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THE LEGISLATIVE CONTROL OF PATENT MEDICINES.
1092
dyscrasia " is not to diagnose"a disease," because the sight through prayer and other miraculous ways. Now in all cases undoubtedly the trouble is cataract, and the cure symptoms have not been correlated with their cause. Your allusion to such a disease "-as, for instance, brought about through dislocation of the hardened lens, as measles-does not appear to me to have any bearing on the in the case referred to by you. I may state, as regards the point in discussion. When innumerable cases of measles case referred to above, that cataract is a very common trouble I am, Sir, yours faithfully, I I breed true,"and with our general knowledge of microbic in the family. R. F. LICORISH, M.D. diseases to guide us, we hardly mislead ourselves in framing That our position is, in a sense, "the disease measles." I
I such
IIII.
I
is
still
provisional
we
all know. But
Hodgkin’s disease,
Graves’s
disease, insular sclerosis, glaucoma, psoriasis, et 1100 gen1ls
obviously in quite a different category, and to my mind therefore indisputably demand the application of a different generic term. omne, are
I am, Sir, yours faithfully, SYDNEY W. MACILWAINE.
THE LEGISLATIVE CONTROL OF PATENT MEDICINES. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,-The writer of the interesting article on the Legislative Control of Patent Medicines in your last issue refers to the taxation of medicines in 1714. But the impost is considerably older. The Act of Tonnage and Poundage of 1642 determines the rates to be paid upon merchandise entering or leaving the country, and includes a long list of drugs, among which the following may be mentioned :.
s.
0 the pound Aloes-cicotrina, the pound 0 2 0 Mercury sublimat ... 0 30 Aloes epatica ... 0 6 8 Arsnick, white or yellow, precipitat or Rosalger, the pound 0 0 4 Musk, the ounce Troy ... 2 0 0 Cantarides 0 5 0 Nux Indica, the piece 0 0 6 Cardamomes ... 0 3 0 Nux Vomica, the pound... 0 08 Coculusindise ... 0 2 0 Opium 0 10 0 0 1 4 Oringe Flower Water, the Cubebs 0 5 0 gallon Diagredium or Scamony, the pound... 1 0 0 Sarsaparilla, the pound... 0 3 4 Galbanum ... 0 1 6 Sena 0 2 6 "
...
"
"
"
...
...
"
"
11
...
...
............
"
I
Gum
Tragagant
The
"
following list
... 0 1 0
...
CÆSAREAN SECTION FOR DOUBLE MONSTROSITY. To the Edito’l’ of THE LANCET.
SIR,-I have read Dr. Blacker’s kindly criticism with and quite agree that " if Oassarean section is chosen it must be certain that in the particular case in question it is the procedure which offers the least risk to the mother." My point is that in the case in question Cæsarean section was the procedure which exposed the mother to least risk. When I arrived the patient had already been under an anesthetic for five hours, and one could just count the pulse. It was evident that any interference must be finished quickly. Her condition was such that a heavy post-operative mortality due to infection seemed to me quite a secondary consideration. The problem was how to save her at the moment. Any prolonged or difficult method, such as I considered an embryotomy must have proved in this case, would, I feared, have been fatal at the time. Naturally, in operating every precaution was taken to prevent infection. The twin in contact with the anterior wall of the uterus was in the left dorso-anterior position. The junction, which was much more massive than the term connecting band implies, was therefore in the plane of the opposite oblique, but higher up. The trunk of the twin placed posteriorly was exactly facing the anterior twin’s trunk. The faces were not looking at one another, both necks being flexed and the corresponding ears in contact. The uterus was closely wrapped round the monster. I am, Sir, yours faithfally, DAVID LIGAT.
pleasure,
is also of interests
Instruments for Barbers and Chirurgions. Bullet scrues, the dozen Inscition sheeres " Paices or tooth drawers, the dozen............
£ s. d. 0 4 0 Plulicanes, the dozen 0 5 "
Trepans
0
5
9 s. d. 0 5 0 5 d. ... 0 10 0
...
0I 1
I cannot find"plulicane " in the ordinary dictionaries. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, W. A. BREND.
SUDDEN RECOVERY OF SIGHT: A COINCIDENCE. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,-THE LANCET of March 9th, containing the
THE ADMIRALTY TEST FOR COLOURBLINDNESS. T- t7te Editor of THE LANCET.
