a gastric catarrh of indefinite duration. Copious draughts of black tea, strong in tannin, are productive of constipation, followed by flatulence, which in turn is responsible for abdominal distress. The malign effects of too much tea on the nervous system is manifested by alternate exhilaration and depression, restlessness, worry and insomnia, sometimes merging into sensory disturbances, muscular twitching, palpitation, irritability, and a general sense of ill being, unless the nerves are highly strung up by the thein. The temperament of the individual largely governs these evil results, for those of robust physique, who are out in the open, and who perform manual labor, do not suffer as do the weak and fragile tea habitues, who sit around the fireside, sipping cup after cup, indulging in endless small-talk, who depend on "tea and toast" to keep warm their bodily furnaces, instead of good red meat and other wholesome viands-these are the "tea tipplers," who lapse into miserable, sickly slaves to the drink, that should be simply cheering and refreshing.

Under favorable conditions, and when drunk with judgment, tea has many advantages, rightly filling a niche only secondary to that other universally-loved beverage, coffee.

It is mildly stimulating to the nervous system, refreshes the mental machinery, and relieves body fatigue. For headache arising from "run-down nerves," it often affords prompt surcease, and during treatment for chronic opium or alcoholic habituation, it is most helpful.

Some of the effects of tea are not strictly due to its action on the nerves. It introduces into the system considerable hot water, when taken hot, flushing the kidneys, encouraging perspiration, and aiding in keeping up bodily warmth, if too cold; or aiding in reduction of temperature by increased evaporation from the surface, if the body is too warm. Hot tea, also, will augment the action of an early morning aperient, though this may be in the main due simply to the hot water.

Many elderly people find tea particularly satisfying and soothing, after reaching a period of life when the functional activity of the stomach is gradually weakened. At this time, when "the shadows are lengthening," and the digestive department finds difficulty in furnishing a sufficiency of heat and energy units, generous libations of tea often cheer up the flagging stomach and intestines, enabling them to better perform their necessary tasks.

The refreshing effects of tea, when taken into an empty stomach after bodily fatigue, may continue three or four hours, a period considerably longer than that bestowed by coffee, wine, or whisky. In excessively hot weather, nothing is more delightful than tea, ice cold, sweetened to suit, with a few random drops of lemon juice that impart a certain piquancy to the taste.

On the whole, this gently exhilarating beverage has much to commend it, and, unless taken unwisely or to excess, lends a gentle stimulation, bracing up tired nerves, toning relaxed muscles, bestowing good cheer to the strong, renewed energy to the weary, solace to the aged, and comfort to its numberless devotees in every quarter of the globe.-The Charlotte Medical Journal.

GELSEMIUM.

BY LYMAN WATKINS, M. D., BLANCHESTER, O.

Gelsemium is a remedy of great value to the physician in the treatment of various disease manifestations. The constant use and thorough acquaintance with the possibilities of this drug have increased confidence in its virtues and belief in its reliability. A short recapitulation of the conditions in which gelsemium has proven efficient may be of interest to believers in drug therapy.

Gelsemium has for many years been used by physicians as a remedy to allay spasmodic conditions due to irritation of the nervous system. The indications for the remedy, familiar to all who are acquainted with specific medication, are evidences of arterial hyperemia of the brain and nerves, as shown by restlessness, bright eyes, contracted pupils, flushed face, and pain in the head. These symptoms may also be accompanied by twitching of the hands and feet, and by involuntary muscular contractions. In some cases there may be but a feeling of nervous restlessness occurring about the menstrual period or during the menopause. Gelsemium, if given to children showing symptoms of convulsions, may prevent the occurrence of the spasms, or if the paroxysms are actually present the remedy in sufficiently large doses will frequently allay the attack.

Gelsemium as a pain reliever has a moderately wide field, but must generally be given in somewhat larger doses than usual. In facial neuralgia the pain has been assuaged by giving from five

to ten drops of the specific medicine in water every half hour, the relief from this procedure being as prompt as that resulting from the hypodermic use of morphine, without the unpleasant aftereffects of the latter. In the painful condition of the muscles of the lumbar region called lumbago, but purely muscular and due to cold, overwork or strain, fifteen drops of the specific inedicine gelsemium every hour will afford prompt and permanent relief. The remedy is also equally efficacious when there is a general soreness and stiffness of the muscles of the body, although in this case jaborandi may be advantageously combined with gelsemium.

Orbital or frontal headache with suffusion of the eyes and photophobia may be relieved with gelsemium. Dose: Ten drops to four ounces of water, teaspoonful every two hours. The near pain and restlessness of children with "night terrors" disappear with the administration of a fairly full dose of gelsemium at bedtime.

