sively and favorably known throughout the country. Most persons who have not tested it are disposed to regard it as an ingenious little toy, but of little or no practical value. An examination of its merits will at once correct this error. Its high magnifying power makes it available to the physician in the prosecution of many of his microscopical investigations, rendering, as it does, the blood, pus and cancer cells distinctly visible. Of course it does not pretend to super sede the more costly and elaborate instruments, yet its cheapness, simplicity, ready adaptability and real excellence, commend it to favorable notice. It will be sent, post-paid, on receipt of $2.50 by George Mead, Racine, Wis.

REVIEWS AND BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.

THE ECLECTIC PRACTICE IN DISEASES OF CHILDREN. By JOHN M. SCUDDER, M. D., Professor of Pathology and the Practice of Medicine in the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati, Ohio. pp. 452,

DR. Scudder has a prolific pen. It brings forth volume after volume in quick succession. Its last parturient effort is "The Eclectic Practice in Diseases of Children." This is a suitable successor to "A Practical Treatise on the Diseases of Women." The author claims for it the mission of rendering the treatment of infantile diseases more certain and pleasant. "The Practice of Medicine," says he in his preface, "has hitherto been a chapter of horrors which the truer civilization of the present day will not tolerate. We may endure the sufferings of disease with some degree of equanimity, but we will not have those sufferings intensified by medicines. This is the feeling of the better class of people, and especially of parents with regard to their children.” In the volume before us, he desires to aid in establishing a better system of medicine. It is a laudable desire, and we cordially commend it.

The book is divided into three parts-Infantile Therapeutics, Care and Management of Children, and Diseases of Children.

The author says that "the treatment recommended, varies greatly from the treatment of the standard works of the day, or the teachings of the schools."

We have not had time to give the book an attentive perusal. We, however, have glanced at a few of its chapters, and have found them, in the main, explicit and succinct. Haste of preparation, we presume, will account for sundry grammatical inaccuracies that have crept in, to mar the pleasure of the scholarly reader. While its literary merits will scarcely entitle it to adoption as a text book, its

plain, practical teachings will commend it to the practitioner, and even, perhaps, to the general reader.

THE MANUFACTURER AND BUILDER.

We have received the May number of this Journal, and are greatly pleased both with its matter and its external appearance. We take pleasure in commending it to the notice of the mechanics of the country. It is filled with reading matter of the highest practical value, and is illustrated with engravings of everything new relating to manufacturing and building. It contains 32 large quarto pagesthe type is good, the paper good, and altogether it presents a very attractive appearance. Every operative and mechanic should read it, and it should be on the table of every library and the desks of every reading room. It is one of the cheapest periodicals of the country, costing less than three cents a week. It is well calculated to benefit the class of readers for whom it is intended, and we cordially commend it to their favorable notice.

NEWS AND MISCELLANY.

THE CULPABILITY OF PHYSICIANS IN DEATHS FROM OVER-DOSE OF REMEDIES.-Judge Fisher, of Washington, in a recent trial for manslaughter, charged the jury that a mere error of judgment should not be punished, for all are liable to error. If the defendant had given medicine for the purpose of relieving the patient, and by mistake prescribed an excessive dose, he is not guilty of manslaughter. If there was wilful rashness, if he cared not whether the medicine killed or cured, it would be different from a case where medicine is administered with honest intentions. It had been testified that this was one of the prescriptions which it was designed should not be adminis tered after relief was had, and that deceased was relieved by the first dose. The physician was not responsible for the administration of the second dose, and they should acquit him. The jury after a short absence returned with a verdict of not guilty.

HORSE-MEAT IN PARIS AND BERLIN.-The sale of horse-meat has not taken so well in Paris as might have been expected from the first success of the undertaking. We are informed by the official accounts, which have just been published, that during the last twelve months the number of horses slain in Paris amounts to 2,400. Out of this quantity five per cent. have been employed in making sausages, etc.; whilst forty per cent. have been sold to the small restaurants, and ten per cent. to the poorer classes. It may thus be seen that the quantity of horse-meat knowingly consumed as such in Paris is very small. Indeed, even the poorest people in that city manifest a

strong aversion to horseflesh. The number of horses slain in Berlin in the same period of time amounts to 4,044, thus forming almost double the number slaughtered in Paris. But it may be well to add that the Berlin dyers are now making an extensive use of horseblood.

