The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-26
MEDICAL NOTES.
prepared for the Sunday Journal by
am Old Practftioner.)

full Of fruits, but it must be eaten with
caution. There is an absurd idea that eat
Ing of pineapples renders the eater prone TO
contract yellow fever and similar diseases
In Java, the Philippines and throughout
the far East the juice of the green pine
apple is considered a blood poison of a
most deadly nature 1t Is claimed that this
is the poison with which the Malays poison
their kreeses and daggers. The most curl
Gus use, however, of green pineapple juice
Is that OF 'finger-nail' poison, formerly
in vogue among the aboriginal Javanese
women, who cultivated a nail on each hand
10 a long. sharp point, so that the least
scratch from one Of these was fatal. The
technical name of the pineapple is bromelia,
and this gives the name bromelin to "a
principle extracted from the juice to which
powerful digestive qualities are ascribed.
1t is also claimed that the juice will remove
Ciphtheretic membranes, and the use OF
the pineapple is of advantage in maintain
ing good digestion and health. Injurious
effects, from eating pineapple, are due to
the fact that the rind is not carefully and
ccmepletely removed. The rind and eyes
contain an acrid juice which, at least. will
oNo oh -dplAOu dDCul llC LlOulh, IL aS
sometimes happens, the pine apple is
gnawed without being peeled. No doubt
swallowing this rind may cause distur-
Dances of the body and sickness.
+ 7 +
Professor Atwater's experiments and
statements concerning alcohol have caused
much adverse and harsh criticism, and
Professor Atwater has himself delivered
an address, published in the Educational
Review, in which he states that he has
been incorrectly reported and misrepre-
scented. He believes that, in small guam
titles, alcohol is a food; in large quantities.
always a poison. Alcohol does not build
up tissue and is not stored up in the body
for future use. 1t is, however, oxidized,
and yields a certain amount of energy,
and thus may be called a partial food when
taken in moderate quantities. No differ
ence of opinion can exist as to the injurious
effects of large quantities of alcohol. Re-
ferring to the teaching of temperance in
schools Professor Atwater believes that the
extremist method is wrong and futile.
When intelligent children are told that
alcohol in the form of light wines and beer
is a poison they know or will learn that
they are misled. Speaking editorially of
this the Philadelphia Medical Journal
rightly says reform is seldom promoted
by misstatements of extremists, and ra-
tional people, whether children or adults.
are more strongly influenced, in the long
run, by careful adherence to the truth.
Professor Atwater believes that what
should be taught is that alcohol is not a
food in the sense in which that word is
ordinarily understood.
Popular superstitions die hard, and it is
not astonishing that a number should be
added with our new possessions. DR.. Morse
reports, in the Albany Medical Annals, a
Cuban custom in accordance with which
the Cuban mothers expose their children,
entirely naked. during an eclipse of the SUM-,
in order TO prevent their being hit by the
eclipse and incidentally by any devils that
may be wandering about seeking whom
they may devour. He learned this custom
from a case in his own practice. A woman
exposed her two children, aged three
months and fourteen months, respectively,
during the recent eclipse. If the children
contract bronchitis from the exposure they
are hit If they escape these natural con-
sequences they are blessed. In this case
the husband summoned the doctor with
the remark that a mother and two daugh-
tiers are three devils for a father. In this
case the priest, who was also summoned,
was good-natured and level-headed, and
took the prescription to the drug store. The
children recovered and the woman gave all
the credit to the priest and the holy
water" which, in this case, was eucalyptol,
ordered by the doctor.
-
Ichthalbin, dormiol, and tannopin are
three new drugs claiming medical favor.
Ichthalbin is a compound of albumin and
ichthyol which exerts a favorable influence
upon food changes in the body and is a
valuable intestinal antiseptic. 1t may be
given to children in place Of calomel when
an a~ntiseptic action is desired without pur-
cation. Dormiol is a compound of choral
and amylene hydrate. 1t is valuable as an
hypnotic efficient in action and low in price.
The initial dose, seven and one-half grains,
produces sleep in from half an hour to one
hour after administration. Tannopin, or
tannon, is a condensation product Of an
mic acid and urutropin. 1t is a useful
III oNUtO oHN -
value in treating children, on account OF its
tastelessness, but its high price is a dis
advantage. The dose for children is seven
and one-half grains; for adults, fifteen
grains.
In France, where the state has much
more to say about personal matters than
with us, a just law has recently been
passed prohibiting anyone from giving solid
food of any kind to infants. Persons who
give solid food to a child less than one year
old, unless it be given upon the special or
der of a physician, may be adjudged guilty
OF ar attempt to kill. The use of long rub
Der tubing with nursing bottles is also pro-
hibited because of the difficulty of keeping
them clean and free from disease-bearing
matter. Such a law in this free" country
woul be considered an infringement of
personal rights to do as one pleases,
whether it be for right or wrong, for good
or bad, but the wise mother may be a law
to herself and govern herself by the sug-
gestion.
DR.. Watson, who has studied the subject
with care in 300 cases, believes that where
a family of boys is desired a mar should
not marry the eldest daughter OF a family,