Ice, Medicated

Mr Martin, of Weston-super-Mare, writing to the ‘Lancet,’ says:—“Every practitioner has at times to face the difficulties of the scarlatinal throat in young children. It may sadly want topical medication; but how is he to apply it? Young children cannot gargle, and to attempt the brush or the spray fills them with terror. In many cases neither sternne nor coaxing avails. Yet these little ones in almost every case will greedily suck bits of ice. This has long been my chief resource where I could not persuade the child to submit to the sulphurous acid spray. Lately, I have been trying an ice formed of the frozen solution of the acid (or some other antiseptic). Though, of course, not so tastele as pure ice, the flavour is so much le ened by the low temperature, and probably also through the parched tongue, very little appreciating any flavour, that I find scarcely any complaint on that score from the little sufferers; they generally take to it very readily. The proce of making it is very simple. A large test-tube immersed in a mixture of ice and salt is the only apparatus required, and in this the solution is easily frozen. When quite solid a momentary dip of the tube in hot water enables one to turn out the cylinder of ice, as the cook turns out her mould of jelly. I have tried the three following formulæ, all of which answer, although I think I prefer the first. “1. Sulphurous acid, 1 ⁄ 2 dr.; water, 7 1 ⁄ 2 dr.; mix and freeze. “2. Chlorate of pota , 1 scruple; water, 1 oz.; di olve, and freeze. “3. Solution of chlorinated soda, 1 ⁄ 2 dr.; water, 1 oz.; mix and freeze. “However, the form is of secondary importance, as each practitioner can construct his own. Boracic acid, salicylic acid, or any other harmle antiseptic with not too much taste, would doubtle be as useful as those indicated.”