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both on the skin and on mucous membranes, as in ozona, etc. (in which it has been highly recommended), without much effect-in fact, scarcely any, save that which could have been obtained by a relatively inert powdering, as of subcarbonate of bismuth, calamine, etc. We all know that these coverings are often sufficient in indolent ulcerations for good effect; the same thing obtains in condylomata and the like. Most of the observers of the Dermatological Society of New York have arrived at about the same conclusions as those just expressed: that it is an over-rated drug, at least if we take the more favorable expressions of opinion as criterion.-S. S.)

PYOKTANIN.

Prof. J. Stilling, of Strasburg University (Merck's Bulletin, June, 1890, under the heading of Botanic and Bacteriological Experiments; also in Therap. Monatsheft, 1890, No. 6). The author in the above papers gives an enthusiastic (not to say extravagant) laudation of the virtues, actual and possible, of this new drug, which is obtained by the action of the ethyls and methyls on the colorific substances of the coaltar groups (fuchsine and aniline): the favorite one seeming to be the blue or purple; the less active, the yellow.

He eulogizes them as being the most active of bactericides, and destroyers both of pus-formation, and its nocence, when formed. He gives numerous results of physiological experiments in bacteriologyall successful-and accounts also of success in various ailments attended with free pus-formation, more especially those of the eye. He dwells on the relative innocence of the remedy, and the ease with which results may be watched, and dosage graded, by amount of staining, etc.; and, in short, makes what, in the light of the experience of others, seem to be over-sanguine claims.

Only one observer, as far as our reading goes, corroborates these assertions to any degree, Dr. O. Petersen, of St. Petersburg (Wratsch, '90, No. 20), who has used pyoktanin in 48 cases, and claims good results, viz.: Ulcus molle......

Ulcus induratum.

Ozona from gumma.

Hard gumma of palate.
Gumma of epiglottis
Gumma of gluteal region

Ecthyma (syphilitic)

Keratitic pannus..

Keratitis and iridocyclitis
Gonorrhoeal ophthalmia
Conjunctivitis....

Wounds from circumcision

20

8

4

2

I

I

I

3

I

1

I

4

48

He says that healing followed in an astonishingly short time under pyoktanin; prefers it to iodoform, on account of its absence of odor, so that he now invariably substitutes it for that agent in his hospital practice.

Prof. Garrè and Dr. Trojes (Münch. med. Wochenschrift, 1890, No. 25) give an entirely different account of their experimental use.

By Garrè it was used in all possible cases when acute or chronic purulent conditions were present, without finding the least antipyogenic virtues.

Dr. Trojes found it indeed to have a mild bactericidal power in solutions of 1-1000, but a very decidedly mild antipyogenic effect.

They tried to limit the growth of staphylococci in agar-agar tubecultivation, but found it very unsatisfactory in action, any inhibitory power it had rapidly passing away.

By inquiry among American dermatologists as to its action, we can find none among those who used it at all satisfied. (Those who had tried it had used it both in powdered substance and ten per cent. solution.) It seemed, according to the one who had experimented most, almost inert.

On further inquiry, among the ophthalmic staff of the Brooklyn Eye and Ear Hospital, about the same opinion was expressed; only one gentleman believing that, in some suppurative troubles of the ear, it had been possibly of benefit. The number of cases in which it had been used was considerable, probably over 200.

PHYSIOLOGY AND EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS.

BY GEORGE T. KEMP, PH. D.,

Associate Director of the Department of Physiology and Experimental Therapeutics,
Hoagland Laboratory, Brooklyn.

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCHES ON LEAD POISONING.

The "Fortschritte der Medicine," 1890, p. 342, contains a review of an article by Prevost and Binet-"Recherches Experimentales sur l'Intoxication Saturnine"-in the "Revue Méd. de la Suisse Romande," 1889, No. 11, in which the authors, as the result of extensive experiments upon rabbits, rats, cats, guinea-pigs and dogs, have made the following observations.

Pieces of lead introduced under the skin or in the perineum, never produce poisoning, even after a long interval.

Intravenous injection of lead-peptonates usually produces rapid

death.

Subcutaneous injections usually produce abscesses.

Chronic lead poisoning can only be produced by administering lead through the stomach. By mixing lead carbonate (Bleiweiss) with the

food and drink, he succeeded in producing chronic poisoning lasting several months, and in some cases over a year.

On animals treated thus the following observations were made : Symptomatic. -Progressive emaciation, sometimes represented by a loss of one-third the animal's initial weight.

Anæmic, by decrease and alteration of the red blood-corpuscles (Poikilocytosis, leucocytosis).

Albuminuria usually slight and not present in all cases.

Nervous phenomena. -Paralyses, aphonia, loss of reflex, anæsthesias. Convulsions were rare and their origin doubtful. The paralyses disappeared upon discontinuing the giving of lead.

Anatomical. -Nephritis, with contraction, and, at times formation of renal cysts.

Fatty liver.-Pericarditis was fairly often present, and sometimes fatty degeneration of the heart walls. Degeneration of the peripheral nerves according to the type described by Gombault as the "Segmentary periaxial type." The spinal nerves were generally free from lead, as was found by Déjerine. The regeneration of the nerves could often be seen going hand in hand with the healing of the paralyses.

