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and at Halifax in 1861. Vessels arriving infected with yellow fever have caused limited outbreaks in the ports of Plymouth and of Southampton. The same thing occurred at Brest in 1856, at St. Nazaire in 1861, and at Swansea (Wales) in 1864. The mean temperature of this last city at the time was only 67° Fahr. Coming down to this year (1889) an epidemic has occurred at Vigo, in Spain. In that city and neighboring coast cities nearly 1000 persons were attacked. From 10 to 12 per cent. of these persons are officially acknowledged to have died.

"From such facts as these it would appear that, whilst there may not be much danger of an epidemic of yellow fever in Canada, yet to allow our ship laborers to enter and work in the hold of a vessel infected with that disease, in any of our seaports in summer, might readily lead to at least a localized outbreak. So might also the landing of infected clothing, etc. Acting on this belief, I do not allow any vessel with yellow fever cases on board, sick or convalescent, or reporting the occurrence of the disease on board, to pass the quarantine station until the atmosphere of her hold has been driven out by our steam fan, and she has been thoroughly fumigated' and disinfected."

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BROOKLYN MEETING OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
HEALTH ASSOCIATION.

The Local Committee having in charge the arrangements for this meeting has made its final report, and has adjourned sine die. This report shows that the total amount of money collected to meet the expenses of the meeting was $3,361.10. Of this the city contributed $1,000, and $9co were received from individual subscribers. The balance, $1,461.10, was paid by exhibitors for space in which to display their goods at the Health Exhibition. The total expenses thus far amount to $3,212. 26, leaving a balance in the treasury of $148 84. The Committee has published in pamphlet form the report of its special Committee of Awards, and will give a testimonial on parchment to each one of the exhibitors to whom such an award was recommended by the Committee. This list of awards is published in full in the present number of the Journal. The printing of this report and its transmission to the members of the American Public Health Association, together with the engraving of the testimonials, will probably consume the balance of the funds. The Local Committee is to be congratulated on such a satisfactory financial exhibit. It is certainly the exception, in an undertaking of the magnitude of the Brooklyn meeting, to have funds enough not only to meet all expenses without stinting, but to have something left over.

CRUIKSHANK vs. GORDON.

In this number of the Journal we publish a paper which will, we think, be of great interest to our readers. It is from the pen of W. M. Rosebault, Esq., the attorney for Dr. Cruikshank in his recent suit for slander. In a future issue we shall publish the opinion of the General Term of the Supreme Court, and also of the Court of Appeals, in this now famous case. The thanks of the entire medical profession are due Dr. Cruikshank for the fight which he has made in behalf of that profession, in his effort to sustain its dignity and good name, and we are glad to be able to congratulate him upon the successful result of his suit.

THE BROOKLYN EYE AND EAR HOSPITAL.

We very much doubt whether any other institution in this city can show such an amount of work accomplished for the money expended, as does the Brooklyn Eye and Ear Hcspital in its last annual report. During the year 1889, 9,031 new patients were treated, of whom 1,096 required surgical operations. The total number of visits made by these patients to the Hospital was 35,758. This vast work has been accomplished, including board furnished to in-door patients and medicines given to the poor, with the expenditure of but $5,631.42. If this record can be paralleled we should be glad to record the fact.

THE BROOKLYN HEALTH EXHIBITION.

This Exhibition deserves for many reasons an especial record. It was the first exhibition of sanitary goods and appliances ever held in this country, but we hope will not be the last. Eighty exhibits were made, some of which included a large number of articles. The Com mittee of Awards has exercised admirable judgment and discretion in the selection which it has made of the articles for which testimonials are to be awarded, and of which honorable mention has been made. This task, considering the character of the articles exhibited, must have been an arduous one, and the recipients of awards, whether of "testimonials" or "honorable mention" may justly be proud of the honors conferred. The award of a committee numbering among its members men of such world-wide reputation as Drs. Stephen Smith, A. N. Bell, and A. L. Gihon, is a sufficient guarantee of the worth of articles which they pronounce to be "specially meritorious."

OBITUARY.

JOHN BALL, M.D.

Dr. John Ball was born at Hanover, Morris County, New Jersey, in May, 1818. He was, therefore, in his seventy-second year at the time of his death, which occurred April 1st, at Daytona, Florida.

In 1882 he married Anna C. Weeks, of New York City, who survives him. "

His early education was obtained at the district school in his native place, and thereafter he studied at Morristown and Newark.

When very young he showed a fondness for the study of medicine, and this interest grew steadily into a fixed purpose to prepare himself for the profession, which was his life-work.

He graduated with honor from the medical department of the University of the City of New York, in the class of 1846.

Soon after he graduated he commenced the practice of his profession in Brooklyn, locating on Washington Street, which was then the fashionable quarter of the city. He had an active professional career in this city for nearly forty-five years, and he was eminently successful as a practitioner, enjoying a large and lucrative practice.

