Varieties.
LEMON JUICE IN DIPHTHERIA.—Dr. J. R. Page, of Baltimore, in the New York "Medical Record," May 7th, 1881, invites the attention of the profession to the topical use of fresh lemon juice as a most efficient means for the removal of membrane from the throat, tonsils, etc., in diphtheria. In his hands (and he has heard several of his professional brethren say the same) it has proved by far the best agent he has yet tried for the purpose. He applies the juice of the lemon, by means of a camel's hair probang, to the affected parts every two or three hours, and in eighteen cases in which he has used it the effect has been all he could wish.—Med. and Surg. Rep.
CANNABIS INDICA IN MIGRAINE.—What the bromides and belladonna are to epilepsy, cannabis indica is to migraine. The principle of treatment laid down is to maintain, by the use of small doses of the agent, a constant influence upon the nervous system for a long time, the same as is required in epilepsy by the use of the bromides. At first, as a matter of course, no appreciable effect is observed, and not until the use of the remedy is persevered in for many weeks, and the nervous system kept under its influence for a considerable time, will the patient find an appreciable diminution in the severity and frequency of the attacks. It is well to commence with one-fourth grain of the extract, before each meal, for the first fortnight; the dose may be increased to the third of a grain for the second fortnight, to be augmented to a half grain at the end of four weeks. This amount will generally be sufficient, and should be faithfully continued for several months. Success here is only obtained by persevering effort.—Chicago Med. Jour. and Exam., from Ohio Med. Jour., Sept.
A NEW ANTISEPTIC.—Dr. C. F. Kingzett (London "Lancet") claims that the product obtained by forcing air through oil of turpentine during a period of from one to two hundred hours, has an antiseptic quality superior to any hitherto known. The oil of turpentine so treated loses its volatile character, and, although not soluble in water, it forms in contact with this, or any moist surface, strongly antiseptic principles.—Chic. Med. Rev., Sept. 5.
SKUNK PERFUME AS AN ANAESTHETIC.—Dr. W. B. Con way ("Virginia Medical Monthly," Aug., 1881) reports a case where roguish school boys caused one of their number to inhale from a two-ounce phial an unknown quantity of skunk perfume. The effects produced were total unconsciousness, muscular relaxation, a temperature of 94° and pulse of 65, together with cool extremities. The respiration and pupils were normal. The patient soon recovered under hot pediluvia and stimulants. The skunk perfume is rather an unpleasant substance to experiment with, still those endowed with anosmia might obtain results of value from similar experiments with it.—Chic. Med. Review.
CONVALLARIA MAJALIS.—Clinical and physiological experiments with this herb are reported ("Centralblatt für Klinische Medicin," No. 1, 1881) by Drs. Bojojawlensky and Troitzky. In organic cardiac disease its effects were found equal to those of digitalis; the urine was increased; serous exudations were rapidly absorbed; nervous excitability was diminished. Cumulative effects were not observed.—Chic. Med. Review, Sept. 5.
The American Journal of Pharmacy, Vol. 53, 1881, was edited by John M. Maisch.
