Case of maculo-tubercular leprosy treated with Carasquilla's serum.
Between February 7 and June 9, '97, twenty-six injections of serum were made into the buttocks; 0.2 cubic centimetre was first used, and this was increased up to 3 1/4 cubic centimetres. The injections were given at first twice and then once a week, and later there were at least two pauses of fourteen days. A local reac tion occurred, most marked on the even ing of the day of injection, and disap peared in a few days. Usually there were no unpleasant general symptoms.
Redness and swelling, with subsequent absorption, occurred in tbe leprous nod ules, and there was considerable diminu tion in the infiltration of the tissues. A new growth of hair appeared on the ex tensive patches of alopecia upon the head. Leprous ulcers in the mouth healed. Patient's condition underwent, in every way, a rnarked improvement. During the four months after the injections there was some tendency to relapse, but these re lapses were much milder than formerly. The results obtained were much better than under any other treatment. Buzzi (Brit. Med. Jour.; Dent. med. Woch., Oct. 14, '97).
Merek's serum was employed about six months. The first patient received, in all, eighteen injections, and the other twenty, and in addition to these, each was given the serum on three occasions by the mouth. The injections were made into the abdominal wall midway between the anterior superior iliac spine and tbe linea alba. A diplitheria-antitoxin syringe was employed. The total amount of serum injected was, in the first case, 4 ounces and in the second 5 ounces. The initial dose was 1/2 drachm, and the quantity was gradually increased until 2 '/, drachms were injected at once. Decided improvement took place in both patients under the treatment. Amelioration per sisted to the time at which the paper \vas written, namely: two and a half months after the cessation of treatment. A. Grtinfeld (Derm. Zeit., B. 5, H. 3, '98).
Four cases of leprosy subjected to treat ment with the toxins of erysipelas. The initial dose was one minim of Coley's preparation of the toxins of erysipelas and of the bacillus prodigiosus, and this was gradually increased until near the close of the experiment in each case a dose of 22 minims was reached.
Conclusions reached are: (I) injections of the toxins of erysipelas have no effect on the course of leprosy, and (2) the sys tem may tolerate large and continued in jections if the dose is gradually increased. Henry Dwight Chapin (Phila. Med. Jour., Dec. 31, '98).
Use of Haffkine's prophylactic on a. nodular leper child; the usual reaction followed, and no fresh tubercles have ap peared for nearly two years. Lee (In dian Aled. Gaz., May, 1900).
Beaven Rake, of Trinidad, has em ployed nerve-stretching. He found that the great sciatic was the most satisfactory nerve to stretch, being near the spinal ganglion, while it commands the supply of the whole leg and foot and the back of the thigh. The chief indications for the operation are perforating ulcer; sorne cases of necrosis; pain, whether asso ciated with the perforating ulcer or with peripheral neuritis. More or less relief was given in one-half the one hundred cases operated upon.
During the four years the following drugs were tried: Europhen, in a 5-per cent. oily preparation, rubbed in three times a day, gave no result in 3 cases. Airol as an ointment failed, but as a 10 per-cent. emulsion injected into the nod ules some local benefit ensued, but the disease generally \vas not influenced. Syncope followed the injections in some instances. Unna's oxidized pyrogallol as a 5-per-cent. solution gave rise to gastric symptoms, and did no good. Three lepers were treated with Cara squilla's serum (Merck) without benefit. As a drawback asphyxial attacks were observed. Lie (Brit. Med. Jour., Jan. 20, 1901, from lepra, vol. i, rase. 1 and 2).
Ichthyol, beginning with 30 to 45 grains (2 to 3 grammes) a day, reaching 21/2 drachms (10 grammes) a day in a short time, gave rise to no unpleasant by-effects, and proved effective in the tubercular form of leprosy. In the neu rotic form it was inefficacious. The tubercles and nodes became softened and were absorbed very rapidly under the influence of ichthyol in one to two months, and the ulcerations healed very rapidly. There were no relapses and no new formation of tubercles. Ichthyol must be administered internally; ap plied externally, it proved of no avail. De Brun (Bull. de l'Acad. de MM., 1901).