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THE SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS BILL.
1447 The diagnosis between sarcoma and orchitis is by no means easy ; in both there may be history of injury, and as a matter of fact many sarcomata develop after orchitis. In all doubtful cases an exploratory incision should be made. The prognosis is grave, especially in children and in (rapidly growing tumours. Of 113 cases operated upon there was no history of the ultimate result in 37, 23 patients died within five months from metastasis in different organs, 11 lived for periods ranging from seven to 12 months, five for periods of from 16 to 24 months, and two for three years, dying from secondary growths. Of the 35 remaining cases 18 patients were alive at periods of from one to 12 months after the operation, two 13 months after operation, four from 21 months to three years, two four years, three six years, one eight years, one nine years, two 10 years, and one 15 years. Extirpation should be at once performed without regard to the malignancy of the tumour, since Adler has reported a case to the Berlin Medical Society in a man, aged 24 years, whom he castrated on May llth, 1892. The tumour proved to be a cystadenoma. The patient died in September, 1893, from metastasis in the lungs of the same character and not a trace of carcinoma or sarcoma could be detected.
unusual features of a fatal case of tetanus were the’ trivial nature of the original lesion and the unfortunate coincidence of the attack with a sargical operation underThe patient was a man, taken for another purpose. aged 26 years, who wished to enter the police force and was admitted to the infirmary to undergo operation for the radical cure of a varicocele. Although very tall and rather delicate-looking he seemed in every other respect to be perfectly healthy. The plexus was excised and the wound was sealed with celloidin. On the sixth day after the operation the patient complained of pain in the neck and jaws. The wound was examined and it was found to have soundly healed without suppuration. On thorough overhauling a small, barely-healed sore was discovered on the right great toe, and on closely questioning the patient he admitted that 14 days previously this had been caused by the rubbing of his boot during a long walk. The treatment consisted in large doses of chloral and injections of antitetanic serum, but the temperature (which had been normal since the operation) rose, the convulsions became more severe, and the patient died 24 hours after the first declaration of symptoms. Bacteriological examination of the operation wound and of the sore on the toe gave a negative result. ____
SKIAGRAPHY AND STEREOSCOPY. MR. MACKENZIE DAVIDSON gave an interesting demonstration on May 15th, at the Camera Club, of some new departures in x-ray work and their application to stereoscopic vision. Two skiagrams are taken from slightly different points of view and these are combined as a stereoscopic picture by being reflected to the eye by two mirrors placed at right angles, each being at an angle of 45 degrees to the plane of the skiagram. By placing the eyes close to the line of junction of the two mirrors a stereoscopic picture is seen. Mr. Davidson also explained his method of localising foreign bodies and stated that 100 cases of foreign bodies in the eye had now been localised in this way. This method consists in taking a known point and measuring the three coordinates of this point from three planes at right angles to each other. The three coordinates of the foreign body are then measured by the method of the crossed threads-also Mr. Davidson’s idea. Having got these data we can by subtraction decide how far to right or left of the known point the foreign body lies, also the vertical distance and the depth in the eyeball parallel to the visceral axis. The " known pointconsists of a piece of lead wire fixed by plaster to the patient’s lower eyelid. For the purpose of measurement two lines at right angles are made on the plate by placing two wires over the sensitive plate.
"DEATH FROM TIGHT BOOTS." SENSATIONAL versions of medical cases are only too frequent in the newspapers and it is perhaps in this department of journalism that the descriptive paragraph-writer appears to least advantage. A death from tetanus in the Manchester Royal Infirmary has recently been made the basis of an article ascribing the fatal issue to the wearing of tight boots, a species of picturesque exaggeration which recommends itself to a certain class of readers, and was, no doubt, by the author of this literary effort considered to be a happy inspiration. Tight boots are productive of much discomfort, immediate and remote, but they do not cause death ; they have even been described by a humorist as a blessing, "because they make a man forget all his other miseries." Anyhow they will continue to be worn so long as it is fashionable to admire a small foot. Information kindly supplied by the resident surgical officer of the Manchester Royal Infirmary shows that the only 1
Transactions, vol.
xxv.,
pp. 164-66.
THE SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS BILL. COMMENDABLE progress has been made with this Bill by the Standing Committee on Trade, and the Bill is down for consideration in the House of Commons on June lst, but it is doubtful whether it will obtain a hearing then on account of some important political measures which are down as orders on the paper for the same day. The amendments in the new Bill deal chiefly with invoices as warranties, the sufficiency of the analyst’s certificate as evidence, the correct labelling of mixtures, and increased penalties for offences. There is no indication, however, of the appointment of a Court of Reference, but we understand that Sir Charles Cameron intends to move the adoption of some such clause. Again, the question of preservatives has to be decided yet by a Departmental Committee, so that it is doubtful whether the Bill will be ready for consideration on the date proposed. -
THE
,I
LATE CAMPAIGNS IN THE SOUDAN AND ON THE NORTH-WESTERN FRONTIER.
