449 causes of appendicitis included the presence of foreign bodies, indiscretion. in diet, exposure to cold or wet, occlusion of the lumen of the appendix from various causes. As all inflammations were septic, drainage was essential for recovery. Early operation was a conservative and not a radical procedure. The proportion of cases in which but one attack occurred and was followed by recovery, was exceedingly small as compared with those in which the attack was repeated, and a condition of invalidism existed in the interval. Early operation was, as a rule, a comparatively simple abdominal procedure. Operation at the end of an attack or in an interval was usually more difficult. Remonstrance was made against the median incision, first, on anatomical grounds, and second, because the peritoneal cavity could not so well be protected against infection. The two incisions to be considered were that through, or immediately to the inner side of, the linea alba (not cutting the rectus but pushing it inward); and that through the abdominal walls according to the method of McBurney. In any event the incision should be small. In the discussion, Murphy, of Chicago, laid particular stress on making the diagnosis at once, and operating, if possible, within twelve hours after the commencement of the illness. Milk as a Food.-Dr. H. F. White, of Crawfordsville, Ind., (Scientific American) relates its experience with an all-milk diet, as follows: recently tried the experiment of living thirty days with only sweet milk as a nourishment. At the beginning I had no difficulty in changing my diet from solid to liquid. During the thirty days of the experiment I lost five and one-half pounds in weight, but I lost no strength. I think that I lost the weight because the weather was warm, and because I took so much exercise. I rode a bicycle considerably during the time, and used 16-pound dumb bells and other heavy weights every day (except Sundays). I took much more exercise than I usually take, as I was determined to test the thing fairly. On the seventh day of the experiment I ran several foot races with a skillful runner, and was beaten in each race. On the thirtieth day I ran some more races with the same person, but did better than in the first races. This fact proves that I lost no strength. I took four pints of milk daily for the first three weeks of the experiment, and five pints daily for the last week. I think that a healthy person should take about five pints of milk daily when no other food is being taken. I drank milk after intervals of two hours during the day, commencing at 7 o'clock in the morning and continuing till ten o'clock at night. Then I would take no more till the next morning. My principal reason for trying the experiment was to endeavor to establish the fact that persons convalescing from sickness may grow stronger with no other nutriment than sweet milk, and that they are not obliged to take "something solid" to eat, as so many people imagine. Many a convalescent has gone to his grave as a result of overtaxing his weak stomach by putting "solid" food into it. The result of the experiment also shows that the old belief that "bread is the first essential of (human) life" is erroneous. I believe that a man could live for any length of time, and take heavy exercise all the while, with no other food than sweet milk." 450 The Physician's Library. A COMPLETE Case RecordeR IN GENERAL Medicine and GYNECOLOGY, for the Use of Physicians, Students, Dispensaries and Hospitals; By S. B. Lyon, M. D. A. L. Koursh & Co., Publishers, Chicago, Ill. This work is what its title describes. It will be found exceedingly useful to the practitioner, and especially so in Dispensaries and Hospitals. Price, 20 cents. THE POCKET MATERIA MEDICA AND THERAPEUTICS. A Résumé of the Action and Doses of all Officinal and Non-Officinal drugs now in common use. By C. Henri Leonard, A. M., M. D., Professor of the Medical and Surgical Diseases of Women and Clinical Gynecology in the Detroit College; Member of the American Medical Association, etc., etc. Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged; Cloth, large 16mo., 367 pages, price, post-paid, $1.00. Detroit, 1895: The Illustrated Medical Journal Co., Publishers. The second edition of this popular therapeutic work has had 67 pages added to it, besides typographical errors corrected, etc. A new and complete cross-index has been prepared, which renders possible the quick finding of a non-familiar drug. It is a "down-to-date book," and this with. unique arrangement of its description of drugs and compounds secured for the first edition an order by cablegram for 1,000 copies from Bailleire, Tindall & Co., one of the largest medical publishing houses in London; a compliment rarely paid any American book. It has been a popular book with physicians, pharmacists and students on this side of the water, judging from the early exhaustion of the first edition. The descriptive arrangement of the drugs is as follows: Alphabetically the drug, with its pronunciation. (officinal or non-officinal standing indicated), genitive case ending, common name, dose and metric dose. Then the English, French and German synonyms. If a plant, the part used, habitat, natural order, botanic description, with alkaloids if any; if a mineral, its chemical symbol, atomic weight, looks, taste, how found, its peculiarities. Then the action and uses of the drug or compound, its antagonists, its incompatibles, its synergists and then antidotes. Then follow its officinal and non-officinal preparations with their medium and maximum doses. We believe it to be the most complete and exact of any of the books of Its class now issued, and its moderate price is to be commended. New Book.