forted by his kindness, founded, too, upon honest and useful contributions to medicine and upon just and courteous treatment of fellow-practitioners, is that to which the young physician should aspire, for it is that alone which endures." RUPTURE OF THE BLADDER. Dr. E. Ullmann, of Prof. Albert's clinic in Vienna, has performed a number of experiments upon the cadaver in order to determine whether there exists one or more parts of the bladder, especially predisposed to rupture, after forcible dilatation by means of vesical injections; also to decide under what conditions extra-peritoneal and intra-peritoneal ruptures occur, and whether the condition of the rectum in any way influences the vesical rupture. He obtained almost analogous results with those published by Dittel in 1886, notwithstanding that their methods were different, Ullman leaving the abdominal walls in tact, whereas Dittel opened the abdomen before injecting the bladder. The results he sums up as follows: I. One can, at times, cause a rupture of the bladder with a comparatively small quantity of liquid injected into it; thus in one case the rupture occurred after the injection of 540 cc., in another, even after 360 cc. only. It was remarkable that in both these cases the bladder contained pus. II. Some bladders allow of very great dilatation before rupture occurs; thus in one case the rupture occurs after 2070 cc., in another, published by Dittel, after 5000 cc had been injected. III. The rupture occurs intra- and extraperitoneal, in no fixed or regular proportions. When the rectum was largely distended at the same time by means of a colpeurynter, the vesical rupture would always take place on the posterior wall, i. e, intra-peritoneal; slight distention of the rectum did not influence the site of the rupture. IV. The tear was usually antero-posterior, along the sagittal axis, seldom oblique, and hardly ever lateral, i. e., from side to side. V. The mucous membrane tears first, then the muscular coat, and lastly the peritoneum; this accounts for the seldom occurring partial ruptures where the peritoneum remains intact, and is only separated from the muscular coat by the escaping fluid. VI. More than one rupture at a time occurs but very seldom. VII. The opening of the abdominal cavity did not influence the results obtained by these experiments. VIII. The formation of permanent folds and corners in the bladder favor rupture. IX. The tear in the peritoneum is usually the most extensive, in the muscular coat less, least of all in the mucous coat. Dr. Ullmann advises the following treatment, in view of his experiments: In case of extra-peritoneal rupture, one should always make a supra-pubic incision; one can make a vesical suture or not (as the same does not insure safety). The most important factor is a complete drainage. In case of intra-peritoneal rupture, one must immediately perform laparotomy. To prevent the escape of urine into the abdominal cavity, one must sew up the bladder. Drainage of the peritoneal cavity is absolutely neces sary. PARASITES IN THE EAR AND NOSE. The parasites one finds in the ears of mammals are rare. Voltolini has discovered some in the ears of oxen, and with the aid of the microscope has found them to resemble the "dermanyssus gallinæ," described by Mégnin (Parasites and Parasitic Diseases of Man and Domestic and Savage Animals, Paris, 1880). They are found more frequently in the nose of the larger domestic animals. The author tells of two cases of "sarcophila Wohlfarti" of the ear in two boys who had been sleeping in a stable. The first died in consequence of an osteo-phlebitis, extending into the skull, produced by these parasites; the second recovered. Spirits of turpentine injections, followed by the application of ice. and acetate of lead were employed. Notwithstanding the assertion of the president of the "New York School of Primitive and Practical Christian Science," that his school will be free from eccentricity, pretension and fanaticism, we find the following prayer intended for the cure of dyspepsia. It appears in his text-book just as printed below: Believ Dr. Guermooprez Lille gives an account of a 24 year old man upon whom, on account of the insufficiency of all other forms of treat ment, he operated, by making an incision into the pleural cavity in the ninth intercostal "Holy Reality! We BELIEVE in thee space. Finding the lung perfectly healthy, that thou art EVERYWHERE present. We however, he sewed the pleura up again, and it really believe it. Blessed Reality, we do not healed by first intention. Two months later pretend to believe, think we believe, believe another. resected the seventh and that