siness and dilitation of the pupils, then weakness of the legs; he becomes cold, pale, and tottering; the pulse is regular and of undiminished force and volume; there is a diminution of muscular power in every part of the muscular system, and almost paralysis of the hamstrings and levator palpebræ. These symptoms are at their maximum about two hours after taking the dose, and have quite disappeared in three hours and a half. The succus was administered to several persons in doses of from three fluid drachms to one fluid ounce with similar symptoms, but in doses short of three or four fluid drachms there is no appreciable symptom. The action is uniform and invariable in man and in all other animals. There is depression of the motor, function of the third nerve, a lazy movement of the eyes, and sometimes strabismus, with imperfect adjustment of the refracting media of the eye. The effects are quite distinct from those of alcohol--the latter acts on the motor system only secondarily, and does not affect the action of conium. The full action of hemlock is asleep; it is to the corpora striata, the smaller nervous centres, and the whole of the motor tract, just what opium is to the brain-it tranquillizes and renovates the whole muscular system. At first it appears to paralyze this, but it is really a tonic for Dr. Harley administered conium in full doses for months, and found the condition of the body was improved. The action of conium is influenced by the muscular activity more than by the muscular power. The sedentary with abundance of strengh are more affected than the delicate but active. A delicate child will often take as much as would reduce some strong men to a tottering condition. Hence the dose of conium must be proportioned to the degree of motor activity of the individual, whether child or adult; in fact, it might almost be said that by conium we might measure the bodily activity of the individual. Hemlock has no pure cerebral effects; the irritability of the spinal cord is diminished; there is no evidence of distinct interference with the sensory functions.

Mode of Action on the System.In thirteen cases in which it was administered the secretion of urine was in no way altered. By acting on the mixed urine of three cases, both before and after taking the drug, with potash, there was in both mixtures a similar smell of conia; hence it is not eliminated by the kidneys, and could not be detected in the breath or faces. It has no direct action on the sympathetic, but nutrition is improved. Pain in cancer is diminished, probably from relaxation of muscular fibies, as the division of neighboring muscular fibres relieves irritable ulcers. A dose of conium which falls far short of physiological effects is of no more use than a dose of two grains of quinine in ague. He attributed the neglect of conium as useless, to the administration of too small doses.

Therapeutical Uses.-There was only time to refer to its beneficial action in the convulsive diseases of children. It is pre-eminently a children's remedy. He gave it to a child one and three-quarters years old suffering from laryngismus stridulus and convulsive cough on excitement; he began with twenty minims, then thirty minims, forty minims, and increased it up to two fluid

drachms and a half. There was no appreciable effect till he took forty or fifty minims. There was one attack in the first five weeks (previously one in two weeks), and the child completely recovered. In another case there was a complete tetanic condition of the muscles of the feet, with hyperæsthesia, drawing in of thumbs, contraction of hamstrings, &c., in a child two and three-fourths years old; there were tetanic attacks every now and then, lasting from five minutes to several hours. It got better under the use of conium, but having omitted it for a time, relapsed, but on resuming it completely recovered.-Medical Times and Gazette, March 21, 1868, p. 325.

IODOFORM.—This substance, though rocommended to the profession several years ago, has but recently been used to any extent. Chemically it is a ter-iodide of formyl, differing from chloroform only in the substitution of iodine for chlorine. In appearance it very much resembles broken and partially pulverized roll sulphur; its taste is sweet; it is insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol and ether. Its medicinal qualities are tonic, stimulant, alterative, and anaesthetic, although in the latter respect it bears no comparison to chloroform, except in its local effects, which are so marked as, when applied by suppository to the rectum, to permit defecation without the knowledge of the patient. It is similar to iodine in its therapeutic uses.

