- Email: [email protected]
ANTIDYSENTERIC SERUM AND SERUM DISEASE.
758 There is a Greek Codex of the work in the Bibliotheque Nationale; also a Latin version there and in the Ambrosian Library. Our reference to the Hebdomad is prompted by the fact that some fragments of the Greek recension were discovered recently, and these have been studied and assigned to the proper places in the Paris Greek text by Dr. von W. H. Roscher, of the University of Athens. Unfortunately, his book " Die Hippokratische Schrift von der Siebenzahl " is published at Paderborn and so not at present available for scholars here. It is a curious thing that among 110 palimpsests, found in various libraries during the last century, from which some valuable portions of classical literature have been recovered, only " one containing eight pages of the Mulomedicina " of Vegetius, which is in the St. Gall library, is of a medical character. Probably medical works were too useful for their parchments to be sold to the scribes to be cleaned and used over again for theological polemics, and sermons of the early fathers.
theories is useful.
____
ANTIDYSENTERIC
SERUM AND
SERUM
DISEASE.
WITH the
production of an antidiphtheritic serum high potency the appearance of serum disease, so frequent in the early days of antitoxic treatment, diminished almost to vanishing point. But the question will become a practical one again in connexion with a serum which is only potent in of
Sir Patrick Manson, in the new massive doses. edition of his valuable manual/ tells us that this is the case with antidysenteric serum even in polyvalent form. In view of the extensive outbreak of dysentery in the Central Empires-in Prussia alone there were 3802 cases in the third week of September with 550 deaths-serum in large doses is now being extensively used, and the opportunity presents of a fresh study of serum disease. Dr. Gottfried Ewald, consulting physician to reserve troops (Landwehr), deals with the results in an article to which first place is given in the Münchener medizinische Wochenschrift for Oct. 9th. He distinguishes reactions, whether immediate or accelerated, and serum disease proper. The former, which have their analogue in experimental anapnyiaxis,
are
naralY
ever seen in uerman reserve
troops because, as the author says, their youth was, as a rule, passed in the time previous to the introduction patient to whom days 80, 60, and further dose of
of serum therapy. Once in a the author gave on successive twice 30 c.c. of serum with a 50 c.c. ten days later, the last dose was followed in two hours by painful swelling at the site of injection and an immediate rise of temperature. In the case of a young Pole who was known to have received diphtheria serum two years before, and to whom on this account the doctor in charge hesitated to give dysentery serum at all, Dr. Ewald adopted without untoward result the Friedberger method of starting withc.c., giving 15 c.c. four hours later, the same dose the next day, and 10 c.c. on the third day. Occasionally, Dr. Ewald thinks, congenital susceptibility accounts for the immediate reaction at the first injection. As we were familiar with it 20 years ago serum disease is characterised commonly by fever and exanthem of urticarial type: more rarely rashes occur resembling scarlatina or measles, or joint pains, swelling of- the lymph glands and of 1 Tropical Diseases. Price 16s. net.
Sixth edition.
Cassell and Co.
1917.
Pp. 968.
The diagnosis from the spleen are noted. typhoid is occasionally difficult in cases with continued high temperature, but the leucopenia of typhoid, although occasionally simuin serum disease, is much less constant. The incubation period is generally given as 8 to 10 days, but in Ewald’s experience was much more variable, at shortest 3 to 4 days. and reaching rarely 14 to 18. Five to 15 days were the more
lated
usual limit. He found no difference in the incidence of serum disease from the use of the Hochst serum, the Oberursel serum of Gans, or that of the Saxon Serumworks, and his general conclusion is that no one should be deterred from giving dysentery serum by the fear of anaphylactic reaction, especially as the Friedberger anti-anaphylactic method seems to be effective in critical cases. A
NURSES’
BENEVOLENT FUND.
request of Sir Arthur Stanley, chairman of College of Nursing, Limited, the British Women’s Hospital has undertaken to raise money to serve AT the
the
the double purpose of an endowment fund for the of nurses and of a benevolent fund to assist nurses who have suffered mentally or physically in the war. The fund is to be called the Nation’s Fund for Nurses, and judging from the success achieved by the British Women’s Hospital in raising money for the Star and Garter Home at Richmond their present appeal is likely to meet with the response which it deserves. The question of the relation of this fund to the provision made for nurses in the new Royal Warrant came up in the House of Commons. Major Chapple asked the Parliamentary Secretary to
training
the Ministry of Pensions whether his attention had been drawn to an invitation for subscriptions to provide endowment for the College of Nursing and a benevolent fund for individual nurses themselves; whether he was aware that this appeal was supported by Sir Douglas Haig on the assumption that the funds so subscribed were to be used for nurses who had lost their health during the war, and that Sir Douglas Haig said that this was most necessary ; and whether he would state fully what the Government proposed to do for nurses in order that the nursing profession might be relieved from anxiety in the matter and in order that the subscribing public might know whether the immediate financial need was for a college for the training of women not now nurses or for the help of nurses who had served in the war and had suffered in consequence. Sir A. Griffith-Boscawen replied that he had seen in the newspapers a notice of the fund referred to. He said that the provision made by the State for nurses disabled through war service was set out in the Royal Warrant of August lst. This provision was on far more liberal a scale than previously, and he did not doubt that the organisers of the fund would take account of the assistance provided by the State in deciding how their funds might best be applied.
