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THE MEDICAL WORLD.

The knowledge that a man can use is the only real knowledge; the only knowledge that has life and growth in it and converts itself into practical power. The rest hangs like dust about the brain, or dries like raindrops of the stones. —FROUDÉ.

The Medical World.

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ubscription to any part of the United States and Canada, ONE DOLLAR per year. To England and the British Colonies FIVE SHILLINGS per year. Postage free. These rates must be paid invariably in advance.

Notice is given on the wrapper when your subscription expires. You are invited to renew promptly, when this notice is given. This is necessary if you wish to continue to receive THE WORLD, as it is sent only as long as paid for.

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A New Preparation of Arsenic. Some few years ago, I suggested, in these columns, a trial of sulphide of arsenic as a likely therapeutical agent in the treatment of various skin diseases and as a substitute for sulphide of calcium in cases of boils, abscesses, carbuncles, scrofulous glands, tonsillitis, etc.; on the supposition that the success of the latter is mostly due to the contained sulphur, and little, if at all, to the calcium. I ventured to predict that arsenic a time-honored remedy in many of the conditions last referred to, as well as in numerous skin diseases-might be substituted for the calcium with much advantage. I have still the courage of these convictions, and believe that a sulphide of arsenic, prepared in an available form, would prove useful, and would fill a place in our very limited stock of dermic remedies. I believe that bromide of potassium owes its efficacy in epilepsy to the bromine, and not in any way to the potassium; and that permanganate of potash produces its specific ef

fects through the manganese, and not through the potash. There is nothing new under the pharmaceutical sun, but there is plenty worth investigating. Sulphide of arsenic, for instance, has never been used, as such, in medicine; yet miners and peasants in some countries have been a long time in the habit of employing it in another form, as a purgative, as an anti-malarial remedy, and to improve the skin. They used to construct rude cups and vases out of fragments of orpiment or sulphide of arsenic, and leave the juice of a lemon in them for a few hours. They then drank the contents, which they credited with marvellous therapeutical properties, especially in the treatment of malarial fever.

In nature, arsenic combines with sulphur in many proportions; principally as an orangered bisulphide, called "realgar," and as a golden tersulphide, or "orpiment." These are used in the arts as paints and dyes, and in the manufacture of fireworks, and are somewhat erroneously considered to be very virulent poisons. A preparation of orpiment, called "rusma," is also employed as a dressing to re. move hair from the skins of animals, and enters into the composition of some "depilatories." The other combinations of arsenic and sulphur have no special uses; and none have hitherto been tested therapeutically. White oxide of arsenic, or arsenious acid, is the agent most frequently employed in medicine. It is in many respects analogous to phosphorus and antimony; and it goes without saying that it is a powerful poison, as indeed implied by its name, arsenic-which is derived from two Greek words, apoev, (a man, or male), and vikao, to vanquish.

Sulphide of arsenic is found in the native s'ate in the lava of volcanoes; in granite and gneiss; and in the mines of Siberia, Bohemia, Transylvania, Saxony, Hungary, Spain, England, Mexico and China, in various combi

nations, as with dolomite, sulphates of zinc, and baryta, carbonate of lime, and quartz. It can be made artificially by fusing (not subli ming) equal parts of arsenious acid and sulphur. Great caution is necessary, and special apparatus, provided with a protective hood, has to be used, as the fumes are exceedingly fatal; they, however, give timely warning, by reason of their overpowering odor of garlic. All sulphur contains more or less arsenic, a significant fact when we consider how many skin diseases are benefitted by sulphur. Recent experiments have conclusively demonstrated that arsenic is a protoplasmic poison, affecting first and chiefly the brain and nerves (where indeed it may be found after death) and beneficial effects on the hervous system are plainly seen in diseases of the skin which are of a

nervous or neurotic

character, and in epilepsy. Here the administration of arsenic, with a diet containing plenty of fats and oils, as cream, butter, meatfat, cod-liver oil, promotes the general nutrition of the body, by furnishing food to the nervous system; and an improved condition of the skin soon follows. Other diseases of the ner vous system, such as chorea, for instance, are often improved by sulphate of aniline, which also contains arsenic. Sulphur and arsenic combined should assuredly form a useful agent in the treatment of such cases as are usually benefitted by either of these agents respectively; as, for instance, acne, eczema, psoriasis, herpes, pemphigus, lichen, pruritus, impetigo. And we see no valid reason why the same combination should not be as equally as effectual as sulphide of calcium in the arrest of suppura tion, as in boils, pustular acne, scrofulous ul

cers, tonsillitis, and other suppurating glands.

For the latter was employed by the ancients to check suppuration in the lungs in cases of phthisis, and in the treatment of abscesses under the name and form of "sandarach." And lime was also given for the same purpose in the old-fashioned form of lime-water. sibly the waste and impaired nutrition attend ing diabetes might even be ameliorated by the

same means.

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I trust that many of our readers will seize an early opportunity to give this new preparation a trial in practice, and report thereon as soon as

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occasion permits. Commencing with small doses, which are ever the most efficient where arsenic is concerned, there need be no risk, while it is not unlikely that the results may reach or even surpass their expectations.

I have ascertained by repeated experiments that this sulphide of arsenic is harmless, if used with ordinary precautions, and find that a thirtieth part of a grain is well borne five or six times a day. I have employed this dose, in the form of a small lozenge or tablet, in many cases of eczema, herpes, boils, etc., with much succcess; and I have seen two inveterate cases of palmar psoriasis, not syphilitic, yield to it in a most satisfactory way, after they had been through all the routine treatment, old and new, without benefit. One of these cases was of four years' standing, and had been pronounced incurable. Patient was incapacitated from following his occupation, his hands being useless. Improvement immediately followed treatment, and he is now at work, writing, and his hands are already presentable, and bid fair for a cure, six weeks from commencement of treatment. LOUIS LEWIS, M. D.

On account of typographical errors overlooked last month we republish Dr. Lewis' Chart of Insensibility, corrected, this month.

Persian opium yields as much as twelve per cent. of morphia, whereas the drug of other opium - producing countries rarely gives more than nine and a half. London and Hongkong are the principal markets for Persian opium.

The fruit of the laburnum singularly resembles the common garden pea, growing in exactly

similar pods, and is apt to be eaten by the chil

dren and others in mistake for the latter; but it is dangerous, and indeed highly toxic.

"Don't be in a hurry to change a medicine you find to be doing good; get the utmost possible benefit out of it first."-Waugh.

With this issue we send to our subscribers Dr. House's very complete index for our 1888 volume, which will more than double the value of that volume to its fortunate possessors. We have yet on hand a few hundred copies of the 1888 volume complete, which will be sent, with index, to early applicants, on receipt of $1.00.

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