opinion, diminish proportionally to the improvement in diagnosis and the early employment of gradual dilatation. Glycerine in Croup.-The employment of glycerine by inhalation has not only proved beneficial for the relief of hoarseness, but it is regarded by Dr. Steliberger, as a valuable remedy in croup. The pure glycerine is atomized by a spray producer, and the patient is required to inhale every half hour or hour, until inflammation subsides and free expectoration occurs. Upon the return of clearness of the voice in hoarseness and in croup the inhalations may be discontinued. Treatment of Acne Facies.-Professor Hebra employs emplastrum hydrargyri to the eruption at bedtime, to remain until morning. Upon removal the face is powdered with equal parts of bismuth and venetian talc. Eczema of the Hands in Bakers.-In the treatment of this affection, due solely to local irritation, Prof. Hebra advises the patient to wear Mackintosh or any other impervious gloves, tied around the wrist with a handkerchief. The gloves should be removed, only at mealtimes by turning them inside out, when they and the hands are to be washed with cold water. By the use of the gloves the hands are kept constantly in a steam bath. The writer has treated such cases successfully, by directing the baker to discontinue work for a few days, and apply a strong solution of sulphite of soda. The hands, when free from the eruption, should be protected for weeks by kid, buck or leather gloves. Hydrate of Chloral in Trismus Nascentium.-Dr. Widenhoper, at Children's Hospital, Vienna, reports six cases of this malady, out of ten or twelve, who recovered under the influence of this drug. He attaches great importance to it as a therapeutic agent, because hitherto the disease has been regarded as necessarily fatal. Before the war, trismus neonatorum prevailed as an epidemic amongst the negroes, upon certain plantation "Quarters," in that portion of Mississippi in which the writer was engaged in practice. For two years or more, nearly every child born in those "negro Quarters" was attacked between the seventh and thirteenth day, and all died, although the treatment, in different cases, embraced the most approved remedies known to the profession. After the most careful inquiry as to general and special influences, no cause could be assigned for the prevalence of the disease upon certain plantations, when children born in the neighborhood, subject to similar climacteric, dietetic, and administerial influences, were exempt. The duration of the disease was short-death occurring in from forty-eight to ninety-six hours-except in one case that was for a time confined in a dark, close, isolated house, away from its mother and all exciting influences. The fact that Dr. W.'s case, displayed at his clinic, was “in danger for a fortnight," and finally recovered, shows either that it was a case of simple tetanic spasms or that the chloral, in from one to two-grain doses, did exert a curative influence upon genuine trismus. Dr. W. gives a double dose by the rectum, if administration by the mouth is impracticable. Paralysis of Cranial Nerves Treated by Large Doses of Iodide of Potassium.-At a meeting of the "Clinical Society of London," Dr. Broadbent reported the history of a case of paralysis of branches of a number of the cranial nerves, which he considered due to tertiary syphiltic bone enlargement, and which yielded promptly to the influence of large doses of iodide of potassium. The subject elicited a free discussion, participated in by: Rudenell Carter, Ernest Hart, Hueke, Howard, Dr. Gull, and Dr. Buzzard. The gentleman named last, attached great importance to the history of the case and to the result, because of the remarkable. rapidity with which this form of paralysis yielded to the treatment named above. He deemed it necessary that the potash should be continued for months after the local affection disappeared; that the absence of secondary syphilitic affections in such cases too often caused the character of the primary disease to be overlooked, and in consequence, a failure in diagnosis. Mr. Hueke stated that the majority of these cases were due to syphilis. The President, Dr. Gull, remarked that the skin was not always the guide; that the condition of the bones sometimes aided the diagnosis; as also, the odor of the patient and a cer tain grey aspect peculiar to such patients. NOTE.-Reports of cases of trismus treated by this method, or successfully by any other method, will be thankfully received by the Editor. CLINICAL RECORDS. "Ex principiis, nascitur probabilitas: ex factis, vero veritas." ART. I.-A CASE OF OBSTRUCTION OF THE BOWELS FROM IMPAIRED NERVOUS ENERGY. Read before the Elmore County Medical and Surgical Society, and recommended for publication. By L. S. GREENE, M. D., Wetumpka, Ala. Caroline C., colored, aged sixty years, of stout frame; and previous to this time had enjoyed very good health, came to my house about the 20th of May, 1870, complaining of chilly sensations along the spine, extremities cold at the time, and had some pain and uneasiness about her stomach and bowels, with a constant desire to go to stool, without, however, being able to pass anything from the rectum at all. I advised her to lie down, as she appeared very feeble, and having her daughter employed at the time, she took her bed in her room. Her tongue was very foul, and said she had not had an action from her bowels in three or four days, although she felt a constant desire to do so. I gave her a purgative dose of castor oil and turpentine, and told her I would see her again that evening, which I did about eight o'clock, and found her in pretty much the same condition, with the exception that the desire to go to stool had ceased, and she did not complain of anything but a strange feeling in her bowels. I gave her at once R.-Calomel, grs., x.; Dover's powder, grs., vi.; And left her for the night. On the morning of the 21st I found her in the same condition; she complained of very little nausea; medicine had not acted; so I ordered another dose of oil, which I saw her take. When I returned at noon, she had had a scanty action, which I was not satisfied with. Her pulse was about 100, but still not feverish, as it was more of a nervous pulse; her tongue still foul; skin moist and rather cool; abdomen very little distended, and no tenderness on pressure, though she said she had slight pains at intervals in her stomach and bowels. I prescribed: R.-Calomel, Rhubarb, grs., aa., xx.; Make into three portions; and ordered one to be given every three hours until they acted, or she took them all. May 22d.-Had taken all the medicine, and still no desire to go to stool; but she was resting easy, and I concluded to wait until I returned before doing anything more. At noon I found her no better; she complained of considerable pain in her bowels; pulse ninety-five and firmer; tongue still thickly furred, and general restlessness and anxiety, but no nausea. I gave her another dose of castor oil and half a teaspoonful of turpentine, and left her. In the evening I found her no better; she still had no tenderness. I ordered an enema of warm water and common salt. May 23d.-I found that the enema had passed off, and had been repeated, without any better success; there was no fæcal matter mixed with any of them. I then gave her the following R.-Pulv. Rhei., pulv. Aloes, aa, grs., xviii. ; Pulv. Gambogiæ, grs., xii. M., And make into three portions; ordered one to be given every three hours. When I returned in the evening, she had taken and retained them all, and still no change, with the exception that she was inclined to eat something. The enema had passed off just as it had been given. I ordered another dose of oil and turpentine, which my wife gave in person. 24th.-Complained but very little, pulse 85, tongue still foul, no tenderness on pressing on her bowels; oil had not acted. I then ordered an enema of castor oil and turpentine mixed with the yolks of three eggs, which remained about an hour, and passed off without accomplishing anything. I repeated it myself, and added to it two grains of tartarized antimony and potassa, using this time a longer tube to my syringe, which passed about six inches into the rectum, and to my surprise I met with no obstruction whatever. The injection passed off in about two hours just as it had been given, but she said she felt very comfortable, and I concluded to let her rest. On my return I found that she had slept some during the day, and was quite comfortable; still about 8 o'clock I gave her R.-Rhubarb, Aloes aa., grs., x.; And left her for the night, with instructions that they should wake me if there was any change during the night. May 25th. She had rested well during the night; abdomen still hard and full, but not tender. Pulse 90; tongue foul, as before; still no desire to go to stool. I ordered an enema of turpentine, 3ss., and yolks of four eggs, to be thrown as high up into the rectum as possible; also, cold application to the abdomen. On my return at night still no change, with the ex |