casionally, however, he remains fixed in the position in which he happened to be at the moment of attack; the head is moved from side to side with great rapidity, all consciousness being destroyed. An attack of epilepsy is sometimes marked by a sudden barking noise, arising from a convulsive movement of the pharynx. Sometimes there is a trembling of the whole body, without well marked convulsions of any part, which is followed by rigidity of all the frame, and total privation of sense. I have myself never seen this form of attack in infants. It is mentioned, however, by most authorities. The respiration is generally laborious. The breathing is sometimes stertorous; and the attack is then closely allied to, if it is not identically the same with, apoplexy in the adult. Symptoms of internal disturbance are frequently joined to the external and evident convulsions. The child vomits; the stools and urine are passed involuntarily. In fact, the diaphragm, stomach, bladder, and intestines, appear to be under the dominion of the same irregular and involuntary contractions as the external parts. After the termination of a paroxysm of epilepsy the patient is generally bathed in sweat." Treatment of Epilepsy.-In numerous instances, epilepsy may justly be considered as one of the reproaches of medicine. Inasmuch as this disease is dependent on an endless variety of causes, so the indications of cure must be ever varying and uncertain. Entertaining this view of the subject, Mr. N. proposes only to palliate symptoms, and prolong the recurrence of paroxysms. He directs, that whatever has a ten dency to augment the circulation, or to determine the flow of blood towards the brain, should be carefully avoided. The diet to be strictly attended to, and to observe the same principles in the exhibition of purgatives, and in our general mode of treatment, as was previously adverted to in the management of convulsions. Mr. N. condemns the application of moxa to the spine, blisters, actual cautery, &c., as calculated to torture the patient, without producing the slightest benefits. And adds, that the rashness of some writers, have even advised us to trephine, in the hopes of finding hydatids in the brain. Our author has tried various counter irritants with but little success. In some cases the oxyde of zinc appeared to render the paroxysms less frequent. On the approach of a paroxysm in most cases he recommends an emetic of sulphate of zinc. He is disposed to infer, from his own observations, that counterirritants have been extolled from vague notions of what they ought to ef fect, rather than from any actual good they do. The antispasmodics, says our author, appear to possess no power over this disease; and opium can rarely be employed, even in cases where the disease is the result of severe local pain. When the disease is originally caused by excessive debility, we should attempt the cure by a gradual increase of nourishing food, and the cautious exhibition of tonics, as the carbonate of iron, sulphate of quinine, and the daily use of the cold bath. Inunction with sulphuric ointment has been recommended by the German phy sicians. On a spasmodic Affection of the Chest and Larynx in young Children, accompanied by general or partial Convulsions.-Mr. North states, that he has met with many cases of this variety of convulsions, and is thus prepared to describe the morbid phenomena as they exist. We will at once proceed to give a condensed view of the text. P. 254. Premonitory symptoms generally occur between the third and seventh month; on waking, the respiration is accelerated and attended with a rattling noise, arising from a collection of mucus in the air passages. The countenance becomes anxious, pallid, and emaciated; contracted nose; the child frowns almost constantly; when put to the breast, it sucks greedily for a moment, but suddenly ceasing, throws back the head with violence; constipation of the bowels now altered. The child's thumb is firmly pressed on the palm, and various contortions of the body and limbs arise from spasmodic contraction of the muscles. The breathing becomes more hurried and irregular, and each inspiration is now attended by a loud crouping noise; the heart palpitates violently. The paroxysms vary in duration and violence; no well marked febrile symptoms attend. Our author considers the disease, in many instances, as immediately connected with painful dentition; for, adds he, I have known all the above symptoms gradually disappear on the appearance of teeth; and instant relief often afforded on a free division of the gums. Treatment.