PARIS.
1
1180 of the joints has occurred in the speaker’s cases in aged patients, but never in young ones. Prof. Steinmann, of Berne, stated that he had had bad results in operations of fractures of the femur, the mortality being 30 per cent. ; he spoke in favour of extension by pins. The third official theme concerned the Transfusion of Blood, the discussion being opened by Prof. Kiittner, of Breslau. He discussed the different methods, direct transfusion by anastomosis of the artery of the donor with the vein of the patient, and indirect transfusion of blood with an addition of 0-2 per cent. of citrate of sodium. By the latter method blood may be preserved for four weeks, a circumstance which had proved very useful during the war. He discussed blood groups and methods of testing them. The principal indication for transfusion was acute hæmorrhage ; in chronic haemorrhage it not only restored the quantity of blood but also acted as a styptic. Good results were obtained by transfusion in cholæmia and in pernicious anaemia ; in leukaemia, however, the results were doubtful, as also in septic processes and in cachexia. In poisoning with carbon monoxide and coal-gas, in pellagra, in melaena of newly- born children the results were satisfactory, but in haemorrhage from enteric fever, in Werlhof’s disease, in uraemia, and in eclampsia the results were not encouraging. In haemophilia the anastomosis between donor and patient was the specific treatment, and cannot be supplanted by indirect transfusion of blood with a citrate of sodium solution. In relapses the proceeding might be repeated without harm. In the discussion Prof. Anschutz, of Kiel, drew atten- tion to the favourable action of the pre-operative transfusion as a method of improving the resistance of the patients. Dr. Batzner, of Berlin, reported experiments carried out by him by which it was shown that the cause of death from haemorrhage was not the loss of blood itself, but an intoxication produced by an insufficient combustion of toxic products. By transfusion the product of toxic substances was diminished. PARIS. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Sydenham Celebration. IN his address on Thomas Sydenham, delivered before the French Academy of Medicine, Prof. A. Chauffard gave a scholarly account of the life and works of the great English physician, of which the following is a very brief resume. Thomas Sydenham was born on Sept. 10th, 1624, at Wynford Eagle, and passed his youth in the troublous times of Royalist and Parliamentary dissensions. The Sydenham family were staunch supporters of Cromwell. At the age of 18 Thomas Sydenham went to Oxford University, but political discords played havoc with his studies, and though he qualified Bachelor of Medicine in 1648, as the Civil Wars followed each other he was by turns student and Roundhead captain. In 1655 he married, and the following year set up in medical practice in Westminster. In 1659 Sydenham visited the Faculty of Montpelier, where he studied under a physician highly renowned at that time, Barbeyrac, an enthusiast for the school of Hippocrates which was followed at Montpelier, while Paris adhered to Galen. In 1661 he returned to work in London, three years before the Great Plague broke out. Sydenham’s action of leaving the " charnel house which London became " was the only regrettable incident of a noble life. At this time Sydenham produced the first of his works, the " Methodus Curandi Febris." " In this book," said Prof. Chauffard, " which is so personal a record, there are no quotations from authors, no burdens of erudition, nothing but clinical facts ... this is the pure Hippocratic traclition." The fevers which Sydenham observed were probably typhoid, typhus, aml malaria, rampant in the London of those days. In addition, Sydenham’s description of small-pox has remained a classic. In 1683 appeared what is perhaps his most famous work, the treatise on gout and dropsy, and three years later he described that condition since known as Sydenham’s chorea. In it conciseness the descrip- tion is perfect, and the work in which it was published was Sydenham’s last, for he ended the book by declaring that he had told all he knew concerning the treatment of diseases. " Is it not touching," cornments Prof. Chauffard, " to see this great observer himself recognising and admitting that he had reached the limits of his knowledge, and entering thus into the silence and the serenity of a man who, after long labour, considers his task as finished ? " Sydenham died on Dec. 29th, 1689, worn out by the two enemies which had long harassed him-gout