was acquainted under one term without specifying or even knowing their diagnostic differentiation.

Regarding the "leprosy" of the New Testament, Dr. Fox points out its probable identity with psoriasis. The Septuagint translators rendered the Hebrew tsaraath by the word lepra, which was the name of a disease characterized by white scaly patches (psoriasis), and familiar to the Greeks, who, on the other hand, knew nothing of leprosy. Afterwards the true leprosy, the "Phoenician disease," was introduced into Greece, and was called elephantiasis. The word used by the evangelists, Matthew and Mark, in describing the miracle of the Saviour is lepra and not elephantiasis. The translators of the English Bible rendered this word "leprosy," which was also the translation of the Hebrew tsaraath, because the Septuagint translators had rendered the latter word by lepra. The inference is clear that the leprosy of the New Testament was psoriasis, and it is not improbable that it was this disease which made some of its subjects among the ancient Hebrews "as white as snow."

amended by substituting for the Dairymen's Association a "dairy commissioner," who should be appointed by the Governor, and receive a salary of $3000 and his necessary expenses. It is stated that such a prohibitory law has worked well in Missouri, and that in consequence of its rigid enforcement a large quantity of imitation butter, manufactured in Chicago, which used to be supplied to that State, is now sent on to New York.

During the week ending March 22d 33,405 pounds of diseased meat and "bob" veal were seized by the inspectors of the Health Department in New York. and Health Commissioner Raymond, of Brooklyn, has made the following order: "In order to prevent the admission of meats of an unwholesome quality into the markets of the city on and after March 26, 1884, no cows or bulls shall be slaughtered in any slaughtering house in the city of Brooklyn except in the presence of an inspector of the Health Department, the owners of said slaughtering establishments to receive notice of the time when said inspectors will be present."

Massachusetts seems to be the only State at present which evinces any marked disposition to progress

LEGISLATION IN NEW YORK FOR THE PRO- backwards in these legislative questions for the pro

TECTION OF FOOD PRODUCTS.

tection of the public against adulterations of foods and drugs.

MEDICAL NOTES.

THE Committee on Public Health have made their report to the New York Legislature in regard to imitation butter, and recommended, as the result of their investigations, that its manufacture should be totally prohibited by law. In the course of it they say: - Dr. Fordyce Barker and Surgeon J. S. Billings "While not averring that oleomargarine is necessarily sailed from New York last week to receive the dealways unwholesome, the committee believe that it is gree of LL. D. at the approaching tercentenary of likely to be so, and to a large extent would necessa- the University of Edinburgh. We understand the rily be injurious if used by children or persons in same honor was offered to other gentlemen connected delicate health, and that it is not in any sense, or can with the medical profession, but that the necessity for be, a wholesome substitute for pure and natural but-personal presence prevented its acceptance.

ter."

At the annual meeting of the New York Neurological Society held April 1st, William J. Morton, M. D., was elected President, and E. C. Wendt, M. D., Secretary.

- Dr. Wood, editor of the North Carolina Medical Journal, is engaged upon an inquiry as to the effects of tobacco upon the human system, with a view to publication, and is glad to receive reports from any reliable medical source.

-The conclusions of an article in review of the treatment of uterine fibromata, in the Revue Médicale (9 February, 1884), may perhaps, be taken as reflecting the French sentiment, in this respect. They are as follows: Expectation, too much neglected by the Germans, better respected in England, ought to play an important rôle in the therapeutics of uterine fibro

In consequence of this report Judge Low's bill "to prevent deception in sales of dairy products," which met with very little opposition, was ordered to a third reading on the 28th of March. This goes to the root of the evil, and prohibits the manufacture or sale of any of these adulterations in the State of New York. All previous legislation on the subject has merely sought to regulate the sale of imitation butter so as to enable purchasers to know what they were buying, but though no less than seven bills for the protection of the people against deception and imposition have been passed by the Legislature during the last five years, all attempts to do this have hitherto proved a complete failure, as was shown by the experience of the Senate Committee on Public Health, which, during its recent sessions in New York, found that the analy-mata. sis of thirty samples of butter purchased from different grocers in New York and Brooklyn showed that twenty of them were imitations, although they were all represented by the venders to be "pure butter." The bill, as introduced, constituted the State Dairymen's Association a commission charged with the enforcement of its various provisions, and appropriated $30,000 to defray expenses, but it was afterwards

Surgical interference ought to be made only in cases which are serious either from pains or hæmorrhages which they produce. In order that the operation be justified the pains must be such as to render life insupportable to the patient, and the hæmorrhages so severe as to expose her to mortal danger. When, finally, the operation is resolved upon, castration is the measure to which recourse should be had in cases where the tumor is not bulky, and ablation, on the

other hand, where the volume of the tumor is consid- to the exhibition and congress, and that public interest erable. might be aroused in regard to the same.

