It has been uniformly held, before and since the Codes, that when a defendant pleads, in justification of the breach of his promise to marry, that the plaintiff has become unchaste, and on the trial makes no attempt to prove his plea, the fact may be considered by the jury in assessing the damages. (Southard v. Rexford, 6 Cow., 255; Kniffen v. McConnell. 30 N. Y., 285; Thorn v. Knapp, 42 Id., 474.) None of the cases cited are decisive of the question under consideration, for, as is urged by the learned counsel for the appellant, the allegation quoted from the answer falls short of a justification, and is at most but a plea in mitigation. It is urged that pleas in mitigation, being authorized by the Code, cannot be considered on the question. of damages. The interposition of pleas in justification is authorized by law; nevertheless, as we think we have shown, courts have quite uniformly held that, if they were interposed in bad faith, the jury might consider the fact on the question of damages. The authorization, by the Code, of pleas in mitigation is not a license for their interposition in bad faith, and for the purpose of injuring the reputation of the plaintiff, and, when they are interposed for that purpose, the fact may be considered by the jury. Two physicians, who were sworn in respect to other questions, were permitted to testify that the plaintiff was reputed to be a competent and skilful physician. This was objected to by the defendant; but no ground having been stated, the exception is not available. No error was committed in permitting the plaintiff to show that, between the date when the cause of action arose and the date when the action was begun, the defendant repeated the charges on occasions other than those set forth in the complaint. Nor was there any error committed in permitting the plaintiff to show that defendant had attempted to hire one of his witnesses to leave the country. The judgment should be affirmed, with costs. "All concur. BRADLEY and HAIGHT, J. J., in result." A copy. H. E. SICKELS, Reporter (per C.). MEDIASTINAL DISEASE. Dr. E. S. McKee, of Cincinnati, selects from the recent medical literature on the above subject the following: Hare, in his Fothergillian Prize Essay, enters into this subject very thoroughly. He gives the records of 134 cases of mediastinal 1 Hare, Fothergillian Essay, 1888. P. Blakiston & Co., Philadelphia. cancer, 98 of mediastinal sarcoma, 115 cases of mediastinal abscess, 16 cases of non-suppurative inflammation, 21 cases of lymphona of the mediastinum, 7 cases of fibroma of the mediastinum, 6 cases of hæmatoma, 11 dermoid cysts, 8 hydatid cysts, 104 cases of various mediastinal diseases. The author makes a brief summary of his conclusions, as follows: 1. Cancer is more frequently found in the mediastinal spaces than any other morbid process. 2. Abscess is the morbid process next in frequency of occurrence. 3. Sarcoma occupies the third position as to frequency of occurrence. 4. Lymphomata and lymphadenomata occupy a fourth place, but are much more rare than the others mentioned. 5. The anterior mediastinum is affected far more frequently than the other two spaces. 6. Most mediastinal growths occur in adults. 7. More males are affected by forms of mediastinal disease than females. 8. Cancer and sarcoma of this space are necessarily fatal. 9. About forty per cent. of the cases of abscess recover. Edwards' reports a case of carcinoma of the mediastinum in a child, and reviews 67 cases of mediastinal disease previously recorded. He finds mediastinal disease in children varies from that in adults, in that sarcoma is the most frequent morbid process, carcinoma next, and abscess third in order. THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. This association will meet in its seventeenth annual session at Louisville, Ky., October 8, 9, 10, 1890. Titles of papers should be sent to the Secretary, Dr. E. S. McKee, 57 West Seventh Street, Cincinnati, as soon as possible. The American Rhinological Association will hold its annual meeting at the same city the same week, viz., October 6, 7, 8, 1890. The Secretary, Dr. R. S. Knode, National Bank Building, Omaha, Neb., will receive the titles of papers to be read. These two associations meeting so near together will make a double attraction. Louisville will do her very best to make the members have a grand good time. Papers are earnestly solicited for both organizations; and those who cannot read papers are invited to come and bring their wives and daughters with them, as the ladies will find it especially enjoyable. 2 Edwards, Archives of Pediatrics, July, 1889. THE BROOKLYN MEDICAL JOURNAL PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF THE COUNTY OF KINGS. EDITORIAL COMMITTEE: JOSEPH H. RAYMOND, M. D., ALEX. HUTCHINS, M. D., JOSEPH H. HUNT, M. D., GLENTWORTH R. BUTLER, M. D., FRED. D. BAILEY, M. D. Read before the Medical Society of the County of Kings, April 15, 1890. I take as my text a statement made by James A. Whittaker, M. D., in his article on "Dysentery," in vol. ii. of Dr. Pepper's "System of Medicine," that irrigation of the large intestine and the thorough flushing out of its contents are now admitted as the most valuable method of treatment. The object of writing this paper is to give practical endorsement to that statement. I have come to the conclusion, after frequent discussions of the subject, and from personal observation, that this method is not in such general use as one would suppose from such unequivocal testimony as the doctor brings forward. I desire to record my success with it after repeated trial, and trust that those who have made use of it will add their