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Mr. J. B. SUTTON showed the Skeleton of a Baboonaffected with Rickets ; it was admitted into the ZoologicalGardens when two months old, fed on fruits and nuts in-stead of milk, and died in four months. The viscera werenot preserved, but the skeleton showed decided signs ofrickets. The epiphysial cartilages were enlarged ; that ofthe femur was ten millimetres iostead of one. There werethree layers : 1. Normal cartilage. 2. Longitudinal rows ofcells. 3. Imperfect ossification enclosing cartilage cells.The tibiae were bowed and very soft. The periosteum thickand succulent. The skull was six millimetres thick, softand spongy. In another specimen that he found inthe museum the skull was twelve millimetres thick. Inanswer to Dr. Buchanan, he said that dentition was notaffected.

Dr. HADDEN showed Microscopical Sections of theCord in Canine Chorea, in which disease there are rapidcontractions of the muscles, as if under the influence of theinterrupted current, the disease resembled spasmodic torti-collis more than human chorea; it generally followed dis-temper, and was fatal. Like the cases described by Drs.Gowers and Sankey, there were masses of leucocytesscattered irregularly through the cord, but while in theircases these cells were in the white matter, in his they wereamong the grey matter, distended capillaries could usuallybe seen. The appearances were suggestive of an earlystage of disseminated sclerosis, and, as they were not

constant, were probably secondary, perhaps due to over-action.Dr. PYE SMITH showed the fresh organs in a case of Colloid

Cancer in a man aged sixty years. His first symptoms werecough and pain in the leg, but there was no tumour felt ;but later on a small tumour was detected in the region ofthe liver, and he had pain in the course of the sciatic nerve,and the diagnosis of retro-peritoneal cancer was made. Therewas no vomiting or hsematemesis. Post mortem there wasno cancer of the liver, but it was simulated by a part of theretro-peritoneal tumour. A very large cancer affected theposterior wall of the stomach, projecting into it, but unitedto the cancer behind; another tumour projected into theduodenum. There were a few secondary nodules in theliver, while the lung was studded with pea-sized nodules.The microscopical characters were those of colloid cancer,the paucity of vessels accounting for the absence of haemor-thage during life.

Dr. FREDERICK TAYLOR showed the Heart in a case ofUlcerative Endocarditis. A man, aged twenty-six, had hadrheumatic fever, at the age of fifteen, with some cardiaccomplication. Five months ago he had shortness of breathand wasted. For the last six weeks he had had oedema ofthe feet. When admitted he had general anasarca, and ilooked as if suffering from renal disease. There wasmarked pyrexia and a double aortic murmur, tenderness ’iover the spleen, and the urine was abundant and highlyalbuminous. Ulcerative endocarditis was diagnosed. Post ’,mortem both aortic and mitral valves were affected with oldand recent disease-viz., induration and ulceration. The leftventricle was dilated and hypertrophied. The spleen hadseveral embolic infarcts. The kidneys showed cloudy swell-ing, and the capsule was slightly adherent in one part. The

question was whether the kidney affection was primary ordependent upon the endocarditis ? Dr. Taylor thought itwas due to the endocarditis, as similar conditions had beenobserved in other cases.The card specimens were Thrombus in the Left Common

Iliac, by Dr. Kingston Fowler, and Congenital Malforma-tion of the Heart, by Dr. Turner.

MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

Osteitis Deformans.-Ammonia, Chloroform, and AmmoniatedChloroform as Antiseptics.-Cases of Nephrectomy.

