composition of this highly advertised cough syrup, we purchased an unopened bottle, and our chemist, H. W. Snow, submitted it to examination. It comes in a square, deeply-paneled bottle, with red label and black lettering, giving uses and directions both in German and in English. The bottle contains a full three-fluid ounces, of a light-brown, slightly fluorescent liquid. We proved absence of alkaloids-hence morphia, opium, ipecac and lobelia cannot be present-and also proved absence of tartar emetics. It contains large quantities of glycerin, syrup, and tar, also wild-cherry bark. The following formula makes a preparation scarcely to be distinguished from the original preparation :

Take of

Take of

Camphor...

Opium

Benzoin

Dried squills..

Oil of anise seed.

.10 dr.

.1 oz.

.1 oz.

GREEN MOUNTAIN SALVE.

2 oz.

Take of

Alcohol

.1 oz.

.5 lb.

Resin..

12 pt.

Burgundy pitch

Beeswax

. lb. 4 lb.

Mutton tallow

lb. .1 oz.

1 oz.

1 oz.

1 oz.

.1 oz.

. oz.

1 oz.

Substitutes for the Cinchona Alkaloids in

Malarial Diseases.-Continued.

Soymida febrifuga is an East-Indian bark that has gained a reputation as an excellent substitute for cinchona, but fell into desuetude when the price of the latter was brought within reasonable limits. While such East-Indian practitioners as Roxburgh, Duncan and Breton-as well as many others of lesser note-thought well of it, O'Shaughnessy considered it of very questionable efficacy.

Strychnos Nux Vomica.-The bark of this tree, as well as its nuts,-the latter the source of ordinary nux vomica,―undoubtedly possesses considerable febrifugal power, but Waring regards its use inadmissible when there is either congestion of liver or spleen or any cerebral compli

cations.

Strychnin.-Nash reports 37 cases of malarial fever treated by strychnin in the Regimental Hospital, Gaol, and Civil Dispensary, Mercara, India, with a percentage of 75 in favor of strychnin over quinin in the period of recovery.

Sunflower.-Filatoff warmly praises the efficacy of a tincture of sunflower stems made with corn-brandy (1 to 8) in tablespoonful doses three times daily. Many Russian physicians uphold this treatment, and it has acquired a definite status in many parts of southern Russia and in Siberia.

Sweet-flag (Acorus calamus) was formerly held in high estimation, and it is still a popular remedy in southern Europe and tropical Asia.

Synthetics. Antipyrin; Acetanilid. Latterly, in some quarters, the treatment of malarial disorders by means of the synthetics, and more particularly the synthetic antipyretics, had been loudly advocated. Pampoukis, of Athens, states that antipyrin and acetanilid have been extensively used by Greek physicians in all malarial disorders with satisfactory results in shortening the duration and mitigating

He

the intensity of the febrile stage. personally prefers antipyrin. On the other hand, Harley, who appears to have employed the cold-tar antipyretics in a number of cases, regards acetanilid as the superior drug, because, as he asserts, of its greater power in reducing temperature and the absence of after-effects.

Cucco employed phenocoll hydrochlorate, another synthetic remedy, in 84 cases of malarial fever, giving the drug a few hours after the anticipated attack; in 52 cases the result was satisfactory; in 21 doubtful; in 4 an absolute failure; and in the remainder no definite conclusion could be reached. Olio states that phenocoll does not appear to have any potent antipyretic properties as regards fever in general, but considers it as effective in the malarial state and succeeds in a certain number of cases where quinin absolutely fails, which he regards of importance if only from the fact that difficulty might arise in obtaining a supply of quinin equal to the demand, while phenocoll is producible in any quantity. Quirogne, from experiments made in Algiers, concludes that phenocoll is no substitute for quinin in malarial disorders, but may be made a valuable adjunct thereto by reason of its analgesic properties; yet even very moderate doses are apt to cause symptoms of collapse.

METHYLENE-BLUE deserves, apparently, to be placed in much the same category as phenocoll. Laveran made a study of the blood of pigeons treated with injections of methylen-blue, and failed to find any changes in the hematozoa, which are closely allied to those found in man; and a study of two cases of malaria along the same lines was equally negative.

