pects as if it were alcohol, with a view to the production of chloroform, gave a product nearly like pure Fusel oil in smell, and having a specific gravity in these several preparations of — 0.8236 While that of pure Fusel oil is, 0.8124. It gave of chlorine, 1.35 per ct. when evaporated to dryness with soda lime, the chlorine in which had been previously determined. This was doubtless due to the chloroform derived from the trace of alcohol still present in the Fusel oil. That such might have been expected as the result, will be evident when it is considered that Fusel oil is but slightly soluble in water, and would of course, from the outset, float on the surface of the mixture. Experiments made with alcohol to which was added impure methyl alcohol (wood spirit) gave good chloroform. Experiments with the product of distillation resulting from the mixture of pure Fusel oil, water and bleaching salt, upon man and inferior animals, were made under quite varied circumstances. A practicing physician accustomed to the administration of chloroform, inhaled the vapor of this product for fourteen minutes without any marked anæsthetic effect, or any other effect than slight irritation of the bronchial tubes. Two rats, one full grown, were successively subjected to the action of this agent, poured upon cotton to facilitate evaporation, the tuft of cotton and the animal being placed on the bottom of a covered becker glass. The air was renewed from time to time with the aid of a bellows. At the end of an hour no anaesthetic effect had been produced upon the full grown rat, and at the end of forty minutes none on the smaller animal. They were then exposed to the action of the vapor of chloroform, and in less than two minutes were insensible. The experiment was repeated with kittens about a week old, with like results, except that they were longer in becoming insensible. On a subsequent day two kittens were exposed to the vapor of the above body, each under a separate bell-glass, while two others, in all respects similarly situated, except that the latter breathed merely confined air, for one hour, without its being apparent that the vapor had produced any deleterious effect. When taken out, all appeared quite alike so far as activity was concerned, or disposition to seek legitimate nourishment. At a period several weeks later, the experiments were repeated with the same kittens in the use of a fresh preparation of the above body, repeatedly distilled from chloride of calcium. There was in the course of an hour, an appreciable lethargic effect which was not so marked where confined air was alone inhaled, but in no instance attained such a degree that upon the removal of the bell-glasses, the animals did not at once resume unimpaired, the possession of all its powers. These experiments led to the conviction that Fusel oil, when treated as in the manufacture of chloroform, substituting Fusel oil for alcohol, is not changed, and of course, that the Fusel oil present in alcohol in the ordinary manuracture of chloroform does not yield a poison, which taken with the chloroform has produced the fatal effects. While the Fusel oil vapor and the impure chloroform which Gregory had recognized could be inhaled without difficulty, the article received from Dr. Currie, by its violent irritation, closed the glottis almost instantly. Upon the presumption that the bad attribute was due to the mode of purification, a quantity of good chloroform was repeatedly distilled from concentrated sulphuric acid, and another from chloride of calcium. The products in both cases were perfectly good, and are so still, now nine months from the date of distillation. Having tried alcohol of various degrees of purity and strength, and having subjected good chloroform repeatedly to different methods of purification, it remained to try different samples of bleaching salt with varying proportions of alcohol. Accordingly, several varieties in the market were procured, and a series of experiments undertaken by Mr. Gould, of the Laboratory of the Lawrence Scientific School. The combinations of alcohol, bleaching salt, water, temperature, time and mode of distillation, made to meet the inquiry required above fifty successive preparations of chloroform, the detailed results of thirty-one of which will appear in the official proceedings of the Association. From these and the foregoing series of experiments, it appears 1st, that good chloroform does not spontaneously change in a period of nine months. 2nd. That the bad chloroform, containing free chlorine and hydrochloric acid, may be produced by using a bleaching salt of great strength with a quantity of alcohol disproportionately small. 3rd. That the bad chloroform may be produced by receiving the distillate into water, so as immediately to withdraw the alcohol from the chloroform. 4th. That the bad chloroform may be produced by passing chlorine directly into chloroform. 