Putting on one side all questions of morality and regarding the matter wholly from the standpoint of health, it must be confessed that abortion, conducted on a large scale, is certain to sap the vitality and to impede the progress of any nation. -Pediatrics.

Michigan Law Prohibits the Marriage of

Syphilitics.

A Michigan statute prohibits the marriage of any person who is afflicted with syphilis or gonorrhea. If the person has had either disease at any former period, evidence must be produced that a cure has taken place. What an opportunity for the expert witness! In commenting upon the law the Jour. Am. Med. Asso., July 22, '99, says:

The law also provides that the wife can testify against her husband, and vice versa, and removes the privilege of medical secrecy in proceedings for this cause. The enforcement of this law will be noted with interest, and it is possible some important new medico-legal. question may arise; the question of the curability and the evidence of cure of these disorders may come up in the courts. Considering the frequency of these disorders, especially gonorrhea, it would seem possible that there is danger of a serious diminution in the number of marriages as a result of such law, and also that it might afford possibilities of blackmail and inconvenient family complications.-Med. and Surg. Monitor.

Notes on Practice.

The average human system is capable of consuming about three ounces of whisky in twenty-four hours. More than this constitutes an excess, injures the system and is thrown off unchanged by the excretory organs.

In the treatment of facial and ovarian neuralgia I have found no one drug that has given me such uniformly satisfactory results as the tinct. of gelsemium. My experience has been with ten drop doses of Merrell's Green Root tincture.

In chapt hands, lips, etc., and all frosted conditions, it should be remembered that the comp. tinct. of benzoin, is an admirable remedy. Incidentally it Incidentally it should not be forgotten that it is one of our best remedies in crackt nipple.

The addition of a few drops of peroxid of hydrogen to urine containing pus, will

cause bubbles to rise and a froth to appear on the surface similar to its action on pus in other localities. This test is characteristic and reliable.

In a recent case considerable difficulty was experienced in procuring a suitable remedy to allay the disagreeable odor of a cancer. After many trials a saturated solution of sodium hyposulfite diluted with an equal quantity of water was found to give the best results.

everlasting odor of iodoform may be thoroly The peculiar disagreeable, penetrating, masked by either the oil of rose, one minim; the oil of rose geranium, four to the dram of iodoform; of these the oil minims; or oil of citronilla, two minims of citronilla, is by far the cheapest.

Quinin is a direct antagonist to the plasmodium of malaria itself, but is almost useless against the toxin produced by it. For this reason a case of malaria can not

be cured by the use of quinin alone. However, in iron, iodin and arsenic we have almost a specific for this latter condition.

In the treatment of prolapsus ani in children, where the case is seen early, it may be relieved and usually cured, if, after each evacuation of the bowels, when prolapsus has taken place, the mother has been instructed how to reduce the prolapsus, and to inject a solution of from ten to thirty drops of the fluid extract of witch hazel in from two to six ounces of cold water into the rectum. This is not new, but it will cure the patient if persistently carried out.

The use of hot poultices of flax-seed, mush, bread and milk, hops, etc., is fast being replaced in the treatment of pneumonia by the use of ice-bags. In young adults, whose previous health has been good, it is advisable to apply an ice-bag as soon as the diagnosis is made; if the inflammation is severe, or both lungs are affected, two or more may be used; if the temperature be high, it is well to cover the chest with them. As the fever is reduced, they should be gradually withdrawn; if the fever again becomes high, they should be replaced. It is not advisable to use the ice-bag as a routine treatment in very old or very young patients. The ice-bag does not take the place of, nor interfere with, the proper internal treatment.Ther. Digest & Form.

It is claimed that a vapor bath, producing very free sweating, will cure hydrophobia.

12. Under what circumstances should artery be ligated in its continuity? What instruments are required for the operation.

13. What general principles govern the diagnosis of a tumor?

14. Describe an approved method for the removal of foreign bodies from the ear.

15. Give in detail a systematic method of digi

for same Morphine antifebrine and stimulents. Brandyes, wines and Egg Sups.

Ques. What is extrauterine pregnancy? Give symptoms.

Ans. Extrauterine Pregnancy sometimes occurs shortly after a Sexious intercourse. or caused by a Sudden exposure from Cold. and the Peariods Becomes unreagular.

Ques. Give the mechanism of labor.

