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BORDEAUX.
545 1322 (13 percent.) cases were obviously due t, the events of 1870-1871, the proportion being 15’60 pe cent. of males, and 9 40 of females. From July to Dec 1871, the asylums received about 400 new cases from thl
July, 1871,
same cause.
To
explain
the
discrepancy which apparently
exists be
tween the fact of 1800 cases brought on by the sieges, am vet a diminution of 3000 on the total number of cases, Dr Lunier invokes the following factors : 1. Perturbation cause( by the invasion in the service of the asylums. 2. Greate : stringency as regards the admission of patients. 3. Diver sion produced by the events in the mental condition of : certain number of individuals predisposed to madness 4. In certain parts of the territory temporary diminutioi of alcoholic abuse in the civil population. 5. Rapid ter mination in death, and much oftener in cure, of the case: of madness developed by the events. In my last letter I referred to a very startling communi cation made by Dr. Davaine to the Academy, in which hi mentioned that a trillionth dilution of septicsemiain rabbit: and guinea-pigs was sufficient to cause death when inocu lated on one of the same species. I mentioned that thes results, coming from a man of recognised standing like Dr Davaine, had almost stupefied the whole assembly. Las Tuesday Dr. Bouley, at the same Academy, made a lon speech, in which, by a series of facts and inferences, hi destroyed Dr. Davaine’s conclusions, as far, at least, as the apply to the cow and horse. Dr. Davaine responded that hE meant them to apply exclusively to the kind of animals hE had experimented upon. Whereupon the president ap peared quite glad to be able to put in some comfortin words, and to say that if the terrifying effects of Dr Davaine’s experiments were to be confined to guinea-pig! and rabbits, and not to extend to larger animals, there wal
for anxiety. M. Thiers is now quite well. Great agitation has been caused recently in the Genera Council of the Seine by the wish of the radical portion of th< councillors to appoint Dr. Beclard, one of the members anc professor of physiology at the Faculty, president. He declined the honour, and at the election, which: took place a few days aao, was not nominated, though abou1 thirty of the members were anxious to vote for him. Dr. Vulpian, professor of pathological anatomy at thE Faculty, has been authorised by his colleagues and th( Minister of Public Instruction to take the chair of com. parative and experimental physiology, vacant by the resig. nation of Dr. Brown-Séquard. The chair of pathological anatomy is, therefore, now vacant, and will very likely bE given to Dr. Charcot, the distinguished physician of La Salp6tri6re, some of whose lectures you have recently pub. lished. The health of Paris was remarkably good last week. ThE total number of deaths during the week was only 794; whereas it had been 875 the preceding one. There are nc signs of any kind of epidemic existing or impending. It is with great regret that I record thedeath of two very distinguished cOYlfrères of this city-Dr. Horteloup, formerly surgeon to the Hotel Dieu, and Dr. S. Duplay. In my next letter I shall send you some details touching both of them. Paris, October lst, 1872. no cause
however,
(From an occasional Correspondent.) IN this letter I shall very briefly sketch the proceedings of the Association during the last three days of the meeting, so as to bring my account of the session to a close. September the 10th was an excursion day, and was devoted to a most interesting journey by river and sea to the furthermost end of the Department of Gironde, where it stretches into the sea. The sight was a very grand one. The huge dykes which are being built up so as to prevent the gradual and rather alarmingly rapid encroachings of the ocean on the coasts of Gironde were examined with much
In the Medical
briefly
one some
discussed.
cases.
Dr. Auguste Voisin, of Bicetre Hospital (Paris), read a paper entitled "Researches on the Morbid Histology of Mental Diseases." Several drawings were handed round, showing all sorts of brain lesions. Dr. Voisin has come to the conclusion that all cases of madness, even those proceeding from moral causes, are accompanied by lesions of the nervous centres. The Anthropological section was well attended the same day, and various subjects of interest were discussed or brought on the tapis by MM. Quatrefages, Broca, Chasteigner, Trutat, Berchon, &c. In the Zoological section, M. Périer disclosed the wonders of the bottom of the sea. Dr. Plumeau described the "Phylloxera vastatrix," which is now doing such damage to the vineyards of the South of France. M. Quatrefages described some of the sea animals of Arcachon. Dr. Metadier showed a "wood-fish," and spoke of the "genital organs of the coa." At the general sitting, which took place at two o’clock the same day, M. Frossard (Protestant minister at Bagnerres de Bigorres) spoke of the Société Ramond," founded in August, 1865, and presented the Association with a copy of its transactions. This society was at first a kind of Alpine club ; no one could be admitted a member unless he had climbed the Pyrenees 7000 metres above the level of the It was, therefore, the Pyrenean club. Since then it sea. had widened its doors, and its transactions contain communications on anthropology, botany, geology, meteorology, &c. &c. "
SWITZERLAND: A GLIMPSE AT ITS
UNIVERSITIES, HOSPITALS, AND
(From
BORDEAUX.
