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The good effect of this drug applied in solution locally for the relief of itching is well known. Its pathogenesis would indicate its internal administration for the same purpose. It is to be thought of also in acne appearing about the nose and in acute vesicular eczema.

ACIDUM FLUORICUM.

Prover No. 1, b. 1 teaspoonful 3rd. On third and fourth days both hands were constantly red, and from 10 to II P. M. there was violent pricking-itching on detached spots, mostly on left side, particularly on side of chest towards back, and on thigh. In the evening this itching affected several cicatrices he had, dating from thirty-two to two years back, and all on left side. Next morning they were red round the edges, and occupied here and there with itching vesicles. Those of more ancient date had larger vesicles; the later ones were filled with very small pimples, but only on cicatricial tissue, not on surrounding skin. Pricking, burning itching near coccyx on the right; violent itching on different spots, especially on back, increasing towards night on this and next day; on back and left hip groups of small red pimples appear. He had pain in left index finger, as if in the bone, now and then the whole finger being painful internally, especially in the evening, when also violent itching occurred, and small vesicles appeared on the right index.

Ninth day felt great desire to scratch head, but no itching. Next morning there was great falling of the hair.

Tenth day he had, during his walk, a severe itching on the throat and chest; more itching, and fresh pimples come out on his back.

On twelfth day violent itching at left inner canthus of eye, which caused him to scratch quickly and forcibly, and itching above anus sudden and most violent, often returning for some days later. In evening itching on right nipple and around it; the nipple next morning much larger, redder, and the areola darker a thin brownish crust then formed on the areola.

On thirteenth day he first noticed several small, light, carmine-red, elevated blood-vesicles, resembling little flesh warts; they are soft and compressible, and by a strong and steady pressure the blood disappears, but immediately returns again. The largest is the size of a hemp-seed, and the smaller ones like milletseed; some are still smaller, but they are very perceptible as light-red enlargements of the capillaries, raising up the cuticle. They lie below the right nipple and on the opposing surface of the arm. Three weeks later some of the smaller had disappeared; the larger had become darker than before; after three months they are paler-no itching.

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Prover No. 5. i3 of 5th. After third day elevated round and red blotches over eyebrows, most on left, but lasting longer on right; in eyebrows some pityriasis with pricking sensation. With the above symptoms of the skin were associated, as effects of drugs, fullness and pain in head, eructations, nausea and more or less rheumatoid pains. These affections of the surface, however, it will be observed, occurred mostly in one prover, and then several days after the dose, so that in absence of any clinical verification the reader must place his own estimate upon their value. Papular eczema and the smaller nævi vasculares are the diseases in which this remedy would be indicated, in the latter case combined with a lotion applied locally.

ACIDUM HYDROCYANICUM.

No symptoms upon the skin are reported except in one prover, whose experiments the editors of the cyclopædia hardly consider worthy a place, viz., Nenning No. 26, and in one case of poisoning, in which, however, it was evidently due to an idiosyncrasy on the part of the subject, viz., Dr. Gregory, No. 6. Locally, in very weak solution, this medicament is very useful for the relief of pruritus, especially in acute conditions.

ACIDUM NITRICUM.

Prover No. 3. 10 gtts. strong acid, aqua zii. - Fourth day dark red papular eruption in clusters on various parts of trunk, and neck, with soreness and itching. This continued for nearly a week, otherwise well. A small pustular eruption sometimes appeared on the skin.

Poisoning No. 4.- Fifth day small ecchymoses and papulæ appear here and there, and disappear again.

ACIDUM OXALICUM.

Prover No. 5 d. 1 x trit.-In morning, on rising, a vesicle in right nostril, shooting and burning when touched. On eleventh day nose was very painful; shooting and burning, swollen and shiny red.

Prover No. 9. grs. v, 1 x. Itching at anus with crawling feeling as from worms; relieved by rubbing parts for several minutes.

Prover No. 12. 1 x and 2 x.

Itching on the neck; on a spot on right index finger, where a cut from a penknife had healed, a very painful pustule appeared

Poisonings. No. 2. An eruption of mottled appearance on the skin in circular patches of a deep tint of redness.

No. 4.

ss. in sol. On eleventh day an eruption, papular

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and itchy, appeared all over the body, which it reddened.

No. 7. grs. 477.-Sixth day skin of face, head, chest and nates covered with red spots or petechia, appearing as if bespattered with blood.

Although the cutaneous manifestations are few and not much. in accord in the different provers, still many of the symptoms of the head, digestive and uninary systems would indicate treatment of those cases of eczema occurring in gouty subjects.

ACIDUM PICRICUM.

Proper No. 4. 5th dil. - Small furuncle in left nostril. Proter No. 6. - Furuncle observed in No. 4 occurred in two provers of the thirtieth as a crop of such on the face, becoming pustular and very painful, burning and stinging when touched.

ACONITUM.

Prover No. 6c. gtts., 80 (). — Eruption of vesicles on both temples ; restless night.

Prover No. 8. 40 gtts.(). The very fine shooting, or shooting, burning pains, as if in the skin, felt in various parts of the body, were sometimes accompanied by a feeling of heaviness, numbness or swelling.

