paris

1227PARIS.-CANADA.

Martin, D.D , Mr. Adam Dutnn, LL.B , the President of theNorth of Ireland Branch of the British Medical Association,the President and Secretaries of the Medical Students’ Asso-ciation, and the President and Secretaries of the UlsterMedical Society. The honorary secretaries will shortly drawap and circulate a letter inviting subscriptions, to which it iscertain that Dr. Redfern’s very numerous pupils, scattered allover the United Kingdom and the Colonies, will gladlyrespond.

Belfast Dispensary Appointments.Belfast Dispensary Appointments.At a meeting of the Belfast Dispensary Committee held on

Monday for the election of three medical officers the follow-’ing gentlemen were appointed : Dr. Alexander, Dr. Jamisonand Dr. Fulton. Before the election the enclosed resolutionwas discussed and passed by a large majority:-" That nogentleman holding any medical appointment under the BelfastDispensary District will under any circumstances whateverbe permitted to reside out of his sub-district, nor will he be:allowed to open any shop for the supply of medicines toother than private patients during the tenure of his office asmedical officer; and that in case of a breach of this resolutionhe will be called upon to resign, and in case of refusal will beperemptorily dismissed.’’May 16th.

________________

PARIS.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

A Clinical Temperature Alar2inz.AN ingenious Frenchman-M. Tavernier by name-has

recently invented an apparatus for registering a rise of tem-perature through friction in any part of a machine or in amass of grain through fermentation. The apparatus consistsof a small metallic bulb half-filled with ether, the bulb beinghermetically sealed by a corrugated cover. Any elevation oftemperature in the medium in which the bulb is placedcauses, through the expansion of the ether vapour, a

straightening out of the cover, which is then made to com-plete an electric circuit working an electric bell. Somemedical friend has doubtless told M. Tavernier that in certaindiseases-rheumatic fever, to wit-the discovery of hyper-pyrexia suddenly produced is of the utmost importance.Nothing can be easier than to fix his bulb in the axilla of thepatient, any sudden rise in whose body-heat is announced bythe ringing of the bell and the consequent rush of alarmednurses and students to the rescue. Bat the inventor goeseven further and dreams of a time when a whole series of

patients in a ward shall wear his apparatus tucked in theirarmpits, each bulb being connected with a numbered in-dicator placed in the salle de garde, or house surgeon’s room.The dresser or house physician will then only have to lift his<eyes from his plate and read on the indicator the intelligencethat No. 5 or 6 in such and such a ward has transgressed thelimits of temperature. When will these halcyon days dawnupon us ? ?

Essences as Antiseptics.M. Lucas-Championniere has recently, in his wards at

Saint-Louis, given a trial to certain essences-such as essenceof canella-as substitutes for carbolic acid, sublimate solu-tion &c. In this connexion I may remind the readers of THELANCET that M Chamberland has proved experimentally inhis laboratory the superiority of canella over even corrosivesublimate in antiseptic power. Being only slightly soluble inwater, the essence of canella is irritating to the skin. Retinolhas accordingly been utilised as a solvent, the solution thusobtained being at 1 per cent. devoid of all irritable properties.The essence of canella thus used must, however, be rectified,when it bears the name of cinnamol. An ointment composedof cinnamol, retinol and wax has been found to promotehealing in aseptic wounds. Similar successful experimentshave been made by M. Lucas-Championniere with the essencesof vervain and geranium. It was noticed that absorptionevidently took place, proof of it being discovered on analysingthe urine.

Mediterranean F’ever. ,

In the Annales de l’Institut Pasteur Dr. David Bruce ldescribes an affection which prevails throughout a large

‘

portion of the Mediterranean littoral and which, according to ahim, who has made a long and careful study of it atMalta, is quite distinct from typhoid fever and malaria. 1

Clinically it reveals itself by fever, profuse perspiration and J

constipation, and it is accompanied with or followed by sharp (

pains, either of a rheumatic or neuralgic type, with swellingof the joints or of the testes. It lasts generally several weeks.Post mortem there are found enlargement of the spleen andparenchymatous changesinseveral organs. Peyer’s patches arenormal; neither the plasmodia of Laveran nor Eberth’s bacillusare present. The prognosis is comparatively favourable, onlyabout 2 per cent. of the sufferers succumbing. The etiologyof the disease remains a mystery, but Dr. Bruce succeeded solong ago as 1887 in isolating the microbe peculiar to it. Tothis micro-organism he has given the name "micrococcusMeliteusis. " It is a slightly oval micrococcus, found singly,rarely in pairs and never in chains. It has no power of

spontaneous movement. The discoverer has always found itin the spleen and frequently in the liver and kidneys of thosewho have died of the disease. On one occasion puncture ofthe spleen during life yielded specimens. Pure cultures havebeen obtained in gelatinised beef bouillon. Attempts atcultivation on potato have failed. Pure cultures inoculatedinto mice, guinea-pigs and rabbits gave only negative results.Of seven monkeys inoculated four died after having presentedthe same symptoms as the human being, and the microbewas found post mortem in their organs. The other threemonkeys recovered after prolonged illness.

Disinfection of Paris Fever Nests.’ The asile de nuit represents in this capital the Londonworkhouse. The recent typhus fever epidemic teaches suffi-ciently the r&ocirc;le that these "tramps’ barracks " may play inthe propagation of disease. In Paris they are eighteen innumber, three belonging to the municipality, four to theSociete de 1’Hospitalite de Nuit, the same number to theSociete Philanthropique, whilst the remaining seven werefounded by divers philanthropists. A very sensible measurehas just been decided upon by the Comite d’Hygiene et deSalubrite de la Seine in connexion with these refuges. Everyevening special vans will be despatched to each asile. Theywill convey the clothing of all the newcomers to the municipaldisinfecting ovens. In the morning they will be broughtback, after having undergone a thorough disinfecting process.At bedtime nightshirts previously disinfected will be distri-buted to the inmates.May 16th.

_________________

CANADA.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Regulations regarding Cholera.THE Provincial Board of Health, Ontario, has, under date

April 11th, issued a series of regulations with referenceto cholera which have been approved of by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council. Provision is made for the appoint-ment of medical inspectors should the disease appear onthis continent, and their duties are defined ; instructionis also given as to the isolation of cases, the detentionof suspects and the proper disposal of the dead. PamphletNo. 1, 1893, is also issued as a guide for the propercarrying out of these regulations. The board recently hada series of lectures delivered upon the subject of cholera,with the view of having a staff of medical men fully pre-pared to deal with an outbreak of the disease should suchunfortunately occur. Certainly, so far as Ontario is con-cerned, the board is prepared for prompt and efficient action.Dr. illontizambert, the officer in charge of the Dominion quaran-tine stations, has, it is stated, accommodation for nearly500 cabin and 2000 intermediate passengers, and a landingplace has been provided at Louise Dock, Quebec, for the con-venience of passengers from vessels with a clean bill of health.There they will be granted certificates of disinfection, as theGovernment are providing the necessary apparatus for suchbeing done.

Medical Appointments in Toronto.Professor Charles Sheard (Trinity) has been appointed

Medical Health Officer for the City of Toronto at a salary of$3000 per annum. Dr. Uzziel Ogden, Professor of Gyn2ecology,has been elected Dean of the Medical Faculty, University ofToronto, in succession to Professor W. T. Aikins. Dr. G.Sterling Ryerson, Professor of Ophthalmology and Otology,Trinity Medical College, Toronto, was recently returned at aby-election as the third representative for Toronto in theLocal Legislature by some 500 majority over Dr. W. W.Ogden, late Professor of Jurisprudence, University of Toronto.