-As Mr. N. regards this peculiar affection, in a majority of cases, as intimately asso ciated with a painful and protracted dentition, he urges the necessity of a prompt and free division of the gums, whenever they are swollen and inflamed. As constipation usually attends this form of convulsions, it is to be removed by calomel and jalap, or infusion of senna with tincture of jalap. If hepatic derangement is present, he directs a grain of calomel every night with much advantage. If there is reason to apprehend danger from cerebral derangement, he tells us to proceed as in other cases, with an entire exclusion of external or internal stimuli. Sedatives are usually inadmissible, in order to relieve the difficult and spasmodic breathing, from their tendency to augment the cerebral disturbance. He prefers the extract of conium or hyoscyamus; and suggests the employment of the black drop, as being, perhaps, better adapted than any other sedative, in such cases. Benefit is often afforded by friction on the chest, with a mixture of laudanum, spirit of camphor, and soap liniment; blisters he has known to aggravate the disease, by adding to the general irritation and suffering of the patient. GASTRIC JUICE. We will not let pass this occasion to notice, that Dr. Bostock, in the second volume of his Physiology, published in 1826, advocates the theory of the solvent power of the gastric juice. His remarks extend from p. 482 to p. 489. He considers it in vain to deny the reality of its solvent. property, as exhibited by Reaumur, Steevens, and Spallanzani ; and in a note, p. 486, speaking of Montegre's celebrated experiments on himself, he says, "I conceive that what has been supposed to be the gastric juice, is in fact nothing more than saliva: that it possesses no peculiar power of acting on alimentary matter: that the principal use of the gastric juice is to dilute the food; and that the only action of the stomach consists in une absorption vitale et elective,' in which the absorbent vessels, in consequence of their peculiar sensibility, take up certain parts of the food, and reject others. That the conclusion of M. Montegre, respecting the action of the stomach, cannot be maintained, is correctly observed by Mr. Berthollet, in his report on the memoir; because, till the food has undergone a certain chemical change, the substance does not exist which is taken up by the absorbents." We have made this citation, as well for its intrinsic merit, as for the benefit of those among us, and they are not few, who are disposed to treat Spallanzani's experiments with indifference, to use no harsher term. Either Spallanzani and Steevens must have been a couple of very dishonest men, or there must be a gastric solvent.-N. A. Med. and Surg. Journal. ANATOMY. A Beautiful Experiment by M. Mayer, of Bonn.-In order to prove that the oxygen of the air may pass through the membranous divisions of the air cells, and thus get into the current of the blood, M. Mayer made an experiment, which he afterwards varied in several modes. The experiment consists in killing an animal by strangulation, in opening the thorax and pericardium immediately, and afterwards dividing the aorta and pulmonary arte ry. Distilled water must now be injected into the pulmonary artery, till it flows from the cut end of the aorta perfectly colorless. Having washed out the blood, a green solution of cameleon mineral which has been carefully preserved from contact of the air, is to be injected by the pulmonary artery: it will flow out from the aorta without any change of color. But, if the end of the aorta be now tied, and the injection be again thrown in by the pulmonary artery, which must also be secured by a ligature, and artificial respiration be kept up for a few minutes, the fluid injected will be changed to a beautiful red color, proving that the oxygen of the air has passed the membranes and acted on the cameleon mineral. Bulletin, Jan. 1827. DENARCOTISED LAUDANUM. We learn from the experience of the French chemists and phy sicians that the unpleasant effects of opium reside in a principle called narcotine; and we are informed by Robiquet, that by digestion in ether, it may be deprived of this noxious principle. From a knowledge of this statement, Dr. Hare was induced to test it, and has now made known the result. A quantity of opium was subjected four times successively to as much ether, kept near the temperature of ebullition, of the specific gravity of 735, as would cover it, allowing each portion to act on it for about 24 hours. The opium thus prepared, was now subjected to diluted alcohol, sufficient to convert it into laudanum. In a few days the ether which had been digested on the opium, evaporated spontane ously, leaving much crystalline matter mixed with coloring matter; the former of which is, no doubt, the narcotine of Robiquet. The digestion of the opium with the ether, is conveniently performed in the Papin's digesters, which can be procured at the hardware stores in this city. opium; owing probably to the circumstance, that the meconate of iron does not precipitate. Professor Hare has contrived a method, founded on the property which meconic acid has of precipitating with lead, by which "a quantity of opium not exceeding that contained in ten drops of laudanum may be detected in a half gallon of water.”