bowel hemorrhage, but I do not know what the treatment was.

My experiences and observations since have convinced me, however, that the hemorrhage was caused by careless diet and improper treatment generally.

And now a strange part of my narrative is that, during my study of medicine, attendance at college and my early practice of some years, my experience in the epidemic referred to entirely escaped my memory, until thru years of practice, extensive observation and innumerable consultations with other practitioners, study and observation brought me to adopt a course of treatment similar to the one followed by our old family physician. After evolving to my present plan gradually, then I exclaimed "Why, this is the successful treatment of thirty years ago!" I and the old doctor now came together, tho striving to get apart, as it seems, for so long a time.

How shall I account for my divergence from the old master, and what apology shall I offer for having possibly sent to an immature grave at least some patients whose lives were entrusted to my care, when right before my eyes, as it may have been, stood the spirit of departed greatness pointing a way that has never been surpassed in an age of "specific" invention and pseudo science?

My explanation is as follows: In the first place, the instructions in our colleges and the text-books vary very greatly as to the treatment of disease, and lay down rules very indefinite. They give the treatment of various authors and seem to expect the student to evolve his own treatment. Secondly, among practitioners the treatment is as various as the theories of authors, and there is a wonderfully strong disposition to egotism by all. My observation is, that when a man adopts a given line of treatment, he falls into a rut and is little inclined to get out of it, whatever his success and however rational a suggestion from others.

Thirdly, in most sections of the country and in most countries, typhoid fever is confounded with malarial ailments, and in its early stages ignorantly treated for that malady. I have known doctors, grey in the harness, to go thru typhoid epidemics and never know that they had treated a case of anything but "malaria."

Fourthly, the popular demands for purgation and the universal tendency of medical men to see the liver first in all

ailments, and the prejudices of people against cold water and starvation, form strong barriers against radical departures from universal habituation, and often deter even a bold genius from adopting an independent course, and one which is objected to by the laity and questioned by consulting professionals.

Fifthly, the commercial rage to invent and to sell new "specifics" has had much to do in enticing man into irrational experiments, and away from more solid moorings.

Sixth, the general tendency of the age in the profession to support and nourish has caused the doctor to forget the old maxim, "stuff a cold and starve a fever," which maxim, tho based on empiricism, is nevertheless supported by the most scientific considerations as applied to typhoid fever.

Seventh, the microbe or bacteria craze has drawn the mind away from the simple and common sense fact that typhoid fever is a local inflammation.

Eighth, the progress of sanitation has caused men to rely too much on pure air and change of linen.

The chaotic and unscientific state of the professional mind on the treatment of typhoid fever may be seen by reflecting on the quinin craze of 1870, originating in Germany, which proposed the abortion of typhoid by a heroic dose of seventy grains of quinin, and which is about as rational as would be a proposition to heal an ulcer on the external surface of the body by the same method. It is seen in the varions and successive proposed specifics that come and go from year to year, and it is seen again in the wide divergence between practitioners in their theories and praetices as to diet and medication.

Is it not a little strange that with the experience of ages, the profession should not have approached something near exactness in the treatment of a malady which has always existed, which exists continuously and always will exist; which is and must be the same now and forever, in the past and the future, in its nature and in its effect on the human organism?

Now I propose to tell you why the old doctor who treated the writer many years ago was right.

He was right in his practice of cutting off diet, for the simple reason that in typhoid fever secondary (bowel) digestion is absolutely suspended and impossible, by virtue of an inflamed condition of the

organs involved in that process. To feed a patient when food cannot be digested is but to bring irritating substances in contact with delicate diseased surfaces that require rest in order that they may heal. It is to add fuel to fire already kindled.

It has been proposed that a most fitting epitaph to the memory of a deceased member of the profession would be, "He fed fevers," but I offer as one in memory and in honor of my old family doctor: "He. never fed fevers; no, never!"

I never knew a patient with typhoid to die of asthenia (starvation). I have carried them thru two relapses (73 days) on whisky and water, and I have known overfeeding to kill numerous cases.

Of course, whisky is food, but it requires no digestion, and is seldom required in cases managed well at the outset. It is necessary only in cases of great prostration, weak heart, dry tongue and nervous exhaustion with high fever.