Tannin.-Leriche speaks highly of tannin in doses of from 20 to 30 grains, according to the intensity of the disease, when taken three hours before the paroxysm. Two or three doses, it is claimed, are usually sufficient to effect a cure, and it may be necessary to exhibit 60 or even 75 grains at once. The fact may be recalled that galls are a favorite Hindoo remedy for intermittents, and possessed of some efficacy, doubtless, tho slight. It is important to note, however, all things being equal, that it requires a remedy of twice the strength of that employed by the Hindoo to procure a like effect upon the Caucasian. Unfortunately, the medical profession have become so accustomed to regard tannin as an astringent purely, that its other excel

lent remedial qualities have been entirely lost sight of.

Turpentine is another old-time remedy for low, continued, and inflammatory fevers of all types, the utility of which, in tropical remittents and intermittents, but few seem to realize. Shapter asserts that in the third or last stage of tropical remittent, in doses of 30 minims, it is one of the most safe and useful remedies that can be employed, and that it almost immediately controls the character of the symptoms and changes entirely the character of the alvine secretions. Ward found it of great advantage in the management of the malarial fevers of Ceylon in doses of from 30 to 60 minims, given with sufficient castor-oil to act as a cathartic, and at the commencement of the cold stage; this he repeated before each succeeding cold stage, and frequently found that no other treatment was required.

Zinc Oxid.-In the fevers of Barbadoes Hendy found oxid of zinc, in doses of 2 to 5 grains, effectual when cinchona and other remedies had failed. Sir Gilbert Blanc bears equally-strong testimony regarding the drug.

Zinc Sulfate.-This salt has also been employed with success. The late Joseph Brown was accustomed to use it in pill form with ginger and conserve, giving two pills, each containing 3 grains of zinc sulfate, thrice daily during the intermission, gradually increasing as the stomach would bear it. He held zinc sulphate as second in value only to arsenic as an antiperiodic. McGrigor gave it to the soldiers in Spain and Portugal during the Peninsular War, to the extent of 30 grains daily, with great success.-DR. C. E. DE M. SAJOUS, in Monthly Cyclopedia of Practical Medicine. Some Observations on Brain Anatomy and Brain Tumors.

Dr. William C. Krauss, of Buffalo, in a recent paper called attention (1) to the difficulty in remembering the gross anatomy of the brain, and (2) to the almost universal presence of optic neuritis in cases of brain tumor. He attempted to overcome the difficulty in regard to the anatomy of the brain by formulating the following rules, which are somewhat unique and original, and at the same time easily remembered.

Rule of Two. 1. The nerve centers are divided into two great divisions, (1) encephalon, (2) myelon. 2. The encephalon is divided into two subdivisions, (1) cere

brum, (2) cerebellum. 3. The cerebrum, cerebellum and myelon are divided into two hemispheres each, (1) right, (2) left. 4. The encephalon is indented by two great fissures, (1) longitudinal, (2) transverse. 5. Into these two great fissures there dip two folds of the dura, (1) falx cerebri, (2) tentorium cerebelli. 6. There are two varieties of brain matter, (1) white, (2) gray. Rule of Three. 1. There are three layers of membranes surrounding the brain, (1) dura, (2) arachnoid, (3) pia. 2. Each hemisphere is indented by three major fissures, (1) sylvian, (2) rolandic or central, (3) parieto-occipital. 3. Three lobes, frontal, temporal and occipital, on their convex surface are divided into three convolutions each, superior, middle and inferior, or 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. 4. There are three pairs of basal ganglia, (1) striata, (2) thalami, (3) quadrigemina. 5. The hemispheres of the brain are connected by three commissures, (1) anterior, (2) medi, (3) post-commissure. 6. The cerebellum consists of three portions, (1) right, (2) left hemisphere, (3) vermes. 7. There are three pairs of cerebellar peduncles, (1) superior, (2) middle, (3) inferior. 8. The number of pairs of cranial nerves, in the classifications of Willis and Sommering, can be determined by adding 3 to the number of letters in each name: that of Willis making 9, and that of Sommering making 12, (or the name containing the more letters has the larger number of pairs of nerves, and vice versa.) 9. The cortex of the cerebellum is divided into three layers of cells, (1) granular, (2) Purkinje's cells, (3) a molecular layer.

