Excerpt from Medical Analectic, Vol. 4: A Monthly Epitome of Progress in All Divisions of Medico-Chirurgical Practice

The appetite improves, the strength returns, and the body-weight increases. These phenomena follow a checking of suppuration and septicæmia. In some cases also it checked a diarrhoea which was present, while in others it seemed to cause a constipation, which had to be overcome by laxatives. The treatment in some cases produces colicky pains, which in one instance were so severe as to necessitate a cessation of treatment. This patient had advanced hemorrhoidal trouble and fissure of the anus. De la Roche has in some cases replaced the sulphurous water by the essence of eucalyptus. By varying the medicinal substances he believes the method of Bergeon applicable to numerous affections, whether of parasitic (microbic) or nervous origin. He does not think all tuberculous subjects should be treated this way. Where both lungs are extensively invaded and much dyspnoea is present, he considers the treatment unwarrantable.

Reid (J.) on Drumine - A New Australian Local Anæsthetic. - Dr. Schomburgh of the Adelaide Botanical Gardens determined the species and order to be Euphorbia Drummondii, N. O. Euphorbiaceoe. He uses the hydrochlorate of the alkaloid which he calls drumine, which is very soluble in water, and calls it drumini chloridum. Crystals deposited from the hydrochloric solution are circular or boat-shaped at the circumference, and stellate, or perhaps more correctly, discs, as if formed of concentric circles, and with radiating or other fissures. They are colorless, and under high power of the microscope, the acicular crystals are in some cases rhomboid in shape. Dr. Schomburgh asserts that a great many sheep and cattle are annually killed by the plant, which is more poisonous according to the quantity of milky juice it contains. From farmers it is learned that sheep, bullocks, and horses die in from twenty-four hours to seven days after eating it, all presenting paralyzed extremities, some hang the head as if tipsy, while appetite does not seem to be impaired. At first the weed is avoided and eaten only on account of extreme hunger, but afterwards it is sought after and eaten with great avidity. One gentleman has seen yellow eyes occurring with some jaundice.

The author has experimented as much as the limited amount of the drug at his disposal would permit. On cats he finds that it acts very speedily as a local anæsthetic, whether injected hypodermically or applied to the mucous membranes of the eye, nose, throat, etc. When given in large doses (gr. xx.), added to the local effect, there are general symptoms of a narcotic nature The animal tolerates blows and does not resent handling, hangs head as if inebriated, has a stupid stare, shows no desire for food or drink, evacuates bladder when it is full, rarely evacuates bowels (probably because eats nothing). The breathing after large doses is slow and difficult. The seeming paresis of the extremities after large doses the author thinks more likely due to sensory than motor paralysis. In no case did convulsions follow the use of the drug. Introduced into the eye it produces speedy anæsthesia of the cornea and conjunctiva, does not affect the pupil or fundus oculi. It causes some lachrymation but no inflammation. Strychnia has very little if any antagonistic effect, but the author thinks that the drug (drumine) fortifies animals against chloroform. The post-mortem appearances are not significant.

The author found that on himself, when locally applied, it abolished general sensation and the sense of taste from the side of the tongue to which it was applied.

He has made a few therapeutical trials of the drug. He records the permanent relief of a chronic sciatica by the hypodermic injection of gr. ⅙, on two successive days. In facial neuralgia he has used it locally, and introduced it into the eye with success.

He re...