Retention of urine, whether in the child or the adult, but more especially in children, is sometimes promptly benefited by the administration of gelsemium. A number of such cases have been thus relieved when the condition was due to a spasmodic stricture of the urethra. The remedy usually acts promptly, and the dose need not be excessive nor frequently repeated; in fact, one dose of five drops of the medicine will in many cases be all that is required. In irritable bladder, probably of nervous origin, with frequent urination, accompanied with burning and smarting, ten drops of specific gelsemium in four ounces of water, teaspoonful every two hours, will give relief in about twenty-four hours. A few cases of urinary incontinence in old men, due perhaps to weakness of the cystic muscles or enlarged prostate, have been greatly helped by gelsemium combined with thuja. In these cases the combination consisted of fifteen drops of specific gelsemium and fifteen drops of specific thuja; water, four ounces. Dose: Teaspoonful every four hours.

Gelsemium has been found of considerable value in the treatment of painful menstruation, ovarian pain, and in irregularity of the menstrual flow. In painful menstruation the patient should be requested to remain in bed, not so much for the rest thus afforded, but to avoid the disagreeable effects of the remedy, which will be given in fifteen-drop doses every two or three hours, as needed. The large dose thus repeated will cause a certain amount of dizziness, dimness of vision, and relaxation of muscles, but will

relieve the pain. In ovarian pain, not particularly at the menstrual period, but of more continual nature, much good will come from the administration of gelsemium combined with pulsatilla, given ten drops of each in four ounces of water, teaspoonful every four hours, and continuing the remedy for several weeks. This combination has in some cases been found to restore to regularity the menstrual flow, bringing it promptly on time and in normal quantity.

Recently, that is, within the last two or three years, gelsemium has come into frequent use for the purpose of breaking up a cold. At the very beginning of the cold, if fifteen or twenty drops of specific gelsemium be given the patient at one dose, preferably on retiring, he will usually wake in the morning free from the attack. This method of checking a "cold," aborting the grippe and preventing the development of bronchitis, has become prevalent not only among Eclectics but in the regular school as well, many full endorsements of this procedure being found in regular journals.

When gelsemium is to be given as mentioned above, the patient should be requested to assume a recumbent position for a few hours, to avoid the disagreeable effects of the remedy. Gelsemium in large doses causes drooping of eyelids, double vision, vertigo, and general muscular relaxation. It is therefore well, when giving this remedy in large doses, to warn the patient of the possible consequences, at the same time informing him that these symptoms will be but temporary and that no permanent harm will follow.

A paper on gelsemium would hardly be complete without reference to the use of this drug in febrile conditions, when the indications are present. These are evidences of determination of blood to the cerebrum, such as increased heat of head, flushed face, bright eyes, contracted pupils, and restlessness. With these symptoms gelsemium may be beneficially given in any case, whether the fever be that of the contagia or of typhoid, malarial, rheumatic, pulmonary or other origin. The remedy may be combined with any other indicated sedative, aconite, veratrum, bryonia, lobelia, macrotys or asclepias, combining well with gelsemium. As a sedative the dose of gelsemium need not be large, five or ten drops to four ounces of the vehicle will be sufficient. However, the dose, a teaspoonful of the mixture, should be repeated every hour or two until results are obtained. It is unnecessary to dwell longer on the sedative action of gelsemium, as this is well known to all Eclectics.

The hypodermatic use of gelsemium has not been largely practiced, and appears to still be in the experimental stage. But few reports of this method have appeared, and these are of a somewhat doubtful nature. It may be that there is a field worthy of development here, and that with a non-irritating preparation of the drug results could be more quickly obtained. In cases of convulsions, meningitis or cerebritis, when the call for relief is urgent and insistent, the subcutaneous use of gelsemium would probably cause the drug to act more rapidly than when given per orem. The dose administered in this manner would necessarily be small; one or two drops would be enough with which to begin.

Gelsemium as a local application to the skin has not appeared to be of much value for whatever purpose used. It has been recommended for mastitis, enlarged and swollen joints, and for painful affections generally, and is usually used in a diluted solution frequently applied. But for this purpose it is excelled by other remedies. Gelsemium is a valuable remedy, but, like other valuable remedies, it is sometimes misused, and too much is expected of it. Still the remedy holds a place in our materia medica that can not be excelled.-Trans. Ohio State Eclectic Medical Association in Eclectic Medical Journal.

WORMS AS A FACTOR IN DISEASES OF CHILDREN

BY LOUISE M. LEVERONE, M. D., BOSTON, MASS.

Not so very many years ago it was the common belief, both of the medical profession and of the laity, that worms were responsible for a great many of the indispositions of childhood. When symptoms, mental or physical, were difficult to classify, or when the diagnosis did not seem clear, worms were called upon to bear the responsibility. If in those days worms were blamed often when not guilty, at the present time they are too often forgotten as a factor in children's diseases, and oftentimes a physician has scoffed at a diagnosis of worms, made perhaps by the mother, only to be humbled by the triumphal appearance of the worm itself.

It is true, however, that worms cause such varied symptoms that their presence may give rise to different diagnosis. The only positive symptoms are the presence of the worms whole or in sections and the finding of eggs in the feces upon microscopic examination.