between the prescription and the tissue (black side to tissue), write with a pencil, using medium, even pressure, and the work is done. A pen and copying ink without the carbon paper can be used if preferred, in which case the front tissue must be used for the copy. Finding this idea so readily accepted by professional friends, I have made arrangements with my printer to furnish these blanks in nice book form, morocco covered, bearing the physician's card at the top, and no druggist's name, at $5 per thousand. He has supplied me with a large number of sample pages, which I shall be pleased to mail on application. I sincerely believe that the general adoption of such a form of blank will lift our profession above many of its present perplexities. Dr. J. McQuaid, St. Paul, Texas, in his sentence on antifebrin in November WORLD, page 424, voices my sentiments exactly in the use of antipyrine. I have tried it twice, and both times the nurse was frightened, and the doctor, when he got there, quite uneasy. And each time the spell came on "right after using that fever powder," and it was given in less than one half the usual dose. Water is my favorite antipyretic, always at hand, safe and sure. TURPENTINE IN DIPHTHERIA. I wish to add my experience, and will simply say I have yet to fail with it. I am keeping a record of my cases, and if I continue in the present frame of mind will report them by and by. Meanwhile, should any brother desire to learn my experience, let him address me. I don't know but Dr. Waugh and others, in speaking of the sulpho carbolate of zinc, have given doses, if so, please do it again. I was interested in Dr. Waugh's fever case, p. 415; but he don't give the dose he used. In my humble opinion, Dr. Turner, p. 426, spends a gread deal more time waiting for that placenta than is necessary. I had the good I had the good fortune to begin my practice with a doctor who for thirty years had practiced immediate removal, while the parts are yet lax and benumbed by the passage of the child. I believe in this procedure most emphatically. My ladies are surprised and pleased, and five minutes never have elapsed from the tying of the cord till the placenta and membranes are out of the way. Don't pull on the cord. Turn it edgeways with your finger or hand, if need be, and remove at once, twisting the membranes into a rope to prevent tearing. Try it just once, doctor, keeping your other hand on the abdomen, and spend the extra half hour in bed. If you'll try it six times, I don't believe you'll spend another forty-five minutes waiting for a placenta. I use plenty of chloroform, but no ergot, and have yet to meet a case of post partem hemorrhage. If Dr. Mosena, p. 430, has not had his wife's eyes examined for error in refraction I would advise him to do so at once. He will probably find astigmatism. Dr. R. L. Hardwick, p. 431, has a case of cystitis with irritable urethra, and will get good results by the passage of bougies twice a week, and injecting the bladder after washing it out with nitrate of silver, iij to xx grains to water j oz. He omits to mention pus in his analysis. Try the weak solution first, doctor, and let it run out through the urethra. You may find stricture with your bougie. I would like to ask if electrolysis is applicable to stricture of the rectum as well as of the urethra? I have a case just at hand, and believe I'll try it. Ravenswood, Ill. DR. W. C. ABBOTT. [The dose of sulpho carbolate of zinc is from one sixth to one-half a grain every fifteen minutes to every hour for children; for adults in typhoid fever, from one-half to two grains. The smaller doses, frequently repeated, have their points of advantage when the patient's condition is not such that too much disturbance is occasioned by the two frequent administra-tion of medicine. Electrolysis has been successfully employed in stricture of the rectum, but it is manifestly not so applicable as in urethral stricture, from the different nature of the stricture formation. Be careful in your diagnosis, and do not apply it in obstruction caused by cancerous growth. -ED.] Mineral Waters. Editor MEDICAL WORLD: I think it would be of general utility to the medical profession if each of us would give, in a concise way, our knowledge, by experience or otherwise, of the positive curative properties of the various medical or mineral springs of the United States, giving their location and action. I, for one, often have chronic cases baffling all the materia medica, and in such cases would be glad to know of some springs of positive curative properties just suitable to the case. For instance, I am a confirmed dyspeptic; have been for years; ever since I was in the army in 1861. Now, I tried various medical springs, including the famous Hot Springs and Eureka Springs of Arkansas, all to no purpose, until, by mere accident, my attention was called to Searcy Springs, in White Co., Ark., and there I went as a last resort. Well, I found a clear, sparkling spring there of no very great pretentions, but of the greatest relief to me. I found that the spring contained a gas that escaped, and for that reason would lose its properties if shipped to a distance, and I concluded, from all that I could learn, that the spring contained a superabundance of oxygen. Immediately, almost, one's appetite and digestion gains, and with it an increase of flesh and buoyancy of spirits, which no one can so thoroughly appreciate as a dyspeptic. In conclusion, I earnestly ask the readers of THE MEDICAL WORLD to give us their positive knowledge of the curative properties of the * various springs with which they are personally acquainted. Do not give us what you have heard. For instance, I had seen many syphilitic patients return from Hot Springs, Ark., who claimed wonderful properties for the waters, and their appearance seemed convincing proof of their assertions; but when I was there to positively observe the effects, then there was another color to it. These patients took enormous doses of