628

valves of the heart were quite healthy. It appears thatfull directions were given to Dr. Walker to stop taking thedrug as soon as certain symptoms (dizziness, &c.) were felt

by him; but notwithstanding that he felt dizzy after thefirst dose, he took three more (since no mitigation of thespasm occurred), and died in consequence with the sym-ptoms of syncope.

’

The "fluid extract of the seeds," which proved fatal inthe case, has no place in the British Pharmacopeeia. The

preparation which most resembles it is presumably the11 tinctura conii fructus." The 11 succus conii," of whichDr. John Harley has given as much as an ounce for a dose,is probably equivalent to the 11 fluid extract of the leaves,"of which 180 drops had no effect on Dr. Walker. It seems

highly probable that the preparation which proved fatal,and which had been prepared by an eminent pharmaceutist,Dr. Squibb, was of very superior quality to that which hadno effect.

___

POISONING BY NITRATE OF SILVER.

A CASE is reported in the Brighton Guardian in which s

man hastily took a piece of lunar caustic, thinking it to bEan antibilious pill. Soon after he felt a burning in thEthroat, and was taken to a chemist’s shop; then to twcmedical men, who both were said to be too ill to see him,

Finally he saw Mr. Eugene J. Hart. The patient said hEfelt the caustic in the right side of the throat, but Mr,Hart searched for it with his finger, and could feel nothing.Two or three hours after Mr. Hart was sent for, and foundgreat difficulty of breathing, for which he performed anoperation, and carried on artificial respiration. But the macdied. At the post-mortem the stomach was found con.

gested. "On examining the throat, at the back of thE

tongue, he found a large black patch in the fold of thEmucous membrane, where the poison had lodged. ThE

passage into the lungs was completely blocked up, and thethroat much swollen. Deceased died from suffocation."Few deaths from this substance are reported, it not provingvery fatal when taken into the stomach, especially if com.mon salt is given, as it was in this instance. A similar caseto the above, in which croup was caused by a bit of causticdropping into the windpipe, is recorded by Dr. Albers, of

Bremen, and mentioned by Christison.

THE DISCUSSION ON PUERPERAL FEVER ATTHE OBSTETRICAL SOCIETY.

THE discussion on this important subject will be resumedat the meeting of the Society on Wednesday next, May 5th,at eight o’clock precisely, when Dr. Barnes will reopen thedebate. We understand that among other visitors Pro-fessors Stoltz of Nancy, and Howitz of Copenhagen, areexpected to be present. It is also hoped that Dr. ArthurFarre, who is an Honorary Fellow of the Society, will attendand take part in the discussion. We are sure that any con-tribution on this important subject from Dr. Farre will bemost valuable, and will be accepted by the profession withthe respect his high position and distinguished reputationalike command.

____

ENTERIC FEVER IN SUBURBAN LONDON.

THE Registrar-General in his last Weekly Return againcalls attention to the greater fatality of fever in the outerring than in London itself. In the week ending the 24th ofApril 13 deaths from fever were recorded around London, ofwhich 5 occurred in Croydon, and 2 each in Willesden,Tottenham, and West Ham sub-districts. These 13 deathswere equal to an annual rate of 8’9 per 1000 persons livingwithin the metropolitan police district outside registrationLondon. Within London the 23 deaths referred to fever

during the week were 19 below the average weekly numberin the corresponding week of the last ten years, and wereequal to an annual rate not exceeding 3’5 per 10,000.

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND HALFQUALIFICATIONS.

Tnis evening (Friday) Mr. Waddy, Q.C., will ask the

Vice-president of the Committee of Council on Education,if the Government has any information from the MedicalCouncil of the success of attempts on the part of the me-dical examining bodies in the three divisions of the kingdomto form conjoint boards for giving diplomas that shall con-stitute a complete qualification in all branches of the me-dical art; and if the Government, in the event of its notreceiving or of not having yet received satisfactory infor-mation, is likely to bring in a Bill, or otherwise initiatelegislation, with a view to remedy the present system ofhalf qualifications by nineteen competing bodies.

THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

WE are enabled to state that Sir Alexander Armstrong,K.C.B., Medical Director-General of the Navy, is activelyengaged in preparing a special set of directions for the

guidance of the medical staff appointed to the Arctic expe-dition. The experiences gleaned by the Director-Generalsome years ago in the Arctic regions may lead us to anticipatethat the forthcoming instructions will be specially valuableand workable; and we shall await the publication thereofwith considerable interest, inasmuch as the success of theexpedition will most materially depend upon the scales ofdiet adopted and the general hygienic arrangements.

DR. SEDGWICK SAUNDERS has presented to the Commis-sioners of Sewers a report upon the Sale of Food and DrugsAmended Bill. He is of opinion that the Bill has beendrawn out more in favour of the trader than of the public,and points out the defects of numerous clauses to supporthis belief. It is claimed that a clause should be added tothe Bill giving to sanitary inspectors the right of entry andsearch into all bonded warehouses, with power to destroyanything unfit for human food. Dr. Saunders, in conclud-ing his report, expresses his regret that the Governmenthas not fixed certain standards of purity below which noarticle of food, drink, or drugs should be sold, on pain ofconviction before a magistrate.

DR. FUSSELL, medical officer of health for the EasternDivision of the County of Sussex, reports that of eighty townsand villages visited by him during the past year, nearly allwere found to beinefficiently drained. Diphtheria had beenprevalent in many localities, but the disease was not of afatal type. Forty-eight cases of enteric fever had comeunder his personal observation, a very large number ofwhich had been imported into the district, and he citesinstances in which the fever proved both contagious andinfectious. Dr. Fussell’s report is a comprehensive one,and its value will no doubt be fully appreciated by thesanitary authority under whose supervision he acts.

MR. ANDERSON, of Queen’s College, Birmingham, has for-warded to Mr. Sclater-Booth a series of suggestions for

simplifying legal proceedings taken under the AdulterationAct. Inter alia, he recommends that a chemist of undeni-able reputation-such as Dr. Frankland or Dr. Williamson-should be employed by the Board of Trade as a referee in allcases where the official analysis is disputed. Recent eventswould seem to demonstrate the necessity for the early ap-pointment of such an authority, whose decision shall befinal.

629

DR. LUTON, of Rheims, has lately published an interesting WE have to record the death of Mr. F. Giles, of Stour-article on the use of the cyanides in rheumatism. With bridge, from fever contracted while attending a patientthe cyanide of zinc, a tasteless and odourless white powder, suffering from that disease; and also the serious illness ofgiven in minimum doses of three-quarters of a grain, very Dr. Wade, physician to the General Hospital, Birmingham,good results were obtained. The cyanide of potassium in from the same cause. The risk run by medical men fromdoses of about a grain, in the form of a mixture, proved contagious diseases is evidently as great as ever, and thehighly serviceable. Although Dr. Luton gives preference martyrs of science are still to be found among the mostto the latter salt, its disagreeable taste and rapidity of zealous and able members of the medical profession.decomposition in solution militate against its chance of —

becoming a favourite therapeutic agent. Next to the A QUESTION by Dr. Lush in the House of Commons last

cyanides Dr. Luton seems to rely on colchicum, but he in- week elicited the reply that Her Majesty’s Government con-sists on its administration in larger doses than are ordinarily sidered that the medical officers engaged in the late

given in this country. He disparages propylamine and Ashantee war had received their due proportion of honours

trimethylamine, of which we have heard a great deal and rewards. Dr. Lush did not appear satisfied with the

lately in the treatment of rheumatism. answer, and gave notice that at an early date he wouldagain call attention to the subject.

