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under a moral insanity, and that emotion and volition are shockingly perverted. The general findings of post mortem juries accord with this fact, the decision arrived at in almost every instance being that the act was committed under a temporary derangement of mind. No other conclusion could possibly be arrived at under the circumstances. His insanity may not be of such a character as to render him irresponsible for the acts he may have committed while in that state, nor for the final act of self murder. Proof of intellectual and moral insanity can alone remove the responsibility. The medical jurist need not labor under any difficulty in discriminating between the responsibility and irresponsibility of the cases brought under his consideration.

(To be continued.)

SANGUIS BOVINUS EXSICCATUS.

Defibrinated Bullock's Blood (Desiccated).

BY PARKE, DAVIS & CO.

Bullock's blood, both as an aliment and as a restorative and curative measure in disease, has been demonstrated to be of worth by thorough scientific experiment in the hospitals of New York City. We are therefore justified in calling to it the general notice of the medical profession.

HISTORY.

Defibrinated blood was first introduced into therapeutics by Dr. A. H. Smith, physician to St. Luke's Hospital, New York, and its merits subsequently more fully brought out by F. E. Stewart, Ph. G., M. D., of the same city, who employed the desiccated preparation. Dr. Stewart states in his article, published in the Medical Record, January 3, 1880, that the selection and killing of the animals, and the process of drying the blood, require the greatest skill, judgment and care to insure a perfect product. Blood from unhealthy cattle, or those fatigued by long journeys, will not answer for this purpose. Blood from fatigued animals, or the inflammatory blood of diseased cattle, cannot be employed for manufacturing albumen for use in the arts, and therefore must be unfit for therapeutics. Striking on the head, or in any other way

causing death by apnoea, prevents proper arterialization of the blood. Long exposure to the air, or too high a degree of heat in the process of desiccation, not only decomposes the blood, but devitalizes it; and if the heat be raised to 160° F., it coagulates the albumen. A temperature above i10° F. should never be employed, and the blood should not be stirred when drying.

Blood has been for a number of years popularly employed as a remedy for consumption, etc., by invalids, who drink it at the abattoirs as it flows from the freshly slaughtered animals.

NOTICE.

To enable us to furnish the profession with an article which we can guarantee in every particular, we have secured the unlimited facilities of the Central Stock Yards and Transit Company, of Jersey City, and the skill of the well known chemical expert of the company, Dr. J. J. Craven. Dr. Craven has made the utilization of animal products a specialty for many years, is inventor of the great ship refrigerators for preserving meat during ocean voyages, and is proprietor of the extensive albumen works connected with the yards. These yards have a capacity for 8,000 cattle and 20,000 sheep, with ample facilities for feeding and watering. Here is concentrated the live stock traffic of the Erie and Pennsylvania railroads, which roads bring cattle from all parts of the United States; and from this great amount and variety of stock are selected for our purpose the choicest steers, picked for European exportation.

The selection and killing of the animals, and the preparation of the blood, is conducted under the direct supervision of Dr. Craven. The desiccation is conducted with the greatest care, in costly apparatus of his construction, and with special regard, in all the details, to chemical and vital phenomena.

CAUTION.-To protect the profession, and to guard our own reputation, we have placed desiccated blood, prepared as above, in tin packages, under an elegantly lithographed label, bearing a design of the stock yards. The profession are requested to observe this label and the integrity of the package, if they wish to secure the advantages of this superior article.

MEDICAL PROPERTIES AND USES.

Defibrinated blood, or blood from which the fibrine has been whipped, thus removing the property of clotting, but in which the albumen and other natural constituents have been preserved, is employed in medicine both per orem and per rectum. Its value in rectal alimentation has been tested in a large number of cases, more than sixty patients having been treated at St. Luke's Hospital alone, to enable Dr. Smith to make his report to the New York Therapeutical Society. Dr. Smith's report was received by this society, and the use of defibrinated blood for rectal alimentation formally recognized by appropriate resolutions. Since that time the article has been employed quite generally, and the universal verdict is in support of the correctness of Dr. Smith's statement.

Per orem, defibrinated blood has been popularly employed for a number of years. It is no uncommon sight at the abattoirs of large cities, both in this country and in Europe, to see invalids, suffering from consumption and other wasting diseases, in waiting for a draught of warm blood of the slaughtered animals. Investigation of this singular practice certainly shows that many cases are remarkably benefited by it. An examination of the constituents of the blood readily accounts for good results reported from the use of the fluid. Blood contains the supplies for the growth and repair of the whole body. It is, in fact, but the body in a liquid state. Being, therefore, perfectly adapted to the building up and the constructing of the tissues, its administration would seem to be indicated when the tissues are wasted, and life is threatened by exhausting disease.