the iodides and mercury, and by a process of sweating and baths, actually soaked the disease out through the emunctories. Well, some credit is due the waters, but more to treatment and care. I found Eureka Springs, Ark., apparently positively good for dropsies and eye diseases, nothing more. It is good pure water, and as pure water is rather the exception, many others obtained relief, as much from rest as from anything else. I speak all this from positive experience and impartial observation at these places; let others do the same, and we will thereby be able, oftentimes, to conscientiously recommend our patients where to go, and then have them return to us, thanking us for it, cured of rheumatic stiffened limbs, chronic ulcers, indigestion, etc. I am going to California; does any doctor know of springs there that are "A No. 1" for indigestion? for, though much better, I am not weil yet. If so, he will do me a favor by making it known. Salina, Kan. DR. I. E. LAYTON. 4. If you have an intelligent nurse leave a thermometer and have the drug administered according to the requirements of the case; this is especially needful in typhoid fever. 5. Four grain doses repeated every hour till three doses are taken, the patient keeping the recumbent posture, will subdue nervous headache or sick headache. 6. Except in very high pyrexia the third or fourth hour interval will suffice and four grains is a sufficient dose. 7. In obstinate and high fever use three grains of antifebrin and six or eight grains of quinine together every hour till the temperature falls to 100° F.; this will hold the temperature down about eighteen hours. 8. Never use antifebrin and spts. eth. nit. dulc. in combination. This sounds dogmatic, but I do not wish to take the time or to infringe upon your space to give reasons. Willow Branch, Ind. W. B. RYAN, M. S. Progressive Muscular Atrophy. Editor MEDICAL WORLD: I am very much pleased with your method of exchanging ideas through your valuable journal. The question was asked-I think in the Sept. number-if any one had a case of progressive muscular atrophy, and, if so, to give the course of treatment followed. I am pleased to comply. About one year and a half ago, Mrs. D., married, aged 40, began to notice a weakness in the left arm and left leg, which continued to grow weaker and also to diminish in size; so much so that she became alarmed and sought medical advice. She was then up in the Sierra Nevada mountains, 350 miles from Sacramento. She came to me for advice and treatment. I diagnosed it progressive muscular atrophy. She was quite anemic; so I prescribed mur. tr. ferri and used faradism. I then gave her strychnine and pho phorus. She made good progress for three months, and then overtaxed her strength and ceased to improve. I still continued the faradism and prescribed syrup of hypophosphites. She has now gained what she lost, and continues to improve, but slowly. I have treated her now six months; but there is not as much improvement as I should like to It taxes my patience exceedingly; yet I think that there is a slow, gradual improvement. The general health is good. Can any one suggest a better course of treatment? DELTA. Sacramento, Cal. see. Larvæ in the Nasal Cavities. Editor MEDICAL WORLD. I was called September 24th, 1888, to visit Hon. Isaac Cox of Marine, Ill., who was suffering severe pain in his neck-teeth, and, in fact, nearly the whole head, especially in the frontal sinuses; was blowing blood from the nostrils, and spitting or coughing it from his throat. His breath was very foul, pupils contracted, temperature 103°, pulse 100, with delerium. He remained in this condition until the 28th, except that the discharge of blood from the nose and mouth became darker and more offensive, making it very disagreeable to remain in his room. On the 28th he felt a tickling sensation in the nostrils, causing him to blow his nose, when five worms were discharged. The worms were nearly one inch in length with tentacles resembling a large horse hair. Their color is white or yellowish until the chrysalis state begins, when they change to a brown, in which state they remain until matured into a fly. From that time until the 30th at least one hundred were dischargedsome from the mouth. Since the 30th ten have passed. I do not know the name of the worm or fly that deposits not an egg, but a live worm. The fly resembles the blue bottle fly, but is smaller. By squeezing the fly in the hand hundreds of small worms are passed. From From what I can learn they resemble and are the Texas screw-worm. I used a strong solution of carbolic acid alternately, with a syringe and a spray. This removed the bad smell. I was advised to use chloroform, two tablespoonfuls; milk, three tablespoonfuls every two hours, injected with a female syringe, followed by an injection of bichloride of mercury 0. This did not anesthetise them, but equal parts of milk and chloroform did. Some of the worms that were anesthetised revived in six hours. I kept some of them four days; fed them on beef. They would fasten to the beef with their tentacles and front legs (as nearly as I can discover they have nine legs on a side), raising what I suppose to be their head, and fiercly attacking the beef; they do this at each bite. The mouth is very large, with two black teeth resembling the tentacles. They have small horns above the mouth; seen through a glass they are fierce locking creatures. I placed some of these parasites in 95 per cent alcohol. They lived one and three-quarter hours. Others in a very strong solution of salicylic acid; they lived twelve hours. I have some of these in a chrysalis state; from two of them I have the fly matured. It is, no doubt, the screw-fly. The fly that deposits eggs on dead animal matter is different from the screw-fly which lays its young in foul ulcers, or in the nose in offensive catarrh. The worm is said to be the larva of a diphtherous insect or hexapod, natives of Texas, Mexico and the South. I am informed that this