SIR,-As a member of the Departmental Committee of the Board of Trade appointed to report upon the sight tests in the Mercantile Marine I regret that I am not at liberty to discuss the criticisms contained in Dr. Edridge-Green’s letter in to-day’s LANCET until the Committee has issued its report, which is not likely now to be long delayed. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, J. HERBERT PARSONS.
annotaTHE FIFTEENTH INTERNATIONAL tion entitledAn Apocryphal’ Miracle Explained," came CONGRESS OF HYGIENE AND to hand on the 25th. On the following day I examined the eyes of a relative and gave as my opinion that cataracts DEMOGRAPHY. were rapidly developing in both eyes. On the following day, A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) (FROM after dinner-she was spending a few days at my home-she came to me and put this question: Do cataracts ever burst I may state that she knew nothing so that sight is restored’?’? Travedlang Arrangements. of the contents of THE LANCET. Remembering your annoTHE time is rapidly approaching when those who intend to tation, metaphorically I pricked up my ears for her answer, participate in the Fifteenth International Congress of Hygiene and inquired of her, Why do you ask‘? In reply, she stated should make their final arrangements. The Congress meets that in her young days she knew an old lady who for some at Washington from Sept. 23rd to 28th. At that time of years had been so blind that she had to be led about by an year ships crossing the Atlantic are very crowded, and it is was heard attendant, and that on awaking one morning she necessary to secure berths far in advance. But the Germans, " to cry out, " The cataract has burst ; I can see." learned in the science of military organisation and trained My informer assured me that she was absolutely correct to the sense of discipline, have developed travelling in as to her blindness, having regularly seen the old lady being company formation into a fine art. Thus we are not surled about, and also that she had many times visited her after prised to hear that they have already chartered a special ship, having recovered her sight and seen her doing ordinary the Cincinnati, which is due to sail from Hamburg on duties requiring vision. In fact, she further told me that Sept. 7th or 8th with some 300 German members of the many people even from a distance would visit her in order to congress. The arrangement is that each member pays a see for themselves whether she had in fact thus suddenly fixed sum, varying from .S85 to £125, according to the cabin recovered her sight. My object in publishing the above is occupied. This sum covers all the expenses incurred on this. Now and again we read of persons recovering their land as well as on sea, excepting drinks and tips. Only a
dyscrasia " is not to diagnose"a disease," because the sight through prayer and other miraculous ways. Now in all cases undoubtedly the trouble is cataract, and the cure symptoms have not been correlated with their cause. Your allusion to such a disease "-as, for instance, brought about through dislocation of the hardened lens, as measles-does not appear to me to have any bearing on the in the case referred to by you. I may state, as regards the point in discussion. When innumerable cases of measles case referred to above, that cataract is a very common trouble I am, Sir, yours faithfully, I I breed true,"and with our general knowledge of microbic in the family. R. F. LICORISH, M.D. diseases to guide us, we hardly mislead ourselves in framing That our position is, in a sense, "the disease measles." I
I such
IIII.
I
is
still
provisional
we
all know. But
Hodgkin’s disease,
Graves’s
disease, insular sclerosis, glaucoma, psoriasis, et 1100 gen1ls
obviously in quite a different category, and to my mind therefore indisputably demand the application of a different generic term. omne, are
I am, Sir, yours faithfully, SYDNEY W. MACILWAINE.
THE LEGISLATIVE CONTROL OF PATENT MEDICINES. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,-The writer of the interesting article on the Legislative Control of Patent Medicines in your last issue refers to the taxation of medicines in 1714. But the impost is considerably older. The Act of Tonnage and Poundage of 1642 determines the rates to be paid upon merchandise entering or leaving the country, and includes a long list of drugs, among which the following may be mentioned :.
s.
0 the pound Aloes-cicotrina, the pound 0 2 0 Mercury sublimat ... 0 30 Aloes epatica ... 0 6 8 Arsnick, white or yellow, precipitat or Rosalger, the pound 0 0 4 Musk, the ounce Troy ... 2 0 0 Cantarides 0 5 0 Nux Indica, the piece 0 0 6 Cardamomes ... 0 3 0 Nux Vomica, the pound... 0 08 Coculusindise ... 0 2 0 Opium 0 10 0 0 1 4 Oringe Flower Water, the Cubebs 0 5 0 gallon Diagredium or Scamony, the pound... 1 0 0 Sarsaparilla, the pound... 0 3 4 Galbanum ... 0 1 6 Sena 0 2 6 "
...