CHEAP MEDICAL ADVICE.-The Lancet states that among the poor and middle classes of Manchester the druggists are styled doctors;" their usual charge is fourpence for each attendance; in "serious cases some of them visit the unfortunate patients at their homes.

ERGOTINE AFTER AMPUTATION.-At a meeting of the French Academy on the 30th of November, Mr. Bonjean sent in a note to the effect that when ergotine has been given after operations, the mortality is thereby much diminished. Mr. Bonjean states that at the Hospital of Saint André, in Bordeaux, the mortality after amputation, which had been three-fourths, has been reduced for the last year to one-fifth. The surgeons at the hospital give the patient immediately after the operation, and for a space of fifteen days, from 2 to 3 grammes (from 1.2 to 1 9 dwts. troy) in a draught. The chief remedial effect of this is to diminish or prevent suppuration.-The Practitioner, Jan. 1868.

"TRANSFUSION.-Prof. Landois, of the University of Greifswald, who has interested himself much in the subject of transfusion, after giving a critical account of the most recent publications on the subject, thus sums up, in a recent number of the Wien. Med. Woch., the results that have hitherto been obtained: 1. Transfusion has been performed 99 times in cases of hemorrhage, in 11 of which cases no successful result was even possible. Of the remaining 88 cases, 65 were attended with success, 20 were unsuccessful, and in 3 the result was doubtful. 2. It has been performed 12 times in cases of acute poisoning, one of these being hopeless. In 3 the results were favorable, and in 8 unfavorable. 3. For various forms of disease attended with exhaustion, it has been resorted to 43 times, the most unfavorable prognosis having been frequently delivered. In these the results were favorable in 12, unfavorable in 21, and doubtful in 9, while in one case it was a mere desperate experiment. Prof. Landois observes that these statistics speak very satisfactorily for transfusion, and that the results would be far more favorable if this almost harmless operation were not usually driven off to the last minute."— Med. Times and Gaz.

IODINE AND CARBONIC ACID FOR LOCAL APPLICATION.-As a substitute for this, Dr. Alex. Boggs recommends in the Lancet the following: "Tincture of iodine, one drachm and a half; glycerine, two ounces; solution of chlorinated lime, six ounces. Half an ounce of this solution to six or eight ounces of water is used in all cases to which the tincture of iodine or chlorinated lime is applicable. The solution is perfectly colorless, and may be used with advantage as an injection in diseases with fetid discharges."

BLISTERS IN CHILDREN.-Dr. Botti states, in L'Imparziale of Florence, December 19, 1868, that he ordered two small blisters for the front of the chest of a child eighteen months old, suffering from severe bronchitis. Unfortunately the two blisters were placed too close to one another (it is not said how long they were left), and a deep ulceration was the consequence. Soothing poultices did not prevent the formation of sloughs; and these, on being cast off, were replaced by others, which adhered like diphtheritic false membranes. The ulceration, in spite of adequate treatment, went on extending, the child lost its strength, and soon died exhausted.

A NOVEL PRESCRIPTION FOR THE AGUE.-Sir Kenelm Digby, of England, wrote to Gov. Winthrop, the second, of Massachusetts, in the eighteenth century, and recommended the following cure for the ague: "Pare the patient's nails; put the parings in a little bag round the neck of a live eel, and put him in a tub of water; the cel will die, and the patient will recover."-Med. Record.

MADAME KASCHEWAROW.-The Medico-Chirurgical Academy at St. Petersburg conferred, at its annual conference a few weeks since, the degree of M. D. upon Madame Kaschewarow, the first female candidate for this honor who had presented herself before them.

