount already paid to the families of deceased members amounts to $2,478.00. The total cost of running the society during the past year was $19.67.

The Late Dr. Loomis.-At a meeting of the Faculty of the Medical Department of the University of the City of New York, held January 25, 1895, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted:

Whereas, In the wisdom of Almighty God it has been. decreed to remove from among us our esteemed and honored associate, Dr. Alfred L. Loomis, who has been for thirty-three years identified with the progress and development of the Medical Department of the University of the City of New York, and to whose untiring energy and zeal that institution largely owes its present high position, we, the members of its Faculty hereby

Resolved, That in the death of Dr. Loomis we have met with an irreparable loss, in one whom we have ever valued as a friend, respected for his judgment and wise counsel, and admired for his strength and firmness of character, for his professional skill, his scientific learning, and his literary attainments.

That while overcome with a sense of personal bereavement, we are not unmindful that the medical profession throughout the country has lost its foremost. leader, and the public a distinguished citizen. And be it further

Resolved, That this resolution be spread upon the minutes of this meeting, and that a copy be suitably engrossed and sent to the family of Dr. Loomis in token of our profound sympathy and sorrow.

Sibley Memorial Hospital, at Washington, D. C., corner of North Capitol and Pierce Streets, was formally opened for patients on February 1st.

Iowa State Medical Society.-The forty-fourth annual meeting of the Iowa State Medical Society will be held April 17th, 18th, and 19th, in Creston, Ia. The following are the chairmen of the different sections for the next meeting of the State Society: Medicine, F. M. Hiatt, Red Oak; Surgery, J. M. Emmert, Atlantic; Obstetrics and Gynecology, H. L. Getz, Marshalltown; Ophthalmology and Otology, H. B. Young, Burlington; Materia Medica, J. R. Guthrie, Dubuque ; State