THE sanitary condition of Cheshunt would seem, from the ’published results of an investigation lately made in the Wa have much pleasure in stating that Mr. D. B. Balding,district by Dr. Thorne Thorne, of the Local Government F.R.C S., Royston, Herts, has been elected without opposi-Board, to be deplorable. The means for the disposal of tion to the office of coroner for the Eastern division of

sewage and filth are very primitive and inefficient, while Hertfordshire. It must be a source of gratification to the

many of the wells are so situated that they cannot but be advocates of medical coronerships to see one more membercontaminated at all seasons of the year. The same stream of the profession called upon to discharge the duties of an

frequently serves the double purpose of a sewer and of a ancient and honourable office.

water-supply. We are not astonished to learn that fever of _ , , Medical - ,..water-supply. , , not astonished .i.’ r fever i TnE New York JHec’.Mo.t Journal some time ago reporteda malignant type has come under the notice of the local THE New York Medical Journal some time ago reported

medical men. type has come under the notice of the local several cases showing the value of quinine in accelerating 9parturition. The drug was given in doses of seven or

DURING the year 1874, fifty-seven vessels arrived at the eight grains, and in a very short time produced strong ex-

port of New York subject to quarantine detention. Eight pulsive efforts. It did not appear that the mothers were

of these vessels had small-pox on board, while 121 cases subject to any evil after-effects, while the tendency to pros-of yellow fever occurred on forty-four vessels. No cases of tration was counteracted.

____

cholera were reported, although several vessels arrived from WE regret to announce the death of Dr. Robert Law, pro-ports infected with the disease. Yellow fever raged ma- WE regret to announce the death of Dr. Robert Law, pro-

lignantly in ports having intimate and extensive connexions fessor of the Institutes of Medicine and Clinical Medicine,

with New York, and had it not been for the stringent sanitary School of Physic, Dublin, and consulting physician to Ade-

precautions taken by masters of vessels, a serious amount laide Hospital. Dr. Law was formerly president of the

of fever would in all probability have been conveyed to New Dublin Pathological Society, and physician to Sir PatrickYork. Dun’s Hospital. Dr. Law in his lifetime contributedseveral valuable papers to medical literature.

SURGEON-GENERAL THOMAS LONGMORE, C.B, F.R.C.S., -

,

honorary surgeon to her Majesty the Queen, Professor of DR. BELL PETTIGP.EW, F.R.S., Lecturer on Physiology atMilitary Surgery in the Army Medical School, Netley, has Surgeons’ Hall, Edinburgh, has been awarded the Godardconsented to take the chair at the annual festival of the Prize of the French Academy of Sciences for his originalFellows of the Royal College of Surgeons in July next. It anatomical and physiological memoirs. Dr. Pettigrew, inhas long been felt that the navy and army should be repre- virtue of the above distinction, becomes a Laureate of thesented, and perhaps it would be difficult to select from Institute of France.

!-

either service a more excellent representative in every --

respect than Professor Longmore. SMALL-POX is reported to be committing great ravagesamong the Tartar population of the Crimea. As these people

ON Thursday, April 22nd, the session 1874-75 of the are all Mussulmans, their opposition to "Christian" vac-St. Andrews University was brought to a close by the cination is so great that the parents suck the lymph out ofannual ceremony of capping the graduates. The ceremony the wound immediately after the operation is performed.took place in the Library Hall, in presence of a large and fashionable audience. Principal Shairp, of the United THE President of St. Thomas’s Hospital has founded aCollege, presided, and was supported by the various members scholarship of the annual value of 40 guineas, to be awardedof the Senatus, several of the examiners for degrees, and two biennially in the medical school of the hospital to therepresentatives from the Medical Council. second year’s student placed highest at the examinations of

— the winter session. ____

WE understand that Dr. Alfred Wiltshire has been ap- -

pointed Joint Lecturer on Midwifery at St. Mary’s Hospital, DR. VINCENT AMBLER, 1st Surrey Artillery Volunteers,and will during the ensuing summer session deliver the has been decorated by the Shah of Persia, with the order ofcourse of lectures on Midwifery, in conjunction with Dr. the Lion and the San. Dr. Ambler served with the EnglishAlfred Meadows.

____ Army in the Crimean War, and received the Medjidie andother medals.

____

THE Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh has peti- -

tioned the House of Commons against the Bill for Register- THE annual oration of the Medical Society will be de-ing Foreign Degrees in Medicine when held by women. Their livered on Monday next by Dr. George Buchanan, who willobjections to this absurd measure are in the same line as choose for his subject some points of importance relating toour own. modern hospitals.