EXTIRPATION OF THE UTERUS FOR COMPLETE PROLAPSE.-Prof. Langenbeck, of Hanover, has recently performed this operation upon a woman forty-eight years of age, who had suffered from prolapse since the birth of her first child eighteen years previous. She had borne nine children since then. The result was a good one. patient removed the ligatures herself from the eighth to the tenth days. The operation was performed on the 15th of May; on the 29th she left her bed; and on the 31st she took her first walk in the open air.-Memorabilien.

The

WARM COD LIVER OIL.-Dr. Betz finds warm cod liver oil often tolerated, when the oil cold cannot be borne.--Memorabilien, 1868, P. 24.

IODIDE OF SODIUM IN LEAD POISONING.-M. Rabuteau advises (Gaz. Hebdom.) that the iodide of sodium shonld be used in treating lead poisoning instead of the iodide of potassium. The former, he says, is as active an eliminant as the latter, and does not produce any ill effects.

TREATMENT OF TYPHOID FEVER BY GLYCERINE.-Mr. E. Shedd claims (Brit. Med. Jl.) great success in the treatment of typhoid fever, by this plan : "As soon as there is any tenderness in the abdomen upon pressure, I prescribe drachm doses of glycerine (in the case of an adult), to be repeated three times a day. Under this treatment, the temperature gradually subsides, becoming normal towards morning, and rising to 99° Fahr. towards evening. The sccretions soon improve; a profuse perspiration frequently prevails; diarrhoea is quickly checked; and the patient becomes convales

cent.

"Of the numerous cases which have come before me in my prac tice, I have treated twenty-seven in the manner described, and with complete success, as not a single death from typhoid fever has occurred."

DISUSE OF BLEEDING.-Bleeding, which was formerly a favorite remedy in France, being prescribed even in cases of consumption, has now fallen decidedly into disuse. As an indication of the present practice, it is stated that in Paris, at the central bureau of the medical establishments forming the department of what is called "L'Assistance Publique," 6151 prescriptions and 1513 verbal consultations were given in the year 1867. Out of these 7644 cases there were only two in which bleeding had been prescribed. In the year 1852 the number of cases in which bleeding was prescribed amounted to 1256.

LAKES CONTAINING SULPHATE OF AMMONIA.-Prof. J. Ville finds that the waters of certain lakes in Tuscany contain a large quantity of sulphate of ammonia.

MORTALITY FROM SNAKE-BITES IN INDIA.-During the past year, one thousand one hundred and twenty-seven persons died in India from the effect of snake-bites.

THE ACONOXYLON.-Dr. Paul Niemeyer, of Magdeburg (Gazette Med. de Paris), recommends a solid wood stethoscope, made of deal, which is eighteen times superior to air for conducting sounds. This, the "aconoxylon" is the only stethoscope constituted according to the law of physics, and is superior to Laennec's cylinder.-Med. Record.

INDIA-RUBBER SPONGE.-An artificial sponge, made by filling India-rubber, in a fluid state, with bubbles of gas, and then allowing it to harden, has just been introduced in England and this country. It seems capable of being made into pads for fracture, hernia, etc. and is very elastic.

A CLEVELAND PHYSICIAN ON TEMPERAMENT.-A life insurance agent in Toledo had occasion to insure a man residing in Cleveland. The printed questions to be answered by the examining physician were duly forwarded, and Mr. A., who was desiring to have his life insured for the benefit of his wife, called upon a German physician to make the customary examination. Everything went well until it came to "temperament," and here the doctor "stuck." He said nothing, however, but on filling up the blank instead of giving the temperament of the man, he wrote at the bottom of the sheet as follows: "Mrs. A. very bad temper, Mr. A. much worse."

ANTAGONISM OF YELLOW FEVER AND CATARRH.-Dr. W. H. Ford, Professor of Chemistry in the New Orleans School of Medicine, contributes to the New Orleans Journal of Medicine a paper which seems to demonstrate, from statistics carefully collected in Charleston, S. C., that" the causes of putrefication are the prime causes of yellow