the grey matter of Munk's visual zone on one side, and complete loss of sight in the opposite eye was noted after the operation. Simultaneous ablation of both occipital lobes caused permanent and complete blindness (Lancet, Sept.

1888.)

Galvanisation of the Thyroid in Epilepsy.-Dr. Celso Sighicelli has recently reported some cases of epilepsy treated by galvanising the thyroid. He was induced to try this plan by reading Albertoni's account of convulsive attacks occurring in dogs whose thyroid glands had been excised. Dr. Sighicelli had in two cases of mental disease noticed signs which appeared to him to indicate that changes in the thyroid had a direct influence on cerebral nutrition, and might thus cause psychical disturbance. He was therefore led to think that epilepsy might in certain cases be dependent on some abnormal condition of the thyroid. He applied a constant current of moderate intensity to each lobe of the thyroid alternately, at first for two or three and afterwards for four or five minutes at a time. The patients, seven in number, were all of the male sex, and in all the disease was of long standing. In three no visible effect was produced; in the remaining four there was soon a diminution in the frequency and intensity of the attacks.—(British Medical Journal.)

Lipomatosis Neurotica (Lancet, Aug., 1888).-Dr. M'Lane Hamilton records a case in Archives of Pediatrics, No. 55. The patient is the son of Mormon parents, both of whom are alive and well. Several instances of neuropathic transmission exist, there being at least one idiotic child among the members of the family of the patient. Various minor trophic skin and hair defects also exist, one little sister having one white and one black eyebrow. The patient was in good health till four years of age, when he had pertussis. When five years old his face looked thin, and there were lines around his mouth when he laughed; calves of legs plump and large. This condition continued some time, with peevishness and irritability. There was little waddling, and no marked exaggeration of the dorsal

curve.

The tendon reflex was present, and the muscles reacted

to Faradism. The sphincter acted naturally, and sensation was perfect. A year later the tongue became thick and hard, and nearly all the muscles of the face showed R.D. The muscles of the body generally reacted feebly to Faradism, but readily to galvanism. Intellectually the boy presented a curious irritability and timidity, a destructive tendency being also marked. Duchenne called attention to subcutaneous deposition of fat in atrophic muscular disease, which cases are likely to be mistaken for pseudohypertrophic paralysis. Landouzy has published a case of hemiplegia with fatty deposits. Pitoux has observed subcutaneous fatty deposits in old cases of sciatica and neuritis Landouzy has reported a case of cervical pachymeningitis, with neuritis of brachial flexus and atrophy of muscles of the arm, with increase in the eye of wet fatty deposit.

Spasmus Nutans in Dentition.-Dr. E. Torden, of Brussels, recently had a case of this disease or tic de salaam,” not a very common disease. This case was that of a little girl of ten months, still at the breast. A month previous to her admission the mother had noticed a slight but nearly constant nodding motion of the head. When examined for the first time the chief motion was rotatory. The eyes also rolled from side to side, especially when the head was held. There were two teeth. The child was treated with oxide of zinc and bromide of potassium, and recovery had ensued in six weeks. By that time she had cut two new teeth. There could be little doubt that the affection was a complication, though a rare one, of dentition.-The Lancet, Feb. 11, 1888.

Auditory Allochiria.-This condition was first described by Obermeister in 1882, and consists in the perception of a sensation on the opposite side of the body to that on which the excitation was made. Tabes dorsalis and other spinal diseases afford the most frequent examples of it. M. Gellé has observed in a young person affected with chronic hyperplastic otitis and auditory hyperesthesia of the left side, but not presenting any sign of paralysis, hysteria, or tabes, an auditory allochiria consisting in the fact that the patient heard on the left side a piping sound

M

produced in the right carotid artery under the influence of the least effort or of the slightest emotion.

Habit Chorea.-Dr. De Schweinitz (reported in the Lancet) in the Polyclinic, No. 12, believes that habit chorea is frequently and considerably due to errors of refraction and other local conditions of the eyes. Seven cases are recorded to show what part the correction of the errors of refraction played in the treatment of this disorder. In three cases the habit spasm had existed for a long time, internal medication and hygiene failing to relieve. In one case the eyes were emmetropic, but some spasm of accommodation and phlyctenular conjunctivitis existed. When, by the use of atropine, these conditions were removed, recovery from the spasm ensued. The author speaks of the value of closely observing the condition of the conjunctiva, especially of the retrotarsal fold.

RESPIRATORY DISEASES.

BY ARTHUR FOXWELL, B.A., M.B.

