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large a portion of the arable land. Nominally therewere 295 statute acres, but from this must be deducted 112acres for buildings, courts, and woods, leaving 183 acres. IE65 acres be now taken for an infectious diseases hospitalit would leave 118 acres, but it might be fairly estimatedthat the new asylum buildings would cover a surfacearea of 30 acres, leaving only 88 acres. At a time when so

many asylums were adding to their farms Dr. Graham sub-mitted that it seemed strange even to contemplate thecurtailment of an estate so peculiarly adapted to the cura-tive and recreative treatment of a most attlicted class. Sir

George O’Farrell (Inspector of Lunacy) who was present, inanswer to questions stated that at Downpatrick Asylumthey had 110 acres and they had just acquired nearly 100acres more for 500 patients. In a new asylum outside Dublinthey had 465 acres and in three new asylums in Scotland thefarms varied from 460 to 800 acres. He spoke of the very finesite that Pardysburn was for an asylum (the most beautiful,he believed, in the world). He thought that when theydeprived people who were bereft of their reason of their libertythey incurred very special obligations to them, and he con-sidered that among these obligations was one not to bring anypossible danger of spreading infectious disease. In the caseof small-pox there would, owing to aerial spreading, be alarge element of risk. In reply, Alderman J. Graham (chair-man of the Public Health Committee) said that the asylumauthorities could get 500 acres in the neighbourhood atreasonable cost, and he stated that the corporation hadbrought the matter of erecting the Infectious Diseases Hos-pital at Purdysburn before the governors of the asylumas well as the Board of Control, and no objection hadthen been made. Dr. Graham said it was only quiterecently that the matter had come before him officiallyas the new medical superintendent, and so he took theearliest opportunity of placing his views before his com-mittee. The report of the medical superintendent was

entered on the minutes. After a discussion it was decidedto send a deputation consisting of the members of theAsylum Board (who were not members of the corporation) toattend the next monthly meeting of the city council to

protest against taking any of the ground of the asylum atPurdysburn for an infectious diseases hospital.March 13th.

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PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

IlIfl1lel1za and its Treatment.AT a recent meeting of the Academy of Medicine

M. Huchard read a paper upon the present epidemic ofinfluenza, especially upon those abortive forms which areso common at present. The attacks are characterised by anabsence of fever, but are accompanied by various neuralgiasand depression both bodily and mental. In other cases

abortive pneumonias occur ; there is no fever, but there is

congestion of the bases of the lungs or else a bastard

pleurisy with diminished respiratory sounds. M. Huchardconsidered that all these symptoms could be put down tosome affection of the pneumogastric nerve. The respiratoryform is not signalised by any very definite symptoms and thepatients go about their usual work thus exposing themselvesto grave dangers. Sometimes the only symptom observed isa rise in temperature lasting for about two days without anyabnormal pulmonary signs. In other cases the temperatureis raised but the pulse is not quickened. These maskedforms of influenza of the ambulatory type are especiallydangerous, for the sufferer takes no care of himself andthe influenza infection opens the door to infections ofanother kind so that the organism is very subject tothe danger of invasion by the bacilli of pneumonia or

the staphylococci or streptococci for which Pfeiffer’sbacillus prepares the ground and the virulence ofwhich it intensities. In time of influenza, then, preventivemeasures should be taken, antisepsis and asepsis of the bodycavities should be used, antiseptic lotions should be used forthe mouth, the nose, and the throat, and blistering agentsshould be avoided as opening the door to infection. Forintestinal antisepsis reliance should be placed on a milkdiet, which is preferable to medicinal antiseptics ; italso acts favourably on the liver and kidneys. Quinineshould be given in large doses in the form of the bromo-hydrate and as much as nearly 19 grains (1’25 grammes)

may be given if there is fever, and if not from sevenand a half to 11 grains (0 5 to 0’75 of a gramme)may be given both as curative and preventive. 10 centi-

grammes (one and a half grains) of the watery extract ofergot, and the same quantity of bromohydrate of quininemay also be given in the form of a pill, and 10 of these maybe taken per diem. Where nervous symptoms are markedglycero-phosphate of lime, or still better strychninesulphate, may be given. Antipyrin should be used verysparingly and with the greatest care, or, better, not at all.-M. Hayem did not recommend milk. It was a depressingdiet and influenza was a very weakening complaint. Hecould not understand M. Huchard recommending this torelieve the digestive organs and at the same time recom-mending ergot and quinine, which were both digestiveirritants.--M. Laborde agreed that antiseptic lotions for thenose and throat should be used. He recommended a solutionof carbolic acid of the strength of 1 in 200. -The Treatment of Tuberculous Infection by Muscle Plasma.At the meeting of the Academy of Sciences held on

Feb. 26th M. Hericourt and Professor Charles Richet madea communication as to the results of their researches intothe mechanism of the action of the therapeutics of rawmeat in cases of tuberculosis. Cooked meat does notproduce the same effect because cooking coagulatescertain albuminoid ferments. The important point, how-ever, of the researches of these two observers is as concernsthe active part of the meat. They separated the pulp fromthe muscle plasma and have discovered that the plasmaalone is active. It is the principles which are soluble inwater that constitute the active portion of the meat. The

question is not one of feeding or of over-feeding, for thequantity of nitrogen contained in the plasma is very small,but it possesses immunising qualities analogous to those ofother animal products which are injected into the veins.M. Hericourt and Professor Richet propose to call this newmethod of treatment "zomotherapy."

"

Appendicitis in Pregnant Women.At a meeting of the Academy of Medicine held on

March 6th M. Pinard read a paper on a certain number ofcases of appendicitis in pregnant women which had comeunder his observation. The symptoms were from the begin-ning marked and rersistent pain with muscular rigidity of theabdominal wall, especially well marked on the right side.There were also vomiting and high fever, which last neveraccompanies the ordinary vomiting of pregnancy. Peritonitisin pregnancy is unknown except after rupture of the uterus,so the diagnosis in these cases is comparatively easy. Itshould, however, be made as early as possible. Appen-dicitis in pregnancy is always most grave, and surgicalintervention must not be delayed. M. Pinard describedvarious cases in which a successful result had been obtained,although the patients were almost in eotremis when operatedupon. The pregnancy went to full term in the usual wayafter the operation.March 13th.

ROME.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

THE LANCET and Italy’s Climatic Resources.’’ LA diffusissima e autorevole rivista clinica di Londra "

(the most widely circulated and authoritative clinical reviewof London) has, according to last night’s Tribuna, devoteda long series of articles, fortified by statistics, to demonstra-ting Italy’s advantages over her southern rivals as a winterresidence for the weakly and the ailing. Starting with thereport of THE LANCET’S Special Commissioner on Palermoand referring to its other communications on the same themethe Roman journal expatiates over two columns on Italy’sattractions, climatic and other, and reminds her of the dutythese attractions impose on her to the public as well as to her-self. Towards the discharge of that duty a beginning has beenmade by that great "Sicilian sanatorium," as it calls the" Villa Igiea," with its 150 rooms specially appointed for thetreatment of the phthisical, and it proceeds to announce thatyet another step has been taken in the direction indicated-the foundation of a hotel, also at Palermo, on the lines andon the scale of the princely" Alberghi" of Rome and undersuch skilled and effective management as those of Zurich or