New-York tribune., 1872-07-04
MEDICAL md SURGICAL NOTES.

INCREASE OF lNSANITY.-Dr. Maudsley writ
tnR in The British Medical Journal admits that there is
insanity, ami instances Of its occurrence in
proportion TO the population, than tormerly-say
generations ago but that many persons should
b. yearly going mad now than Is years ago, Is suppo
not supported by facts There is, he abundant
evidence of gradually improved registration of msan-
quence of that Improvement but he denies that there
IA asy. ct satisfactory evidence OF anything more
BULLET IN THE BRAIN.-A most singular case
is sreoordod by DR. Howard in recent number Of The
American Journal Of Medical Science, The patient
Hsoder an the FOrtyfourth Indiana Infantry. The bull
lct entered the skull at great distance from the point
where II penetrated the scalp IL made at first sort OF
% uVUr fracture, sir sHe TiSS w U, ,oS
enng death the presence OF the bullet in the brain
aperture in the bone aud which the bullet had evidently
carried with H. The skull trephined the bali was
patient made complete recovery and subsequently en-
tcSed robust health in the cavalry service.
PROFESSIONAL MEMENTo.-An interesting
Homonto OF the dscoverer of vaccination has recently
been presented TO the Royal College OF Physicians En-
gland, by Sir John W. Fisher. II consists of cows
horn, beautifully polished presented TO Sir j. W. Fisher
the year 1s1S by DR. Jenner and polished by himself
woes rendered 10 Jenner's sick children hv DIR Fisher
then medical assistant in Soho The horn isnow mounted
the circumstances under which IL was presented to the
Colege. DR.. Burrows the President in asking the ac
ccpspce Of the horn stated that IL had probably been
taken from OF Or. Jenuer's favOrite which
IL had indde MS experiments IN VACCINATION
VACCINATION AND REvACCINATION.-From
oficia report subject appears that in
she army revaccnation has been compulsory
1913 and from that date until 1S5a period of Il
years not single Of unmOdiAed smallpox oc-
cured a single death from the disease OF the
nearly 5ooOO revaccination in the Prussan army only
about onethird perfectly successful-resembing,
that is the results OF primary vaccination closely
scarcely TO be distinguished from and the remaining
t~othrds being more Hless mQdlhed OF ialnhg en-
1ucly In connection wh these facts the statement Is
also made that the distin nguished English vaccinators
many more SIR VIM Jeuner in the OF 1900 sick
drens Hospital a 20 1000 chidrcn-a concur in say
hg that they have never seen any other disease than
that Of vacclnia communicated with the vaccine
ELECTRIC PROBE FOR WOUNDs.-M. Trouv6
h. lately exhibited before the Scientific Association Of
France his ingenious probe for the search and exrac
OF fore bodies remaining in wounds. This appa-
Of three distinct parts namely, battery
probe aud an indicator. In principle, it is founded
tho difference in conduciibilty between metals and
ether bodies. The battery is formed OF zine and
bon element inclOed IN case OF hardened lndaIuhDer
hermeucally sealed. the exciting quid being hiSupmde
az mercury The pr0De ls pipe, htXDle OF rsa' con
struCed that the preliminary probing may be Effected
and then the syles of the indicating apparatus may he
introduced The indicator contains in its interior very
small q, ,ctTo-ma-nct, with vibrator and tSO small
AMI as these poiuts, which are in connection
wiz: the battery, touch any metallic substance, the vi
batOr begins If the metal Is lead the tremDler
yhrates regularly If OF iron or "copper" the trenbler
bas q jerky movement.
GouT.-Lous Kossuth communicates TO the Neue Froie
Fresa OF Vienna the remarkable curative properties
possessed by a grOto PstOies, the valley OF
Lueques and Pisa the virtues of which consist In rad
icay curing the gout, the treatment being easily fol
lowed and lasting from eight 10 fifteen days According
20 NJ Kossuhs account the patient covered with bath
ing gown, descends into the groto which is we lighted
There he has only TO SIT and admire the staacues or
with ms friends After ten minutes he sweats
pTOusely but not dsageea0y In an hOur ne Is taken
out wrapped in flannel covering and, afteT rep0slng
little is subjected 10 cold shower bath The curative
principle OF ths grotIO ls however an enisna ~ tne
parts the air does not show more than 3 TO "a
outside the is still colder, but il is heated by the
air the chemical composition Of winch resembles t9at OF
Of azote Kossuth attributes the remarkable Qualities
OF the grottO to electromagnetic agents, ana IN tins
opinion he II probably correct.
DIsINFEcTANTs.-M. File has published in
the Archipe Medioaes Belgs interesting article On
the Value Disinfectant," in which he must
not only get rid OF offensive Smells but OF all other pro-
ducts of decomposition and that any substance which
only effects Of those ends Is very imperfect disin
fecant. He then passes In review of the disin-
fecants in common suphate of iron he considers,
is useful from It's action in decomposing ammonia car
Donate and suphohydrae. Perchoride of iron beside
this Preeipates abgminoid matters ana acts also by
It, chlorine. Lime disinfects organic matters, fixing
carbOnc acid and sulphufetted hydrogen, and decom-
posing hydrosuphate Of ammonia, The per1nanganate
Of potassium most energetic OXidzlng agent decom
Ter, and acting upon all fixed compounds with which IL
In contact. ChlOrae OF potassium may be used 10
disengage chlorine in places like cesspOos that
easy 10 reach by other means: Chloride Of lime
by the chlorine sets free, and chemically decOm
poses most foul CarbOc acid hindeYs the fOna
tion OF masms, and is therefore, good preventive Of
epidemics.
MORTALITY AS AFFECTED BY MARRIAGE.-In
paper read by NJ. Bertillon before the Academy of
Medicine of Paris, the authOr-usng evidence the
statistics OF France, Holland, and Belgum-strOngy
maintained the heathful influence of conjugal associa-
Ion compared with that Of celbacy The figures show
shat between the ages Of 20 and 35 years. 1000 married
furnish six Deaths 1000 bachelors 10 deaths and
1000 wdowers % deaths From 80 to years of age the
classes, respectively, furnish I'll and 17t deaths
From 10 40 OF the mortality is a. 49, and ia
per 100O respectively Ana 80 in series of tables for
all the married man has greater longevity than the
single The same advantage Of the married state
obtains in the OF females, though TO the OF
so the difference is not apparent in the other
Prom 80 TO 80 the mortality is IL 200 for single
men, and opy per 1OO0 for married women and this diff
ference increases the of 55 Thus from so TO So
years of age 1000 wives furnish only Is 16 deaths,
while many single women widows furnish 26 a.
This advantage remains very notable beyond that age,
diminishing but little In France, however, under 25 and
IN Paris, under 20 OF marriage is far from IA
vOrabe, but Injurious, also in the OF males
The mortality Of unmarried girls Of from Is 10 20 is 1853
per loo the mortality Of wives OF the being
l.se. The mortality of girls from 20 TO 25 is $780, Of
wives Of the same age, 9S2.