Ans. Meachanisem of labor is a Slite Pain in the lower Parts of the abdoman Cavity Connected with the womb.

Ques. How are poisoned wounds produced? Give treatment for same.

Ans. Poison Wounds air Produced sometimes by Snake Bites, or Mad. Dog Bites. Wild Grape Vines.

treatment, Carbolic Acid, tanic acid. Opium. Morphine. Whiskeys or Wines.

With this astute learning as the result of many years' practice, cannot we truly say, experientia docet?-Charlotte Med. Jour.

Precocious Pregnancies.

During the past summer the Journal of the American Medical Association contained several reports of precocious preg. nancies, as follows:

CASE I. On January 20, 1889, I was called to attend a case of confinement. On my arrival I found a girl 12 years and 10 months old in labor. After a rather tedious but uneventful labor I delivered her with forceps of a twelve-pound boy. The

orders of the female.

Why Not Grant Him a License? The Memphis Medical Monthly is responsible for the correctness of the following item:

There recently appeared before the Clay County, Arkansas, Medical Examining Board an applicant for license to practice. This applicant claimed to have practised medicin up to within the last two years in the state of Illinois, and before going to that state had followed the same calling for fourteen years in Kentucky. Thru the courtesy of the secretary of the board, Dr. W. H. Hubbard, of Piggot, Ark., we have had the opportunity of examining the papers containing the answers to the board's questions, turned in by this experienced practitioner, and here submit a few of these, verbatim et literatim, as examples of the character of the whole.

Question. What is cerebral hemorrhage? Give symptoms, prognosis and treatment.

Answer. Cerebral hemorrhage is bleeding from the womb; symptoms is a bearing down sinciation of the overies, of the vagina and a Bleeding Sinciation from the womb.

treatment. Ceep the Paitent as quiet as Posibel, and Give quinia and Bor. Potach. Morphine. Nutmegs, brandyes and sometimes a Coton Pill. Ques. What is appendicitis? Give one cause. Give symptoms and treatment in full.

Ans. Appendicitis is a Dease of febrile conde ations of the systum. Symptoms is a tired and heavey feeling. Drinking Sinciation. treatment

had a normal puerperium. I am familiar with another case in which the mother was less than 13 years and 6 months old. I confined a girl in 1893, who stated to me that she had never menstruated and was less than 14 years old. This was afterwards verified by the mother. She had no hair on the pubes, no enlargement of breasts, or other signs of puberty.-L. D. ROOD, M. D., Des Moines, Iowa.

CASE II.-I delivered a girl about June 1st, at the age of 12 years and 10 months. The baby weighed 7 pounds, and is now doing nicely. The labor was normal in every respect; no forceps, no laceration and an uneventful puerperium. The girl had menstruated several times before impregnation. She was not over-developt, and really not fully developt.-W. CHRISTIAN, M. D., Indianapolis.

CASE III.-In the personal history of a case I saw a couple of years ago, the girl menstruated at 11 years and 3 months. She immediately became pregnant and was delivered at full term by a rather tedious delivery, of a large, well-developt child. Both mother and child did well. The father, at the birth of the child, was just

14 years old.-N. S. SCOTT, M. D., Cleveland, O.

CASE IV.-I recall a case in 1867, of the delivery of a girl ten days before she was 12 years of age. The confinement was normal, but was followed by phlegnasia alba dolens in both legs. She had been brought up in a house of prostitution, and at the age of 8 years had commenced cohabitation with boys. She menstruated at 10, and at the time pelvis, mammæ and pubic hair were well developt.-Dr. F. W., Philadelphia.

CASE V.-I delivered a negro girl of twins, February 5, 1897. At 11 years of age she began to menstruate regularly; became a prostitute soon afterward, and was delivered of twins at the age of 13 years, 9 months and 5 days. Both children were females.-D. L. WILKINSON, M. D., Montevalle, Ala.

ANOTHER INSTANCE.

To these from the Journal I will here add another case.

A Jewish woman lately brought her daughter to me for examination and treatment. She was not quite thirteen years old. There was extensive bilateral laceration of the cervix. An operation was not allowed when it was learned that the lacerated condition would render the bearing of children very improbable. The mother informed me that the girl had menstruated a short time before her eleventh birthday, and had been delivered of a child when just twelve years and one month old. The child lived eight months and died of bowel trouble. The father of the babe was a milk dealer over sixty years old, to whom the girl had been daily sent by her mother for the purchase of milk.-WM. WESLEY COOK, M. D., of Chicago, in Med. Observer.