fly is depositing its larvæ in the sheaths of horses and ears of hogs. Mr. Cox ad great difficulty in swallowing and talking before any worms passed, but not after. From my own experience, I would be willing to rely on a strong watery solution of carbolic acid, alternately with spts. terebinth, in vasaline, by spray and syring, in preference to milk and chloroform, two parts of former to one of chloroform, or to equal parts of each. The chloroform can have no good effect unless the larvæ are anesthetised. From Biblical literature we learn that King Herod was eaten of worms and died. This is the first case of larvæ in frontal sinuses I ever saw or heard of; but lately I have seen two cases reported. One of the screw flies I sent to Professor E. Younkin, 1015 Garrison Ave., St. Louis. Will some of our Texas brethren give us a little literature on this interesting and disgusting creature? I knew but very little, as I had a theory without experience. This caused me to put on my considering cap and search for a make-up of that which I saw I could not do without, viz.: a method of cures. I dispensed with all emetics and expectorants as worthless, and applied myself to the nature of the disease. I came to the conclusion that as a fever always exists in true croup, my attention would have to be engaged immediately to procure a remedy to con. quer it. What could I do better than to fall back upon that noble remedy, aconitum napel lus, as a weapon of defence? Very well; so far, so good. One step gained in advance; but another attack was made upon me by the inflammatory action of the mucous membrane, with the exudation of a false membrane upon it. Here I made a halt, and began to look around me for a remedy that governed that part. My choice fell upon spongia usta as the remedy, which worked like a charm, leaving me nothing to contend with but the croupy cough, for which I gave hepar sulph. This last attack brought me out of the fight crowned with vic portions of the United States. I submitted the lists to a committee of three disinterested physicians; they found all of the lists good and practical, and each, of course, differing widely from the other. After careful comparison and consideration, the award was made to list submitted by Dr. J. B. Massie, of Fayetteville, Ark. I desire to state that I mailed in August copy of Label Sheet to each one competing as promised. If any have not received their List, would be pleased to know it, that I may forward them a copy. I have published the List in good style, on gummed paper, large type, ready to cut and apply to vials, and will mail a sheet to any address on receipt of twenty five cents. I append receipt for case from Dr. J. B. Massie. FAYETTEVILLE, ARK., August 24, 1888. This is to certify that I have received from Willis H. Davis one Automatic Buggy Case, awarded to me for the best list of sixty medicines. The same was sent me, express prepaid, as agreed, and received in good order. Tannic Acid. Antimon. et Potass Tart. Hydrarg. Chlor. Cors. Hydrarg. Chlor. Mite. J. B. MASSIE, M.D. Editor MEDICAL WORLD: I offer an answer to Dr. E. H. Gregg, page 306, MEDICAL WORLD for Aug., 1888. Some twenty years ago I was called in haste to see a young man who had been shot. His friends desired me to keep it a secret. Upon examination I found that while standing with his left hand upon the wall of a log house, his arm extended, his face towards the house, making his position side to the house, it being in the night, a musket, loaded heavily with slugs of lead was put through a secret hole in the wall of the house and fired by an inmate in the house. The muzzle of the gun could not have teen more than eighteen inches from my patient's head. The load took effect in the collar bone, tearing it all to pieces to the shoulder joint and passing through the joint to the skin on the outside. I cut through the skin and took out nine pieces of lead; his chin and neck was as thick with powder grains as ever a man's face could be with beard. It fell to my lot to hide the powder, which put me to my wits. I had ne adhesive plaster, but had some Canadian balsam several years old. I cut sev eral slips of linen cloth half an inch broad, smeared them with the balsam, put a linen cloth over the chin and another on the neck, bound them on with the strips of balsam. After some three days the cloth on the chin became filthy on account of having to feed him with a spoon. I took off the dressing and found that the balsam had come in contact with some scattering grains of powder, which were sticking in the balsam on the strips. I confess that it surprised me, so I put on a new cloth and smeared it all over with the balsam, and in three or four days I took it off and found that all the grains of powder were sticking in the balsam, leaving no powder stains in the skin. I often thought I would publish this, but never did it. I never have had an opportunity to try it since. I desire the readers of THE WORLD to try it and report. It certainly acted like a charm in my case, and if it is a discovery, it is accidental, for I was only trying to hide the powder. My patient got well and is living near me now, and can testify to the same. Success to THE WORLD; I think it is one of the best medical journals published. W. A. THOMPSON, M. D. In the Orphans' Court, on Saturday last, Judge Penrose filed an adjudication in the estate of Joseph Perry, deceased, who was found dead in his house, on Locust Street, near Twelfth, from cold or starvation, in January of last year, and who left an estate valued at upwards of $80,coo. The only claim against the estate presented in court was one by Dr. Joseph W. Brooks, for $3,370, for medical services rendered deceased, at $10 per visit. The doctor's book was offered as evidence in support of the claim, but its entries were of such a character-for instance, a figure I under a certain date-that they would have required testimony to explain their meaning. Upon this point Judge Penrose said: "Books of this |