- An International Prison Congress will meet at Rome next October.

The Kansas Legislature has been considering a bill for the protection of domestic animals, and also one for establishing an office of State Veterinarian, whose duties shall be to investigate all infectious or contagious diseases, under direction of the Live Stock Sanitary Commission, visiting at once any locality where such disease may be located, establish quarantine, and take other necessary measures. He shall keep posted in all diseases of live stock, and make reports and perform such other service as may be required by law or directed by the Sanitary Commission. A salary of $2500, with traveling expenses, is proposed.

PHILADELPHIA.

-The Philadelphia County Medical Society held a stated quarterly meeting for the election of new members April 2d. Among the candidates to be balloted for was the name of a graduate of the Women's Medical College, but who was personally and professionally qualified for membership, and was so reported by the Board of Censors. It was found, however, that the opposition to woman physicians was both strong and active, and she failed to be elected. At this meeting an amendment to the Constitution was voted upon, making women ineligible as candidates for membership, by the introduction of the word "male" before the word "physician," so that Article I. of the Constitution should read "This Society shall consist of regular, male physicians, residents of the County of Philadelphia," etc. Out of 127 votes 78 were in favor and 49 against the amendment, which failed of being adopted, as it did not receive a two-thirds vote. The discussion of the question revealed a radical and irreconcilable difference of opinion concerning the functions of a county medical society, one side hold

- From the edition of Messrs. George P. Rowell & Co.'s American Newspaper Directory, now in press, it appears that the newspapers and periodicals of all kinds at present issued in the United States and Canada reach a grand total of 13,402. This is a net gain of precisely 1600 during the last twelve months, and exhibits an increase of 5618 over the total number published just ten years since. The increase in 1874 over the total for 1873 was 493. During the pasting that it was an independent organization, with the year the dailies have increased from 1138 to 1254; the weeklies from 9062 to 10,028; and the monthlies from 1091 to 1499. The greatest increase is in the Western States. Illinois, for instance, now shows 1009 papers in place of last year's total of 904, while Missouri issues 604 instead of the 523 reported in 1883. Other leading Western States also exhibit a great percentage of increase. The total number of papers in New York State is 1523 against 1399 in

1883.

Canada has shared in the general increase. We learn from our foreign exchanges that the French Court of Cassation has quashed a judgment obtained some time ago by the proprietress of a hotel near the Sorbonne, awarding damages for disturbance to her trade caused by the howlings of dogs undergoing vivisection at that institution. The court holds that the physiological experiments in question constitute a branch of instruction given by the State, and that M. Paul Bert, against whom the judgment was obtained, and other professors of every rank, accomplish by such experiments a public service.

NEW YORK.

A communication was received by the New York Board of Health, on March 25th, from the Department of State forwarding a request from the Duke of Buckingham that the Health Department of the city should be represented at the International Health Exhibition in London in May next, and also at the International Sanitary Congress in the same city in June. The Board designated Dr. Woolsey Johnson, Health Commissioner, aud Prof. Charles F. Chandler, late president of the Board, as its representatives, and also resolved to call the attention of the Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Education to the matter in order that these bodies might send representatives

right to refuse admission to membership on other than professional grounds, the other maintaining that as a representative body it belonged to the members of the profession in Philadelphia County, whom it claimed to represent; all of whom were therefore entitled to membership. The fact that other counties in Pennsylvania have acknowledged the truth of this principle, and that the New York County Medical Society has adopted it, shows that there are no insuperable objections to its adoption in Philadelphia.

The County Medical Society holds three conversational meetings each month, which are well attended, one or two papers being read at each meeting. The discussion on tuberculosis, inaugurated by Dr. Formad's paper, Is Consumption Contagious, was well sustained and very interesting.

The State Medical Society will meet in Philadelphia next month (May 14th, 15th, and 16th). Among its members are several woman physicians, one of whom, Dr. Alice Bennett, of Norristown, will deliver the Address on Mental Disorders. Dr. John B. Roberts will read the Address on Surgery; Dr. Jacob Price, of Westchester, that on Obstetrics; Dr. Benjamin Lee, in Hygiene; Dr. W. H. Daly, of Pittsburg, in Medicine, and Dr. William S. Little on Ophthalmology.

The Jefferson Medical College held its fifty-ninth annual commencement on March 29th, when a class of 215 was graduated, many of whom were third-course students. The matriculates this session were 554, nearly as many as last session. The degree of LL. D. was conferred upon J. M. DaCosta of Philadelphia, and Prof. Benjamin Silliman of New Haven, and that of D. D. upon Rev. J. F. Dripps of Philadelphia..

