to do so, but as soon as my back was turned he would take nothing. He would rather die he said.

I bribed him and invoked the aid of the neighbors. Finally his appetite has returned. To-day he came into a friend's house with scarcely a trace of the terrible disease.

Edward C, a stalwart youth of sixteen, was

CASE II.wounded July 4, 1882, by a toy pistol. The wound healed kindly and the family thought no more of it. July 17 he worked very hard, helping his father, who is a mason. He perspired freely, and his people thought he took cold. He staid at home the next day, with a lame and stiff back. I prescribed for him and could then see no evidence of tetanus. During the day he was picking at the wounded place in his hand, when out came what he termed "a piece of the wad."

On the 20th the family sent for me during the evening, saying he was worse. He was worse indeed. His neck and back had become firmly rigid. It was with the utmost difficulty he could move his legs; his face was turgid; froth was issuing from his mouth, it being forced between his clinched teeth; the least attempt to open his mouth was attended by the most horrible grin; violent clonic spasms tortured the patient, and every spasm was accompanied with a yell that would have done credit to the most savage Sioux.

The room

The house seemed like a second edition of Bedlam. was crowded with the members of the family and neighbors. Some were crying, some were giving orders, some helping, others making trouble; while all were occupying needed room and air and adding to the excitement.

At the onset of every spasm the boy would ask to be taken up and held in a standing position. Restoring order, I made an inclined plane in the bed and told the patient to lie on that and keep quiet.

Giving the Hydrocyanic acid, I enjoined the utmost quiet, and left in good faith that I should find my patient more comfortable in the morning. My faith was rewarded. The clonic spasms did not last long, the flushing of the face had disappeared, no froth was seen at the mouth. I found, however, the tonic condition increased. So rigid was he that every clonic spasm threw the body into a state of opisthotonos. The head was drawn backward, but could, with force, be bent slightly forward.

For two days the condition remained much the same, except that the clonic spasms grew shorter and further apart, the jaw relaxed a little, and the patient would, for a few moments at a time, sleep.

On the night of the 23d, while I was in the room, he dropped asleep and in less than a minute was seized by a clonic spasm,

causing severe pain in the back. His parents said, "There, that's just the way he has been ever since noon."

I administered Lach. 6. The pain in the back was relieved in less than half an hour, and he slept better than at any time since he was taken ill.

If

Lachesis was continued until the 25th, when I found the seat of the pain had changed to the groin, and the patient was in a state of excessive hyperaesthesia. The slamming of a door, a loud voice, a touch, a noise outside the house, and sometimes even the air from a fan, would cause a violent clonic spasm. the patient lost consciousness for a moment, the jaws would snap together with a distinct report. There was much frothing at the mouth, and sometimes, when the teeth would catch the tongue, there would be blood.

Had the boy eaten hemlock root, could he have presented a more complete picture of Cicuta? That remedy was selected, and in the evening the symptoms were marvellously controlled.

From this date the history of the case is much like that of the former. There was, however, no emaciation in this case; the patient, in sickness as well as health, being wellnigh a glutton.

Considering the gravity of the symptoms, never have I seen so prompt and satisfactory results from the administration of drugs.

MURDOCK'S LIQUID FOOD IN VOMITING OF CHOLERA INFANTUM.

BY F. L. BABCOCK, M. D., DEDHAM, MASS.

EVERY physician in active practice has probably been somewhat troubled in this terrible disease in infancy with most obstinate vomiting of all food taken into the stomach. We have found the most happy relief from this troublesome symptom in the use of "Murdock's Liquid Food," by the complete withdrawal of all food and the use of this Liquid Food, five drops in one teaspoonful of water every half-hour alternately with the medicine. In several instances the case seemed hopeless, in spite of the best selected remedies. The vomiting continued unchecked; it ceased immediately upon receiving the Food, and in a few hours the little sufferer would begin to improve. As improvement progresses, we gradually increase the amount of Food given to ten drops per hour. By this means we have been able to turn what seemed to be most certain defeat into signal victory. We have heretofore always looked upon the symptom of vomiting in cholera infantum as secondary in importance to the diarrhoea; but we have observed that in proportion as we have been able to check the vomiting, we have seen improvement in the diarrhoea.

The following cases in our practice may serve to show its value in some most troublesome cases:

CASE I. Was called to attend Baby C, aged sixteen months, and found a well-developed case of cholera infantum : profuse watery diarrhea; vomiting of everything taken into the stomach; intense thirst; head hot; hands and feet cold. Ver, Ars., Cham., were each given according to indications, without benefit. From the first, the vomiting and diarrhoea continued unchecked. The infant became greatly prostrated in strength and reduced in flesh; eyes sunken and turned upward into the head; pulse very weak and rapid. At this stage the regular food of the child was taken away and Murdock's Food given as stated above, and with the best results. From the first dose of the Food the vomiting ceased, and the child did not vomit afterward. The diarrhoea continued for a short time, but the child began to recover as soon as the vomiting ceased. The diarrhoea was relieved by Veratrum alb., and the child made a good recovery.

CASE II. Was called to see Baby F—, aged nine months. Found the child in its mother's arms, constantly crying. Cold hands and feet; head hot; very thirsty. When asleep, her eyes are partly open. Profuse watery diarrhoea and vomiting of everything taken into her stomach. Was enabled by Veratrum alb. to check the diarrhoea, but the vomiting continued. Continued Veratrum alb., withdrew all food and drink, and gave Murdock's Liquid Food, five drops in one teaspoonful of water every halfhour. The vomiting soon ceased, and, with a slight relapse on the following day that was controlled by Veratrum, the child made a complete recovery.