5th. That no formula for its manufacture can be relied upon as a guide, since bleaching salts vary in strength when derived from different factories, and vary with age. In the foregoing experiments the range is from 15 to 30 per cent. 6th. That quick lime added to the mixture does not promote the economy of manufacture. 7th. That the chlorine and hydrochloric acid of bad chloroform, as observed by Di. Dwight, may be removed by agitation with a little alcohol. 8th. That the ill effects observed in the administration of chloroform are not due to the presence of chlorine as the irritation is such when it is attempted to inhale it, as to prevent inhalation altogether. 9th. That the ill effects are not due to any poisonous product arising from the action of bleaching salt on the small quantity of fusel oil, in the alcohol employed in the manufacture of chloroform. 10th. That the ill effects are due to peculiarities of constitution or temperament of some patients, and in a few rare cases to want of attention or judgment on the part of the person administering it. Dr. Burnett's papers on the renal organs, alantois, etc., were interesting in matter, but inaccurate and very erroneous in the statement of facts. The proceedings continued in the same style for five days, but a report of all the articles would be too voluminous. Prof. Ridell, of New Orleans, exhibited to the members his binocular microscope, which is so contrived that the rays of light, after passing through the object-glass, shall be divided into two beams by glass prisms, and reflected to the two eyes. This requires two eyeglasses. Objects thus seen present some striking views. They are clearer in consequence of the sensation from both eyes being more intense than from one, and also the object is seen, not as a flat shadow, but in relief, showing its depth as well as its breadth. Another advantage is that it prevents the umating which takes place where a person constantly uses one eye alone at the glass. Prof. Ridell also read a paper on the "Histology of Red Blood." He showed drawings of the blood corpuscles of a Texan reptile, which being about the two hundredth part of an inch in diameter, are larger than those of any other animal. By the microscopic examination of these bodies, he discovers that they have each a nucleus enclosing several nucleoli, and that the space between the nucleus and the cell wall is filled with a quantity of very minute celules or vesicles, which, under a low power of the microscope, look like mere granules. Hence he infers that the granular matter in human blood corpuscles is celular in form, but too minute to be distinctly seen. On Monday evening the citizens of Cleveland invited the members to meet them socially at the American Hotel. They repaired thither and found a company of the citizens with their ladies waiting to receive them, and a beautiful entertainment, both of social intercourse, and more material refreshments prepared for them. On the fifth day the reading of papers was concluded. It had already been decided that the next annual meeting should be held at Washington. The Association then passed sundry votes of thanks, listened to some valedictory remarks, and adjourned. Correction. The following passage was accidently omitted in the last number, in the editorial concerning Chloroform. Its place is at the close of the article signed "G," page 91. As it contains the conclusion of the whole matter respecting the safety of Chloroform Inhalations, we insert it here.-ED. We consider it (chloroform) about as safe to the patient as a journey by railroad or steamboat to the passengers. Our rule is never to use it in trivial cases, when the operation requires but a single stroke of the knife, or actually recommend it in any case. We make to our patients the above statement of its comparative safety, and if they elect, we administer it, taking due care that it is well mixed with atmospheric air, watching closely the pulse and respiration. With these cautions we bide our time, await our turn for an accident, and confess to a growing dread of the agent. G. ART. I.-Notes of Travel. By "X." He that wants to know how a thing is, must go and see it. If you want to know how deep a stream is, there is no way so good as to go and measure it. So lately, upon a time, while jogging about in Michigan and the adjoining states, it occurred to me to take the dimensions by actual statistics, of that Jordan of Quackery which Behemoth Bullhead "trusteth that he can draw up in his Corporal mouth:" for this same Jordan has roared and foamed and sputtered, until many people suppose it to be exceeding deep and mighty, and if the Corporal and the Q. K. army purpose to precipitate themselves into any rash undertaking, we must hold on to their over-valiant coat tails, lest they be "devoured in battle." Moved by these humane considerations I took statistical notes of such places as I visited, or could obtain reliable information about. The brief result of my examination, is, that there is more foam than fact about the quack clans, and any body will do