In the preceding extracts we think we have a sort of protoplasmic apprehension of what the lady is driving at, but when she comes to her color schemes, all is lost but honor, as we read the following: "We prescribe our remedies the same way, recognizing their classifications into electrical and thermal, and that their tones are born in heaven. The electricals have for their center blue that cools and quiets the excited blood stream. . . . Do we give arnica or byronia knowing that they answer to the law of thermols as fuel to the stagnant stream? or Col. flur. because it gives to flame an answering red the power that relieves sagging tissues? Or gelsemium, knowing that it belongs to the kingdom of orange and is warmth and comfort to the tired nerves, or choose our germicides from the green world because we know this law? And would we, if we knew the law, need to potentize our drugs? Blend the planes that the sum of hereditary influence may count for greater good."

We give it up, Elsie! We are dizzy and would like to get off and rest a bit, lest our planes become so inextricably entangled that they would be sending us to Kankakee or taking vibrations from Panamahatma McGinnis.-M. P. H. in the Chicago Clinic and Pure Water Journal.

THE BEST MEDICINE.

THERE is nothing that will clear the brain and aid digestion like a hearty laugh. Do not take yourself too seriously. If laughter were sold at the apothecaries' and the price were five dollars a bottle the man who owned the patent would soon have more money than Rockefeller. Laughter is like water and air and sunshine. It is one of the most valuable things in the world and something that anyone can obtain free. The fact that it can be had for nothing makes many overlook it.

THERAPEUTICS OF ANÆMIC CONDITIONS.

"IN the medicinal treatment of the various forms of anæmia," writes Dr. Hermann Metall in the Medicinisch-Chirurgisches Central-Blatt, "whether it be essential chlorosis or the so-called secondary forms arising from severe loss of blood and various diseases (tuberculosis, cancer, etc.) iron has always occupied the most prominent place. In the management of chlorosis, especially, the chief object is the administration of an adequate quantity of iron, since upon this depends the success of all treatment. As to the manner in which iron acts in anæmic conditions, that is a secondary matter. Whatever be its mode of action, it remains an empirical remedy and yet one of incontestable value.

"According to the unanimous opinion of many authors the effect of iron in chlorosis cannot be replaced by alimentation. Reinert, Klein, Immermann, Ensli, and others have shown that typical chlorosis cannot be cured in any other way, even by forced feeding. Some of them have made a series of very careful experiments for this purpose, and reached the remarkable result that during superalimentation, extending even over a number of weeks, the quantity of hæmoglobin in the blood increased scarcely. a few per cent., and remained permanently at this level. That this is actually so we daily convince ourselves in cases of chlorosis in girls of the better classes. These girls, if placed on a full diet, accumulate more fat, while the chlorosis remains practically unaffected-it required iron. The dietary therefore plays a subordinate part in the therapy of chlorosis (Klein), and is to be regarded only as an important adjunct to the treatment.

"I will now devote a few words to manganese, which is employed in combination with iron in some ferruginous preparations for the treatment of anæmia. Hannon already directed attention to this metal, which is a constituent of healthy blood, and which

besides iron has an important bearing on the absorption of oxygen by the blood. In fact, experiments have shown that anæmic conditions are most successfully treated with iron in connection with manganese. Chalybeate medication is materially aided. and promoted by the addition of manganese. Efforts have therefore been made to introduce combinations of iron and manganese into therapeutics.

"After laborious attempts, Dr. Gude, chemist, succeeded in producing such an iron-manganese preparation, which is easily absorbed by the entire intestinal tract, evokes no concomitant effects, and, as is illustrated in the histories of many cases, has proved an excellent remedy for the formation of blood. The preparation referred to is Pepto-Mangan (Gude). It contains iron and manganese in an organic combination with peptone, and is a clear fluid, resembling dark red wine, of an agreeable, non-metallic, non-astringent

taste.

"The advantage of this preparation is that it exerts a stimulating effect upon the blood-forming organs, these being excited to greater functional activity, and that the favorable effect manifests itself even within a short time, by an increased oxygenation of the blood. At the same time this chalybeate, as already mentioned, causes no digestive disturbances and does not injure the teeth.

"In regard to the daily dose of iron, Quincke maintains that it should range from 34 to 11⁄2 grains of Fe. Most clinicians prescribe commonly 4 grains, which considerably exceeds the maximum dose recommended by Quincke. Some of them, like Niemeyer and Trousseau, give even 7 grains of metallic iron daily; hence PeptoMangan (Gude) should be prescribed in doses of cne tablespoonful three times daily for adults, and one teaspoonful twice daily for children up to twelve years, after meals. Sour, fatty foods and red wine should be avoided during its administration. The preparation is much relished by all patients, and it is my custom to administer it to children in water, or, better, in cold milk with

the addition of sugar, in which form it is very palatable."

