Dr. Chapman publishei a pamphlet to show that in the
appli- cation of ice to the spine he has found a powerful remedy for cholera and the slighter complaint of diarrhcea. He has only had the chance of trying his theoretic remedy on one case of cholera, and that, though it had all the worst symptoms, was probably a severe case of English rather than genuine Asiatic cholera. How- ever, in that case it proved to be exceedingly effective in subduing all the more dangerous symptoms. On the lesser complaint both he himself, and Mr. D. M. Williams, honorary surgeon in the Liverpool Infirmary for Children, have more than once tried it with great effect. One of Mr. Williams's experiments with a child in the infirmary is very remarkable. The remedy is to apply an India-rubber bag full of ice "next to the skin, along the central line of the back, letting it extend from the nape of the neck to the lower part of the hollow of the back." This is kept close to the back, and is renewed as long as sickness, cramps, coldness of the skin, and the other symptoms of cholera, or any sign of collapse continues. If, as is not tinfrequent, feverish symptoms set in after the reaction is produced, he applies warm-water bags, with the water at 110 deg. to 120 deg, to the back to remove it. This is the chief element of his treatment, and, as we said, Dr. Chapman, arriving at this treat- ment on theory, has found it very successful in the instances in which he has been able to apply it.
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