It is quite certain, however, that the Royal Warrant will no more meet all the hard situations met with among nurses than it will do so in the case of doctors; and as we have appealed to the generosity of the public in regard to the medical War Emergency Fund, so we do now on behalf of the Nation’s Fund for Nurses. Dr. Alexis Carrel, who was to have delivered the Harben Lectures at the Royal Institute of Public Health in the last week of this month, has been detained by official demand in America. FOOD ECONOMY.-In connexion with the
League
of National Safety, which has been formed as part of the Food Economy Campaign, Lady Hunter, the wife of General Sir Archibald Hunter and honorary president of lady workers, will organise voluntary lady helpers to deal with the application cards as they are forwarded to Grosvenor House.
theories is useful.
____
ANTIDYSENTERIC
SERUM AND
SERUM
DISEASE.
WITH the
production of an antidiphtheritic serum high potency the appearance of serum disease, so frequent in the early days of antitoxic treatment, diminished almost to vanishing point. But the question will become a practical one again in connexion with a serum which is only potent in of
Sir Patrick Manson, in the new massive doses. edition of his valuable manual/ tells us that this is the case with antidysenteric serum even in polyvalent form. In view of the extensive outbreak of dysentery in the Central Empires-in Prussia alone there were 3802 cases in the third week of September with 550 deaths-serum in large doses is now being extensively used, and the opportunity presents of a fresh study of serum disease. Dr. Gottfried Ewald, consulting physician to reserve troops (Landwehr), deals with the results in an article to which first place is given in the Münchener medizinische Wochenschrift for Oct. 9th. He distinguishes reactions, whether immediate or accelerated, and serum disease proper. The former, which have their analogue in experimental anapnyiaxis,
are
naralY
ever seen in uerman reserve
troops because, as the author says, their youth was, as a rule, passed in the time previous to the introduction patient to whom days 80, 60, and further dose of
of serum therapy. Once in a the author gave on successive twice 30 c.c. of serum with a 50 c.c. ten days later, the last dose was followed in two hours by painful swelling at the site of injection and an immediate rise of temperature. In the case of a young Pole who was known to have received diphtheria serum two years before, and to whom on this account the doctor in charge hesitated to give dysentery serum at all, Dr. Ewald adopted without untoward result the Friedberger method of starting withc.c., giving 15 c.c. four hours later, the same dose the next day, and 10 c.c. on the third day. Occasionally, Dr. Ewald thinks, congenital susceptibility accounts for the immediate reaction at the first injection. As we were familiar with it 20 years ago serum disease is characterised commonly by fever and exanthem of urticarial type: more rarely rashes occur resembling scarlatina or measles, or joint pains, swelling of- the lymph glands and of 1 Tropical Diseases. Price 16s. net.
Sixth edition.
Cassell and Co.
1917.
Pp. 968.
The diagnosis from the spleen are noted. typhoid is occasionally difficult in cases with continued high temperature, but the leucopenia of typhoid, although occasionally simuin serum disease, is much less constant. The incubation period is generally given as 8 to 10 days, but in Ewald’s experience was much more variable, at shortest 3 to 4 days. and reaching rarely 14 to 18. Five to 15 days were the more
lated
usual limit. He found no difference in the incidence of serum disease from the use of the Hochst serum, the Oberursel serum of Gans, or that of the Saxon Serumworks, and his general conclusion is that no one should be deterred from giving dysentery serum by the fear of anaphylactic reaction, especially as the Friedberger anti-anaphylactic method seems to be effective in critical cases. A
NURSES’
BENEVOLENT FUND.
request of Sir Arthur Stanley, chairman of College of Nursing, Limited, the British Women’s Hospital has undertaken to raise money to serve AT the
the
the double purpose of an endowment fund for the of nurses and of a benevolent fund to assist nurses who have suffered mentally or physically in the war. The fund is to be called the Nation’s Fund for Nurses, and judging from the success achieved by the British Women’s Hospital in raising money for the Star and Garter Home at Richmond their present appeal is likely to meet with the response which it deserves. The question of the relation of this fund to the provision made for nurses in the new Royal Warrant came up in the House of Commons. Major Chapple asked the Parliamentary Secretary to
training
the Ministry of Pensions whether his attention had been drawn to an invitation for subscriptions to provide endowment for the College of Nursing and a benevolent fund for individual nurses themselves; whether he was aware that this appeal was supported by Sir Douglas Haig on the assumption that the funds so subscribed were to be used for nurses who had lost their health during the war, and that Sir Douglas Haig said that this was most necessary ; and whether he would state fully what the Government proposed to do for nurses in order that the nursing profession might be relieved from anxiety in the matter and in order that the subscribing public might know whether the immediate financial need was for a college for the training of women not now nurses or for the help of nurses who had served in the war and had suffered in consequence. Sir A. Griffith-Boscawen replied that he had seen in the newspapers a notice of the fund referred to. He said that the provision made by the State for nurses disabled through war service was set out in the Royal Warrant of August lst. This provision was on far more liberal a scale than previously, and he did not doubt that the organisers of the fund would take account of the assistance provided by the State in deciding how their funds might best be applied.
It is quite certain, however, that the Royal Warrant will no more meet all the hard situations met with among nurses than it will do so in the case of doctors; and as we have appealed to the generosity of the public in regard to the medical War Emergency Fund, so we do now on behalf of the Nation’s Fund for Nurses. Dr. Alexis Carrel, who was to have delivered the Harben Lectures at the Royal Institute of Public Health in the last week of this month, has been detained by official demand in America. FOOD ECONOMY.-In connexion with the
League
of National Safety, which has been formed as part of the Food Economy Campaign, Lady Hunter, the wife of General Sir Archibald Hunter and honorary president of lady workers, will organise voluntary lady helpers to deal with the application cards as they are forwarded to Grosvenor House.