A MEETING of this Society was held on the 13th inst.,Mr. F. Mason, President, in the chair.Mr. WALSHAM showed a case of Osteitis Deformans

(Paget) in a man, aged fifty-five. The affection of theright leg had been noticed for about five years. The left legwas affected shortly after. The right and left femora, theright radius, and the right clavicle enlarged in the ordergiven about three vears later. During the last twelvemonths the skull had increased in size, and the spine began

to bend. His height had been reduced from 5 ft. 7 in. to5 ft. 5½ in. during the last two years. He had previouvenjoyed excellent health, and had been free from syphih’,gout, rheumatism, and injury to the bones. One sister haldied of phthisis, and another of cancer of the uterus.—ThePRESIDENT asked whether there was any defect of intellect.Mr. NOBLE SMITH inquired whether the urme containedsugar. In a case of a lady, sixty-one years old, he hadpursued a tonic treatment in view of defective nutrition.-Dr. ROUTH had seen a similar case twelve years ago ; theanterior portion of the cervical spine being chiefly affected.The patient was an anaemic and ill-nourished child, aiddeath was caused by choking. Defective nutrition seemedto underlie these cases.-Mr. WALSHAM, in reply, said trialthe man’s intellect was unaffected. The urine had beenexamined for albumen, but none was present. Iodide ofpotassium had been given without effect.

Dr. RICHARDSON read a paper on Ammonia, Chloroform,and Ammoniated Chloroform as Antiseptics. The authorfirst recalled attention to his original paper in 1850, on theAntiseptic properties of Gases. He had shown that variousgases and vapours, including arseniuretted hydrogen gasand chloroform vapour, acted as antiseptics on fresh animalstructures, together with many other aeriform and vaporousagents. He showed two small specimens of lung which wereshown in 1850 in illustration of the antiseptic powers ofchloroform vapour. The specimens had remained in theirbottles untouched for over thirty-two years, and were stillwell preserved. He next referred to a paper he had read in1862 on the antiseptic properties of ammonia, in which hehad shown that the vapour of ammonia was one of the mostperfect of antiseptics. In further demonstration Dr. Richard.son exhibited a specimen of blood which had been drawnfrom a sheep’s neck into an ammoniated atmosphere inApril, 1862. It had been enclosed in a well-corked bottlefor more than twenty years. It was still perfectly freshand fluid, and although its microscopical characterswere changed it could be made to undergo coagulation ondisplacement of the ammonia, so that it still exhibited whatJohn Hunter would have called "the final act of life." Pro-ceeding to his present research, the author said that sincehis last paper he had continued to use ammonia vapour asthe antiseptic most convenient, and he had improved uponit in two ways. 1. When a structure to be preserved con-tained a great deal of fat it was apt, after a few weeks, tobecome saponified, by which its character was changed. Toavoid such change he had used what he called ammoniatedchloroform, which was simply chloroform and ammoniavapour combined. By this means much less ammonia wasrequired, and the saponifying process was prevented. 2. Itwas sometimes important to preserve the colour of a sub-stance ; to effect this the bottle containing the specimen wascharged with common coal gas, as well as with the vapour ofchloroform. The coal gas contained sufficient carbonic oxideto maintain the colour. Specimens of the heart, kidney,spleen, and the viscera of birds were shown, preserved inthese various ways. The advantages were as follows :-1. In making a post-mortem the operator had simply to takewith him a jar or bottle well stoppered and ready chargedwith antiseptic vapour. Into this gas drop the specimen-,close them down, and keep them for days, or even weeks.2. In some forensic cases specimens might be retained inpure ammonia or chloroform vapour in a perfectly soundstate during a long investigation. 3. The antiseptic resultsobtained indicated certain uses of ammoniated chloroformin diseases attended with rapid putrefactive change.—Inreply to questions from the President and Dr. Routh,Dr. RICHARDSON said that chloroform would only take up acertain small proportion of ammonia. The solution shouldbe used concentrated. In the case of sore-throat it wasadministered by inhalation. He feared it would be impos-sible to use the preparation on a large scale so as to prewhole bodies. He had it tried on sheep and failed, owingto the gases destroying the tissues. Chloride of zmc andspirit embalmed a body perfectly, but made it too hard urdissection.Mr. KNOWSLEY THORNTON read notes of three suc

cases of Nephrectomy by Abdominal Section. The case was that of a child seven years old, in whom the :_kidney was removed by median abdominal section for hydro-nephrosis, which was probably congenital, as the ureter was only represented by a small fibrous cord. The child an excellent recovery, and is now strong and well-develop-;before the operation she was delicate and puny. The