The above remarks are made in introduction to some extracts from the Paris letters of the Philadelphia Med. and Surg. Reporter. In the service of M. Demarquay, iodoform has been used with remarkable effect in cancer of the uterus. A woman perfectly exhausted with hemorrhage and pain, and having a basselated tumor occupying the urerine orifice, was ordered a vaginal suppository of cocoa butter and iodoform, two and a half drachms of the former to eight grains of the latter, "During four or five days no benefit was derived from this treatment, but on the sixth, the suppository was pushed into a cavity of the tumor, and from that day the pains ceased as if by enchantment. Certain digestive troubles disappeared, the patient's appetite and sleep returned, and very soon she found herself so completely comfortable that she had no doubt of her rapid recovery. The suppository was introduced every two days for three months, and the comfort of the patient was undisturbed to the last moment." In another case not yet terminated, the remission of suffering was as complete. Instead of the suppos itory, an emulsion of one part of tincture of iodoform to four of glycerine may be applied upon lint. These applications should not be made until the

cers.

inflammatory period has passed. "M. Besnier employed finely pulverized iodoform upon the surface of fresh wounds cicatrizing slowly, upon syphilitic ulcerations, especially the soft chancre, and upon the open surface of canThe first application was made upon a soft chancre of the gland, and upon chancres produced artificially on the t igh by inoculation. The sharp pain of these ulcers was manifestly calmed by the iodoform, and cicatrization set in with remarkable rapidity. Shortly afterward, a patient, whose breast was occupied by a vast cancerous ulcer, was treated by daily applications of the powder, and even here a process of cicatrization commenced, but the patient was subsequently lost sight of. Still a third case—this, as in the first, a soft chancre of the gland-in which cicatrization seemed obstinately delayed, was cured by application of the iodoform.

"M. Besnier does not venture to draw absolute conclusions from so small a number of facts, but he believes that iodoform should certainly always be tried in the various affections of mucous membranes, especially the nasal pharygeal, and vaginal; in cancerous ulcerations of the uterus and other regions, and in varicose and typhoid ulcerations of the skin.”—Pacific Med. and Surg. Journal.

BROMIDE OF POTASSIUM AND ANTIMONY IN PUERPERAL CONVULSIONS.Dr. T. N. Simmons (Philadelpha Med. and Surg. Reporter) reports a case of violent puerperal convulsions, in which the inhalation of chloroform had failed, cured by bromid. potass, and tart. ant. et pot.-forty grains of the former with one half grain of the latter at first, and then ten grains bromide with one-half grain ant. every hour or two until six doses in all had been taken. The convulsions gradually subsided and convalescence was rapid. He recommends the same combination in delirium tremens, sometimes adding a small quantity of morphia.—Idem.

BISMUTH IN DIARRHŒA.—The editor of the Philadelphia Med. and SurgReporter gives the following advice to a correspondent: "In case of chronic diarrhoea in a child, which has been so obstinate and resisted all treatment, we would suggest that you treat with large doses of subnitrate of bismuth, commencing with half an ounce a day and increasing one drachm daily until one ounce a day is taken. This has succeeded in some remarkably resistant instances."-Idem.

GLYCERINE. The solvent power of glycerine upon several substances commonly used in medicine and the arts, is as follows: One part of sulphur requires 2000 parts of glycerine; iodine, 100 parts; red iodide of mercury, 340 parts; corrosive sublimate, 14 parts; sulphate of quinine, 48 parts; tannin 6 parts; veratria 96 parts; atropia, 50 parts; hydrochlorate of morphia, 19 parts; tartar emetic, 50 parts; iodide of sulphur, 60 parts; iodide of potassium, 3 parts; sulphide of potassium, 10 parts.-Med. and Surg. Reporter.

