Scientific American, Vol. XXXVII.—No. 2. [New Series.], July 14, 1877: A Weekly Journal of Practical Information, Art, Science, Mechanics, Chemistry, and ManufacturesVarious
Science
Scientific American, Vol. XXXVII.—No. 2. [New Series.], July 14, 1877: A Weekly Journal of Practical Information, Art, Science, Mechanics, Chemistry, and Manufactures
Various
Science -- Periodicals; Technology -- Periodicals
At a late meeting of the Harveian Society, of London, Dr. Farquharson
read a paper on this subject. Attention was directed to the state of
the tongue in dyspepsia. A deeply fissured tongue often meant little;
whereas a thin white fur, composed of minute dots, was generally found
along with pain immediately after food. Pain after a longer interval
was accompanied by a pale, flabby tongue, with reddish tip and center.
The treatment of dyspepsia consisted of two parts, that of food
and that of drugs. The latter was the principal part with patients
applying for gratuitous relief. The pain occurring immediately after
food was usually relieved by alkalies; whereas acids were indicated
where suffering was not experienced until an hour or two after the
commencement of the digestive act. For the relief of the nausea and
sickness remaining after the bowels were thoroughly cleansed, nothing
was so effectual as hourly drop doses of ipecacuanha wine. Nux vomica
was also a valuable remedy. Pain might be but the protest of the
stomach against an overload, or be the result of deficient tone from
general nervous exhaustion. In some cases each meal was followed by
diarrh[oe]a; and for these cases attention was directed to Ringer's
plan of minute doses of the liquor hydrargyri perchloridi In speaking
of diet, Dr. Farquharson pointed out that there are three forms of
dyspepsia: 1. The dyspepsia of fluids, as it is called, where the
stomach seems intolerant of all forms of fluid; 2. The digestive
derangement following intemperance in the matter of animal food; and,
3. The dyspepsia connected with indulgence in tea, or other warm and
weak infusions of tannin.
* * * * *
THE DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING.
The amount of destruction of life and property by lightning, or rather
electrical discharges, has been very great throughout the world.
It is estimated that at least 45 persons are killed annually by
lightning in this country. The average number of deaths by lightning
has been 22 in England, 9 in Switzerland, 3 in Belgium, and 75 in
France. In France alone, during a period of thirty years, over 10,000
persons were smitten, of which 2,252 were instantly killed. Eighty
were wounded and 9 killed during one thunderstorm at Châteauneuf les
Montiers in 1861, and within one week, when the air was highly charged
with electricity, thirty-three fearful flashes of lightning were
observed, each bringing death to some victims.
During the sixteen years between 1799 and 1816, 156 vessels of the
British navy were struck by lightning; 73 men were killed and 138
injured, and the loss of materials amounted to over a million dollars;
but since the system of metallic conductors, adapted for vessels,
devised by Sir W. Snow Harris, has been applied to the vessels in that
navy, the losses and damages by lightning have almost entirely ceased,
although the number of vessels has been greatly increased.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account