The value of defibrinated blood as a therapeutic agent seems to be determined by the way in which it is employed. Given by the mouth it must of necessity undergo the process of digestion. By rectum it is not reasonable to infer that any such action takes place; on the contrary, it is most probable that it is absorbed chemically unaltered. By comparison, blood will be found to contain as much solid, digestible matter, ounce for ounce, as the flesh of the animal from which it was obtained. Bullock's blood is then but liquid beef, free from indigestible fibre; consequently, per orem, it is introduced into the system as beef, to be made into blood by recon

structive metamorphosis; per rectum, as blood, to be assimilated, probably, as such, without any great change.

INDICATIONS.

Defibrinated blood is indicated, as a sustaining and supporting measure, in the treatment of disease. The fact that it is an unorganized organic compound, and is the source from which all tissues derive their nourishment, would seem to fit it to take preëmi nence in this department of therapeutics. Obviating the tendency to death by asthenia, and forestalling a degree of prostration dangerous to life, it permits the expectant plan of treatment and that wise conservatism which does not interdict the use of the most potential of remedial agents, but rather enforces discrimination and circumspection in their use. Holding such a place, its use gives confidence to the practitioner, allowing him with more assurance to carefully watch the progress of the malady, and to meet, with appropriate measures, unfavorable conditions as they arise. The great and exhaustive waste in disease is of tissues into which nitrogen enters largely as a constituent. In health meat supplies nitrogenous waste, but in sickness an impaired stomach is unequal to the breaking down of the organized fibre and the setting free of the nitrogenous principle, viz., albumen. Attempts have, therefore, been made to present meat by its preparation in a form for easy assimilation. Such preparations, however, are but broken reeds. The water in which beef is boiled, and popularly known as beef tea, will not support life, because by the boiling the albumen is locked in the meat. The numerous extracts and essences of meat flooding the market are, also, but proofs of many failures; being wholly or nearly destitute of albumen, they are worthless as nutrients.

As a restorative agent, defibrinated blood has proved very serviceable. In the slow convalescence from fevers; in wasting diseases of various forms-consumption and the like; in cachectic states from special constitutional poison, as syphilis, scrofula, etc.; and in all cases in which impaired blood, nerves or digestion, give rise to the anæmic condition, with its resulting general debility, hypochondriasis, or other functional disorders, the use of defibrinated blood is indicated to aid in bringing back the system to its normal condition.

As a curative agent, also, reports of its efficiency are highly satisfactory. Close physiological relations exist between the red globules of the blood and the nerves, and disease of the former seriously impairs the functional activity of the latter. In the treatment of anæmia, therefore, the use of this agent would seem to be indicated. The action of impaired nerves on the secretory apparatus prevents the supply of the digestive fluids in such condition as is necessary for the conversion of food into that good blood which is so necessary to the proper performance of the vital functions. To correct this impaired nervous condition, and thus to remove the prime factor of atonic dyspepsia, defibrinated blood has been found to be a very valuable agent. In impairment of nutrition and secretion due to disturbed nervous influence, a small amount given per rectum has sometimes restored a natural condition, giving to the system an upward instead of a downward tendency.

DIRECTIONS.

In the preparation of desiccated blood about seven parts by weight of water are driven off by evaporation, so that one part of the dried article represents about eight parts of the blood in a fluid condition. A mixture of brandy and glycerine seems to be the best vehicle to render it palatable, and when the solution is diluted to the same strength as the original blood it is easily tolerated by the stomach.

Hence, for use per orem add six teaspoonfuls of the powder to eight tablespoonfuls of water contained in a half pint bottle. Shake until dissolved, and then add two tablespoonfuls each of brandy and glycerine. The dose of this mixture is a tablespoonful or more every three hours.

To use per rectum, dissolve, as above, six teaspoonfuls of the powder in twelve tablespoonfuls of water, and inject all of it at one time by means of an ordinary syringe. If the bowels be irritable, and any difficulty of retention be experienced, use tepid water, but never hot enough to coagulate the albumen.

If greater amount than can be absorbed be injected at one time, and decomposition of the remaining portion ensue, it is advisable to wash out the rectum with tepid water before continuing the medication. The injection can be given at night, on going to bed,

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