patient strongly objected. He therefore at length determined to inject with acetic acid. He only threw in one drop with an Anel's syringe, but the effect was most satisfactory. The pain was acute for a short time, but the tumour gradually wasted away and did not return. (Bulletin Général de Thérapeutique, t. lxxxv. p. 547.)

Thrombosis of the Cerebral Veins and Sinuses of the Dura Mater.-Dr. John Lidell, in a valuable paper on this subject, founded on the written histories of 128 cases, states that there is (1) a traumatic form of thrombosis of the sinuses of the dura mater. The blood sometimes coagulates in one or more of these sinuses directly in consequence of local injury. In such cases the traumatic lesion usually consists either of laceration of the walls of the affected sinus, or of laceration of some of the tributary veins, with contusion of the walls of the sinus, and is generally associated with injury of the skull in the form of compound comminuted fracture. (2) A not unfrequent cause of thrombosis of the cerebral veins is anthrax of the face. In a large proportion of these cases death rapidly supervenes, and thrombosis of the facial frontal or temporal vein, of the ophthalmic vein, and of the cavernous and other sinuses of the dura mater, constitute the connecting link between the local disorder on the one hand and the cerebral and pyæmic symptoms which follow it on the other. (3) In occasional instances ulceration of the mucous membrane of the nose is attended with erysipelas of the face, and gives rise to thrombosis and secondary phlebitis of the frontal and ophthalmic veins, and of the cavernous and circular sinuses. (4) Injury of the skull, when followed by caries of the bone and inflammation of the surrounding parts, not unfrequently induces thrombosis of the corresponding sinuses of the dura mater. (5) Suppurating wounds of the scalp, whether accompanied or unaccompanied with injury of the bone. (6) Suppurating diseases of the hairy scalp, such, for example, as eczema, sometimes produce thrombosis. (7) Purulent meningitis may lead to thrombosis of the veins of the pia mater, and of the superior longitudinal and other sinuses of the dura mater. Many cases are given in support of each of these propositions. (American Journal of Medical Science, January 1874.)

Treatment of Diabetes.-In a paper recently published, Dr. Kratschmer gives the results of a series of observations he has made on a diabetic patient, with a view of testing the value of carbonate and sulphate of soda, and of morphia, upon the excretion of sugar. He finds that neither the carbonate nor the sulphate appeared to exert any influence on the amount of sugar excreted, but he has satisfied himself that in morphia we possess

an agent that is not only capable of materially reducing the excretion of sugar, but also of diminishing to a remarkable extent the general tissue metamorphosis of the body. (Sitzungsberichte der Kais. Akad. d. Wiss. zu Wien. Band lxvi.

Heft iii. iv. and v.)

:

Treatment of Tetanus.-Dr. Gaston, of Sao Paulo, Brazil, gives the details of an interesting case of traumatic tetanus resulting in recovery. The patient was an able-bodied negro, who had received a blow upon the left side of the head, traversing the parieto-occipital suture, and about 2 inches in length. He continued to work for several days. Dr. Gaston was called in on the sixth day after the accident. He had then slight opisthotonos and lockjaw. The wound was found in a state permitting it to be readily opened to the bone, but the bone was uninjured. The edges had a dark sanious appearance, without any indication of suppuration. A piece of lint saturated with spirits of turpentine was placed in the wound, and a poultice of corn-meal with flax-seed was applied over it. One grain of tartar emetic was then given every fifteen minutes for ninety minutes, and the patient was placed in a hot bath. On removal from the bath a marked improvement was observed, and the patient fell asleep on awaking, spasmodic rigidity of the muscles recurred. A combination of calomel, gr. v; tartar emetic, gr. j; nitrate of potash, gr. x; and morphia, gr., was now given every two hours, until six hours had elapsed, and afterwards three tablespoonfuls of castor-oil with a tablespoonful of turpentine were administered, which procured evacuation, without, however, inducing free purgation. The spasms were now milder, and recurred with longer intervals, yet were still of a distinctly tetanic nature. Frictions with camphorated spirits of wine were made frequently throughout the entire extent of the spinal column and over the epigastric region; and a flannel moistened with this was kept constantly applied over the abdomen. In the mean time a blister was applied to the occiput and neck. At the end of the second day's treatment, one grain of morphine was administered at night, and repeated within four hours, and after the second dose the patient slept several hours; but the morning of the third day of the treatment, and the fourth of the disorder, found him still labouring under rigidity of the entire muscular system, with occasional attacks of opisthotonos and trismus, accompanied by spasmodic action of the diaphragm, that gave rise to a sound closely resembling hiccough. Regarding this stage of the disease as involving chiefly the nervous system, a wineglass of lac assafoetida was given every three hours, and an enema of half a pint of the infusion of tobacco, with a teaspoonful of laudanum, was ordered to be given and

