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PARTIAL LESIONS OF THE RECURRENT LARYNGEAL NERVE.
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patient was similarly treated and recovered. A third globin, it is consequently easy to recognise hydrocyani patient, a lady, was found suffering from frequent attacks of acid not only in the blood, but with the help of the latter vertigo, great debility, and considerable heematuria. After by the following analytical process: A cubic centimetre the first dose of bichromate of potash the urine became of blood is diluted with ninety-nine times its volume of quite clear, and merely contained a few red corpuscles. There distilled water, to which is added, drop by drop, and with In a fourth case the disease had existed ten continuous shaking, a newly prepared 1 per cent. solution was no return. months, and there was considerable emaciation and pallor of ferrocyanide of potassium. When the blood is free from and a small pulse. Two or three litres of bsemato-chyluric hydrocyanic acid the liquor changes from red to yellowurine were passed daily, and there were frequent attacks of that is, methaemoglobin is formed, and the spectrum of vertigo. Here also the treatment proved successful. Dr. the latter is seen. Blood containing hydrocyanic acid Delfin believes the success of his treatment is due to the does not lose its colour, but becomes bright-red, and action of the bichromate of potash on the blood and its red shows no absorption band in the spectrum-or, in other ,corpuscles. He also thinks that the drug is a poison to words, cyanmethaemoglobin has been formed. By exactly the filaria. In the course of the discussion which followed the same process any organ may be analysed for hydrothe paper, Dr. Tamayo mentioned a case where bichromate cyanic acid if it has first been distilled in acetic acid. It is ,of potash had cured bsemato-chyluna of three years’ stand- necessary to observe in all these experiments that neither ing, and Dr. Saladrigas referred to some cases where this the diluted blood nor the examined liquids become alkaline, condition, occurring in the course of tuberculosis, had been but rather show a slightly acid reaction, because n3etbTmocured by the use of tannin. Although the dose employed globin also becomes red in alkaline liquids. Professor by Dr. Delfin was exceedingly small, he assured the Kobert gives yet another method to distinguish blood which members present that still smaller quantities could be contains hydrocyanic acid from normal blood, which he bases on the fact that the self-reduction of the blood is arrested by ’recognised by their presence in the urine. the presence of the smallest quantity of hydrocyanic acid. A 1 per cent. solution of normal blood becomes darker when WELLINGTON COLLEGE. and shows after some hours or days, in place of the standing, IT cannot be regarded as otherwise than a calamity when oxyhaemoglobin spectrum, the spectrum of reduced haemoa large and popular public school like Wellington College is, globin-that only oneyellowish-green band in place of is called upon to send from three to four hundred boys to two such bands. Blood which contains hydrocyanic acid their homes, at a few hours’ notice, owing to an outbreak same circumstances without change. of serious infectious illness at the the remains under the
College, jeopardising
and placing the whole number in more or less danger. This course has been adopted, we believe, under the advice of Sir Andrew Clark, President of the College of Physicians, and others. We therefore cannot doubt that it was the best course to pursue under existing circumstances, when made with all the provisions necessary for the protection of others not specially interested in Wellington College. Very grave responsibility rests on the institution which has ignored for years past the advice tendered to it in the columns of THE LANCET to institute a public .and impartial inquiry into the cause of these repeated outvreaks of infectious illness amongst the boys. The Prince of Wales is President of the College, and we appeal to His Royal Highness no longer to permit his high patronage to be made a cloak to cover the defects of this institution, some of which are perfectly well known to us, to which attention has been directed in our columns, and which have been systematically ignored. His Royal Highness is labouring under the anxiety of illness in his own son ; he is therefore ,able the better to sympathise with those parents who have sons still remaining in hospital at Wellington College. lives of
some
PARTIAL LESIONS OF THE RECURRENT LARYNGEAL NERVE. AT the sitting of the Iteale Accademia di Medicina at Turin on Nov. 20th, Dr. Ignazio Dionisio, director of the Department of Maladies of the Nose and Throat in the Policlinico of that city, communicated some interesting results of experiments made by himself on dogs with a view to establish whether the median position of the vocal cord, which is observed in partial lesions of the recurrent nerve, is due to spasm of the adductors or to a paralysis of the abductor. Measuring the force which the vocal cord displays in adduction in normal conditions, during expiration and when the recurrent nerve is compressed, he noted in this second case diminution of the force of adduction. He concluded in favour of the theory which admits the greater vulnerability of the abductor fibres in lesions of the recurrent
laryngeal nerve.
