minister small doses of a saturated solution of magnesia sulphate.

One thirty-second of a grain of strychnine arsenite may be administered every two to four hours. Whisky or champagne may be employed as stimulants when demanded, although this is rarely necessary when the strychnine salt is administered. Small doses of gelsemium (1-2 minim of the fluid extract every halfhour until five doses have been taken) is to be given for the relief of headache or fugitive pains.

Dietetic.-Nitrogenous food should be employed as far as possible, such as beef tea made from a good extract of beef and bouillon.

Hot milk, to which has been added lime water, should be administered, and, if not well borne by the stomach, it will be necessary to add a small portion of pancreatin or peptogenic powder. The rule should be liquid food as far as practicable, given hot, and at the same time as medicines are administered-at intervals of two or three hours. Cold water is allowed in moderation.-N. Y. Med. Jour.

Hyoscyamine for Paralysis Agitans.

Dr. Chalmere, of Chicago, it seems recently made some favorable reports in the N. Y. Med. Jour. regarding the use of hyoscyamine in this heretofore bete noir of our profession. Since then hyoscyamine has been coming to the front with promise of relief for this most troublesome and intractable disease. Even a temporary relief, as the Med. Times (July, 1897) well says, for this distressing condition, obtained without injury to the system, will be hailed with gratitude.

The accumulating experience of the profession makes every case of wellmarked paralysis agitans a sufficient warrant for a test of hyoscyamine. The case of a clergyman is cited whose shaking of the head and right upper and lower extremities had been on the increase for years. A drop of a solution of hydrobromide of hyoscyamine-two grains to the ounce-was dropped into the eye. It 20 minutes the shaking had entirely ceased, and at the end of 45 minutes speech was

difficult and the patient was unable to rise from his chair. This partial paralysis gradually disappeared-there being no return of the shaking for several hours. In this case, as in another, the use of one drop of a solution of one grain to the ounce was sufficient, applied at stated times, to keep the patient entirely comfortable.

Infantile Intestinal Catarrh.

Dr. W. R. Beatie concludes, in the Med. Age, a good paper on this subject as follows:

1. During the heated season keep the body cool, but not too cool. Uniformity should be the rule; babies don't enjoy extremes of anything.

2. Most important of all is the proper regulation of the diet.

3. Impress upon the mother the fact that the very first variation from the proper digestion should be corrected by the family physician and not by the busybody neighbor.

4. The mother should be impressed with the fact that the opinion of the physician is of as much importance in the manner of food as if medicine were to be administered, as food is the life of the child.

5. We should see to it that less diet and a more digestible one be brought into requsition.

6. Relieve the thirst by pure water-in fact, plenty of water internally and externally.

7. Regard for cleanliness of all feeding utensils and nursing bottles should be insisted upon.

Summer Complaint.

Dr. C. C. Adair, M. D., of Bailey, Tex., writes: "I feel like contributing some of my experience with the bowel troubles that we have so often to deal with in babies, especially during the hot months of summer. I have given this subject considerable thought, and in spite of all that I can learn in regard to the treatment, failure sometimes baffles my efforts. Doctors, our success depends largely on the number of babies we cure.

In a most excellent article under the above caption, Dr. Robert C. Kenner, of Louisville, Ky., states that the treatment of asthma should be considered under two heads: first, relief of dyspnoea; second, systemic.

To carry out the first indication is a matter of great importance, since the burden of the heart during an attack of dyspnoea is very great. To relieve these attacks surely and speedily must therefore be our first aim. To accomplish this purpose, reference to the text books will show that a great number of remedies have been employed. Bromide of potassium, spirits ether comp., belladonna and all the sedatives, anodyne and anesthetic remedies have been used. Many physicians give chloroform by inhalation to relieve the dyspnoea. Ipecac and lobelia were the remedies which the older practitioners depended upon to accomplish this purpose. But, with a better comprehension of the factors preseut in these cases, remedies such as ipecac, lobelia, chloroform and even the bromides, and, in a word, remedies which add additional burden to the heart, are losing favor.

To overcome the attacks of dyspnoea he has employed only nitroglycerin, strych

nine and morphine hypodermic tablets (Sharp & Dohme). These tablets at once relieve the dyspnœa, and do not act as a cardiac depressant as in the case with the antispasmodic, sedative or anesthetic drugs usually exhibited in this condition. Conversely, however, the strychnine in these tablets acts as a cardiac stimulant, and shortly after the hypodermic injection we can discern an improvement in the volume of the pulse. The action of these tablets is prompt and improvement of the symptoms is manifest in a very short time. Often the entire breaking up of an attack of dyspnoea is seen in 20 minutes after the hypodermic injection. The measures to be instituted to establish a cure of asthma will, of course, depend to a large extent, upon the conditions existing in the case under consideration.

