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THE ABUSE OF HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL DISPENSARIES.
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perature in the large bronchi is only 39’3°. In the De2ctsche Medicinische Wochenschrift for April 10th, Dr. Ernst Sehrwald of Jena publishes some interesting experiments that he has made on dogs with regard two ’’lung temperature."" Thermometers were introduced between the costal and parietal layers of the pleura on each side. By means of an ingenious apparatus the air could be introduced through the nose or directly into the trachea, and the temperature of the inspired and expired air carefully ascerAfter an elaborate series of experiments, Dr. tained. 1. Dry elirwald came to the following conclusions : air can be inhaled through the nose, while the tem. perature of the air is gradually raised from 50° to 350° C. ; the temperature in the pleura at the same time only rises 1° C., even although the experiment be prolonged for one hour and a half. 2. An equal rise can be obtained by rapid and forced respiration. 3. The mucous lining of the trachea is much more sensitive to hot dry air than is that of the mouth and nose, for in the former the temperature of the air cannot be raised above 80° C. 4. When hot dry air is inspired, the frequency of the respiration rises from 80 to 144 in the minute. 5. The temperature in the lungs rises at the same time, but only 1°. 6. Halter’s view that the tubercle bacilli are killed by a temperature of 41° is not proved to be correct. Even if it were, the mass of bacilli embedded in the lung tissue would only be affected by heating the tissue itself, and by his (Sehrwald’s) experiments it has been shown that a sufficient rise of temperature within the lungs cannot be obtained by the inspiration of hot dry air, and that therefore this treatment is useless in phthisis. -
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doubtedly well meant, appears to have been based upon insufficient consideration of the problem. Another correspondent very justly remarks that, according to the British Pharmacopoeia, cantharides plaster is directed to be prepared, not with tallow, but with yellow wax, prepared suet, prepared lard, and resin, and that these substances are submitted to considerable heat, whereas the cantharides powder is added, with stirring, while the mixture cools. Still, in spite of this inaccuracy it is well known that troublesome pustulation frequently follows the application of cantharides plaster, and the presence of the micrococcus is extremely suggestive, whatever its ultimate source may be found to be. The question is too important to be allowed to resolve itself into an attack upon whole. sale chemists ; indeed, this would be manifestly unjustupon the very scanty data supplied. Before those responsible for alterations of the British Pharmacopoeia issue their promised report, it is to be hoped that they will decide whether it is ever desirable to employ powdered cantharides in preference to liquid preparations. --=-
COMPARISON OF ARTERIAL WITH VENOUS BLOOD.
COMPARATIVE researches on the characters and composition of arterial and venous blood have been undertaken by many chemists and physiologists, and some have become classical and are constantly quoted in physiological textbooks, as, for example, those of Davy, of Prevost and Dumas, Lassaigne, Denis, Thackrah, Simon, Lehmann, and Nasse. A fresh contribution to the subject has just been added by Dr. F. Kruger of Dorpat, whose experiments were in all instances made upon cats which had been fed for the THE ABUSE OF HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL last time about twelve hours before being subjected to DISPENSARIES. examination. Special arrangements were made for obtainIT will be seen from the letter of our Belfast corre- ing the venous blood returning- from the liver, kidneys, spondent that the abuse of medical charities, which is spleen, or other organ, but it was taken for granted so common in England, and to which in these columns that the arterial blood possessed the same composition we have so frequently called attention, prevails also on throughout the system, and the blood of the carotid artery the Irish side of the Channel. The matter was brought was in all instances taken as the standard of comparison. before the notice of the Ulster Medical Society during The carotid artery was selected partly on account of its the present winter session. They appointed a special accessibility and partly because it was believed that its committee to investigate the subject, and when they had division and the subsequent application of a ligature after reported to the members it was decided to send deputations the withdrawal of from three to five cubic centimetres of to those hospitals where it had been ascertained clearly that blood would influence to a trifling degree only the circulaabuses prevailed. As our correspondent writes, a deputa- tion in the several organs. The blood that was abstracted was tion waited on the board of management of the Royal Hos- immediately defibrinated and the amount of haemoglobin estipital, Belfast, on Saturday last, and on Monday another mated by Hufner’s spectro-photometer. The general results deputation appeared before the