THE NORTH BUCKS SCHOOL OF HEALTH.
THE DETECTION OF HYDROCYANIC ACID IN THE BLOOD. PROFESSOR R. KOBERT, director of the Pharmacological institute at Dorpat, has lately published a little work, which is a valuable addition to our knowledge with regard to -analysis of the blood for hydrocyanic acid. The chief result of his experiment has been to prove that hydrocyanic acid forms, with methoemoglobin, a new body called cyanmethaemoglobin, distinguished by its intensely red colour, and distinguishable from oxyhsemoglobin and its modified combinations, which are likewise red, by the spectroscope only. -Neither the spectrum of oxyhsemoglobin nor that of the alkaline red metbsemoglobin, nor any characteristic absorption band, is shown by cyanmethsemoglobin in the spectroscope. It is due to this body that the blood, after hydro.cyanic acid poisoning, shows such an intensely red colour i in all places where methaemoglobin can be found ; but as oxybsemoglobin, which gives the blood its normal colour, may with the greatest ease be transformed into methaemoI
ARRANGEMENTS have been made in North Bucks for the teaching of ladies the elements of domestic hygiene, the intention being that these ladies shall in their turn become teachers of this subject to the mothers and girls of the rural population. Mr. Frederick Verney is the leading spirit in this movement, and he has recently published a letter from Miss Florence Nightingale, which expresses With a view to cordial sympathy with its objects. the lectures which it is proposed at attendance encouraging shall be given, the railway fares will, under certain conditions, be paid for a limited number of students. We are glad to observe that Mr. De’Atb, the medical officer of health for Buckingham, has undertaken the duty of lecturing; and, starting under these auspices, it may be expected that useful work will be done. There is no doubt that the medical officer of health of a district may render useful service in educating those with whom he comes in contact, and certainly none need this assistance more than the poor of rural districts. It is common experience that lives are frequently lost from the ignorance of these people as to the most simple pi ecautionit
patient was similarly treated and recovered. A third globin, it is consequently easy to recognise hydrocyani patient, a lady, was found suffering from frequent attacks of acid not only in the blood, but with the help of the latter vertigo, great debility, and considerable heematuria. After by the following analytical process: A cubic centimetre the first dose of bichromate of potash the urine became of blood is diluted with ninety-nine times its volume of quite clear, and merely contained a few red corpuscles. There distilled water, to which is added, drop by drop, and with In a fourth case the disease had existed ten continuous shaking, a newly prepared 1 per cent. solution was no return. months, and there was considerable emaciation and pallor of ferrocyanide of potassium. When the blood is free from and a small pulse. Two or three litres of bsemato-chyluric hydrocyanic acid the liquor changes from red to yellowurine were passed daily, and there were frequent attacks of that is, methaemoglobin is formed, and the spectrum of vertigo. Here also the treatment proved successful. Dr. the latter is seen. Blood containing hydrocyanic acid Delfin believes the success of his treatment is due to the does not lose its colour, but becomes bright-red, and action of the bichromate of potash on the blood and its red shows no absorption band in the spectrum-or, in other ,corpuscles. He also thinks that the drug is a poison to words, cyanmethaemoglobin has been formed. By exactly the filaria. In the course of the discussion which followed the same process any organ may be analysed for hydrothe paper, Dr. Tamayo mentioned a case where bichromate cyanic acid if it has first been distilled in acetic acid. It is ,of potash had cured bsemato-chyluna of three years’ stand- necessary to observe in all these experiments that neither ing, and Dr. Saladrigas referred to some cases where this the diluted blood nor the examined liquids become alkaline, condition, occurring in the course of tuberculosis, had been but rather show a slightly acid reaction, because n3etbTmocured by the use of tannin. Although the dose employed globin also becomes red in alkaline liquids. Professor by Dr. Delfin was exceedingly small, he assured the Kobert gives yet another method to distinguish blood which members present that still smaller quantities could be contains hydrocyanic acid from normal blood, which he bases on the fact that the self-reduction of the blood is arrested by ’recognised by their presence in the urine. the presence of the smallest quantity of hydrocyanic acid. A 1 per cent. solution of normal blood becomes darker when WELLINGTON COLLEGE. and shows after some hours or days, in place of the standing, IT cannot be regarded as otherwise than a calamity when oxyhaemoglobin spectrum, the spectrum of reduced haemoa large and popular public school like Wellington College is, globin-that only oneyellowish-green band in place of is called upon to send from three to four hundred boys to two such bands. Blood which contains hydrocyanic acid their homes, at a few hours’ notice, owing to an outbreak same circumstances without change. of serious infectious illness at the the remains under the