Dr. Metall then gives a number of cases successfully treated by him with PeptoMangan and adds:

"Altogether, twenty-three cases of anæmia, were treated with Pepto-Mangan (Gude), of which twelve showed a normal hæmoglobin per cent. of the blood after fourteen days, five after three weeks, and five after a month. On the other hand, one of the patients who had hereditary trouble (her father having suffered from pulmonary disease) was discharged only improved, the blood, after two months' treatment with Pepto-Mangan (Gude), showing only an increase of hæmoglobin to 75 per cent. This was probably a case of tuberculosis which simulated an obstinate or severe chlorosis at its beginning.

"Furthermore, two cases of acute anæmia after profuse hæmorrhages were treated with Pepto-Mangan. A favorable result was obtained as early as the end of the first week. In one instance the patient felt so well that only the fear of further hæmorrhage constrained him to stay in bed for another week. In the case of three women who had miscarried during the early months of pregnancy, and were making a very slow recovery from the resulting anæmia, I was able to obtain a complete recovery after four weeks' administration of Pepto-Mangan. In six other instances of weakness and anæmia following acute and chronic disease (tuberculosis, carcinoma, scarlet fever, etc.), a disappearance of the feeling of weakness and a considerable improvement of the general health could be observed in every instance.

"The histories cited above will afford conclusive evidence of the high therapeutic value of Pepto-Mangan. Unpleasant concomitant effects and disagreeable sequelae were never observed during the use of the remedy. Eructations, pressure in the stomach, and nausea were never noticed..

"In conclusion I would say that PeptoMangan is a valuable and reliable bloodbuilding remedy, which can be recommended for general use in appropriate cases."

MACHINE TO INCREASE THE OXYGEN OF THE ATMOSPHERE.

LONDON Engineering gives the following account of a French invention for increasing the percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere: "The machine is said to be due to M. Mazza, an Italian engineer, and is merely a centrifugal separator. On passing air into this centrifugal machine, the oxygen molecules, being heavier than the nitrogen ones, tend, it is stated, to concentrate at the periphery of the machine, and on drawing off the air at this surface it is found to be considerably richer in oxygen than normal air. In fact, the oxygen content can, it is said, be readily brought up to 26 per cent. of the total. Common air, it will be remembered, contains but 23.2 parts by weight of oxygen. The centrifugal machine used acts at the same time as a blowing-fan, the enriched air being delivered under a slight pressure, whilst the impoverished air is drawn off continuously from near the center of the machine. About two-horse power are needed, it is stated, to operate a separator capable of delivering 18,000 cubic feet of enriched air per hour. This enriched air has been used for supplying the furnaces of a boiler, and has led, it is stated, to an increase of water evaporated per pound of coal from 9.5 pounds with a natural draft to over 12 pounds with the Massa apparatus.'"

ERYSIPELAS.

THE new treatment consists in covering the affected parts, and a portion of the surrounding healthy skin, with a thick layer of white vaseline. This, in its turn, is covered with a mask of linen, and held in position by means of gauze bandages. The application is made twice a day. The results obtained by this method are very favorable and gratifying when compared with those following other methods, as painting with tincture of iodine, ichthyol or sublimate, lanoline, etc. Fever, as a rule, di

minished within two or three days, pain and tension in the affected parts were relieved, and recurrences were observed with no more frequency than in cases in which other methods were employed. In some cases success was atsonishing. Patients who came under treatment in the evening with a temperature of 40° C., were in an afebrile condition on the following day, and the extension of the process was checked. Such striking effect was not seen in every case, but even if the disease spread, its course was limited to small areas. The advantages of this method consist in the innocuousness of the remedy, and the absence of pain and irritation which accompanies the application of such substances as iodine or bichloride.

UNDER the name of "muscle-bed," says American Medicine, a device has been invented by Dr. William Anderson, of the Yale gymnasium, for testing in the horizontal human body the distribution of the blood-supply under the effect of thought and exercise, and of ascertaining the center of gravity. This apparatus rests on very accurately made knife edges, and is sensitive to the slightest pressure; it is furnished with levels, graduated scales, and indicator for recording. A body perfectly balanced on the sensitive knife edges of the musclebed will be affected by additional weight on either side of the point of equilibrium, causing the head to settle if the flow of blood is in that direction, or the feet to lower if the flow is toward them. In the case of a subject balanced on the muscle-bed who was told to answer some question requiring thought, although not a muscle was moved the rush of blood to the head caused by the mental effort created a change of the center of gravity.

CALIFORNIA will ship 60,000,000 pounds. of prunes to the Eastern market this year.

THE TREATMENT OF CARBOLIC

ACID POISONING.

