he," We will have to get it away by cutting a piece at a time." We finally got it all away, the pieces weighing about twelve pounds. The woman got well, finally, in a month or so. A short time after that I was called to wait on a female in her eighth birth. When I went to make the examination, to my unspeakable horror here was a similar case, save only it was the left arm presenting instead of the right. I got up from her bed side, began to tell her I must leave her, but did not. I left the house for near an hour. I went to try to work myself up to get away from her. Could I have gotten away honorably, I would have freely given $100. But all at once I went into her house with a firm resolve to deliver her, let what would come of it, for if I had to send for this counsel again, my reputation would be totally gone. I took off my coat, rolled up my sleeves, went at her while she had no pain, forced the child back, turned it, and in a few minutes a living girl baby was successfully delivered. No one will ever know my feelings of joy at that moment. I was so thankful to that "great first Cause" for the result. Since that very memorable night I have never had a case of either kind, in forty years' practice. I have had nearly all kinds of mishaps in obstetrics, but no more like those. I continued consulting my books when my time would permit, if possible, to find the word the word (6 blanket."

I

I became sought after more and more to administer to the sick. Finally, a very fatal epidemic of scarlet fever in its most malignant form made its appearance some miles away. I was sent for to consult with a physician who was loosing threefourths of his patients. Indeed, so fearful was its results, that a whole family was often carried off in a very short time. The family I was called to had lost all but two out of six children. The physician was doing all and even more than I knew for such cases, but to very little good. gave him the best I could in the way of suggestions. A few days after I was called to a family who had three children, two girls, ages nine and seven years, and a boy, four years. The older girl I at once decided would die in 24 hours; the other I hoped to pull thru. On my second visit the oldest was a corpse; the other had some favorable symptoms. The little boy, as I past out of the bed room, was lying in a cradle. I cast my eyes on him, and at once stopt, felt his pulse, and found

that he was dead! I called his father's attention to the fact that his boy was dead. "Oh, no," said he, "Freddie was well and playing but a few moments ago. "I went to work with all the effort I knew to restore the lad, and workt for three or more hours, but to no purpose. He was dead, and, strange to say, not a symptom of scarlet fever about him. But when, on the next day, I again visited the girl, the whole surface of the boy's body was full of scarlet rash, and he was yet warm. This, to me, was one of the "blankets." I had failed to find such a case in all my books. When I returned to my office I lookt all the authors over I had, but found no such case of scarlet fever, but I had an old English author, hoary with age. I took it up and began search for my case, when, to my great surprise and relief, amongst his statements concerning malignant scarlet fever I saw that fat, robust children full of blood would be attackt with such severity that death would result in a few moments. "Apoplectic scarlet fever" is its proper

name.

I was not satisfied with a treatment that would not cure one-half of the patients, and of those who finally got over it many of them were deaf, blind or had some other serious entailment for life. I saw in a medical journal a cure for scarlet fever called a "home cure." I at once put it in practice, as follows: As soon as the patient becomes sick, strip all the clothing off, and have at hand a saucer of melted hog's lard; bathe from head to foot with the lard and wrap in a muslin sheet and put in bed; put more covering on if necessary for comfort. In four hours repeat the lard bath, giving plenty of cold water to drink, and use a gargle of hydrastin for the throat; move the bowels gently with castor oil. This treatment may be continued three or four days or longer; when all the fever is gone, bathe in luke warm water with a little soda in it. This method, indeed, to me, was a God-send. Never after have I had the misfortune to loose a single patient in scarlet fever, if called early in the disease or in the first stage; and, indeed, when all other hope had vanisht I have seen cases quite often recover by this mode of treatment. I was called to a case once in the City of Philadelphia, Pa., while on business there. All the children of this family had died, save only one little boy. They had all the medical aid of the most distinguisht physicians, as the parents were very wealthy, but the lad was fast

failing and no hope of his recovery was entertained by his physicians. In this sad condition I ordered the lard method. To the surprise of every one the child rallied, and in a few weeks was well. I have had no dread of scarlet fever since that method has proved so successful. Now for over forty years it has been a great success with me. Why it cures I will leave to others to determine.

As time went on I became somewhat famous, was quite often called miles away in counsel. I now recur to a terrible epidemic of what was called cerebro-spinal meningitis in a territory of some six miles by five in the country. Fifty of its citizens succumbed to the grim reaper in a few weeks, principally grown persons, a majority of whom were females. So fearful was this malady in that location that I have seen apparently healthy people struck down, and in twenty-four hours were dead without ever becoming conscious after the attack, resembling much the effect of being struck a severe blow on the back of the neck. Out of forty-one patients I saw in the disease, thirty-one of them died, some of them living for months before death relieved them from suffering. Strange as it may seem, I did not know of a case anywhere outside of this boundary. I did all I could to find some hopeful remedy; so did all the other physicians; but none of us could seem to find any method that would do one thing towards its cure. It left this locality all at once, and has not returned since, so far as I know. This to me was the saddest period of my medical experience. But I was not alone. No physician of my acquaintance had any better luck in its treatment. I have past thru an epidemic of Asiatic cholera in the city of Pittsburg, Pa., when the death rate was as high as 350 to 400 daily. Yet we did find great comfort in believing we had remedies that were often successful, but in the cerebro-spinal trouble we had no hopeful remedy.