-Messrs. Blakiston, Son & Co. announce that they have in preparation for early issue, an authorized translation by Dr. Albert B. Hale, of Chicago, of a Handbook of Diseases of the Eye, by Dr. A. Eugen Fick, of the University of Zurich. This will be one of the most complete, thorough, and compact of text-books. Among its other merits it will contain a number of very handsome colored illustrations, not of rare or unusual cases, but of practical matters that will greatly aid the student and be of much service to the practitioner. The retail price will be from $3.00 to $4.00. P. BLAKISTON, SON & CO., 1012 Walnut Street, Philadelphia. 451 DEPARTMENTS LARYNGOLOGY AND OTOLOGY. IN CHARGE OF WILBUR W. BULETTE, M. D., PUEBLO, COL. Laryngologist and Otologist to Pueblo Hospital; to Pueblo Children's Home; to Colorado State Insane County and Northern Medical Societies, Anemia of Nasal Origin.-Chabory (Rev. Int. de Rhin, V, 1895) describes in full the clinical conditions which may result from partial or complete nasal occlusion, as affecting blood integrity. He enumerates the following causal conditions: 1. Nasal obstruction, lessens the amount of air gaining access to the lungs, thereby restricts hematosis and prevents the formation and elaboration of the red blood-cells. 2. Buccal respiration, which incompletely replaces nasal respiration because the air thereby presented to the lungs has not undergone the normal physiological changes. 3. Epistaxis. 4. Mucous and muco-purulent discharge from the pituitary membrane, which may be abundant, and, by their continuance, produce a veritable drain upon the system. 5. Fever, due to infection and inflammations of the pituitary membrane. 6. Malignant tumors of the nose. 7. Troubles of the respiratory and digestive systems, and nervous trouble secondary to nasal affections.-(Amer. Medico-Surg. Bulletin.) Thyroiditis Acuta Simplex.-Halger Mygind (Jour. Laryngology, IX, 1895.) The writer means by this term an acute inflammation of a previously healthy thyroid gland. This is a very rare condition, and he has succeeded in collecting seventeen cases from literature. To these he adds one case from his own practice. Of the eighteen cases, eleven were females and seven males. (The thyroid gland is naturally larger in women than in men.) The malady is most common between the ages of 20 and 30. None of the patients in question were born where goiter was endemic, neither was there any case in which it was proved that there were relations with goiter, and in none is mention made of a subsequent development of goiter. Some of the patients were weakened by previous diseases, while others were perfectly strong and well. As to immediate exciting causes, nothing definite can be said. The attack is often referred to "cold," etc., but the malady often begins with catarrhal febrile symptoms, very much, in fact, like the onset of a tonsillitis. Rheumatic fever is the immediate cause most frequently met with. All the cases recovered, and hence there are no postmortem findings. The lobes of the gland are enlarged, the capillaries presumably injected, and the capsule thickened. The form of inflammation is probably that of a simple exudation, with perhaps, in prolonged cases, the production of new connective tissue. The onset of the disease is characterized by a general febrile action, with distinct pain in front of the neck. The characteristic enlargement of the gland is generally deferred for a few days. When once it has set in, it increases rapidly, being at first some 452 what diffuse, without sharp boundaries, with more or less infiltration of the periglandular tissue. With the progressive increase in size comes increased pain. The size reached may vary from that of a hen's egg to that of a mass occupying the entire front region of the neck, from the inferior maxilla to the sternal incision. If circumscribed redness and tenderness appear, pus formation may be suspected. Pressure symptoms are dysphagia, dyspnea, cough and hoarseness. All the authentic cases on record have recovered, both as to life and as to restitutio ad integrum. A small remaining nodulous infiltration is the exception rather than the rule. As to treatment: Energetic local and general antiphogistic measures are indicated. Some authors are of the opinion that ice, leeches, mercury, etc., prevent suppuration. Tracheotomy was not necessary in any case of the series. The author notes in literature the recital of twenty-one other similar cases, but the data thereof is not, in his judgment, sufficiently accurate to include them in his series,-(Amer. Medico-Surg. Bulletin.) Laryngeal Strain.