order to become more easily digested and assimilated. It gave me, therefore, much pleasure to hear a Dutch physician, whose acquaintance I made a few weeks since, and with whom I conversed on the above subject, say, that in his practice in Holland he had frequently directed the addition of a little salt to the milk for newly-weaned children, with a very happy result.

On my inquiry how the idea occurred to him, he said that he had observed that the peasants of Holland, in order to preserve the swine and cattle from a diarrhoea which frequently occurred in consequence of indigestion, mix salt with the fodder, and he reasoned from analogy that perhaps also children after weaning might in a similar manner, namely by the addition of a little salt to their milk, be protected from the diarrhoea which is so common under the circumstances; and the result had justified his expectations.

The proportion of salt to a given quantity of milk, must be determined by the age of the child; as much as can be taken on the point of a knife, or two or three times this quantity, may be added to a cup full of milk. In order to make the resemblance between cow's milk and woman's milk more perfect, I direct it to be boiled and skimmed, then a little sngar of milk is added, and lastly the salt. Fresh milk to which salt has been added should not be allowed to stand long, as acids will be set free, and coagulation promoted.

In a theoretical point of view, as I think, there is less objection to the addition of salt to the milk for young children, from the fact that this condiment not only benefits the stomachic digestion, by rendering the casein more soluble, but favors the formation of the blood, and renders the latter more fluid while circulating. Thus Moleschott in the Physiologie der Nahrungsmittel, says: "Of the inorganic elements of the blood, the chloride of sodium is the most abundant; its quantity is so great that it is not difficult to cause it to crystalize from an aqueous solution of the ashes of the blood. The chloride of sodium is also found abundantly in the tissues, especially in the cartillage, and also in the secretions and excretions."

Although milk, as Prout has very justly remarked, is to be regarded as the type of all food, since it contains all the elements which are necessary for the growth and nourishment of the human organism, as albumen, sugar, fat and the salts, and is particularly adapted, by its bland nature, for the organism of the child, yet it is often unfit for adults, who are accustomed to a more stimulating diet, on account of its insipid quality, and frequently gives rise to oppression and acidity of the stomach, and sometimes even to diarrhoea. Hence some persons have a strong objection to it, on account of its want of flavor. This objectionable quality is, however, easily removed; it is only necessary to infuse powdered cinnamon into the boiling milk, then dissolve in it a sufficient

quantity of salt, until the milk acquires an agreeable piquant taste, and add powdered sugar, in order to give it a decided and agreeable flavor. I have found that milk prepared in this way is very palatable to adults, and is readily taken and well borne by them, Those persons who are accustomed to take spirituous liquors may add to the milk, in order to improve its quality, rum or brandy (a small wineglassful to an ale-glass of milk). In this way milk is often taken in England and in Holstein, particularly in summer. When the physician orders a regimen consisting wholly of milk (milk-cure), he should not forget to recommend salt and sugar to be added to the milk, according to the above method, both to render it more digestible, and also more acceptable to the taste; since the success of the "cure" depends in a great measure on the perfect digestion and assimilation of the milk, which are much assisted by these additions.

Morning milk, fresh from the cow, is frequently directed for women who are suffering from the effects of general morbid irritability, and often with good results. It sometimes happens, however, that the fresh milk is not well borne, or that the patients have a strong repugnance to its insipid taste. In such cases I advise a little salt, with one or two teaspoonfuls of powdered white sugar, to be dissolved in a small quantity of milk placed in an aleglass; then fill up the glass with milk fresh from the cow, and drink it quickly. I have found that new morning milk prepared in this way is very easily borne. The remarkable effect of fresh milk in removing the above-mentioned morbid condition seems partly to be attributed to its being saturated with an animal vapor, a peculiar evanescent odorous principle, which cannot be isolated, and which speedily disappears after the milk has been drawn from the cow.-[Boston Med, and Surg. Journal.

On the Treatment of Gonorrhea without Specific Medicines. Having stated the necessity which existed for basing all decis ions as to the value of remedies on written cases only, and for examining carefully the properties of one remedy at a time, till its true value had been ascertained, the author proceeded to give the result of his inquiries as to the action of certain curative measures in uncomplicated cases. All cases having been rejected which were not traced to their termination, it was found on careful analysis that the antiphlogistic plan of treatment did not appear to exert any material influence over the course of the disease; that waiting as many days with the same amount of rest and low diet, was equally serviceable. Local bleeding, to whatever extent it was carried, was not found to produce any real abatement of the symp. toms, it only made the patient more languid and indifferent; aperients and purgatives, with zinc injections, were about equal to

specifics, as were also injections of nitrate of silver used without medicines. A combination of these formed a useful but not a certain plan of treatment. The result of the inquiries was, that chloride of zinc, in whatever way used, was not superior to the nitrate of silver; that injections of either could not be relied on; but he denied that any proof of their producing stricture or orchitis, except in a very small number of cases, had been brought forward. The author then recommended the preparations of potass as the most certain remedies yet introduced. Mr. Langston Parker, Mr. Henry Thomson, and many other surgeons had tried them with complete success.-[Med. Times and Gazette.

The Plantago Major in Spider Bite. By D. W. MAULL, M.D., of Georgetown, Del

The Plantago Major, commonly designated Yard Plantain, so far as our researches extend, has never laid much claim in the books to the properties that we are about to ascribe to it. It is true that mention is made of it in this connection in some of the old journals, but its claims to the title of Alexipharmic, probably, were not sufficiently urged, or there were not enough cases advanced upon which to base its reputation. This plant is described as being refrigerant, diuretic, and deobstruent in its nature, but no reference is made to its possession of properties more valuable than any or all of these, in its power to counteract the effects arising from the bite inflicted by the venomous spider. With many of the profession and laity of this country-a locality where the plant and spider are both very common-the herb has attained to not a little repute in consequence of these virtues; and, indeed, deservedly, we opine, for from our own observation and that of others, we are led to regard it almost in the light of a specific, if such a term is admissible. My father has had frequent opportunities of testing its efficaciousness in this respect, and it is upon these cases coming under our notice, that we chiefly base our remarks and our confidence in its powers.

