is furnished with a complete assortment of modern surgical instruments, these instruments being classified and packed in convenient cases to facilitate transportation in case of service in the field. The dispensary is equipped according to a standard supply table issued by the Surgeon General and contains an ample variety and supply of drugs, including all the later remedies of proved virtue. The preferences of a medical officer for any particular drugs not included in the supply table can usually be gratified by making a special requisition for them to the Surgeon General. To each hospital is issued a chemical set with reagents, a high grade microscope, and a complete bacteriological outfit-special requisitions for any additional apparatus being nearly always approved. The library at each hospital will average over three hundred volumes, not including bound files of magazines, and includes all the later standard works on the various branches of medicine, surgery, hygiene, etc. Works which have become obsolete are from time to time condemned and sold, and the library therefore represents only the latest advances in medical science. Current professional literature is supplied by four representative weekly and four monthly publications, all of which are issued to each post hospital as soon as published. The studious tendencies of medical officers are encouraged in every way by the Surgeon General-himself a scientist of world-wide reputation-and such officers are frequently detailed at stations better suited for the prosecution of their studies, or are given special and costly apparatus necessary for their investigations. The army affords a comfortable and certain income, with a social position which is beyond question. The advantages offered by it to a medical officer of progressive ideas, are many and positive, and, with the early concentration of troops into large posts near centres of population, the facilities. for professional advancement offered by it will be of the best.

Published Monthly, from November to June, by Students of the Yale Medical School.
P. O. Address, Box 1727, New Haven, Conn.

Any subscriber desiring the Journal discontinued at the expiration of his subscription should so notify the editors; otherwise it will be assumed that the subscription is to be continued and the Journal sent accordingly.

ence.

WITH this issue the JOURNAL begins its second year of existWhen this magazine was first instituted, many were the discouragements heaped upon its advocates, and prophecies of its failure were the rule. But the indefatigable efforts of a few succeeded in organizing it and bringing it to a high level, so that at present it occupies a leading position in medical literature. It is the aim of the present board of editors to maintain this position, nay, even to raise it, and to sustain the standard of excellence laid down by our predecessors. We have lofty hopes and aspirations, and it is our ambition to have them fulfilled. It especially behooves the alumni of our school to aid us in this work, for to accomplish our purposes we must have the hearty support and coöperation of all our friends and well-wishers.

IT is with pardonable pride, we trust, that we refer, in this issue of the JOURNAL, to the steady increase in the number of students in the medical department of Yale University. During the last five years the number of students at the Yale Medical School has been as follows: 65, 78, 80, 100 and 130. From these figures it will be seen that in five years the number of students has doubled. Many changes, of great moment to the student, have also been made in the curriculum in anticipation of the four years course which next year will be required of students who expect to graduate from this school. The newly arranged department of practical midwifery, and other changes, cannot but help to greatly increase the clinical advantages to the student. The changes in

the faculty are noted on another page of this issue of the JOURNAL. The system of personal instruction was early adopted in this school, and has contributed largely to its present success. We sincerely hope that in the future, as the number of students increases, this system may never be interfered with.

A DEATH due to the culpable carelessness of a drug clerk, which occurred in this city a few weeks ago, again draws our attention to the fact that this same thing is occurring with altogether too much frequency. The facts in this case were: the man asked for what was essentially a harmless medicine, and received a poisonous drug, of which he took, as he thought, a proper dose, and death resulted. We think it is high time that legislative action was taken in regard to this matter, not only for the security of the physician who prescribes, but for the safety of the public as well. We suggest that a law might be framed requiring druggists to keep all poisons specially labeled, in a separate locked case, or else have the poisons placed in bottles or boxes of different shape from those in which are kept the less dangerous medicines.

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WITH the immense amount of study connected with a prescribed medical education, a student's entire time is apt to be spent in poring over his text-books, with utter negligence of the current medical literature. There is hardly a science in which it is so necessary to keep abreast of the times as in medicine. A text-book of to-day is old to-morrow. What we may have been taught two years ago is decidedly antiquated now. Among the students of the school there has been little opportunity to cultivate the habit of reading that class of literature, due to the distance of the University library, where the medical periodicals are kept on file, and to the fact that the library is available only at such hours. as when the medical men are at work. To obviate these difficulties, the editorial board of the JOURNAL has opened its list of exchanges to the students and placed them on file in the readingroom. The small library of the most recently published medical works which has accumulated from publications sent to the JOURNAL for review, has also been placed at the disposal of the men. In this way many books which are valuable for reference are brought within the reach of those men who at this time are not in a position to purchase them. We take this opportunity to show our appreciation to both foreign and American publishers of their generosity for sending us these publications for review, and we assure them that the works are being better used than were they resting in the hands of the reviewer.

