1
881 not to be surpassed by any institution of the same kind in the Midland Counties. The new accident wards, two in number, are eighty feet by twenty-six feet six inches. They have two central fire- places, and ample lighting and ventilation; the baths and If lavatories are placed in an angular turret at the extremity of the wards, but separated from them by a short passage. Each ward has twenty-four beds, and has been fitted up by the munificence of various friends of the charity in a style too rarely seen in hospitals. There are four handsome sofas in each ward, a marble-topped table, comfortable oak cupboards to hold splints, and other appliances in the centre of the ward; and beside each patient’s bed con- venient receptacles to contain the patients’ clothes, &c., and many other little arrangements which show that more than ordinary liberality has been exhibited in providing for the wants of the inmates. A nurse’s room overlooks each ward, and adjacent to it is a small private room capable of receiving one or two special cases. The old accident ward has been converted into a children’s ward, with twenty-four beds, and it has, what all children’s wards should have, a good-sized day room adjoining it, in which the convalescent children may play without disturb- ing those who are confined to their beds. The operating theatre has been remodeled, and the lighting improved by the addition of ample roof and lateral windows. At the opposite end of the building to the accident department are the new infectious wards, six in number, three on the ground and three on the first floor, and each intended for three beds. There is no direct com- munication with the main building. The floors are of polished oak, and the walls plastered with parian cement. Gas is laid on to all the wards and corridors, and the heating is effected by newly-arranged hot-water apparatus. The walls of the closets are of enamelled tiles, and the lavatories have spring basins and a liberal supply of hot and cold water. The new out-patient department is reached by an exten- sion from the central corridor of the hospital. It comprises a large waiting-hall with physicians’ consulting and private rooms on the left, and similar rooms for the surgeons on the right; a dressing room, roof-lighted and provided with four basins, which, however, seems rather small for the size of the building and for its surgical requirements; and a dis- pensary, also roof-lighted and conveniently arranged with a laboratory adjoining and a drug-store in the basement. The dispensary has three windows opening into the waiting-hall, so that the out-patients, who number from 100 to 200 daily, may obtain their medicines readily and without crushing or inconvenience. There is a small "amputation" ward, containing four beds, close to the out-patient rooms, and in this patients are kept for the first week after they have been admitted into the hospital and subjected to amputation; and also a "burn" ward, capable of accommodating six patients; and this again is separate from the main part of the hospital. There have been further alterations in the nurses’ rooms and in the general ventilation and lighting of the wards. The cost of this entire and very well- executed reconstruction of the hospital is ,213,600, and that sum has been subscribed already by the liberal offerings of the people of Wolver- hamuton. Foreign Cleanings. CASE OF TUBERCULOSIS OF THE SKIN. DR. BIZZOZERO of Turin records (in Centralbl. für die Med. Wissensch., No. 19, 1873) a case of the above in a child of fifteen, with a marked scrofulous habit. At the post- mortem the following lesions were found:—Tuberculosis of the lungs, with peribronchitis ; intestinal tuberculosis with large ulcerated patches, and a great many ulcers on the skin, especially at the elbows, the right half of the face, and the left shoulder. These ulcers did not extend beyond two centimetres in diameter. On examination with the microscope, the edges and fundus of the sores were found infiltrated with migratory globules, and there was granular destruction of the more superficial layers. Moreover, the existence of isolated tubercles was stated in the fundus and on the edges of the sores, as also in the portions of skin around them. They consisted in giant cells, with parietal nuclei. In the subcutaneous cellular tissue be- neath the ulcers were found small gatherings of tubercles, which were quite perceptible to the touch through the tegument. Dr. Bizzozero thinks it very likely that scro- fulous ulcers of the skin often have a tubercular origin. TRIMETHYLAMIN IN RHEUMATISM. Dr. Dujardin-Beaumetz draws the following conclusions from a further series of experiments on the above:-1. The origin of trimethylamin does not seem to modify its phy- siological action ; whether taken from red-herring brine or from human urine, or artificially composed, its physiological, action always seems to be the same. 2. The medicament diminishes the secretion of urea. 3. Therapeutically, it acts: in a most marked manner in acute articular rheumatism, and gives better results than all other methods advocated until now, and that without producing any accidents or serious disturbance. INFANTILE PARALYSIS. Dr. Kitli (Jahrbuch fiir Kinderheilk., 6 Jahrg. 2 Heft,187,)7 has taken up and continued the researches made by MM. Ellischer and Bouchut, and has found in infantile paralysis the existence of fatty degeneration and of a sort of vitreous degeneration of the diseased muscles, accompanied by cel- lular proliferation and multiplication of nuclei. Arguing that, in the first place, this kind of degeneration is never observed in paralysis due to lesions of the nervous centres (apoplexy, tumours, inflammation, &c.), but constantly supervenes, after a short time, in paralysis of peripheric origin, and is attended by speedy loss of contractility on faradisation, though contractility on continuous currents is retained for some months; and that, in the second place, post-mortem examinations have never shown any lesions of the spinal cord,-Dr. Kitli arrives at the conclusion that infantile paralysis is an idiopathic muscular affection. It is the affection which Dr. Bouchut designates by the name of "rheumatic and granulo-fatty paralysis," and, when limited to a muscle or group of muscles, by the name of H granulo-fatty myositis." The author insists on the fact that recovery is the rule when continuous currents have ° been applied from the outset of the disease. As to coma, convulsions, and other accompanying head symptoms, he thinks that they depend on a cerebral affection having the- same cause as the muscular affection, but not in the least producing the latter. Moreover, no disturbance has ever been observed in the genito-urinary apparatus. CASE OF APHTHOUS STOMATITIS COMMUNICATED - BY A COW. This interesting case was related by Dr. Herent to the Societe Medicale de Bruxelles, and recorded in a recent number of Le Scalpel. The patient was a farmer, aged fifty. On the 26th October he went to church after drink- ing a cup of milk taken from a cow affected with aphthous stomatitis. His symptoms supervened in the following order :-Giddiness, colic, vomiting, diarrhoea, enlargement of face, sore-throat, cough, salivation, hoarseness, fever, and hallucination. The mucous membrane of the gums and lips became covered with aphthous patches, some of which ulcerated. Certain parts of the feet and hands, the bursse and penis, and the elbows were covered with large bullse. The treatment consisted in strong doses of opium and alum collutoria, and the patient recovered only on the 6th Nov. No medication was adopted for the skin lesions, which healed up of themselves, the bullae falling off in epidermic flaps. CONTAGIOUS CHARACTER OF MEASLES. Dr. Lancereaux has concluded, from the observation of a great number of cases, that measles is contagious during its stage of invasion, and that its power of transmission is then most intense. The contagious agent must have its source in the mucous membrane of the eyelids, the nostril, or the bronchi, since they are the only parts affected during that period. The period of incubation varies from nine to twelve days. It is therefore necessary to isolate patients from the moment the existence.of measles is suspected.-L’Union Médicale.

