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CHARING CROSS HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL
1404
unhappy childhood, married young, and borne 12 children, with four abortions. In 1912 she was seriously ill with broncho-pneumonia and pleurisy. She lives almost in indigence, but such food as she eats is in no way out of the ordinary. During Lent she fasts strictly, eating only soup and milk, and at this time the phenomenon manifests itself most frequently, particularly during Holy Week when the fast is almost absolute. In one night the light appeared 25 times.
Convinced that the appearance of the not the result of collective hallucination, Dr. Protti installed a powerful cinematograph with a supersensitive film on which an automatic registration of the duration of the light could be made. Above the region of the heart he suspended a photo-electric cell connected with a sensitive galvanometer, and in order to eliminate all possibility of electricity being used he arranged an electroscope enabling him to examine the state of the electric charge of the air round the patient. The bed was insulated from the floor. With the room in complete darkness a light was seen after a time to emerge from the bedclothes and Dr. Protti immediately started the cinematograph at 16 photograms per second. The light lasted 33/16 seconds and gradually faded away. It illuminated the jaw and cheek bones, but caused little shadow contrast. It arose from the region of the heart from an area the size of an adult’s open hand, and was sufficiently strong to make the adjacent beds visible. No current was registered on the galvanometer, and when the observation was controlled there was no appreciable change on the electroscope. However, a definite shadow appeared on the cinema film. Monaro, whose sleep is usually broken and disturbed, woke with a start. At the time the light appears the heart accelerates to about double the usual rate. An estimation of the radiating property of the patient’s blood showed this to be three times that of normal blood, and it is considered that this is significant in connexion with the origin of the light. This property is said to vary with the
light
was
basal metabolic rate ; clinically there was no evidence of toxic goitre, but no metabolism estimation was made. Having, as he believes, excluded trickery and the taking of phosphorus Dr. Protti suggests that the religious complex which dominates the patient disturbs the endocrines, upsets the vagosympathetic balance, and induces certain salts of the blood, notably sulphur compounds, to become phosphorescent. Such a change, he thinks, is facilitated by the fasting state. More recently Dr. G. W. Crile is reported to have demonstrated at Cleveland the emission of both visible and infra-red waves from the brains of dogs, the radiation being increased by thyroxine and adrenaline and decreased by anaesthetics. Alcohol first increased and then diminished the radiation. CHARING CROSS HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL
PUBLIC appeal was launched at the beginning of November for assistance to the medical school of Charing Cross Hospital, the occasion being the centenary of the school which was founded in 1834 by Dr. Benjamin Golding. The appeal was made by Air Vice-Marshall C. A. H. Longcroft, and Major Colin Cooper, who presided over the preliminary the subscription list with a gift of " in memory of all those members of the Royal Flying Corps who fell in the war." Dr. Golding who founded the school was a far-sighted man. He saw the lack of hospital relief in the densely populated district where he lived, and he opened his house in St. Martin’s-lane fur the reception of patients and
meeting, opened .S1000
speedily found that the accommodation was outrun. The possibility of founding a charity then suggested itself and a general infirmary and dispensary with 12 to 15 beds was started in Villiers-street while the proper establishment of the hospital was invited and secured. In 1831 the foundation-stone of the present Charing Cross Hospital was laid and the hospital, with a medical school within its buildings, was opened on Oct. 1st, 1834. The original design of the institution was the foundation of a charity and a
support of
medical school as integral parts " where practical information may be conjoined with scientific instrucThe story of the development of Charing tion." Cross Hospital from then up till now is well told in the brochure justifying the appeal. This, incidentally, is the only public appeal which the school has ever made, but we may recommend to our readers the account of the hospital and school written some 20 years ago by Dr. William Hunter, on which the historical information is based. The present school buildings were erected in 1881. Since then many additions and alterations have been effected in order that their efficiency should be Further work of this nature is now maintained. In particular, extended laboratory necessary. accommodation for the teaching of pathology, bacteriology, and public health is essential. One of the lecture theatres requires to be modernised by the provision of new seating and appointments. By reason of its age, the central heating system, which has been installed for many years, no longer functions with economy and satisfaction and must consequently be entirely renewed. Accommodation for research is at present scanty and needs urgently to be extended, and other structural alterations are also immediately desirable. If, as is hoped, it is a to establish students’ hostel, certain of the possible accommodation in the basement of the school would be released and would be utilised for the provision of a squash rackets court for the Students’ Union. Such a means of providing recreation and exercise for the students during their moments of leisure is to highly commended. Donations may be sent to the secretary, Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, 62-65, Chandosstreet, London, W.C.2, or to the school bankers, Messrs. Coutts and Co., 440, Strand, W.C.2, for the credit of " Charing Cross School Appeal" account. They may be specifically allocated to any of the objects of the appeal, or may be left for allocation as the school committee of management may think most desirable. ANOTHER ANALGESIC FOR CHILDBIRTH MANY barbiturate
compounds
have been tried
in childbirth.
as
None has hitherto been free from disadvantages which, on the whole, more than counterbalanced the advantages provided. Now, however, the claim is madeby Dr. Emmet H. Rund, of St. Louis, Mo., for allobarbitone B.P.C. (diallyl barbituric acid) that it alleviates pain, relaxes cervix and perineum, does not retard labour, and does not depress the respiration of the new-born infant. Allobarbitone is nearly insoluble in water, but combined with four parts of urethane it goes readily into the 10 per cent. solution known in this country as Dial ampoules Ciba. This solution was given by intramuscular or intravenous injections of 2 c.cm. Usually one such injection is given when labour is well established, and a second one about half an hour before the expected end of the second
analgesics
1 Amer. Jour. Surg., November, 1934, p. 288.
unhappy childhood, married young, and borne 12 children, with four abortions. In 1912 she was seriously ill with broncho-pneumonia and pleurisy. She lives almost in indigence, but such food as she eats is in no way out of the ordinary. During Lent she fasts strictly, eating only soup and milk, and at this time the phenomenon manifests itself most frequently, particularly during Holy Week when the fast is almost absolute. In one night the light appeared 25 times.