we believe. WE BELIEVE. surgeon eighth ribs, making several punctures at the ing that Thou art everywhere present, we be same time, and performed a superficial pneu-lieve that Thou art in this patient's stomach, monotomy with a thermo-cautery. Some in every fibre, in every cell, in every atom; months later Guermonprez performed pneu- that Thou art the sole, only Reality of that monotomy with the thermo-cautery, entering stomach. Heavenly, Holy Reality, we will to a depth of six or seven cm., and examined not try to be such hypocrites and infidels as with his finger. He found the tissue very every day of our lives to affirm our faith in soft and easy to tear, and about fifteen small Thee, and then immediately begin to tell how cavities, the size of peas. G. then made eusick we are, forgetting that thou art everycalyptol injections into the cavities. The spu- thing, and that Thou art not sick, and, theretum of the patient, however, never had the fore, that nothing in this Universe was ever odor of the drug, which caused him to believe sick, is now sick, or can be sick. Forgive us that the cavities did not communicate with our sins in that we have this day talked about the bronchi. Notwithstanding this fact, how. our backaches, that we have told our neighever, the expectorated masses were no longer bors that our food hurt us, that we mentioned as fetid (eleven days after the operation), and to a visitor that there was a lump in our diminished in quantity, and, in fact, began to stomach, that we wasted our valuable time, have the odor of eucalyptol. He draws the which should have been spent in thy service, following conclusions: in worrying for fear that our stomach should grow worse, in that we have disobeyed Thy blessed law in thinking that some kind of medicine would help us. Lord, help I. The explorative incision of the pleura is in many cases attended with very little dan ger. II. In case, the fetid odor of the sputum us to believe that ALL Evil is utterly unleads one to suppose that the seat of the trou-real; that it is silly to be sick, absurd to be ailing, wicked to be wailing, atheism and denial of God to say 'I am sick.' Help us to stoutly affirm with our hand in Your hand, with our eyes fixed on Thee, that we have no dyspepsia, that we never had Dyspepsia, that we never will have Dyspepsia, that there is no such thing, that there never was any such thing, that there never will be any such thing. Amen." THE SPUTUM OF PHTHISIS. The paper of R. W. Philip, M. D., of Edinburgh, contains his reasons for making use of the sputum of phthisis as the Materies morbi, among them being. (1.) The sputum is the constant accompaniment of the morbid condition, and stands in a peculiar relationship to the diseased organs. (2.) It is always accessible in large quantity, fresh, and therefore as much as possible free from such contamination as might be supposed to introduce fallacy. (3.) It has been shown that the maximum amount of the contagious element resides in the sputum. (4.) Having regard to the conditions of growth of the tubercle bacillus, it seems likely that the muco-purulent secretion is a peculiarly good medium for cultivation. (5.) It has been proved that tubercular sputum retains its virulence for months. (6.) The presence of the tubercle bacillus can be comparatively easily determined, while with greater care, its relative abundance in different specimens may be gauged. (7.) The sputum can readily be subjected artificially to similar conditions outside the body as within the chest. (8.) Much of the experimental work already carried out with reference to tuberculosis has been done by the subcutaneous and intravenous injection of unaltered phthisical sputum (of the work of Villemin, Chauveau, Biefel, Veza, Semmes, Tappeiner, etc.). (9.) Collateral evidence from the side of other ptomaine investigations seems to imply that the ready access of oxygen to the center of ptomaine production aids considerably in their rapid and abundant development. STENOCARPINE. Of the many new remedies which are rapidly following one another in their introduction to the profession, comparatively few remain a longer time than is necessary to prove that they are of but little worth. Their lives are short and their fate certain, when they fail to perform in clinical work, what was claimed for them by their discoverer or manufacturer. This is not the case, however, with stenocarpin, whose virtues have already been set forth in the REVIEW. Later experiments with the drug have only tended to confirm what was at first claimed for it, and established it on a basis from which, it is thought, much good will spring. As will be