HOSPITAL AND CLINIC NOTES, ETC.

A very interesting and unusual case was presented at the surgical clinic by Prof. Carmalt. A child of seven months had a double congenital inguinal hernia and also a double scrotal hydrocele. About 3j of fluid was withdrawn from the left scrotum and 3ij from the right. With the careful and persistent use of a truss permanent recovery from the hernia is expected. The mother had previously lost two children from strangulated hernia, one seven months old, the other one year and one month.

The steady increase in the number of patients at the Dispensary has made it necessary to increase the staffs in the clinics. Dr. Jackson, '93, and Dr. Moulton, '94, have been appointed on the medical clinic; Dr. Lamb on the surgical clinic; Dr. Verdi, 94, on the gynæcological clinic. Dr. Foote is assistant to Dr. De Forest in physical diagnosis.

The graduating exercises of the Connecticut Training School for Nurses were held in the Gifford Chapel of the New Haven Hospital on June 13, 1895.

Prayer was offered by the Rev. E. S. Lines, followed by remarks by Hon. Francis Wayland. Miss Gaffney and Mr. Phillips sang several selections.

The badges and diplomas were presented by the Secretary, Miss Betts, and the Superintendent, Mrs. Quintard.

The President's, Mrs. T. W. T. Curtis', address was read by Miss Betts, and was responded to on behalf of the class by Miss Norman. Flowers were then distributed, each member of the graduating class receiving several bouquets.

The Rev. E. S. Lines then delivered a short address, and, after the duet "Excelsior" had been sung by Miss Gaffney and Mr. Phillips, and the farewell song by the class, the graduates and their friends adjourned to the Nurses' Home where a reception was held until eleven o'clock. Those who graduated were, Miss Jennie L. Todd, Miss Mattie Gauch, Miss Alice E. Smith, Miss Maggie J. McDonald, Miss Anna F. Stanton, Miss Kate Galvin, Miss Evelina Tennyson, Miss Hettie F. Norman, Miss Mary E. Ayer, Mrs. Laura A. Thatcher, Mrs. Mary T. Jack, Mrs. Belle Butler, Mrs. Margaretta Kramer, Mrs. Anna Lockerty.

ABSTRACTS.

THE TREATMENT OF MALIGNANT NEOPLASMS WITH THE TOXINE OF ERYSIPELAS.-Czerny C. Münchener (Medicinische Wochenschrift, 1895, No. 36, p. 833) mentions two cases of carcinoma in which an intermediate attack of erysipelas produced a beneficial effect, and four cases of sarcoma where similar issues were effected by injections of the toxine of erysipelas. Subjoined are the conclusions: subcutaneous injections of sterilized, unfiltered, mixed cultures of the streptococcus erysipelatosus and the bacillus prodigiosus produce a speedy rise of temperature, frequently with chill, gastric derangements, fullness of the head and temporary madness; sometimes with labial herpes and almost invariably with signs of local inflammation. The severity of these symptoms. depends upon the individual, the amount of toxine injected and whether the fluid passes directly into the interstitial tissues or the blood vessels. These manifestations abate in a few hours without lasting disturbance of the system. Injections repeatedly given cause anorexia, emaciation, anæmia and hebitude. They are capable of exerting a specific effect upon sarcomatous growths and, conditions favoring, may bring about a recovery. The tumors become saturated with serum, disintegrates and are absorbed, or soften, with necrosis and exfoliation. By reason of the doubtful termination of each case, this treatment may not well take the place of the operative method, hence, for the time being it is indicated only in cases of inoperable or re-established growths. The method may be advantageous after operations for sarcoma to preclude recurrence. Carcinomata, apparently, are only checked by the injections.

NATURAL TOXINE IMMUNITY.-C. S. Muinick, M.D. (American Medico-Surgical Bulletin, No. 19, Oct., '95). Colles (1837) observed that a healthy woman, pregnant with a syphilitic child, never became infected with the disease, even though after birth she nursed the child with syphilitic mucous patches on its lips and tongue; and, that a healthy wet-nurse was infected at once by such a child. Since Colles' day, medical writers insist that such a mother has syphilis, acquired from the foetus in utero. Now the child in utero carries on an existence wholly independent of the mother except for the interchange of serum and of warmth.