immersed in alcohol for a few days. When the rods are withdrawn the hardened artery tubes are ready for use. With four to eight short sections of arteries so prepared, approximation rings are easily made by passing a double catgut strand continuously through the lumen as described previously. These rings serve their purpose admirably, are very easily made, give a good-sized aperture, and are entirely absorbed in a few days. Experiments were made upon over fifty dogs by the above methods.

TREATMENT OF A COMMON " COLD."-Salicylate of sodium in free doses gives as satisfactory results in the treatment of "bad colds" as it does in cutting short tonsillitis. Sodii salicylatis, 3ss; syr. auranti cort., 3ss; aquæ menth. piper, ad, 3iv. M. Sig.-A dessertspoonful every three or four hours. A dose every three hours until a free specific influence of the salicylate-tinnitus aurium-is observed, will so far control the symptoms that the aching of the brow, eyes, nose, etc., will cease. The sneezing and "running from the nose" will also abate and will disappear in a few days, not leaving, as is usual under other treatment, a cough, from the extension of the inflammation to the bronchial tubes.

Apropos Dr. Philpots writes the British Medical Journal that when sneezing manifests itself, before any inflammatory action has been established, a single local application of salicylic acid to the irritated lining membrane of the nose will be quite sufficient, in the majority of cases, to abort a common cold. The formula suggested is: sodii salicylatis, 3iv; acid. boracis, (pulv.), 3i; cocaine hydrochlor. gr. xxij. M. Mix by agitation, not in a mortar. Snuff, or draw into the nose, or preferably, use with insufflator.

NUTROLACTIS.-We have now been using this preparation for one year, and our confidence in it grows steadily with each case for which we prescribe it. The recommendations from others gave us confidence at the start, but our own experience has made it, with us, as near specific as a galactagogue, as remedies ever get to be in any condition. We have used it in twenty-four cases with but one failure.

Dr. F. L. Sim: MY DEAR DOCTOR-I have often wondered why Americans will persist in adding an "s" to one's name when the party himself never uses it. My name is William, not Williams, as you have it on your subscription list. I would like it corrected, but will say that you are no more at fault in this matter than even my most intimate friends.

Yours truly,

HANCOCK C. WILLIAM.

We forcibly realize the justice of the remarks of Dr. William. To add an "s" to a name that appears, to the community, to lack it, is but a common custom in this country. We might complain of the same. For thirty years we have practiced medicine in Memphis, and yet we are as often called Sims as Sim. However, we recognize the injustice and will see to it, that our friend Dr. William is addressed correctly in future. [EDITOR.

TREATMENT OF PUERPERAL CONVULSIONS.-E. P. Hurd, M.D., of Newburyport, Mass., recently contributes an article on this subject to the Therapeutic Gazette, in which he says:

In the fall of 1868 I attended a meeting of the Eastern Medical Society in Sherbrooke, Province of Quebec, and heard an address by Dr. F. W. Gilbert, of Hatley, Stanstead County, on "Puerperal Convulsions." Dr. Gilbert advocated an almost exclusive treatment by chloroform. His method was to push the chloroform to full anesthesis, and so keep the patient under its influence that, while the use of the drug was from time to time interrupted during the cessation of the fits, a few whiffs of the chloroform vapor would be sufficient to arrest any twitches of the facial and ocular muscles, the immediate precursors of the eclamptic seizure.

Dr. Gilbert read notes of twenty cases which had come under his observation during a practice of upward of ten years in Stanstead County.

These had all been treated by chloroform without bleeding, and all had recovered. He stated his belief that the proximal cause of puerperal eclampsia was reflex hyperexcitability of the spinal cord, which was better controlled by chloroform than by any other remedy.

Since that date I have had upward of twelve severe cases; a part of these were reported in the Medical Record, September, 14, 1887. I have always placed my principal reliance on ether or chloroform, and thus far all my cases of puerperal convulsions have recovered. I have not bled once, nor have I made much use of chloral.

SEALE

MARRIED.

JOHNSON.-On the 29th ult., Dr. W. H. Seale of Marquez, Texas, was married to Miss Beulah Johnson of Center Point, the Rev. W. T. Sanders officiating.

The Doctor is an alumnus of the Memphis Hospital Medical College (class 88-9), and is one of the promising young men of the Texas profession. The lady of his choice is worthy his affections, and was a popular member of the society of the young in the Guadaloupe Valley. May happiness be theirs in their entire future relationship, prays the MONTHLY.

MOTT-JORDAN.-Dr. George Mott and Miss Josie Jordan, were married at the residence of Mr. H. C. Collins in Kountze, Tex., on the 25th of November last.

