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DIRTY GUMMED ENVELOPES.
1112 also that of the serin, increase. The dry residue of the blood is not much diminished during the first stage of the disease, but it is so during the second stage, and continues less until convalescence. In typhoid fever the albumins of the blood diminish progressively (unless the diarrhoea is excessive), and this diminution occurs at the expense of the serin. The extractive matters gradually diminish during the whole of the febrile period, and even during the early stage of convalescence. In malarial fevers the amount of the albuminoids in the blood serum (especially the serin and in a less degree the globulin) and the dry residue of the blood diminish rapidly, while the dry residue of the serum and the extractive matters of the serum increase with the duration of the fever, the former in a slight degree, the latter enormously. In chloro-anaemia the albumins of the serum (especially the globulin) and the dry residue of the blood diminish, while the dry residue of the serum increases. In leukaemia the amount of dry residue of the serum is very high, and the albuminoids of the serum are also above the normal, the serin being especially increased. --
animals in which the optic nerves completely decussate only a direct pupillary reflex occurs; in no instance does any contraction of the pupil of the eye opposite to the one illuminated occur, whilst in those animals in which a more or less complete decussation of the optic nerves takes place the reflex on stimulating either retina is bilateral. Unilateral reflex myosis therefore occurs in fishes, amphibia, reptiles, and birds, and in the lower mammals up to the rodentswhich last, although their optic tracts do decussate, probably present little decussation of the fibres subservient to pupillary contraction ; whilst, on the contrary, in animals with optic decussation there is a division of the sphincter centres as well as of the reflex nerves of both eyes. It is only when non-decussating optic nerve fibres containing sphincter fasciculi, as in man and the higher mammals, exist that bilateral pupillary reaction takes place. It is where there is thus a bilateral exchange of reflex sphincter fibres that the pupils present equality of contraction, even when one eye is more strongly illuminated than the other.
CHINESE TREATMENT OF DIPHTHERIA.
A POPULAR remedy for diphtheria, which has been em. ployed in China for over 300 years, recently formed the THE practice of moistening the back of ordinary gummed subject of a communication by M. Lecerf to the Societe de envelopes with the tongue certainly carnot be regarded as Medecine Pratique of Paris. The treatment consists of eitherelegant or cleanly, but has the advantage of being ready blowing a powder into the throat, using a decoction of and convenient. The cleanliness and purity of the gum used plants as a gargle and drink, and the employment of certain are points, therefore, about which there should not remain hygienic measures. The powder is called sin-seh, and it the least doubt. We had occasion to comment upon this appears to consist essentially of borax, camphor, powdered apparently trifling matter some time back. Since then pearls, cinnabar, acetate of copper, and charcoal, the we have had the opportunity of examining some specimens percentage of borax and camphor being respectively 42’5 of ordinary envelopes which have been sent us by Messrs. and 12. From twenty to thirty centigrammes of this Smith, Kay, & Co., of 42, Rathbone-place. With a view of powder are blown through a paper tube every two hours. satisfying ourselves as to the purity of the gum used, we The decoction is difficult to imitate, as it is made from immersed several of the gummed portions in pure distilled the following: roots of the coptis teeta (Scutellaria viscidula), water. The gum was seen to be perfectly soluble. On ex- Hanax quinquefolium or ginseng, and Platycodon grand; amining the solution it was found to contain nothing but flowers cf Caprifolium chinense, fruit of the Uvularia pure dextrin gum. The well-known iodine reaction was cirrhosa, bark of Pterocarpus flavus, Capanus flavus root, very marked, as was also the reducing action upon alkaline and Glycyrrhiza glabra. About fifty grammes of eacn are sulphate of copper when the solution was previously boiled boiled in a pint of water until it is reduced to 200 cubic with a little sulphuric acid, which, of course, brings about centigrammes. This is filtered, allowed to cool, and given the conversion of the dextrin into dextrin sugar. in three doses in the twenty-four hours. The regimen enjoins the avoidance of ice, cold drinks, sugar, and fatty
DIRTY GUMMED ENVELOPES.
COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE IRIS.
A COMMUNICATION made to Pflüger’s Archiv by E. Steinach treats of the movement of the iris amongst the vertebrata, and of the relations of the reaction of the pupils to light to the optic chiasma. After examining a large number of the representatives of the various classes of the vertebrata, Steinach finds that there is no exception to the rule that the pupil contracts when light falls on the retina. The movement of the iris is perceptible even in fishes, though in these animals the response to the stimulus is so tardy in its appearance and so slight that special arrangements are required in order that it may be observed. The action of the sphincter is more marked in amphibia, and it is tolerably rapid in reptilia, partly probably because in them, as in birds, the muscle is composed of striated muscular tissue. Movements of the iris independent of variations of the intensity of light are to be seen not only in man, but in many mammals. They are remarkably apparent in birds and in chelonians. Steinach explains them as in some instances associated movements, as in accommodation ; whilst sometimes they are due to elastic recoil taking place on strong contraction of the sphincter, or they may proceed from hydraulic causes, being dependent on the pulse and respiration. Steinach paid particular attention to consensual movements of the iris (that is, the movement of the iris of one eye when light falls upon the other), and he has arrived at the noticeable result that in all
matters and fruits, but allows at first boiled rice, eggs, and salt fish, and later boiled chicken and bread. A large number of cases are said to be cured in three days, but the evidence on which they are termed diphtheritic is by ro means conclusive. ___
DIGESTION OF FAT. Two essaysthat have recently appeared deal with the of the digestion and absorption of fat. Minkowski and Abelmann have both investigated the effects of entire removal of the pancreas and of the ablation of the greater part of the gland. They find that in dogs totally deprived of the pancreas when meat and bread with milk were given in such quantities as to supply 7 to 24 grammes of nitrogen daily (which represented from 45 to 153 grammes of albumen), 44 per cent. on the average under. went absorption, the extremes being 22 to 58 per cent. In dogs in which a small portion of the gland remained, on an average 54 per cent. was absorbed, the extremes being 40 to 83, the lowest amount absorbed being always associated with the most imperfect absorption of fat. The albumin of meat was, as in healthy animals, better absorbed than that of milk. The addition of fresh pancreas to the diet caused an immediate rise in the amount of nitrogen absorbed to 74 to 78 per cent. of that ingested. Of starchy compounds, which were given to the amount of 151 to 176 grammes per diem with the milk and the bread, 57 to 71 per cent, was
important subject
animals in which the optic nerves completely decussate only a direct pupillary reflex occurs; in no instance does any contraction of the pupil of the eye opposite to the one illuminated occur, whilst in those animals in which a more or less complete decussation of the optic nerves takes place the reflex on stimulating either retina is bilateral. Unilateral reflex myosis therefore occurs in fishes, amphibia, reptiles, and birds, and in the lower mammals up to the rodentswhich last, although their optic tracts do decussate, probably present little decussation of the fibres subservient to pupillary contraction ; whilst, on the contrary, in animals with optic decussation there is a division of the sphincter centres as well as of the reflex nerves of both eyes. It is only when non-decussating optic nerve fibres containing sphincter fasciculi, as in man and the higher mammals, exist that bilateral pupillary reaction takes place. It is where there is thus a bilateral exchange of reflex sphincter fibres that the pupils present equality of contraction, even when one eye is more strongly illuminated than the other.
CHINESE TREATMENT OF DIPHTHERIA.