-The University of Pennsylvania will hold its one hundred and nineteenth annual commencement

A new organization, the Medical Jurisprudence Society, for the cultivation of medico-legal science, has been started, with Prof. Emeritus S. D. Gross, THE following remonstrance, addressed to the Senate and House of Representatives of Massachusetts, M. D., LL. D., D. C. L., as president. It meets on the second Tuesday of each month (save July and be observed, is signed by the President and all the was drawn up by Dr. Henry W. Williams, and, as will August) at the hall of the College of Physicians. A living ex-presidents of the Massachusetts Medical SoClinical Society has also been formed out of the old ciety:Northern Medical Association.

and New Haven one each. From typhus fever, New York

three.

Seven cases of small-pox were reported in St. Louis, Cincinnati two; scarlet fever 43, diphtheria 16, typhoid fever eight, and measles one, in Boston.

In 97 cities and towns of Massachusetts, with an estimated population of 1,149,642 (estimated population of the State 1,955,104), the total death-rate for the week was 22.61 against 18.21 and 17.07 for the previous two weeks.

Deaths reported 2789 (no reports from Buffalo, Milwaukee, and Providence): under five years of age, 1011: principal infectious diseases (small-pox, measles, diphtheria and croup, whooping cough, erysipelas, fevers, and diarrhoeal diseases) 419, consumption 418, lung diseases 411, diphtheria and croup 105, scarlet fever 56, diarrhoeal diseases 51, measles 43, typhoid fever 34, cerebro-spinal meningitis 25, erysipelas 22, whooping-cough 23, puerperal fever 21, small-pox 18, malarial fever 18, typhus fever three. From measles, Baltimore 19, New York 11, New Orleans six, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and District of Columbia two each, Charleston one. From typhoid fever, Philadelphia 15, Baltimore five, New York and Pittsburg three each, Brooklyn, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Nashville, Worcester, Lawrence, and Fairhaven one each. From cerebro-spinal meningitis, New York eight, Fall River three, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Worcester two each, Chicago, Baltimore, Charleston, Lawrence, Lynn, Haverhill, Brockton, and Fitchburg one each. From erysipelas New York seven, Chicago four, Brooklyn and Boston two each, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans, Charleston, Brockton, Hingham, and West Brookfield one each. From whooping-cough, New York six, New Orleans four, Brooklyn, District of Columbia, and Boston three each, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, and Cincinnati one each. From puerperal fever, Chicago five, New York three, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Lowell two each, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, New Orleans, District of Columbia, Cambridge, Springfield, and Stoneham one each. From small-pox, New Orleans 15, Cincinnati three. The meteorological record for the week ending March 29th, From malarial fevers, New York six, Brooklyn and St. Louis in Boston, was as follows, according to observations furthree each, Baltimore and New Orleans two each, Cincinnati nished by Sergeant O. B. Cole, of the U. S. Signal Corps:

In the 28 greater towns of England and Wales, with an estimated population of 8,762,354, for the week ending March 15th, the death-rate was 22.6. Deaths reported 3796: acute diseases of the respiratory organs (London) 370, whooping-cough 160, measles 146, scarlet fever 81, fever 40, diarrhoea 38, diphtheria 20, small-pox (London 11, Liverpool and Sunderland two each, Sheffield and Newcastle one each) 17. The deathrates ranged from 15.2 in Plymouth to 30.5 in Manchester; Bradford 19.2; Sheffield 19.4; Birmingham 21.1; London 21.6; Leicester 21.6; Nottingham 21.9; Liverpool 22.8; Sunderland 23.7; Leeds 29.8; Birkenhead 29.9. In Edinburgh 21.6; Glasgow 23.3; Dublin 27.4.

For the week ending March 15th, in the Swiss towns, there were 35 deaths from consumption, lung diseases 33, diarrhoeal diseases 19, typhoid fever 16, whooping-cough 13, diphtheria and croup 10, measles four, scarlet fever two. The death-rates were, at Geneva 29.6; Zurich 19.7; Basle 20.9; Berne 23.3.

Such dealers have no pride in learning thoroughly the proper way to carry on the business; they do not care much what they sell or whether or not they make a legitimate profit if in the end they can sell out and come out even or a little ahead. The class of meu who have the better portion of the trade, who have had experience in business, and money with which to carry it on, who want to sell a good article and make a fair profit, and who, if there were no ruinous competition, would not, from principle, take advantage of their customers, but would give every attention to their wants, only asking a fair return, are constantly harassed and annoyed and, as they term it, robbed by these so-called "pick ups."

