child, it began rapidly to improve. It ceased to vomit, the bowels became more regular, and in a few days it began perceptibly to increase in flesh. It continued to be fed almost exclusively on the solidified milk for several weeks, during which it remained well, regained a good degree of flesh, and grew finely. The parents soon after left the city, and the child passed beyond the reach of my observation. To detail other cases would extend my report to an unnecessary length. It is sufficient to observe, that all my experiments, calculated to test the nutritive qualities and digestibility of the article, have led to highly satisfactory results. From the observations thus far made, I have been able to discover only three objections to the substance under consideration. The first is that it contains an extra quantity of sugar. As an article of nourishment, and for most culinary purposes, this objection would have no weight; bnt to use with tea and coffee, it would be disagreeable to many. The second objection is the empyreumatic flavor spoken of by the committee of the New York Academy of Medicine, and which is certainly quite perceptible when used alone, or with tea and coffee. But this flavor is disliked by a comparatively small number of persons only, repeated use would doubtless soon remove the dislike even with them. The third objection has reference to the price; which, if I am correctly informed, is twenty-five cents per pound at retail, being equivalent to about four cents a pint for pure milk. On the other hand, the solidified milk of Mr. Blatchford's manufacture, possesses some advantages of importance. Its capability of perfect preservation enables us to procure it by the box as we would sugar, thereby saving all the trouble of being waited upon by a milk-man once or twice a-day; and what is of still greater importance, it may be dissolved and ready for use in just such quantities as needed, in a few minutes, thereby enabling those who use it to have at all times a fresh article. Again, it may not only be diluted like ordinary milk to any desirable degree, but it may also be dissolved in such proportion as to render the solution much more rich in nutritive constituents than ordinary milk; thereby fur nishing more nourishment in a small quantity of fluid, a quality of importance in some conditions of the digestive organs. From the investigations I have been able, thus far, to make, I have been led to regard the following conclusions as essentially correct, viz: 1st, That in the "solidified milk" manufactured by Mr. Samuel T. Blatchford, of New York, there is preserved all the solid and nutritive constituents of fresh and pure milk, in such a state as to be capable of remaining unchanged for years, if kept free from moisture. 2d, That the solid constituents of the milk so preserved, retain their natural combinations and qualities so perfectly, that when dissolved in water, in proper proportion, the solution possesses all the chemical, microscopical, physical, and nutritive qualities of fresh and pure milk from the cow, modified only by the presence of an excess of white sugar and a trifling proportion of soda. 3d, That the article may be used, not only safely, but advantageously, for all the purposes to which milk is applied, except those in which sugar is positively inapplicable. Its portableness, its solubility, and consequent capacity to furnish at all times a solution perfectly fresh, and of any required degree of richness, renders it especially applicable to the nourishment of young children and invalids. And hence, your committee do not hesitate to recommend it as a reliable substitute for milk procured by the methods in ordinary use, not only on ships at sea, and during long journeys overland, but also as an article for general use in all our large cities. A tablet of the "solidified milk," manufactured by Mr. Blatchford, about ten months since, is herewith presented to the Association for the inspection of its members. In regard to the remaining topics referred to your committee for investigation, viz: the influences of menstruation and pregnancy on the composition and qualities of milk, I am not able to make a satisfactory report. Although I have gathered some facts of interest, yet it is easy to perceive that the opportunities for a careful and thorough investigation of these topics would not be numerous, in the practice of any one physician during the short period of one year. Should the Association deem these topics of sufficient importance to continue the committee, I shall be happy to pursue the investigation until more satisfactory results are obtained. All of which is respectfully submitted. ARTICLE II. On the Use of Veratrum Viride in Fevers. A Letter from Huntingdon, Indiana, addressed to one of the Editors. DEAR SIR,-I hope it will not prove a source of annoyance to give you the result of my experience in the use of veratrum viride as a diaphoretic in the hot stage of our autumnal fevers. I noticed with interest your observations in your Journal, sometime last spring, upon the use of this agent in puerperal peritonitis; and from your opinion of its modus operandi, it suggested itself to me, that it would be an excellent agent in