-Haring (Journal of Laryngology) declares that in many cases he has observed the following condition: The free edges of the cords are bent toward the median line, with their convexities presenting toward each other. This is noticeable only on phonation, when it is seen that the cords touch each other at a point just anterior to their middle, their posterior and anterior segments not approximating. The latter are frequently hidden by the epiglottis so that the former alone are visible. Hence the condition is frequently mistaken for paralysis of the arytenoideus. This point of contact is the spot at which nodes most frequently develop, and it is certain that, if the voice is much used in this state, the mechanical impact will cause a node, and still further impair the voice. The tensor of the cords, the crico-thyroideus probably suffers first in this strain, and while thus weakened cannot fully antagonize its opponents, especially the thyro-arytenoid, and thus the edge of the cord is not kept straight, but allowed to bridge toward the middle. Paresis, due to catarrh or neurosis, generally show a concavity of the cords, instead of a convexity. Treatment of Acute Phthisis by Continuous and Persistent Reduction of Body-Temperature.-Reid (Australian Med. Jour.) believes "that it is theoretically and scientifically correct to try the effect of a continuous and persistent antipyretic and bacillicide form of treatment, based on the idea of both lowering the activity and consequent virulence of the bacilli by reduc ing and keeping reduced, the all-necessary surrounding temperature, and at the same time exposing them, when thus weakened and attenuated, to the destructive power of some trustworthy bacillicide." Antifebrin is recommended as the antipyretic, the temperature never being allowed to go above 101 F. The application of a spirit lotion to some absorbent material placed on the chest is also recommended. Inhalation of undiluted creosote, alternating with the administration of the drug by the stomach in gradually increasing doses is the germicide. The history of one case in which this mode of treatment was tried is given in detail, and shows a great amelioration in the condition of the patient, the tubercle bacilli having entirely disappeared from the sputum with a cessation of all the physical signs of phthisis. 453 IN THE JOURNALISTIC REALM New Journal.-The Los Angeles Polyclinic, by J. F. T. Jenkins, C. M., M. D. is the latest addition to our exchange table. The National Popular Review, so ably edited the past two years by Dr. Remondino, of Los Angeles, has been consolidated with the North American Practitioner, of Chicago, published by the J. Harrison White Co., and edited by Dr. Hollister. The Medical Fortnightly, under the management of Dr. Frank Parsons Norbury, who is now permanently located in St. Louis, will remain a bi-weekly, but will increase to one thousand reading pages per volume. We predict continued success for Dr. Norbury. Index Bibliographical.-Dr. Marcel Baudouin, general secretary of the Association de la Presse Medicale, Paris, proproses to establish "La Bibligraphic Scientifique," in case the Index Medicus is not revived, and requests all medical publishers to co-operate with him in the enterprise. The Fourth Estate, a Newspaper for the makers of Newspapers, by Ernest F. Birmingham, New York City, is a breezy, attractive sheet for everyone interested in publishing or writing for the press. It is illustrated, nicely printed, and furnishes the most entertaining batch of after-dinner reading (for $2.00 per year) we have enjoyed for some time. Medical Sentinel, Portland, Oregon, has issued a little brochure, that we are sure will make friends for that enterprising monthly. Dr. Coe knows just what to say and how to say it, and this little booklet is but further evidence of his ability as a journalist. A half-tone engraving of a baby embellishes the cover page, over the appropriate caption, "The Naked Truth." New Brochure.-"A List of the Medical Advertisers of the United States," is the title of the book just issued by the American Medical Publishers Association, containing a carefully revised list of those using the advertising pages of medical and pharmaceutical publications, arranged by States, in convenient form for the pocket. Leatherette binding. Price 50c. To be obtained of the secretary, CHarles WOOD FASSETT. Newspaper West, a pretty illustrated monthly, comes from Hiawatha Kans sas, and stamps its editor aud publisher as a genius. The issue before us containthirty-two pages of interesting matter, and is brimful of pointers to editors, publishers, and advertisers. Mr. Ewing Herbert, although a young (unmarried) man, has a head on him that would grace a Webster. Mr. Herbert is also editor and publisher of the Hiawatha World, the leading weekly of Brown county. The American Physician.—The prospectus of this new monthly has been received, and indicates a progressive, high-toned magazine. The intention of the publishers, R. N. Plummer & Co., is to remove to New York City, from Philadelphia, and issue the first number on October 1st. Mr. Robert Newton Plummer who for several years was connected with the Medical Record, will conduct the business end of the enterprise, which is equivalent to predicting unbounded success. Arena. The August number of that king of monthlies is on our table, and contains the usual number of interesting articles from the pens of some of our grandest thinkers. No one who wishes to keep posted on the scientific, political or social problems of the day, can afford to miss one issue of the Arena. Though rather late in doing so, we wish to lift one more voice in congratulation to Dr. Flower on his June article on the social problem. We agree with many who have spoken before us, that he has struck at the root of the social evil. |