Another trouble is found in the competition from stores. At the present price, forty cents per can at the car, a milkman pays 4.71 cents per quart for his milk. It is conceded that a milk-wagon cannot be run for less than two cents per quart by all having any knowledge at all of the business, and many close observers say two and one half. If we take the lowest figure the milk costs 6.71 cents at the consumer's door, or 7.21 cents if we take the higher. It is easy to imagine the feelings with which he would regard a card in a window, "pure milk, four cents per quart," when he may have one or more customers in the same block from whom he must get seven, and, if possible, eight cents per quart or not pay his bills.

That it would be an advantage to the business if the Board of Health would drive all storekeepers out of the business who are not willing to sell pure milk and sustain the price is clear. Whether the poor people who buy would be benefited by the advance in quality more than they would feel the advance in price is not so clear. At all events it is a fact beyond dispute that any man may, by a little inquiry, find out the character of the man from whom he proposes to buy, and need fear being cheated no more than he would in buying any other class of goods.

In reply to a question the same gentleman stated that the effect of feeding cows on ensilage was to produce a peculiar sweetish taste in the milk, which is not at all agreeable, and is also contained in the butter made from such milk.

In regard to the statement that a certain milk-producer is putting up milk at his farm in glass jars for delivery in Boston, the facts are as follows: I know the gentleman, and know the source of his milk. It is transported to Boston by rail, and always comes in ordinary tin milk caus. If he delivers it in Boston in glass jars it is put into jars after it reaches the city. It comes to Boston like all the rest of the milk.

DR. J. AYER asked the speaker, "Ought the citizens of Boston to receive milk as good as the farmers produce it, thirty miles in the country; or does the carriage, by cars or otherwise, injure its properties?' to which the reply was given that there is no reason why the milk when delivered at the door of the consumer should not be in every way equally as good as when it left the farm on which it was produced. The main source from which damage might be apprehended would be from too early collection before the temperature of the milk had been sufficiently lowered by cooling in water, or too high a temperature in transit in summer, or freezing in winter. These accidents are obviated by the cans being surrounded by ice as soon as they are placed in the car, or otherwise kept at the right temperature, which should, if possible, be maintained at 50° F.

Dr. Ayer also asked, "Is the milk injured by churning, or motion, in transportation? My impression has been that the carriage and disturbance were injurious."

The gentleman replied that the printed rules of the Milk Association, posted in the barn or on the premises of the farmer, requires every milk can to be full up to the stopper, so as to prevent all churning. It is also required that the cow's bag shall be washed or brushed before milking. The milk should be cooled in another building from that in which the milking is done, and should be kept in the stable no longer than absolutely necessary after being drawn from the cow. The cars used for the transportation of milk are placed on regular passenger trucks and ride as easy as passenger cars. The motion of the car does not affect the milk at all. The wagons used for delivering the milk after it arrives in Boston are made for that especial purpose, and are set on two springs, and have a peculiar rolling motion which does not shake the milk. With all the care which can be exercised the milk is injured far more in being carried about for distribution in the milk wagons after it arrives in Boston than in being carried thirty or even forty miles by rail. Even if delivered in the best possible condition, careless treatment after it is in the consumer's house will spoil it in half an hour. Often it is placed where the temperature is raised to 60° F. or 70° F., when it at once sours, and the consumer blames the milkman.

DR. BARNES asked if it is possible to preserve milk in good condition for seventy-two hours; to which it was replied that this is perfectly possible. A certain lot of milk was on one occasion missent, and for nearly a week was lost. When recovered the milk was in perfectly good condition in every way. The firm which the speaker represents, not milk contractors but milk dealers, supplies the line of steamships plying between Boston and Norfolk, Va. These steamers always take milk here for the round trip, as no supply can be depended upon in Norfolk. On their arrival in Boston after the trip to Norfolk the milk which is left over is always found fresh and sweet.

DR. BUCKINGHAM stated that the quality of milk is often materially affected by circumstances entirely independent of the age of the milk or its transportation. As a matter of fact the inside of milk cans is sometimes foul, and the corks sour. One way of preventing this would be the use of glass, as proposed by Dr. Morris. By this system, however, one would get the milk of only one cow in a glass, which would be objectionable. The expense of this course, which might be important, is a matter of which he knew nothing.

Condensed milk having been brought into the discussion, he thought that the Swiss condensed milk, the only one of which he has knowledge, contains a great deal too much sugar to be a fit food for babies or invalids. In answer to a question about the opinion of the Society as to the value of one cow's milk for babies, Dr. Buckingham said that the theory in giving one cow's milk is to avoid variation in the quality of the food. Milk from one cow does, however, vary somewhat from day to day, and it is probable that the mixture of the milk of several cows will vary less than that of any one of them. This he knew to be the opinion of several members of the Society. It is also the view that is gaining ground in Germany. DR. HARLOW asked how many of the farmers prob