Corporal Bullhead a service, who will get enough of them together into one phalanx, to make it worth his while to charge them. The results of my inquiries may be found in the subjoined table. From various causes the numbers may contain some errors. Changes are frequent, and though but a few weeks have elapsed, removals have by this time, transferred some practitioners, and many quacks, to other locations; then there were men who had partly retired from practice, and it was not easy to say whether they were still to be classed as acting physicians or not; and there were quacks, who held themselves up to practice anything, and accommodated themselves to the whims of their patrons, so that it was a matter of difficulty, to know whether to call them Eclectics, Homœopaths, Botanists, or what. On account of these various sources of ambiguity, it was not possible to class them with perfect precision, but as a whole the table must be very nearly accurate. I have placed Homoeopaths and Eclectics by themselves, because they boast the loudest of their numerical strength and supposed increase of power. All other quacks I put together under the head" Miscellaneous:" These places were taken at random, as specimens of the territory in which they lie, and probably give a pretty fair view of the relative strength of quackery in this region. I think the region as a whole, would not differ very widely from the percentages of the samples here given. Of the entire number of practitioners, it will be seen by the table that about one in four is a Quack, about one in ten is a Homœopath, and one in twenty-two is an Eclectic. The local distribution is also a curious point to be observed. Take the line of the Central Railroad from Detroit to Paw Paw, and it may be called the Homoeopathic region, they being one-seventh of all the practitioners; while in the remainder they number only one in nineteen.I commend these facts to the consideration of those who hear the loud boasts of this Homoeopathic district, where little pill men talk and roar, as though this little patch of pillets were just on the verge of being a majority of the state. So far as I could discover, Homoeopathy seeemed to be about stationary in actual numbers, and declining, if compared with the increase of population. I found a considerable number of large places where it had died out entirely. On the Southern Railroad there is a similar patch of Eclectics. If you take from the table the places from Laporte, (Ind.) to Adrian, the Eclectics will be found to number about one-seventh of the practitioners, and the Homœopaths one-fifteenth. The remaining quacks consisted of Botanics, Hydropaths, Root Doctors, etc., etc., all of which I have classed under the head "Miscellaneous." I found a small water-cure establishment at Coldwater, but no one seemed to know much about it. I was informed that it had eight or ten patients in it. A case of death by cold water took place there just before I arrived. A Thomsonian doctor, who had become partly converted to Hydropathy, was taken sick. He deemed that his valuable life required the potent virtues of two systems of quackery to save it, so he forthwith swallowed a goodly prescription of red pepper and whiskey, and then sent for the Water-Cure doctor to come and treat him. The Hydropath put him in a wet sheet, ordered him to drink very freely of cold water, and left him for the night. Not being very desirous to render to the bar of justice just then his soul's final account, he followed the directions vigorously. The nurse solemnly avers that she brought him two buckets of water in the night, and that he drank it all. How this is, I do not know, but one thing is certain, in the morning he "kicked the bucket," and went to settle his accounts with those of his patients, that had gone from his treatment to the other world before him. I saw in the same vicinity, a young man with a hopeless disease of the heart, brought on by cardiac rheumatism, transferred to that organ from other parts by cold water applications. Those who watch the signs of the times in onr profession, may, by help of the above table, mark one thing. The success of quack systems, is limited, localized, and interrupted by interference with each other; there is competition in the market, and pathy stocks must fall. There is a law of their rise and decline, which cannot be evaded. Once, patent medicines were all the rage, and enormous fortunes realized for a time, by those who got them early enough into the market to get a universal circulation. This started up thousands of other nostrums-inventors from every corner of the land; each anxious to make a huge fortune by puffing his remedy into use. But this could not last. Secret remedies were no longer wonderful when every newspaper advertised fifty. In such a crowd, no one could be distinguished, so the whole fell into disrepute, and although abundance of nostrums are sold, their day of glory is over. The same principles now hold in regard to pathies. It |