Liver, Chronic Diseases of.-This agent is said, occasionally, to be productive of great benefit in chronic diseases of the liver. Dr. Venables * speaks highly of its efficacy, and advises it to be com· menced in doses of gr. j., thrice daily, and gradually increased, when the symptoms warrant it, to gr. x ; but it is seldom that so large a dose will be required. (W.)

Diabetes.-Dr. Waring observes, that in diabetes, "the iodide promises to be a remedy of great value. It should be commenced in small doses, and persevered in for a long period, associating with it a diet of light animal food, and cruciferus vegetables.”

Albuminuria.-In this disease, the iodide of iron is reported to have occasionally proved highly serviceable, and that it is particularly indicated in old, broken-down constitutions. Dr. W—. remarks, that "in one case a complete cure was effected by its means, in doses of gr., gradually increased to gr. j, daily."

Many more diseases could be mentioned in which this agent has been reported valuable, such as catarrh of the uterus, leucorrhoea, chronic rheumatism, chronic cutaneous diseases, atonic dyspepsia, &c., but a sufficient number have been instanced to show its great value in the treatment of many, not decided by anæmic.

PERNITRATE OF IRON.-Med. Prop. and Action.— Astringent and tonic in doses of m. x.-fl. 3j. in water; diluted, it has also been used as an enema, and injection. (W.)

USES.-Diarrhoea.-In the diarrhoea of children, its efficacy has been established by Mr. Kerr,† Prof. Graves and many others. It may be given in doses of a few drops, according to the age of the child, and it may be employed in the form of enema, (drops, x.xij). It appears to be a safe and efficient remedy.

Hæmorrhage.-Dr. Waring observes, p. 293, "In exhausting hæmorrhage, whether from the lungs, stomach, kidneys, or uterus, this preparation is reported to be very efficacious. It requires to be given in large doses, from fl. 3 ss.-fl. 3j.

In chronic bronchitis, diarrhoea, dysentery, gleet, pyrosis, menorrhagia, and leucorrhoea, Mr. Postgate employed it with signal benefit. He states, that in all diseases attended with much debility,

*Lye. Pract. Med., vol. iv, p. 261.

† Edin. Med and Surg. Jour., vol. 37, p. 99.

Med. Times, vol. 18, p. 171.

profuse dischages from the mucous surfaces, and where tonics and astringents are indicated, he has found this remedy, in doses of gutt. x.-XV. thrice daily, very advantageous.

CITRATE OF IRON AND AMMONIA.-Medical Properties and Action.-A mild and valuable tonic and blood-restorer, in doses of gr. v.-x., in solution. Waring says that it is particularly adapted for children, and for those cases where the stomach is too irritable to bear the more powerful salts, as it is devoid of any unpleasant taste, possesses scarcely any astringency, and its properties are extremely mild and unirritating. It is the most preferable of all the mild salts of iron.

USES.-In debility after exhausting diseases, and in the anæmic states of children, the ammonio-citrate of iron (says Dr. Waring) is a valuable and efficacious remedy.

It is particularly indicated, he says, when the stomach is irritable, when it may be advantageously combined with infus. columbæ. In Scrofulous Affections of Children, tabes mesenterica, &c., the ammonio-citrate is eminently servicable. Striking benefits often result from it, especially in mesenteric disease. To a child of three years old, gr. ij. may be given, twice or thrice daily. (W.) In dyspepsia, occurring in scrofulous subjects, it is often productive of the best effects.

CITRATE OF IRON AND QUINIA.-Medical Properties and Action. -Blood-restorative, tonic, and anti-periodic. This salt combines the effects of iron and quinia. It may be given in the form of a pill, or in solution, in doses of from three to ten grains, or more.

TARTARATED IRON.--Medical Properties and Action.-Tonic and diuretic, anthelmintic in large doses. It is a mild and efficient salt with very slight taste, and is well adapted for children. It may be prescribed with alkalies. Dose, as a tonic and diuretic, gr. v.gr. xx.; as an anthelmintic, gr. xxx.-lx.

USES.-In dropsy and anasarca, Dr. Darwell, as quoted by Dr. Waring, states that he found this salt very efficacious, acting at the same time as a tonic and diuretic. He adds, it affords a great amount of relief, in those cases of anasarca which are connected with disturbed action of the heart, and in which it would be dangerous to give any stimulating tonic.

Against Worms.-Dr. Thompson found tartarized iron act particularly favorably, as a corroborant anthelmintic, in women and

children. He directs the bowels to be first cleared out with calomel and scammony, and then administer the salt in doses of 3 ss. -3j. in solution, thrice daily. He states that he found this treatment very effectual. (W.)

Phagedenic Chancres.-Mr. Acton, as quoted by Dr. Waring, relies on this salt, given internally, in moderate and increasing doses. A solution is also applied to the sore. Ricord first proposed this

treatment.

Phthisis.-I. K. Spender,* on the ground that it may be given. with alkalies, recommended this salt in phthisis.

