The other case occurred about fifteen years ago in my own practice. The patient was a youth of nineteen. He was an inveterate smoker. From being a bright intelligent lad, he was becoming idiotic, and epileptic fits were supervening. I painted to him, in vivid colours, the horrors of his case, and assured him that if he still persisted in his bad practices, he would soon become a drivelling idiot! I at length, after some trouble and contention, prevailed upon him to desist from smoking altogether. He rapidly lost all epileptic symptoms, his face soon resumed its wonted intelligence, and his mind asserted its former power. He remains well to this day, and is now a married man with a family. 374. _What are the best methods to restrain a violent bleeding from the nose_? Do not, unless it be violent, interfere with a bleeding from the nose. A bleeding from the nose is frequently an effort of Nature to relieve itself, and therefore, unless it be likely to weaken the patient, ought not to be restrained. If it be necessary to restrain the bleeding, press firmly, for a few minutes, the nose between the finger and the thumb; this alone will often stop the bleeding; if it should not, then try what bathing the nose and the forehead and the nape of the neck with water quite cold from the pump, will do. If that does not succeed, try the old-fashioned remedy of putting a cold large door-key down the back. If these plans fail, try the effects either of powdered alum or of powdered matico, used after the fashion of snuff--a pinch or two either of the one or of the other, or of both, should be sniffed up the bleeding nostril. If these should not answer the purpose, although they almost invariably will, apply a large lump of ice to the nape of the neck, and put a small piece of ice into the patient's mouth for him to suck. If these methods do not succeed, plunge the hand and the fore-arm into cold water, keep them in for a few minutes, then take them out, and either hold, or let be held up, the arms and the hands high above the head: this plan has frequently succeeded when others have failed. Let the room he kept cool, throw open the windows, and do not have many in the room to crowd around the patient. Doubtless Dr Richardson's local anaesthetic--the ether spray--playing for a few seconds to a minute _on_ the nose and _up_ the bleeding nostril, would act most beneficially in a severe case of this kind, and would, before resorting to the disagreeable operation of plugging the nose, deserve a trial. I respectfully submit this suggestion to my medical brethren. The ether--rectified ether--used for the spray ought to be perfectly pure, and of the specific gravity of 0.723. If the above treatment does not soon succeed, send for a medical man, as more active means, such as plugging of the nostrils--_which, is not done unless in extreme cases_--might be necessary.