his muscular development, and invari- The interchange between the blood ably mounts his omnibus or tumbles and the various tissues of the body is into his train rather than waste the necessary to the healthy vitality of the time necessary for a brisk walk or a human being; but, in order to facilitate half-hour in the gymnasium. The Vol- such mutual exchange, there must be unteer movement and the popularity activity on the part of every organ, and of the bicycle have tended to counter-in view of the fact that the muscles act the disuse of muscles engendered are greatly in excess in bulk and weight in a large proportion of town residents; of any other organs, it follows that but there are still numbers of persons their activity is essential to the wellof both sexes who require vigorous being of the whole body. Muscular muscular exercise in order to maintain exercises induce acceleration of the health. The centralization of many blood stream and serve to pump effete domestic industries may have improved material out of their interstices so as to the character of the products thus man- make room for fresh supplies brought ufactured or of the work performed; by the blood-vessels ramifying through but when bread was made, and wash- and around them. Fin de siècle mediing was done, at home, the female cine, recognizing the deficiency of musmembers of many families fairly well cular activity as a fruitful source of off, but not too richly endowed with maladies resulting from the want of this world's goods, were profitably em- combustion and elimination of mateployed in kneading the dough and iron-rial used up or vitiated by the disproing the linen. Healthy exercise of the portionate action of other organs and muscles being in many cases no longer tissues, has been compelled to revive regarded as a necessity for the mainte- the ancient practices pursued by the nance of well-being, the latter end of Egyptians, and later by Hippocrates this century has produced the revival and his successors in the earlier ages of a practice which is recorded in the of the world's history, which thus reearliest medical papyrus in the British peats itself in these latter days. Museum, verifying the old adage that. Reverting to the imitation of methods there is nothing new under the sun. which are gravely proposed by the pioBut just as the multiplication of con- neers of these therapeutic means, even gresses may be in a measure due to the to the extent of supplying defective increased facilities now afforded by organs by the injection of materials rapid means of locomotion, so the in- derived from the same sources in anitroduction of massage may be regarded mals, e.g., extracts of bone marrow, as evidence of the tendency in these spinal marrow, sweetbread, etc., latter days to the neglect of muscular is interesting to note that, according exercise; and if it be true that the to French authorities, and in some inabeyance of function in certain glands stances with the verification of obis productive of diseases which can servers in this country also, distinct be cured by the injection of organic benefit has been derived from these liquids derived from a similar source, new methods of treating disease: notamuch more is it evidently true that the bly in the employment of the juice of failure to employ the great bulk of mus- the thyroid gland in cases of a disease cular tissue, which is so large a portion in which this organ is found to be of the human frame, will and invari- atrophied, and again in the employably does give rise to disordered func- ment of other organic liquids for the tion and altered structure in the other cure of neurasthenia, a term, which organs and tissues of the body which being translated into the vulgar tongue are interdependent on the activity of simply means nervous weakness the muscles and each other. Mental exhaustion. Sleeplessness is a very and nervous overstrain are rarely dis- common and distressing symptom of sociated from muscular disuse and flac- neurasthenia. But here again we are cidity. confronted by what appears to be the it or cause or one of the causes of sleepless- the entrance of the products of digesness. A well-known French scientist tion into the general circulation, to has shown that certain matters which turn back such as would prove deleare formed during sleep are stimulants terious, to alter and elaborate those to the nervous system, and as the tide which in a crude state might be obnoxof their production rises they finally ious, and to regulate the admission of wake the sleeping brain cells, and stim-fit and proper materials; and when ulate them into activity. On the other the function of the liver is not suffihand, the matters formed while the ciently active, or is overtaxed by the individual is active and awake, when excessive duty imposed on it under the sufficiently accumulated in the body, circumstances of over-indulgence in tend to produce sleep. But it is more the pleasures of the table, or a vitiathan probable that inactivity, especially tion of the digestive processes not so muscular disuse, interferes with the immediately under the control of the due production of the soporific matters individual, it follows that the blood bein the blood and tissues, so that in- comes