dispensary committee. It obtained by Dr. Kriiger from a large number of experiments has also been arranged to approach the committees of the two may be thus given. The dry residue after evaporation and Children’s Hospitals on the same subject. The deputations the quantity of haemoglobin in arterial and venous blood of All parties admit there the carotid artery and jugular vein-that is, of arterial and were received most courteously. are abuses. The difficulty seems to be how are these to be venous systemic blood-does not differ to any appreciable obviated. We trust and hope a way will be found. It is extent. The slightest arrest of the current of blood-the little short of a scandal that struggling practitioners should most transitory stasis in any region of the body-causes an be placed at a serious disadvantage through the indis- increase in the quantity of dry residue and of the hoemocriminate giving of charity to those who are quite able globin in the blood traversing this region. In regard to the themselves to pay for medical attendance. blood proceeding to the liver by the vena cava and returning from it by the vena porta, Dr. Kriiger finds that there is often a well-marked difference, but the difference is not CANTHARIDES PLASTER. constant, the quantity of haemoglobin and dry residue being IN a recent number we published a letter from a corre- sometimes in excess in one vessel, sometimes in the other. spondent who stated that under proper precautions he had The blood of the superior vena cava is poorer in haemoglobin been able to procure a beautiful crop of micrococcus and dry residue than either the blood of the vena porta or pyogenes aureus, or staphylococcus pyogenes aureus of of the splenic vein. As a rule, though with occasional exRosenbach, in a tube of sterilised nutrient fluid inoculated ceptions, the blood of the splenic vein contains more with material drawn from a cantharides plaster. As a result, haemoglobin and solid residue than arterial blood. He our correspondent thought himself justified in giving a was unable to demonstrate any difference in the quality general warning to wholesale chemists on the importance of fibrine contained in the blood of the splenic artery as of taking heed where they get their tallow to prepare compared with that of the splenic vein, and the specific fly blisters with." This serious warning, although un- gravity of the blood of the two vessels varied, but the -
perature in the large bronchi is only 39’3°. In the De2ctsche Medicinische Wochenschrift for April 10th, Dr. Ernst Sehrwald of Jena publishes some interesting experiments that he has made on dogs with regard two ’’lung temperature."" Thermometers were introduced between the costal and parietal layers of the pleura on each side. By means of an ingenious apparatus the air could be introduced through the nose or directly into the trachea, and the temperature of the inspired and expired air carefully ascerAfter an elaborate series of experiments, Dr. tained. 1. Dry elirwald came to the following conclusions : air can be inhaled through the nose, while the tem. perature of the air is gradually raised from 50° to 350° C. ; the temperature in the pleura at the same time only rises 1° C., even although the experiment be prolonged for one hour and a half. 2. An equal rise can be obtained by rapid and forced respiration. 3. The mucous lining of the trachea is much more sensitive to hot dry air than is that of the mouth and nose, for in the former the temperature of the air cannot be raised above 80° C. 4. When hot dry air is inspired, the frequency of the respiration rises from 80 to 144 in the minute. 5. The temperature in the lungs rises at the same time, but only 1°. 6. Halter’s view that the tubercle bacilli are killed by a temperature of 41° is not proved to be correct. Even if it were, the mass of bacilli embedded in the lung tissue would only be affected by heating the tissue itself, and by his (Sehrwald’s) experiments it has been shown that a sufficient rise of temperature within the lungs cannot be obtained by the inspiration of hot dry air, and that therefore this treatment is useless in phthisis. -
1029
doubtedly well meant, appears to have been based upon insufficient consideration of the problem. Another correspondent very justly remarks that, according to the British Pharmacopoeia, cantharides plaster is directed to be prepared, not with tallow, but with yellow wax, prepared suet, prepared lard, and resin, and that these substances are submitted to considerable heat, whereas the cantharides powder is added, with stirring, while the mixture cools. Still, in spite of this inaccuracy it is well known that troublesome pustulation frequently follows the application of cantharides plaster, and the presence of the micrococcus is extremely suggestive, whatever its ultimate source may be found to be. The question is too important to be allowed to resolve itself into an attack upon whole. sale chemists ; indeed, this would be manifestly unjustupon the very scanty data supplied. Before those responsible for alterations of the British Pharmacopoeia issue their promised report, it is to be hoped that they will decide whether it is ever desirable to employ powdered cantharides in preference to liquid preparations. --=-
COMPARISON OF ARTERIAL WITH VENOUS BLOOD.
