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

XXIV
THE CHARI,OTTE MEDICAL JOURNAL.
digitalis and its congeners are useful. The perfect than in the adolescent. The joints
peripheral vasoconstrictor action of the drug generally recover perfectly, and there are
is of less importance, because the regurgi- no sequestra, since there is little tendency
tation through the mitral orifice acts to a to necrosis of the bone. Treatment should
certain extent as a safety valve. Conse- consist of supportive measures and early
quently when the left ventricle contracts drainage of the aiiected foci. The author
there is not the same fear of it being unable recounts a case observed by him in an into
complete its contraction, so there is less fant of eleven days, in whom there were
risk of a sudden strain bringing it to a stand- eight distinct foci of infection in the long
:
<
i
still, while the beneficial effect of the drug
on the cardiac muscle is more marked, because
the right ventricle is now becoming
bones. The infant recovered with little de-
fonnity.—Bulletin de la Societe d'Obstetri-
que de Paris.
embarrassed and needs its assistance.
Speaking generally, we may say, when in Early Diagnosis oi Measles.
a case of aortic regurgitation the mitral E. Apert describes two signs that he convalve
has given and the right ventricle is siders pathognomonic of measles, and that
becoming
phanthus
embarrassed, digitalis or strois
beneficial.—The Hospital,
appear so early in the disease, or so late in
the incubation period, that isolation begun
London. at this time will prevent its spread to others
— in the family. It is not earlv enough to
Relapsing Scarlatiniiorm Desquamative make the diagnosis when the catarrhal
trytnema.
svmptoms have appeared. The disease is
G. Petges describes a form of erythema then infectious and all precautions fail to
that is easily mistaken for scarlatina. Its prevent its spread. The signs that are of
distinguishing points are the absence of value are Koplik's spots and conjunctivitis
marked fever, and severe symptoms, the of the pterygeal area, that is of the conmarked
pruritus that precedes it, the very junctiva between the lids. This appears
large plaques in which desquamation occurs ^hen Koplik's spots are seen, that is three
with an erythematous condition continuing, or four days before the skin eruption, and
and the recurrence of the attacks, one pati- both signs have disappeared when Koplik's
ent described by the author having had spots are seen—that is, three or four on the
twenty attacks. It begins with pruritus, inner surface of the cheeks, rarely on the
malaise, feeling of fatigue, chilly feelings, inner side of the lips, never on the gums or
headache, and inability to sleep on account palate. At first they are like tiny, grayish
of the itching. It appears over the entire granulations on the rosy mucous membrane,
body. Desquamation begins in a few days later becoming bluish. —Le Bullstin Mediand
lasts for some weeks. There is no his- cal.
tory of contagion. The plaques of desquamated
skin are large and very tenacious. Protargol in the Treatment oi Ophthal-
The cause of the disease is unknown, but "»*» Neonatorum.
the symptoms are in favor of an infection. Motais (Bull, de I'Acad. de Med,, May
It is probably this disease that is mistaken 4, 19U9), discussing the treatment of oph-
for second attacks of scarlatina.—Gazette thalmia neonatorum, pays tribute to the
Hebdomadaire des Sciences Medicales, de service rendered by nitrate of silver, which
Bordeaux. has been so long used; he, however, considers
it dangerous when ulceration of the
Osteomyelitis in tlie New-Born. cornea is present. He considers that great;
H. L. Devraigne says that osteomyelitis credit is due to Darier for his researches
when it occurs in young infants begins the organic compounds of silver—namely,
acutely with high temperature, extreme argyrol, collargol and protargol, the latti
pain on motion of the affected limb, moan- of which he considers by far the most valtl
ing, and refusal of food. An enlargement able. The method he adopts is as follov
of one or other boue is found accidentally. The lids are washed frequently with a lui
The source of infection ma}' be intrauterine, warm solution of weak permanganate
After birth there are several modes of entry potash 25 centigrams to 1,000. If thesec
for microorganisms, the principal of which tion causes the lids to adhere they shoU
are the staphylococcus, streptococcus, and be smeared with iodoform ointment. Eve
pneumobacillus. The last form of infec- six hours he uses two drops of a 20 per ce
tion is short, but exceedingly severe. A solution of protargol, no matter whether!
bronctiopneumonia from infective emboli corneal ulcer be present or not; this
may be a complication. The prognosis is does the cornea any damage. In s
affected by the age of the infant and the cases with abundant secretion, and ei
number of foci that are affected. When aily if the cornea is affected, he uses 1
recovery does occur it is quicker and more protargol drops every three hours.
'