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plains where they are most exposed to light and alternationsof temperature....... Freckles, which, curiously enough,occur most frequently on those with hair of a pronounced redcolour, do not differ in any respect from the pigmented skinsof the darker races except in regard to their colour and theircircumscribed appearance. In persons of dark complexionthere is, in addition to the red, brown, and yellow pigments,probably a very slight admixture of the black pigment. This

may be present in sufficient quantity to impart a blacknessin the hair but not abundant enough to destroy the fairnessof the skin, though in exceptional situations its presencemay be very evident." It is curious to note that "when theskin of a white man is grafted on to a negro the graftedpatch assumes the normal tint of the individual, and, viceversa, when black skin is grafted on to white the pigmentdisappears."The article, which is illustrated with photo-micrographs,deserves careful perusal.

THE LATE PROFESSOR KANTHACK.

WE publish in another column a letter dealing with thequestion of a memorial to the late Professor Kanthack. Theform of the proposed memorial is, we think, very admirable,for it is intended to provide for the widow of the deceasedduring her lifetime and after her death to apply the capitalsum to some permanent memorial of him who was one ofour most brilliant ps,thologists. All who knew him shouldsubscribe according to their ability. He was known to many

personally, to more perhaps by his work, and there should beno difficulty in collecting an adequate sum for the objectsset forth in our correspondence columns.

THE ARTHRITIS OF CEREBRO-SPINALMENINGITIS.

DR. OSLER has contributed an important paper to the

Boston Medical and Surgical Journal of Dec. 29th, 1898, onthis subject. Arthritis is a very inconstant symptom. An oldwriter, North, in his valuable " Treatise on a MalignantEpidemic commonly called Spotted Fever " (New York, 1811)mentions " swelling like rheumatism of the joints." In the

recent outbreak in Boston arthritis occurred in six out 111

cases. Dr. Osler relates two cases. In one the onset

was abrupt and accompanied by chill. There were

marked fever, stiffness of the neck, splenic enlarge-ment, delirium, and unconsciousness from which the

patient could not be roused. The arthritis was the most

prominent symptom. The right wrist, the elbows, and kneeswere red and swollen. The condition of the joints suggestedpyæmia, but the deep coma and rigidity of the neck cerebro-spinal fever. There was consolidation of the lower part ofthe right lung which appeared to be pneumonic, but whilemeningeal symptoms in ordinary pneumonia are not un-common they are rarely associated with stiffness of the

neck, and arthritis is excessively rare. Lumbar puncturegave a turbid fluid containing lymph and the diplococcusintracellularis. Half an ounce of pus obtained from the

right knee showed the diplococcus and the blood also con-tained it. This is the first case in which during life theorganism has been isolated from the blood and joints. The

necropsy revealed purulent cerebro-spinal meningitis. Inthe second case the illness began with pain and redness andswelling of the right ankle, then the left ankle and right hipwere affected. The diagnosis was doubtful, but typhoidfever was suspected. Pain in the back on the sixth day andretraction of the neck (without rigidity) on the seventh dayaroused suspicion. The joint symptoms subsided completely.On the twelfth day the legs were limp and paraplegicand there was anaesthesia as high as the umbilicus sur-

mounted by a band of hypersestbesia. There were no

reflexes to be obtained from the legs. Lumbar puncturegave exit to two drachms of pus containing suspiciouslooking diplococci. The lower part of the cord was exposed

and thick pus was drained away. A small catheter was

passed under the dura mater and the membranes were

irrigated with normal saline solution. Much pus escaped.The patient was improved in health at the time of the report.The infectious arthritides while common in some fevers are

very rare in others. The general view has been that thearthritis of cerebro-spinal fever is a secondary effect of themeningitis; the separation of the organism from the bloodand joints in the first case shows that it may be the directeffect of a widespread diplococcus septicsemia.

THE MILROY LECTURES: AN INTERESTINGEXHIBIT.

AT the close of his first lecture Dr. Poore exhibited an

interesting series of rabbits which had been buried in wirecages for a year at different depths and under different con-ditions. The results of these experiments will be dealt within an appendix. The specimens will be again shown at theclose of the lectures on Tuesday and Thursday next to anyoneinterested in the subject.

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PRIVATE MUNIFICENCE AND MEDICALRESEARCH.

IT will be remembered that some little time ago Mr.

Balfour made an eloquent appeal for the richer endowmentof medical research. In commenting on the speech of Mr.Balfour 1 we remarked that we hoped it was a foreshadowingof a Government grant in aid of such research. Our hopehas so far not been realised and so private generosity hascome forward. We learn that Sir Frederick Wills hasforwarded to the treasurer of Guy’s Hospital a cheque forr.5000 to be used for the benefit of the medical school oIt is perhaps only fitting that an institution founded byprivate charity should continue to benefit by the munificenceof a private benefactor, but we think it quite time for theState, which has in the past (and very probably will in thenear future repeat its action) laid rude hands upon the

moneys of pious founders, to do something for the carrying onof that research upon the results of which the health and

happiness not only of the living but of those yet unborn maydepend. However this may be medicine and science canand do unite in offering very hearty thanks to Sir FrederickWills.

"TIGER NUTS."

A NOT infrequent and very troublesome form of rectal

obstruction in children arises from the practice of eatingwhat are known as " tiger nuts." These nuts are of a some-what flattened conical shape, from a quarter to half an inchlong and inclosed in a dry, brown, inseparable skin markedwith transverse ridges. Being small they are apt to be takenin considerable quantity and being hard they are commonlyswallowed in a crushed but unmasticated state. The naturalresult as it is revealed to the practitioner who is called in afew days after this injurious repast is a peculiarly painfulimpaction of the rectum. The finger passed within the anusfinds itself in what feels like a mass oE small coal. Defecation

is a misery. Enemata are at the outset of treatment nearlyuseless. The finger and the spoon are equally painful andinadequate, and the only effectaal method of evacuationwith which we are acquainted is to administer chloroformand carefully unload the rectum with an ordinary ovumforceps. This process ought to be followed up by blanddisinfectant enemata used alternately with others of olive orlinseed oil. Sometimes the removal of the nut-fragmentsis followed by a species of mucous diarrhoea which is un-pleasantly suggestive of the mischief which they are capableof causing in the upper bowel. There is, indeed, no

1 THE LANCET, July 16th, 1898, p. 163.