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SOME LESSONS OF SUICIDE.
POISONING BY TINNED BEEF.
809
energetic efforts of the medical officer, Dr. Priestley, seconded infinite discorpfort of a seemingly unbearable present and imby his experienced chief sanitary inspector, have done much possible future. Yet there is no truth more certain than that to minimise the risks of infection from households, although which tells us that everything comes to the patient hope which It is in the possession of this divinely their members could not be actually confined in one place. We knows how to wait. are glad to observe that Mr. Clifton, the chairman of the special planted quality that we have the surest remedy for all those committee-the premature publication of whose report was miseries of distrust which culminate and are by some believed bitterly complained of by Mr. Windley-fully recognises that to end with self-destruction. There is a subsidiary question modification must be made in the manner in which the of some interest connected with the case above mentioned. principles of prevention of dissemination of small-pox are to How came the unhappy boy to have about him a fatal dose of be carried out. Leicester, having chosen to abandon vaccina- chloral ? There was no evidence of the medicinal administration, is bound to render its provisions for isolation as perfect tion of this drug. We are, therefore, obliged to conclude that it was, as it easily might be, purchased of some neighas possible, and although it may suit the purpose of some of its authorities to attribute the present visitation to an un- bouring druggist, and the fact of its prompt and purposeful avoidable extension of the disease in a building wholly misuse affords a fresh reminder of the far from adequate unsuited for the purpose, they have much to answer for in restriction placed by Government upon the sale of poisonous subjecting unprotected children to the chances of infection remedies. which the most careful precautions can in that case hardly INFLUENCE OF THE SYMPATHETIC ON obviate. THE EYE. POISONING BY TINNED BEEF. HEESE has contributed to Pfliiger’s A’I’oltiv an important A FAMILY residing at Chelmsford partook of some American paper dealing with this interesting question, and an abstract corned beef for breakfast on the morning of Wednesday, of it appears in the last number of the Neu’I’ologischfJs CenMarch 27th. The meat was observed to be slightly moist on tralblatt. The question of the existence of a special dilator the surface and did not drop out of the tin readily. It is muscle for the pupil has long been a vexed one. The also stated that the meat had a "spicy" flavour as of effect of the sympathetic in causing dilatation has been thyme. The mother, who is an elderly lady, about an hour ascribed to contraction of the iris vessels by some, and to and a half after breakfast complained of feeling giddy, and an inhibitory influence on the sphincter of the iris by others. shortly afterwards persistent vomiting supervened, followed Heese claims, by experiments on the cat, to have demonby cramps, spasm and diarrhoea. The father, son, daughter strated the existence of a special dilator of the pupil. He and a maid-servant were attacked shortly after, and for a has also investigated the mechanism of protrusion or retractime the life of the son was despaired of. All have now tion of the eyeball. These, he says, depend, firstly, on the recovered. Unfortunately the remaining meat was destroyed. condition of contraction of the bloodvessels of the orbit, and, This, of course, is to be regretted, as in all such cases the uncon- secondly, on the contraction of the orbital muscle. Both are sumed portion should be reserved for chemical and bacterio- innervated from the cervical sympathetic. The influence of logical examination. When examined a few days later the this is strongest on the orbital muscle, so that stimulation of under surface of the tin was found to be corroded considerably the sympathetic causes protrusion of the eyeball. In the more than was the case with other tins which had been kept rabbit, however, the vaso-motor influence is predominant, a much longer time. In the scrapings of fat from the side of and stimulation of the sympathetic in this animal by conthe tin both lead and tin were detected by Dr. Thresh. The tracting the orbital bloodvessels causes retraction of the symptoms, however, were undoubtedly those of ptomaine eyeball. some
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poisoning.
-
THE GRESHAM LECTURES ON PHYSIC.
