I have made an observation about this remedy of which I would like to have the opinion of some other readers of this journal. In five or six cases in children, where I used large quantities of it for three or four days, in every case there was an undue drop in the temperature and subnormal temperature persisted from four to ten days, in two cases dropping to 95.5, and with one patient the temperature was not only subnormal, but respiration became so slow that it was necessary to keep the patient, a six-year-old boy, packed with hot water bottles and taking stimulation for five days. I do not know whether this marked depression was due to the remedy or not, but it looked to me to be more than a coincidence, and I would like to know if others have observed it.

These few remedies, as I stated at first, properly studied, with hot applications to the chest at least during the congestive stage and other indications met, especially those of the stomach and intestinal tract by proper measures, should reduce the mortality of pneumonia to not above three per cent in private practice, and the mortality should even be less than that in uncomplicated cases.-Ellingwood's Therapeutist.

THERAPEUTICS OF ECHINACEA.

BY T. JENSEN, M. D., SPRING GROVE, MINN.

During the last six years of my medical practice, I have thoroughly tested Echinacea angustifolia therapeutically, in various pathological conditions, and have found its principal action as follows:

1. It is sedative, both locally and internally. 2. It is antiseptic, both locally and internally. 3. It is an alterative of the highest order.

Having treated three cases of typhoid fever in one family during the month of August, 1910, all the symptoms being alike, the usual symptoms of beginning typhoid. The Echinacea undoubtedly aborted the disease in each case, nothing else being given. The result was satisfactory, but it took three weeks before the patients regained their strength, and they are yet far from vigorous.

During the winter of 1910 I had several cases of carbuncle, of which I will mention but one. An old man of 82 years of age, after two weeks' suffering intense pain, and using all kinds of home treatment, including poultices of all kinds, finally concluded to take

medical aid. When he came to me his neck was enormously swollen and of a bluish color. I made an hypodermic injection of carbolic acid into the core, and then made an incision almost down to the bone. I found all the tissue necrosed and had to curette away all that was necrosed. I applied wet dressing of Echafolta in glycerin, and also gave Echinacea internally. The patient was also suffering from myocarditis as a complication which I supposed to be due to old age, but fortunately glycosuria was not present. The old man gradually recovered, but an unexpected result was that the myocarditis murmur disappeared, and the breathing became more natural. Unquestionably the Echinacea had a beneficial effect on the selective condition of the cardiac blood vessels in the aged.

Early in the summer, a boy ran into a barbed wire fence and injured the lower third of tibia. When he came to me, a few days later, the leg was enormously swollen, and the appearance not very encouraging. Hypodermic injection of ten drops carbolic acid was made into the site of injury, and then incision and wet dressing of Echafolta in glycerin. In two days the pain and swelling were all gone.

I have had an epidemic of diarrhea and dysentery among children in my neighborhood. My principal treatment has been evacuant of castor oil, then Echafolta and Ipecac in hourly doses. Bismuth has been of minor importance. Sometimes Podophyllin trit. in 1-100 gr. doses has been used with Ipecac to replace the castor oil, but Echafolta has always been given. The beauty of Echafolta is, it covers the ichorous and fetid odor of the fetal discharges of infantile diarrhea. Hence Echafolta is an intestinal antiseptic of the highest order, and it can not be excelled by any other form of treatment.

In the early part of spring, 1910, I had a case of pneumonia, an old lady, age 78. She had for years suffered from cholelithiasis, but was too feeble to undergo a radical operation. I was called the day following that on which she was taken sick. On entering her room a fearful fetid odor was apparent, although all the windows were open, and a trained nurse was in attendance. The bedding was clean, and everything in the room was in a sanitary condition. The foul odor came from her breathing. The old lady appeared to be to be in a dying condition. I did not know what to do. Finally I decided to give Echafolta in ten-drop doses, every three hours, and fed her on malted milk and whisky. When I

saw her again, two days later, the fetid odor had gone, and recovery seemed probable. Four weeks later she suddenly succumbed to an attack of cholemia.

There are many other conditions in which I should like to try the therapeutical action of Echinacea; for instance, in infantile paralysis, or poliomyelitis. Should I have an opportunity, I shall certainly make a thorough trial. Its soothing and sedative effect on the nervous system is without a peer.

I shall also try it in endometritis, in which I am sure it will do no harm, for instance, to apply the Echinacea mixed with glycerin, to the endometrium, as it will kill all pus cells and thereby relieve inflammation. I have used it in ulceration of the os uteri on tampon, apparently with good effect, but can not say for certain yet. The Eclectic Review.

BRYONIA--A SPECIFIC REMEDY.

BY FINLEY ELLINGWOOD, M. D., CHICAGO, ILL.

As a specific remedy it seems almost unnecessary to call our readers' attention to bryonia, but notwithstanding our repeated presentation of this remedy the number of doctors who use it is comparatively small.