overcharged with matters which somnia often results from the want of are not nutritive as they should be, a fair amount of muscular exercise. but poisonous, so that the body, instead Perhaps the most remarkable advance of being refreshed and invigorated, is in the investigation of the action of or- impoverished and weakened, all the ganic liquids, as means for the cure or organs and functions being upset in modification of disease, is the alleged consequence. Headaches, lassitude, discovery, by a Russian savant, that all nervous irritability, all the thousandthe organic liquids derived from differ-and-one ills of which the so-called nerent sources, and whose use has been vous invalid complains, may be directly advocated by his French colleagues, traceable to the ingestion of poisonous depend for their efficiency on a con- materials replacing the properly elabstituent which is common to them all; orated nutritious matter which should and it is maintained that all the bene- serve to build up the organism. Now, ficial effects produced by the injection it is suggested that the elimination of of diverse organic extracts may be these poisonous substances may be equally derived from a much smaller greatly facilitated by the injection of quantity of a solution containing the a ferment which shall so alter their active ingredient which is stated may chemical composition as to render them be found in every tissue of the body, easy of excretion by the organs whose but is more easily isolated from some particular function is to get rid of matthan from others. The theory that ters for which the body has no further functional disorders of the nervous use. That the substance introduced by system depend in great part on errors the Russian scientist is endowed with of digestion and on the accumulation properties which effect certain well of waste products and effete matters recognized chemical changes under acting as poisons on the nerve cells, certain conditions outside the body has which the writer has frequently had been demonstrated. Experience of the reason to believe is abundantly proved remedy in the native country of its to be unquestionably correct, would inventor has led to its employment in appear to be supported by the experi- disorders of the nervous system, bemental evidence afforded by the dis- lieved to be dependent on poisonous coverer of the substance which is conditions of the blood, with alleged asserted to be the active principle and beneficial results. It is on trial in this essential ingredient of the older prep-country, and hopes are expressed that arations. The matters which are formed a good record of utility may follow its in the digestion of food-stuffs escape employment, for it appears to rest the protective function of the liver, upon an intelligible basis. French whose duty it is to mount guard over advocates of these remedies have en A. SYMONS ECCLES. deavored to claim for them some vital | may be used judiciously and temperproperties, and the use of such sugges-ately for the reason that the end justitions has been regarded with eyes fies the means. askance by the majority of practitioners of medicine in this country; who are inclined to place them in the same category with certain remedies of mediæval medicine-mongers savoring of the witches' broth in Macbeth, Eye of newt and toe of frog, But the Northern chemist places the use of organic liquid injections outside the pale of "A New Phase of Suggestive Therapeutics" which an Italian critic has insisted is the only virtue to be discovered in the use of these rem edies. If the material prepared in the Muscovite laboratory behaves with the same vigorous chemical action within the human body as it possesses when brought in contact with certain oxidizable substances outside it, considerable results may be anticipated. The elimination of waste products, the chasing away of poisonous matters, in other words, the cleansing of the intoxicated nervous system, is a process in treatment which must result in benefit to the sufferer from the many evils consequent on the toil and trouble, hurry and scurry, of these closing years of the nineteenth century. Be the means what they may, mechanical, chemical, or some other agencies not yet within our grasp, those who are in constant attendance on the sick and From The Globe. BATTAMBONG AND ANGKOR. THE city of Battambong lies at a distance of about three days' march from the northern shores of Lake Foule Sape. It is situated on a small river, navigable for boats, but so narrow that the branches of the trees, on which stand grinning monkeys, touch the boat as it progresses, while now and again a crocodile, disturbed from its slumber, will plunge into its waters. Battambong could offer no adequate resistance to the French troops if, after all, it should be attacked, for its only defence is a fortified earthwork, situated on the high ground overlooking the river, to which the name of "the citadel" has been given. It is now nearly one hundred years since the province of Battambong submitted to the Siamese. have tried several times to rebel, and to Since then, however, its inhabitants become incorporated in the dominions of Annam, the king of which country was the lord of Cambodia until his troops were