curiosity. Wednesday, llth.-Sections opened,
Dr. Rubio, of Madrid, read a paper "On a New Mode of Termination of Nervous Fibres." Dr. Armingaud spoke of Trousseau’s point apophysaire and spinal irritation. He insisted on the importance of finding out the point apophysaire in neuralgia, as it may then be efficaciously treated by local means-blistering, actual cautery, &c. Dr. Peyraud read a pa.per "On the Antagonism of Bromide of Potassium and of Substances which excite Epileptiform Convulsions." The substances investigated in the memoir were essence of wormwood and Japan camphor. The effects of these substances were successfully neutralised by bromide of potassium. Furthermore, as it was found that the camphor and wormwood diminished the production of sugar and glycogenic matter, Dr. Peyra,ud was led to employ camphor in a case of diabetes, and diminution of sugar rapidly took place. Dr. Rollet recommended the use of valerian powder and purified turpentine in the treatment of epilepsy (ten parts of valerian to ten of turpentine). Dr. Boulland (of Limoges) spoke of " the endosmotic properties of animal membranes," especially the fibrous coating of the frog’s stomach. Dr. Lefort (of Paris) spoke of " acute glaucoma," which he believes is due to dropsy of the serous membrane which separates the choroid from the sclerotic. Dr. Lefort therefore performs sclerotic paracentesis of the eye. He related the details of two successful
as
usual,
papers of interest
were
at 10 A.M.
read and
our
BATHS
Special Correspondent.)
NUMEROUS as are the visitors annually to the great playground of Europe, few trouble themselves with the charitable and educational institutions of the country. They are in search of health and amusement, and are content to explore the lovely lakes or the stupendous mountains for which Switzerland is so celebrated; and they scarcely bestow a thought on the great social peculiarities of the people, or devote more than a passing glance to the various charitable institutions which this comparatively poor country supports, but which, in number, variety, and excellence, often vie with those to be found in the principal cities of England. Switzerland has three universities-Berne, Basle, and Zurich,-which give medical diplomas and have medical schools attached to them. Each and all are well worthy of a visit, for each is a busy intellectual hive, in which much honest work is done, and from which yearly are sent many
July, 1871,
same cause.
To
explain
the
discrepancy which apparently
exists be
tween the fact of 1800 cases brought on by the sieges, am vet a diminution of 3000 on the total number of cases, Dr Lunier invokes the following factors : 1. Perturbation cause( by the invasion in the service of the asylums. 2. Greate : stringency as regards the admission of patients. 3. Diver sion produced by the events in the mental condition of : certain number of individuals predisposed to madness 4. In certain parts of the territory temporary diminutioi of alcoholic abuse in the civil population. 5. Rapid ter mination in death, and much oftener in cure, of the case: of madness developed by the events. In my last letter I referred to a very startling communi cation made by Dr. Davaine to the Academy, in which hi mentioned that a trillionth dilution of septicsemiain rabbit: and guinea-pigs was sufficient to cause death when inocu lated on one of the same species. I mentioned that thes results, coming from a man of recognised standing like Dr Davaine, had almost stupefied the whole assembly. Las Tuesday Dr. Bouley, at the same Academy, made a lon speech, in which, by a series of facts and inferences, hi destroyed Dr. Davaine’s conclusions, as far, at least, as the apply to the cow and horse. Dr. Davaine responded that hE meant them to apply exclusively to the kind of animals hE had experimented upon. Whereupon the president ap peared quite glad to be able to put in some comfortin words, and to say that if the terrifying effects of Dr Davaine’s experiments were to be confined to guinea-pig! and rabbits, and not to extend to larger animals, there wal
for anxiety. M. Thiers is now quite well. Great agitation has been caused recently in the Genera Council of the Seine by the wish of the radical portion of th< councillors to appoint Dr. Beclard, one of the members anc professor of physiology at the Faculty, president. He declined the honour, and at the election, which: took place a few days aao, was not nominated, though abou1 thirty of the members were anxious to vote for him. Dr. Vulpian, professor of pathological anatomy at thE Faculty, has been authorised by his colleagues and th( Minister of Public Instruction to take the chair of com. parative and experimental physiology, vacant by the resig. nation of Dr. Brown-Séquard. The chair of pathological anatomy is, therefore, now vacant, and will very likely bE given to Dr. Charcot, the distinguished physician of La Salp6tri6re, some of whose lectures you have recently pub. lished. The health of Paris was remarkably good last week. ThE total number of deaths during the week was only 794; whereas it had been 875 the preceding one. There are nc signs of any kind of epidemic existing or impending. It is with great regret that I record thedeath of two very distinguished cOYlfrères of this city-Dr. Horteloup, formerly surgeon to the Hotel Dieu, and Dr. S. Duplay. In my next letter I shall send you some details touching both of them. Paris, October lst, 1872. no cause
however,
(From an occasional Correspondent.) IN this letter I shall very briefly sketch the proceedings of the Association during the last three days of the meeting, so as to bring my account of the session to a close. September the 10th was an excursion day, and was devoted to a most interesting journey by river and sea to the furthermost end of the Department of Gironde, where it stretches into the sea. The sight was a very grand one. The huge dykes which are being built up so as to prevent the gradual and rather alarmingly rapid encroachings of the ocean on the coasts of Gironde were examined with much
In the Medical
briefly
one some
discussed.
