254 HOSPITAL MEDICINE AND SURGERY.

later the obstetric clerk sent for me, stating that achild was born and that he believed a second one

was present, lying transversely across the pelvis. Ifound on examination of the abdomen that in place ofthe earlier tumour a much smaller one was now to be feltlying across the lower part of the abdomen. In the mid-line it reached three inches above the symphysis pubis.The most prominent part was a round, firm mass in the rightiliac fossa the size of a cocoa-nut, and from this the massgradually tapered away towards the left iliac fossa, whereit was about two inches thick. As a result of this examina-tion I thought the clerk was probably right, and preparedto do internal version under an anesthetic. On getting myhand into the vagina (the insertion of the whole hand wasnecessary as the cervix was very high up) I found that theuterus contained only the placenta and some blood-clot. Imade a careful examination, and found that the uterusconsisted of two horns, which united only at the cervix. Ofthese, the right was capacious and had evidently containedthe fost’s, while the left was much smaller in calibre,admitting two fingers for a distance of two inches and onefinger for three and a half inches. The placenta wasdetached when the examination was made, but from its

position had probably occupied the left cornu. No septumwas to be felt on either anterior or posterior wall of thecervix. On inquiry I learned that the patient had beenconfined twice previously, that on each occasion the child waspremature (in this case early seventh month), and that on eachoccasion, too, an erroneous diagnosis of twins had been madeby the attending practitioner. In this latter fact, it seems tome, lies the chief interest of the case, and it is in the hopethat my account of this case may prevent others frommaking a similar mistake to my own, that I have venturedto send this report.Albert Embankment, S.E.

A NOTE ON THE TREATMENT OF HEART DISEASEBY THE ADMINISTRATION OF BARIUM WATERS

COMBINED WITH THE NAUHEIM SYSTEMOF BATHS.

BY W. BLACK JONES, M.D., B.S. LOND., D.P.H.

THE treatment of cases of heart disease by the adminis-tration of barium waters combined with the Nauheim systemof baths having been carried out at Llangammarch Wellsduring the past three years, the following case may be ofinterest to the readers of THE LANCET.A man, aged thirty-four years, engaged in office work, con-

sulted me in April last. There was a history of the patienthaving snSered from chronic rheumatism, but his presenttrouble had existed for about a year, during which time hehad complained of dyspnoea and palpitation, pulsation in thecardiac region and carotids being constantly present, even atnight. His appetite was poor, and the bowels were irregular.He presented signs of aortic stenosis, mitral regurgita-tion and dilatation, the apex beat being in the nippleline, with a heaving impulse. The pulse was regular, withrather an increased tension. The urine was normal. Thetreatment consisted in the administration of barium water,Nauheim effervescing baths, rest, and careful dieting. Hebegan to improve in a few days, and after three weeks’ treat-ment it was noticed that the apex beat had retracted to a

point half 3,n inch within the nipple line; there was acorresponding diminution in the area of cardiac dulness,and the pulsation was less forcible. The effect ofthe baths was shown by the following average ofeight successive observations on the pulse rate ; therate after resting for half an hour before the bathwas 71, that immediately before leaving the bathwas 71-3, while that after resting half an hour after dress-ing was 66 5. This diminished rate was found on severaloccasions to remain constant until the evening. Shortlybefore leaving Llangammarch he stated that he was quitefree from any kind of throbbing or other inconvenience, acondition which he had not experienced for many months.

This improvement I consider to be due to several factorswhich are afforded in this place, chief among them being themineral water, the baths, and rest.Llangammarch Walls.

A MirrorOF

HOSPITAL PRACTICE,BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL.A CASE OF TYPHOID FEVER WITHOUT ULCERATION OF

THE INTESTINE.

(Under the care of Dr. CHEADLE.)

Nulla autem est alia pro certo noseendi via, nisi quamplurimas et.morborum et dissectiouum historias, tum aliorum tum propriaacollectas habere, et inter se comparare.-Moxcsam De Sed. et Catfs,Morb., lib. iv. Prooemium.

-

FROM time to time cases have been met with whieh during’life had been diagnosed as typhoid fever; but when,.post mortem, no intestinal ulceration was discovered thediagnosis was doubted. Dr. Sidney Phillips has recordedtwo cases in which, though Peyer’s patches were swollen,yet there was no ulceration even as late as the twenty-firstor twenty-fourth days respectively of the disease.1 A similarcase is reported in La Semaine Médicale.2 The follow-

ing case, though resembling the cases already quoted,differs from them in several important particulars. Atthe necropsy no sign of any disease of Peyer’s patchescould be seen ; if this case had occurred only a few years.ago most physicians would have considered the diagnosis oftyphoid fever as very doubtful ; but, in addition to thetypical character of the clinical symptoms, the serum test:during life and the bacteriological observations made afterthe death of the patient render the diagnosis absolutelycertain. For the notes of the case we are indebted to Mr. A,Ferguson MacCallan.A boy, aged three years, was admitted to the hospital

under the care of Dr. Cheadle on Nov. 8th, 1896, with a.