Bryonia is one of those remedies where laboratory tests will make no suggestion as to its medicinal action. Clinical observations alone have determined its place in therapeutics. To prove this statement its influence is materially broadened, since our physicians have been using it in material doses, which, indeed, are not large. From twenty to thirty drops of a good tincture, of fifteen drops of a fluidextract or of the specific medicine, in four ounces of water, a teaspoonful every hour to adults, and a half teaspoonful every half hour to children, will produce very satisfactory results, invariably, where the specific indications are present.

The remedy acts directly upon serous and synovial membranes. It is specific, therefore, in pleurisy and in peritonitis. Sharp, quick, cutting pains in these structures, usually strictly localized, with soreness on pressure. Pain increased by motion. These three indications are to be depended upon, especially if there is elevation of temperature.

In acute inflammation in the chest, with hard, quick pulse; short, quick, harsh, hacking cough; sharp pains induced by inhala

tion; face flushed, especially the right cheek; local pain in a joint from arthritis; pain increased by motion or pressure; tissue swollen and sensitive. This remedy in all the above cases is so reliable, to those who use it, that they would think they had lost the best of their remedies if they were obliged to be without it. Every doctor should use it.-Ellingwood's Therapeutist.

COUGHS.

BY FINLEY ELLINGWOOD, M. D., CHICAGO, ILL.

In the treatment of coughs which are general in character and more or less persistent, a good general course which is specific in some forms of chronic bronchitis is to drop five drops of turpentine or three drops each of oils of turpentine and eucalyptus on a square of loaf sugar and allow this to dissolve slowly on the tongue, breathing over it and swallowing the saliva as the sugar is dissolved in it. This may be used every one, two or four hours as needed.

Coughs depending upon primary, acute, pulmonary congestion, are immediately relieved by applying intense heat over the chest for an hour or two, and giving a drop of the tincture of belladonna every hour.

Hacking coughs that seem to be immediately induced by a local irritant, the cough, sharp and dry, accompanied with sharp pain in the serous structure of the lungs, is best cured by bryonia-ten drops in four ounces of water, half of a teaspoonful every half hour at first; later, every one or two hours.

Where a cough of this character is present with the acute congestive symptoms suggested above, give bryonia and belladonna together in the doses named. Mild cough with hoarseness or transient aphonia is sometimes satisfactorily cured by inhaling five drops of dilute nitric acid from a square of loaf sugar used as suggested with the oils above named, repeated in an hour or two, or used less frequently, as demanded.

Cough, with a sense of tightness in the chest, oppression, a feeling of fullness in the lungs, as if the respiratory passages were occluded, sometimes accompanied with wheezing, is relieved by lobelia, twenty drops in four ounces of water, half of a teaspoonful every fifteen or twenty minutes, given less frequently as the cough is soothed and the breathing becomes relieved.

The cough of pharyngitis, Dr. Scudder claimed, could be relieved with collinsonia, eight drams in four ounces of water, a teaspoonful every hour or two; but I have not been successful with it.

A persistent chronic cough-dry, harsh, hacking-with constant tickling in the throat, or with a sensation of burning in the throat and post-nasal region, can be cured by dissolving a grain of the nitrate of sanguinarina in four ounces of water and giving a teaspoonful every hour or two. Winter coughs may be cured by the persistent use of this remedy.

For coughs occurring without cause among children of a family the doctor often desires to leave a cough remedy which the mother can use, perhaps ad libitum, without consulting the physician. Such a one can be satisfactorily prepared by adding ten drops each of lobelia, macrotys, skunk cabbage and yellow dock with twenty to thirty drops of essence of anise to four ounces of syrup of tolu. This is a favorite formula of old Dr. King's, but prepared from the herbs. Of the above half of a teaspoonful may be given every half hour, hour or two hours, according to the severity of the cough. If there be rasping and soreness of the cough, or slight fever, add ten drops of bryonia. That is our own more recent addition. This is an exceedingly satisfactory cough compound for general use.

For severe bronchial coughs, a doctor gave me a prescription thirty-five years ago, which would produce immediate relief until other remedies could cure the underlying conditions. It is made by taking five grains each of powdered opium and ipecac with one grain of capsicum. Triturate this thoroughly with about two drams of sugar of milk. This could be divided in from twenty to thirty powders; after stirring one powder in a teaspoonful of syrup or honey, let the patient swallow it very slowly, permitting it to trickle down the throat, avoiding the drinking of water afterwards to wash away the remedies and thus overcome certain local influences. I have many times had one of these powders stop a harsh cough for from twelve to eighteen hours, during which time moisture in the room and local applications with other specific remedies would lessen the cause. Moist atmosphere in the room with heat applied over the chest should never be neglected in acute coughs, as these methods can do no harm and always directly antagonize the cause of the difficulty.-Ellingwood's Therapeutist.