COMPARATIVE researches on the characters and composition of arterial and venous blood have been undertaken by many chemists and physiologists, and some have become classical and are constantly quoted in physiological textbooks, as, for example, those of Davy, of Prevost and Dumas, Lassaigne, Denis, Thackrah, Simon, Lehmann, and Nasse. A fresh contribution to the subject has just been added by Dr. F. Kruger of Dorpat, whose experiments were in all instances made upon cats which had been fed for the THE ABUSE OF HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL last time about twelve hours before being subjected to DISPENSARIES. examination. Special arrangements were made for obtainIT will be seen from the letter of our Belfast corre- ing the venous blood returning- from the liver, kidneys, spondent that the abuse of medical charities, which is spleen, or other organ, but it was taken for granted so common in England, and to which in these columns that the arterial blood possessed the same composition we have so frequently called attention, prevails also on throughout the system, and the blood of the carotid artery the Irish side of the Channel. The matter was brought was in all instances taken as the standard of comparison. before the notice of the Ulster Medical Society during The carotid artery was selected partly on account of its the present winter session. They appointed a special accessibility and partly because it was believed that its committee to investigate the subject, and when they had division and the subsequent application of a ligature after reported to the members it was decided to send deputations the withdrawal of from three to five cubic centimetres of to those hospitals where it had been ascertained clearly that blood would influence to a trifling degree only the circulaabuses prevailed. As our correspondent writes, a deputa- tion in the several organs. The blood that was abstracted was tion waited on the board of management of the Royal Hos- immediately defibrinated and the amount of haemoglobin estipital, Belfast, on Saturday last, and on Monday another mated by Hufner’s spectro-photometer. The general results deputation appeared before the dispensary committee. It obtained by Dr. Kriiger from a large number of experiments has also been arranged to approach the committees of the two may be thus given. The dry residue after evaporation and Children’s Hospitals on the same subject. The deputations the quantity of haemoglobin in arterial and venous blood of All parties admit there the carotid artery and jugular vein-that is, of arterial and were received most courteously. are abuses. The difficulty seems to be how are these to be venous systemic blood-does not differ to any appreciable obviated. We trust and hope a way will be found. It is extent. The slightest arrest of the current of blood-the little short of a scandal that struggling practitioners should most transitory stasis in any region of the body-causes an be placed at a serious disadvantage through the indis- increase in the quantity of dry residue and of the hoemocriminate giving of charity to those who are quite able globin in the blood traversing this region. In regard to the themselves to pay for medical attendance. blood proceeding to the liver by the vena cava and returning from it by the vena porta, Dr. Kriiger finds that there is often a well-marked difference, but the difference is not CANTHARIDES PLASTER. constant, the quantity of haemoglobin and dry residue being IN a recent number we published a letter from a corre- sometimes in excess in one vessel, sometimes in the other. spondent who stated that under proper precautions he had The blood of the superior vena cava is poorer in haemoglobin been able to procure a beautiful crop of micrococcus and dry residue than either the blood of the vena porta or pyogenes aureus, or staphylococcus pyogenes aureus of of the splenic vein. As a rule, though with occasional exRosenbach, in a tube of sterilised nutrient fluid inoculated ceptions, the blood of the splenic vein contains more with material drawn from a cantharides plaster. As a result, haemoglobin and solid residue than arterial blood. He our correspondent thought himself justified in giving a was unable to demonstrate any difference in the quality general warning to wholesale chemists on the importance of fibrine contained in the blood of the splenic artery as of taking heed where they get their tallow to prepare compared with that of the splenic vein, and the specific fly blisters with." This serious warning, although un- gravity of the blood of the two vessels varied, but the -