Reviews and Bibliography.

The Psychical Correlation of Religious Emotion and Sexual Desire. By JAMES WEIR, JR., M. D. Second edition. 338 pp. Louisville: Courier-Journal Job Printing Co. 1897.

The talented author of this volume has exercised much genius and learning in attempting to trace the origin of religious feeling to the worship of the generative principle. For this purpose and in this view he has culled from a host of travelers, ancient and modern, a treasure of observations in regard to the customs and manners of primitive peoples.

There can be no reasonable doubt that eroticism and the religious feeling are closely related. It has long been noted that the ecstasies of religion. were often found most fully experienced by people who had greatest need of restraining walls unless the walls themselves were rendered unnecessary by marriage privileges. This does not, however, prove the religions feeling to be an offspring of sexual craving any more than it proves sexual craving to be the offspring of religious feeling.

A loftier view of the religious feeling, both in its origin and perpetuation, seems much more consistent with the facts of nature. Looking around us we find colors or shades of color so many that no man can number them.

If we ask what constitutes the difference between them, we learn that it is nothing more nor less than the difference in the wave length of the waves of ether that convey them to the visual centers. If we analyze sounds, we find that all the infinite variety of tones and sound effects are resolvable into wave lengths in the medium that conveys sounds to the ear. It may then reasonably be claimed that all vital phenomena, in fact all phenomena that consist of motion, can, with the aid of a sufficiently fine analysis, be resolved into undulations. Furthermore there is probably no motion that is not an ether wave or a multitiple of some ether wave. The color of an object is yellow because a certain ether wave-length serves to present it to vision, and the color of a certain feeling is religious because an undulation of a certain agreeable wave length is employed in arousing it in the cells of the brain. The cast of another feeling may be that of love, and it is so because a certain wave length, or a certain intensity and amplitude of wave length constitutes it. Love and religion then are the offspring of a common parent. Their relation is consequently that of fraternity and not paternity. Pythagoras was not far wrong, when he taught that all motion is in terms of music and that even the heavenly bodies move to a refined music which he entitled the music of the spheres. He erred, however, when he restricted that music to the hearing of the immortals.

Love, which is made up of ether waves less travel-worn than those of religion, seeks its correspondent and its responsive partner correspondingly near by. Religion, on the other hand, made up of ether waves manifestly from afar, reaches out to the source, vague, vast, and far away, that their amplitude suggests. Love searches for a lover, religion for a god. Water does not make thirst; thirst calls for water. Food does not create hunger; hunger demands food.

Theologies have been constructed to meet the craving of the religious feeling. If Priapus has found a world of worshipers, it could perhaps always be found that the cult had been developed by shrewd priests for the tithes it afforded them. Among the curious facts mentioned by Dr. Weir is the discovery that the hanging of horseshoes over doors is a remnant of phallic worship. It was long the custom to paint over doorways figures of the private parts of women in order to insure good luck. In time some one discovered that a horseshoe afforded a pretty good representation, and thenceforth it became the custom to express one's "sentiments" by nailing a horseshoe over the door.

Although differing with the learned doctor in toto in his conclusions, h : book affords much interesting reading and will throw light on many dark points in human history.

D. T. S.

Essentials of Bacteriology: Being a concise and systematic introduction to the study of micro-organisms, for the use of students and practitioners. By M. V. BALL, M. D., Bacteriologist to St. Agnes' Hospital, Philadelphia. Third edition, revised. With eighty-one illustrations, seven in colors, and five plates. 218 pp. Price, $1.00. W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia.

The

This edition of Dr. Ball's excellent compend does not materially diffe r from the preceding one, the author deeming the advances made in bacter iology since that time too few to render great change neccessary. article on "diphtheria " has been carefully revised, and the latest knowledge concerning the "antitoxin" treatment added. An article on bacteriologic examination of the organs and cavities of the human body has been added to the appendix. In the clearness of the style, the aptness of language, and the attractiveness of the print and make-up it was hardly possible to accomplish improvement.

D. T. S.

It seems that in a late review the injustice was done Prof. Lewis A. Sayre of entitling him "the late," to which he very naturally takes exception. Whether it was an instance of Richard Grant White's "heterophemy" or an unconscious recognition of the fact that Prof. Sayre has done enough good in the world to have won the right to be in heaven, it is pleasanter not to be forced to decide. But since he seems to wish it so, may he be late though not "the late." Serus redeas, etc.

D. T. S.

Vol. 26.

"NEC TENUI PENNÂ."

JULY 1, 1898.

H. A. COTTELL, M. D., Editor.

No. 1.

A Journal of Medicine and Surgery, published on the first and fifteenth of each month. Price, $2 per year, postage paid.

This journal is devoted solely to the advancement of medical science and the promotion of the interests of the whole profession. Essays, reports of cases, and correspondence upon subjects of professional interest are solicited. The editor is not responsible for the views of contributors.

Books for review, and all communications relating to the columns of the journal, should be addressed to the Editor of THE AMERICAN PRACTITIONER AND NEWS, Louisville, Ky.

Subscriptions and advertisements received, specimen copies and bound volumes for sale by the undersigned, to whom remittances may be sent by postal money order, bank check, or registered letter. Address JOHN P. MORTON & COMPANY, Louisville, Ky.

AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

The meeting at Denver, June 7-10th ultimo, was well attended and up to the standard in scientific work.

