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action of the urine are observed not only in diabetics, butalso at times in the course of the eruptive fevers in childrenwith measles and scarlet fever. The researches of Jaka ch haveconfirmed this observation, and have shown that normally theblood and the urine always contain traces of acetone, thequantity of which may be increased in the exanthemata andin different chronic maladies, particularly carcinoma. Jakschrecognises three varieties of acetonuria-the diabetic, thefebrile, and the carcinomatous. According to him thenature of the febrile process is a matter of indifference. Hehas noticed this symptom in pneumonia, in typhoid fever, inacute articular rheumatism, and in the eruptive fevers. Hehas even observed pronounced acetonuria in a case of maniawithout fever. Acetonuria or diaceturia may thus existwithout acetonsemia; in other words, the red reaction of theurine with the perebloiide of iron may be produced in theabsence of symptoms of acetonic toxaemia. Talamon relatesthe case of a girl of fifteen with a history of an attackof acute articular rheumatism with endocarditis. On thefifth day the temperature reached 105’&°, and the girl pre-sented a condition of marked nervous excitement and de-

lirium, this being characterised by incessant agitation andterrifying hallucinations, and accompanied by an odour ofacetone in the breath and a ruby red reaction of the urinewith the perchloride of iron. The delirium lasted five orsix days and disappeared synchronously with the disap-pearance of the odour of acetone in the breath. From a

study of the case reported, and from a review of theliterature of the subject, Talamon concludes : 1. Certain ofthe nervous phenomena that appear in the course of acutefebrile diseases may be attributed to acetonsemic intoxica-tion. 2. These acetonsemic phenomena are characterisedby the peculiar odour of acetone in the breath and theruby-red reaction that the urine presents with the per-chloride of iron. 3. The delirious aoetonsemia of articularrheumatism may simulate cerebral rheumatism, from whichit is to be distinguished by the absence of hyperpyrexia andby the characteristics of the urine and of the breath.

MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETIES.

THE first meeting of the Clinical Society was held onOct. 9 eh; the next will be on the 23rd. The Ophthalmo-logical Society met on Oct. 15th, and the next meeting willbe on Nov. 12th. The Obstetrical Society adjourned fromJuly till Oct. 7th, and will meet again on Nov. 4th. TheMedical Society of London will hold its first sitting onOct. 19th, the Pathological Society on the 20th, the RoyalMedical and Chirurgical Society on the 27th, and the Epi-demiological Society on Nov. 18th.

THE LIVERPOOL MEDICAL INSTITUTION ANDCREMATION.

THE Liverpool Medico-Chirzcrgical Journal for July con-tains a short article on Cremation, read by Dr. E. W. Hopeat the Medical Institution. At so advanced a stage in thecontroversy respecting the treatment of the dead we neednot look for much that is new in argument. The paper in

question is therefore not singular in that it possesses littleclaim to originality. It states the case for cremation,nevertheless, with clearness and moderation. The prospectsof reform in methods of burial, however, do not receiveadequate recognition, and abuses which flourish under thepresent system, though in a diminishing degree, are paintedvery dark. Perhaps the most noteworthy passage in thispaper is the resolution with which it closes: "Thatthis Society recognises the sanitary advantages of cremationas a means of disposal of the dead, and considers the estab-lishment of a crematorium in Liverpool under suitableregulations as free from objection." A motion so discreetly

word3d was not likely to meet with disapproval in a meet.ing of scientific men, and might reasonably pass, as it did,by a large majority. It simply asserted what had seldombeen disputed-the permissive right of cremation. As

much, no more, need be claimed for buxial, and on preciselysimilar grounds-those of sanitary advantage-provided thevault and the massive coffin be omitted.

ARTIFICIAL CORNEA.

THE Berlin Klin. Wochenschrift publishes a seventh caseof transplantation of cornea by Professor V. Hippel of

Konigsberg. There was a dark-brown central decolorationof the cornea, three millimetres in diameter, and reachingdown to the membrane of Descemet, which had beencaused by the action of nitrate of silver. Cocaine havingbeen applied, the non-transparent part of the cornea downto the membrane of Descemet was cub into by a littletrephine, the crown of which was four millimetres in

diameter, and carefully removed. The author then excised

by the same means a similar piece from the whole thicknessof the cornea in a young rabbit, and transplanted this tothe eye of his patient. It filled the wound exactly, andwas on a level with the rest of the corner Iodoform was

applied, and both eyes were bandaged. Healing proceeded ,

without any trouble, and in six weeks the patient wasdischarged with a c)mpletely transparent cornea.

PARAFFIN LAMP ACCIDENTS.

EVERY now and then we are reminded by some freshdisaster that the warnings which have been given andought to have been impressed by a long series of lampaccidents are still very imperfectly appreciated. Therecent deplorable occurrence in Liverpool, which it is

expected will cost the lives of an entire family, exposesonce more a common and radical failure in lamp construc-tion-the lack of a self-extinguishing apparatus. It appearsthat on this occasion the lamp itself was broken in falling,a fact which suggests the further precaution of using ametal reservoir for ordinary household service. The

self-extinguishing property, however, is clearly of even

greater consequence. The real danger resides in the

flaming wick. Now that this important point is fullyrecognised, it behoves manufacturers to provide everyarticle produced with a simple automatic arrangement ofthe kind referred to. No more than a trifling additionalcost, if any, need be thus incurred, and the public shouldbe encouraged-nay, obliged by the mere absence of moredangerous, because defective, contrivances-to risk so muchfor personal security. It might even be worth while toinstitute a species of lamp registration according to a

recognised minimum of safety in construction. We must

always remember, however, that it is impossible by anyformation of rules or by merely mechanical changes torender needless the exercise of individual care and judgment.

PATHOLOGY AND TREATMENT OF FACIALNEURALGIA.

DR PUTNAM,. in the ]3oston Medical and SurgicaJJournal, makes a contribution of interest and importanceto these much-discussed questions. He has examined inall ten nerves from eight patients who were operated onfor facial neuralgia, and in all except three more or lessmarked changes were found. The slighter changes con-

sisted in an infiltration of small cells in the nerve sheatharound the vessels and among the nerve fibres themselves,especially in the neighbourhood of the sheath. Thickeningof the endoneural septa and of the interfibrillary substancewas also common, and the extreme condition consisted in theconversion of entire bundles into a mass of wavy connective