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ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE WELFARE OF THE BLIND.
980 act thus, and it may be confidently expected that further research will do much to elucidate this obscure condition. Light may come from unexpected directions, and we commend to the attention of our readers the curious similarity of effect produced by absence of vitamins and by exposure to X rays and radium, which is the subject of an important communication this week in our original columns. -
NATURAL HEALTH CENTRES.
Dr. G. Bardet, director of the Laboratory of Hydrology in Paris, points out in the same journal the great opportunity existing at the present time for able young practitioners to specialise in climatic and hydrological medicine. Such a movement has already taken firm hold in Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Italy, and Germany. The creation of new stations, both in the Alps and along the coasts of France, with adequate medical organisation would be, he thinks, of immense benefit to his country. The young physician, specialising according to the local indications during the summer, could spend the winter to great advantage in study and travel. He estimates that from 500 to 600 such medical men could thus find scope for practice as well as study in medical posts of this kind. Certainly it is hardly open to doubt that a more complete provision of health stations is needed, whether for the tuberculous, for delicate children, for the unfit in all walks of life, or for the overworked and the elderly. In England the coast climates-perhaps even more remarkably than in France-offer a complete range of sedative and tonic infiuences. Inland we have moors and hills, and what these lose in altitude they gain in the tonic influence of northern latitude. But here again we are driven back to the need for more knowledge and coordination. We are glad to learn that an International Society of Medical Hydrology is to devote itself to throwing light on these problems.
THE death of Dr. Theodor Schott, which recently occurred at Frankfurt, removes one who had for 44 years exactly applied a number of physical agents to the treatment of chronic disease of the heart, and in whose lifetime the Nauheim method became well known all over the world. A paper which we published last week contained an exact record by four competent observers at one of our own spas of the experimental basis claimed for certain popular methods The move towards precision of electrical treatment. in the study of physical therapeutics is very welcome. The new impetus given to the study of incipient and chronic disease has naturally directed fresh attention to the great sources of energy and healing in waters and climates. An interesting symposium by French authorities appears in the Tie lJ1édicale for April 8th. Attention is there called to the "gamut" of French marine climates, of the Channel, Ocean, and Mediterranean coasts, and to the varied Alpine locations, ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE WELFARE OF which are available-but far too little utilised-for the treatment of tuberculosis, both in children and adults. THE BLIND. Tuberculous maladies form but one group of many chronic infective and toxic conditions that are amenable IN view of the passing of the Blind Persons Act, 1920, to climatic influences. We are also reminded of the the Minister of Health has reconstituted the Advisory numerous natural waters of France, many of them Committee on the Welfare of the Blind, so as to afford situated in fine, sub-Alpine climates, where arthritic representation to the local authorities under the Act affections and dermatoses, cardio-vascular affections, and and to voluntary agencies for the blind, and the disorders of digestion, of metabolism, and of the nerve following have been appointed members of the centres, can be treated by waters and baths in beautiful Committee: Right Hon. G. H. Roberts, M.P. (ChairDr. H. Jumon, in a man), Mr. P. M. Evans, LL.D. (Vice-Chairman), Mr. and stimulating surroundings. study of La Bourboule, states very truly that all such Alderman F. Askew, Mr. A. M. Bernard, Miss Winifred "cures" are in themselves unavoidably fatiguing and Bramhall, Sir Coles Child, Bart., Mr. H. Davey, Mr. ought to be carried out in an atmosphere of peace and James Graham, Mr. Councillor J. A. Hill, Sir William repose. He deplores the tendency for health resorts Hodgson, Mr. T. Holt, Mr. A. L. Lowe, C.B.E., Mr. to become merely centres of excitement for pleasure- G. F. Mowatt, Mr. H. J. Munro, Sir Arthur Pearson, seekers. This is a very old tendency, and has in the Bart., C.B.E., Mrs. Wilton Phipps, Rev. P. S. G. past spoiled many a famous spa. Pleasant distraction, Propert, Mr. R. Richardson, M.P., Mr. W. H. Tate. amusement, music are, of course, wanted by the health- The Committee will advise the Minister on matters seeker, together with the magic of ohange in daily relating to the care and supervision of the blind, surroundings, habits, and thoughts. But these should including any question that may be specially referred form only the setting for a definite organised medical to them by the Minister. Mr. F. M. Chapman, of the specialty. The health resort is a treatment centre for Ministry of Health, will act as Secretary. incipient and chronic disease. Its accidental and obvious features as a place of recreation and pleasure should not be allowed to obscure its essential purpose OXYGEN INSUFFLATION IN MORPHINE of healing and fortification against disease. Moreover, POISONING. of exact as we have there is now a
hinted, body knowledge drawn from many countries and times, dealing with the effective utilisation of health resorts by invalids. It forms no part of authorised medical teaching, or only in an occasional and sporadic way. Sometimes, in the laudable search for definition, health stations are labelled too precisely, as in France. For example, obesity is referred to Brides-les-Bains and enteritis to Chatel-Guyon. We ought to look a little deeper. Symptomatic maladies arise from many causes, and it would be more useful for the medical to direct his patients according to underlying constitutional conditions, which respond in a definite manner to different forms of hydrological treatment. This hiatus in the education of the practitioner should be filled by instruction in the general principles upon which incipient systemic disorders are actually amenable to the methods of physical medicine. At present the lack of this knowledge is a fruitful source of unfounded pretensions and empirical practice. As one of our French colleagues observes, doctors are apt to refer their patients to waters and baths with a veiled scepticism, and often in order to get rid of them for a time, or simply to give them man
pleasure.