GOSSYPPIUM AS AN EMMENAGOGUE AND PARTURIFACIENT.-Dr. Bellamy, of Columbus, Ga., says of the common cotton-plant, gossypium; (Atlanta Med. and Surg. Journal) “I am fully satisfied, from the experiments and impartial tests I have given the remedy, that it is fully equal, if not superior to ergot in promoting the various functions of the uterine organs. I look upon it as a sure, speedy, and safe remedy, not only for difficult, painful, contracted labors, but also to control all the irregularities of females, and to alleviate their peculiar monthly sufferings. It is very certain that its effects are so powerful upon the uterine system as to produce miscarriage, if administered during pregnancy. I feel that its merits cannot be too highy extolled, and deem it too valuable a remedy to remain hidden in the depths of obscurity. I consider it preferable to ergot. The proper time to gather the root is when it is cld as possible, without being injured by the severe frosts: therefore it is best when gathered during the months of October and November."

CURABILITY OF DELIRIUM TREMENS BY THE APPLICATION OF THE SPINAL ICE-BAG.—In a paper read before the Medical Society of the College of Physicians of Ireland, Mr. D. B. Hewitt gave an interesting account of a case of delirium tremens treated succssfully by the spinal ice-bag, applied from the fourth cervical down to the upper lumbar. Soon the patient fell asleep, and slept soundly two hours. The patient immediately commenced to recover, the appetite returned, and a liberal diet was given without stimulants. The ice-bag was applied thrice daily for three days, during which he slept the greater part of the time.

The following phenomena were observed by Mr. H: 1. Sleep was the immediate consequence. 2. The disappearance of the tremors. 3. The vascular action was regulated by its use. 4. Sweating ceased. 5. The temperature of the body was increased, with a return of the natural color to the face.-Med. Press and Circular.-Med. Record.

DIPHTHERIA.-Dr. DeLaskie Miller (Chicago Med. Journal) advocates the following prescription as being anti-septic, tonic, restorative and eliminative: R. Tr. Ferri Chloridi

Potas. Chlorat.

Morph. Muriat..

Ac. Muriatic Dil...

Aq. Distill...

Syrupi..

3 ij.

gr. j.

3 ij.

3ij.

3 iij.

A teaspoonful should be given every second or third hour; or, in severe cases, every hour without dilution. It also makes an efficient local application. Med. Record.

SULPHATE OF ZINC IN DYSPEPSIA.-Dr. Gillespie recommends the use of the sulphate of zinc in dyspepsia in doses of half a grain gradually increased to two grains, three times a day, combined with opium or hyoscyamus, at

the same time regulating the diet. He thinks this drug "as safe and sure as quinine in intermittents."-Boston Med. and Surg. Journal.—Idem.

PRURITUS VULVA.-Prof. Maughs has found hyd. ch. cor. grj.ij. h. tr. cantharid. i. an efficient remedy for this and other forms of pruritus in the vicinity of the genitals.-Med. Record.

EARACHE. Dr. D. D. Spear recommends the tr. of digitalis in this affection. His recommendation is to drop one or two drops into the ear and then exclude the air with a piece of dry cotton.-Richmond and Louisville Med. Journal.-Idem.

harmacy.

PRACTICAL NOTES.

BY THEODORE C. MILLER, M. D.

-Eleven

ETHERIAL OIL OF SASSAFRAS IN INTERMITTENTS.cases of intermittents which resisted the common course of medication with quinia, came under my treatment, and I gave oil of sassafras from two to four drops four times daily during the opygnesia. I succeeded in eight cases; the other three resisting, I gavė the following with quinia:

B. Olei Sassafras

Opii Deodoriz. Fluid

Sulph. Deltheris,

M. S. From twenty to thirty drops four times daily.

Di.

3i.

3 i.

EUPHORBIA IPECACUANHA IN INTERMITTENTS.-In several cases of obstinate intermittents I have prescribed the fluid extract of the American ipecacuanha with much success, so that it caused neither nausea or vomiting.

GILLENIA TRIFOLIATA IN INTERMITTENTS.-Under the same conditions as above I gave the fluid extract of Indian physic to five drops four times daily, causing a permanent cure.

CARBOLIC ACID IN INTERMITTENTS.-In some cases of inter