In August, 1851, he was elected to the position of Chief of the Eye and Ear Department of the Dispensary now located at No. 11 Tillary Street, which position he held for thirteen years. His opportunity for

observation and study in this branch of medicine induced him to make it somewhat of a specialty at that time.

In 1873, however, he turned his attention to the treatment of diseases of the uterus induced by stricture of the cervix; and devised a new method of relief in this class of cases, which consisted in the forcible and rapid dilatation of the cervix uteri by means of instruments designed by himself.

This method of operating was new to gynecologists, and met with severe opposition and considerable censure, but it was finally adopted by specialists as an excellent operation in a certain class of cases, and has come into very general use.

In 1886 he established a sanitarium at Daytona, Florida, where he resided during the winter months, for the past few years, and received and treated many invalids from various parts of the country. It was at this resort that he died.

He was a man of kindly disposition, of sterling integrity, and his memory will long be cherished by many of the poor of this city to whom he was especially kind and charitable.

PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES.

MEDICAL SOCIETY OF THE COUNTY OF KINGS.

A regular monthly meeting of the Medical Society of the County of Kings was held at the Society rooms, 356 Bridge Street, on Tuesday evening, March 18th, at 8 o'clock.

President Chase in the chair; Dr. George McNaughton, Secretary pro tem.

There were about seventy-five members present.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. The Secretary presented the following applications for membership: Thomas Urquhart Joyce, 745 Union Street, L. I. C. H., 1881; proposed by Dr. William M. Hutchinson; Dr. Charles Jewett.

R. P. Thompson, 271 Vernon Avenue, L. I. C. H., 1886; proposed by Dr. William M. Hutchinson; Dr. E. A. Hatch.

Frank E. Boyden, 622 Marcy Avenue corner Hart Street, Harvard, 1885; proposed by Dr. Walter B. Chase; Crawford D. Beasley, M.D. James M. Griffin, 1292 Bushwick Avenue, Albany, 1869; proposed by Dr. L. E. Meeker; Walter B. Chase, M.D.

Charles H. Jones, 494 Third Avenue, L. I. C. H., 1889; proposed by Dr. A. J. C. Skene; Paul H. Kretzschmar, M.D.

The name of Dr. Eugene J. Kenny having been recommended by council, on motion, Dr. Kenny was declared elected to membership.

REPORT OF COUNCIL.

The Council beg to report that they have examined the credentials of Dr. J. T. Burdick, and would recommend that he be elected to membership in the Society.

The Council also voted that the following action, taken at the March meeting, be reported to the Society as adopted rules of the Council:

1st. That all papers read before the Society should be considered as the property of the Society, and that such papers should be published in the journal of the Society, viz., the THE BROOKLYN MEDICAL JOURNAL, provided the capacity of this journal would permit, except the reader or author of such papers shall, before presenting them before the Society, obtain the consent of the Society to publish them elsewhere.

2d. That in all cases in which the Editorial Committee were in

doubt as to the propriety or desirability of publishing any particular papers that had been read before the Society, or discussions that had been given, the matter be referred to the Council for decision.

3d. That all applicants for membership be notified to call at these rooms for their diplomas and other documentary evidence of good professional standing that may have been submitted to the Board of Censors, as soon as such diplomas, etc., had been acted upon by the Censors, and that such diplomas, etc., be returned to no one except upon the presentation of a notice to call for same; these notices when so presented to be preserved to act as vouchers, to show that diplomas and other credentials belonging to applicants had been returned to their rightful owner.

The Council also voted that the following resolution, which was unanimously adopted, be also reported to the Society:

Resolved, "That it is the opinion of this Council that all diplomas from such foreign countries as do not recognize or acknowledge American diplomas should not be endorsed by medical colleges in the State of New York."

Dr. MADDREN moved that the recommendations of Council be considered separately, beginning with the first. Seconded.

Dr SKENE moved as an amendment that the last part of the recommendations be considered first. Seconded.

A vote being taken on this amendment, it was declared lost. The original motion of Dr. Maddren was then put and carried, and the report of Council was taken up.

The recommendation that Dr. J. T. Burdick be elected to membership was discussed at length. Dr. Maddren stated that two previous Boards of Censors had rejected his application purely on the ground. that he was not a graduate of any regular school of medicine and that his diploma was not endorsed by any medical college in this State, and he further moved the following resolution :

Resolved, That the name of Dr. J. T. Burdick, recommended by the Council for election to membership be referred back to the Board of Censors for their further consideration, and that they formulate a decision on the question whether it is proper (legally) for the Society to admit to its membership applicants who are graduates of schools other than the regular, and report at the next meeting.

Dr. SKENE.-The facts as I remember them, Mr. President, are these: This gentleman, I believe, is a graduate of an eclectic school which died years ago, consequently it paid a penalty for irregularity that it might have been guilty of. We must, however, speak well of the dead, so we must speak well of his alma mater. That was taken into consideration by the present Board of Censors, and they also had

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