Water Treatment of the Insane. What prospect is there for such cases? I may say from actual observation that in a large proportion, if there be no organic basis nor positive heredity predisposition to insanity, the result of a methodical course of hydrotherapy in connection with properly adjusted diet and environment will prove a revelation. The most useful procedures are the dry pack, which consist of the snug wrapping of the patient in heavy woolen blankets for about an hour, so as to accumulate heat. Successive parts of the trunk are then uncovered, and treated to a rapid and brisk rubbing, with a bath glove or wash rag saturated and squeezed out of water at 85° F. After drying and good friction, the pa tient is sent into the air for gentle exercise. Every day the pack and wet rubbing are repeated, the water temperature being reduced two or more degrees daily, until 60° F. are reached. The patient's reactive capacity having been trained by these daily neurovascular gymnastics, he is subjected to more decided hydriatic procedures.

Standing in water at 100° F. in a warm bathroom, the patient may be subjected to affusions from a foot tub containing water at 80° F., which may be daily reduced two or three degrees until a temperature of 60° F. is reached, water is dipped with a long-handled basin or large tin dipper, and thrown with force upon the upper back, and successively over each shoulder and anterior part of the body. If this is done forcibly, followed by rapid drying, dressing and exercise, the patient will not become chilly. Every day larger quantities of water may be used, always avoiding chattering of the teeth and cyanosis, but not desisting because the patient complains of feeling cold or chilly.-Brooklyn Med. Jour.

Pilocarpin Hydrochlorate in Croup.

In a large number of cases of croup, unusually severe and malignant in type, which I attended during the past few months, the treatment usually successful, proved inadequate, and in some instances utterly useless. In one case the use of antitoxin was decidedly detrimental.

Numerous failures with a variety of drugs induced me to attempt some differ

ent remedy. Antitoxin was used in three cases, all of which were fatal; these cases had received, in addition, internal and local treatment with which, up to this time, I had obtained uniformly good results.

Five patients treated after the latter method (excluding antitoxin) recovered.

In another case where the disease assumed such a grave form that dissolution seemed but a few hours distant, instead of giving large doses of pilocarpin hydrochlorate by the mouth as I had done heretofore without noticeable results, I administered the drug in small doses hypodermically. The observation of its physiologic effects at various times had led me to adopt this treatment.

Four cases were successfully treated on the same plan.

In connection with these cases, there were a few interesting developments worthy of note: The serious and malignant nature of the disease; its apparently contagious or infectious character; the utter uselessness of antitoxin, a very strong and robust boy having died an hour after the injection of 2,000 units; and the surprising results obtained from the hypodermic injection of pilocarpin hydrochlorat, the disease being entirely checked and membrane absorbed, one or two days being sufficient to cure the most obstinate case. DR. S. E. WERTMAN, Mahanoy City, Pa., in Amer. Medicine.

Alcoholic Degeneracy.

Professor Debaul, of Paris, declares that the inability of the French women to properly nurse their children depends in a large measure on the use of alcohol. This diminishes the secretion of milk, and produces degeneracy, both in the mother and offspring.-Quar. Jour. Inebriety.

Constipation.

Dr. S. W. Downing, Thompson, Mo., is especially pleased with the action of Chionia in cases of torpid liver, sallow complexion, and constipation The improvement following its use is really wonderful and the abnormal symptoms soon disappear.