The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-12
SCIENTIFIC NOTES

SCIENTIFIC NOTES =
PROSPEROUS roa INsoMN1A-Dr. Cutter re-
! lates an interesting ease in his practice-that
of an energetic carpenter who, in building 9
dollhouse, was exposed to the sums heat nm:
der glass in the summer time, this exposure
being followed by symptoms Of disturbance of
the nervous system, evincing q loss of nerve
force. Naturally Of q cool temper, he became
excitable, WAS unable to cast accounts, his
steps were rapid and manner nervous, but
sleeplessness was the most prominent and
perplexing symptom. Chloral hydrate, bro
mide of potassium, opium, sulphate OF
morphia, and valerisnate of morphia, were
successfully tried without avail. Finally,
reasoning that here was q case of loss Of nerve
force, and knowing PHOSPHORUS to be most
important nerve food, Dr.. Cutter prescribed
In few days he slept as well as ever, and,
discontinuing the pills, has since had his
natural sleep.
REMEDY IN DIPHrHERIA.-Dr. Hopkins, in
The Physician and Pharmacist, strongly urges
the employment of acid tapnate of iron as q
local remedy in diphtheria. It may be pre-
pared, he says, by tie addition of one ounce
of the nuriated tincture Of iron to one of
strong solution Of tannin, and applied by
means of brush to the deceased throat, or
elsewhere, as the case may be; or, what is
perhaps still better way, apply the muriatsd
tincture Of iron in full strength to the dis
eased part with brush, wait few moments,
then apply the solution of tannin in the same
way, thus forming union of the two at the
point of disease, having ct the same time the
advantage of chemical action, if there be any.
On examination, few hours after, the line Of
l.. L. Ascks~ L.,
the discoloration of the diseased tissue, show
ing exactly the extent of the disease, the
very thing desired; with Q tendency to repair
alton, which will 60 on rapidly, if the sys.
tenn be properly treated with . nourishing
diet and tonic and stimulating remedies DR..
Hopkins regards this remedy as "above and
before all Others"
NEW Use FOR BROMIDE OF POTASSIUM.
of the essential characters of idiopathic mi
graine is its tendency to periodicity; this
periodicity may be variable, and is often
monthly. Tho migrsine is always ct first
hemicranial. and is then also accompanied by
. peculiar sense Of heaviness of one of the
ocular globes, or over one of the orbits. It is
this sensation, says one Of the foreign medical
journals, that indicates the opportune time
for eficacious Intervention, and when, if ad-
ministered in sufficient doses, the bromide of
potassium will arrest and prevent migraine,
while, if the paroxysm is allowed to set in, it
will scarcely mitigate the severity Of the pain.
1t is from want Of attention to this point that
the bromide has caused disappointment It
should be administered in does of from five to
six grains for an adult male, four for woman
and from two to three for child. given in .
cup of well-sweetened infusion of lime-tree
flowers, aromatized by drop or two of mint
oil, and swallowed by successive mouthfuls
within twenty minutes.
ACTION OF MILK AND OEREALs.-Investiga-
tons appear to show that the action of milk,
when taken as food, is exceedingly analogous
to that of the cereals, both in extent and
duration, and the combination of the two
appears to be the most perfect kind of food.
The caseine is to milk what gluten is to bread.
The oil in the milk and substances respira-
tory ex oitants-which call it into action, act
in . manner quite analogous to the common
combination of bread and butter, or Of mix
ture of fat and lean flesh. Milk and flesh, it
is believed, are the best and most natural
modes of administering fat, and altogether
preferable to the administering of separated
oils. It is well known that, in Germany,
skinned milk is in frequent use as q medici-
nal agent and, in some other nations, sour
milk is q common article of food. The action
of the former is explained by its caseine and
sugar as respiratory excitants and that of the
latter, by the advantage of administering
Tactic and other acids in that combination in
the summer season, and at other times. when
the blood, by tending to undue alkalinity, is
less capable of carrying on the oxidizing pro-
CESS It was long since shown that in fevers
skinned milk is preferable to new.
ELECTRICAL ILLUMINATION OF FACTORIES
In spite of the recent improvements in mag
neto. electric machines, especially that of
Gramme, electrical illumination in factories
has not displaced that by oil or gas to any
extent The Gramme machine has, however,
been introduced, with satisfactory results,
into an establishment at Williamson. The
room illuminated is 1876 feet by SO feet Four
lamps, on Serrin's plan, properly distributed,
are employed, each run by separate mag
o-electric' machine requiring about s-horse
power to work ii. The carbon points need
changing every three hours. The cost for the
four lamps per hour is about 20 cents.
During two months of use no diminution of
intensity has been noticed, and the illumina-
ton afforded has been steady and superior in
brilliancy to that from any other source.
The magneto-electric machines cost about
$500 apiece, or the four arranged, complete,
about $1,000. Lsboulaye gives the following
table of the comparative cost of this and
other methods of illumination:
Consumption Cost per
per hour for hour for
Source OF light. a-stearin can 100
delight. ste ari n
eandle-ight
Electricity, by magnetic
electric .machine. =. ...... 0.10 to 0.20f
Electricity, by galvsnic
battery .............. ..... 400 to 5.O0f
Goal gas ........ IS litres 3.2Of
Light petroleum. 4.52 grammes 3S5f
Rspe-seed oil. ...... 5.18 grammes 6.1Of
Tallow candles. ....... 1895 grammes II COZ
Stearin candles 10 40 grammes 262Of
Wax candles ...... 1926 grammes 80. 40f