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case was that of a woman aged twenty-six, who dated herillness from her second and last pregnancy. The kidney wasmuch enlarged. The patient was almost in a dying statewhen admitted into the Samaritan Hospital in February,1SS2. Mr. Thornton first operated through the loin, butfailed to find by this exploration the cause of the trouble.She improved for a time, but soon relapsed, and heremoved the kidney by lateral abdominal section (in-cision of Langenbuch), and then found it to contain alarge number of small calculi or concretions. The bladderend of the ureter was tied and brought out of thewound at its lower angle-an important precaution, as thisportion of the ureter was generally diseased and putridin its interior. The patient made an excellent recovery,and in a letter juet received she states that her health isgood, and the urine clear and natural. The third case wasthat of a woman fifty-eight years old who had been knownto have had suppuration of the kidney for sixteen years.The kidnev had been aspirated several times without relief,and Mr. Thornton decided to remove it by Langenbiich’sincision. The operation was exceedingly difficult owing tothe great obesity of the patient and the extensive adhesions.The sac into which the kidney had been converted weighedafter removal 4a lb., and it contained twenty pints of pus.The patient made a rapid and perfect recovery withoutfever, the only complication being some bronchitis, whichwas present before the operation, and became more acutefor two or three days afterwards. Mr. B. Morison, ofCanonbury, reports her present condition as satisfactory.The cause of the mischief was found to be a very smallumbrella-shaped calculus, of which the handle was fixed inthe opening of the ureter. All the operations were performedunder strict Listerian principles, and to this Mr. Thorntonattributed in great part the even and rapid recovery of thepatients. He pointed out the great advantages of the lateralabdominal inciwion over the median or lumbar section,and expressed his belief that it could be the opera-tion of the future in nephrectomy. He drew special atten-tion to his method of treating the ureter in these cases, as

he thought it of great importance. He considered that thesecases emphasised the fact already demonstrated by hisovariotomy practice, that under antiseptic conditions theperitoneum can dispose of considerable quantities of effusedmaterial without the aid of the drainage-tube, and withoutconstitutional disturbance, even after the removal of so

important an organ as the kidney. The kidney could bemore safely and thoroughly explored by Langenbüch’sincision under antiseptic management than by the lumbarincision.-Dr. RICHARDSON remarked that the use of iodine,which was an oxidising agent, destructive of putrefactiveproducts and not a germicide, could hardly be considered asan instance of Listerism.-Mr. H. MORRIS thought the casesdid not bear on the comparison between the merits ofnephrectomy and nephrotomy. All these cases were clearlycases for nephrectomy ; but in others nephrotomy was theproper course to pursue. In the third case an early explora-tory incision might have obviated the necessity for nephrec-tomy. In the second case, were the small black concretionsreally calculi or concretions of pus and blood? He hadlately made an exploratory incision in the case of a manwho had since passed a small calculus. A second ex-ploratory incision failed to reveal a stone ; but he believedthat one was present; and possibly nephrectomy might berequired at a later date. No especial antiseptic treatmentwas employed in that case, but cotton-wool dressingswere used. The wound closed with remarkable rapidity,as it did in a previous similar case of his. He alludedto cases where relief had followed nephrotomy, thoughno stone had been found, and thought that in thesecases the affection was an unduly mobile kidney, whichbecame fixed by adhesions resulting from the operation.-Mr. THORSTON, in reply to the President, said he con-sidered silk ligatures more convenient than, and as easilymade antiseptic as, catgut. He did not deny that goodresults might be obtained without antiseptics, but still he iheld that better results followed their use. Thus he wasable to close his wounds without resorting to drainage. Heused iodine when he wished to destroy the products of putre-faction ; carbolic acid to prevent putrefaction. He did notintend to deny the utility of nephrotomy, but merely topoint out that it was not applicable to these three cases. Sofar as examination had yet gone the calculi containedcrystals of oxalate of lime ; their outer coating was probablyblood. ’

WEST LONDON MEDICO-CHIRURGICALSOCIETY.

