]nfluenee of the treatment of syph ilitic mothers on the fate of the feetus. The claim that mercury has a local ac tion on the uterus is justified. In the 33 cases there were only 1 abortion and 3 premature labors in the eighths and ninth month, while abortions occurred in 22 per cent. of the cases under Four nier's treatment. The number of still births was 6 per cent., compared with 23.4 per cent. in Lowy's statistics of treated cases; the number of children who showed signs of syphilis was 21 per cent., compared with S9 per cent. in Founder's experience. Still better re sults may be expected if treatment be begun at the beginning of pregnancy in stead of at whatever period the women happened to enter the hospital. Kiehl (Wiener klin. Woehen., June 27, 1901).
A difficult item in the management of most cases of syphilis is convincing the patient that it is necessary for him to avoid the use of liquor and tobacco for an extended period, and that he must abstain from the various dissipations and excesses to which he has been accus tomed. This point must be insisted upon, however; and, with good conduct upon the part of the patient assured, half the battle will have been gained.
A large number of those under treat ment for syphilis and other venereal dis eases have seriously impaired the effi ciency of the British navy and army. In 1880 for primary syphilis, 32,223 days were lost; for secondary syphilis, 12S,059; for gonorrhma, 40,392. The figures for 1897 were: for primary syph ilis, 96,335; for secondary syphilis, 49,764; for gonorrhoea, 77,054. Intem perance is undoubtedly responsible for a large percentage of the eases, so that anything which can diminish the amount of intemperance will cause a decrease in the number of cases of venereal diseases. Good naval barracks should be substi tuted for depot-ships, advice should be given to young sailors as to personal cleanliness, early marriages should be en couraged, and preference should be given to healthy people in snaking appoint ments. E. E. Mahon (Brit. Aled. Jour., Aug. 19, '99).
In some cases mercurial inunctions or mercury-vapor baths must be wholly pended upon. Both are very efficacioud in obstinate skin-lesions. The general dissemination of mercurous vapors over the surface of the body explains, in great part, the beneficial action of inunctions.
Welander has recommended a method of using mercurial ointment in syphilis which has many advantages over inunc tion. It consists in the wearing of a sort
of apron covered with the ointment. A piece of gauze or flannel, 20 inches long and 10 inches wide, which is fastened with tapes about the neck and waist, is spread daily or every few days with from to 2 drachms of gray ointment. The cloth can be worn on the chest or back. The patient remains from ten to four teen hours in bed, but wears the cloth also during the day. The ointment is spread by the patient himself. The method rests on the old theory of Ger-. hardt, that the "inunetion cure" is noth-. ing else than an "inhalation-cure." We-. lander's method has been personally em ployed in 102 cases of recent and old lues:. The time required to obtain results was about that needed in other methods, but the new procedure has the advantage of simplicity and cleanliness over the inune tion-treatment, and of the absence of pain, and of convenience over injections. These patients were directed to spread daily for three weeks drachms of ointment on flannel or gauze, and during the spreading to bend as low as possible over the cloth, and to consume at least ten minutes in the spreading of the oint ment. In the next three weeks the cloth is spread every two days. C. Stern (Munch. med. Woch., Feb. 7, '99).
Thirty patients treated with mercuriol. a new preparation of mercury. Mercuriol is a preparation in which the mercury is reduced to very fine particles, and is free from the objection of aggregating into large masses.
The method is based on the fact that mercury easily amalgamates with alu minium or magnesium, from which it can be separated by the addition of water, forming a hydrate. Mercuriol contains from 40 to 80 per cent. of metal lic mercury in fine amorphous particles. When exposed to warmth, air, and hu midity, the aluminium and magnesium are oxidized, and mercury set free. Mer cury was found in the urine in all the 30 cases. The method used was that of Welander, where the drug is put in a woolen bag worn next the skin.
One and one-fourth drachms of mer curiol were used daily for the first five or ten days; afterward every second (lay. The duration of treatment varied from thirty to forty days. This method is better and more cleanly than inunc tion. Ahman (Arch. f. Derm. u. Syph., Apr., '99).