Well, well, well, it must have been a lovely woman that captured our friend Dr. George. Dr. Mott is well known to many of the readers of the MONTHLY as a prominent young physician of Spurger, Tex.

NOBLE-LITTLE.-On Dec. 19th, Dr. R. W. Noble of Barclay, Tex., and Miss Eunice N. Little, of Temple, Tex., were converted into "two souls with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one," by the Rev. C. W. Daniels.

The doctor graduated M. D. from the Memphis Hospital Medical College in the Spring of 1887. He is worthy and well qualified for professional as well as hymenial honors. His selection, we are informed, is but another evidence of his good taste.

DR. C. C. FITE.-The well-known and universally accredited firm of Reed & Carnrick, manufacturers of Lacto-Preparata, Carnrick's Soluble Food, Sulpho-Calcine, etc., have secured the services of Dr. C. C. Fite, of Knoxville, in this

State, as a traveling agent. We had the pleasure of a call from the Doctor, and not only enjoyed the social reunion, but had a chance to inspect the beautiful preparations he exhibited. We wish him success both on his own account, and on behalf of the most excellent house he represents.

MEDICAL MIRROR.-A copy of the first issue of the Mirror has been received. It is by odds the most esthetic journal in the country. It is well filled with original matter written expressly for the Mirror, and editorially it reflects Dr. Love so clearly as to be recognized by all who know that inimitable and able journalist.

BOOK NOTICES.

REFERENCE HANDBOOK OF THE MEDICAL SCIENCES, embracing the Entire Range of Practical and Scientific Medicine and Allied Science. By various writers. Illustrated by chromo-lithographs and fine wood engravings. Edited by Alfred H. Buck, M.D. Vol. VIII. Containing an appendix (523 pp.) and a general index (197 3-col. pp.) Wm. Wood & Co., New York. As civilization advances and the arts and sciences become more complex, comes the necessity for the division of labor. This tendency to specialization is seen nowhere more than in medicine, and in recent years is having an enormous influence on medical book-making. It is becoming the exception to see a volume the work of a single brain; the recent literature is composite; the recent books are "cyclopedias" and "systems," structures for which the contractor calls about him men skilled in various departments and assigns to each the work for which he is best fitted. The extreme specialization toward which we are tending is full of evil, both in the practice of medicine and in its literature. Still a book for reference, wherein each topic is treated by one who has made himself an authority on that subject, finds a welcome in every library. This eighth volume completes the series and adds immensely to the value of the preceding volumes by containing an index of nearly 200 pages and an appendix of over 500 pages treating many topics of importance omitted from the body of the work. Among these we note Surgery of the Brain and Surgery of the Spinal Column, by Prof. Keene of Philadelphia,

a man well fitted to speak of the recent advances in these fields; a careful review and comparison of the different methods for Radical Cure of Hernia, by Dr. Robt. H. M. Dawbarn of New York, in which, very naturally, but we believe properly, pre-eminence is given to the operation devised by Dr. McBurney of that city; Yellow Fever is treated by Sternberg, whose recent brilliant labor in the scientific study of that disease entitles him to speak with authority; Supra-pubic Cystotomy is treated briefly and rather imperfectly by Dr. Cabot, omitting as he does reference to the work of Dr. Hunter McGuire; Baker of Boston, Davis of Birmingham, and others, in the use of this operation to secure supra - pubic fistula and permanent drainage in prostatic enlargement.

In his article on Influence of Race in Disease, J. Wellington Byers does us an injustice (p. 435) in repeating in the present tense a statement made by Grant in 1853 (Am. Jour. Med. Sci.), that "at Memphis, which has been denominated the graveyard of children, the mortality (from cholera infantum) is very high." The mortality from true cholera infantum is high everywhere, but one acquainted with the sanitary condition of Memphis must know the injustice of the unkind words applied to it.

Most of the contributors are young men, but wisely chosen; the numerous plates with which the text is illustrated are superb; we can fitly conclude only with words previously used by us and numerous other reviewers, that these eight volumes are a fair medical library in themselves.

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL ANNUAL.

The eighth yearly issue of the "International Medical Annual" (for 1890) is announced for early delivery. The prospectus gives promise of excellencies surpassing all former editions. Its thirty-seven editors in the several departments are to give a summary of New Remedies alphabetically arranged -also a resume of New Treatment in dictionary form; with references to the medical literature of the world pertaining to the year's progress of medicine. Such a practical and helpful volume is of inestimable value to the medical profession. In one volume of about 600 octavo pages; price $2.75 post free. E. B. Treat publisher, 5 Cooper Union, New York.