closely as possible the methods of Krönig, and found that the vaginal secretion was practically sterile. He concluded, therefore, that the difference in results is due to the technique by which the secretion is obtained. This enforces the lesson that investigators, when they obtain contradictory results from similar conditions, should each carefully examine the technique of the other in order to exclude every possible source of error in their work, and should not be satisfied until such differences have been fully accounted for.

It also proves that nature is abundantly able to take care of herself in all normal physiological processes. In such cases interference is only mischievous and hurtful, not helpful. The physician should always keep in mind that his true position is to aid and not to improve upon nature.

The Annals for 1899.

The support now accorded the ANNALS and the demand upon space justify further extension, and with the new year each issue will be enlarged by an additional signature of sixteen pages, making a yearly volume of over seven hundred pages. An important feature of the enlarged ANNALS will be in the department of Current Medical Literature, in which abstracts of the practical articles of foreign and American medical journals will be classified and published. The general interest in this departure has been manifested by willingness of Albany colleagues to assume editorial duties, and the following arrangement has been made:

Surgery, edited by A. Vander Veer, M. D.; Medicine, edited by Samuel B. Ward, M. D.; Obstetrics, Gynæcology and Pædiatrics, edited by James P. Boyd, M. D.; Neurology, edited by Henry Hun, M. D.; Dermatology, edited by F. C. Curtis, M. D.: Psychiatry, edited by G. Alder Blumer, M. D.; Pathology, edited by George Blumer, M. D.; Bacteriology and Hygiene, edited by A. J. Lartigau. M. D.; Ophthalmology, edited by C. M. Culver. M. D.; Otology, edited by T. F. C. Van Allen, M. D.: Laryn gology and Rhinology, edited by C. F. Theisen, M. D.

Associate editors will assist in the various departments, and special attention will be given to the medical interests represented in the various State bureaus. The Bulletin of Medical Legisla

tion, so acceptably arranged by Dr. Pearse during the last session. of the State legislature will be continued. Of local matters the ANNALS hopes to give complete and accurate synopsis, to the end that as a faithful contemporary record of general and local medical progress a permanent value will be obtained.

State Medicine.

EDITED BY HARRY SEYMOUR PEARSE, M. D.

Military Sanitation. The Sanitary Club of Buffalo is contemplating, according to a recent circular letter, a meeting of experts to discuss the " details of establishing camps of instruction constructed upon strictly hygienic principles - asphalted floors and streets, water system, sewerage. *

* It is not intended that any criticism be introduced in any manner whatever concerning the recent war, but merely to discuss the feasibility of permanent camps of instruction to be maintained, ready for use at any time desired, by the general or local government." The rapid strides of sanitary science have made the faulty construction of military camps, upon any other than a high hygienic basis, a criminal offense, and one not easily overlooked. Permanent camps of instruction, constructed on scientific principles, will be a necessity of the near future, and a thorough discussion of the subject by experts would be received with great interest.

Epidemic of Variola in New York State. The general discussion on anti-vaccination lends special interest to the epidemic of small-pox now existing in the west-central section of the State. The disease was introduced into New York early last spring by the "Joshua Simpkins" troop. In a similar manner it has been recently introduced into Ohio by an "Uncle Tom's Cabin " troop. Though never acceptable, its advent into our State has come at an opportune time-furnishing an example of the results of the neglect of the authorities to enforce the vaccination laws, and giving an idea of what would happen should the antivaccinists have full sway.

Up to the present time over 200 cases have been reported with no deaths, but owing to the mildness of the type many cases

were not recognized, and, therefore, not reported. Dr. F. C. Curtis, medical expert of the State Health Board, in his inspections, found many cases which had recovered and had not been reported. The local physicians in many places were hard to convince that they were dealing with mild variola and not chicken-pox as they had reported. In one place impetigo contagiosa was the poetic name given the epidemic. The almost absolute control and consequent rarity of small-pox in the State for many years has made the physicians careless, and, in some instances connected with the present epidemic, loath to accept the opinion of an expert who pronounced the disease small-pox, though some of them had never seen a case.

The following paragraph, taken from a circular issued by the State Board of Health under date of November 4th, indicates the lassitude which has overcome the school authorities: "It is found upon investigation by our inspector that in some places a very small percentage of the children in attendance at the public schools have been vaccinated, the school authorities in many instances having failed to enforce the provisions of section 200 of chapter 661 of the Laws of 1893." The Department of Public Instruction is lending efficient aid to the State Board of Health in requiring prompt action on the part of school authorities in enforcing this law.