Convinced that the appearance of the not the result of collective hallucination, Dr. Protti installed a powerful cinematograph with a supersensitive film on which an automatic registration of the duration of the light could be made. Above the region of the heart he suspended a photo-electric cell connected with a sensitive galvanometer, and in order to eliminate all possibility of electricity being used he arranged an electroscope enabling him to examine the state of the electric charge of the air round the patient. The bed was insulated from the floor. With the room in complete darkness a light was seen after a time to emerge from the bedclothes and Dr. Protti immediately started the cinematograph at 16 photograms per second. The light lasted 33/16 seconds and gradually faded away. It illuminated the jaw and cheek bones, but caused little shadow contrast. It arose from the region of the heart from an area the size of an adult’s open hand, and was sufficiently strong to make the adjacent beds visible. No current was registered on the galvanometer, and when the observation was controlled there was no appreciable change on the electroscope. However, a definite shadow appeared on the cinema film. Monaro, whose sleep is usually broken and disturbed, woke with a start. At the time the light appears the heart accelerates to about double the usual rate. An estimation of the radiating property of the patient’s blood showed this to be three times that of normal blood, and it is considered that this is significant in connexion with the origin of the light. This property is said to vary with the
light
was
basal metabolic rate ; clinically there was no evidence of toxic goitre, but no metabolism estimation was made. Having, as he believes, excluded trickery and the taking of phosphorus Dr. Protti suggests that the religious complex which dominates the patient disturbs the endocrines, upsets the vagosympathetic balance, and induces certain salts of the blood, notably sulphur compounds, to become phosphorescent. Such a change, he thinks, is facilitated by the fasting state. More recently Dr. G. W. Crile is reported to have demonstrated at Cleveland the emission of both visible and infra-red waves from the brains of dogs, the radiation being increased by thyroxine and adrenaline and decreased by anaesthetics. Alcohol first increased and then diminished the radiation. CHARING CROSS HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL
PUBLIC appeal was launched at the beginning of November for assistance to the medical school of Charing Cross Hospital, the occasion being the centenary of the school which was founded in 1834 by Dr. Benjamin Golding. The appeal was made by Air Vice-Marshall C. A. H. Longcroft, and Major Colin Cooper, who presided over the preliminary the subscription list with a gift of " in memory of all those members of the Royal Flying Corps who fell in the war." Dr. Golding who founded the school was a far-sighted man. He saw the lack of hospital relief in the densely populated district where he lived, and he opened his house in St. Martin’s-lane fur the reception of patients and
meeting, opened .S1000
speedily found that the accommodation was outrun. The possibility of founding a charity then suggested itself and a general infirmary and dispensary with 12 to 15 beds was started in Villiers-street while the proper establishment of the hospital was invited and secured. In 1831 the foundation-stone of the present Charing Cross Hospital was laid and the hospital, with a medical school within its buildings, was opened on Oct. 1st, 1834. The original design of the institution was the foundation of a charity and a
support of
medical school as integral parts " where practical information may be conjoined with scientific instrucThe story of the development of Charing tion." Cross Hospital from then up till now is well told in the brochure justifying the appeal. This, incidentally, is the only public appeal which the school has ever made, but we may recommend to our readers the account of the hospital and school written some 20 years ago by Dr. William Hunter, on which the historical information is based. The present school buildings were erected in 1881. Since then many additions and alterations have been effected in order that their efficiency should be Further work of this nature is now maintained. In particular, extended laboratory necessary. accommodation for the teaching of pathology, bacteriology, and public health is essential. One of the lecture theatres requires to be modernised by the provision of new seating and appointments. By reason of its age, the central heating system, which has been installed for many years, no longer functions with economy and satisfaction and must consequently be entirely renewed. Accommodation for research is at present scanty and needs urgently to be extended, and other structural alterations are also immediately desirable. If, as is hoped, it is a to establish students’ hostel, certain of the possible accommodation in the basement of the school would be released and would be utilised for the provision of a squash rackets court for the Students’ Union. Such a means of providing recreation and exercise for the students during their moments of leisure is to highly commended. Donations may be sent to the secretary, Charing Cross Hospital Medical School, 62-65, Chandosstreet, London, W.C.2, or to the school bankers, Messrs. Coutts and Co., 440, Strand, W.C.2, for the credit of " Charing Cross School Appeal" account. They may be specifically allocated to any of the objects of the appeal, or may be left for allocation as the school committee of management may think most desirable. ANOTHER ANALGESIC FOR CHILDBIRTH MANY barbiturate
compounds
have been tried
in childbirth.
as
None has hitherto been free from disadvantages which, on the whole, more than counterbalanced the advantages provided. Now, however, the claim is madeby Dr. Emmet H. Rund, of St. Louis, Mo., for allobarbitone B.P.C. (diallyl barbituric acid) that it alleviates pain, relaxes cervix and perineum, does not retard labour, and does not depress the respiration of the new-born infant. Allobarbitone is nearly insoluble in water, but combined with four parts of urethane it goes readily into the 10 per cent. solution known in this country as Dial ampoules Ciba. This solution was given by intramuscular or intravenous injections of 2 c.cm. Usually one such injection is given when labour is well established, and a second one about half an hour before the expected end of the second
analgesics
1 Amer. Jour. Surg., November, 1934, p. 288.