remembered, its chief claim was to the position of a local anesthetic, and in the exhibition of this power it was found so effective, that cocaine itself was seen to have a formidable rival. In inflammations affecting mucous membrane, it exercises a rapid and beneficial influence, which has been more particularly observed in inflammation about the ear, nose, etc. The solution can be made very weak, and still give evidence of the powerful effect of the drug. As the salt is not a permanent one, a 2-per cent permanent solution is recommended. In some cases it is said to be preferable to cocaine, and in ophthalmic diseases it is superior to atropine. Time of course, will determine its field, and restrict its use to it. NELLIE BLY'S SENSATION. The daily papers of New York have recently been giving soul-thrilling accounts of the mys tery of Nelly Bly, a young lady of Pittsburg, Pa., who, shortly after her arrival in the metropolis, became insane, or at least was adjudged so by her friends and a number of She was physicians of Bellevue Hospital. sent to the insane ward of Blackwell's Island, where she remained ten days and ten nights, and was then released on the statement of the paired strength found in cases in which treatment was delayed. STANDPOINT. New York World's officials, who, it appears, had concocted a scheme for learning something of the internal workings of that institution, which scheme consisted of passing THE CONJUGAL QUESTION FROM WOMAN'S this young lady off as an insane patient, and thereby gaining her admission to the insane asylum, with the understanding that when she was released, a complete account of all she had seen was to be furnished to the World. In other words, it was only a piece of what is thought to be progressive journalism of today. Matters progressed favorably for the interests of the World, and to day it occupies the proud position of having a chance to laugh at its contemporaries, who were making earnest efforts to construct a deep mystery out of the case of the beautiful, unknown and insane young lady, and also of crowing over the doctors who pronounced her insane. The state of affairs at Bellevue is to be thoroughly reviewed by the young lady, who is herself a journalist, and much is promised in the way of revealing what is far from being an enviable course of proceedings on the part of attendants and nurses. RUPTURE OF THE INTESTINES. Dr. B. Farquhar Curtis furnishes an exhaustive paper on this subject to the Amer. Jour. of the Med. Sciences, and adduces facts which lead him to conclude that: Although woman in distress may feel greater security in the presence of a man, as for example in labor, where even, at the expense of personal inclination, she feels safer with a male than a female physician, there must still be in the female breast many thoughts, which, if given expression to, would in time lead to advice to husbands from physicians which would be productive of the greatest benefit to the human race. There is much in a letter to the Med. and Surg. Re porter which bears on its face the impress common sense. It deals especially with the question, "How far does uncongenial or undesired coitus impair the general health of woman, and in what degree does it influence the physical and mental welfare of children born in wedlock?" The letter is from a woman, and possesses such sensible points that we print a large portion of it. She says: of It is an accepted fact that so-called "love children" are often endowed with physical and mental strength in excess of that of children born under the best "social" conditions. The offspring of illicit passion has nature on its side, while children born as the 1. Exploratory laparotomy can be per- result of the mere indulgence of a habitformed without danger. 2. The most common causes of death after contusion of the abdomen, produced as described, are hemorrhage and shock; and the latter is greatly increased by a prolonged operation, such as resection of the intestine. 3. Some cases of internal hemorrhage, otherwise fatal, can be saved by prompt action. 4. Prompt action will save life in contusion, threatened gangrene, and even rupture of the intestine. often a matter of indifference, if not positive distaste, to one of the parents-come into the world handicapped. This will, of course, be readily acknowledged, and is in itself no light evil. But, beyond this, is there not, in the fact that men are accustomed to consider their desire a sufficient excuse for its indulgence in spite of apathy or at least unwillingness on the part of the wife, one cause, and a very serious one, of the nervous ailments of so many women? Nature in her arrangement for the props. 