driven southwards to Penompenh by the Siamese. The major bong are Cambodians. portion of the inhabitants of BattamThe present town dates only from the time of the capture of the province by the Siamese. The ancient town was three leagues further eastwards, on the banks of the river, which has been diverted from its course. When this town was seized sorry, who are sometimes oppressed with the sense of shortcoming and futility which ordinary methods too by the Siamese its inhabitants were often engender, may be forgiven if in their anxiety to relieve pain, to modify suffering, or to lift the cloud of mental depression, they seek the aid of "fin de siècle medicine" which may not lie strictly within the limits of ancient orthodoxy, but which, if haply the results are curative or even alleviative, 1 Macbeth. Act iv., sc. 1. carried away to Siam and to the Laos provinces. The principal part of the population of the new town was drawn from Penompenh, and the neighboring district, and although they have been under foreign dominion for a century, these people have preserved the cusconsideration in the way of taxation toms and usages of their country. The shown to them by the government of Siam, and the rich character of the present capital of the province, is an country and of the fisheries of the adja- insignificant town, and situated about cent lake, have created a state of con- fifteen miles north-north-east of the siderable prosperity in Battambong. lake. The legendary story of the overThe houses on the borders of the river throw of the empire of Cambodia at are surrounded by fine plantations of Angkor, and the subsequent desolation bananas, or are hidden in groves of of the province, is as follows: The mangoes. Behind the houses stretch king of Cambodia, who was a leper, large fields of rice. The Battambo- built Angkor Wat, the great temple, as nians are passionately fond of horse- a propitiatory offering to the gods, and racing. Ponies of great speed are to with the expectation that they would be found in Battambong. Cock and cure him of his leprosy. Finding that tortoise fighting are also favorite pas- they did not intervene, he thereupon times of the people. The latter is a advertised for a doctor to cure him. most barbarous sport. Two planks are An illustrious Brahmin turned up and fixed in a narrow place at some distance proposed a bath of aqua fortis. This from each other, with cross pieces at the king refused to enter until it had the ends. Two tortoises are placed in been tried by the physician himself. this enclosure, and are then divided The Brahmin undertook to enter it on from each other by another plank, the king promising to pour over him a which is so arranged as to leave a small certain mixture. No sooner, however, opening at the end by which each tor- had the Brahmin entered the bath than toise can get into the enclosure of the the king ordered his slaves to throw the other. Fires are then lighted on their bath and its contents into the river. backs, and the poor reptiles immedi- For this breach of faith the gods interately rush to the opening in order to fered and took away the kingdom from escape, and, meeting one another face him. The Cambodian Lake is a splento face, a fierce encounter takes place did sheet of water, about sixty miles between them. The whole province of long, and covers about a thousand Battambong is filled with ruins of an square miles. Its shores are covered unknown date. Everywhere there are with vegetation and forests of trees, extensive and marvellous remains of a beyond which rise lofty mountains, decayed empire and a vanished civiliza- | which seem to touch the sky. In the tion. The ruins of Bassette are sup- middle of the lake towards its northern posed to be the remains of the summer end is a tall mast, the line of demarcapalace of the ancient sovereigns of the tion between the Siamese and Cambocountry. dian dominions. The lake swarms Old Angkor is situated to the north- with fish, and the fishing is a source of east of Foule Sape, and gives its name great revenue. Thousands of webto the province. It stands in the midst footed birds of all sizes and colors of a large and fertile plain, which is cover the surface of the lake. Flocks surrounded by mountains. Angkor of pelicans stand in its waters literally was the ancient capital of Cambodia. gorging themselves with fish; clouds This empire was so famous that its of cormorants skim across its waters; sovereign had one hundred and twenty while myriads of aigrettes, sitting on tributary kings, an army of five million the branches of the trees, look like soldiers, and a royal treasury which enormous balls of snow among the occupied a space of several leagues. Angkor Wat is a celebrated temple, of such huge dimensions and such admirable proportions and adornment that the natives say it was the work of the king of the angels. New Angkor, the green. The native legends affirm that before the great catastrophe which brought in the flood of waters forming the lake a smiling city stood there in the midst of a rich and fertile plain. For EIGHT DOLLARS remitted directly to the Publishers, the LIVING AGE will be punctually forwarded for a year, free of postage. 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