I hesitated to try an anesthetic for various reasons, one of which was that _I found a piece of candle burning in a beer mug at the feet of my patient_. Knowing the great value of hyosciamine in spasm of the viscera, I took from my ever-present alkaloidal granule-case hyosciamine amorphous, gr. 1–134, and gave it hypodermatically with morphine sulphate, gr. ¼, and atropine, gr. 1–250. In a few moments my patient said, “that’s better”; and in less than ten minutes a gurgling of gas was heard through the mass indicating relaxation of spasm. Thus encouraged I gave a second dose, adding to hyosciamine, gr. 1–250, strychnine arseniate, gr. 1–48, the latter to induce forced peristalsis. In less than ten minutes more, I heard a loud gurgling sound, and my patient cried, “him’s gone,” and, sure enough, it had. The entire mass had disappeared through a hole the size of a nickel. A retentive bandage for the time, and a well fitted truss a few days after, completed the treatment of, to me, an interesting case, which leads me to suggest a “therapeutics for strangulated hernia” for your consideration. 2666 Commercial St., Chicago. _PERISCOPE OF THERAPEUTICS._ By J. LINDSAY PORTEOUS, M.D., F.R.C.S., Ed. METHYLENE BLUE. Recently I have had an opportunity of proving the efficacy of this new solvent, and am much pleased with the result obtained. During the months of August and September I had five children under my care, suffering from diphtheria. As all the children belonged to one Institution, had the same nurse, and in every way the same surroundings, I had a good opportunity of testing the solvent powers of this drug, as compared with others. In the first child, age 4 years, I used acetic acid spray as a solvent, giving iron and potassium chlorate internally. Although the membranes in fauces visibly shrank, the disease extended downwards rapidly, almost choking the patient. Intubation was resorted to, which for a time relieved the choking symptoms, but the child gradually, sank. Two more children were seized with the disease and the fauces were painted with sulpho-calcine, a remedy I have used successfully for some years, and corrosive sublimate was given internally. The children improved, but the patches were a long time in shrinking. I applied an aqueous solution of methylene blue (1:9) to the patches by means of a camel’s-hair brush, three times a day. The effect was remarkable. Not only did the patches, after the third application, shrink, but the feverishness and restlessness abated. Three days after the commencement of the treatment all the patches in both children had disappeared. Two more children, aged 5 years and 3½ years, were attacked. As the patches covered the uvula, tonsils and back of the pharynx, and no further down, I thought that I would try local treatment only. After a few days the patches disappeared, the fever left, and the children were convalescent.