slowly-advancing one which lasts a long time. The facts show that the usual doses of digitalis may be exceeded without any danger. However, to continue this treatment for considerable time is not without danger, as was shown by the poisoning which occurred in one case after the doses had been given three days. This patient was doubtless specially sensitive to it, but such a case shows that the larger doses must be used with caution.-The Therapeutic Gazelle. Experimental Research Concerning Tetanus Immunity.— Tizzoni and Cattani (Berlin Klin. Woch., No. 51, xxx. Jahr.), on the basis of experimental study, state that rats and guinea-pigs, as representing animals exceptionally sensitive to the action of tetanus bacillus, are no longer susceptible to the injurious effects of this micro-organism when injected with serum of high immunizing power. These serum injections are most efficient when they are administered immediately on the first appearance of symptoms of tetanus. Their effects are much less satisfactory, and are accomplished much more slowly when the local tetanic symptoms have reached their maximum and both local and general manifestations are present. The injections are quite without power when the infection has become general and death is near at hand. The quantity of serum necessary to cure an animal already exhibiting tetanic symptoms is very much greater than that required to produce immunity. Thus, at least two thousand times the dose necessary for immunity is required to cure the developing disease, and correspondingly, when the symptoms of tetanus are well advanced, the dose must be still further increased, so that a quantity of the antitoxine one hundred and fifty times greater than that required at the beginning of tetanus is necessary in these cases. The injection of the serum does not immediately affect the symptoms already developed; indeed, after a time, it slightly accentuates them; but it has the effect of localizing them and of protecting the system at large from general infection. The symptoms, having been in the first place localized, subside very slowly, cure requiring several weeks. Even though a dose considerably more powerful than that required to accomplish cure is given, it does not essentially hasten convalescence. The immunizing and curative power of the serum depends solely upon the amount of antitoxine it contains, and not upon the varying strength of this antitoxine. Hence it follows that satisfactory results can be obtained from serum of different potency provided the experimenter knows exactly what this potency is, and can gauge his volume dose accordingly. By precipitation with alcohol the serum loses none of its strength. Hence this precipitate can be used as effectively as can the serum. The serum of various animals, the horse and the dog for instance, is potent against tetanus, the essential point being to discover in each case the amount of antitoxin contained in a given volume. With serum of the highest immunizing power,1 to 1,000,000,-if the results of experiments on animals can be utilized as a basis for the treatment of the human, about.7 cubic centimeters would be required for the cure of a man suffering from the symptoms of moderately acute tetanus. If the disease is further advanced, 21 cubic centimeters will be required. If the alcoholic precipitate is employed, 5 to 6 centigrammes should be used in the first case, 10 to 12 grammes in the second. MATERIĄ MEDICA AND MEDICAL CHEMISTRY. Under the Charge of A. L. LENGFELD, M. D., Professor of Materia Medica and Medical Chemistry, University of California, Secret Remedies in Germany.-The method of dealing with secret remedies in Germany appears to be simple and efficient, as the following instance shows. Not many months ago some strangers took a house in Berlin, and with great éclat gave out that they were prepared to sell a remedy for freckles and pimples at ten shillings a bottle. The day after the opening of the establishment an official notice appeared in the Berlin daily papers under the heading "Police Intelligence," giving the result of the analysis of the drug (it was a weak solution of corrosive sublimate) and the cost of its preparation, namely, three half-pence. The establishment was soon closed.-Pharmaceutical Journal and Transactions. Cannabine Tannate.-Cannabine tannate is an amorphous, yellowish or brownish powder, of very faint cannabis odor, and slightly bitter but strongly astringent taste. It is but little soluble in water, alcohol or ether; more so in acidulated water, and quite readily so in acidulated alcohol. Cannabine tannate is considered an admirable hypnotic and sedative. The sleep caused by a properly constituted dose is said to be a refreshing one,-devoid of any unpleasant accessory effects; and, what is very remarkable, doses as small as 6 ctg. (1 grain) were sufficient to bring about this beneficent effect, in cases where 2 ctg. (} grain) of morphine had been employed without result. J. Prior concurs with Vogelgesang and Mendel, confirming the experiences of both, that hysteric patients, who were not benefited by either morphine or chloral hydrate, experienced happiest results from cannabine tannate; so that the latter drug might be declared a very desideratum for such patients. As a hypnotic it is usually administered in doses of 0.25-0.5 gramme (4-73 grs.). An eligible formula therefor is the following:-Cannabine tannate 1 gramme (15 grs.), sugar 2 grammes (31 grs.); make into four powders. One powder at bed-time.