the hot stage of fever, as above stated, and determined upon. giving it a trial in the first favorable opportunity. In July last, when fevers became prevalent here, I gave it in teaspoonful doses to an adult, during the hot stage, with the result that far surpassed my expectation. It not only reduced the heart's action rapidly, but at the same time brought about free diaphoresis; its action was so certain in every case, that in my pill bags it soon occupied the space set apart for the pulvis ipecac. et opii. I used it in the form you recommended, excepting water instead of the camphorated tinct. of opium, for no other object than to render its administration more certain, being easier telling when a teaspoon is full than when only two-thirds. R. Sat. Tinct. Veratrum Viride, Water, i3 (I gave it indiscriminately in every temperament and age, and to the extent of producing free emesis, and found no bad effect when it was given to the extent of producing emesis; it also produced considerable prostration, but that, together with the vomiting, would cease spontaneously in one or two hours after withholding the medicine, at which time I would invariably find my patient in a profuse sweat, and in a fine condition for the administration of quinine, and, if given freely, had no return of fever.) It would produce such profuse sweating and relaxation, that I sometimes thought it was a great pity Sam. Thompson had not known of it; it would have been such a saving to them in the way of fuel, expended for making steam. It acted so well in my hands, that I suggested to my friend, Dr. Greyston, of this place, to give it a trial also, which he did with as favorable a result. I will give briefly a few cases: Master Hardman, aged 10, after a chill, had suffered three days, with a high grade of fever, with a very slight remission, if any, in spite of the Dover's powders he had taken every two hours, in proper doses, and bitter herb tea, as recommended by Dr. S. of this place; at this time I saw him, and found him talking incoherently; as you would expect, at this stage, skin dry and hot, tongue and mouth dry, &c. I gave him one-half of a teaspoonful of the mixture every hour, until he had taken seven doses, when he commenced vomiting freely, and continued to do so for about one and a-half hours, when it subsided, leaving him in the condition I have above stated, sweating freely, pulse reduced to about 90; I gave quinine freely, and he had no return of the fever. The above case will answer in every particular for a number of other cases with the same result. A case that I think is as much to the point, was the following: a Mrs. E. was attacked with a continued form of fever; I had got out of the saturated tincture; I had some more preparing at this time, and I was compelled to use the Dover's powder as a substitute, which I gave freely, alternating it with spts. nitre for three days; but the fever went on, regardless of my dosing. I remarked to the lady, that it seemed a difficult matter to get her into a sweating stage. "Oh!" said she, "Doctor, you must not wait to get me to sweat before you cure the fever; for if you do, you will let me die. For Dr. Leaper, of Ohio, tried ten days once, when I had the fever, to make me sweat, and could not, and had to cure me without it; I never sweat, Doctor, sick or well." I still continued my Dover's powders, with all the adjuncts I could bring to bear, for three days longer, when I had almost concluded with the Ohio Dr., to cure her without sweating. I thought, however, my tincture had some strength, and I gave it ad libitum until I produced free emesis-a very profuse sweating. I gave her four grains of quinine every three hours, without any return of the fever; and here it will not be out of place to say, that I have found no case of fever during the past summer, (and we have had a great many on the Wabash the past summer and fall,) that has not given way with this size doses of the quinine. I submit the above for what they may be worth, only hoping that some of my medical brethren, whose discriminating powers are better than my own, will give it a further trial. I have used it in but one case of pneumonia; but I believe it will be a great adjuvant in the treatment of that disease. Prof. N. S. DAVIS. Yours, respectfully, J. R. MILLS, M. D. [WE insert the following Letter with pleasure, as we do almost everything calculated to draw attention to our indigenious Materia Medica.-EDITOR.] ARTICLE III.-Intermittents and remedies. DOCT. DAVIS,-Dear Sir,-It strikes me that in writing for a Medical Journal, our object should be to communicate some important facts relating to the Practice of Medicine. I have endeavored in this article to fulfil this principle. I take the liberty to send it to you to dispose of as you think best. Should you deem it possessing sufficient merit to be entitled a place among the pages of your Journal, it will gratify the writer, whose object has been to accomplish good to the medical fraternity, and hope its perusal will suffice to induce my brethren to ponder on the importance of the subject. Ever since the middle of the seventeenth century, Cinchona has been the great remedy for intermittents. Its use has been |