SOME LESSONS OF SUICIDE. FEW of the misfortunes which can overtake a man are able so to overwhelm him that they do not leave open some avenue of hope, and the more especially if they The are not attributable to conscious error on his part. mind so conquered by depression that it cannot see this It may doubtless outlet is therefore surely unhealthy. be free from other ordinary signs of persistent and confirmed insanity, but it illustrates, nevertheless, a condition of weakness which in the grosser bodily fabric would pass for disease. Its disorder is not less a malady because it is often transient and is not related to known organic changes. In it we recognise the close connexion between rational and moral qualities, and it is the failure of both, but especially the latter, to influence their unfortunate possessor which is so grimly taught by suicide. Despair is the true exciting cause of such calamities, and this we take it is nothing else than moral short sight. We are all of us liable to suffer from it, and, though for the most part we know it only as a temporary disturbance of function, each of us can attest its prostrating influence and the strength of its resistance to the curative powers of reason and of faith. The case of a lad who lately poisoned himself with chloral hydrate because he failed to pass the entrance examination at the Durham Medical School was peculiar only in its secondary details. Naturally delicate, over-sensitive and overanxious, he was stunned by his disappointment-and he died of this disease. Who has not known, like him, the
WHEN Sir Thomas Gresham founded what he fondly hope4<,. would constitute the basis of a real University of London hs could hardly have imagined that his College would in course of time be given up to popular instruction in the art 0;: q medicine and surgery. The present Gresham Professor of Physic has held office for many years and has doubtless been often exercised to find suitable topics for his elementaryinstruction of the laity. That he may have sometimes erred’ in his selection is but natural, but at least he may be expected’ to exercise some judgment in the matter and avoid trenchingon topics which can only be properly appreciated by thosewho have had a medical training. The syllabus of the next course of lectures which he is to deliver lies before us, and we observe with deep regret that Dr. Symes Thompson has, unwittingly we believe, transgressed against one of the cardinal principles of the College of Physicians, of which he is a Fellow. The course is to be devoted to the nose and mouth, subjects which doubtless admit of popular treatment and afford scope for the introduction of much useful and homely advice. Whether his audience will be able to appreciate all the topics included in the third lecture, in which he is to treat of the "Nose and Mouth in Health and Disease," may be open to question, and it speaks volumes for his proficiency in the art of lecturing that he should feel able to convey an intelligible view of the subject within the space of one hour. It is, however, in the scheme of the fourth and concluding lecture that we think Dr. Thompson has overstepped the limits which his
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’
809
energetic efforts of the medical officer, Dr. Priestley, seconded infinite discorpfort of a seemingly unbearable present and imby his experienced chief sanitary inspector, have done much possible future. Yet there is no truth more certain than that to minimise the risks of infection from households, although which tells us that everything comes to the patient hope which It is in the possession of this divinely their members could not be actually confined in one place. We knows how to wait. are glad to observe that Mr. Clifton, the chairman of the special planted quality that we have the surest remedy for all those committee-the premature publication of whose report was miseries of distrust which culminate and are by some believed bitterly complained of by Mr. Windley-fully recognises that to end with self-destruction. There is a subsidiary question modification must be made in the manner in which the of some interest connected with the case above mentioned. principles of prevention of dissemination of small-pox are to How came the unhappy boy to have about him a fatal dose of be carried out. Leicester, having chosen to abandon vaccina- chloral ? There was no evidence of the medicinal administration, is bound to render its provisions for isolation as perfect tion of this drug. We are, therefore, obliged to conclude that it was, as it easily might be, purchased of some neighas possible, and although it may suit the purpose of some of its authorities to attribute the present visitation to an un- bouring druggist, and the fact of its prompt and purposeful avoidable extension of the disease in a building wholly misuse affords a fresh reminder of the far from adequate unsuited for the purpose, they have much to answer for in restriction placed by Government upon the sale of poisonous subjecting unprotected children to the chances of infection remedies. which the most careful precautions can in that case hardly INFLUENCE OF THE SYMPATHETIC ON obviate. THE EYE. POISONING BY TINNED BEEF. HEESE has contributed to Pfliiger’s A’I’oltiv an important A FAMILY residing at Chelmsford partook of some American paper dealing with this interesting question, and an abstract corned beef for breakfast on