Treatment of Empyema by a Valvular Canula.—Dr. Rogée brought this idea before the French Association for the Advancement of Science on the 20th of March. He used it successfully in two cases to prevent the permanent collapse of the lung. The apparatus itself was described in the Gaz. Hebd. in 1882. It is of complex construction, but the principle is simple. The fluid is not withdrawn suddenly, but the canula is merely inserted, and this allows the patient to expel any liquid by coughing, deep inspirations, &c. ; whilst its valves prevent any entrance of air to take the place of the expelled fluid. A temporary loss of pressure thus occurs within the pleural cavity, which is soon balanced by this undergoing a corresponding expansion.-Le Progrès Médicale, April 7th, 1888.

Intra-pleural Injections of Sterilised Air in the Treatment of the Fluid Effusions arising after Pneumothorax.— M. Potain summed up a communication to the Académie de Médecine on

April 24th, thus: 1. It is possible to completely replace the fluid by sterilised air. 2. Such air (e.g., that obtained by filtration through cotton wool) is quite innocuous. 3. The danger resulting from the presence of a large quantity of fluid is thus avoided. 4. It avoids the serious inconvenience of frequently renewed tappings, and gives the lungs the chance of a slow and progressive expansion. 5. It seems to favour the cicatrisation and healing of the tubercular lesions by allowing the lung a long period of repose and inactivity.-Le Progrès Médicale, April 28th, 1888.

Climate of Algeria.-M. Pauly read a paper before the French Association for the Advancement of Science on March 31st. He concluded that the north wind, combined with the cold of the upper strata of the atmosphere, made the Algerian littoral very damp. But inland this moisture is less, and the climate therefore better. It is driest of all on the high plateaus and in the Sahara. Algeria is a region perfectly habitable, but one must lead a very active and locomotive life, the life in fact of the agricultural proprietor. Phthisis can undergo great improvement in Algeria, but only under the same conditions of existence and freedom as those which tourists make use of.Le Progrès Médicale, April 7th, 1888.

The Tuberculisation of Natives by Strangers in Southern Stations. At the same meeting M. Laussedat read a paper to show that 25 years ago tuberculous subjects were very rare at Cannes, but that now they are actually very numerous in the native population, especially amongst children and young people, although these have not inherited it. This, he stated, was partly owing to the unhealthy habits contracted from contact with wealth, partly to the dissemination of bacilli from sick strangers, and partly to the dirt of the inhabitants. He asked that these conditions should be controlled in Hyères, Pau, Amélie, Alger, &c.; that cleanliness should be taught in the schools; that articles of furniture should be destroyed; and that stoves should be attached to the laundries.-Le Progrès Médicale, April 7th, 1888.

Acute Phthisis in a Child of 13 Months.—At the New York Pathological Society Dr. T. J. Griffiths showed a specimen exhibiting very extensive deposits of tubercle in the lungs and lymphatic system. On April 22nd, 1888, the child was brought for treatment of diarrhoea of three days' standing. This passed away, and the child remained well till May 17th, when she was again brought up with motor paralysis of the entire left side, including the face. The pupil of the same side was dilated; there was no paralysis of sensation; moderate diarrhoea; otorrhoea on the left side; temperature 100°. Six days later there was also motor paralysis of the right leg. During the next ten days motion slowly returned to the left arm and leg. On May 30th the child was admitted, and the cervical, epitrochlear, and inguinal glands were enlarged, and there was ptosis of the left lid. On June 8th it was much worse, respiration rapid and laboured. Dulness anteriorly and posteriorly on the right chest, and the respiratory sounds were absent over the whole lung; no retraction of intercostal spaces; lessened movement. Left chest tympanitic; bronchial breathing and coarse bronchial râles; marked retraction of the intercostal spaces ; temperature 104°. Death on June 12th. Autopsy two hours after death: Child fairly nourished; brain markedly anaemic, but otherwise normal; upper right lung collapsed, lower entirely occupied by a large tuberculous mass, which had broken down at several points; pulmonary pleura studded with tubercle. On left side much pleuritic adhesion anteriorly and laterally. In the substance of the entire lung were many deposits of yellow, caseous, tuberculous material. The lymphatic system was largely involved. The cervical, bronchial, retro-peritoneal, inguinal and epitrochlear glands were all much enlarged and caseous, and many were diffluent at their centres. The liver was anaemic and fatty; other organs normal. The case is interesting because (1) no cerebral lesion to account for the cerebral symptoms; (2) tubercle confined to lungs and lymphatic system; (3) epitrochlear enlargement due to tubercle and not syphilis.-New York Medical Record, August 4th, 1888.