Squint. By David W. Wells, M.D........ sylvania, to the Homeopathic Medical Profession, A... States of Mental Exaltation. By Henry J. Klopp, M.D. Study Concerning the Cause of Many Failures in Rectal Operations, A. ......... 16 401 By F. W. Halsey, 75 Therapeutics of Iron, The By Elmer H. Copeland, M.D. By Willis M. Townsend.. 425 Two Cases of Exophthalmic Goitre Treated in Dr. Richardson's Clinic in the Nervous De- Vertiginous Symptoms of Granatum, The. By Edward P. Colby, M. D.... 240 Notes from Boston University School of Medicine... SOCIETIES. American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists..... Annual Meeting of the Ophthalmological, Otological, and Laryngological Society.. 140 195 28 366 367 Boston Homeopathic Medical Society..... Homoeopathic Medical Society of Western Massachusetts.. New England Hahnemann Association. Maine Homeopathic Society.. Massachusetts Homoeopathic Medical Society 48 251 87 408 260 .... 32, 365 409, 456 36, 152, 351 ....29, 82, 144, 198, 247, 290 Massachusetts Surgical and Gynecological Society. New York State Homeopathic Medical Society. Thirteenth International Medical Congress, Paris, August 2-9, 1900..... Worcester County Homoeopathic Medical Society.... Nose and Throat Notes. By George B. Rice, M.D... Items of Interest........ 49-52, 93-97, 155-160, 205-208, 294-307. 368, 416, 461-469, 512-514, 558-564, 605-609. Gleanings and Translations.... Notes on Pathology. By S. C. Fuller, M.D.. Obituary.. 59, 97-99, 460 599 Reviews and Notices of Books... 53-57, 99-108, 160-164, 208-215, 307-310, 372-374, 418-419, 470-472, 515-519, 564-567, 602-605. Reprints and Monographs Received....... Personal and News Items 57, 108, 519 .58, 164, 215, 310, 374, 419, 472, 519, 567, 609-610 [Read before the Worcester County Homœopathic Medical Society.] The consequences of an excessive development of oxalic acid in the body are sometimes such as to cause complete disability. As found in the urine it is in the form of oxalate of lime and generally in crystals which require a high magnifying power for their detection. Many urinary calculi are composed largely of these crystals. There may be said to be two general causes of an excess of oxalic acid in the urine, the first of which consists in eating vegetables containing a large amount of it, like rhubarb, onions, tomatoes, etc.; and second, incomplete oxidation, either of certain food elements or of the tissues themselves. There may be other causes, but from all I have been able to read, I conclude that at least the vast majority, if not all cases, of oxaluria may be attributed to one or the other of these two causes. Of course the first cause, the ingestion of vegetables rich in oxalic acid, is of little consequence, providing we have diagnosed our case as oxaluria. Naturally we inquire as to the diet; interdict the use of the offending food substances; prescribe, if we think necessary, one of the alkaline salts for a few days, and the trouble is over. Not so, however, with the second cause-incomplete oxidation of food and of tissue elements, or, in other words, indigestion and incomplete destructive metabolism. VOL. XXXV. - No. 1. I Here we may have to invade the realm of the great arthritic diathesis, which involves the now somewhat obsolete terms "lithemia" and "uric acid diathesis," and which no man pretends to fully comprehend; or we may be obliged to consider the tubercular diathesis, that region of mystery that man has never yet entered; or neurasthenia, that condition of protean manifestations; or malaria, with its thousand latent forces. All these and many other diseases, not to mention pernicious habits like indolence, gluttony, and dissipation of every conceivable kind, may be wholly or in part responsible for incomplete oxidation, with its possible long train of ills, including oxaluria. The symptoms attending the presence of excessive quantities of oxalates in the system are quite varied. Among the more prominent, however, are general malaise, anorexia, foul breath, furred tongue, headache, some burning on micturition, with scanty urine and frothy diarrhoea. These symptoms I have myself observed, and in addition to this I have found moderate but persistent pyrexia, and in one case, for some days there was a purplish reddening around the ankles, with some œdema of feet and ankles; also slight oedema of the fingers and hands, all of which passed away after a week. The urine was, however, then of normal quantity, though later it became scanty with only very slight return of the reddening and oedema. In this case, too, the patient had a very fair appetite most of the time, though the tongue was heavily furred and the odor of the breath was almost nauseating. Then, too, insomnolence, which is generally stated to be present, was lacking in this case, the sleep being excellent all through her sickness. Furthermore, in this case there was no pain whatever on micturition, though there was more or less burning, aching pain across the lower part of the abdomen, which was constant for several weeks; also aching in epigastrium and lumbar region. Perspiration, especially during sleep, was for several weeks quite marked, but the most persistent symptom was the fever, which was remittent and not at any time more than 101°, and that during the first week. For the most part the afternoon temperature was from 99° to 100°. |