Vol. 60, 1909 - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

REVIEW OF SOUTHERN MEDICAL LITERATURE. 113
lessens the risk of getting a large dose sud- The Southern Practitioner, June, 1909.
denly inspired during the stage of excite-
Eczema and Its Trealmcnt.-Dr. R. W.
ment, which is the most dangerous time.
^^^^ ^^^^ ^^.^ j,^^^ ^^.^^^^^ ^y,,^ jj3 ^^^^^^
It has been shown that most deaths from
^-^^^^^ ^^ ^„ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^,,^^„i^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^_
anesthetics occur during the stage of excitej,,^
^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ,,^ ^.^^^l^^ intervals, makment:
therefore, we should tr^- to lessen this
i„g Us appearance upon anv and all parts
exciting stage as much as possible. The
^f j,,^ ^^^j^,. ^^^^ jj ^^^^^^ becoming in time
author makes it a routine practice, when
^Hronic, and lasting for manv years, if not
possible, to give, twenty minutes before the
tiiroughout the entire life time. It is the
anesthetic subcutaneously morphin, gr
j,^,^^^ difficult disease in medicine to combat
1-6- J4, and atropm, gr. l-loO-l-lOO, which
successfully, and can only be cured, if inrelieves
the patient of that excitement and
^^^^^ j^ g^;^^ -^^ j,^. the most patient selfsheck
so often seen prior to the anesthetic,
^j^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ p^^^j ^^ ^^^ patient, and the
The Texas Medical Journal, June, 19(>9.
most painstaking care and perseverance
ui)on the part of the physician.
Acute Traumatic Tetanus Treated by in the treatment of eczema, we still have
Magnesium Sulphate.- Dr. A. P. Ileineck a great deal of latitude. At all times, if
says that the experimental work on this sub- possible, we must find the underlying and
ject has been done chiefly, almost wholly, exciting cause, and attempt to correct the
by Meltzer and Auer. They determined same by what means we have in our power.
that intraspinal injections of magnesium Arsenic and the different tonics by some
salts are capable of abolishing completely are supposed to exert a beneficial influence
in monkeys, at least temporarily, both tonic upon any and all cases of eczema, and
and clonic tetanic contractions. Clinically, while it may be so, the good effects from
experience seems to i)artially bear out the the same are derived from the tonic treatfurther
statement of these investigators that nient. There is no specific to cure eczema
intraspinal injectionsof magnesium sulphate that has yet been found. The key note to
in doses which do not affect the respiratory a successful treatment is to find the cause
center or other vital functions, are capable if possible, tone up the patient's system and
of abolishing completely all clonic convul- increase the eliminative functions of the
sions and tonic contractions in cases of body in every way. Kxternally to use nontetanus,
occurring in the human subject, irritating applications or cosmetics to the
The relaxing effects of the injections may eruption, clean the surface as far as possilast
twenty- four iiours or longer. None of \^\^ and use the cleanest, most healing and
the vital functions were influenced by the jgast irritating drug or drugs that you can
intraspinal injections of magnesium sul- ftnd.
phate in the author's cases. In some parts
of the body, "such as in the lower extremi-
,y,.^/,,/„ .Uedical SemiMonthlv, /une 11th,
ties, the muscular relaxation following upon '
1909.
the injections was complete. In other jjortions,
such as the mandibular, facial, or
cervical muscles, the rigidity was very much
lessened, but it was not completely over-
Ttie Importance ol Early Attention to
Obstructive Respiration in Children.—
Dr. T. A. While says that nasal catarrh.
come. This has been noted by other ob- pharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, cough,
servers. In Miller's case, the injections indigestion, malaise, nausea, restlessness in
determined a profuse secretion of mucus, sleep, nervousness in the waking hours,
bronchorrhea, at times severe enough to headache, deafness, earache and suppuraembarrass
respiration, but easily controlled tion of the ears, impaired circulation, menby
atropine. Was there a relation of cause tal dullness, etc., are all directly traceable
and effect between the injections and the to impeded nasal breathing. Such children
elevation of temi)erature? This must also are more liable to croup and laryngismus
be decided by further study of the subject, stridulosa than children with free respira-
Meltzer and Auer have determined that t'on, and possibly diphtheria as well.
, • •
1 •
, 11 ,1 , Obstructed nasal respiration is also a frewhen
administered by the intravenous ^ „ .' . „,^• .,i^,;„„ „„a
quent cause of imperfect articulation and
route, the magnesium salts are very toxic,
retarded development of speech. The nasal
and that even small doses completely in- passages are the resonance chambers of the
hibit the respiration. Therefore, for the vocal apparatus, and unless kept in normal
administration of these salts, this route, the condition, the voice is altered in character,
, , , , , , and the articulation frequently impaired.
intravenous route, should never be employ- ^.^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^,^^ ^j„,^^^- ^.^^_^ ^j^^ ^^.
ed. We employed the agent only in the
velopment of the face takes place, and more
shape of injections in the spinal subarach- rapidly than in later years, and the shape
noid space.
assumed by the maxillae at this period has