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

ABSTRACTS 343
Antilormln in the Detectton of Tubercle a,it branch of „iedicine.-From American
Medicine, October, 1909.
Dr. O. Seemann has employed antiformin
for the purpose of facilitating the detection ^**^ Viscosity of tlie Blood and tlie Worlc
of tubercle bacilli in pus, urine, exuda- «J the Heart.
tions, stools and organs. Antiformin is a Giovanni Galli savs that the molecules of
mixture of eaudejavelle and sodium hy- the blood are subject to attrition in different
drate. c,nd owes its action to oxidation pro- individuals, due to the presence of various
cesses. 1 he author has found that it acts colloidal substances. These substances are
best in 1., per cent, solution. If sputum is subject to great variability, according to
diluted vvith fi teen to twenty times its vol- the amount of water in the blood and of fat
ume of this solution, the pus soon becomes molecules, and these varv with the distance
homogeneous, and in from ten to forty-five from a meal. The composition of the blood
unimtes a clear fluid with a sediment, which varies with age, sex, and constitution. In
can be removed by centnfugalization, is polycythemia and plethora and viscosity is
obtained. If there is no special hurry to greatly increased and yet health is good,
obtain a specimen, it is wise to wash the In anemia the viscosity decreases markedly,
sediment, with distilled water, to remove Compensation comes through the vasomotor
the excess of alkali, so that the bacilli may nerves and the regulating mechanism of the
adhere to the slide better. If any difficulty heart. Increased viscosity of the blood
IS exi)enenced in getting the specimen to does not produce cardiac hvpertroph v. The
adhere, a little of the fresh sputum may be temperatureof the body, especially in febrile
applied to a clean slide or some albumin conditions, has also an influence on the viswater
(1 part of beaten up egg white to U) cosity we have a strong heart impulse and
of distilled water and 1 per cent, of formal- inelastic arteriis there will be o^reatly iudehyde
solution) may be employed. Tuber- creased heart work, andv/ce versa.— Rivista
cle bacilh are not killed in 1.5 ]ier cent. Critica de Clinica Medica.
antiformin after one hour, so that the method
can be used for animal injection as well Treatment ol Boils and Carbuncles.
as lor microscopical specimens. I he method
can further be applied to examine blood
^'" '^"'^
for
or carbuncle need be painful, nor
tubercle bacilli. This may prove of use should the
in treatment cause pain, according
differentiating between typhoid fever, miji- ^" ;} Osier Ward, of London, K. C.
ary tuberculosis and sepsis. The bacilli "^^ treatment which he employs is simobtained
from the antiformin fluid are found I''^- ^^ pledget of cotton soaked in carbolic
pure culture, all other bacilli having sb'^'erin is applied to the boil and covered
been
"
dissolved.—Berl. "'''^'' klin. Woch.
gutta-percha tissue and a bandage.
As soon as pus shows, the epithelium is
Pediatrics Changes Hands. gently turned back and the glycerin reap-
It is with no little gratification that we P''^'^' As soon as a slight cavity appears
learn that Dr. W. E. hitch has purchased ^°°^^ °^ ^''^ glycerin is gently inserted by
Pediatrics and will henceforth
"^^aiis
edit
of
this
a simple glass
well
syringe, and again
known publication. t'le
Dr. I'itch has
poultice
long
of glycerin is applied. In two
been °'' connected with medical journalism ^^^^^
as ^^^^ ^^^ slough separates, and after
iditor of Gaillard's Southern Medicine, and °"^ ^""'^ poultice of glycerin the cavity
le will bring to Pediatrics a ripe experience
speedily closes, with the minimum of scar,
Joth as editor ""'^^'' and publisher. He is a grace- ^"^ dressing. The hygroscopic ac-
Ful as well as a brilliant writer, and ''""
has
°^ ^'*^ glycerin relieves the tension—
:ontributed extensively to medical "'^ ^^"^^ litera- °^ *^^ pain—very speedily, and it
lire.
need never recur.
We understand that Dr. Fitch contem- Ward has never had occasion to use any
lates many changes in Pediatrics and with other treatment. He has never seen a car-
staff of collaborators which includes buncle spread when once this treatment
nany ol the country's foremost pediatrists, . ..,, , . i j
his excellent
'"^^
journal
^"«""' '''" ^"'^
is sure to achieve
^^'
new ^^ ^"^" ^"^ ^^''^^^
uccess in its special field. Dr. Fitch is a '" ''^^ '" '"« own cases.
rue Southern gentleman, and his name on (^"e very serious case he saw recently in
he editorial page is ample assurance of the consultation—that of a butcher with a carigh
and honorable plan on which Pedi- buncle 6 in. by 4 in. between the shoulders.
tries will be conducted. If the sincere -n. . . . i -u j u j .
rv>H ,t;„i,^. f .1 fir.., 1 ooa
he treatment described above
wishes
was adopt- "^
of the many friends of both
'ediatrics and Dr. i'itch' mean e".
anything
the spread of the carbuncle was promptly
lere can be no doubt of the good work arrested, and a quick recovery ensued.
at will be done in an exceedingly import- British Med. Jour.
—