College, jeopardising
and placing the whole number in more or less danger. This course has been adopted, we believe, under the advice of Sir Andrew Clark, President of the College of Physicians, and others. We therefore cannot doubt that it was the best course to pursue under existing circumstances, when made with all the provisions necessary for the protection of others not specially interested in Wellington College. Very grave responsibility rests on the institution which has ignored for years past the advice tendered to it in the columns of THE LANCET to institute a public .and impartial inquiry into the cause of these repeated outvreaks of infectious illness amongst the boys. The Prince of Wales is President of the College, and we appeal to His Royal Highness no longer to permit his high patronage to be made a cloak to cover the defects of this institution, some of which are perfectly well known to us, to which attention has been directed in our columns, and which have been systematically ignored. His Royal Highness is labouring under the anxiety of illness in his own son ; he is therefore ,able the better to sympathise with those parents who have sons still remaining in hospital at Wellington College. lives of
some
PARTIAL LESIONS OF THE RECURRENT LARYNGEAL NERVE. AT the sitting of the Iteale Accademia di Medicina at Turin on Nov. 20th, Dr. Ignazio Dionisio, director of the Department of Maladies of the Nose and Throat in the Policlinico of that city, communicated some interesting results of experiments made by himself on dogs with a view to establish whether the median position of the vocal cord, which is observed in partial lesions of the recurrent nerve, is due to spasm of the adductors or to a paralysis of the abductor. Measuring the force which the vocal cord displays in adduction in normal conditions, during expiration and when the recurrent nerve is compressed, he noted in this second case diminution of the force of adduction. He concluded in favour of the theory which admits the greater vulnerability of the abductor fibres in lesions of the recurrent
laryngeal nerve.
THE NORTH BUCKS SCHOOL OF HEALTH.
THE DETECTION OF HYDROCYANIC ACID IN THE BLOOD. PROFESSOR R. KOBERT, director of the Pharmacological institute at Dorpat, has lately published a little work, which is a valuable addition to our knowledge with regard to -analysis of the blood for hydrocyanic acid. The chief result of his experiment has been to prove that hydrocyanic acid forms, with methoemoglobin, a new body called cyanmethaemoglobin, distinguished by its intensely red colour, and distinguishable from oxyhsemoglobin and its modified combinations, which are likewise red, by the spectroscope only. -Neither the spectrum of oxyhsemoglobin nor that of the alkaline red metbsemoglobin, nor any characteristic absorption band, is shown by cyanmethsemoglobin in the spectroscope. It is due to this body that the blood, after hydro.cyanic acid poisoning, shows such an intensely red colour i in all places where methaemoglobin can be found ; but as oxybsemoglobin, which gives the blood its normal colour, may with the greatest ease be transformed into methaemoI
ARRANGEMENTS have been made in North Bucks for the teaching of ladies the elements of domestic hygiene, the intention being that these ladies shall in their turn become teachers of this subject to the mothers and girls of the rural population. Mr. Frederick Verney is the leading spirit in this movement, and he has recently published a letter from Miss Florence Nightingale, which expresses With a view to cordial sympathy with its objects. the lectures which it is proposed at attendance encouraging shall be given, the railway fares will, under certain conditions, be paid for a limited number of students. We are glad to observe that Mr. De’Atb, the medical officer of health for Buckingham, has undertaken the duty of lecturing; and, starting under these auspices, it may be expected that useful work will be done. There is no doubt that the medical officer of health of a district may render useful service in educating those with whom he comes in contact, and certainly none need this assistance more than the poor of rural districts. It is common experience that lives are frequently lost from the ignorance of these people as to the most simple pi ecautionit