’, A MEETING of this Society was held on Friday, Nov. 3rd,and was devoted to clinical cases. Dr. Hart Vinen, Pre-sident, was in the chair, and some forty-five members werepresent. The principal feature of the evening was theexhibition of three cases of Charcot’s joint disease.The first case was shown by Dr. ATKINSON. Besides the

usual phenomena of locomotor ataxy, the left shoulder-joint was seriously affected. Some three months after thefirst symptoms were manifested this joint became swollentill it measured thirty-nine inches in circumference, withoutany pain or inflammation. At that time (some ten years

after) the joint was not enlarged, but there was marked pro-minence of the acromion process and flattening of the deltoid,and on examination the head of the humerus was distinctlyabsent, having been entirely worn away, so that the armcould be thrown about in any direction, as if it were a flail.Dr. Atkinson said that the pathology of the joint affectionappeared to be some degeneration or disturbance of thetrophic nerves supplying the bone leading to the defectivenutrition of the osseous tissue, and this might also causethe spontaneous fractures described by Dr. Weir Mitchellas sometimes happening in patients with this disease.Mr. EDWARDS, in bringing forward the second case, said

that here too the left shoulder was the special joint affected.When the patient first came under his notice some twelvemonths ago there was a large effusion under the pectoralmuscles (not in the joint itself), which was said to havecome suddenly a few days before after lifting a weight; heat first thought it must be a hæmatoma, and aspirated it,drawing off some ounces of reddish fluid. Soon after theswelling recurred in the joint itself, in moving which distinctcrepitation could be felt, and the head of the humerus couldbe easily dislocated, showing that the head of the bone waspartially absorbed. With regard to other symptoms, thepatient had experienced the "lightning pains," his pupilswere contracted unequally, and this patellar tendon-reflexwas modified, but not absent.

Mr. KEETLEY exhibited the third case, in which thesymptoms of ataxia as well as joint affection were wellmarked. He remembered seeing Mr. Edwards’ case before,and thought then that there was no ataxia present, but wasnot aware if further symptoms had been developed since.A discussion followed in which Dr. THUDICHUM said that

locomotor ataxia was accompanied with a change in thenervous centres termed amyloid (first described by Virchow).Granules were deposited, which after treatment with dilutesulphuric acid and iodine became blue and appeared likeiodised wheat-starch granules. It had been said thatamyloid matter was albuminous, but that was erroneous.Some amyloid is a starch-like body, and no doubt derivedfrom the decomposition of some of the cerebrin bodies, ofwhich the brain and nerve tissues contained more than4 per cent. This decomposition set free a sugar cerebron,all of which can be reduced by losses of water to theamyloid matter. The deposition of this matter in any partof the nerve tissue, particularly the spinal marrow, producedall the varied symptoms shown in these cases.Mr. POTTER next showed a patient, aged sixty-six, who,

three years ago, whilst engaged as a labourer, was struckon the occiput by a falling wall, and the cervical spine wasforcibly flexed. He was rendered unconscious for two days,but indistinctly remembered some one pulling upon thehead and twisting it from side to side. Loss of power andsensation of the right arm and leg was noticed by the manwhen consciousness returned. He kept his bed for fourmonths, an immovable apparatus for the head and neckbeing applied. One month after the injury the neck wasnoticed to be swollen, and increased till one year ago. Nohistory of syphilis or rheumatic arthritis. A swelling in themedian line at the back of the neck, extending from oneinch below the external occipital protuberance to the sixthcervical spinous process, measuring about four inches indiameter. The trapezii appeared to be incorporated withthe swelling on each side. It was hard, dense, with no di-s-colouration, not tender on pressure, and with no evidence ofdeep fluctuation. The manubrium sterniand upper three costalcartilages and larynx were abnormally prominent; the chinalmost touched the sternum. The posterior boundary of thepharynx could hardly be reached with the tip of the finger.