One other incident comes before me. I was called to see a woman in child-birth, the wife of a recently graduated physician. I went some five miles as fast as my galloping horse could go, in a drizzling rain and sleet. When I got there I heard the screams of the poor suffering woman before I entered the house. When I got in my hands were so numb I could not do anything until I held them in quite warm water. All this while the screams of the woman and the fussy attendants were

hurrying me to try to save the woman. As soon as I got so I could use my hands I went to her and found two babes coming together; the cords of each were around both their necks, and both trying to get out first. I pusht one of them back, took the cord off the other fellow's neck, allowed him to get thru while I kept the other back; but there was no let up of her pains until I allowed the other fellow to get thru too. All took some 10 to 15 minutes, when the woman was so relieved she said she felt like she was in heaven. Then she lookt at her poor, terrified husband, and said: "I will never trust you again." I said: "You can well trust him in the start of the kid business, but in the finish I think he is a failure." He sold out his place and went to the west to "grow up with the country." I lost sight of him for thirty or forty years, when he again called on me. Said his boys were on a cattle ranch, each one trying to get ahead of the other in that business, as they did on that horrible night when I got them out of their scramble. "Are you practising medicine?" "No sir; that scrape did the business all up for me, so far as the prac tice of medicine was concerned.”

Another case comes to my mind. I was called to attend a tony old maid, 40 years of age. She had been in labor for some two or more days; had an old midwife whom she hoped to have deliver her on the sly. When I examined her I found a rigid, unyielding os, and the soft parts were dry. I set her up in bed, bled her very freely but not to syncope. This was then the method we had for relaxing in such cases. I stept into an adjoining room and threw myself on a bed, and left the old midwife to look after the patient. For a while I was not disturbed; but the patient again began her moaning, and I had to go again and examine her. There was some slight relaxation. I told her she was not yet ready to need my assistance, and ordered her some tea and went back to my room, not to be called till daylight. But she became so noisy and made so much complaint that she was getting up quite a panic among her female attendants. I went to her again and told her to get up and promenade with me in the room. I made her do so, but after a while she became unruly and would not walk with me. I allowed her to lie down again, sat down by her bed and made believe I was doing all I could for her. Chloroform, like the word "blanket," was not in the books at

that time. However, I was doing all I could to keep down the panic among the women, and for some time I was hoping that her soft parts would yield. At last, At last, when I had exhausted all my efforts, I made her get up and got two women to walk her over the room just as long as she could stand it. I then had her stand up when a pain came, and bear it that way. When all this was about to be ended, I took out my lancet, bled her standing, assisted by the women, until she fainted dead away. It took a large quantity of blood to cause her to faint. We sat her down on the floor. I then went to enlarging the vagina and opening the os, and in a short time I delivered her of a twelve-pound baby. She rallied well. Both mother and child got along well. This was one of my hard cases of obstetrics.

The bloody lancet and scarificator and cups have been discarded by the great mass of medical practitioners at this time, yet they are not "dead" but "sleeping," and in the future will come forth in all their pristine usefulness in many of the ills of life. In fact, when properly and judiciously used in indicated cases, they will stand as the ne plus ultra in the armamentarium of the true physician. Since the dawn of the art of healing all down the ages till the present they have been used. I have had many years' experience with blood-letting in a large number of cases, especially in the incipient stages of insanity. A great many such patients who, if they had not been bled as indicated, would now be in insane asylums. For example: Two cases, relatives, both ladies, some fifty years of age, one of which I treated exclusively, and I bled her some fifty times or more in the space of six months. At first I had to have her held while I bled her. Her husband was a rich farmer, and had a family of girls who could take care of her. We kept her in a room properly fitted for her condition. At first she was very crazy and destructive; took nothing in the shape of medicine, as we could not induce her to do so. I allowed her to walk out with her husband daily if the weather was suitable. She was very vicious at times, but he kept her from hurting him. For some three months we had to hold her while she was bled. After awhile she gradually became more rational, yet I continued the bleeding, taking from 12 to 15 ounces of blood at each time, once a week, and later I extended the time. She became all right in

J. M. HOLE, M. D.

[While we habitually have our faces turned toward the future-and this is right-yet an occasional glance into the past is both interesting and helpful. The new is not all good, nor is the past all unworthy of preservation. We should cling to all that is good in the past, and receive the new in a willing but discriminating spirit. Many beginners in medicine are frightened out by obstetrical experiences like those given above. We remember the remarks made by a professor when presenting a set of obstetrical instruments to the successful contestant on graduation day. After complimenting the student on his good record and excellent examination, he said, as he handed the instruments to the recipient, "My best wish is that you will never use them. May you be blest with such good fortune in your cases that you will never need them." I have always remembered these sentiments as the happiest possible for such an occasion.— ED.]