testimony to that already recorded, and that it may prove to all, as it has to me, a remedy to be relied on as sure and prompt in a disease, which formerly, in my experience, has won the reputation of rheumatism, in its odium and intractability. To be of use, the enemata must be large and frequently repeated. In some cases I have used them at first every two hours, increasing the interval with the improvement; in others every four hours. As to the quantity, that must be measured, to some extent, by the tolerance of the patient. I find that it is well for the physician to demonstrate this. People, as a rule, have a mistaken idea as to the capacity of the large intestine. If verbal directions simply are given, at the next visit it will be found that a few ounces are announced as a result of the trial. The measure of the capacity seems to be based on that of the external aperture, and the idea of danger is coupled with the introduction of more than a pint a point well taken in chronic dysentery perhaps, where, no doubt, it would be dangerous to distend the walls of the intestine, weakened as they are liable to be by deep ulceration. But if the case be seen in the early stages, the quantity safely used will be measured by pints instead of ounces. The capacity of the large intestine, as Three or four pints will suffice in this a rule, is about six pints. treatment. As to the temperature of the water, moderate warmth, as recommended by Dr. Roberts Bartholow, from 100° to 105°, I find most acceptable, except possibly in the first or second administration, when quite low temperature appears of benefit. I see to it that the water employed is distilled, when that can be obtained; otherwise boiled. As to the instrument used, the common Alpha syringe, manufactured by Parker, Stearns & Sutton, serves good purpose. The fountain syringe needs to be used with care. People little know of the great hydrostatic pressure it brings to bear. The hand on the syringe bulb is a better guide. The position of the patient on the right side, with the back to the nurse, is the most convenient. The introduction of the first few ounces is met by the patient with loud protests; these decrease with assurances of safety and benefit. I have never used medicinal substances in the water, except in one case, where alum proved of benefit. In chronic cases I have never pushed the treatment. imagine that very few chronic cases will exist if the cases are treated locally from the beginning. So much for the local treatment. I use it from the first and persist in it. Its annoyance decreases with the repetition. I Now as to general treatment: I confine my patients to bed. I deprive them of food as much as possible, whiskey (well diluted), in small quantities, being allowed; this is food, is supportive, and allows the lower canal much needed rest. Milk I do not use unless peptonized, and then only in very small quantities. Prepare it as you may: the excrement will be large if the quantity taken is. I rarely allow more than a quart in the twenty-four hours. If the patient will rest without food for forty-eight hours, I find it of great advantage. The fast, as a rule, is not a difficult one, the appetite being in abeyance. The liquid preparations of beef I do not use in intestinal involvement; with their concentrated salts they act as an irritant: they distress more than they benefit. Eggs, scraped beef. or, when these are objected to, the steak, roast and chop with bread, make up the dietary. Certain medicinal measures by the mouth are of advantage. I administer a cathartic at the commencement of the case. If there be nausea, calomel in small and frequently repeated doses is the drug chosen, otherwise magnesium sulphate. Salol is then ordered and opium in some form if the pain demand. The former drug I esteem. I have used with advantage also naphthalin and hydrarg-corrosiv. chlorid. As I said before, this treatment has given entire satisfaction in cases severe and mild. Let me relate one of the severest. During the past summer was the time of its occurrence. Its onset presented symptoms of such gravity as to excite just apprehension. The patient was a delicate lady. I was called to her in the night shortly after the attack began. She was in the fourth month of pregnancy. Temperature 105°; pain intense; vomiting; pulse very rapid; passages small and frequent, composed of blood and mucus. I announced the treatment, and was requested to see to the case personally until improvement should be marked. The patient retained two quarts of water by the second Distilled water was used in this case. She was convalescent in four days and well in a week. No food was allowed for three days; she received whiskey alone. I was on hand to see to the case. Much of the first three days was spent in watching the patient. Calomel in one-twentieth grain doses quieted the stomach; morphia sulphate, by hypodermic method, the pain. Salol, in five-grain doses, was given after the third day, when food was resumed. The condition of preg enema. nancy caused additional alarm here. A number of cases I might record with similar good success. They would simply tire you and occupy valuable time unnecessarily. During the past month three fulminating cases came under my observation, and the record of success was the same with them. To sum up: The treatment is simply the application of the antiseptic method-the rational and scientific treatment of a disease which exhibits itself mainly as an inflammation of the large intestine. There the havoc is wrought, much of the constitutional disturbance, I believe, being due to the absorption of septic products in that quarter which |