affected his face, neck, hands, arms, chest, instances in which Dr. Gaspari gave Carbo and genitals, in particular. He had an., not as homeopathic to the buboes, but to used very many remedies in vain, in order to the other attendant symptoms, led him to try deaden his susceptibility, when, finally his it in several cases, and with great success. physician, Bressa, determined to give him the In the Mat. Med. of Hahnemann, buboes are rhus grandiflora which produces effects not given as one of the pathogenetic effects of very similar to those of the rhus toxi- Carbo an.; its therapeutic use can therefore codendron. At first it caused an ery-be only established as yet ex usu in morbis. sipelatous affection of the eyelids and The buboes he treated were principally venose; in course of time, however, it no nereal, and though the medicine seemed spelonger produced any perceptible effect, and cific to the bubo it appeared to exercise no he was enabled not only to expose himself effect upon the primary venereal affections; to the effluvium of the rhus tree, but could so that after the resolution of the bubo, other even handle it without suffering the slightest remedies had to be given. The treatment inconvenience.—Precis analytique des tra- lasted three, five, or at the most, eight days. vaux de la Societe Med. de Digon pour l'an-In numerous cases where the bubo appeared nee, 1832. Dijon, 1838, p. 48. as if about to suppurate, still resolution was Rau (Nouvel Organe, p. 55) relates a case affected.-Annales de la Med. Hom. tome i, also illustrating the action of rhus. A laborer, in the botanical garden at Giessen, a few hours after being employed in expressing the sap from the leaves of the rhus radicans. was attacked with violent vesicular erysipelas of the face and hands attended with a high state of fever.-BRITISH JOUR. OF HOM. p. 11. Poisoning by Stramonium (Datura.) A girl four years old ate a few seed of this plant. Towards evening tennitus aurium and sleeplessness occurred; the child sang and wept, and spoke uninterruptedly confused nonsense. The eye was lively, the pupil diArsenic in the Chronic Pleurisy of Sheep. lated and insensitive to the light; she snatchM. de Gasparin communicated to the Aca-ed continually in the air as if to seize somedemy of Science (January 2, 1843) the re-thing; to stand was impossible, for on rising sults obtained by M. Cambessedes with arse- the knees knocked together, and the child on nious acid in sheep affected with chronic pleu-attempting to exert herself, she staggered and risy. A hundred and twenty of these ani- fell like one drunk. Vomiting was induced, mals each swallowed thirty-two scruples of and she got rid of the poison and recovered. this poisonous preparation, mixed with com- (Caspen's Wochenscrift 1842, No 25; mon salt; with the exception of one, all en- also Osten. Med. Wochenscrift bim. No. 32, tirely recovered; whilst before the adminis- August 6, 1842.) tration of this remedy, the flock was actually decimated by the disease. M. Cambessedes Effects of an over dose of Cina; observed by Dr. A. Noack of Leipsic. was induced to try it from its being vaunted Theodore Georgi, aged 2 1-2, of a scrofuas a specific by the country people. He con-lous constitution, had been early very delisidered that it is not a poison to the sheep; cate, but latterly in good health till three but the experiments performed previously by months before; since when, he was subject a commission, prove this opinion to be erro- to diarrhea, and only lately freed from it. neous, and also shew that arsenic is ho- He received from his mother, for ascarides, a mœopathic to pleurisy in the sheep. In an experiment by MM. Flander and Danger, six grains (trois decigrammes) of arsenious acid were introdued under the skin of the sheep, symptoms very soon manifested themselves, and in five days the animal died. The autopsy shewed pleuropneumony with effusion on the right side. The production of serious effusion into the pleura of animals poisoned by arsenic, has also been observed by M. Chatin. It is difficult to account for the seemingly innocuous effects of the large dose administered by M. Cambessedes.