was healthy, the curves were found to present their normal characters. The lateral columns of the spinal cord were sclerosed. In all probability not only the cutaneous extremities, but the entire length of the fibres was similarly affected, and such fibres were connected with the affected portion of the cord -a view, however, that it was impossible to corroborate. (La France Médicale, 1876, No. 2.)

The Treatment of Coxalgia.-M. Ollier, of Lyons, recently read an interesting paper on this subject in the Section des Sciences Médicales of the Association Française. He discussed the advantages and disadvantages of continuous extension and re-section of the head of the femur, and also the possibility of re-establishing movement. The practice of continuous extension, suggested by Bonnet, employed by Böckel, only succeeds in those cases in which sudden and violent extension, with subsequent absolute rest of the joint, would also succeed. It is not, therefore, a general but a complementary method; a difficulty often met with is the impossibility of obtaining a firm and fixed point d'appui in the pelvis. Moreover, the pain is sometimes intolerable. Re-section of the head of the femur he considers to have given good results in the hands of some surgeons, but his own statistics are unfavourable to this operation, which deprives the bone of its periosteum and of its means of increasing in length. The resection ought to be performed, however, when the head is detached from the body, though it is then rather a case of removal of a sequestrum than a re-section. (La Revue Scientifique, Aug. 26, 1876.)

The Treatment of Inversion of the Uterus by the Elastic Ligature.-M. Arles reports the case of a woman who had had seven confinements, and three miscarriages, and who suffered from inversion of the uterus. M. Arles tried every method to effect a cure, but unsuccessfully. At length he determined to draw the inverted uterus downwards, and to surround it by a tube of caoutchouc drawn moderately tight. There were no septic symptoms, and the uterus came away in the course of a fortnight. He thinks this method is preferable to excision, to the simple or metallic ligature, to the écraseur, and to the galvano cautery, and even to M. Denucé's method by écrasement lineaire, by which removal is effected in from twenty-four to thirty-six hours. (La Revue Scientifique, Sept. 2, 1876.)

Phosphide of Zinc.-Phosphide of zinc is one of the very few articles that have stood the test of experience, out of the very many additions to the materia medica introduced in recent times. In fact the large range of nervous affections that resist all forms of medication renders it very important to the practi

tioner that those remedial agents which have stood the test of experience in treating these often too stubborn affections, be brought prominently before his attention.

The phosphide of zinc, so far, has proven a most efficient agent in the successful treatment of the major part of a certain class of affections. In very many instances it has been far more curative than phosphorus. Considered in the light of a curative agent, the phosphide of zinc stands alone, not only for the certainty, but for the rapidity of its action, as a nervous tonic and stimulant. Its value in these respects has of late been fairly tested in the last and exhausting stages of typhoid and other fevers, where the nervous energies have been so far prostrated as to render convalescence, if not doubtful, at least tedious and protracted. The great therapeutic value of the phosphide of zinc is evidenced in the most distinct manner when used in the treatment of that protean form of disease known as neuralgia. While it is acknowledged by the best observers in the profession that the former is seldom curative in doses less than onetwentieth of a grain, often calling for as high as one-tenth or one-fourth, the phosphide of zinc yields as reliable and more speedy results, in doses of one-tenth to one-eighth of a grain. But few stomachs can tolerate more than one-thirtieth of a grain of phosphorus before manifesting symptoms of irritation, which, in connection with the "matchy" taste, soon evolved in eructations, following an efficient dose of phosphorus, seldom fails to engender disgust to its further continuance. Nor are these disagreeable results altogether abolished by any of the multitudinous formulæ now in vogue. On the other hand, experience with the phosphide of zinc has proven that it enters the circulation far more rapidly than the element, and when administered in doses of from one-eighth to one-twelfth of a grain, produces its curative influence far more readily, and is equally as permanent in therapeutic power. It has been found to be extremely serviceable in neuralgia in doses of one-eighth of a grain in the form of a pill-in angina, in loss of memory and impotence, in loss of sleep from continued mental anxiety, and generally in those nervous affections that owe their origin to exhaustion or depression of the nervous force. The form recommended by Prof. W. A. Hammond of zinci phosphidi, th gr., extract. nucis vomicæ, gr., made up in the form of pill, is well adapted for use. (St. Louis Med. and Surg. Journal, Sept. 1876.)