and gravel. His own symptoms and sufferings from renal calculus he depicted with striking exactitude. Such was the life of Sydenham, chequered in youth by the civil discords of the times, but later a record of calm, unbroken work and devotion. He sought neither honours, nor public service, nor a professorial chair. Nor did he even hold a hospital appointment: he knew no other ambition than to examine his patients thoroughly, to tend them with his best skill, and to give the results of his observations to the medical public. Before everything, he was a great practitioner. Prof. Chauffard then discussed in greater detail the principal features of Sydenham’s work, and showed how, both in methods of observa- tion and in therapeutics, Sydenham " taught medical men to dare to think for themselves." Prophylaxis Agoixrst Measles. -Aleasles is particularly serious in the case of infants, as more than three-quarters of its victims are children who have not reached their second year, especially in the poor quarters of towns where the hygienic conditions are defective. The prophylactic injection of convalescent serum has been found, if not to give complete protection against measles, at least definitely to modify the disease. Dr. Robert Debre, who is trying to bring this method into wide- spread use, recently indicated to the Academy of Medicine the lines on which a centre might be organised to collect, prepare, and control the serum of convalescents. This centre would work in conjunction with the hospital services. Dr. Debre proposed that prophylactic centres against measles should be created throughout France, with the object of collecting the serum, of controlling its effectivity, and distributing the necessary doses. He suggested that this method might equally well be adopted in a fight against whooping-cough. NOTES FROM THE U.S.A. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) IOWA STATE MEDICAL SOCIETY : NEED FOR SOLIDARITY. THE seventy-third annual session of the Iowa State Medical Society was held at Des Moines, Iowa, on May 7th, 8th, and 9th. Dr. Oliver Fay, in his presi- dential address, spoke of the necessity for solidarity in the medical profession in the face of quackery and also unfair State interference, citing in the latter connexion the success of the profession in Great Britain in the recent panel controversy. Amongst a number of interesting papers read was one by Dr. Abt, of Chicago, on the Diseases of Twins. Referring to the rarity of investigation in this interesting field, Dr. Abt said that since Galton’s
Transcript of PARIS.
1180
of the joints has occurred in the speaker’s cases inaged patients, but never in young ones. Prof.Steinmann, of Berne, stated that he had had badresults in operations of fractures of the femur, themortality being 30 per cent. ; he spoke in favour ofextension by pins.The third official theme concerned the
Transfusion of Blood,the discussion being opened by Prof. Kiittner, ofBreslau. He discussed the different methods,direct transfusion by anastomosis of the artery ofthe donor with the vein of the patient, and indirecttransfusion of blood with an addition of 0-2 per cent.of citrate of sodium. By the latter method bloodmay be preserved for four weeks, a circumstancewhich had proved very useful during the war. Hediscussed blood groups and methods of testing them.The principal indication for transfusion was acutehæmorrhage ; in chronic haemorrhage it not onlyrestored the quantity of blood but also acted as astyptic. Good results were obtained by transfusionin cholæmia and in pernicious anaemia ; in leukaemia,however, the results were doubtful, as also in septicprocesses and in cachexia. In poisoning with carbonmonoxide and coal-gas, in pellagra, in melaena of newly-born children the results were satisfactory, but inhaemorrhage from enteric fever, in Werlhof’s disease,in uraemia, and in eclampsia the results were notencouraging. In haemophilia the anastomosis betweendonor and patient was the specific treatment, andcannot be supplanted by indirect transfusion of bloodwith a citrate of sodium solution. In relapses theproceeding might be repeated without harm. Inthe discussion Prof. Anschutz, of Kiel, drew atten-tion to the favourable action of the pre-operativetransfusion as a method of improving the resistanceof the patients. Dr. Batzner, of Berlin, reportedexperiments carried out by him by which it was shownthat the cause of death from haemorrhage was notthe loss of blood itself, but an intoxication producedby an insufficient combustion of toxic products.By transfusion the product of toxic substances wasdiminished.