"
"
"
...
...
"
"
11
...
...
............
"
I
Gum
Tragagant
The
"
following list
... 0 1 0
...
CÆSAREAN SECTION FOR DOUBLE MONSTROSITY. To the Edito’l’ of THE LANCET.
SIR,-I have read Dr. Blacker’s kindly criticism with and quite agree that " if Oassarean section is chosen it must be certain that in the particular case in question it is the procedure which offers the least risk to the mother." My point is that in the case in question Cæsarean section was the procedure which exposed the mother to least risk. When I arrived the patient had already been under an anesthetic for five hours, and one could just count the pulse. It was evident that any interference must be finished quickly. Her condition was such that a heavy post-operative mortality due to infection seemed to me quite a secondary consideration. The problem was how to save her at the moment. Any prolonged or difficult method, such as I considered an embryotomy must have proved in this case, would, I feared, have been fatal at the time. Naturally, in operating every precaution was taken to prevent infection. The twin in contact with the anterior wall of the uterus was in the left dorso-anterior position. The junction, which was much more massive than the term connecting band implies, was therefore in the plane of the opposite oblique, but higher up. The trunk of the twin placed posteriorly was exactly facing the anterior twin’s trunk. The faces were not looking at one another, both necks being flexed and the corresponding ears in contact. The uterus was closely wrapped round the monster. I am, Sir, yours faithfally, DAVID LIGAT.
pleasure,
is also of interests
Instruments for Barbers and Chirurgions. Bullet scrues, the dozen Inscition sheeres " Paices or tooth drawers, the dozen............
£ s. d. 0 4 0 Plulicanes, the dozen 0 5 "
Trepans
0
5
9 s. d. 0 5 0 5 d. ... 0 10 0
...
0I 1
I cannot find"plulicane " in the ordinary dictionaries. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, W. A. BREND.
SUDDEN RECOVERY OF SIGHT: A COINCIDENCE. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,-THE LANCET of March 9th, containing the
THE ADMIRALTY TEST FOR COLOURBLINDNESS. T- t7te Editor of THE LANCET.
SIR,-As a member of the Departmental Committee of the Board of Trade appointed to report upon the sight tests in the Mercantile Marine I regret that I am not at liberty to discuss the criticisms contained in Dr. Edridge-Green’s letter in to-day’s LANCET until the Committee has issued its report, which is not likely now to be long delayed. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, J. HERBERT PARSONS.
annotaTHE FIFTEENTH INTERNATIONAL tion entitledAn Apocryphal’ Miracle Explained," came CONGRESS OF HYGIENE AND to hand on the 25th. On the following day I examined the eyes of a relative and gave as my opinion that cataracts DEMOGRAPHY. were rapidly developing in both eyes. On the following day, A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) (FROM after dinner-she was spending a few days at my home-she came to me and put this question: Do cataracts ever burst I may state that she knew nothing so that sight is restored’?’? Travedlang Arrangements. of the contents of THE LANCET. Remembering your annoTHE time is rapidly approaching when those who intend to tation, metaphorically I pricked up my ears for her answer, participate in the Fifteenth International Congress of Hygiene and inquired of her, Why do you ask‘? In reply, she stated should make their final arrangements. The Congress meets that in her young days she knew an old lady who for some at Washington from Sept. 23rd to 28th. At that time of years had been so blind that she had to be led about by an year ships crossing the Atlantic are very crowded, and it is was heard attendant, and that on awaking one morning she necessary to secure berths far in advance. But the Germans, " to cry out, " The cataract has burst ; I can see." learned in the science of military organisation and trained My informer assured me that she was absolutely correct to the sense of discipline, have developed travelling in as to her blindness, having regularly seen the old lady being company formation into a fine art. Thus we are not surled about, and also that she had many times visited her after prised to hear that they have already chartered a special ship, having recovered her sight and seen her doing ordinary the Cincinnati, which is due to sail from Hamburg on duties requiring vision. In fact, she further told me that Sept. 7th or 8th with some 300 German members of the many people even from a distance would visit her in order to congress. The arrangement is that each member pays a see for themselves whether she had in fact thus suddenly fixed sum, varying from .S85 to £125, according to the cabin recovered her sight. My object in publishing the above is occupied. This sum covers all the expenses incurred on this. Now and again we read of persons recovering their land as well as on sea, excepting drinks and tips. Only a