cases.
Dr. Auguste Voisin, of Bicetre Hospital (Paris), read a paper entitled "Researches on the Morbid Histology of Mental Diseases." Several drawings were handed round, showing all sorts of brain lesions. Dr. Voisin has come to the conclusion that all cases of madness, even those proceeding from moral causes, are accompanied by lesions of the nervous centres. The Anthropological section was well attended the same day, and various subjects of interest were discussed or brought on the tapis by MM. Quatrefages, Broca, Chasteigner, Trutat, Berchon, &c. In the Zoological section, M. Périer disclosed the wonders of the bottom of the sea. Dr. Plumeau described the "Phylloxera vastatrix," which is now doing such damage to the vineyards of the South of France. M. Quatrefages described some of the sea animals of Arcachon. Dr. Metadier showed a "wood-fish," and spoke of the "genital organs of the coa." At the general sitting, which took place at two o’clock the same day, M. Frossard (Protestant minister at Bagnerres de Bigorres) spoke of the Société Ramond," founded in August, 1865, and presented the Association with a copy of its transactions. This society was at first a kind of Alpine club ; no one could be admitted a member unless he had climbed the Pyrenees 7000 metres above the level of the It was, therefore, the Pyrenean club. Since then it sea. had widened its doors, and its transactions contain communications on anthropology, botany, geology, meteorology, &c. &c. "
SWITZERLAND: A GLIMPSE AT ITS
UNIVERSITIES, HOSPITALS, AND
(From
BORDEAUX.
curiosity. Wednesday, llth.-Sections opened,
Dr. Rubio, of Madrid, read a paper "On a New Mode of Termination of Nervous Fibres." Dr. Armingaud spoke of Trousseau’s point apophysaire and spinal irritation. He insisted on the importance of finding out the point apophysaire in neuralgia, as it may then be efficaciously treated by local means-blistering, actual cautery, &c. Dr. Peyraud read a pa.per "On the Antagonism of Bromide of Potassium and of Substances which excite Epileptiform Convulsions." The substances investigated in the memoir were essence of wormwood and Japan camphor. The effects of these substances were successfully neutralised by bromide of potassium. Furthermore, as it was found that the camphor and wormwood diminished the production of sugar and glycogenic matter, Dr. Peyra,ud was led to employ camphor in a case of diabetes, and diminution of sugar rapidly took place. Dr. Rollet recommended the use of valerian powder and purified turpentine in the treatment of epilepsy (ten parts of valerian to ten of turpentine). Dr. Boulland (of Limoges) spoke of " the endosmotic properties of animal membranes," especially the fibrous coating of the frog’s stomach. Dr. Lefort (of Paris) spoke of " acute glaucoma," which he believes is due to dropsy of the serous membrane which separates the choroid from the sclerotic. Dr. Lefort therefore performs sclerotic paracentesis of the eye. He related the details of two successful
as
usual,
papers of interest
were
at 10 A.M.
read and
our
BATHS
Special Correspondent.)
NUMEROUS as are the visitors annually to the great playground of Europe, few trouble themselves with the charitable and educational institutions of the country. They are in search of health and amusement, and are content to explore the lovely lakes or the stupendous mountains for which Switzerland is so celebrated; and they scarcely bestow a thought on the great social peculiarities of the people, or devote more than a passing glance to the various charitable institutions which this comparatively poor country supports, but which, in number, variety, and excellence, often vie with those to be found in the principal cities of England. Switzerland has three universities-Berne, Basle, and Zurich,-which give medical diplomas and have medical schools attached to them. Each and all are well worthy of a visit, for each is a busy intellectual hive, in which much honest work is done, and from which yearly are sent many