Dr. Porter's Lecture.

The first lecture of the series on "Emergencies and Hygiene" was delivered in Sanders Theatre by Dr. Porter last evening. The following is a brief abstract of the lecture:

In all cases of emergency one should keep cool. This is the first and most important rule. Poisons are of two kinds, acids or alkalis and narcotics. The value of an alkali as an antidote is very small, unless the dose can be immediately administered. Common cooking soda diluted in water is one of the best alkalis which can be used in case of poisoning by an acid. Lemon juice and vinegar are acids which are valuable as antidotes to alkalis. When an emetic is necessary, mustard diluted in water, or luke-warm water in large quantities, should be given. Milk, olive oil and the white of eggs are useful to protect the stomach from the force of the poison. The most common narcotic poison is opium. In all cases when opium is taken, the physician, on his arrival, should be told of the amount. Many mistakes are often made from this neglect. A strong narcotic will reduce the respiration to as low as six a minute, and still the patient may live. Pain, inflicted without flinching, is the only way to awaken a person from under the influence of opium. Whipping, clubbing, striking, any kind of abuse must be resorted to, or consciousness cannot be restored.

In all cases of fainting, all tight clothing must be immediately removed. The bloodless face of one who has fainted shows a like condition of the brain, so it is often necessary to lift the feet far above the head that the blood may return to the brain. When you use water, do not mince matters at all, but let the patient have plenty of it, and that square in the face. In cases of convulsions, be careful to protect the patient from hurting himself. Something to prevent the teeth from coming together should always be put in the mouth.

In sun-stroke, there is always headache, general weakness, disturbed vision, and sometimes vomiting. The person suffering from sun or heat-stroke should be taken to a cold place, clothes loosened or taken off, and water thrown over him, or ice-bags used. Sometimes there is exhaustive sun-stroke when the body is cold and the pulse slow; in such cases, stimulants should be given. In giving liquid to an unconscious patient, turn the head to one side, put in the liquid on that side and then throw the head backward and the liquid will pass down involuntarily and without the patient's choking.

Apoplexy must be distinguished from drunkenness by the dilated pupil of one eye, and the paralysed state of one side of the body, while the other is all right.

In drowning cases, the first thing to do is to empty the lungs, mouth and nostrils of water. The tongue should then be drawn out. It is best to hold the tongue with a handkerchief that it may not slip, or to push a twig or hair pin through it and let that keep the tongue from falling back. Take off all the clothes to the waist, then place the body on its back and begin a circular motion with the arms on lines parallel to the body, thus expanding and contracting the chest. Do this at the rate of about 16 to the minute. Life is sometimes restored after as much as two hours work. A longer time would probably be useless.