same time the conservation of sensibility, direct proof that these poisons do not act upon the nerves themselves. First, the volun tary motor nerves, then the motor nerves not under the influence of the will, and finally the spinal nerves, which affect the movements of the heart, are paralyzed. M. Vulpian has shown that with the Curare the vaso-motor nerves of the great sympathetic and filiments o fthis to the iris, retain their motor power, for two or three hours, after the sciatic nerves have lost their excitability. In a dog, the action of the heart was sustained, by means of artificial respiration, for some two or three hours, after the power of the sciatic nerves was lost, yet this action of the heart was arrested by excitation of the pneumogastric nerves, while the

same excitation caused the stomach to contract.

There is a difference between the action of Conium and its derivatives and thatof the Curare. While the effect of the Curare is to conserve the moderate action of the heart, this action is rapidly lost under the effects of Conia and its derivatives. In the cat the nonstriated muscular fibres of the inferior half of the cesophagus lost, equally with those of the superior half of it, their power to contract through excitation of the nerves distributed to them. But under the action of one of the derivatives of conium (Piodure du diethyl-conium,) it is quite different. Here the voluntary motor nerves retain their power to contract the muscles, under the influence of galvanism; while certain involuntary motor nerves, such as those from the spinal cord that go to the heart, and to the inferior portion of the œsophagus, have lost their power to respond to such influences.

From this action of the Curare and its congeners, two hypotheses, present themselves; the one, that the interruption to the passage of voluntary and electric excitation, through the nerves to a muscle, is occasioned by a modification of the muscle itself; the other, that the poison produces such interruption by the vitiation of a certain organic medium occupying the midst, and touching both the extremities of the nerves and the muscles. We can scarcely think that an alteration of the muscles prevents their contraction under excitation of the nerves, since they retain their normal qualities and contractility. It must be from vitiation of the blood or of this organic medium above referred to, that the interruption is produced; the integrity of this organic medium being necessary to the proper relation ofthe nerves to the muscles.

The better to understand the influence of the blood upon the extremities of the nerves and the muscles, it suffices to observe what occurs in peripheric anæmia. When one all at once stops the flow of blood to a given part, by the ligation of the arterial trunk that supplies the same, or better yet, by the injection of Lycopodium into the vessels, we will immediately observe a paralysis of voluntary and reflex movements in the part so deprived of blood. Voluntary movements are arrested in from one to

five minutes, it is much later that the contractility of the muscles and excitability of the nerves begin to diminish to finally disappear. The excitability of the nerves disappears first. Sensibility remains for a much longer time.

It will thus be seen that the effects of the Curare are analagous to those resulting from the substraction of the blood from the periphery of the nerves, and the muscles supplied by such nerves. There is this difference, however, between the two; the Curare only interrupting the passage of voluntary and electric excitation from the nerve to the muscle, while peripheric anæmia, in addition to the same phenomena, produces a chemical change in the muscle itself, so that there is a diminution, or entire loss of its irritability. It would seem that the Curare and its homologues in coursing with the blood, removes from that liquid, the sole property that fits it to maintain the proper relation between the nerve and muscular fibres.

1

Let us observe the analogy in the effects of carbonic acid, when this gas is not properly eliminated from the blood, and its place supplied with sufficient oxygen from the atmosphere. The carbonic acid has in itself no deleterious property, but let it accumulate in the blood, the animal dies of asphyxia, and this even in the midst of a quantity of oxygen more than sufficient for the proper oxygenation of the blood. It will act solely by its presence, interfering with the proper relation of the animal with the exterior world. The same is asphyxia from the above poisons. They accumulate in the organic medium between the nerves and the muscles, and intercept the communication of the first with the second. They have no toxic effect upon the nerves or the muscles, as they leave them both intact, and in possession of all their properties. They. by their presence only, interfere with the proper relations of the first with the second.

If the comparison is correct, it is only necessary to lift the poison from the organic medium, in order to make all the toxic phenomena to disappear; as in the case of asphyxia from carbonic acid, it is only necessary to remove the gas and all the phenomena disappear. This is what virtually takes place. Take for example, the member of an animal poisoned with the Curare, excitation of the nerve produces no contraction of the muscles which it supplies. It however, only suffices to transfuse the members with healthy blood, to bathe the extremities of the nerves and the muscular fibres with this liquid, in other words, to render this organic medium again sound, and the nerve again assumes its motor function. Evidently, there cannot be any, or indeed, very little alteration of the anatomic elements of the nerves, or so simple a means would not suffice to make the abolished function to reappear.

By means of artificial respiration the animals poisoned can be recovered; one simply supplies a function that has been suppressed; it sufficing to keep up the oxygenation of the blood

and the change in the atomic elements, from asphyxia is prevented. Time is thus given for the natural emunctories of the organism to eliminate it. In frogs, the cutaneous respiration suffices for this purpose. But the poisons that change the histological elements, as of the red gobules of the blood and the muscles, produce death without appeal; foi, in order to recovery, it would be necessary to replace all the elements that were destroyed by those which were sound.