A POPULAR remedy for diphtheria, which has been em. ployed in China for over 300 years, recently formed the THE practice of moistening the back of ordinary gummed subject of a communication by M. Lecerf to the Societe de envelopes with the tongue certainly carnot be regarded as Medecine Pratique of Paris. The treatment consists of eitherelegant or cleanly, but has the advantage of being ready blowing a powder into the throat, using a decoction of and convenient. The cleanliness and purity of the gum used plants as a gargle and drink, and the employment of certain are points, therefore, about which there should not remain hygienic measures. The powder is called sin-seh, and it the least doubt. We had occasion to comment upon this appears to consist essentially of borax, camphor, powdered apparently trifling matter some time back. Since then pearls, cinnabar, acetate of copper, and charcoal, the we have had the opportunity of examining some specimens percentage of borax and camphor being respectively 42’5 of ordinary envelopes which have been sent us by Messrs. and 12. From twenty to thirty centigrammes of this Smith, Kay, & Co., of 42, Rathbone-place. With a view of powder are blown through a paper tube every two hours. satisfying ourselves as to the purity of the gum used, we The decoction is difficult to imitate, as it is made from immersed several of the gummed portions in pure distilled the following: roots of the coptis teeta (Scutellaria viscidula), water. The gum was seen to be perfectly soluble. On ex- Hanax quinquefolium or ginseng, and Platycodon grand; amining the solution it was found to contain nothing but flowers cf Caprifolium chinense, fruit of the Uvularia pure dextrin gum. The well-known iodine reaction was cirrhosa, bark of Pterocarpus flavus, Capanus flavus root, very marked, as was also the reducing action upon alkaline and Glycyrrhiza glabra. About fifty grammes of eacn are sulphate of copper when the solution was previously boiled boiled in a pint of water until it is reduced to 200 cubic with a little sulphuric acid, which, of course, brings about centigrammes. This is filtered, allowed to cool, and given the conversion of the dextrin into dextrin sugar. in three doses in the twenty-four hours. The regimen enjoins the avoidance of ice, cold drinks, sugar, and fatty
DIRTY GUMMED ENVELOPES.
COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE IRIS.
A COMMUNICATION made to Pflüger’s Archiv by E. Steinach treats of the movement of the iris amongst the vertebrata, and of the relations of the reaction of the pupils to light to the optic chiasma. After examining a large number of the representatives of the various classes of the vertebrata, Steinach finds that there is no exception to the rule that the pupil contracts when light falls on the retina. The movement of the iris is perceptible even in fishes, though in these animals the response to the stimulus is so tardy in its appearance and so slight that special arrangements are required in order that it may be observed. The action of the sphincter is more marked in amphibia, and it is tolerably rapid in reptilia, partly probably because in them, as in birds, the muscle is composed of striated muscular tissue. Movements of the iris independent of variations of the intensity of light are to be seen not only in man, but in many mammals. They are remarkably apparent in birds and in chelonians. Steinach explains them as in some instances associated movements, as in accommodation ; whilst sometimes they are due to elastic recoil taking place on strong contraction of the sphincter, or they may proceed from hydraulic causes, being dependent on the pulse and respiration. Steinach paid particular attention to consensual movements of the iris (that is, the movement of the iris of one eye when light falls upon the other), and he has arrived at the noticeable result that in all
matters and fruits, but allows at first boiled rice, eggs, and salt fish, and later boiled chicken and bread. A large number of cases are said to be cured in three days, but the evidence on which they are termed diphtheritic is by ro means conclusive. ___
DIGESTION OF FAT. Two essaysthat have recently appeared deal with the of the digestion and absorption of fat. Minkowski and Abelmann have both investigated the effects of entire removal of the pancreas and of the ablation of the greater part of the gland. They find that in dogs totally deprived of the pancreas when meat and bread with milk were given in such quantities as to supply 7 to 24 grammes of nitrogen daily (which represented from 45 to 153 grammes of albumen), 44 per cent. on the average under. went absorption, the extremes being 22 to 58 per cent. In dogs in which a small portion of the gland remained, on an average 54 per cent. was absorbed, the extremes being 40 to 83, the lowest amount absorbed being always associated with the most imperfect absorption of fat. The albumin of meat was, as in healthy animals, better absorbed than that of milk. The addition of fresh pancreas to the diet caused an immediate rise in the amount of nitrogen absorbed to 74 to 78 per cent. of that ingested. Of starchy compounds, which were given to the amount of 151 to 176 grammes per diem with the milk and the bread, 57 to 71 per cent, was
important subject