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their mouths. When occasionally by over-eating, it is not so much the result of excessive distention of the stomach as of the fermentations that are set up within the gastric cavity. The products of fermentation and decomposition irritate the mucous surface, and in that manner excite inflammation. Acute inflammation of the stomach is frequently due to disturbances of the nervous system. To this cause must be referred the effect of sudden cooling of the body when overheated, either by exposure to cold air or by copious draughts of ice-water. Anxiety, lack of sleep, and inordinate sexual excitement are frequent causes of acute catarrh among neurotic and arthritic subjects. The disease is sometimes caused by disorganization of the mucous membrane through the introduction into the stomach of overheated liquids, or chemical corrosives like acids, alkalies, corrosive sublimate, tartar emetic, alcohol, croton oil, colchicum, etc. Inflammation is also sometimes excited by the poison of gout, uremia and cholemia. It is a common incident in the course of the infective diseases, such as measles, scarlet fever, typhoid fever, erysipelas, etc. Among young children it is often noted in connection with acute intestinal catarrh as the result of bad feeding and exposure to various infections. After adult life has been reached it is observed among males more frequently than among females, and is often associated with ill health that is caused by tuberculosis, syphilis, cancer, chlorosis, hysteria, and chronic obstruction of the portal circulation dependent upon hepatic, pulmonary or cardiac diseases. It is sometimes due to infection with discharges that are swallowed from diseased oral, nasal, or pharyngeal cavities, such as are encountered in cases of salivation, syphilis, tuberculosis, and gangrene of the respiratory organs. Occasionally, it accompanies peritonitis; and it may result from an ascending inflammation of the small intestine.

Nerves are insulated, distributed and arranged like fine electric conductors.Their purpose and use are the same as the purpose and use of electric conductors, namely, communication from point to point. They convey some form of force, and there is not such a gulf between its velocity and that of electricity as has been supposed. This force must be electricity because :1. Electricity is always present when nerves act. 2. Electricity is the form of force that would do the work required. It is the form of force that would work with such construction. 3. Because the terminal and central mechanisms con¬ nected with the nerves correspond to the terminal and central mechanisms connected with electric systems of communication and do similar work in sending, receiv¬ ing, relaying, switching, transforming, accumulating, re¬ tarding, distributing and translating impressions. 4. Finally, because electricity, with such construc¬ tion of conductors and of terminal mechanisms is the

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tion. The pain, she said, was unbearable-so great she would violently beat her head against the wall unless guarded. Her temperature was 100 degrees and she was delirious most of the time. On the evening of the 19th she was in a critical condition-temperature 96 5 degrees, heart action feeble and irregular, a low form of delirium still present ; as death appeared inevitable I consented to trephine-upon both sides if necessary.