—Thus : Some cases are detailed, in one of which a refreshing slumber succeeded the use of the denarco- Add a few drops of acetate of tised laudanum, in a dose of 10 lead to an infusion containing any drops, "which was not followed quantity of opium, not less than by any of the distressing sensa- the proportion mentioned, an obtions to which the patient had al- servable quantity of meconate of ways been subjected, after taking lead falls down. The precipitacommon laudanum." A letter is tion, where the quantity is small, subjoined from Dr. Dewees, de- may require from 6 to 12 hours, tailing his experience with it in and may be facilitated by gently four cases; we select the follow- stirring with a glass rod, to detach ing. It is one, "where severe the flocks from the sides of the afterpains following delivery, and recipient, which should be of a in which every other remedy al- conical shape, to concentrate most, save opium, was tried with them in their descent. To the out success for their relief. In meconate collected at the bottom this case, opium in no shape what- of the vessel, pour down through ever, could be given internally, a glass tube, about 30 drops of even employed externally, sulphuric acid; follow this by as without the severest sufferings much of the red sulphate of iron: following. "The denarcótised laudanum was given with the most entire success, and without the slightest inconvenience following its exhibition. The lady called it 'the divine tincture of laudanum.'". Phil. Journal of the Medical and Physical Sciences. TEST FOR OPIUM. Opium is known to contain an alkali, called morphia, on which its narcotic properties depend; now this alkali is naturally in union with meconic acid, which produces a striking red color, with solutions of red oxyde of iron. This property has not before been proposed as a means of detecting "the sulphuric acid liberates the meconic acid, and thus enables it to produce, with the iron, the appropriate color which demonstrates the presence of this acid, and consequently of opi"Ib. um. FINLEY, on the EFFECTS OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR on exposed cavities. Dr. F. does not conceive that the inflammation which generally attends injuries of the serous membranes, and particularly those of the joints, depends on any agency of the air. He believes it to depend on the nature of the wound, on the state of constitution, or on an imprudent management of the injured part;" from some of these causes then, inflammation comes on in the immediate part injured, and by "continuous sympathy, to which serous tissues, when injured, are particularly liable, it spreads, till the whole surface of the cavity is involved."-N. American Medical and Surgical Journal. reap a rich harvest of rewards in PRACTISED IN THE The remarks on the mischievous effects on society, of SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS, and the means of BLEEDING preventing them, by Samuel Emlen, M.D. reflect honor on their author, and rank him high as a philanthropist and as a conscientious physician. When we consider the extent to which the degrading vice of intemperance is carried in our country; the evils which follow in its train, immorality, distress, disease, poverty and crime; and the influence it may yet have on unborn millions, every friend to the wellbeing of society, must look with interest on any endeavors that may be made to prevent them. There is perhaps no subject which more powerfully calls for legislative interference, for the strong arm of the law. The members of our profession see, more than any other class of society, the evils arising from the drinking of distilled spirits; they see thousands sacrificed to it when neither neighbors, nor friends, nor even the deluded victims themselves, suspect it; "they only can unfold to the view of our legislators, and those in authority, the real picture of sorrow and sadness which drunkenness exhibits." Let them be unanimous, let them join hand and heart to wipe away this foul stain on the bright escutcheon of our country, let them work faithfully in the good work, and they will DR. MACKINTOSH, in a report of cases of intermittent fever, published in the Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Jonrnal, states his having used the lancet with success in the cold stage of intermittent fever. He submitted himself to the experiment in the first instance, disregarding altogether the force of authority on this subject. Bark and all the usual remedies had failed. After a detail of the facts, the author draws the following among other conclusions :-That bleeding thus used will sometimes cure the disease; that, in every case in which it has been tried, it has cut short the cold fits, and prevented the subsequent hot and sweating stages of the paroxysm; that the remedy promises to be most serviceable in severe autumnal intermittents, and more particularly in the pernicious and malignant fevers, as they are termed, of Italy, Holland, and other marshy countries, which are well known to be very fatal under the ordinary treatment; that it may be used with safety in any climate, where the cold stage continues long and threatens danger; that bleeding in the cold stage is at all events more successful than in the hot tic 1 |