New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-09-30
,rrn1cA1 IND SURGICAL NOTES.

MEDICAL AND SURGICAL N0iSS'
TIE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE.-The well known
ort nv DR. Bastian on The Beginnings Of Life con-
s,nues To attract considerable attention In scientho
,c,e The theory which the author urges Is the posi-
erty OF deriving living beings from dead organic mat
rar and 10 species OF transformation ne gives no
name OF archebosis. he shows that the bacteria hio
generated in liquids in which no germs can DO dscoV
erred under the highest microscopic powers ana 10
oorolpdes that they must either be derived from
,nvs,he germs or that they been produced IN te
ruid by process of archebosis He also SHOWS pV
less deyeoped In liquids which have been raised 10 tne
boiling point These results arc not acespSeu ~ m ",
spontaneous generation, as It sometimes caeu' may
be regarded as worthy Of serious atehO "HeH '"'n
ORIGIN OF TYPHOID FEvER.-An English
nro,essor claims TO have discovered new cause OF
tvphoid fever family in his neighborhood was at
tackled with severe type OF the disease, and on care
full search OF the premises, spout in the pump was
found 10 covered with sort OF gelatinous matter
Submitting this to microscopic Investigation 1t was
seen 10 be fungoid growth from which spores were
constantly washed away by the flowing water. Fol-
lowing up this discovery by minute examination OF
the outlet OF the sewer through which the drainage OF
the town flowed, there were found fungoid growhs OF
similar nature TO those in the pump spout. In the
S,cnifv Of this outlet the fever had also prevailed.
Having Of the fever in his own family, the PROBES
cor followed up his inquiry by chemical OF me
water drank and found minute spores OF the same
fungus HIS conclusion is therefore that the Fever ad
origin IN the fungus matter taken lnto Tue s'en,
where 1t ferments as yeast In beer ana polsohs tno
blood.
HIGHr OF THE HUMAN SPECIEs.-M. SLIDER
man shows the ave age hight OF the male and female
population of France taken in certain position which
he names the "geomeirc is 16O0o40 meters or two me-
tiers If in the same position the hands are comfortably
extended over the head. Two individuals laid iength-
wise with fingers touching would thus measure Iour c
tiers this he terms the base Of the harmonic prOpo
tions of the human Thus this harmonc pase Is
four times one meter Just the meridian Is four times
ten million meters and the relation of the two lntegers
as To 100000 From these considerations ne draws
proof Of the equality of the sexes as they exhol NO
man not as a complement 10 the male portion OF the
race but as constituting NORMALLY and bY right nan OF
the human family. NJ. sberman arrives aI tne oonoI
sion as the result OF his various Investigations ana
studies that the average hight OF t5 human race o
remained unchanged since the ChaiIelh epoon ''OO'
years ago.
HYGIENE FOR THE AGED.-In one of his re-
rent clinical lectures at Guys Hospital, London Dr.
Haberhon referred to the OF old man VINO ded
simply from the shock produced by going out INTO INC
cold and fog which, though only an Inconvenience 10
people generally sufficient TO lead TO fatal result
IN one whose circulation had become enfeeoled, ana
whose vital force had nearly lost its power. Dr.
Habershon also alluded TO instance OF longevity or
which he had been informed by conference.-the case
being the laters mother who had died at the age OF
IO2 and who during the Winter months used toe1use 10
GET nm saving that she was warm only in bed. T0ths
uniform warm temperature the fact OF her great age was
doubtless owing and Dr. Habersbon urges that III pre-
scrbng for old people they should DC ADVISED 20
take them more frequently. There are many OF Inel'
also %G %o ea3d Man for them TO have some nourish
ment then; otherwise the interval between the night
strength The life OF aged may be considerably pro-
longed by care in these minutie
INFANTICIDE BY OPIUM.-One of the best in
formed physicians in England, Dr. Mitchell, employed in
the public health service. time ago published
ny m from
zeal witnesses showing the almost universal resort to
OPIUM in order TO benumb and supply children, even
those Of the tendeTest very common preparation
for this purpose being socaed cordial made Of reace
and opium So general it appears is the use OF this mix
ture. go to the apohecare aud, with
any hesitation ask for dose OF 1t to give 20 the
baby next day. as they going work." Chemists
frankly admit that they make and sell these opium de.
cOctiOns the barrel and hOgshead full This baleful
prevails not only ~ the colery districts but also
IN manufacturing and manufacturing places
and IL stated by one physician that IN the Nottingham
Derby Leicester districts the habit of administering
opium infants usually begins when the child Is three
four weeks old. And still another witness asserts
that opium cordial is the day of birth,
being readiness event. The inevitable result
Of eTIee 9uG er sp OF from an pyeroe orr
commonly happens, by SLOW painful, lnsldlous
disease Compared therefore, with this form or lnanti-
eide The kind practeed by the Chinese may ne SAID 10
pereful.
SUNLIGHT FOR THE SiCK.-Dr. VIM. H. Ham
mond In discussing the sanitary influence of light OBJ
that the effects or denclent Hght upon the III
mates OF hospital wards and sick chambers have fire.
ouenty come under his special notice. that most ply
scian know how carefully the attendants upon the sick
endeayOr to exclude every of light from the apart
nent and even some members OF the profession are
snguary assiduous in this respects but that the prac
tee except OF actual disorder OF the brain
and other parts Of the system is perncious ad
mits of question. During the late civil war Dr. H.
visited camp and hospital in West Virginia, in
gueDce of information received that the sickness and
mortality there prevailing were unaccountaby great,
and he made minute examination into all the crcun-
stances connected with the situation Of the camp, the
food OF the men, &c. Among other peculiarutes, he
found the sick crowded into small ROOM from which
the light was excluded by blinds Of iudarubber CLOTH
The paer1s were eectualy bleached as is celery by
the earth being heaped up around IT; pale, blo0dess
ghoslIke looking FORMS they seemed To be scarcely
mortal. COnvalescence under such circumstance
according DIT. Hammond, almost impossible, and his
belief was that many of the had died, who, had
they subjected TO the operation Of the simplest
laws Of nature, would have recovered.