history of diarrhoea., vomiting, and debility. A brother and.a sister of the patient had been for some time in thechildren’s ward, suffering from typhoid fever. The date ofthe child’s admission was probably the tenth day after theonset of the symptoms. His appearance was heavy andapathetic, the lips being dry, cracked, and bleeding. There-were on the abdomen three rose-coloured papules, whichfaded on pressure, and there were four or five on the back.The abdomen was swollen and tympanitic, and the liver wasenlarged, but the spleen did not appear to be increased insize. Previously the patient had been healthy, and no im-portant family history could be elicited from the mother.The heart showed signs of slight enfeeblement. On exa-

mining the lungs no dulness was found, but the air entrywas poor, and there were a few moist sounds and musicalrhonchi heard on auscultating the back. The urine wasnormal. There was no marked diarrhoea, the motions beingyellowish-brown in colour and of a soapy consistency. OnNov. 10th subsultus tendinum and marked carphology wereobserved. On the 12th the catarrhal sounds heard over thechest were slightly louder. Profuse diarrhoea began. Onthe 18th epistaxis and vomiting occurred. The abdomen.was less distended and moved freely with respiration.On the 23rd the breath sounds heard over the chest wereobscured by sibilant rhonchi and mucous rules. In the leftaxilla the breathing was bronchial in character. The deepcardiac dulness was a little increased to the left, and thefirst sound at the apex was weakened. On the 24th thepatient was in a comatose condition and there was slightdyspnoea. Curds were present in the motions. Thepatient vomited. On the 30th the first sound at theapex of the heart was reduplicated and the second soundwas accentuated; this gave a cantering rhythm to thebeats. On Dec. 1st the patient was sick after food when-ever given. The pulse was feeble and irregular, and heexpired in the afternoon. The treatment adopted by Dr.Cheadle was directed to sustain the failing heart bystimulants and cardiac tonics ; these included brandy,tincture of digitalis, and aromatic spirits of ammonia.The lung condition was treated with potassium citrate,

1 THE LANCET, Jan. 31st, 1891.2 La Semaine Médicale, March, 1890.

255REVIEWS AND NOTICES OF BOOKS.

and vinum ipecacuanhas ; the latter drug was, however,abandoned after a time as being a cardiac depressant. The.diet consisted of meat teas and milk, which latterly waspeptonised. On two occasions when the diarrhoea was,excessive enemata of starch and opium were ordered. The.case appeared to be one of profound typhoid poisoning,resulting in death from heart failure. On the twenty-firstday of the disease, Nov. 19th, on applying the serum test,3lr. MacCallan found that there were loss of motility ofmost of the bacilli and marked clump formation. The

typhoid bacillus was separated from the urine on thetwenty-sixth day of the disease by Parietti’s method. On- the thirty-second day he suspended in 5c.c. of water

part of a two-day old stock culture of the bacillus, and tothis were added two drops of blood from the patient. The-fluid, previously cloudy, became clear after some hours, thebacilli having formed clumps and settled to the bottom ofthe tube as a flocculent, uneven mass.Necrmpsy.-AG the post-mortem examination no ulceration

of the intestine was visible, and Peyer’s patches appearedto be normal. There was a slight indentation of the mucous.membrane close to the ileo-cseoal valve, but this was

probably accidental, since microscopical sections showed- nothing abnormal. ’.The colon was normal. The spleen wasnormal in size and appearance ; it was opened aseptically,.and cultivations on agar, gelatin, and potato were made.The culture tubes after incubation showed typical coloniesof the typhoid bacillus. Mr. MacCallan examined micro-scopically for typhoid bacilli thirty or forty sections of thespleen, but was unable to recognise any. This was not sur-

prising, as Gaffky says that it is sometimes necessary to- examine 200 stained microscopical sections of the spleen incases of typhoid fever before groups of bacilli can

be recognised. The mesenteric glands and liver were

’enlarged. Before the heart was opened blood was

collected from the right auricle in Pasteur pipettesand the serum test was carried out with a culture- of bacilli which had been separated from the patient’surine. Loss of motility in most of the bacilli and

olump formation were observed. The heart showed a slightdilatation of the left ventricle. The bronchi contained

muco-pus, and there was some lobular collapse of the lungtissue. Mr. MacCallan wishes to acknowledge the valuablehints he received from Mr. Plimmer.

LEEDS GENERAL INFIRMARY.A CASE OF PRIMARY DYSMENORRHŒA WITH EPILEPSY

CURED BY DILATATION; REMARKS.