THE historical events connected with Khartoum and General Gordon naturally gave the late campaign prominence in the public eye ; the clear and comprehensible policy of the expedition and the important political considerations involved in its successful issue, as well as the almost scientific precision with which it was carried out, afford also a sufficient explanation of the absorbing interest which it created. Public attention can only occupy itself with one subject at a time and it was altogether diverted from the campaign on the North-Western frontier of India to the events which were taking place in the Soudan. As regards the size and nature of the undertaking, however, and the difficulties which had to be overcome the two expeditions are not to be compared with one another. Opinion was, and still is, much divided as to the political necessity or wisdom of the Indian campaign for one thing and, for another, it was much farther off from this country and its nature did not admit of any large, brilliant, or conclusive engagements being fought, but the military historian of the future will not fail to recognise that Sir William Lockhart and his troops accomplished an enormously difficult undertaking such as probably no other power in the world could have successfully carried A supplementary gazette has recently been pubout. lished which includes the names of many officers who had been omitted from the list of honours previously
unusual features of a fatal case of tetanus were the’ trivial nature of the original lesion and the unfortunate coincidence of the attack with a sargical operation underThe patient was a man, taken for another purpose. aged 26 years, who wished to enter the police force and was admitted to the infirmary to undergo operation for the radical cure of a varicocele. Although very tall and rather delicate-looking he seemed in every other respect to be perfectly healthy. The plexus was excised and the wound was sealed with celloidin. On the sixth day after the operation the patient complained of pain in the neck and jaws. The wound was examined and it was found to have soundly healed without suppuration. On thorough overhauling a small, barely-healed sore was discovered on the right great toe, and on closely questioning the patient he admitted that 14 days previously this had been caused by the rubbing of his boot during a long walk. The treatment consisted in large doses of chloral and injections of antitetanic serum, but the temperature (which had been normal since the operation) rose, the convulsions became more severe, and the patient died 24 hours after the first declaration of symptoms. Bacteriological examination of the operation wound and of the sore on the toe gave a negative result. ____
SKIAGRAPHY AND STEREOSCOPY. MR. MACKENZIE DAVIDSON gave an interesting demonstration on May 15th, at the Camera Club, of some new departures in x-ray work and their application to stereoscopic vision. Two skiagrams are taken from slightly different points of view and these are combined as a stereoscopic picture by being reflected to the eye by two mirrors placed at right angles, each being at an angle of 45 degrees to the plane of the skiagram. By placing the eyes close to the line of junction of the two mirrors a stereoscopic picture is seen. Mr. Davidson also explained his method of localising foreign bodies and stated that 100 cases of foreign bodies in the eye had now been localised in this way. This method consists in taking a known point and measuring the three coordinates of this point from three planes at right angles to each other. The three coordinates of the foreign body are then measured by the method of the crossed threads-also Mr. Davidson’s idea. Having got these data we can by subtraction decide how far to right or left of the known point the foreign body lies, also the vertical distance and the depth in the eyeball parallel to the visceral axis. The " known pointconsists of a piece of lead wire fixed by plaster to the patient’s lower eyelid. For the purpose of measurement two lines at right angles are made on the plate by placing two wires over the sensitive plate.
"DEATH FROM TIGHT BOOTS." SENSATIONAL versions of medical cases are only too frequent in the newspapers and it is perhaps in this department of journalism that the descriptive paragraph-writer appears to least advantage. A death from tetanus in the Manchester Royal Infirmary has recently been made the basis of an article ascribing the fatal issue to the wearing of tight boots, a species of picturesque exaggeration which recommends itself to a certain class of readers, and was, no doubt, by the author of this literary effort considered to be a happy inspiration. Tight boots are productive of much discomfort, immediate and remote, but they do not cause death ; they have even been described by a humorist as a blessing, "because they make a man forget all his other miseries." Anyhow they will continue to be worn so long as it is fashionable to admire a small foot. Information kindly supplied by the resident surgical officer of the Manchester Royal Infirmary shows that the only 1
Transactions, vol.
xxv.,
pp. 164-66.
THE SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS BILL. COMMENDABLE progress has been made with this Bill by the Standing Committee on Trade, and the Bill is down for consideration in the House of Commons on June lst, but it is doubtful whether it will obtain a hearing then on account of some important political measures which are down as orders on the paper for the same day. The amendments in the new Bill deal chiefly with invoices as warranties, the sufficiency of the analyst’s certificate as evidence, the correct labelling of mixtures, and increased penalties for offences. There is no indication, however, of the appointment of a Court of Reference, but we understand that Sir Charles Cameron intends to move the adoption of some such clause. Again, the question of preservatives has to be decided yet by a Departmental Committee, so that it is doubtful whether the Bill will be ready for consideration on the date proposed. -
THE
,I
LATE CAMPAIGNS IN THE SOUDAN AND ON THE NORTH-WESTERN FRONTIER.
THE historical events connected with Khartoum and General Gordon naturally gave the late campaign prominence in the public eye ; the clear and comprehensible policy of the expedition and the important political considerations involved in its successful issue, as well as the almost scientific precision with which it was carried out, afford also a sufficient explanation of the absorbing interest which it created. Public attention can only occupy itself with one subject at a time and it was altogether diverted from the campaign on the North-Western frontier of India to the events which were taking place in the Soudan. As regards the size and nature of the undertaking, however, and the difficulties which had to be overcome the two expeditions are not to be compared with one another. Opinion was, and still is, much divided as to the political necessity or wisdom of the Indian campaign for one thing and, for another, it was much farther off from this country and its nature did not admit of any large, brilliant, or conclusive engagements being fought, but the military historian of the future will not fail to recognise that Sir William Lockhart and his troops accomplished an enormously difficult undertaking such as probably no other power in the world could have successfully carried A supplementary gazette has recently been pubout. lished which includes the names of many officers who had been omitted from the list of honours previously