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PRIVATE MUNIFICENCE AND MEDICAL RESEARCH.
533 where they are most exposed to light and alternations of temperature....... Freckles, which, curiously enough, occur most frequently on those with hair of a pronounced red colour, do not differ in any respect from the pigmented skins of the darker races except in regard to their colour and their circumscribed appearance. In persons of dark complexion there is, in addition to the red, brown, and yellow pigments, probably a very slight admixture of the black pigment. This may be present in sufficient quantity to impart a blackness in the hair but not abundant enough to destroy the fairness of the skin, though in exceptional situations its presence may be very evident." It is curious to note that "when the skin of a white man is grafted on to a negro the grafted patch assumes the normal tint of the individual, and, vice versa, when black skin is grafted on to white the pigment
plains
disappears." The article, which is illustrated with deserves careful perusal.
photo-micrographs,
THE LATE PROFESSOR KANTHACK. publish in another column a letter dealing with the question of a memorial to the late Professor Kanthack. The form of the proposed memorial is, we think, very admirable, for it is intended to provide for the widow of the deceased during her lifetime and after her death to apply the capital sum to some permanent memorial of him who was one of our most brilliant ps,thologists. All who knew him should subscribe according to their ability. He was known to many personally, to more perhaps by his work, and there should be no difficulty in collecting an adequate sum for the objects set forth in our correspondence columns.
WE
THE ARTHRITIS OF CEREBRO-SPINAL MENINGITIS.
and thick pus was drained away. A small catheter was passed under the dura mater and the membranes were irrigated with normal saline solution. Much pus escaped. The patient was improved in health at the time of the report. The infectious arthritides while common in some fevers are very rare in others. The general view has been that the arthritis of cerebro-spinal fever is a secondary effect of the meningitis; the separation of the organism from the blood and joints in the first case shows that it may be the direct effect of a widespread diplococcus septicsemia.
THE MILROY LECTURES: AN INTERESTING EXHIBIT. AT the close of his first lecture Dr. Poore exhibited an series of rabbits which had been buried in wire cages for a year at different depths and under different conditions. The results of these experiments will be dealt with in an appendix. The specimens will be again shown at the close of the lectures on Tuesday and Thursday next to anyone interested in the subject.
interesting
-
PRIVATE MUNIFICENCE AND MEDICAL RESEARCH. IT will be remembered that some little time ago Mr. Balfour made an eloquent appeal for the richer endowment of medical research. In commenting on the speech of Mr. Balfour1 we remarked that we hoped it was a foreshadowing of a Government grant in aid of such research. Our hope has so far not been realised and so private generosity has come forward. We learn that Sir Frederick Wills has forwarded to the treasurer of Guy’s Hospital a cheque for r.5000 to be used for the benefit of the medical school It is perhaps only fitting that an institution founded by private charity should continue to benefit by the munificence of a private benefactor, but we think it quite time for the State, which has in the past (and very probably will in the near future repeat its action) laid rude hands upon the moneys of pious founders, to do something for the carrying on of that research upon the results of which the health and happiness not only of the living but of those yet unborn may depend. However this may be medicine and science can and do unite in offering very hearty thanks to Sir Frederick o