He thinks alkalies indicated in this disease, by the undue acidity of the stomach.

Having devoted so much time to the Hæmatinics, the 20th order of Hæmatics, I shall bring this paper to a close by referring to the order Spanæmics, agents which diminish the amount of the solid constituents of the blood, especially the fibrin and the corpuscles, and thus give rise to that condition of the circulating fluid, called by Simon spanæmia, or poverty of the blood. (Pereira.) The medicines which produce this effect upon the blood, according to. Pereira, by Wood, p. 976, are mineral and vegetable acids, alkalies, alkaline and earthy salts, iodine and iodide of potassium, bromide of potassium, tartarated antimony, mercury, calomel, &c.

Much might be said relative to spanæmics, but that ordermust be deferred to some future issue of the Journal.

ON RESPIRATION.

RY PROF. H. DUSSAUCE.

Every one is acquainted with the absolute necessity of the act of respiration, and it does not require a medical knowledge to know that the lungs constitute the organ by which that important function is executed by man and animals with warm blood. There are two acts of respiration, viz: to inspire a certain quantity of air,

* Med. Times and Gaz. Feb. 6, 1864.

which enters in the lungs, and afterwards to expel it; these two operations are effected with the help of alternative movements, the action of which is continued; so soon as they shall cease, even during the shortest time, the animal will perish.

Respiration can not be performed in a place deprived of air; even, it will stop if the quantity of air be too limited, or if that fluid be too rarified. The proof is demonstrated by placing an animal in full life, under the receiver of a pneumatic machine; as soon as a part of the air of the receiver is exhausted, the animal grows weaker, loses his strength, makes frequent aspirations, and very soon dies.

Any gas, but the air, can be used in the act of respiration; pure oxygen though is too active, and the other fluids are poisonous, or suffocative; carbonic acid exemplifies the one, and nitrogen the other; but in the air, oxygen alone, is essential to life, for animals are soon suffocated when they breathe too long a time the same air, for the reason that the proportion of oxygen diminishes all the while without being renewed.

In consequence, it is necessary that the atmosphere be pure, and that the principles of the air do not experience any change in their proportions, to permit the vital functions to perform their normal office. Unhappily, this is not often the case; the impurity of the air, is met principally in buildings in which certain metals are worked, in those in which organic matters are treated, in the neighborhood of sewers, etc., etc., because in these different localities, the air is saturated with peculiar gases, or pestilential vapors, which exercise disastrous effects on persons obliged to stay in them for a certain length of time.

There is too much negleet of the means of diminishing the bad effects of our air vitiated with deleterious principles, and to restore to it its primitive purity. In the construction of our houses, workshops, hospitals, theatres, churches, etc., we generally never take notice of the indispensable conditions for a thorough purification of the air. We think it useful therefore, to make known the principles which ought to guide us in these circumstances.

Lavoisier and Seguin estimated the quantity of oxygen consumed by one man in 24 hours to be 755 cubic decimeters, or litres; this result agrees with that Lavoisier obtained in his last experiments, before his execution, the 8th of May, 1794.

Other chemists carried the number to 850 litres of absorbed oxygen, consequently, since oxygen forms the 0.21 of the atmosphere, it follows that one man destroys in one day, or renders unable to entertain the combustion and respiration, nearly 5 cubic metres of atmospheric air. But it has been ascertained that this fluid becomes suffocative when it contains about 10 per cent. of carbonic acid, and even it is dangerous to breathe it before it has obtained that degree of impurity. We can, without exaggeration, carry to 25 cubic metres the quantity of air one man renders unhealthy in the space of 24 hours.

But to the prejudicial influence of respiration on the air, we must add that due to some other causes, such as our lights, etc. Experiment has taught us that one candle, (6 to 1 pound), by example, requires for its combustion, 68 grammes of oxygen per hour, which represent 340 cubic decimeters of air; a stearic acid candle requires 36 grammes of oxygen, or 435 cubic decimeters of air; a good lamp oil, 336 grammes, or 1680 cubic decimeters of air.

If we also keep an account of the air nccessary for the combustion of the materials used for fuel, we see how great must be the renewing of the air in the case where a single person, a single light, and one fire are in the same room. But if several persons, and many lights are together in the same apartment, the multiplicity of causes of the deterioration of the air, increases the necessity of ventilation.

Observation has made known that not to be inconvenienced during the act of respiration, it requires at least from 6 to 10 cubic metres of air per hour, for every individual. According to that rule, that a single person may not feel indisposed in a room well closed, in which he is to remain 24 hours, it is requisite that the room should contain from 144 to 240 cubic metres of air. In order that the atmosphere in any apartment may continually be in its normal state, the introduction and exit of that air must be regulated in the proportion of 100 litres per minute for every person living in the apartment.

The following facts demonstrate the importance of a good ventilation: In the hospital of the Maternity, Dublin, there died in four years, 2944 children, to 7650 (33.48 per cent.), during the first three weeks of their birth. It was thought that such a fearful mortality was due to the want of pure air in the rooms, consequently, the