In prohibiting a milk diet especially he was right, because milk is a "feverish " diet, forms into curds and acts as an irritant, producing hemorrhage.

The entire profession has of late run mad on milk. I have met both allopaths and homeopaths who really boasted of how much milk they could feed a typhoid patient, and I have known them to administer more than a gallon in twentyfour hours, in tumblerful doses, and have seen many poor sufferers die with hemorrhage from its exhibition.

When I see a college graduate administer to a typhoid patient more milk than a healthy calf can suck, I feel that our legislative bodies are excusable for licensing osteopaths, or even those greatest of modern frauds, "christian scientists," and turning them loose on an over-confiding and gullible public.

Experience has taught me that my old doctor was right on the milk question.

A great professor has demonstrated that the administration of milk is followed by a notable decrease in the number of bacteria, from which it has been inferred that milk is a curative agent.

Yes, but this is because milk is constipating, and there are astringents that are more effective and at the same time free from irritating qualities peculiar to milk.

The old doctor was right.

He was right in checking the bowels immediately, because he thus also kept the parts in a state of rest and dried up the hypersecretions of inflamed glands,

thus cutting short existing inflammation and preventing its spread.

Let the bowels run and the disease will

run.

He was right in the use of ice or cold water, because it is the natural and most potent febrifuge. It is absolute and certain in all cases, and we need only to know how to apply it, which is, till we get the desired effect.

I appreciate the worth of cleanliness. and pure air, of course, but if you neglect the application of cold, let the bowels run and feed the patient carelessly, you may have the advantage of all means of disinfection and all the linen in the store to draw on, while I will follow the plan of my old doctor, treat cases in crowded hovels, never change the linen, and even let the patient drink the same water from which the disease was contracted, and the result will be a wonderful per cent. of cures above you to my credit.

All of which I think I have seen demonstrated in a practice of thirty years, and in consultations with more than a hundred members of the profession.

In all my experience with the modes of treatment adopted by physicians with whom I have come in contact, those who have approached the nearest to the plan of my old family physician have been the most successful, while those who have departed the farthest from it have been the most unlucky.

Clayton, Ill.

H. J. PARKER, M. D. [There are many and various opinions. concerning typhoid fever, and in these pages is the place to give expression to them.-ED.]

Membranous Croup.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-In the January Medical Brief, 1896, there was publisht a letter over my signature illustrating the evil effects of antitoxin in a case of

membranous croup. The next month I received a postal card from Dr. V. E. Lawrence, of Kansas, to the effect that if I would use iodid of lime I would save my cases if taken in reasonable time. I immediately supplied myself with the medicine in grain tablet form, and waited for my next case. I have treated many cases of croup since that time, but the iodid has workt so effectively, that I have been at a loss to know whether my cases would have proved to be membranous if left to themselves or not. I am now prepared to re-. port a (to me) remarkable case. February

11, M. C., a little girl, aged six years, was taken with a cold, which was allowed to run along until the 18, when croup developt. This the mother treated until the morning of the 20, when she came to me in much alarm, and detailed to me the above history. I hastened to the case, and found a case of well developt membranous croup, and when I say this, I wish the reader to understand that it was not diphtheria or diphtheric croup. The diagnostic differences between the two are plain, and twenty-five years' experience with a considerable practice in both disorders, confirms my opinion, notwithstanding that Boards of Health, for commercial reasons, parade the assumption that they are identical. I found the usual symptoms, so well-known to the experienced doctor, and so much dreaded-rapid pulse, anxious expression, difficult breathing, metallic cough with tendency to cyanosis. I prescribed iodid of lime in grain doses in solution, every half-hour, alternated with dosimetric trinity, eight granules in twenty-four teaspoonfuls of water. On my return at night I found the child no better and on examination found that only nine doses of the iodid had been given. I explained to the mother the necessity of following directions faithfully and left the case for the night. On my return the next morning I found the case no better. I continued the medicines and added apomorphia 1-67 to the trinity. I saw the case four times that day and at night; finding that the apomorphia had produced a bronchial secretion that indicated danger, I stopt it, continuing the other remedies and increasing the iodid of lime to grain each dose. Wednesday morning, the 22d, I found the symptoms increasing in gravity and cyanosis markt, tho the membrane was evidently softening. I continued treatment, adding calcium sulfid 1-6 grain every hour. At 4 p. m. I found the child comatose, cyanotic, pulse feeble, fast, and intermittent. I pronounced her dying, and the friends were called.