When chronic bronchitis is present we will make little headway if we fail to give constructives and have the patient guard against the visissitudes of the weather. In treating the disease we shall also have to administer remedies applicable in emphysema when that is present.

In his practice no single remedy has been found equal to the iodide of potassium for extending the time between the attacks of dyspnoea and effecting an entire cessation of these attacks. Of course this agent is conjoined in each case with such other drugs as are considered appropriate.

Diagnosis of Infantile Diseases.

Congstion of the cheeks, excepting in cases of cachexia and chronic diseases, indicate an inflammation or a febrile condition.

Congestion of the face, ears and forehead of short duration; strabismus, with febrile reaction; oscillation of the iris; irregularity of the pupil, with falling of the upper lids, indicate a cerebral affection.

A marked degree of emaciation, which progresses gradually, indicates some subacute or chronic affection of a grave character.

The absence of tears in children four months old or more suggests a form of disease which will usually be fatal.

Bulbar hypertrophy of the fingers and curving of the nails are signs of interference in the normal functions of the

circulatory apparatus.

Hypertrophy of the spongy portions of bones indicates rachitis.

The presence between the eyelids of a thick and purulent secretion from the Meibomian glands may indicate great prostration of the general powers.

Passive congestion of the conjunctival vessels indicates approaching death.

Long-continued lividity, as well as lividity produced by emotion and excitement, the respiration continuing normal, are indicative of a fault in the formation of the heart or the great vessels.

A temporary lividity indicates the existence of a grave acute disease, especially in the respiratory organs.

Piercing and acute cries indicate a severe cerebro-spinal trouble.

Irregular muscular movements, which are partly under the control of the will when the patient is awake, indicate the existence of chorea.

Contraction of the eyebrows, together with the turning of the head and eyes to avoid the light, is a sign of cephalalgia.

When the child holds his hand upon his head, or strives to rest the head upon the bosom of the mother or nurse, he may be suffering from ear disease.

When the fingers are carried to the mouth and there is, besides, great agitation present, there is probably some abnormal condition of the larynx.

When the child turns his head constantly from one side to the other there is a suggestion of some obstruction in the larynx.

A hoarse and indistinct voice is suggestive of laryngitis.

A feeble and plaintive voice indicates trouble in the abdominal organs.

A slow and intermittent respiration, accompanied with sighs, suggests the presence of cerebral disease.

If the respiration be intermittent, but accelerated, there is capillary bronchitis.

If it be superficial and accelerated, there is some inflammatory trouble of the larynx and trachea.

There is no better investment any practitioner can make than a year's sub

is only one dollar.

Notes and Queries.

For this department we cordially invite ques tions, comments and criticisms on all topics of interest to the physician in his daily work for the relief of the sick, thus making the SUMMARY a valuable medium for intercommunication between the medical profession.

Correspondents will give their names and addresses, but fnitals only will be printed when desired. The QUERIES in this issue await the ANSWERS which our itelligent readers may be pleased to contribute for publication in our next.

An Answering Shot.

Editor Medical Summary:

Before me is a marked copy of the Medico-Dental Gazette, hailing from the far away "Golden Gate," and edited by Frank L. Platt, D. D. S. This copy is marked at an article taken from your April number, entitled "Toothache," and written by me.

Dr. Platt's comments proceed very nicely until we mention the use of arsenious acid as an agent to kill the nerves of carious teeth, when the whole business becomes "pernicious information," and I am as ignorant as a mule for writing such information, and you expose your woeful ignorance by publishing it.

"Pity 'tis and 'tis a pity," but all the fools are not dead yet.

There lies at our elbow Dr. Potter's work on materia medica (Potter hails from the same clime as this D. D. S.) but we have not found one word, after a careful reading, to substantiate Platt's claim concerning arsenious acid. Potter evidently knows nothing about it. Bro. Platt, have him insert your comments on arsenious acid in the next edition of his book.

Equally near us lies Shoemaker's materia medica, bran new, wet from the press in its fourth edition, and he knows nothing about arsenious acid producing "arsenical necrosis;" if he does he culpably conceals his knowledge of it.

And here is Bartholow's materia medica and therapeutics-grand old book, we sleep with it under our pillow at night and carry it in our bosom by day and swear by it both day and night—and he knows no such woeful thing about arsenious acid, but is so "woefully ignorant" as to write, on page 165, seventh edition, "An arsenious paste having the following composition is used to destroy the sensibility of a

carious tooth: arsenious acid, two parts; morphine, one part; creosote, quantity sufficient to make a paste. Apply on cotton to the carious tooth."