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Page 1: Foreign Cleanings

881

not to be surpassed by any institution of the same kind inthe Midland Counties.The new accident wards, two in number, are eighty feet

by twenty-six feet six inches. They have two central fire-places, and ample lighting and ventilation; the baths and Iflavatories are placed in an angular turret at the extremityof the wards, but separated from them by a short passage.Each ward has twenty-four beds, and has been fitted up bythe munificence of various friends of the charity in a styletoo rarely seen in hospitals. There are four handsomesofas in each ward, a marble-topped table, comfortable oakcupboards to hold splints, and other appliances in thecentre of the ward; and beside each patient’s bed con-venient receptacles to contain the patients’ clothes, &c., and

many other little arrangements which show that more thanordinary liberality has been exhibited in providing for thewants of the inmates.A nurse’s room overlooks each ward, and adjacent to it is

a small private room capable of receiving one or two specialcases.

The old accident ward has been converted into a children’sward, with twenty-four beds, and it has, what all children’swards should have, a good-sized day room adjoining it, inwhich the convalescent children may play without disturb-ing those who are confined to their beds.The operating theatre has been remodeled, and the

lighting improved by the addition of ample roof andlateral windows. At the opposite end of the building to theaccident department are the new infectious wards, six innumber, three on the ground and three on the first floor,and each intended for three beds. There is no direct com-munication with the main building. The floors are of

polished oak, and the walls plastered with parian cement.Gas is laid on to all the wards and corridors, and theheating is effected by newly-arranged hot-water apparatus.The walls of the closets are of enamelled tiles, and thelavatories have spring basins and a liberal supply of hot andcold water.The new out-patient department is reached by an exten-

sion from the central corridor of the hospital. It comprisesa large waiting-hall with physicians’ consulting and privaterooms on the left, and similar rooms for the surgeons on theright; a dressing room, roof-lighted and provided with fourbasins, which, however, seems rather small for the size ofthe building and for its surgical requirements; and a dis-pensary, also roof-lighted and conveniently arranged with alaboratory adjoining and a drug-store in the basement. Thedispensary has three windows opening into the waiting-hall,so that the out-patients, who number from 100 to 200 daily,may obtain their medicines readily and without crushing orinconvenience.There is a small "amputation" ward, containing four

beds, close to the out-patient rooms, and in this patients arekept for the first week after they have been admitted intothe hospital and subjected to amputation; and also a"burn" ward, capable of accommodating six patients; andthis again is separate from the main part of the hospital.There have been further alterations in the nurses’ rooms

and in the general ventilation and lighting of the wards.The cost of this entire and very well- executed reconstructionof the hospital is ,213,600, and that sum has been subscribedalready by the liberal offerings of the people of Wolver-hamuton.