She lingered in this condition until 10 p. m., when she rallied and called for something to eat. At 2 a. m., Thursday, the father called at my house and reported the case, and wanted some more of "that yellow medicine," as they were out, and expressed the opinion that "she would pull thru." Thursday morning I found the pulse stronger, less cyanosis, breathing much easier. I continued the dosimetric trinity with one dram of echafolta added

to the tumbler, and gave the iodid of lime in-grain doses, as before. She continued to improve in strength and the cyanosis gradually left, tho the metallic cough did not leave until March 1. I continued the last prescription to March 1, increasing the intervals of giving to one and two hours as the case improved. March 5, I discontinued the iodid of lime and left the patient on strychnia arsenate, iron arsenate and echafolta every three hours, 'and calcium sulfid, -grain, four times a day. I give full credit to the dosimetric trinity for its sustaining power and reduction of fever, but iodid of lime saved her life. Unionville, Ct.

E. M. RIPLEY.

before it can become an establisht treatment and be put into practice.

Let us then, inquire into this remarkable treatment, if it may be called such, wherein the diseases of the body that are supposed to exist, may be made to vanish like the dew before the morning sun.

The principles of this strange and peculiar doctrine are that "matter does not exist-it being only a false conception of the human mind." "Nothing bad existsit is only thinking makes it so." "Disease does not exist—it is only a false conception of the mind." "Pain and death are delusions which must be exorcised from the mind by means of the inculcation of 'truth'."

If these ideas are true, with what deluded beings God has peopled the earth, and instead of saying "all is vanity" we may say "all is delusion.” From the Ichild with colic to the old man with the gout, all is delusion. The person suffering with consumption is mistaken. He is perfectly well. The man with his joints all deformed with rheumatism is terribly deluded. He only thinks he has that condition. The boy with the aching tooth is mistaken. Although we may see the cavity and exposed nerve, he has no toothache. The man who falls in the street and is told that his leg is broken is perfectly well and able to go about his business. There is no such thing as typhoid fever, pneumonia, cholera, smallpox, etc. They are all delusions. We might go on with the many delusions that Christian Science tells us we have, but as our time and space is limited we will briefly glance at the results of the workings of this strange doctrine.

Mr. Harold Frederic, of England, died recently of rheumatic fever, while being treated by a Christian Scientist. Mr. Kershaw, of Tacoma, died of pneumoniatreated by a Christian Scientist. Mr. McDowell, of Cincinnati, Ohio, died of typhoid fever-treated by a Christian Scientist. Mrs. Brown, of Washington, D. C., died of an unnamed maladytreated by a Christian Scientist. Miss McKee, Cape Vincent, N. Y., died of pneumonia while being treated by two Christian Scientists. Miss Potter, of Northern New Jersey, died of diphtheria, was treated by her parents, both Christian Scientists. The other children who contracted the disease were saved by medical treatment.

We have only mentioned a few of the

number of cases reported where the persons afflicted have died while being treated by Christian Scientists.

What shall we say, then, of this new idea that disease, pain and suffering do not exist, although we see plainly the evidences of such, every day? What shall we say regarding the treatment of human beings without the use of the necessary means given us, and depending upon divine help and making the afflicted believe that their malady does not exist?

There is but one answer to these questions, and that is that Christian Science as applied to the cure of disease is a perfect farce, and those practising this or treating the sick by such methods or means, should be prosecuted according to law.

The evil resulting from such a nonsensical treatment cannot be estimated. That disease and pain do exist, whether we think so or not, is true. What nonsense it would be to try and make a man believe that he was perfectly well when the body is racked with pain and tortured with disease, and where is the argument? For if the afflicted being did honestly believe himself well, it would not change or retard the dissolution of the body and the pathologic changes that we know take place.

How are we to estimate the great injury done by the lack of medical treatment, when we do know that many diseases, when treated early, are cured?