A Cheap Telephone.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:--Dr. Robinson asks for a plan of constructing a short line telephone cheaply. I had one years ago when in a small town,connecting my office and residence, some 2,000 feet apart. I have never had a magnetic telephone which workt so perfectly and transmitted sounds so clearly as that one, and the entire cost outside of labor was not more than twentyfive cents. It is constructed as follows: Take two boards of good, tough lumber about 9 inches wide by 12 inches long. Out of the middle of each board saw a circular piece about 5 inches in diameter. Take two pieces of good, clear, thin rawhide, cut in two circles one inch greater in diameter than the hole in the boards. Have this thoroly wet and stretch them over the holes, tacking them around the edge, placing the tacks only about one-half inch apart. Nail or screw each board to two brackets about 2 inches wide at each end, long enuf to extend about 2 inches beyond each side of the board for nailing

Place one

or screwing them to the wall. of these as thus made at each end of where the line is desired and connect them by a small wire about the size used for wiring brooms. This wire must pass thru the center of each of the rawhides and thru a wooden button, then around a small nail, and this wire must be stretcht very tight and be supported thruout its length in loops of stout cord 3 or 4 inches in length, hung from any convenient object, as the branches of trees, brackets nailed to house roofs and poles. The wire in its passage from end to end must not touch any solid, stationary object. The A B

Make a half-inch hole, smooth and free from splinters, thru the wall at each selected position. In the bottom of each cup make two holes, just large enuf to pass the wire, about a quarter of an inch apart. Pass the line wire thru these from the outside, and twist or coil the end tightly and evenly about the line and as close as possible to mouth-piece. Now pass the line thru the hole in the wall, bringing the mouth-piece against the wall of the room. On the outside of the building drive a tack nail on each side of, and about an inch from, the lower edge of the hole. Pass a piece of wire over the line and twist the

ends about the tacks so as to draw the line, when taut, to the center of the hole. Both terminals being ready, run your line, attaching to buildings if convenient, or to poles if necessary. In locating the supports or attachments, avoid all sharp angles in your line.

You can buy from any telephone or telegraph supply house, regular glass insulators with the pieces of wood for attaching them to the poles, but you can use something else.

Take a metal ring and wind (insulate) wire and suspend by this wire from a short Attach it to a short with strip of cloth. arm nailed to top of pole or a building. Pass the wire thru the ring and make it taut.

Avoid contact of the line with anything, as branches of trees, poles, buildings, etc.

To connect or splice the wires, bring the ends several inches past each other and hold firmly in middle of lap with pliers. Seize one end and coil it closely and evenly around the line for, say, an inch. Then coil the other end in the same manner. Be particular about the splices and do them well.

Where the line leaves the building, it is better to run at once to the support two or three rods away instead of running to top of the building as with telegraph lines, as in this way you will avoid a sharp angle; beside, elevating the wire to the first sup

port, if the line be first made taut and attacht to second pole or building, will enable you to obtain the required tension at the terminals with least trouble. A very taut line is best for transmission, and the fewer supports you can have and not allow the line to "sag" too much, the better.

Now arrange the mouth-pieces so as to bring the line to the center of the hole in the wall and free from any splinter even of the wall, and your line is ready for use.

As a call, use a pencil or similar-sized instrument of wood or metal and strike the end several times upon the wire in center of the mouth-piece. A few taps at the other end announces the attention of the listener.

Speak distinctly into the mouth-piece, not too near it. In receiving a message do not apply the ear against the mouthpiece, but quite near to it, tho if the arrangement be perfect you can hear distinctly at a few feet even from the mouthpiece.

If your first attempt be not a success, go over your line carefully till you find the trouble. Probably you will find a contact with the wall or trees, or something wrong with the joints or supports. A little "tact" will find and correct the difficulty.

For a distance of at least a quarter of a mile this line ought to work as satisfactorily as a battery line.

Try it and report. Wellsville, N. Y.

J. W. COLLER, M. D.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-In answer to Dr. J. O. Robinson's letter of last month, I would state that a very simple telephone system between office and house can be constructed as follows: Buy two ordinary pony receivers. These can be purchast very cheaply at almost the price of the materials, and also 50 feet of No. 18 insulated wire. Also a length of No. 12 galvanized

To operate: Both switches should be kept at top point unless when talking or signaling. To signal, put down switch, then put telephone to ear, then push button, and bell will be heard ringing at other end. Person signaled will then put down. his switch and both telephones are connected and conversation can be carried on. When finisht speaking, both switches should be pusht up to top point.

The prices quoted in this article are taken from the catalog of the Manhattan Electrical Supply Co., 32 Cortlandt Street, New York. GREGORY COSTIGAN, M. D. 351 West 32nd Street, New York City.

Cheap, Short Distance Phone. Receiver and transmitter. A piece of beef bladder stretcht over one end of an open tin can, or cigar box, and dried. Two copper cents with small holes bored in center of each; pass end of wire thru middle of bladder diaphragm, then thru hole in cent, and knot the wire. Fasten all firmly to tree or post.

Line. Any kind of wire, preferably copper, but ordinary broom wire will do, the larger the better.

Insulators. Necks of bottles thru which