CASE III. Was called to see Baby D———, aged fifteen months. Case the exact counterpart of No. I. Profuse vomiting of everything taken into the stomach; watery diarrhoea, greatest prostration, and thirst. Ars., Ver., Cro. T., Gamb., were each given without relief. Prognosis most unfavorable. The child was growing weaker each day, unable to retain anything within its stomach. Mellin's, Horlick's, and other Foods were tried and as quickly rejected. Murdock's Food was given, as stated above, and retained. The vomiting ceased. The child was kept alive for several weeks upon this Food, taking nothing else for nourishment. The diarrhoea in this case persisted most stubbornly, lasting several weeks, finally yielding to Phos, acid. The child made a complete recovery.

We regard this Food as a most valuable auxiliary to our treatment in all cases where the stomach is weak and inclined to reject all food. We have seen the most happy results from the use of this Food in many of the exhausting diseases of childhood, but especially in the vomiting of cholera infantum.

ATTENTION.

THE Homœopathic Medical Society of Central Ohio has determined to offer a prize for provings of drugs. The design is to secure an accurate reproving of some partially tested remedies. The prize will be given to the physician who may present the most valuable proving. All homœopathic physicians and medical societies are invited to enter the contest. The prize will be Allen's "Encyclopædia of Pure Materia Medica." or its money equivalent in homoeopathic publications, to be selected by the successful competitor. The award will be made by three experts in materia medica, not members of the society. Any who desire. to conduct such work, upon themselves, their patients, or friends, are requested to send to Dr. JNO. C. KING, OF CIRCLEVILLE, OHIO (secretary of committee on provings), for circulars containing further information. It is hoped that members of our school who desire a more accurate materia medica, and who are anxious for reprovings conducted upon scientific principles (see circular), will respond to this call. All work presented will be freely made the property of the profession, or promptly returned to the author. Any one of three drugs may be selected. For full particulars send for circular.

[Of the necessity or utility of reprovings there can be no question, and we most earnestly invite the attention of our readers to the above proposal. Dr. Dake, of Nashville, and Dr. C. Wesselhoeft have for some years plead with the members of the institute to undertake some such work, but as yet without any apparent results. Sooner or later this reproving must come, and why not now begin? — ED.]

FROM THE "DEUTSCHEN MEDICINISCHEN

SCHRIFT,” NO. 19, 1882.

WOCHEN

Dr. Ehrlich's Description of his Method of Preparing Sputa for the Examination of Bacillus Tuberculosis. Translated by G. R. SOUTHWICK, M. D.

As already known, the method of Koch consists in coloring the dry preparation in a weak alkaline solution of methylene blue. After twenty-four hours he exposes it to the action of a solution of vesuvin.

The preparation becomes brown and shows the various elements deep brown, while the bacillus remains clear and deep blue. The method consists essentially in keeping the solution of

* Before giving the translation, it may not be out of place to say that this method - an improvement on Koch's-has quite superseded it, and we understand it has been adopted by Koch himself.

methylene-blue alkaline. I have departed from this alkaline condition, and endeavored to substitute another alkali for the one used by Koch. I have found a fit substitute in aniline.

I have always worked on dry preparations of sputa when I made counter examinations, and found the method could also be applied to cut preparations.

My manner of procedure is to take a particle of sputa and press it flat between two cover glasses of a particular thickness; and I have found those of .10 to 1.12 mm. are to be recommended most. Following these directions, it is easy to procure equally thin layers from a small drop of sputa. By shoving both glasses apart, two thin sheets are obtained, which easily become air dry. These preparations are not yet quite ready. It is desirable to fix the albumen. I have usually effected this by keeping the preparation at a temperature of 212° or 230° Fahrenheit for an hour. A still more practical means, which I have seen used at the Imperial Board of Health, consists in holding the air-dry preparation with forceps and passing it three times through the flame of a Bunsen's burner.

For coloring, I use water saturated with aniline oil, prepared by taking a surplus of aniline oil, shaking it with water and filtering through a moistened filter within a few minutes. The clear watery fluid so obtained is added drop by drop to a saturated alcoholic solution of fuchsin, or methyl violet, until a distinct opalescence of the fluid occurs. The preparation is allowed to swim on this fluid, and in a quarter or half an hour is colored to the proper shade.

As the isolated coloring of the tuberculosis bacillus with vesuvin is very slow, or even not at all, it is expedient to use acids. The best acid mixture consists of one volume of the officinal nitric acid and two volumes of water. Under its influence the preparation grows pale in a few seconds, presents a yellowish, cloudy appearance, and becomes white. If the preparation is examined in this stage, it shows that everything has lost its color and only the bacillus retains its deep stain. Such a preparation can be examined, yet the technical difficulties of finding a bacillus are exceedingly great. It is better, therefore, to color the background; if the preparation is violet, yellow; if red, then blue.

Perhaps it may be allowed to urge the advantages of this method. Aniline colors the tissue much handsomer than the alkalies, under the action of which slime especially is easily detached. A further advantage is the great rapidity of the method, while Koch's method required twenty-four hours; here, three quarters to one hour is sufficient to prepare the specimen. But it appears to me still more important, as I believe I am able to assert, that the preparations are colored deeper and the bacil