5. The danger is greatly increased by de- gation of the race has endowed both sexes lay, as shown by the early occurrence of gan- with natural passion, and obviously intends grene, the rapid failure and death of cases the gratification of the one to include the releft without treatment, and the greatly im|sponse of the other. Owing to man's greater physical strength and the violence of his passion, it almost invariably happens that after the birth of one or two children the mother passively accepts his attentions as a duty, often a most unpleasant one, and looks upon the act of coitus as a mere sign of her submission as a wife. Incapable of feeling the same call without the courting and solicitation which the man no longer gives, she yields her person without her will, and becomes the mere machine through which her husband relieves his uneasiness. This, of itself, when we consider the frequency of most men's requirements, must have an inju rious effect upon the nervous system; and when, as is too often the case, indifference amounts to absolute disgust and repulsion, it requires very little science to recognize a prolific source of suffering in this relationship. Would it not be possible, by studying the facts elicited by female physicians from their patients, to acquire a knowledge which would throw light upon many of the most distressing internal complaints which proclaim them. selves in the thousand nervous ailments of the weaker sex? Men, for the most part, sin in this relation from inadvertence rather than wilful brutality, having been taught to consider marriage as the opportunity expressly provided for the "lawful indulgence" of passion, sanctified by church and society, and a wife as an orthodox and respectable exchange for a prostitute. Women, also from experience the first passionate happiness of the honeymoon over-have also learned their les son, and either feign pleasure, or accord simply endurance, because they fear that refusal will alienate a man's affection. What a satire on civilization is contained in those words! A man's affection and his passion are one; a woman's affection, and the acceptance of a passion no longer made pleasurable by solicitation, but claimed as a right, are his of conjugal right. A wider knowledge of the actual results upon body, mind and character of this state of things could not fail to teach a useful lesson, and help on the establishment of harmony between husband and wife. SOCIETY PROCEEDINGS. ST. LOUIS MEDICAL SOCIETY. Stated meeting Sept. 24, 1887, the President, S. Pollak M.D., in the Chair. F. D. Mooney, M.D., Secretary. DR. WALTER COLES read a paper on POSTHUMOUS DELIVERY. (p. 421). DR.W. JOHNSTON said,I have never met with a case of delivery of the fetus after death of the mother. The great difficulty in this question is in determining just when death takes place; what do we mean by "death?" I cannot conceive how, when the uterus is truly dead, it can expel a fetus. The uterus is not dead. As regards the influence of the gases, that is different, and quite possible. DR. F. J. LUTZ.-Do we understand you to deny the post-mortem contractility of mus cles? DR. JOHNSTON.-Define death, Doctor. DR. FRANK J. LUTZ.-When the heart ceases to act. DR. JOHNSTON.-Oh! no; I have seen the heart cease when there was life-brought back by electricity. DR. LUTZ.-The muscular fibre possesses after death, the power of contractility. As to what, metaphysically speaking, death is, does not concern the accoucheur. Hence there can be no question but that with the patient dead, and the muscular fibres of the uterus possessing power of contraction for some time after death, expulsion of the fetus can take place. The medico-legal question is of more interest, because it is not a question of a child at full term, but a question of whether abortion has been committed or not. It must be determined one way or another-the possibility of post-mortem delivery. Another factor, to which Dr. Coles did not refer, is that of the gases resulting from decomposition within the uterus itself. I believe that the authority of all observers is to be credited in regard to post-mortem parturition, and that there is nothing in physiology which would contra-indicate the possibility of expulsion after death. DR. JOHNSTON.-The laws of physiology apply to life, and when we use the word death in physiology, it is a contradiction of terms. Post mortem contraction is an act of dying. DR. G. HURT.-Dr. Johnston introduces a new idea to me in his remarks; it occurred to me that it is possible for the uterus at the time of rigor mortis to expel the fetus at full term, that could not be delivered while |