New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-17
MEDICAL IND SURGICAL NOTES.

CONDITIONS OF INsANITY-M. Meyer of liam
burg that all mental diseases fall INTO TWO great
classes In one of these, the mental action exhps
state of the intellect the normal intelligence ana
here there is evident weakness OF CONFUSION Oh mno
this diseased condition is idopathc-comes from the
brain-and II. in case OF any patient OF nis ciss no
nj once fever In patients Of the second class Dr. MEYER
saws the mental strength Is not below the norman sts
dard but the intellectual activity Is wrong In direcuon
the insanity OF this class is syniahctic or re-
Elected tha u.s. 1t does not arise from dhseasea pfa
part OF the bOdy-te organs Of generation the digestive
organs, eic.
WEIGHT AND HEALTH.-The weight OF the
body az il well knowu been assumed rs an in
fsibe proof OF maintenance OF the condition OF the
body, or of deposition Of tissue and tho food which
keeps IN mans weight has regarded that nc
count nutritious. Remaining upon this, IN
his address Munich Prof Volt says that the
weight o body really no criterion OF the vane OF
the food taken because. while the weight remains con-
stant increases water may Increase In the u.s.
sues and abunen and diminish; there may be an
increase Of weight and deposition OF st while there Is
time dinuntion Of the albuIen OF the
body-the fact being that badly neursbed people arc
usually not lighter than Others hut their bodies contain
water aud less albunen and lat thh those VINO are
feeling OF satisfaction equally deceptive; that The irish
peasant who consumes ten pounds o. ~ a" oo
Of fact though not conscious OF IL.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF BLOOD.-It is stated that
DR.. D. G. Richardson. for the purpose of illustrating IN
criminal tue dsnguislabe appearances OF diner
ent of blood, has flowed drops Of blood from diner
animals nearly in contact on the glass sde that
portions Of the drops appear the same field ard
can be photographed together. DIR. {. Leo Mees has
modified this method and obtained exquisite results IN
specimens presented the microscopical section OF the
TyhlaI Association. He spreads the bleed ny JoDn-
accurately ground edge OF slide, and these
draw It gently over The face src OF am o'hf
tins way Que kind Of blood is spread upon The
slide and apqher on the SC "G witt, When oo aE
shaTpencd knife ana the cover inverted upon hc sde IN
Alan into aIpoition Under the microscope, and III the
photograph the two kinds Of blood appear IN remarkably
for safe discrimination in criminal being easily dis
tinguishcd when thus prepared from fresh material
THE PAINLESS DEATH.--ln a recent holiday
lecture az the Royal Institution, Prof Tynda speaking
OF the painless death by electricity, remarked that
Franklin WAS struck senscicss by tho shock he
afterwards sent discharge of two large jars through
six robust men, who fell to the ground and cot up agl
without knowing what had happened, ueiher hearing
nor feeling the discharge and Piicstly, too. who made
many valuable combinations to electricity received TIC
charge of two Jars, but did not find it painful Prof.
Tynal said this experience agreed with his own that,
in the thcater OF the Royal institution and In the pres
ence Of an audiance received the discharge OF
battery OF II LeydeD lars Unlike fraKnhs SIX men,
he did not fall, bat. hc ihcl ne ielt h0tbs NC was
simply extSGShed Tor sensible me- Fa.. jniI NY
be regarded experimental pronf mat people sl'cd
OF electricity is many Thousand times greater THAN Inc
measured velocity 0f SENSATION in the nerves Hence t
electrical reaches tie center OF life without
any possible announcement Ivy the eye or ear or sense "r
fccinc There IN abundant evidence That death Nv
rife hall tfaVrrsing the brain j. for TIE sdn" reason
entirely without consciousness or pain. rlh" iiii,
however, is tortoise compared Win tie electric HASH
A SIMPLE ANHSTfIETIC.-A concentrated so,u-
ton of lacttc OF soda in war, administered a hypo-
drnic injection, sufficiently large quantities in
toduced empty stomach, il Is said by Dr. fIcyer VI
Saxoy causcs sensation OF fatigue and siecPlnrsS
perfectly similar that of natural slcothat - pro-
vied no Disturbance of the is rcsocd TO TO keep
the person awake Similar symptoms show themselves
after the drinking Of large quantities OF fresh mk' ana
more so Of milk which has become slightly aid. also OF
but.crilk either sweet acid and even OF concen-
trtcd snEaT-watcr Persons valt0nsly ahcctcd by
laciate OF soda; experience uncomfortable som
nDcncc after having III the morning on an empty
stomach drank Il glass Of thick milk or concentrated
sugar water, Il solution OF half an Dance OF sugar IN
for ounces Of wacr-but others will feel no erect OF
the KIND Preyer thinks that the effects OF the acatc
of soda deserve 10 bc cXpcrtmcntcd upon NJ an ami
pyrcc, sciavc in mania and certain forms OF con
vuIsive aa tons, account OF the pr0HpittSa WIN
which produces muscular relaxation Every tic ne
observed hypnotic effects OF this salt Lee found llat tc
respiration became slower and deoptr, The irrliaDhty
Diminished and that at least among eoldpIoohed AMI
mails the temperature went down under the influence OF