BRISTOL DISPENSARY FOR DISEASES OF THE SKIN.

172 of dentition, and the disorders connected When the bowels are relaxed, of bad colour, and offensive, small doses of mercury with chalk, combined with rhubarb, I find the most serviceable. Where there is a tendency to constipation, the same, in combination with ipecaH. cuanha, may be prescribed with advantage; or where the T. BARTLEY, M.D., M.R.C.S., motions Reported by ROBERT are acid, a little ponderous magnesia, with rhubarb. Surgeon to the Dispensary. Sometimes the disease continues, in spite of all our remedies, IMPETIGO CAPITIS. until after the whole of the milk teeth are through, being CASE 3.-Edwin B-, aged six months, admitted Feb. worse at the period of the irruption of the tooth, and becoming well when it has made its way through the llth, 1846, with an eruption of whitish pustules, situated comparatively free Hence, gum. lancing of the gums is always called for chiefly at the back part of the head, of four months’ standing. under these circumstances. It is needless to say, that the food The pustules speedily maturate, and pour out a sero-purulent least should be of the stimulating character. While lightest and which encases the surface with a thick, discharge, drying, the the child is should mother’s milk evidently dissuckling, semi-transparent, yellow crust, and thus, after a few days, by agree, that of a nurse should be obtained if practicable, healthy the hair its to a felting together, giving rise, by irritation, morbid offensive secretion, which is pent up beneath it. The otherwise barley-water, thinned with a little milk, and child is very fretful, and continually scratches his head. sweetened with white sugar, should be substituted for the Here and there, on detaching the crusts, are superficial ulcer- breast-milk, the child being weaned. Exercise in the open air desirable, as tending to improve the general health; the ations, appearing as if caused by a confluence of numerous is bowels kept free by an occasional dose of castor-oil, psydracious pustules. The child is at the breast, the mother rhubarbbeing and magnesia, or manna. When the disease is kept an and ill-fed. being unhealthy-looking woman, very poor, The bowels have been for some weeks past in a relaxed state, up by the irritation of worms, which it frequently is at a more the motions being dark-coloured, slimy, and very offensive. advanced age, of course appropriate remedies must be emwith a view to their expulsion, and the treatment Ordered, mercury with chalk, three grains; powdered rhu- ployed afterwards followed up by tonics. The crusts barb, two grains, to be taken every other night. to be well soaked with warm milk-and-water, and the head to be covered with an oiled-silk cap. Feb. 18th.-The scabs are very strongly adherent, the warm water being insufficient to detach them, and the cap has not MILITARY FLOCCINC, AND ITS EFFECTS. been worn sufficiently long for that purpose. Ordered to repeat the powders, the motions being still dark and slimy, MEDICAL EVIDENCE AT THE LATE INQUEST and to wear the oiled-silk cap constantly till the next visit, occasionally removing it for the scalp to be washed. AT HOUNSLOW. March 14th.-The powders to be taken twice a week, the AN inquest was recently held at Hounslow, in the parish motions having assumed a healthier appearance. The eruption is on the decline; the itching, which has been alleviated by of Heston, Middlesex, on the 15th, 20th, and 27th of July, of Frederick John sub-borate of soda lotion, having nearly subsided. The and the 3rd of August inst., on the body oiled-silk cap, by keeping the surface constantly moist, and pre- White, aged twenty-seven years, a private in the 7th regiment of Hussars, who, in pursuance of a sentence of a District Courtventing the matter from the pustules encrusting, has been martial, held at the Cavalry barracks, at Hounslow-heath, on decidedly beneficial. account of a sudden assault committed by him on a sergeant 22nd.-A in marked difference the of the April appearance mother seems to attend to the orders given her, by of the same regiment, received 150 lashes with a cat-of-ninehead; thethe administered by two regimental farriers, on the 15th washing scalp repeatedly with warm water; the motions tails, of June last. Whilst undergoing this punishment, he was are healthy in colour and consistence, and the child is not so bound by the arms and legs to a ladder nailed to the wall. irritable. A similar plan of treatment was pursued till the 20th of He suppressed any expression of pain, but asked for water during his flogging, which was given to him. On being May, and with gradual improvement in the symptoms. The untied, water was thrown on his shirt, which was replaced greater part of the surface is, however, red and inflamed, but on him, and covered by his coat. He then walked to the without any fresh pustules appearing. The gums being hot and tense over the two anterior incisors of the lower jaw, I hospital, of which he continued an inmate until his death on directed them to be lanced, and castor-oil, one drachm, to be the llth of July. Lieut.-Colonel Whyte, and the surgeon of the regiment, taken every alternate morning. June 6th.-The scalp is resuming its normal appearance; Dr. Warren, were both present at the flogging; but it was the epidermis is exfoliating, (a sure sign of approaching cure,) stated in evidence, that the latter did not examine the man’s and the secretions from the bowels are natural. Some of the condition during its progress, and that although the surgeon came into the hospital shortly after White had entered it, superficial cervical glands are enlarged, but without being at he did not speak to the deceased, "nor did Dr. Warren all tender. The two lower anterior incisors are through the ’, feel his pulse, or examine his back" at the time, nor gum. deceased until about ten o’clock on the next 17th.-The mother appeared to think the child nearly well, "look at According to further evidence, the deceased felt morning." and though desired to come up, as usual, this was the last day very faint after undressing himself. On coming in from the of her attendance. punishment, and lying on his bed, he sent to request from the Remarks.-Of the cases applying for relief at the Dispensary, sergeant a basin of tea, " as he had had no breakfast on that at least three-eighths are children from the age of seven day before the flogging, nor any food for seventeen hours bemonths to two years. This is to be accounted for from the fore the punishment." (Evidence of Private Skinner.) This fact that a large number of skin diseases at this early period request was, however, refused. He obtained some tea and are connected with the process of dentition, as well as with bread-and-butter, privately, by the voluntary act of one of his the susceptible condition of the mucous membrane of the comrades in the hospital; but on the first day of his entrance, stomach and bowels. Impetigo capitis is one of the com- it is stated that he had no drink given to him, nor any food, monest, as well as one of the most troublesome, complaints by order of any authority in the hospital. The following account of his progressive condition and which we are called upon to treat among the children of the poor, who are allowed to carry about with them the disease treatment while in the hospital, has been extracted from the for months, before advice is sought, and at the same time, to evidence of the regimental surgeon and others, given before be neglected altogether in the matter of cleanliness. Local the coroner, and from the ward-book and medical register treatment beyond repeated ablutions is seldom called for in kept at the hospital, and produced at the inquest. On going into the hospital, on the 15th of June, it appears, these cases, though in cases where the surface has become from repeated scratching, and where the itching from an entry in the medical register in Dr. ZVarren’s (the excoriated is severe, I have found an emollient a sootliing, and at the regimental surgeon) handwriting, that White’s back was " a same time, a simple, remedy in the decoction of marsh-mallow, good deal lacerated and swollen, and covered with blood;" in mixed with oatmeal, in the form of a poultice, and applied the words of other witnesses, he was " severely punished from just warm; but in this disease we can seldom expect much the neck to the loins," the worst part being between the benefit from local applications. The state of the bowels shoulder-blades, where was a wound "about six inches in must be carefully inquired into, as well as the mode of length, and four or five in breadth." The only applications tp

BRISTOL DISPENSARY FOR DISEASES OF THE SKIN.

feeding, the period therewith.