The theory of Christian Science as applied to the treatment of disease, like the many other fads of the past, must soon cease to exist. Such unreasonable ideas have their day and die. For no matter what the theory may be, practically, it is a perfect failure. Sensible and intelligent beings cannot be misled by such false doctrines, which are but the delusions of fanatics. H. N. POTTER, M. D.

Burlington, Vt.

Carbolic Acid Treatment of Burns. Editor MEDICAL WORLD: In 1881 I burned my hand with some melted lead. I wet the burned place with the pure undiluted carbolic acid crystals. The place turned white, the pain ceast entirely and instantly, and with only a piece of lintcotton and a light bandage in four or five days the place was well. Since then Dr. Oscar Allis, of Philadelphia, read a report (1893) before the County Medical Society of Philadelphia, by myself of several severe cases treated in the same way.

The process is this: The pure crystal ca

bolic acid, reduced to fluid, is painted over the burned surface with a feather. The place turns white by the acid forming, with the blood serum, an impervious coating of the wound -a new skin. At the same time the acid is a local anesthetic to the wounded nerves. It looks unreasonable that a fluid that will burn healthy skin should instantly cure fireburned skin; but so it is. It forms a chemical compound with the serum-the same as it forms a chemical compound with gum camphor and becomes a soothing application (campho-phenique). Bear in mind that you must not use the acid that has been treated with 10 per cent. water or glycerin to keep it from crystallizing but use the solid crystal which, with a little warming, becomes fluid. When carbolic acid cooks or burns sound flesh the remedy is vinegar or vaselin and acetic acid.

Doctors, should you have a case of scald or burn to treat, report the mode to your medical journal for the benefit of others who may not, like yourself, have tried it. It certainly is a curiosity. I had a case of a man who burned the whole under side of his arm with steam from the trial valve of his boiler; all the skin was gone. In ten minutes from the time I got to him he was whistling a tune while he went on with his work as engineer. Relief is instantaneous. Brodnax, La. DR. BEN H. BRODNAX.

Treatment of Cancrum Oris. Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-During the past 30 days I have resorted to the official hydrochloric acid in the treatment of cancrum oris, and I am glad to say that I have never found any application so useful or so effective. Neither nitric acid, silver nitrate, nor potassium chlorate, nor any other remedy that I have ever tried or used, except hydrochloric acid, proved to be of the least use to check the condition. I have only tried it in three cases, but I have as yet failed to find a single case that was not checkt immediately after I began to use the acid. Nor does it cause so much pain or suffering to the little patient as one would suppose, seeing that the gangrenous spot is almost entirely without feeling at this time. This acid is easily applied to the ulcer by means of a feather or small camel's-hair brush. I have only seen three cases of this disease since I came to this city, but I am happy to say that I have cured all of them by this means. I would like to hear from others on the same disease.

Knoxville, Tenn. J. S. SMITH, M. D.

Muriatic acid Nitric acid

Aqua dest.

Mix well and add 20 grains of potassium chlorate.

Give 10 drops in half-glass water morning, noon and night, after meals.

He can continue this treatment without any inconvenience until he gets perfect digestion and proper elimination establisht.

I think Dr. Fowler, upon the same page, must be mistaken in his diagnosis of diabetes mellitus in so young a subject. There must be some complication in connection with this case, as I never knew as young a subject to be prostrated in so short a time. He should test for sugar and look for tube-casts. Possibly it may be an enlarged kidney without any inflammation. The prognosis is more unfavorable in young subjects in whom there is a tuberculous diathesis. E. T. LEWIS, M. D.

Woolworth, Tenn.

Ammonium Chlorid as an Antidote for
Snake-Venom.

Editor MEDICALWORLD:-Apropos of rattlesnake-bites, remedies, etc., I give the following: A few years ago a man visited our city with a collection of rattlesnakes. While giving an exhibition one evening he was bitten by a large one on the wrist. He took out a hypodermic syringe and injected some kind of a fluid in several places around the puncture made by the fangs and also took a swallow of the liquid from a bottle he carried. Aside from a slight swelling there was no inconvenience experienced by him. I resolved to find out what he used, and in