Professor Brauer has recently discussed1 the treatment of morphine poisoning as lately adopted at the Eppendorfer Hospital in all severe cases. In his opinion morphine poisoning proves fatal chiefly on account of the CO2 intoxication which it induces; if this can be prevented the most dangerous symptoms of morphine poisoning are warded off, and doses of morphine which would otherwise inevitably prove fatal can be tolerated with comparative impunity. In his first case, treated by insufflation of oxygen, this procedure was more or less a counsel of despair, for all the standard methods of treatment had been tried for many hours, and life was slowly ebbing away. Yet, within five minutes of flushing the trachea with oxygen there was a remarkable improvement in the patient’s colouring, which had been cyanosed. She soon began to breathe automatically, and it was evident that in a few minutes a change had been effected, converting a hopeless case into one with every prospect of recovery. The insufflation of oxygen was continued for about 12 hours, and though aspiration pneumonia of both lower lobes developed, the patient ultimately recovered. The procedure 1
Beiträge zur Klinik der Tuberkulose, Bd. xlvi., Hft. 1.
NATURAL HEALTH CENTRES.
Dr. G. Bardet, director of the Laboratory of Hydrology in Paris, points out in the same journal the great opportunity existing at the present time for able young practitioners to specialise in climatic and hydrological medicine. Such a movement has already taken firm hold in Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Italy, and Germany. The creation of new stations, both in the Alps and along the coasts of France, with adequate medical organisation would be, he thinks, of immense benefit to his country. The young physician, specialising according to the local indications during the summer, could spend the winter to great advantage in study and travel. He estimates that from 500 to 600 such medical men could thus find scope for practice as well as study in medical posts of this kind. Certainly it is hardly open to doubt that a more complete provision of health stations is needed, whether for the tuberculous, for delicate children, for the unfit in all walks of life, or for the overworked and the elderly. In England the coast climates-perhaps even more remarkably than in France-offer a complete range of sedative and tonic infiuences. Inland we have moors and hills, and what these lose in altitude they gain in the tonic influence of northern latitude. But here again we are driven back to the need for more knowledge and coordination. We are glad to learn that an International Society of Medical Hydrology is to devote itself to throwing light on these problems.