-Merck's Report. Chemical Synonyms for New Remedies.-Supplementing the table of new remedies and their chemical synonyms published in the November Bulletin, we add the following from the very complete list contained in the second (enlarged) edition of Prof. Kobert's admirable work, "Compendium der Arzneiverordnungslehre" (Ferdinand Enke, Stuttgart, 1893): Alumnol: Naphtholsulfonate of aluminium. Analgen: Ortho-æthoxy-monobenzoylamidochinolin. Antifebrin: Acetanilid. Antinervin: Mixture of acetanilid, ammonium bromide, and salicylic acid. Asaprol: Beta-naphthol-monosulfonate of calcium. Bromopyrin: Mixture of caffeine, antipyrin, and sodium bro mide. Cancroin: Solution of citronate of neurin and phenol. Chlorobrom: Solution of 6 parts bromide of potash and 6 parts chloralamid in 58 parts of water. Creolin: Mixture of cresolsulphuric acid with tar-hydrocarbons. Cresolin: Creolin-like mixture. Eulyptol: Mixture of 6 parts salicylic acid, 1 part phenol, and 1 part eucalyptus oil. Europhen: Isobutyl-orthocresol-iodide. Formalin: 40 per cent solution of formaldehyde. Gallanol: Anilid of pyrogallic acid. Gallol: Impure gallanol. Hæmatogen Hommel: A blood preparation with no similarity to the hæmatogene of chemistry. Hopein: A swindle mixture of morphine, cocaine, etc. Keratin: Purified horn-substance. Kresin: Solution of cresol in cresolacetate of sodium. Myrrholin: Solution of resin of myrrh in castor oil. Solveol: Cresol rendered soluble with cresotinate of sodium. Sulfonal: Diæthyl-sulfon-dimethyl-methane. Thiol: Sulphuretted unsaturated hydrocarbons of the lignitetar oils rendered soluble with sulphuric acid. Trional: Diæthyl-sulfon-æthyl-methyl methane. Chloroform as an Anthelmintic. - Chloroform is again recommended as an efficient remedy in procuring the expul. sion of the tape-worm, by Dr. Stephen, a Dutch practitioner, who claims to have succeeded in bringing about the expulsion of the parasite in cases which had resisted every other form of treatment. He administers it as follows: R Chloroform... Syr. simpl... 3 j 3 j Sig. To be taken in four parts: at seven, nine and eleven o'clock in the morning, and the remaining dose at one. At mid-day one ounce of castor oil should be taken. PEDICULI PUBIS are rapidly and effectually destroyed by washing the affected parts with ether. TO CONTROL excessive vomiting, oil of cloves in one-half to onedrop doses, administered in a suitable menstruum, will give prompt relief. CANNABIS INDICA is a most valuable anodyne in the treatment of dysmenorrhoea, ovaritis, neuralgia, and the headache of anamic women. SODIUM SALICYLATE, administered in three-grain doses every two hours, gives prompt relief in urticaria. Three or four doses usually suffice to cure the most obstinate case. TO RESUSCITATE a patient asphyxiated from any cause, nothing proves so prompt and effective as rapid and forcible dilatation of the sphincter ani!!—Ex. ASTHMA. An attack of asthma may be cut short at the onset by painting the nasal fossae as far in as possible with a solution of cocaine (1 to 29) or spraying nose and pharynx with this solution for five minutes. ELECTRO-THERAPEUTICS. Under the Charge of HENRY N. WINTON, M.D., Adjunct to the Chair of Therapeutics, University of California, Medical Department. Therapeutics of Electricity in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Gout-Rheumatoid Arthritis.-The pain and tenderness is often of the most excruciating character, and so continuous as to prevent sleep and render life altogther miserable. I have found electricity to be palliative in a marked degree in not a few of these cases, not only in the way of relieving pain, but in increasing mobility. My own experience with a considerable number of cases is altogether in favor of the faradic current, and the higher its tension the greater appears to be its analgesic properties. For this reason the static induction current, the tension of which is so enormous, is often serviceable. In one case of rheumatoid arthritis that I recall, the disease had affected not only the extremities, but had extended to the sterno-clavicular articulation and to the spine. The pain down both arms was very severe, and, as the disease progressed, the patient found it more and more difficult to walk in an erect position, or to bend over without occasioning severe pain in the spine. Frequent and long-continued applications of both the faradic and static induced currents of electricity were followed by the most marked and grateful relief in this case; and not only as regards pain, but in the ability to assume and retain a more erect posture. In the consideration of the treatment of the chronic articular and muscular forms of rheumatism, the application of the faradic brush should be mentioned. A vigorous current, sufficient to induce intense redness of the skin, is sometimes followed by great relief. |