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

XXVI
THE CHARLOTTE MEDICAL JOURNAL.
broth, and some wine should always be al- tory affection. The cause of this affection J,
lowed, as stimulant. appears to be a congenital lack of develop-
Occasionally a digitalis preparation, cam- ment of the muscles, or of the medullocerephor,
or a saline infusion will be necessary, bellar nervous strands. The muscles of the
Very anemic children will require iron, infant are soft and flaccid; there is so |
while in the progressive type of the disease, marked a paresis that the child is unable
potassium iodide, three to four times daily to stand alone or walk. There is no affeca
tablespoonful of a 3 per cent, solution, tion sensibility. The spine is abnormally
may be prescribed. movable. The tendon reflexes are abol-'
Common complications are pleurisy, em- ished, and electrical contractility is almost
pyema, otitis media, and albuminuria. They if not quite abolished. Treatment consists
all require active interference. There is faradism of the muscles, baths, and mas-
less danger of paralysis of the right heart sage, combined with arsenic and strychnine, j
than with adults, but a venesection may —Gazette des Hopitaux. 1
sometimes be demanded. \
The treatment of pneumonia with specific Treatment of Sclerema Neonatorum. ;
sera has in general been unsatisfactory, as
Dio^jgi Tibone describes sclerema as a i
equally as goou if not better, results can be ^^ndition of the new-born, especially of
obtamed with the usual management.
premature infants, iu which there is a hy- !
Ihe prognosis of broncho-pneumonia IS
pothermia combined with slow and feeble 1
not so good as of lobar pneumonia, as the
p^j^^^ and a solidification of the subcuta- .
former IS generally secondary to some other
^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^„g_ with hardening of the skin. :\
disease or constitutional trouble. Since the .j.^^ -^^^^^^^ becomes excitable by no stimu- l|
fever is usually of longer duration, antij^jj^^^^^
^^^^^ ^-^^ ^ ^^^p^^^ ^^^ j^ -^ ,
j
pyretics will be required, while ice is usually ij
^j^ ^f ^^rsing. The indications for treatnot
well tolerated. It will often be neces-
^^^^^ ^^^ stimulation, artificial feeding, and ,
sary to prescribe expectorants, cardiac stimkeeping
up the temperature of the infant, t
ulaiits, mustard packs, etc. ^^-^ ^^^^ indication is carried out in various t
The treatment of the convalescent stage ^^ys-by applications of external heat, t
of pneumonia is no less important than that ^y hot baths, bv keeping the child in an
of the active stage. A change of climate i^^ubator, and by enveloping its limbs in |
will often be most beneficial.—Therap. d.
Lregenw.
i^jpermeable materials which keep the heat i
^^^ lessen the surface for radiation, cause ti
.„„ Ulcerative _..„„ Stomatitis. c.„..„„n.i„ fluidification of the subcutaneous fat cells, |
, , ^^ , j , ^
and make the slowed circulation mo 'e i
M. H. Grenet says that stomatitis is not rapid. The author gives histories of
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19
truly membranous, since the supposed mem- cases in which these measures were used <
brane is composed only of debris of the with some success. The use of imperme- i
mucous membrane. It occurs especially able wrappers for the limbs is very simple ;
when the teeth are erupting, under defect- and effective, as well as cheap, and does ;
ive hygienic conditions. It is emphatically not interfere with the application of other .;
contagious, directly and indirectly. It may means of calorification.—Rivista di Clinica I
develop spontaneously in an infant who Pediatrica. j
has not been exposed to infection. The
cause is generally spirilli and fusiform iron as a Substitute lor Bismuth In X-Ray
bacilli associated with other microorgan- Diagnosis.
isms. The characteristic is necrosis of the
^^j^j^g ^^^ p^gt f^^ ^ears the practice of
mucous membrane. The breath is exceed- ^,- bismuth subnitrate to patients in'
mgly fetid. Ulcerations may occur at any
^^g^^ ^f ^ ^-^^ previously unheard of has'
point of the hnnig of the mouth The subbecome
quite common. This diagnosis,
maxillary glands are engorged there is
^„j ^^e other, an outcome of the first, the;
salivation, and buccal pam. It may be
treatment of tuberculous sinuses by mixvery
chronic m course. Complications are
^^^^^ ^f bismuth and vaseline, as recomrare.
The use of chlorate of potash is alj^ended
by Beck, of Chicago. Both of
most a specific for the disease.—Gazette des
^^ese uses of bismuth have been distinct
Hopitaux.
advances in medical science and have led
Congenital Muscular Atony.
not only to more acute diagnoses, but
^^ ^^^^ remarkable cures. At the
also
Levi-Sirurgue describes congenital mus- time, however, this use of the massive doses
cular atony as occurring in new-born chil- of bismuth subnitrate has recalled to us a
dren, and being distinctly regressive, end- fact previously well known, but apparently
ing generally in recovery, unless the infant forgotten by the new generation of medicaj
is carried off by some intercurrent respira- practitioners, namely, that this drug is
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