-Annales d' Hygiene Publique, etc. April, 1843, p. 469. heaped tea-spoonful of powdered cinna-seed, with syrupus communis, on the 23d November, 1841, abont 11 o'clock in the morning. About ten minutes afterwards, violent repeated vomiting of yellow water came ontogether with watery diarrhoea and general convulsions. After this state had lasted about half an hour, I was called in, and found the child in the lap of its mother, still in convulsions, which, according to the mother's account, had not decreased in violence. They consisted in distortions of the limbs in all directions, from which the fingers and toes alone remained free; head and body were drawn backwards, forwards, sidewards, by turns, whilst the boy beat about with his arms and legs. There were, besides, from time to time, violent shocks through the whole was of no use, after having been pursued for body, with stamping of the feet downwards, three or four days, pill of saffron, and then and pushing with the head upwards and opium pills were given-these diminished backwards; the shocks were particularly vio- the pain and procured sleep, but the vomiting lent in the lower part of the breast, and felt and the other symptoms continued. Other on laying on the hand on the epigastrium. two experienced physicians were called in, The face, which I was told had been pale at who gave it, as their opinion, that there was first, and had become by degrees gradually likewise induration of the pylorus present, more livid, was now quite blue, the eye-balls and ordered opium and blisters on the epigaswere soon after turned upwards convulsive- trium. Neither was this treatment of any ly, so that only the white was visible; soon use. The patient visibly declined. From they became fixed straight forward, the pu- the recommendation of Stoerk, pills made of pils considerably dilated, and insensible to the extract of cicuta, and a large blister and light. The tongue was sometimes drawn to- an opiate enema were used. By this means gether in the form of a cylinder, and spas- the threatening danger was removed, and a modically passed through betwixt the lips steady, though slow convalescence ensued. without efforts of vomiting having taken Cicuta was given, first half a grain daily, place. Breathing natural, temperature of then half a grain three times a day. [The the skin low, skin dry, pulse small, con- reporter of the case, in Oppenheim's Journal, tracted, neither frequent nor quick, regular. observes, naively enough, it is evident that (Tinct. Ipecac. 1, every quarter of an hour 1 this wonderful cure was effected by the morgt. to be taken on sugar.) The child after-phia and blisters, for the dose of cicuta was wards vomited light yellow water twice, but too small to have done it. Be it observed, not again; the cramps abated, passed by de- that opium and blisters had been diligently grees into slight twitchings,and after the lapse employed before with no benefit, the patient of half an hour the fits ended with a peace-daily getting worse. Did they acquire a new ful sleep, which lasted an hour, with the re- power when "too small" doses were admiturn of turgor of the skin, a breaking out of nistered?]-JOURNAL DE SOCIEDADE DAS general perspiration, and rising of the pulse. SCIENCIAS DE LISBOA. Tom. ix. 1o Semestre The little patient awoke lively and well- de 1839. Extracted in the Zeitschrift fur die pleased, and continued so during the follow- Gesammte Medicin. Von F. W. Oppenheim. ing days.-FROM HYGEA, vol. xvi. p. 81. No. 11. November, 1842. Cicuta. The Muriate of Tin in Chorea-By Dr. Person. A widow, 50 years old, of a slender frame, A girl 11 years old, after a dreadful fright, who had never regularly menstruated, and became affected with headache, and occasionhad suffered much from urinary affections, al twitches of the angle of the mouth and exattended with pain in the renal region, to re- tremities of the right side of the body, which lieve which numerous warm baths were gradually increased in frequency, until at employed, was attacked, fn September 1838, length they became constant during her wakwith frequent vomiting in the course of the ing hours. As the examination of the spine day, by which all she eat, and latterly a shewed that there was considerable tenderfrothy white fluid, was ejected. When the ness between the 2d and 6th cervical vertenarrator of the case visited the patient, her bræ, twelve leeches were applied, and ungt. countenance was of an earthy hue, the skin merc. rubbed in near the sensitive part, and was dry, there was great weakness, depres- calomel and zinc powers prescribed. On the sion of spirits, little sleep; the pulse was 12th, salivation occurred, and the calomel small, but not frequent, the tongue dry. Ur- was supplanted by hyosciamus. Leeches gent thirst, the abdomen normal to the touch. were again applied, and afterwards a blister. Only on the right epigastric region, under the Notwithstanding these active measures the false ribs, there was a painful induration disease got worse, and the blister seemed to about the size of an orange. This indura- aggravate the excitement. Upon this, Dr. tion seemed to arise from an inflammatory Person determined to try the murias stanni, abscess of the liver, the vomiting from exces- as recommended by Dr. Schlesinger (Hufel. sive irritability of the stomach, or disease of Journ. 