From analyses of the different organs for lead, Binet obtained the following results:

The lead accumulates, especially in the kidney. The kidneys contain more lead, the longer the course of poisoning. Lead may be found in the kidneys long after the poison has ceased to be administered (Lange nachdem mit der Vergiftung aufgehört würde).

The bones also were rich in lead, the metal appearing to be fixed in the mineral substance as a phosphate. The relation of the inorganic to the organic constituents of the bone is, therefore, not altered to any appreciable extent.

The liver generally contains but little lead in slow poisoning, but in acute poisoning the amount of lead in the liver may be considerable, but the lead is quickly eliminated from the liver and does not accumulate there as in the kidney.

In the muscles, spleen, nerve-centres, eyes, lungs, heart, pancreas, genitals and blood, the presence of lead was not constant, and the amount, when present, was always small.

In the young, born from lead-poisoned females, lead was present in only one instance.

In one rat there was a large ovarian cyst, which was very rich in lead, especially in its walls.

The urine contained, as a rule, little lead, hence its accumulation in the kidneys. The amount of lead in the urine increased when there was albuminuria.

The throwing-out of lead through the bile is considerable, hence the small amount of lead in the liver.

The amount of lead excreted in pilocarpin-saliva is very slight, or may even be nil,

The slowness of the excretion of lead, and the difficulty with which most of its salts are soluble, explains the length of time that it remains in the body.

Two animals, after a long continuance of lead-poisoning, were put on a treatment with potassium iodide. In spite of this, the kidneys, at the post mortem, yielded a large amount of lead. The same results were obtained after a treatment with salts of ammonia.

A NEW HEART-POISON.

A new heart-poison has lately been studied by Dr. Boehm of Leipzig (Ueber das Echujin, etc, Arch. f. Experiment. Path. und Pharm., vol. 26, p. 174). The plant from which it is derived is a beautiful flowering shrub found in the German possessions lately acquired in south-west Africa, and has been named by Schidz "Adenium Boehmianum." The natives call it "Echuja," and from its resinous sap, prepare an arrow poison. The alkaloid "Echujin" paralyzes the heart. without affecting the peripheral endings of motor nerves. In kymograph-experiments there was no regular marked rise in blood pressure, as with digitalis. The respirations and heart beats are slowed. The drug acts slowly; sometimes its first marked effects, in rabbits, do not appear for 30 to 45 minutes.

On opening the thorax immediately after death the heart is found in the tightest systolic contraction.

MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE.

THE LAW AND THE DOCTORS.-AND NOW THE UNDERTAKERS.

BY SIDNEY V. LOWELL.

In the volume of Court of Appeals Reports of this State, just published, there is a curious case relating to undertakers; and as physicians are so often succeeded by the former, this case may be of interest. The writer does not make this allusion in any invidious sense. Not even as J. Marion Sims did in his wonderfully interesting autobiography, in which, referring to the treatment of fevers by the physicians in the South in his youth, he grimly speaks of how "Death followed. in the track of the physician."

There is something, by the way, to be remarked in this word "Undertaker." Its use is confined to the large cities I have noticed, or to certain localities. The more expressive words, "Funeral Director," being used elsewhere, or some similar words, expressing just what is meant. But "Undertaker" only suggests to those used to the word, what is meant, what, is to be undertaken.

I suppose that there is nothing more sadly interesting to an observing eye in that most quaint and interesting of our cities-New Orleans -than the different way in which this last provision for the body of man is attended to there. Of course, I mean on the "French side," as there is nothing particularly noticeable in the other parts of the city. The French fashion is there carried out of posting hand-bills giving notice of the death, referring specifically to the deceased in various ways, soliciting the sympathy of all acquainted with the family, and inviting attendance at the funeral. The funereal trappings and suits of woe are also the opposite of ours. White is the color, and gilded ornaments abound. All seems to express a passage to Paradise rather than burial in a tomb. To many this must seem best. To us the mental commentary is that the dignity of death seems not to have its due.

Well, to go back to our case. When General Grant died at Mount McGregor, his body was embalmed and the funeral offices attended to by a local undertaker at Saratoga. He was not paid by the family of the General. So far as is known to the public, it will be remembered, they paid for nothing connected with his final illness and death. His bill was for five hundred dollars. The New York Sun came forward and paid it. The New York Times published statements to the effect that the undertaker was about Mount McGregor at the time intoxicated, and that his charges were in the nature of blackmailing. A libel was brought against George Jones, the publisher of the Times, and the plaintiff recovered damages. The principal legal point of interest in the decision arises from the fact that the undertaker seemed to consider that in the case of a distinguished person, that it was proper to make a larger charge than in an ordinary case. A physician may, for instance, charge a wealthy person a large sum for an important or "nice" operation, much greater than if the patient were not in so good a pecuniary position. This was decided, by the way, in an interesting case of Dr. Olcot's some years ago. The undertaker seems to have thought his charge was but following on a similar line; for he gave no testimony to back it up, beyond showing what he did, other than to prove that the Federal Government had paid Prof. Sullivan, for similar services, the same sum. The court reprobate the doctrine, however, severely, that a higher charge could be made in the case of a distinguished person

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