DR. OSLER has contributed an important paper to the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal of Dec. 29th, 1898, on this subject. Arthritis is a very inconstant symptom. An old writer, North, in his valuable " Treatise on a Malignant Epidemic commonly called Spotted Fever" (New York, 1811) mentions "swelling like rheumatism of the joints." In the recent outbreak in Boston arthritis occurred in six out 111 Dr. Osler relates two cases. In one the onset cases. was abrupt and accompanied by chill. There were marked fever, stiffness of the neck, splenic enlargement, delirium, and unconsciousness from which the Wills. patient could not be roused. The arthritis was the most "TIGER NUTS." prominent symptom. The right wrist, the elbows, and knees were red and swollen. The condition of the joints suggested A NOT infrequent and very troublesome form of rectal pyæmia, but the deep coma and rigidity of the neck cerebro- obstruction in children arises from the practice of eating spinal fever. There was consolidation of the lower part of what are known as " tiger nuts." These nuts are of a somethe right lung which appeared to be pneumonic, but while what flattened conical shape, from a quarter to half an inch meningeal symptoms in ordinary pneumonia are not un- long and inclosed in a dry, brown, inseparable skin marked common they are rarely associated with stiffness of the with transverse ridges. Being small they are apt to be taken neck, and arthritis is excessively rare. Lumbar puncture in considerable quantity and being hard they are commonly gave a turbid fluid containing lymph and the diplococcus swallowed in a crushed but unmasticated state. The natural intracellularis. Half an ounce of pus obtained from the result as it is revealed to the practitioner who is called in a right knee showed the diplococcus and the blood also con- few days after this injurious repast is a peculiarly painful tained it. This is the first case in which during life the impaction of the rectum. The finger passed within the anus organism has been isolated from the blood and joints. The finds itself in what feels like a mass oE small coal. Defecation In is a necropsy revealed purulent cerebro-spinal meningitis. misery. Enemata are at the outset of treatment nearly the second case the illness began with pain and redness and useless. The finger and the spoon are equally painful and swelling of the right ankle, then the left ankle and right hip inadequate, and the only effectaal method of evacuation were affected. The diagnosis was doubtful, but typhoid with which we are acquainted is to administer chloroform fever was suspected. Pain in the back on the sixth day and and unload the rectum with an ordinary ovum carefully retraction of the neck (without rigidity) on the seventh day forceps. This process ought to be followed up by bland aroused suspicion. The joint symptoms subsided completely. disinfectant enemata used alternately with others of olive or On the twelfth day the legs were limp and paraplegic linseed oil. Sometimes the removal of the nut-fragments and there was anaesthesia as high as the umbilicus sur- is followed by a species of mucous diarrhoea which is unmounted by a band of hypersestbesia. There were no pleasantly suggestive of the mischief which they are capable reflexes to be obtained from the legs. Lumbar puncture of causing in the There is, indeed, no upper bowel. gave exit to two drachms of pus containing suspicious 1 THE LANCET, July 16th, 1898, p. 163. looking diplococci. The lower part of the cord was exposed
plains
disappears." The article, which is illustrated with deserves careful perusal.
photo-micrographs,
THE LATE PROFESSOR KANTHACK. publish in another column a letter dealing with the question of a memorial to the late Professor Kanthack. The form of the proposed memorial is, we think, very admirable, for it is intended to provide for the widow of the deceased during her lifetime and after her death to apply the capital sum to some permanent memorial of him who was one of our most brilliant ps,thologists. All who knew him should subscribe according to their ability. He was known to many personally, to more perhaps by his work, and there should be no difficulty in collecting an adequate sum for the objects set forth in our correspondence columns.
WE
THE ARTHRITIS OF CEREBRO-SPINAL MENINGITIS.
and thick pus was drained away. A small catheter was passed under the dura mater and the membranes were irrigated with normal saline solution. Much pus escaped. The patient was improved in health at the time of the report. The infectious arthritides while common in some fevers are very rare in others. The general view has been that the arthritis of cerebro-spinal fever is a secondary effect of the meningitis; the separation of the organism from the blood and joints in the first case shows that it may be the direct effect of a widespread diplococcus septicsemia.
THE MILROY LECTURES: AN INTERESTING EXHIBIT. AT the close of his first lecture Dr. Poore exhibited an series of rabbits which had been buried in wire cages for a year at different depths and under different conditions. The results of these experiments will be dealt with in an appendix. The specimens will be again shown at the close of the lectures on Tuesday and Thursday next to anyone interested in the subject.
interesting
-
PRIVATE MUNIFICENCE AND MEDICAL RESEARCH. IT will be remembered that some little time ago Mr. Balfour made an eloquent appeal for the richer endowment of medical research. In commenting on the speech of Mr. Balfour1 we remarked that we hoped it was a foreshadowing of a Government grant in aid of such research. Our hope has so far not been realised and so private generosity has come forward. We learn that Sir Frederick Wills has forwarded to the treasurer of Guy’s Hospital a cheque for r.5000 to be used for the benefit of the medical school It is perhaps only fitting that an institution founded by private charity should continue to benefit by the munificence of a private benefactor, but we think it quite time for the State, which has in the past (and very probably will in the near future repeat its action) laid rude hands upon the moneys of pious founders, to do something for the carrying on of that research upon the results of which the health and happiness not only of the living but of those yet unborn may depend. However this may be medicine and science can and do unite in offering very hearty thanks to Sir Frederick o
DR. OSLER has contributed an important paper to the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal of Dec. 29th, 1898, on this subject. Arthritis is a very inconstant symptom. An old writer, North, in his valuable " Treatise on a Malignant Epidemic commonly called Spotted Fever" (New York, 1811) mentions "swelling like rheumatism of the joints." In the recent outbreak in Boston arthritis occurred in six out 111 Dr. Osler relates two cases. In one the onset cases. was abrupt and accompanied by chill. There were marked fever, stiffness of the neck, splenic enlargement, delirium, and unconsciousness from which the Wills. patient could not be roused. The arthritis was the most "TIGER NUTS." prominent symptom. The right wrist, the elbows, and knees were red and swollen. The condition of the joints suggested A NOT infrequent and very troublesome form of rectal pyæmia, but the deep coma and rigidity of the neck cerebro- obstruction in children arises from the practice of eating spinal fever. There was consolidation of the lower part of what are known as " tiger nuts." These nuts are of a somethe right lung which appeared to be pneumonic, but while what flattened conical shape, from a quarter to half an inch meningeal symptoms in ordinary pneumonia are not un- long and inclosed in a dry, brown, inseparable skin marked common they are rarely associated with stiffness of the with transverse ridges. Being small they are apt to be taken neck, and arthritis is excessively rare. Lumbar puncture in considerable quantity and being hard they are commonly gave a turbid fluid containing lymph and the diplococcus swallowed in a crushed but unmasticated state. The natural intracellularis. Half an ounce of pus obtained from the result as it is revealed to the practitioner who is called in a right knee showed the diplococcus and the blood also con- few days after this injurious repast is a peculiarly painful tained it. This is the first case in which during life the impaction of the rectum. The finger passed within the anus organism has been isolated from the blood and joints. The finds itself in what feels like a mass oE small coal. Defecation In is a necropsy revealed purulent cerebro-spinal meningitis. misery. Enemata are at the outset of treatment nearly the second case the illness began with pain and redness and useless. The finger and the spoon are equally painful and swelling of the right ankle, then the left ankle and right hip inadequate, and the only effectaal method of evacuation were affected. The diagnosis was doubtful, but typhoid with which we are acquainted is to administer chloroform fever was suspected. Pain in the back on the sixth day and and unload the rectum with an ordinary ovum carefully retraction of the neck (without rigidity) on the seventh day forceps. This process ought to be followed up by bland aroused suspicion. The joint symptoms subsided completely. disinfectant enemata used alternately with others of olive or On the twelfth day the legs were limp and paraplegic linseed oil. Sometimes the removal of the nut-fragments and there was anaesthesia as high as the umbilicus sur- is followed by a species of mucous diarrhoea which is unmounted by a band of hypersestbesia. There were no pleasantly suggestive of the mischief which they are capable reflexes to be obtained from the legs. Lumbar puncture of causing in the There is, indeed, no upper bowel. gave exit to two drachms of pus containing suspicious 1 THE LANCET, July 16th, 1898, p. 163. looking diplococci. The lower part of the cord was exposed