Foreign Cleanings.CASE OF TUBERCULOSIS OF THE SKIN.

DR. BIZZOZERO of Turin records (in Centralbl. für die Med.Wissensch., No. 19, 1873) a case of the above in a child offifteen, with a marked scrofulous habit. At the post-mortem the following lesions were found:—Tuberculosis ofthe lungs, with peribronchitis ; intestinal tuberculosis with

large ulcerated patches, and a great many ulcers on theskin, especially at the elbows, the right half of the face,and the left shoulder. These ulcers did not extend beyondtwo centimetres in diameter. On examination with themicroscope, the edges and fundus of the sores were foundinfiltrated with migratory globules, and there was granulardestruction of the more superficial layers. Moreover, the

existence of isolated tubercles was stated in the fundusand on the edges of the sores, as also in the portions ofskin around them. They consisted in giant cells, withparietal nuclei. In the subcutaneous cellular tissue be-neath the ulcers were found small gatherings of tubercles,which were quite perceptible to the touch through thetegument. Dr. Bizzozero thinks it very likely that scro-fulous ulcers of the skin often have a tubercular origin.

TRIMETHYLAMIN IN RHEUMATISM.

Dr. Dujardin-Beaumetz draws the following conclusionsfrom a further series of experiments on the above:-1. Theorigin of trimethylamin does not seem to modify its phy-siological action ; whether taken from red-herring brine orfrom human urine, or artificially composed, its physiological,action always seems to be the same. 2. The medicamentdiminishes the secretion of urea. 3. Therapeutically, it acts:in a most marked manner in acute articular rheumatism,and gives better results than all other methods advocateduntil now, and that without producing any accidents orserious disturbance.

INFANTILE PARALYSIS.

Dr. Kitli (Jahrbuch fiir Kinderheilk., 6 Jahrg. 2 Heft,187,)7has taken up and continued the researches made by MM.Ellischer and Bouchut, and has found in infantile paralysisthe existence of fatty degeneration and of a sort of vitreousdegeneration of the diseased muscles, accompanied by cel-lular proliferation and multiplication of nuclei. Arguingthat, in the first place, this kind of degeneration is neverobserved in paralysis due to lesions of the nervous centres(apoplexy, tumours, inflammation, &c.), but constantlysupervenes, after a short time, in paralysis of periphericorigin, and is attended by speedy loss of contractility onfaradisation, though contractility on continuous currents isretained for some months; and that, in the second place,post-mortem examinations have never shown any lesions ofthe spinal cord,-Dr. Kitli arrives at the conclusion thatinfantile paralysis is an idiopathic muscular affection. Itis the affection which Dr. Bouchut designates by the nameof "rheumatic and granulo-fatty paralysis," and, whenlimited to a muscle or group of muscles, by the name ofH granulo-fatty myositis." The author insists on the factthat recovery is the rule when continuous currents have °

been applied from the outset of the disease. As to coma,convulsions, and other accompanying head symptoms, hethinks that they depend on a cerebral affection having the-same cause as the muscular affection, but not in the leastproducing the latter. Moreover, no disturbance has everbeen observed in the genito-urinary apparatus.

CASE OF APHTHOUS STOMATITIS COMMUNICATED -BY A COW.

This interesting case was related by Dr. Herent to theSociete Medicale de Bruxelles, and recorded in a recentnumber of Le Scalpel. The patient was a farmer, agedfifty. On the 26th October he went to church after drink-ing a cup of milk taken from a cow affected with aphthousstomatitis. His symptoms supervened in the followingorder :-Giddiness, colic, vomiting, diarrhoea, enlargementof face, sore-throat, cough, salivation, hoarseness, fever, andhallucination. The mucous membrane of the gums andlips became covered with aphthous patches, some of whichulcerated. Certain parts of the feet and hands, the bursseand penis, and the elbows were covered with large bullse.The treatment consisted in strong doses of opium and alumcollutoria, and the patient recovered only on the 6th Nov.No medication was adopted for the skin lesions, whichhealed up of themselves, the bullae falling off in epidermicflaps.

CONTAGIOUS CHARACTER OF MEASLES.

Dr. Lancereaux has concluded, from the observation of agreat number of cases, that measles is contagious during itsstage of invasion, and that its power of transmission is thenmost intense. The contagious agent must have its sourcein the mucous membrane of the eyelids, the nostril, or thebronchi, since they are the only parts affected during thatperiod. The period of incubation varies from nine to twelvedays. It is therefore necessary to isolate patients from themoment the existence.of measles is suspected.-L’UnionMédicale.