In the absence of the president, Dr. George M. Sternberg, the administration of affairs fell to the lot of Vice-President Joseph M. Mathews, of Louisville, who presided with grace and dignity, and so won the hearts of the Fellows as to secure the presidency for the session of 1899. For the second time in a quarter of a century this great honor has been bestowed upon a citizen and surgeon of Louisville, and it is with pride tempered with gratitude that the local guild acknowledges the compliment.

The address of the retiring president was read by Col. A. W. Woodhull, of Denver. It was able, as was expected from a scientist of the first rank, and devoted to the more recent achievements of medicine. The X-ray, the new bacteria, the glandular extracts, antitoxins, and the bearings of these upon prophylaxis and therapy were clearly and forcibly presented. The address from beginning to end was an inspiring testimonial to the recent rapid advancement of medicine upon scientific lines, and heralds the no distant day when medicine, like surgery, shall take its place among the exact sciences, with the rout of quackery and the confusion of fogyism, ignorance, and empty pretension. He thus, in substance, concludes:

Finally, there was no room for creeds and pathies in medicine, no more than in astronomy, geology or botany. Every man was entitled to his own opinions upon any settled problem; but if he entertained an opinion in conflict with ascertained facts he simply showed his ignorance. There was no restriction placed upon any physician who graduates from a regular school as to the mode of treatment he should pursue in a given case. But if his patient dies of diphtheria because of his failure to have administered the proper remedy, or if he recklessly infects a wound with dirty fingers or instruments, or transfers pathogenic streptococci from a case of phlegmonous erysipelas to the interior of the uterus of a puerperal woman, it would appear that the courts should have something to say as to his fitness to practice medicine. There was, however, nothing in the Code of Ethics which should prevent him from associating with reputable practitioners of medicine; but, no matter where or when he obtained his medical degree, he could scarcely be said to belong to the modern school of scientific medicine. We must not fail to recognize, however, that the progress of knowledge has been so rapid that it is impossible for a busy practitioner to keep pace with it, and that even the requirement now generally adopted by our leading medical schools for a four years' course of study is inadequate for the attainment of such a degree of professional knowledge and practical skill in diagnosis and therapeutics as is desirable for one who intends to practice scientific medicine.

Among the business items the following may be mentioned as pertinent and progressive:

Dr. Dudley S. Reynolds, Louisville, presented a resolution to the effect that after January 1, 1899, any college professor or other teacher that shall confer any degree upon any person not complying with the standards of the American Medical Association regarding educational requirements, shall hereafter be excluded from meetings of the Association. This was referred to the Executive Committee.

A resolution by Dr. W. W. Keen, of Philadelphia, was also introduced favoring vivisection for experimental research, which was referred to the Executive Committee.

Dr. H. A. Hare, of Philadelphia, offered a resolution relative to the State and county medical societies of New York, asking that they be allowed to send regularly recognized delegates to the Association. Referred to Executive Committee.

Dr. George M. Gould, of Philadelphia, presented a resolution, the effect of which was to encourage the establishment of medical libraries throughout the United States. Referred to Executive Committee.

Dr. Wm. Bailey, of Louisville, introduced an important matter in the form of a resolution to the effect that the office of General Secretary be created, with a salary not to exceed $2,500 or $3,000 per annum. He said that the Association had grown to such proportions that the services of at least one salaried man were required who would devote his entire time to

the interests of the Association. By this resolution the present Secretary, Dr. Atkinson, would be retained as an honorary officer. Resolution referred to Executive Committee.

Dr. Sanders, of Alabama, recommended, in a series of resolutions, that the Association take steps leading to the establishment of public health bureaus, having their roots in every city and town in the land, and an executive head in the national government.

Dr. Humiston, of Ohio, read a report, adopted by the Ohio State Medical Society, regarding the antivivisection bill, and recommended that in addition to the other committees being named, one should be composed of residents of Washington, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Under this arrangement there would be assurance of prompt attendance of committeemen whenever the bill referred to came up.

The Committee on Nominations reported: For President, Dr. J. M. Mathews, Louisville; first Vice-President, D. W. W. Keen, Philadelphia; second Vice-President, Dr. J. W. Graham, Denver; third Vice-President, Dr. H. A. West, Galveston; fourth Vice-President, Dr. J. E. Minney, Topeka; Librarian, Dr. George W. Webster, Chicago; Trustees, Drs. Alonzo Garcelon, T. J. Happel, and I. N. Love. Place of meeting, Columbus, Ohio; time, June 7-10, 1899.

Notes and Queries.

THE THYROID.-Perhaps in no field of experimental medicine have the reports of the past half of the decade been so discordant and difficult to bring into correlation as those bearing upon the physiological activity of the thyroid gland and its kindred structures. While there have been published excellent résumés of small fields of this discussion, the ground as a whole has not been thoroughly covered, so that the excellent and extensive discussion by Dr. R. H. Cunningham, "Experimental Thyroidism," Journal of Experimental Medicine, vol. iii, 1898, page 147, is especially opportune.

In this is presented a complete and well-rounded contribution, treating of all the important work that has gone before, with an extended series of experiments which have been conducted by the writer, with the view of bringing the many discordant views into some sort of harmony. As a result of his studies the writer draws the following conclusions:

1. Absolutely fresh thryoid gland is not poisonous, in the usual sense of the term, when absorbed through the alimentary canal.