PARIS.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
Sydenham Celebration.IN his address on Thomas Sydenham, delivered
before the French Academy of Medicine, Prof. A.Chauffard gave a scholarly account of the life andworks of the great English physician, of which thefollowing is a very brief resume. Thomas Sydenhamwas born on Sept. 10th, 1624, at Wynford Eagle, andpassed his youth in the troublous times of Royalistand Parliamentary dissensions. The Sydenhamfamily were staunch supporters of Cromwell. Atthe age of 18 Thomas Sydenham went to OxfordUniversity, but political discords played havocwith his studies, and though he qualified Bachelorof Medicine in 1648, as the Civil Wars followed eachother he was by turns student and Roundheadcaptain. In 1655 he married, and the followingyear set up in medical practice in Westminster.In 1659 Sydenham visited the Faculty of Montpelier,where he studied under a physician highly renownedat that time, Barbeyrac, an enthusiast for the schoolof Hippocrates which was followed at Montpelier,while Paris adhered to Galen. In 1661 he returnedto work in London, three years before the Great Plaguebroke out. Sydenham’s action of leaving the" charnel house which London became " was the onlyregrettable incident of a noble life. At this timeSydenham produced the first of his works, the" Methodus Curandi Febris." " In this book," saidProf. Chauffard, " which is so personal a record,there are no quotations from authors, no burdensof erudition, nothing but clinical facts ... this is
the pure Hippocratic traclition." The fevers whichSydenham observed were probably typhoid, typhus,aml malaria, rampant in the London of those days.In addition, Sydenham’s description of small-poxhas remained a classic.
In 1683 appeared what is perhaps his most famouswork, the treatise on gout and dropsy, and threeyears later he described that condition since knownas Sydenham’s chorea. In it conciseness the descrip-tion is perfect, and the work in which it was publishedwas Sydenham’s last, for he ended the book bydeclaring that he had told all he knew concerningthe treatment of diseases. " Is it not touching,"cornments Prof. Chauffard, " to see this great observerhimself recognising and admitting that he hadreached the limits of his knowledge, and enteringthus into the silence and the serenity of a man who,after long labour, considers his task as finished ? "
Sydenham died on Dec. 29th, 1689, worn out by thetwo enemies which had long harassed him-gout andgravel. His own symptoms and sufferings fromrenal calculus he depicted with striking exactitude.Such was the life of Sydenham, chequered in youth
by the civil discords of the times, but later a recordof calm, unbroken work and devotion. He soughtneither honours, nor public service, nor a professorialchair. Nor did he even hold a hospital appointment:he knew no other ambition than to examine hispatients thoroughly, to tend them with his best skill,and to give the results of his observations to themedical public. Before everything, he was a greatpractitioner. Prof. Chauffard then discussed ingreater detail the principal features of Sydenham’swork, and showed how, both in methods of observa-tion and in therapeutics, Sydenham " taught medicalmen to dare to think for themselves."
Prophylaxis Agoixrst Measles.-Aleasles is particularly serious in the case of infants,
as more than three-quarters of its victims are childrenwho have not reached their second year, especiallyin the poor quarters of towns where the hygienicconditions are defective. The prophylactic injectionof convalescent serum has been found, if notto give complete protection against measles, atleast definitely to modify the disease. Dr. RobertDebre, who is trying to bring this method into wide-spread use, recently indicated to the Academyof Medicine the lines on which a centre mightbe organised to collect, prepare, and control theserum of convalescents. This centre would workin conjunction with the hospital services. Dr. Debreproposed that prophylactic centres against measlesshould be created throughout France, with theobject of collecting the serum, of controlling itseffectivity, and distributing the necessary doses.He suggested that this method might equally wellbe adopted in a fight against whooping-cough.
NOTES FROM THE U.S.A.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
IOWA STATE MEDICAL SOCIETY : NEED FORSOLIDARITY.
THE seventy-third annual session of the Iowa StateMedical Society was held at Des Moines, Iowa, onMay 7th, 8th, and 9th. Dr. Oliver Fay, in his presi-dential address, spoke of the necessity for solidarityin the medical profession in the face of quackeryand also unfair State interference, citing in the latterconnexion the success of the profession in GreatBritain in the recent panel controversy.Amongst a number of interesting papers read was
one by Dr. Abt, of Chicago, on theDiseases of Twins.
Referring to the rarity of investigation in thisinteresting field, Dr. Abt said that since Galton’s