(Under the care of Dr. J. BRAITHWAITE.)THE value of dilatation of the cervix uteri in dysmenor-

<rhaea has been under-estimated because it has been indis-

criminately applied to all forms of the disease; but, as inthe following case, sometimes certainly it effects a completeand permanent cure. The removal of the concomitant

epileptiform attacks is of great interest, because, although itis at the present time customary to throw doubt on reflexneuroses,l yet cases undoubtedly do occur, though admittedlyrarely, in which severe nervous symptoms disappear onthe removal of a distant source of irritation. For the notesof the case we are indebted to Dr. J. A. Clough, residentobstetric officer.A patient, aged seventeen years, unmarried, was admitted

to the infirmary complaining of severe pain at her menstrualperiods with fits." She began to menstruate at fourteenyears of age, the dysmenorrhaea beginning at the commence-ment of menstruation. The pain usually came on just beforethe period, it was worst on the first day of the period, butpassed off before the period ceased. The pain was so severeas to cause the patient to remain in bed. The period lasted:from five to seven days, with clear intervals of from fourteento twenty-one days, the menstruum containing clots. Duringthe week preceding menstruation she had " fits," sometimesas many as ten or eleven occurring during that time. Therewere no premonitory signs, but she would fall very suddenly,losing consciousness, but with no actual convulsions. Thedts lasted about ten minutes, after which she would sleepfor several hours. She never passed urine or motions during’these attacks. These ’’ fits" began two and a half years ago

1 Knapp : American Journal of the Medical Sciences, Oct., 1895.

and had continued up to the time of admission. The pa.tientwas markedly anasmio, but her general condition was appa-rently good. She had been treated by drugs for thedysmenorxhca without any good result. On examinationthe vagina was found to be roomy, the cervix being a trilleconical, with a small os. On Jan. llth the menstrual dis-charge having ceased only a few hours, the cervical canalwas dilated up to No. 7 Hegar. This was done in orderto allow the introduction of a laminaria tent of the

largest size. No ansesthetjic was used. The next day, thepatient being under ether, the tent was removed and thecervical canal dilated up to No. 18 Hegar&mdash;thas is, to aboutthe size of a rather large little finger. This apparently com-pletely cured the menstrual pain, for the mother wroterecently to say that there had been no return of it, althoughsix months had elapsed since the dilatation. 0 The patienthas only had two fits since, both within a fortnight of thedilatation. It is somewhat doubtful whether these attackswere true epilepsy, as there was no convulsive action. Thepatient, however, became unconscious, and the attacks werefollowed by profound sleep.Remarks by Dr. BRAITHWA-ITE.-As it is commonly

thought, and, indeed, generally accepted as a thatdysmenorrhoea, is only temporarily relieved by dilatation, theabove case is interesting, especially as there was

simultaneous recovery from menstrual epilepsy. It isusually found in the gynaecological ward that the cases whichare relieved by dilatation are those in which, likethe one related, the pain is at its greatest intensityon the first day of the period and ceases before theperiod is over. The medical treatment chiefly relied

upon is the use of antipyrin just during the first few hours,followed by drachm doses of liquor ammoniae acetatis.The typical cases for treatment by dilatation are those inwhich the pain is confined to the first two days of the period.The cause of the pain in these cases is either an activespasm at the os internum or a passive inability to open.During painless menstruation the os internum is open, andthis opening is a vital act necessary to the painless perfor-mance of the function. For the success of dilatation it is

! necessary to over-dilate. Over-dilatation cannot be accom-plished unless the tent is used previously. This causes a.

softening of the tissues, so that they yield kindly and readily.The dilatation must also be done ust as a period ceases, asthe tissues are then soft and already a little open. Thereare many cases of dysmenorrhoea which are not curable bydilatation, especially some in which probably the wholeuterine muscle is in a state of colic. In these cases the painis not confined to the first two days. There are, of course,many cases in which dilatation, however thorough, fails, butit ought to have a trial in nearly every case in which reliefcannot be given by medicinal or other means, and which aresevere and of long duration. It has this great advantage,that the patient is in no woise position if it fails.

Reviews and Notices of Books.Atlas of Clinical ffledicine. By BYROM BRAMWELL, M.D.,

F.R.C.P. Edin., F.R.S. Edin., Assistant Physician to theEdinburgh Royal Infirmary. Three vols. Edinburgh:T. and A. Constable. 1892 to 1897. Price 31s. 6d. pervolume.

WITH the issue of the last instalment of the third volumeof his "Atlas of Clinical Medicine" Dr. Byrom Bramwellhas decided to suspend its further publication, although hisstores of clinical and pathological drawings are by no meansexhausted. The admirable manner in which he has carriedout this enterprise deserves recognition, and for the sake ofscience it may be hoped that means may be found wherebythe publication can be continued. It is, however, obviouslyout of the question that work of this high class, involvinggreat expenditure of capital, should be left to the unaidedefforts of one man. Dr. Bramwell has shown the utilityand the importance of such work, and we do not

hesitate to urge that its further development mightwell receive practical assistance at the hands of those

scientific bodies who have at their disposal fnnda for