Rule of Five. 1. Each hemisphere is divided externally into five lobes, of which four are visible, (1) frontal, (2) parietal, (3) temporal, (4) occipital; and one invisible, (5) insula (Isle of Reil). Roughly speaking, the visible lobes correspond to the bones of the cranium: that is, the frontal lobe is underneath the frontal bone, the parietal lobe beneath the parietal bone, etc. 2. The brain contains five ventricles, of which four are visible-the right and left, or 1st and 2nd, the 3rd and the 4th; and one invisible, the 5th or pseudoventricle. 3. The cortex of the brain contains 5 distinct layers of ganglion cells.

Studying carefully 100 cases of brain tumor, in which an opthalmoscopic examination had been made for the presence or absence of choked disc (optic neuritis),

Dr. Krauss announced the following conclusions:

1. Optic neuritis is present in about 90 per cent. of all cases of brain tumor.

2. It is more often present in cerebral than in cerebellar cases.

3. The location of the tumor exerts little influence over the appearance of the papillitis.

4. The size and nature of the tumor exerts but little influence over the production of the papillitis.

5. Tumors of slow growth are less inclined to be accompanied with optic neuritis than those of rapid growth.

6. It is probable that unilateral choked disc is indicative of disease in the hemisphere corresponding to the eye involved.

7. It is doubtful whether increased intracranial pressure is solely and alone responsible for the production of an optic neuritis in cases of brain tumor-The Philadelphia Medical Journal.

Theoretical Considerations in Regard to the Treatment of Typhoid Fever.

The

The asserted success of a method recently exploited for the cure of typhoid fever has led to a great deal of loose reasoning as to its method of action. essential point of the method is the combination of purgatives, intended to remove a part of the intestinal contents, with antiseptics which will prevent fermentation of the remainder. The originator of the treatment seems to assume that the essential anatomy of typhoid lies in the intestinal contents. That this is not the fact is a

commonplace of ordinary clinical experience. In certain cases it is possible by careful regulation of diet to avert tympanites and abdominal distress, and to reduce the intestinal discharges to one or two movements entirely normal in color, odor and consistence.

Yet such happy result will not interfere with a typical course of the disease. That a patient with typhoid is the better for a sterile intestine is not denied. Just so is he better for moderate temperature, for a strong pulse, for regular sleep. The point insisted on is that intestinal antiseptics, as such, will no more cure typhoid fever than will cold baths, cardiac stimulants or hypnotics.

Any drug taken into the system must act on the disease either after it is absorbed into the blood, or by local application to the lymphatics of the intestinal wall and mesentery. From analogy it seems un

likely that much would be accomplished by the local application of any remedy. Constitutional ulcers elsewhere, for example the syphilitic and the diabetic, are little influenced by local measures. Furthermore all practical men realize how very difficult it is to sterilize an infected mucous membrane. For example, the Klebs-Loffler bacilli have been known to persist in the throat of a convalescent in spite of weeks of energetic swabbing and spraying.

These considerations make it unlikely that any such drug as guaiacol can have any great influence on the course of the disease except as it circulates in the blood and shows toward the germ, or its products, some such specific relation as quinin has for the plasmodium malariæ. The determination of such specific effect will rest on clinical observation, and the only man who is entitled to a hearing on the subject is the man who has tried the drug and has witnessed its success or its failure as the case may be.-The Charlotte Medical Journal.

Acute Bronchitis.

There is probably no condition the physician is so often called upon to treat without the opportunity of examining the patient as acute bronchitis. In such cases all he knows is furnished second hand, and amounts to "he or she has a cough."

Hence, the necessity of having a "stock prescription" for such patients that will do. the greatest good to the greatest number; one that is easy to remember and easy to proportion the dose according to the age of the patient. The following fully meets all requirements: