1069

JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES.

L’Hygiène.--The September number of this admirableillustrated journal (MM. Manzi Toyant et Cie., 24 Boulevarddes Capucines, Paris) contains a very interesting article byDr. Horace Bianchon, entitled "Les Dispensaires d’HygioneSociale," in which he deplores the ravages of tuberculosis in France, and maintains the absolute necessity of foundingdispensaries at once for its prevention. An anonymousauthor, above the signature "XXX," contributes an interest-ing description of the epidemic of typhoid fever in Avignonlast year. Dr. Linossier writes with a clever blend of the

scientific and popular spirit upon what he terms alimentaryanaphylaxis ; Dr. Maurice de Fleury, Dr. Rochu-Mery, andDr. Henri Meurisse are among the other contributors.

M. Philéas Gilbert contributes the usual article on the

cuisine of the month.

The American Journal of Tropical Diseases and PreventiveMedicine. New Orleans : The American Journal of TropicalDiseases Company, Limited. Subscription (countries in thePostal Union),$2.50 a year; single copies, 20 cents.-Wehave received the August and September numbers (Vol. I.,Nos. 2 and 3) of this new periodical, edited by Dr. CreightonWellman, which is the official organ of the American

Society of Tropical Medicine. We commented in THE LANCETof August 23rd. p. 579, on an article that appeared in thefirst number. The numbers now before us consist largely ofpapers read before the last meeting of the association. In

the August number Dr. Victor G. Heiser writes on FurtherExperiences with Beri-beri in the Philippine Islands ; MajorWeston P. Chamberlain, U.S. Army Medical Corps, on theCharacter of the Rice which Prevents Beri-beri and the

Manner in which it is Milled ; Dr. Creighton Wellman andDr. C. C. Bass on Polyneuritis Gallinarum caused by DifferentFoodstuffs, with Special Reference to the Effect of Com-mercial Rice Coating on Neuritis Production, in which theauthors arrive at the final conclusion, as the result of a seriesof experiments, that "there is more argument against the saleof these common articles of diet, sago, Irish potatoes, and cornstarch, than there is against the sale of rice, polished ’ or’unpolished,’ milled or undermilled " ; Dr. Carl Lovelace onPeripheral Neuritis in the Amazon Valley; Dr. Bailey K.Ashford on Sprue in Porto Rico and the Results of Treatmentby Yellowed Santonin, in which the conclusion is arrived atthat santonin does not seem to be superior to a carefully super-vised diet, especially a milk diet ; and Dr. Juan Guiteras onthe White Race and the Tropics. In the September numberMajor Eugene R. Whitmore, U.S. Army Medical Corps,discusses Free-living and Parasitic Amosbse and their Rela-tion to Dysentery; Edward 0. Jordan, Ph.D., writes on

Disease Carriers among School Children (a paper read beforethe International Congress on School Hygiene, Buffalo, Sep-tember, 1913) ; Frederick Knab on Anopheles and Malaria ;Dr. Parker Hitchens on Serums and Vaccines in the Pre-vention and Treatment of Undulant Fever ; Dr. Charles C.Bass and Dr. Foster M. Johns on the Cultivation of MalarialPlasmodia (Plasmodium Falciparum) in Vitro in the Bloodof a Diabetic without the Addition of Dextrose, in whichit is shown that whatever influence dextrose-and thisseems to be essential for the cultivation of malarial plas.modia in vitro-has on such cultures may also be pro-duced by the blood sugar of diabetes. A curious case isrecorded of a diabetic of three years’ standing who last

July contracted malaria in Central America. The feverand malaria persisted in this case in spite of suffi-cient quinine to control the usual case of malaria.The authors suggest that this may have been influenced

by the increased amount of dextrose in the bloodstream.

Reports and Analytical RecordsFROM

THE LANCET LABORATORY.

(1) RHODALZID; (2) PERUGEN; (3) VESICÆSAN; AND (4) SILVERNITRATE AMPOULES.

(CHEMISCHE FABRIK REISHOLZ, AGENTS, REITMEYER AND CO.,63, CRUTCHED FRIARS, LONDON, E.C.)

I 1. Rhodalzid is a combination of the thiocyanate group withalbumin, which it is suggested replaces the ordinary thio-cyanates with therapeutic advantage. The thiocyanateshave been used in medical practice for the acute pains oftabes and also in arterio-sclerosis and migraine. They appear,in fact, to have a definite analgesic action, but some

observers have stated that the inorganic thiocyanates orsulpho-cyanides have a disturbing effect upon the alimentarytract and rhodalzid is the outcome of these observations. It

is, in short, an organic thiocyanate which is said to,

be free from secondary effects. There is a suggestionthat the presence of thiocyanate in the saliva is opposedto caries, and the thiocyanates have been used in

caries and stomatitis. Rhodalzid is hygroscopic, the tablets.submitted to us being quite soft, but apparently this

does not lead to decomposition. Rhodalzid strikes a fine redchestnut colour with ferric salts. The tablets yielded no.mineral salts on incineration, so we may conclude thatmetallic thiocyanates were absent. 2. Perugen is describedas a synthetic balsam of Peru. It contains at least 60 percent. of cinnamein, the normal constituent of the naturalproduct. It is employed in skin diseases depending uponthe attack of a parasite. It has been used particularlyin scabies and as an antiseptic for wounds. In these

applications, however, the natural product has been known.to produce disturbance of the kidney function, albuminappearing in the urine. For perugen it is definitelyclaimed that no such action occurs. 3. Vesicaesan is

prepared from the leaves of uva ursi, the decoction

having had some repute in the treatment of chronic

cystitis and vesical catarrh. The leaves contain a

definite crystalline principle arbutin which is a glucoside.Vesicassan is prepared by a special process of extraction bywhich certain principles which are irritating in the digestivetract or the kidney are eliminated. In addition, vesicassanis much more acceptable to the palate than the ordinaryinfusion of bearberry leaves. 4. We have examined the-

contents of the silver nitrate ampoules, the solution being-prepared at a definite strength suitable for application as aprophylactic in ophthalmological practice. The solution

being hermetically sealed keeps the desired strength. Withthe ampoule is supplied a pipette which is plugged loosely atits pointed end with a wad of cotton-wool. The cotton-wool

projects somewhat, so that in applying the drops to the eyeany contact of the glass edge of the pipette ought to beavoided.

BAD EMS SALTS.

(HERTZ AND CO., 9, MINCING-LANE, LONDON, E.C.)The salts of the thermal springs at Ems in Hessen-Nassau,

Germany, are quite simple in character. They consist

principally of sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride.Other salts occur, but in smaller quantities. Routine treat--

ment at the spa has shown the value of these waters chieflyin catarrhal affections of the mucous membranes. Further,the decided alkalinity of the water probably accounts for thefavourable results recorded in rheumatism and urinarydisorders. A recent development has taken place at Emsin the installation of a plant which evaporates the watersin vacuo and produces a powder containing the active salts

of the natural waters. We have examined a samp!e of this