1837,) and began with the one-sixthe pylorus. As the vomiting had not con- teenth of a grain as a dose, morning and tinued long, the narrator diagnosced chronic evening, gradually increasing the amount gastritis complicated with hepatitis. From until he gave one-fourth of a grain twice a this view of the case he ordered copious day. After the very first small dose, imleeching, embrocations, with belladonna, and provement appeared, which almost hourly enemata, and purgatives. As this treatment advanced. By the tenth day, after the patient Increase of Knowledge. A Professor of one of the Medical Colle had taken altogether five grains of the muriate of tin, all the convulsive symptoms were gone, and she was perfectly recovered. ges in this city, in his introductory lecture to This medicine effected the cure without pro- the students of medicine, has announced the ducing any re-action,-it occasioned neither brilliant discovery of the important fact, that primary aggravation (according to Fischer,) the uniform curative effects of a remedy in nor dryness of the mouth (according to Schlesinger,) but seemed to operate as a pure sedative, quieting the powerful excitement of the nervous system, to which, perhaps, the previous antiphlogistic treatment might have contributed.-OESTER. MED. WOCHENSCHRIFT, No. viii., 1843, p. 216. any disease, was no evidence of its applicability to the case; from which it would seem to follow by a strict parity of reasoning, that the fatal effects of a prescription are no proof either of its perniciousness or of the igno [Had Dr. Person consulted Hahnemann's rance of the physician!-a conclusion, which Materia Medica, he might perhaps have been if not very gratifying to the friends of the painduced to try the muriate of tin at first, in-tient, cannot fail of being extremely constead of at last; and thus the patient might have been saved the blood letting and the solatory to the practitioner. blistering. He would also have found the occasional aggravations, and the other symptoms of the action of the medicine that have been observed, explained.-EDITORS.]—BRITISH JOURNAL OF HOMEOPATHY. Chronic Bronchitis. Cough and expectoration, but no pain produced by COUGH.-Troublesome at night. R. Solu. Morphine 31. Syr. Bal. Tolu. 2 oz. Mix. Dose a tea-spoon, at night on going to bed. HAWKING-with expectoration. Tubercular disease of the throat. HOOPING COUGH.-R. Cochineal pulv. 10 grs. Cream Tartar 30 grs. Sugar 1 oz. Hot water, half a pint. Mix. Dose-a tea-spoon 3 times a day-Specific. Purpura Hemorrhagica. R. Creosote half a minim (drops), alcohol a sufficient quantity to suspend it in an ounce and a half of mucilage, to be taken every six hours. In cases where the gums are bleeding, the following may be used frequently as a gargle. R. Creosote, half a drachm; alcohol, a sufficient quantity to unite it with twelve ounces of water. The Magnetic Poles and the Moon. earth and line of no variation advance from In 18 years the magnetic poles of the east to west 10°, in which time the moon's nodes perform an entire revolution in their retrogade motion from east to west. In 3 times 18 or 55 years, these poles and line of no-variation advance 30° in which time the nodes perform 3 revolutions. In 3 times 55 or 166 years, these poles and line of no-variation advance 90°, in which time the nodes perform 9 revolutions. In 4 times 166 or 666 years, these poles and line of no-variation perform an entire revolution of 360°, in which time also the nodes perform 36 revolutions. These numbers are all perfectly exact, as expressions of mean or true time and motion, and are applicable to the magnetic clock-work of the whole solar system, which shows that the retrogade motion of the moon's nodes is the consequence of the motion of our magnetic poles, at the same time that these poles are moved around the earth by the magnetic forces from the sun. It will be recollected by some of the readers of this Journal that in our Astro-Magnetic Almanac, for 1843, we demonstrated the annual rate of motion, and time of revolution of these poles and line of no-variation; a work which should have been continued for the present year, but which has been superseded by the claims of this Journal upon our time. Lon. 74° 01'08" W.