DR. STANLEY R. WOODRUFF recommends, in a recent number of the N. Y. Medical Journal, as the first step in treatment of carbolic acid poisoning, quick and rapid neutralization of the acid in the stomach. In order to accomplish this, a tube should be gently passed through the pharynx and into the œsophagus only a short distance, and about eight ounces of whisky, brandy or diluted alcohol allowed to flow in. After waiting a time, without removing the tube, about one pint of tepid water is allowed to run in. The tube is then carried down into the stomach and the organ emptied.

The next step is to prevent absorption, as far as possible, of whatever amount of the acid may remain in the stomach. Theoretically this is best accomplished by introducing a substance that will unite with the acid and form an insoluble compound. Magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) is the best for this purpose, which forms with the acid an insoluble sulphocarbolate. The salt should be dissolved in warm water and poured through the tube. During this period the patient should be properly stimulated and kept warm by means of external heat.

As a demulcent mixture the following is recommended:

the sudden removal of the plug, which would damage the tympanic membrane. To aid in removing these plugs, various substances have been employed to soften or to partly dissolve the mass. Alcohol, glycerin, and the various salts of sodium have been used, and also, of late, peroxid of hydrogen. Meierhoff has tried all these solvents, but not with the success that he had with undiluted sulphuric ether poured from a small bottle or from a suitable pipette into the external auditory canal. The ether acts in a few seconds, partly dissolving the cerumen from its attachment to the canal, so that with the most gentle syringing the plug is promptly removed. No dizziness or other ill effect has been seen from the use of the ether. If there is any hesitancy to employ pure ether, there is recommended a mixture of equal parts of ether and alcohol.

**

TEA GROWING IN THE SOUTH.

THE production of several kinds of tea in the United States is now assured, and in addition to this it is encouraging to note that experts who have examined the tea produced here pronounce it equal in flavor and aroma to the best imported leaves. The profit in the crop raised last year averages from $30 to $40 an acre. During the last year large tea gardens have been conducted near Summerville, S. C., where the soil appears to be especially adapted to its growth. In 1900 about 4,500 pounds of high-grade tea was produced and a ready market was found for all of it. A machine for the manufacture of green tea was produced and placed in operation in Summerville. The Independent.

SMALLPOX THERAPY.

THE prevalence of a mild type of smallpox throughout the country gives the therapy of that disease especial interest at the present time. Vaccination is, of course, un

questionably not to be overlooked as a preventive measure, but in addition infection may be made much more unlikely and, where infection has taken place, the course of the disease considerably shortened and shorn of its terrors by the administration of the valuable anti-purulent ecthol. The Battle Company has just issued a pamphlet dealing with the use of ecthol in this disease. The pamphlet should be in the hands of every physician who may be called upon to treat smallpox. It will be sent to any physician who makes the request.-Medical Fortnightly.

of the method of Drossner for the production of anesthesia by nitrous oxid gas. This consists in fixing the patient's attention by means of music just before beginning administration of the anesthetic. Thus the dread of the anesthetic is greatly lessened, it is inhaled more freely and quickly, and during anesthesia the music often forms part of an agreeable dream; furthermore recovery is much more rapid, without the sensations of fright so often experienced. Laborde thinks this procedure may be of great service in producing other forms of anesthesia. -American Medicine.

THE DYNAMIC VALUE OF CARBOHYDRATES.

ACCORDING to the Georgia Journal of Medicine and Surgery, Abel summarizes the value of carbo-hydrates for muscular work as follows:

1. When the organism is adapted to the digestion of starch, and there is sufficient time for its utilization, sugar has no advantage over starch, as a food for muscular work, except as a preventive of fatigue.

2. In small quantities, and in not too concentrated a form, sugar will take the place practically speaking, weight for weight, of starch, as a food for muscular work, barring the difference in energy and in time required to digest them, sugar having here the advantage.

3. It furnishes the needed carbo-hydrate material to organisms that have as yet little or no power to digest starch. Thus milk sugar is part of the natural food of the infant.

4. In times of great exertion or exhausting labor, the rapidity with which it is assimilated gives it certain advantages over starch.

NEW ANESTHETIC PROCEDURE.

LABORDE (La Medecine Moderne, May 15, 1901) reports his results with the use

A NEW CURE FOR THE TOBACCO HABIT.

ALL sorts of nostrums have been proposed and tried for the purpose of curing the excessive craving for tobacco, but the results. of their administration have been for the most part very uncertain. A remedy of a different order has been patented in the shape of a time lock for tobacco boxes. The victim of the habit can adjust the torture of deprivation to suit his moral and physical limitations. Having made up his mind what is the longest period that he can abstain from the weed, he sets the gauge on the box and waits for the expiration of the predetermined interval of time before he takes a fresh pipe. The inventor, who appears to speak feelingly on the subject, recommends.

sufferers from the nicotine habit to make the early intervals very short, and to increase them gradually until the yearning for the weed has at last been trained down to the vanishing point.—Exchange.

THERE are three varieties of the dog that never bark-the Australian dog, the Egyptian shepherd dog and the "Lion Headed" dog of Tibet.