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sleep. Two days later there was manifest rigidity of themuscles of the jaw, and this was quickly followed by verysevere general tetanus. The treatment of the case is the

most interesting part of it. Dr. Hunt has had favourable

experience of the usefulness of zinc salts in chorea, whichhe believes to be due to some morbid condition in the basal

ganglia. Similarly, he suggests that tetanus may be due

to a paralysis of a moto-inhibitory mechanism in the sameganglia and he conceived that similar treatment mightbe efficacious. Accordingly, sulphate of zinc was admin-

istered in steadily increasing doses, until as much as

two scruples were being given every six hours. There was no

vomiting or other inconvenience and nothing unusual wasnoticed except a certain amount of anæmia. Opium was alsoused very freely by the mouth. Under this treatment the

patient recovered, but it should be mentioned that antisepticdressings and irrigation were assiduously used to the stumpin which the mischief started. The case is very interestingand we congratulate Dr. Hunt on the result. Whether itsfavourable result was due to the zinc or the opium or theattention which was given to the stump it is difficult to say,and Dr. Hunt is not dogmatic on the subject. It is not easyto apportion to each means its share in the result, but it isat least significant that the zinc salt, even in the large dosesin which it was given, failed to produce the nauseating effectswhich are usually expected from it, and its apparent efficacyin one case of a grave and usually fatal condition should notbe lost sight of in the treatment of similar cases in the future.

THE SPECIAL TRAINING OF NURSES FORCHOLERA.

THERE can be no doubt that, whether we in England do ordo not escape from a visitation of cholera during the presentepidemic, we must leave nothing undone to ensure our beingready to meet and to deal with the disease should it in-

vade our shores. Of hospital accommodation, so far, atall events, as the London district is concerned, we shall

probably have enough for the pressing needs of the popula-tion which would quickly follow upon an outbreak of cholerain the metropolis. However, it is not improbable thatunless we at once set to work to prevent such an eventwe may suddenly find ourselves with cholera in our midstand a pressing want of nurses properly trained to meet theemergency. Were this to happen we should only have our-selves to blame, for both the nurses and the teachers requiredto train them are to be had in sufficient numbers if only pres-sure is applied in the right way and in the right quarters. It

does not appear reasonable to pause in a time of danger, toconsider seriously whether cholera spreads by means ofhuman intercourse. It is practically admitted on all handsthat it is chiefly by this means that cholera is now

spreading over Europe and Asia. Without, however,going into matters controversial in nature, we desire to

point out the urgent need there is for the prompt andthorough training of nurses in sufficient numbers to

meet any emergency which might be caused by a

sudden outburst of this plague in England. It is not

necessary for us to point out that it is in dealing withsporadic cases of cholera that the greatest care is required ;and it is not unreasonable to teach that by proper attentionto the first victims of the disease an outbreak of it in epi- ’’,demic form might be altogether prevented. It is absolutelycertain that efficient medical men and trained nurses areboth necessary for this purpose. We are strongly of opinionthat classes should at once be opened for the teachingof nurses already trained in ordinary work for the specialwork which they would be called upon to do were cholera tocome upon us. This special training of nurses should be con-fided to men who have themselves had practical experienceof cholera, and who have shown by their published

work that they have given thought to what should bedone to prevent, if possible, the spread of that disease ina community, and in any event to limit to the utmost its,ravages. If full benefit is to be secured from the provision,we have suggested, it cannot be too earnestly insisted onthat the plan must be carried out immediately. Should we’

happily, as was our good fortune during the last Europeanepidemic, escape a visitation of cholera, no harm will havebeen done by our taking all necessary steps to meet anyemergency.

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"CURES" FOR INEBRIETY.

IT may interest our readers to know that Dr. Keeley has.issued a writ against the Editors of THE LANCET, claimingdamages for libel. Our solicitors have of course acceptedservice of the process.

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EARTHWORMS AS CARRIERS OF INFECTIVEGERMS.

TUBERCULOSIS may be (,tittused in many ways, as bacterioo-

logical research is constantly reminding us. Its bacilli may,be stored and spread by subsoil worms, according to aseries of experimental studies lately completed by MM. Lortet.and Despeignes. These worms, for several months and invarious parts of their organism, can preserve the bacilli inquestion and reconvey them to the surface of the ground.Early in their researches MM. Lortet and Despeignes were:confronted with the objection that in garden soils, in.

which worms abound, the bacilli of septicaemia, great innumber and in activity, are also met with-bacilli which,on experiment by inoculation, are capable of developing,fatal disease, prior to the tuberculous process. This

objection, however, they were able to dispose of by havingrecourse to a dry, silicious earth passed through a fine sieve,in which bacilli are not to be found ; while their next stepwas to place the tuberculous substance at the bottom ofvases filled with this earth, on the surface of which theysprinkled a layer of white and very pure sand ; and finally,they covered everything with a sheet of paper. After a few

days the worms which were concealed in the earth at thebottom of these vases came up and deposited their intes- tinal evacuations on the sand-evacuations which MM.

Lortet and Despeignes succeeded in collecting withoutrisk of contamination, and in finally inoculating in a

number of guinea-pigs. In consequence of these inocu-lations there was developed in the guinea-pigs a gene-rally diffused, very distinctly marked tuberculosis. The

experiment, far from a complex one, was successful in

demonstrating that earthworms can reconvey to the surfaoe -of the soil not only the products of their digestion, but alsotogether with these, the bacilli of tuberculosis in full posses-sion of their infective virulence. A similar fact, it will be re-membered, was established by M. Pasteur in his bacteriologicalstudies on charbon. For this latter disease, therefore, andin no less degree for that of tuberculosis, it is conclusivelyindicated that their infective debris should not be consigned.to the subsoil without complete destruction of their germs.Unless this destroying process has been practised such debrismay be seized upon by earthworms stored in their organismsand reconveyed to the surface, to become again the source ofa new contagion.

FOREIGN UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.

Chicago (Rush Medical College).-Dr. A. C. Cotton has.

been appointed to the Professorship of the Diseases ofChildren.

Florence.—Professor P. Grocco of Pisa has been appointeclf,Professor of Clinical Medicine.

Gratz.—Dr. Carl von Rokitansky of Vienna has been,appointed to the chair of Midwifery and Gynaecology.