the morning of Wednesday, of it appears in the last number of the Neu’I’ologischfJs CenMarch 27th. The meat was observed to be slightly moist on tralblatt. The question of the existence of a special dilator the surface and did not drop out of the tin readily. It is muscle for the pupil has long been a vexed one. The also stated that the meat had a "spicy" flavour as of effect of the sympathetic in causing dilatation has been thyme. The mother, who is an elderly lady, about an hour ascribed to contraction of the iris vessels by some, and to and a half after breakfast complained of feeling giddy, and an inhibitory influence on the sphincter of the iris by others. shortly afterwards persistent vomiting supervened, followed Heese claims, by experiments on the cat, to have demonby cramps, spasm and diarrhoea. The father, son, daughter strated the existence of a special dilator of the pupil. He and a maid-servant were attacked shortly after, and for a has also investigated the mechanism of protrusion or retractime the life of the son was despaired of. All have now tion of the eyeball. These, he says, depend, firstly, on the recovered. Unfortunately the remaining meat was destroyed. condition of contraction of the bloodvessels of the orbit, and, This, of course, is to be regretted, as in all such cases the uncon- secondly, on the contraction of the orbital muscle. Both are sumed portion should be reserved for chemical and bacterio- innervated from the cervical sympathetic. The influence of logical examination. When examined a few days later the this is strongest on the orbital muscle, so that stimulation of under surface of the tin was found to be corroded considerably the sympathetic causes protrusion of the eyeball. In the more than was the case with other tins which had been kept rabbit, however, the vaso-motor influence is predominant, a much longer time. In the scrapings of fat from the side of and stimulation of the sympathetic in this animal by conthe tin both lead and tin were detected by Dr. Thresh. The tracting the orbital bloodvessels causes retraction of the symptoms, however, were undoubtedly those of ptomaine eyeball. some
____
___
-
poisoning.
-
THE GRESHAM LECTURES ON PHYSIC.
SOME LESSONS OF SUICIDE. FEW of the misfortunes which can overtake a man are able so to overwhelm him that they do not leave open some avenue of hope, and the more especially if they The are not attributable to conscious error on his part. mind so conquered by depression that it cannot see this It may doubtless outlet is therefore surely unhealthy. be free from other ordinary signs of persistent and confirmed insanity, but it illustrates, nevertheless, a condition of weakness which in the grosser bodily fabric would pass for disease. Its disorder is not less a malady because it is often transient and is not related to known organic changes. In it we recognise the close connexion between rational and moral qualities, and it is the failure of both, but especially the latter, to influence their unfortunate possessor which is so grimly taught by suicide. Despair is the true exciting cause of such calamities, and this we take it is nothing else than moral short sight. We are all of us liable to suffer from it, and, though for the most part we know it only as a temporary disturbance of function, each of us can attest its prostrating influence and the strength of its resistance to the curative powers of reason and of faith. The case of a lad who lately poisoned himself with chloral hydrate because he failed to pass the entrance examination at the Durham Medical School was peculiar only in its secondary details. Naturally delicate, over-sensitive and overanxious, he was stunned by his disappointment-and he died of this disease. Who has not known, like him, the
WHEN Sir Thomas Gresham founded what he fondly hope4<,. would constitute the basis of a real University of London hs could hardly have imagined that his College would in course of time be given up to popular instruction in the art 0;: q medicine and surgery. The present Gresham Professor of Physic has held office for many years and has doubtless been often exercised to find suitable topics for his elementaryinstruction of the laity. That he may have sometimes erred’ in his selection is but natural, but at least he may be expected’ to exercise some judgment in the matter and avoid trenchingon topics which can only be properly appreciated by thosewho have had a medical training. The syllabus of the next course of lectures which he is to deliver lies before us, and we observe with deep regret that Dr. Symes Thompson has, unwittingly we believe, transgressed against one of the cardinal principles of the College of Physicians, of which he is a Fellow. The course is to be devoted to the nose and mouth, subjects which doubtless admit of popular treatment and afford scope for the introduction of much useful and homely advice. Whether his audience will be able to appreciate all the topics included in the third lecture, in which he is to treat of the "Nose and Mouth in Health and Disease," may be open to question, and it speaks volumes for his proficiency in the art of lecturing that he should feel able to convey an intelligible view of the subject within the space of one hour. It is, however, in the scheme of the fourth and concluding lecture that we think Dr. Thompson has overstepped the limits which his
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’