As to the habitat of this spider, it is found in cellars, along old fences, in lofts, and in dark and damp places generally. It is black, with a red spot upon its back. The wound inflicted by it partakes more of the characteristics of a bite than of a sting. With regard to the results of the admission of this septic poison into the system, it may be stated that the bite is quite dangerous in its consequences, and is regarded by some as virulent as that produced by the rattlesnake. We have seen one case where partial paralysis ensued upon it. The symptoms became somewhat alarming. If it is one of the extremities wounded, the limb soon becomes nearly rigid; swelling is not a prominent feature; the pain extends along the limb and becomes excruciatingly severe;

the peculiar poison soon diffuses itself; the system soon intimately sympathizes with the primary local disorder, as evidenced by the gastric irritability, and, if the poison is not counteracted, fatal results are apt to follow. With such alarming manifestations as these, it is very fortunate, we conceive, that we almost always have a remedy at hand to counteract its virulence.

This perennial plant-the plantago-is too familiar to all to require description; it is quite general in its growth, and consequently is easily obtained. The mode of preparing and adminis tering, is to express the juice from the fresh leaves, and give three or four fluid ounces at a time. Cold water, with the view of facil itating the expression, may be poured over the leaves after they are bruised. This expressed juice may be given with every assur ance of almost immediate relief. The intense pain consequent upon the bite soon ceases; the limb loses its rigidity, and assumes its natural use and motion. The irritability of the stomach is allayed, and all the parts soon acquire their normal appearance and functions. We may here embrace the opportunity to say that the toad, it is affirmed, in its combat with the spider, has been observ. ed to resort to this plant every time that a bite has been inflicted,

The modus medendi of this potent medicine we shall not attempt to explain. No appreciable change is experienced in any of the evacuations. Under its employment, sleep is sometimes induced, but this is owing rather to the sudden freedom from pain which the patient begins to enjoy, than to any soporific tendencies inhe rent in the plant.

These observations have for their basis facts and cases sufficient to force upon the mind convictions as to the potency of this indigenous article in the relief of the spider bite. No hypotheses are indulged in, and no reasoning from analogies brought forward in support of a statement founded upon facts, and dependent upon no adventitious doctrines for its maintenance, This remedy un questionably possesses merits sufficient to recommend it to the fa vorable consideration of the profession.-[Med, and Surg, Rep.

Abortion for Relief of Sickness,

Mrs. aged 38, a tall, pale, exsanguined, and emaciated woman, had been attended by me in previous confinements. She was the wife of a tradesman, and mother of a large family, and had always suffered exceedingly from sickness during the latter period of pregnancy, so much so as to necessitate confinement to her bed for the last month or two. She consulted me in April, 1854, when she was six months advanced, imploring me to do something for her sickness, or she should inevitably die. On former occasions I had exhausted remedies, and was therefore little hopeful of doing her good. It is true, the treatment might have been deemed em

pirical, but this was of necessity. Doing battle with a symptom in no way advances the removal of its cause; and, indeed, it is diffi cult to conceive how vomiting, sympathetic with an affection of a remote organ (whether it be an uterus occupied with its ovum, a gall-duct impacted with calculi, or an ureter distended with lithic acid concretions), can be controlled otherwise than by remedies especially directed to the primarily affected organ. Of these, so far as the womb is concerned, we may be said to possess none, save, of course, such as would produce contraction and expulsion of its

contents,

The poor woman's state was truly pitiable; not a particle of food nor a drop of fluid would remain on the stomach, even for five minutes. So long as total abstinence was maintained, there was peace; but the smallest quantity of the blandest material was immediately rejected; and, what seemed astonishing to her friends, for every spoonful she swallowed, two were thrown up. I went through the form of administering purgatives by the mouth and rectum; sedatives, as carbonic acid, preparations of opium, hydrocyanic acid, calomel, and morphia; compound tincture of senna, in drachm doses (a remedy in which some old practitioners appear to put faith; but which seems to me of as doubtful efficacy as the rest); blisters over the pit of the stomach, the vesicated surfaces being dressed with morphia ointment; croton liniment over the spine. All was to no purpose; the vomiting persisted; the debility increased; the emaciation became extreme; the pulse remained permanently at 110, and a mere wave; and my poor patient insisted that she must die. The seventh month was now complete; and although, on previous occasions, I had always seen Mrs. accomplish her full term, notwithstanding the exhaustive drain to which she had been subjected, I now felt it could be so no more, To exist two months, or even two weeks longer, seemed clearly impossible. Death or delivery was the only alternative. I had been daily expecting that Nature herself, ere the woman's life was really imperilled, would have emptied the uterus of its contents; but nature not seeming disposed to have anything to do with it, I determined, after consultation with my partner, upon immediately inducing premature labour. There was no reason to doubt that the foetus was alive; but the case was too urgent for the question of its viability to be entertained. Examination per vaginam revealed the os uteri low down, patent to the finger, soft and dilatable, and the head presenting. Puncturing the membranes appeared the most facile and expeditious mode of inducing uterine contractions. Sir C. Clarke's trocar and canula were used; the liquor amnii drawn off. No pain immediately followed; but in twelve hours one forcible uterine effort expelled the child, which, small and feeble, survived but an hour or two, From this moment the sickness ceased, but my patient for some weeks appeared to be in a dying state, so great was her debility,