We have no apology to make for our communication to the SUMMARY. We think we are in good company when Dr. Bartholow stands with us, and again, we don't go off "half cocked," as our dental doctor has evidently done, but carefully prepare our articles from sufficient data to stand the test.

There is more authority, and of the best kind, for the position we take, and we confess that we know of no one else but Dr. Platt who advocates his premises; in fact, the remedy was first suggested to us by a dentist, and is used extensively by him. They have used it to kill 20 or more nerves for us, and when next we have to go to them on this account we shall expect them to do so again and we shall fear no evil.

Mosheim, Tenn.

M. G. PRICE, M. D.

Large or Small Doses of Quinine; Which? Editor Medical Summary:

In the June issue of your most excellent journal I find that Dr. B. Ray Browning has kindly but severely criticised my article on hemorrhagic malarial fever. He offers some valuable suggestions in regard to the treatment of this malady, and for which we are very thankful.

He seems to be of the opinion that I gave too much quinine instead of too little, as I was thinking, and that in conjunction with a few doses of morphine, helped carry my patient over the "dark river." Now, if his opinion is correct, many physicians who administer heroic doses of the cinchona salts for this class of diseases commit a grave error and add to the already large mortality of this affection, or, in other words, they kill their patients with quinine.

There are some master minds in the profession who advocate profound cinchonism for pernicious malarial fever who would doubtless take exception to the good Doctor's "grave-yard” avoidance of quinine in this malady.

Now, it seems to me that this is a vital question and one worthy of discussion by

the most learned, and I hope that others who have had much or little experience with this disease will give us the benefit of their opinion. If the views of medical men who regard quinine as having a specific effect in malarial affections are correct, it seems to me that it would be little less than criminal to withhold it in this, the most deadly of its forms. The question is, shall we produce profound cinchonism in pernicious malarial fevers ? Let us hear from all who have an interest in this discussion.

Joppa, Ill.

C. E. TUCKER, M. D.

A Pointer.

Editor Medical Summary :

I find that a great many physicians in asking for help through the medical journals recently fail to give their full name, simply giving their initials. This is, to say the least, ungentlemanly, and it can only be productive of one result, i. e., it breeds contempt for the journal which encourages it. It may not manifest itself immediately, but in time it will.

The physician who is guilty of it makes a grand mistake, because he can only expect advice from the editor, the subscribers, some of whom are probably are probably better qualified to help him, being deprived of the privilege of doing so.

The practice of medicine, as you know, is an experimental issue at best, and common sense and experience play a very conspicuous part in its application, therefore, it happens frequently that some physician, by mere accident, makes a discovery which he would gladly impart to a brother physician who needs the advice, but who has failed to give his name. Some physicians, as you may know, do not care to appear in print as advisers, but are ever ready to write to an individual.

A physician who really wants advice and fails to give his full name and address lacks business qualities, and he can only be compared to a business man who is without a telephone in these days of progression, and who flatters himself with the idea of being isolated and independent of his customers.

Typhoid Fever.

Editor Medical Summary:

In the March SUMMARY I note a short article on typhoid fever by Dr. C. Naphier, of Lanagan, Mo. This article should receive more than a passing thought, as it rightfully stands at the head of the very many valuable articles that monthly appear in the SUMMARY. I can freely endorse every word of Dr. Naphier, and if he has any more valuable cards as this hid up his sleeve I hope he will come to the front often and play them freely.

I have long been a staunch advocate of the Woodbridge remedies in typhoid fever, and still believe them to be far and away ahead of the old line of treatment, but here comes the Doctor from Missouri with a remedy that is as far ahead of the Woodbridge remedies as they were in advance of the old line remedies.

Reaching my home about midnight, on April 7th, after a long country drive, I learned that a messenger had made frequent calls at my home for me to visit a young man in the village whom they considered dangerously sick. I responded at once to the call and found that the young man had been compelled to leave school the day previous on account of feeling unwell. At this time he had a temperature of 104 degrees, pulse strong and rapid, semi-delirious, tongue moist. Typhoid was suspected, but not well enough defined to hazard a diagnosis. I placed him on fluid extract of veratrum viride, small doses frequently repeated. The next morning his temperature was 102 degrees, pulse still strong, tongue moist, delirium modified somewhat. Continued the treatment. Evening temperature 101 degrees, pulse feeble, other symptoms about the same. Changed treatment to aconite and gelsemium.

The following morning, April 9th, the temperature was 103 degrees, other symp