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crepitus, which indicates the exit of air, and thismovement constitutes the mechanical and passiveexpiration. These movements are practised 25to 30 times a minute, and should be continuedfor a longer or shorter time according to circum-stances. At intervals it may be necessary to putthe foetus in a warm bath, although the movementsmay be very well carried out with the foetus
wrapped from the axilla downwards in warmflannel which, can be changed from time to time.By this method expansion of the thoracic wall inall its diameters takes place owing to the move-ments performed and also by the weight of thefoetus acting on the sternum, clavicle, and ribs, andby the depression of the diaphragm caused by theshock imparted to the abdominal viscera. Otheruseful effects are also obtained,’ such as tractionon the larynx and trachea, with probable elevationof the epiglottis, widening of the rima glottidis, anddepression of the lower jaw. In fact, these move-ments unite in themselves the manoeuvres ofSilvester and Pacini devised to expand the thoraxby elevating and widening the shoulders. Here,however, the foetus is in a lying posture, whereasby the author’s method it is suspended, and this isan advantage. Moreover, it seems that these move-ments are more effectual than Schultze’s method,which induces inspiration solely by the position inwhich the foetus is held, since the direct and ener-getic impulse given to it and the firmer hold onthe shoulders cannot but have a more markedresult. The second movement advocated by Dr.Marmo imitates Silvester’s method so usefulin adults, but the effect is obtained with greatersimplicity and efficacy without the operatorhaving to change the position either of his ownhands or of the foetus. The method has- a furtheradvantage over that of Schultze, not only be-causeit can be carried out without increasing the chillingof the foetus, but principally because the head, wellsupported by the thumb and metacarpus, is notsubjected to the harmful tossing and nodding in-separable from the German method, since increasein the intracranial pressure may cause arrest ofthe bulbar cardiac and respiratory centres. Lastly,Dr. Marmo claims that a real and not illusoryentrance of air into the lungs takes place, as hehas been able to demonstrate on the bodies offoetuses born some days previously, so that this abundant and continuous aeration of the alveolar mucousmembrane cannot fail in modifying the venosityof the blood and in stimulating the residuum ofvitality of the nerve-endings and of the bulbar
inspiratory centres, and in establishing the rhythmof the reflexes on which extra-uterine life depends.
AN ANCIENT GREEK INSCRIPTION.
IN the Monumenti Antichi" (1915) publishedby the Italian Academy of the Lincei," is a par-ticularly well-preserved and lengthy Greek in-scription concerning an ancient physician of AsiaMinor. The text contains quite 50 lines, all butthe very last of these complete, and is edited bySignori Paribeni and Romanelli, among a longseries of inscriptions discovered during a journeyin Anatolia. The record consists of a copy oftwo honorary decrees bestowed upon a certainAsclepiades, son of Myron, originally hailing fromthe city of Perga. The first decree is a panegyricof him by the Perga citizens, and is doubtless acopy of the decree graven and erected in thattown. The second decree, which is longer in its
engrossment and more eulogistic in its terms, waspromulgated by a city named Seleucia, but as therewere more than one of this name in antiquity it is-not certain which Seleucia is referred to. Thedecrees really register the results of the delibera-tions of the two municipal councils when decidingto award honours to Asclepiades. Perga appearsto have satisfied. its representatives that theywere sufficiently recompensing their municipalmedical man for his meritorious services by settingup in imperishable stone the decree in his honour..Seleucia conferred citizenship upon him and pre-sented him with a golden crown in the Gymnasium.This Asclepiades, son of Myron, is not known to usfrom any ancient record. It was a name commonlyassumed by physicians, probably as indicative oftalent in the healing. art, and thus savours some-what of the charlatan. The registering of two
honorary decrees on one memorial stele seems toindicate that it was engraved by private initiative,because the city of Seleucia would not have
recapitulated the Perga panegyric. It may be thatAsclepiades, son of Myron, went to some third city,and there, as proof of his skill, erected the stelenow found, setting forth previous rewards grantedto him for his medical merits at two other towns.The inscription will be one of the most interestingfor the history of lapidary memorials of ancientmedicine. An excellent photogravure of the stoneis provided to assist students studying the text. Itis quite equal in importance to the inscription ofthe Agoni Medici of Ephesus, published by ProfessorKeil in the Jahreshefte of 1905, p. 128.
APPENDICITIS AS A SEQUEL OF TONSILLITIS.
THE occurrence of appendicitis as a sequel oftonsillitis has not received much attention and isunmentioned in most text-books. The importanceof the tonsil as the port of entry of many infectionsand a source of disease in distant organs has beenestablished in recent years. General septiemmia,acute rheumatism, chorea, endocarditis, pneumoniapleurisy, meningitis, nephritis, orchitis, thyroiditis,and cholecystitis have been traced to tonsillarinfection. The similarity of lymphatic structurein the tonsil and the appendix suggests liabilityto similar infections. Professor H. D. Anderson, ofToronto, has published in the American Journal ofMedical Sciences an important paper on appendicitisas a sequel of tonsillitis. His attention to the
subject was first directed by the case of a studentgaged 19 years, who became ill with folliculartonsillitis on Jan. 10th. 1907. A culture from thethroat showed the staphylococcus pyogenes aureus-On the 13th the throat had greatly improved, but thepatient suffered from epigastric pain, gastric dis-tension, and belching of gas. There was sometenderness in the epigastric and left hypochondriacregions. The bowels had been acting freely.The pain disappeared in a short time and fortwo days the patient appeared to be muchbetter, the throat cleared up, and the temperaturebecame normal, On the 15th the pain and gastricdistension with retching recurred and he wa&
admitted to hospital. The epigastric region wasdistended, but there was no pain, tenderness, orrigidity elsewhere. During the night generalabdominal pain, tenderness, and distensiondeveloped, and the temperature rose to 99’2°F., andthe pulse to 140. An operation was performed
1 Another instance of a gold crown being presented to a medical manis that of Artemedoros in Ins. Grae. XII., No. 719.