On the Action of Chloral Hydrate and Croton-Chloral Hydrate.-J. v. Mering, from experiments with croton-chloral hydrate, finds that when given in small doses to rabbits it causes considerable slowing of the respiration before the cessation of the

58 EXTRACTS FROM BRITISH AND FOREIGN JOURNALS.

reflex action from the cornea, and when the corneal reflex is extinguished, the number of respirations is diminished by a half. The substance, 06 gramme, was introduced subcutaneously, or was injected into the veins in divided doses of scarcely half as much altogether. Similar results were obtained from parallel experiments with chloral hydrate. Croton-chloral hydrate acts upon the frog's heart similarly to chloral hydrate in even small doses, 0.025 gramme given subcutaneously causing cessation of its action. Blood-pressure experiments upon dogs, cats, and rabbits were performed with both substances. Small doses diminish the blood-pressure temporarily, whilst large doses diminish it continuously, till the blood-pressure curve reaches zero. The pulse-beats are at first increased by both drugs, and this increase lasts somewhat longer with croton-chloral hydrate. At a certain stage of the experiments the blood-pressure remained continuously low, in spite of great oscillations. This seems to show that the croton-chloral hydrate extinguishes the arterial tonus, the heart's energy still continuing, this being, as is known, asserted of chloroform and chloral hydrate. From these and former experiments there seems to be a great similarity in the actions of the three above-mentioned drugs. Lastly, the author combats Liebreich's theory of the action of croton chloral hydrate. According to his theory this substance in alkaline blood splits up into dichlorallylen, hydrochloric acid, and formic acid, and the former, analogous to ethyliden chloride, is the active factor. The author employed only the trichlorcrotonate of soda, which, even in the cold, in dilute alkaline solutions, passes into dichlorallylen. This substance was injected into rabbits, and even when five grammes were injected, it had no effect. (Archiv für experiment. Pathologie und Pharmak., iii. 185, and Centralblatt, No. 37, 1875.)

Notes and Queries.

NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE.

ULCERATION OF THE TONGUE AS A SYMPTOM IN HOOPINGCOUGH.-Dr. Finlayson, of Glasgow, writes: "Please correct in your own way an extraordinary error made by a correspondent in the last number of the Practitioner, who accuses Dr. McCall of ignorance of continental literature, in claiming the discovery of the ulceration of the Frenum linguæ in Pertussis. The ignorance is altogether on the part of your correspondent, who cannot have read Dr. McCall's paper in the Glasgow Medical Journal of 1871, as Dr. McCall quotes in the very paper your correspondent ventures to criticise almost exactly the same names in the same order; he also refers to M. Bouchut as his authority for the list of earlier writers. Probably your correspondent only saw the paper he criticises in abstract somewhere, but he might take a lesson from the person he criticises (if this is the case) in indicating when he has consulted the originals and when the abstracts of the paper to which he refers."

We have referred to the original papers of Dr. McCall and M. Bouchut, and find that neither of them lays any claim to the discovery of ulceration of the tongue as a symptom in hoopingcough. M. Bouchut refers to a number of German authors as acquainted with it so early as 1844, and Dr. McCall gives full credit to all who have treated the subject before him, and ample references to the papers of Bouchut and Charles.

Goa Powder.—Dr. A. K. Dyer writes: "In the number of the Practitioner for July 1875, in an article on the use of Goa Powder, I see that it is stated that the remedy was introduced into medical practice in Shanghai by a druggist. This is not correct. While resident in Shanghai I met with many cases of eczema marginatum, and had very great difficulty in treating them. Having heard of Goa powder, I was enabled to obtain a quantity of it through the kindness of a Parsee merchant, who got it sent from Bombay. I used it with the greatest success, and advised Messrs. Lewellyn and Co., druggists, Shanghai, to get a quantity of it. This firm is, doubtless, the druggist referred to."

Bibliography.

Elements of Pharmacy. Lescher. Roy. 8vo. pp. 200.

Fifth Edition. By F. Harwood 7s. 6d. London: Churchill,

Book of Prescriptions. Fifth Edition. By Henry Beasley. 18mo. pp. 560. 6s. 6d. 6s. 6d. London: Churchill,

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The Nurse's Companion: a Manual of General and Monthly Nursing. By Chas. J. Cullingworth, M.R.C.S. Fcap. 8vo. pp. 134. 9s. 6d. London: Churchill.

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:

Epilepsy its Medical and Moral Treatment and Cure. By Frederick Goodchild, M.D. Crown 8vo. pp. 16. 1s. London: Churchill.

Tracheotomy, especially in relation to Diseases of the Larynx and Trachea. By W. Pugin Thornton, M.R.C.S. 8vo. pp. 70. 5s. 6d. London: Churchill.

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**

Any of the foreign works may be procured on application to Messrs. DULAU, of Soho Square, W.C.;-WILLIAMS and NORGATE, of Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, W.C.; or BAILLIÈRE, of King William Street, Charing Cross.