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Prover No. 9 b. 20 gtts. (). After several days there appeared on face, forehead, nape, and other parts, discrete itching vesicles, the size of a pin's head, coming out for a fortnight, repeatedly desiccating, scaling off and then disappearing. (This was the only symptom.)

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Prover No. 12 a. 20 gtts. (). Sweat on the inner surface of the thighs, over scrotum, and violent itching there, compelling him to scratch till blood came; somewhat relieved by cold water. Next day sweating and itching on the scrotum.

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Prover No. 13. 15 gtts. Great dryness of body and burning itching, especially on inner side of thighs and round knees; that did not permit a moment's rest.

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Prover No. 15. 10 gtts. Eruption of red pimples on flexor side of thumb, index and middle finger; painful when pressed. (These remained unaltered on fourth day, during which time he had taken 35 drops more; pimples disappeared on sixth day after first appearing.) Voluptuous itching on glans penis (after 60 drops).

Prover No. 17 d. gtts. 50 ). — Continuous itching and smarting on various portions of the skin, compelling scratching; here and there papulæ the size of millet-seeds appeared; these again filled with yellow lymph and dried.

Prover No. 18. 20 gtts. I x dil.

During the whole proving

there appeared very many heat vesicles on the forehead, which sometimes were very painful.

Prover No. 19. gtts. 15. The chilly feeling, the loose bowels and the itching in the anus lasted three days; in addition three vesicles came on the tip of the tongue, which burnt for four days.

Prover No. 26. Dose not given. In another proving, on his lower extremities, there rose small papules and vesicles filled with serous fluid; very painful.

Immediately violent eruc

Prover No. 27 a. O.I grm. ext. tation with rumbling in the bowels; head and face very warm, pulse quick, buccal and lingual mucous membrane red, studded with small, whitish-yellow vesicles, surrounded by bright-red areola. (On repeating the dose, concealed in a wafer so as not to come in contact with mucous membrane of mouth, this condition of vesiculation did not occur, although forty minutes after, formication and pricking did.

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Prover No. 39. 10 gtts. I x. Numbness of left hand with itching. Itching of the scalp.

Out of thirty-nine provings only twelve, or about one-third, show any effect on the skin otherwise than general heat of the surface, which was experienced by many. Undoubtedly these local manifestions are due to the intense cutaneous hyperæmia caused by the drug, and there is remarkable concordance in the symptoms that are produced, consisting in almost every case of violent itching, redness and fine vesicular eruption. A very acute vesicular eczema, especially if accompanied with febrile symptoms, would derive benefit from the exhibition of this drug.

PECULIAR NURSING.

BY JAMES UTLEY, M.D., NEWTON, MASS.

At half past two o'clock Sunday morning, October 25th, 1891, after five hours of labor, Mrs. , at her third confinement,

was safely delivered of a living child.

The labor was a normal one, but during the half hour preceding delivery an anesthetic was exhibited. Three-quarters of an hour after the delivery of the placenta, the uterus having contracted, and mother and child being in a comfortable condition, I took leave of the patient, she having a highly recommended nurse of her own selection.

When I called at ten o'clock in the forenoon the nurse reported that the mother had micturated twice, each time passing a normal quantity of urine, that the lochia was normal, and the patient had quietly slept. There was no rise in temperature or

pulse, and the patient was in just the condition where there was no occasion for anxiety.

I directed that the patient should be kept quiet, and given a diet of milk, water, tea, gruel or toast.

At ten P. M. I was informed, by telephone, that the mother had a severe frontal headache; but two hours afterwards I was called, as she was in convulsions.

My son, Dr. Edward R. Utley, immediately responded, and realizing the serious condition of the patient called to his assistance Dr. Crockett.

The convulsions were apparently uræmic, occurring at intervals of twenty minutes, and very severe in their character. From ten in the forenoon until twelve o'clock it seemed as if nothing would save the life of the patient; but at that hour she began to respond to the treatment, so that the radial artery again began to pulsate, and with the pulsations came faint hope, and I informed the husband that if there were no more convulsions she might recover.

An examination of the urine discovered one quarter of one per cent. of albumen. This amount was increased, so that in a few hours there was found one per cent. of albumen by quantitative analysis.

The mother and child at the present time are doing well, except the former is obliged to use crutches, being unable to walk without assistance, in consequence of some burns upon her feet, of which I will make mention later. There were no convulsions after the afternoon of the day following delivery. It is not my purpose to describe the treatment of, but to disclose the exciting cause of the convulsions occurring so long a time after delivery.

It will be remembered that I gave strict orders in regard to the diet for the patient, and that I had for a nurse one selected by the patient, and highly recommended by some friend.

I have been informed that at the dinner hour, ten hours after delivery, the nurse brought to, and permitted my patient to eat, a hearty meal, consisting of boiled potatoes with gravy, cauliflower with cream sauce, grapes, and possibly pears; what else we do not know.

During the convulsions, I directed the nurse to put hot-water bottles at the patient's feet. This was so effectually done that the patient's feet were burned, so that there are large, deep ulcers for the comfort of the mother.

At the present time, December 16th, the patient can get about a little with the assistance of crutches; but it will be a long time before the large ulcers will heal, one being about three inches in diameter.

The umbilical cord was not dressed, nor a belly band applied

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