This condition of affairs in New York State, newly unearthed, coupled with the fact that thousands of people are taking advantage of the "conscience clause" in the new English vaccination law, confirms the fact that the rigid enforcement of a compulsory vaccination law is the only means of controlling small-pox.

Anti-Vaccination. It seems quite probable that vaccination in the United States will soon have to meet and contend with an organized antagonistic movement similar to that which has existed in England for the past forty years, and which, we are compelled to admit, has there been successful in no small degree. We are led to this conclusion by the fact that the leading antivaccinist of England, Mr. William Tibbs, is with us, and by the statement, said to have been made by him, that the members of the anti-vaccination league "were to start an agitation in this country against regulations of boards of health, which make it

necessary for children to be vaccinated before they can enter the public schools, and also against the federal laws requiring all immigrants to be vaccinated."

It has been proposed by many medical men here, says Mr. Tibbs, that the next international anti-vaccination congress be held in America where there are many members of the league. This hardly seems credible, yet it is not difficult to believe, when we know that there are physicians, as well as laymen, who say that "vaccination does not prevent small-pox." It is charitable to say that ignorance is the cause for such a belief. No one can refute the facts that, before the discovery of vaccination by Jenner, whole races of people were exterminated by the disease; that in France, during the eighteenth century, 3,000 people died annually of small-pox; that it is computed of the century preceding vaccination that fifty millions of people died in Europe of small-pox. These figures are taken from the American Textbook of Medicine, and many others just as appealing can be found there and elsewhere.

If the deluded believers in anti-vaccination were told that just as much danger lurked in the exposure of the unvaccinated child to small-pox as to the bubonic plague they would scoff. If less risk were incurred it would be due entirely to the fact that the virulence of small-pox has been somewhat mitigated by generations of vaccination.

There is but a single argument, founded on reason, which the anti-vaccinists have held to; that is, that vaccination produces transmissible diseases, especially syphilis, tuberculosis and erysipelas. The strides of science have been so great that now even this argument does not hold and we cannot see that the anti-vaccinists have a leg to stand on. As Lord Lister said, the modern. method of preparing the lymph does away with the possibility of the transmission of these diseases, and as far as erysipelas is concerned, it is just as apt to follow the scratch of a pin as the slight abrasion of vaccination.

As a substitute for vaccination these people hold that " personal and municipal cleanliness is their creed;" just how much confidence the sanitary authorities in England have in the purity of their motive is shown by the following quotation from the London Journal of State Medicine for October, "Now that anti

vaccination is made easy, medical officers of health and sanitary authorities will have to exercise increased vigilance to prevent epidemics of small-pox. Those who have urged that unsanitary conditions are the chief cause of the spread of the disease will probably be the last to take the initiative in inaugurating a campaign against these conditions, nor do we expect to find them expressing any great solicitude for the provision of isolation hospital accommodation, so as to be prepared for any emergency. Medical officers, however, may and should attempt to obtain the assistance of the anti-vaccinators in their efforts to improve the sanitary condition of the people, and in obtaining the requisite hospitals for promptly isolating any cases of small-pox which may occur. Wherever there is an outbreak of this disease the sanitary defects and the want of isolation accommodation will at once be charged with the disaster. These subjects, therefore, should be brought prominently before every sanitary authority at an early date, so that the medical officer of health may have a clear conscience whatever may be the result of the recent legislation." Sanitary officers in all civilized countries will sympathize with their brother officers of England and wish them success in their difficult task.

We doubt very much that the proposed crusade against vaccination in this country will be effectual; yet we would not be surprised if the cant and persistence of this league did reach the ignorant classes and cause trouble. And if for any reason whatever vaccinations should not be generally continued, we have but one thing to look forward to the swinging back of the pendulum to another period of frightful epidemics of small-pox-a gloomy prediction, but one sure to be fulfilled if science is shorn of any of its power in the control of this disease.

Obituary.

WILLIAM MORGAN, M. D.

Dr. William Morgan died at his residence in Albany, November 7, 1898, after a short illness. He was born September 16, 1842, in this city, where he always resided, and after leaving the Albany Boys' Academy, he entered the Albany Medical College.