Spontaneous Origin of Enteric Fever.-Dr. Charles E. Pryor, in the London Lancet, for December, undertakes to prove, by an ingenious and able argument, that enteric, or typhoid fever, is strictly contagious, and belongs, in point of fact, to the contagious exanthems. If he were to spend a few years in California, he might elaborate an argument more plausible and conclusive, to prove the very opposite, based on the history of the disease on this coast. We append his several conclusions, some of which have our hearty assent:

1. Spontaneous generation of plants and animals is a figment which is constantly receding as means of observation extend and improve.

2. Spontaneous generation of parasitical diseases is a fig

ment.

3. The exanthemata may be a low form offungoid life.

4. Small-pox, a contagious exanthem, is proved by indisputable negative testimony to be incapable of spontaneous generation.

5. Several other contagious exanthemata can not originate spontaneously.

6. Enteric fever is a contagious exanthem.

7. Febrile diseases of local origin are not contagious.

8. Experiment* gives strong evidence against the spontaneous origin of enteric fever.

9. Observation, as usually conducted, is a treacherous and insufficient test of the origin of febrile diseases.-Pacific Medical and Surgical Journal.

*That is, the only kind of experiment which is permissible.

Materia Mediea and Therapeutics.

PROF. E. M. HALE, CHICAGO, ILL., EDITOR.

JUGLANS CINEREA.

EAST POULTNEY, Vt., Feb. 21, 1871.

DR. LODGE-Dear Sir:-I have not relaxed in the least my interest in, or estimation of the curative virtues of Juglans cinerea. My regard for it has steadily increased with its use during the past two years. I thought long ere this to have sent you a file of cases cured with it from my own practice, but owing perhaps more to indolence than to any other reason I have never done so. True I felt some hesitancy in putting into public print cases cured with a remedy of which we have as yet no extensive provings, and with many that always savors of empiricism. Therefore I thought if I could sometime obtain a proving that was of extent and purity to satisfy me I would send it to you.

In the early part of December last, I received a visit from Dr. L. A. Clark, of Fairhaven, Vt., and during our visit I proposed to him to take a bottle of my saturated tincture, from the fresh inner bark of the root, and make a somewhat lengthy proving of it, gradually increasing the dose and send it to me, when finished for perusal. One great reason I had for wishing him to make the proving was because of his freedom from disease of any kind, but especially any thing in shape of skin disease, because I wanted if he obtained any symptoms of that kind that they should be pure and reliable.

I received the proving a short time since and studied it carefully. I deemed it worthy of publication and have copied it verbatím from his diary. If you think it worth the trouble you can use it. The symptoms might be arranged regionally but I thought best to send them as they occurred.

In regard to my own clinical use of the remedy I may remark that I have used it extensively in various forms of eruptions emanating from a psoric or sycotic taint with unfailing success, and reasoning from its power to cure the chronic dyscrasias that it might also cure the acute exanthematic eruptions, I there. fore one year ago, resolved to test it in scarlatina. I had an op

portunity to do it in twenty cases only (all I had) giving nothing but Juglans 3d from beginning to end. Some had the anginose

symptoms pretty well developed, but all recovered, and what gave most satisfaction, was none had any sequela whatever, which was better success than I can boast of in twenty cases of like character treated in succession previously. If a perusal of this proving should induce even one to make a trial with a reliable preparation of the remedy, and it results in relieving suffering fellow being, I shall feel amply repaid for the time and effort expended.

A. E. HORTON.

PROVING OF JUGLANS CINEREA.

BY L. A. CLARK, M. D., FAIR HAVEN, VT.

Æt 25, perfectly well, not an unsound spot in me, appetite good, stools regular once a day in the morning, weight 1364 lbs. Dec. 13, 1870.-Commenced taking tincture of Juglans cinerea, 10 drops at 7 P. M.

Dec. 14.-Took 11 drops at 7 A. M., 12 M. and at 7 P. M., slight feeling of fullness in frontal regions; left foot numb every time I sit still.

Dec. 15.-Awoke at 3 o'clock in the morning and could not get to sleep again; 12 drops at 7 A. M. 12 M. and 7 P. M.; feeling in forehead continued; headache in evening; slight pain in umbilical region; stool dark brown.

Dec. 16.-Took 13 drops at 7 A. M. 12 M. and 7 P. M.; sharp rheumatic pain in both shoulders and wrists; tongue coated white; stool small and brown ; numb sensation at root of nose; constant yawning but not sleepy.

Dec. 17.-Took 14 drops at 7 A. M., 12 M. and 7 P. M.; dull frontal headache; eyes red and swollen; inclination to void urine more frequently and more copiously than usual; intense numbness in bridge of nose; have to rub it which relieves; sleep light and uneasy; yery troublesome dreams.

Dec. 18.-Took 15 drops at 7 A. M., 12 м. and 7 P. M.; headache continues; appetite ferocious, want to eat all the time; throat feels sore and swollen; very troublesome dreams.

Dec. 19.-Took 16 drops at 7 A, M., 12 M., and 7 P. M.; severe ague chill when sitting near warm fire, commencing in back but no coldness of the flesh; head itches constantly.

Dec. 20.--Took 17 drops at 7 A. M., 12 M., and 7 P. M.; ridiculous dreams all the past night; stool about natural; pricking sensation up and down the spine.