repeated in six hours. The attacks became still more moderate, but the disease did not yield entirely. On the following day, which was the fifth day of continued tetanus, 10 grains of sulphate of quinine, with half a teacupful of infusion of valerian, was administered every three hours, until a drachm of quinine was taken. At the same time injections of lac assafœtidæ with laudanum were given every six hours. The sixth day did not find him free from spasmodic rigidity and recurrence of the convulsive attack; but considering the dangerous violence of the disease as having been subdued, he was ordered simply to use the infusion of valerian and an occasional injection of lac assafoetida with generous diet. On the eighth day, strychnia in doses of grain was administered every two hours, but the tetanic rigidity being intensified, it was abandoned in twenty-four hours. Subsequent to this a combination of two grains of ipecacuanha, one grain of opium, and half a grain of calomel, was repeated every four hours during the day, till slight ptyalism supervened. A full dose of castor-oil now produced a most salutary effect, and the treatment from that time (twelfth day) was simply addressed to building up the exhausted frame of the patient, and without any recurrence of tetanic symptoms. (Gaston Clinical Reports, in the New Orleans Med. and Surg. Journal, vol. i. No. 2.)

Notes and Queries.

DEPARTMENT OF ANALYSIS AND INVENTIONS.

MESSRS. FELTOE AND SONS' SPÉCIALITÉ SHERRY.-The Rev. Sir Edward R. Jodrell, Bart., in his disinterested zeal for the public welfare, has had the above sherry analysed at his own expense, and has placed the report of the analyst at the disposal of Messrs. Feltoe and Sons, who make use of it as an advertisement. As this advertisement has found its way into several professional journals, we deem it a duty to our readers to point out the real nature of this much-vaunted sherry. Before doing so, however, we must express our regret at seeing Dr. Redwood's respected name attached to the analytical report in question; firstly, because we deem the use of such reports for mere purposes of trade exceedingly mischievous; secondly, because the report in question is full of errors, both of fact and of interpretation.

The total acid is given as amounting to 0.54 per cent. (we presume it is meant that the free acid present is equivalent to 054 per cent. of tartaric acid), and it is implied that this is about the usual amount of acid found in good samples of sherry, in addition to which it is alleged to be the true acid of the grape, namely, tartaric acid. Now, in the first place this acidity is rather high, for a young sherry, such as this evidently is; and in fact, assuming the acetic acid to have been estimated correctly, the acidity is, for a sherry, exceptionally high. In the second place, even in the grape-juice itself the greater part of the free acid is usually malic acid, the smaller portion only being tartaric acid. In all wines, even when perfectly natural, the proportion of tartaric acid is still further reduced by the precipitation of the tartar, owing to the alcohol produced by fermentation; whilst, in all sherries, the tartaric acid is reduced to a minimum, or is even removed entirely, by the plaster of Paris universally employed in Spain in the process of sherry-making. We are thus reduced to this alternative, either a serious error has been committed in the analysis, or this

reputed sherry is altogether a factitious article. Again, the proportion of ash is given as 0.45 per cent., and it is stated that this is not more than it should be, and that it contains nothing foreign to the grape. Now, if we assume this wine to have been plastered, like all sherries, this is certainly about an average amount of ash, but then it must contain a large proportion of sulphate of potassium, the greater part of the sulphuric acid of which must be derived from the plaster of Paris employed, and is therefore foreign to the grape. If, on the other hand, the wine has not been plastered, the proportion of ash is about twice as high as it should be in a natural wine, and we are again forced to the conclusion that we are dealing with a factitious article.

So much for this most elaborate analysis, as the Rev. Baronet terms it, ironically, as we cannot help thinking. Now for the actual facts of the case.

A sample of the Spécialité Sherry, procured from Messrs. Feltoe and Sons, 26, Conduit Street, yielded the following results :

Specific gravity at 60° Fahr..

Absolute alcohol, by volume

Equal to proof spirit

Total free acid (calculated as tartaric acid) 0.44

Containing acetic acid .

tartaric acid 1

Sugar and extract

Ash

Containing sulphate of potassium

These results show that the wine in question is probably an ordinary sherry, tolerably strongly fortified, and of average acidity. Like all sherries, it contains scarcely a trace of tartaric acid, but very much sulphate of potassium, and has therefore unquestionably been subjected to the usual plastering.

CORRESPONDENCE.

AMYL NITRITE.-Dr. W. H. Madden, of Torquay, sends us the following note:

"Your notice of Dr. Pick's work, in the current number of the Practitioner, induces me to send you this small contribution to amyl nitrite therapeutics.

"At the close of last year, during the illness of a colleague, I attended, for him, a lady of middle age, who was profoundly anæmiated by severe and intractable menorrhagia. The dis1 The rest of the free acid is chiefly malic acid.