Fourth of July Lockjaw.

Many persons must be impresst by this time with the large number of cases of tetanus that have been reported in the newspapers as caused by wounds received on the Fourth of July. The fatal results have followed quickly, as a rule, upon the receipt of the wound. For instance, on the 14th inst. there had already been reported twenty-five deaths in New York City, and on the 15th inst. the newspapers in Philadelphia reported two coroner's inquests and three other fatal cases for the preceding day. Pittsburg reported three fatal cases on one day

(before the 15th). Since these

dates

many other cases have been reported, especially from the large cities; and fatal results may be feared in the third and even fourth week. As a rule, tetanus is not fatal in ten days after the receipt of the wound, although the fact has long been known that the earlier the disease appears after the injury the more virulent and more rapidly fatal it is likely to be. It would thus appear that many of the Fourth of July cases are instances of extreme virulence. Several deaths, in fact, were reported in Philadelphia so early as the 11th inst., and Boston reported one death on the 10th. This activity of the poison is doubtless due to the nature of the wound and (in many cases) to the carelessness with which it is treated. The wound in the vast majority of cases is in the palm of the hand or in the fingers, and is caused by the obnoxious toy-pistol or the cannon-cracker. It is, therefore, either a penetrating or a lacerated wound -often both-and thus presents the most favorable conditions for infection. Moreover, the hand of the victim is usually begrimed with dirt-especially from the earth. The alarming fatality from lockjaw should impress upon the public the extreme need for radical treatment of these wounds-even the most insignificant of them. Tetanus is an infectious disease, due to the action of a microbe; and, altho one of the most fatal of diseases, is probably one of the most easily preventable in many cases. The wound should be thoroly cleaned and drained, as only a good surgeon or physi cian can do it, and never by amateurs or according to household methods. Cauterization in these cases is a pernicious practice, because it makes a crust over the wound and thus prevents free drainage. In other words it effectually imprisons the microbes, and thus promotes infection. The bacillus of tetanus is said to be anaerobic it lives without air, or at least is killed by free air. Hence the necessity for cleansing and drainage. Finally, this bacillus is telluric-it inhabits earth or soil.

The serum-treatment has so far not proved reliable. Prevention is, of course, better than cure; and this sad mortality among boys and young men should tend to put an end to some of the dangerous and irrational customs that are so popular in the celebration of the national holiday. -Philadelphia Medical Journal.

A Case of Triple Personality. The Pathological Institute of the New York State Hospital for the Insane has recently reported a case of great scientific interest with admirable practical results, occurring in the department of the institute devoted to psychology and psychopathology. The case is a remarkable one of amnesia, the patient being a clergyman, about twenty-six years old, who fell out of a wagon, and, striking upon his head, became unconscious. When he recovered from the stupor, it was found that he had completely lost his memory, and that his personality was lost with it. His mental condition was that of an infant, and in the course of education to which he was subjected, he developt a new personality, totally different from the old. He next manifested the phenomena of alternating personality, and awaking in possession of his primitive personality, and vice versa. Neither personality was at all conscious of the other. The patient thus had two consciousnesses, which he possessed at different times, but between which there was absolutely no communication. The problem was how to unify the double consciousness. This was attempted by preventing him from lapsing into profound slumber, keeping him in a condition between sleeping and waking, and the result proved successful. As a consequence he developt a third personality, which was conscious of the other two personalities, and this finally filled every gap in his memory. Dr. Van Giesen, the director of the Pathological Institute, naturally regards the case with great satisfaction, and expresses the opinion that it shows a decided advance in the domain of psychology. -Boston Medical and Surgical Journal.

Shall New-born Babies be Washt? Schrader (Berliner klinische Wochenschrift; Klinisch-therapeutische Wochenschrift) has investigated the effects of bathing new-born children, in order to settle the point as to whether the healing of the stump of the cord is influenced by that process. The treatment of the stump was the same in all the one hundred and fifty cases. It was drest daily with sterile gauze and dusted with a mixture of one part of salicylic acid and four parts of starch. The healing of the stump and its separation took place in a more satisfactory way in those children who had been bathed. Dry dressings for the stump were found to be much better than oily ones,

The examination is open to both males and females, but a separate eligible register will be kept for each sex.