-Lat. 40° 42′ 40′′-VaCity Hall, New York Jan. 1, 1844. riation, 6°33′ 11′′ W. THE DISSECTOR. Vol. I.] ARTICLE I. NEW-YORK, APRIL, 1844. [No. II. Some of these fibres were seen to be connected with the white and others with the grey substance, divided by a thin neurilema or membrane. Those in the white substance (fig. 1) were also seen to diverge from the centre, or great inferior ganglions (dd) to the Magnetic Organisation of the Human System. It has been truly said, that "life itself, is only known to us empirically. We acquire a knowledge of disease in the same way; and the same method is adopted in the cure;" and it may be doubted whether we shall ad-neurilema connected with the grey substance, vance much in a scientific knowledge of diseases, or of the remedies for them, until we first obtain a scientific knowledge of the organisation which constitutes animal life. We have a very accurate knowledge of the anatomical or animal organisation, but none whatever of the invisible motive powers which constitute animal life. Few, very few physicians ever had any conceptions of even the existence of such an organisation -yet there cannot be motive power without such organisation. We can see the ropes, the levers and the pulleys, by which motion is produced, but nothing of the spiritual, sympathetic and invisible forms that use them for the purposes of motion-yet it is on these forms in the different organs and other structures which the immaterial or spiritual powers of medicines act, and it was the obvious importance of a knowledge of these forms that induced us many years since, to commence an investigation of this subject which has at last resulted in a developement of their organisation. in the circumference of the brain, while those in the grey substance diverged from the circumference to the centre through the corpus collosum and great superior ganglions (p p). The diverging fibres were, therefore, found to connect the white, and the converging fibres the gray substance, which was seen to be a mechanical arrangement of the different fibres, with the different kinds of matter of the brain; for different kinds of matter maintain opposite forces, which are necessary to the production of motion. Having apparently traced the poles of those forces, we resolved to test their identity, and for this purpose it was necessary to know whether the magnetic forces would of themselves without artificial aid, take these forms under favorable circumstances; and for this purpose a circular plate of steel, eight inches in diameter, with a round hole in the middle of one inch, corresponding with a middle section of the brain, was placed on a pole of a large Galvanic Battery, covered with white paper, and iron filings strewed over it, when they were immediately arranged by the forces in the plate, in the manner seen in fig ure 2. We commenced with the brain, and traced by the direction of its fibres, an organisation representing five magnetic poles; two in the argans of causality, two in the organs of On applying the dipping needle to these amativeness, and a very large one in the cen- poles, that in the centre and those in the cirtre of the brain, requiring at least two mag-cumference at c c, were found to be positive, netic axes, which must cross each other in and those at dd, negative poles. When, the centre of that organ. however the order of magnetising on the different poles of the battery was reversed, the character of the pole in the centre was changed from a positive to a negative pole, and the positions of the positive aud negative poles in the circumference were also changed; the positive occupying the positions of the negative, and the negative those of the positive poles. The magnetic axes of the positive and that of the negative satellites cross each other in the centre of the open space in the inside of the disc, each forming two sides of an inverted plane triangle, the base of each of which, from the form of the disc, necessarily forming a spherical side of a triangle, and as the latter is in the circle of the disc, and as this disc is a middle section of a hollow sphere, it necessarily follows that when a hollow sphere or body, more or less round, is magnetised in the same manner, inverted cones are formed. For as the disc is a section of a sphere, so are the plane and spherical sides of the triangles, sections of inverted cones. This experiment was repeated eleven times on plates of from four to fifteen inches in diameter, and always with the same result. It may therefore be inferred to be constant. It presents one large and strong pole in the centre of the plate, and four smaller and weaker poles in the circumference, like those in the brain. There is here disclosed the existence of five poles united with two magnetic axes: one in the centre of the space in the centre, and four in the circumference of the plate, corresponding in the most exact manner seen in figwith those we had traced in the brain by the direction of its fibres, as ure 3, representing a horizontal section of the brain, through the organs of causality, a b, and amativeness, c d, in which the relative characters of the poles are reversed. |