THE death of Dr. Theodor Schott, which recently occurred at Frankfurt, removes one who had for 44 years exactly applied a number of physical agents to the treatment of chronic disease of the heart, and in whose lifetime the Nauheim method became well known all over the world. A paper which we published last week contained an exact record by four competent observers at one of our own spas of the experimental basis claimed for certain popular methods The move towards precision of electrical treatment. in the study of physical therapeutics is very welcome. The new impetus given to the study of incipient and chronic disease has naturally directed fresh attention to the great sources of energy and healing in waters and climates. An interesting symposium by French authorities appears in the Tie lJ1édicale for April 8th. Attention is there called to the "gamut" of French marine climates, of the Channel, Ocean, and Mediterranean coasts, and to the varied Alpine locations, ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE WELFARE OF which are available-but far too little utilised-for the treatment of tuberculosis, both in children and adults. THE BLIND. Tuberculous maladies form but one group of many chronic infective and toxic conditions that are amenable IN view of the passing of the Blind Persons Act, 1920, to climatic influences. We are also reminded of the the Minister of Health has reconstituted the Advisory numerous natural waters of France, many of them Committee on the Welfare of the Blind, so as to afford situated in fine, sub-Alpine climates, where arthritic representation to the local authorities under the Act affections and dermatoses, cardio-vascular affections, and and to voluntary agencies for the blind, and the disorders of digestion, of metabolism, and of the nerve following have been appointed members of the centres, can be treated by waters and baths in beautiful Committee: Right Hon. G. H. Roberts, M.P. (ChairDr. H. Jumon, in a man), Mr. P. M. Evans, LL.D. (Vice-Chairman), Mr. and stimulating surroundings. study of La Bourboule, states very truly that all such Alderman F. Askew, Mr. A. M. Bernard, Miss Winifred "cures" are in themselves unavoidably fatiguing and Bramhall, Sir Coles Child, Bart., Mr. H. Davey, Mr. ought to be carried out in an atmosphere of peace and James Graham, Mr. Councillor J. A. Hill, Sir William repose. He deplores the tendency for health resorts Hodgson, Mr. T. Holt, Mr. A. L. Lowe, C.B.E., Mr. to become merely centres of excitement for pleasure- G. F. Mowatt, Mr. H. J. Munro, Sir Arthur Pearson, seekers. This is a very old tendency, and has in the Bart., C.B.E., Mrs. Wilton Phipps, Rev. P. S. G. past spoiled many a famous spa. Pleasant distraction, Propert, Mr. R. Richardson, M.P., Mr. W. H. Tate. amusement, music are, of course, wanted by the health- The Committee will advise the Minister on matters seeker, together with the magic of ohange in daily relating to the care and supervision of the blind, surroundings, habits, and thoughts. But these should including any question that may be specially referred form only the setting for a definite organised medical to them by the Minister. Mr. F. M. Chapman, of the specialty. The health resort is a treatment centre for Ministry of Health, will act as Secretary. incipient and chronic disease. Its accidental and obvious features as a place of recreation and pleasure should not be allowed to obscure its essential purpose OXYGEN INSUFFLATION IN MORPHINE of healing and fortification against disease. Moreover, POISONING. of exact as we have there is now a
hinted, body knowledge drawn from many countries and times, dealing with the effective utilisation of health resorts by invalids. It forms no part of authorised medical teaching, or only in an occasional and sporadic way. Sometimes, in the laudable search for definition, health stations are labelled too precisely, as in France. For example, obesity is referred to Brides-les-Bains and enteritis to Chatel-Guyon. We ought to look a little deeper. Symptomatic maladies arise from many causes, and it would be more useful for the medical to direct his patients according to underlying constitutional conditions, which respond in a definite manner to different forms of hydrological treatment. This hiatus in the education of the practitioner should be filled by instruction in the general principles upon which incipient systemic disorders are actually amenable to the methods of physical medicine. At present the lack of this knowledge is a fruitful source of unfounded pretensions and empirical practice. As one of our French colleagues observes, doctors are apt to refer their patients to waters and baths with a veiled scepticism, and often in order to get rid of them for a time, or simply to give them man
pleasure.
Professor Brauer has recently discussed1 the treatment of morphine poisoning as lately adopted at the Eppendorfer Hospital in all severe cases. In his opinion morphine poisoning proves fatal chiefly on account of the CO2 intoxication which it induces; if this can be prevented the most dangerous symptoms of morphine poisoning are warded off, and doses of morphine which would otherwise inevitably prove fatal can be tolerated with comparative impunity. In his first case, treated by insufflation of oxygen, this procedure was more or less a counsel of despair, for all the standard methods of treatment had been tried for many hours, and life was slowly ebbing away. Yet, within five minutes of flushing the trachea with oxygen there was a remarkable improvement in the patient’s colouring, which had been cyanosed. She soon began to breathe automatically, and it was evident that in a few minutes a change had been effected, converting a hopeless case into one with every prospect of recovery. The insufflation of oxygen was continued for about 12 hours, and though aspiration pneumonia of both lower lobes developed, the patient ultimately recovered. The procedure 1
Beiträge zur Klinik der Tuberkulose, Bd. xlvi., Hft. 1.