From the eligibles resulting from this examination, certification will be made to fill two positions in the government hospital for the insane, one from the male register at $900.00 per annum, and one from the female register at $600.00 per annum.

This examination is open to all citizens of the United States who comply with the requirements. All such citizens are invited to apply. They will be examined, graded and certified with entire impartiality and wholly without regard to any consideration, save their ability as shown by the grade attained by them in the examination.

Persons desiring to compete should at once apply to the United States Civil Service Commission, Washington, D. C., for Application Forms 304 and 375, which should be properly executed and promptly filed with the Commission.

To Remove the "Smell" of lodoform.

To do away with the "smell" of iodoform that comes to the hands of the surgeon, for handling the same, I find that to rub on, after use of soap and water, a teaspoonful of vinegar (found in every household) does away promptly with the very disagreeable odor.-EDWIN RICKETTS, M.D., in Lancet-Clinic.

Can you have better value for your money than Dr. Waugh's book on Treatment and WORLD one year for $5?

The Busy Doctor.

Occasionally a letter is received in which the writer gravely says he is taking so many journals he cannot read the half of them, etc., the polite phrases being framed as an excuse for discontinuing his subscription, which is all right and in perfect accord with the privilege of every man who knows and attends to his own business, with which there is no occasion whatever for argument. It serves, however, as an introduction to the claim made that he has not time to read half the journals he is taking.

The time was, and is not so very far back, when the ordinary general practitioner of medicine thought he was doing entire justice to himself, his profession and his clients if he took a single medical journal. Conditions and times have greatly changed within the last twenty years. A medical education costs more than twice as much time and money as it did then, and the literature of medicine has quadrupled within. that period. Friction and competition have increast in a similar ratio, so that the men who are ambitious to be at the front find themselves obliged to purchase new and improved instruments of precision, new books, and to take more than one or two medical journals. The man who has little business is always the one most crowded for time, and the little business he has is his boss.

The men who do the most work and accomplish great results always have time at their command, and always boss their business. They are rarely crowded, and seldom in a hurry. Visitors are received and made to feel a welcome that is not an intrusion, that time is easy, no fret or fidget; work is either going on or there is a timely rest. Such men take and read from ten to twenty or more journals. They don't pretend to read every article, but they carefully read those in which they are interested, and scan more or less closely the advertising pages. In the latter many useful hints are found; here they find reference to the tools of latest pattern and design, hence do not pretend to pass them by.

The known men in the profession are the very ones who can be most easily and successfully approacht for any given purpose, whether it be to write an article or deliver a lecture, go on a journey or engage in a new enterprise. Their engagements are rarely pressing, and are always

so dovetailed in time as to leave ample margins, and at the same time always fit in the right places.

The man who hasn't time to read half of the two journals he is taking is either fussing about a call he has to make or fretting because another doctor was called where he expected to officiate as chief factotum. In either instance his hours are so jaggered that he has little or no time to read, and that which he does read is not remembered.

Two things are never realized by the man who hasn't time; one is that there are even and exactly sixty minutes in every hour, and the other is like it, in which he fails to understand in its true bearings that there are neither more nor less than one hundred cents in every dollar.

The busiest men in the medical profession always attend the national, State and local medical societies. They are the ones who read papers, take part in the discussions and then attend all the social functions. Not once are they disconcerted by pressing business engagements, a reason for which is found in the fact that just at that time affairs are so arranged that a pressure does not come.

The men who can't get off to attend such meetings are worried and perplext for fear some rival will profit by their absence, instead of swapping time and business with such rivals, thru which both would prosper and be better thought of. The world is wide, and there are other pebbles on the beach.-Lancet-Clinic.

Liquid Air in Medicine and Surgery.

The subject of liquid air in its application in medicine and surgery has been treated in a dispassionate manner by Dr. A. Campbell White in The Medical Record. Record. The general properties of liquid air have already been described in the columns of the Scientific American at considerable length, says the Journal, so that it is not necessary to dwell upon this phase of the subject.

In applying liquid to the tissues of the body, Dr. White has used it in the form of a spray and by means of a swab dipped into a fluid. If a spray of liquid air is applied to the skin, the part at once becomes anemic and perfectly colorless. the application is made only for a few seconds, the color as quickly returns and the skin is congested for some minutes thereafter. Within much less than a minute's time, by means of a spray, the part

If