Books, Reprints, and Instruments for this department, should be sent to the Editors, St. Louis THIS WORK, the seventh volume of Lea's Series of Pocket Text-Books, furnishes a concise exposition of the most modern knowledge of its two separate but closely allied subjects. The histology of the nervous system have been discussed in a manner essential to the understanding of the pathological conditions and symptoms arising therefrom. Full attention is given to matters of general symptomatology and methods of examination, and therapeutic measures both medicinal and non-medicinal are thoroughly discussed in the light of the most recent discoveries and achievements. Although especially useful for students this work will prove of great value to practitioners, posting them thoroughly in the most recent points regarding a class of diseases which are exceedingly common and important, and often puzzling. The work is well illustrated and very moderate in price. POTT'S NERVOUS AND MENTAL DISEASES. A Pocket Text-Book of Nervous and Mental Diseases, by CHARLES S. POTTS, M. D.. Instructor in Electro-Therapeutics and Nervous Diseases in the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. In one handsome 12mo. volume of 442 pages with 88 illustrations. Cloth, $1.75, net. Flexible red leather, $2.25, net Philadelphla and New York:-LEA BROTHERS & CO. February, 1900. THIS VOLUME presents compactly, clearly, authoritatively and at a very moderate price, the essentials of two important subjects which illuminate each other. The normal structure of the tissues is a standard by which morbid changes can be recognized and measured. Pathology steps in after Histology, and regarding each disease as an entity, describes its nature, signs, course and effects, thus yielding an understanding indispensable as a prerequisite to the practice of medicine. Drs, Nichols and Vale have summarized these two sciences in their interrelations, and have presented a manual which is handsomely illustrated, thoroughly up-to-date, and serviceable alike to the practitioner and the student. HISTOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY, by JOHN B. THESE clinical papers and lectures illustrate the value of clinical teaching even to practitioners. This volume, with thirty-seven distinct articles, INTERNATIONAL CLINICS. A Quarterly of Clinical covers a wide field of medicine and presents the latest methods. of treatment, so that physicians who are fortunate in being subscribers to this valuable series of lectures can be in touch with up-to-date methods. Clinical teaching is the essential successful method of imparting knowl edge, and when well-known authorities are the teachers, such a work as this, is invaluable. Sig. For one dose. Repeat according to indications. Med. News. Ext. leptandræ, q. s.... M. ft. mas. et in pill. No. xxiv div. Sig. A pill at bedtime.-Koenig, Penn. Med. Jour. Hemorrhoids.-Dr. Gratiania Catasus treats hemorrhoids by the sclerogenous method. The following is the technique he employs: Thorough cleansing with soap and water of the hemorrhoidal growth. They are then to be anointed with iodoformed vaseline. In the base of each tumor is injected a hypodermic syringeful of the following solution: Aqua dist.... Zinc chloride... Cocaine hydrochlorate 20.00 0.50 0.20 The patients do not experience any pain; on the next day there appears around the site of injection an inflammatory reaction and some induration. This disappears in the course of from four to six days. One injection ordinarily suffices.-Med. Standard. Tubercular Syphilides.-Ohmann-Dumesnil (St. Louis Med. and Surg. Jour.) suggests the following local applications for tubercular syphilides : B Acidi salicylici.... Ichthyolis.... Ung. aquæ rosæ.. M. Sig. Apply thoroughly twice a day. gr. 20 oz. 2 OZ. I If there be objections to using an ointment, the following, which is but a type of preparations to use, will be found very efficient. It is dry, waterproof, and not easily removed by friction: After the disappearance of the skin symptoms a bland ointment should be applied at night. An excellent one is the following: PAPERS for the Original department should be in hand one month in advance, and contributed to THE MEDICAL FORTNIGHTLY exclusively. A liberal number of extra copies will be furnished authors, and reprints may be cbtained at reasonable rates, it request accompanies the manuscript. Engravings from photographs furnished free. Contributions, and books for review, should be sent to the Editors, 312 Century Building, St. Louis. Signature of contributor, for reproduction, should be sent with every article, on a separate slip; use heavy Ink, and allow autograph to dry without applying blotter. COLLABORATORS. LEWIS H. ADLER, Jr., M. D., Philadelphia. CHARLES W. BURR, M. D., Philadel- DILLON BROWN, M. D., New York. J. N. HALL, M. D., Denver. HOBART A. HARE, M. D., Philadelphia. CHARLES JEWETT, M. D., Brooklyn. J. M. MATHEWS, M. D., Louisville. E. E. MONTGOMERY, M. D., Philadel- ERNEST SANGREE, M. D., Nashville. EDWIN WALKER, M. D., Evansville. W. E. WIRT, M. D., Cleveland. H. M. WHELPLEY, M. D., St. Louis. Medical Laws and Medical Organization in the State of Illinois. A SYMPOSIUM ARTICLE I. The Relation of Our Laws to Medical Education and Practice. BY E. M. ECKARD, M. D., PEORIA, ILL. Representing Peoria Medical Society. Read before the Morgan County Medical Society, April 12, 1900. EGARDING the efficiency of our (Illinois) laws relating to medical point, and to express them, necessitates plain speaking. The fact that the law permits one class of men to obtain a license after a few month's study of bone and muscles, the said license permitting them to treat all manner of disease from a bone standpoint; while it requires another class to complete a study of not less than three years' duration and to master a large number of branches in order to obtain a license apparently no greater in its scope, appears to me ridiculous and plainly an injustice. The law might prove always effectual provided a courageous board of officers, such as the present incumbents, were appointed to conduct the examination, but how about appointments which carry with them political domination? For instance: Mr. Politician might say to Mr. Governor, "Here is my friend, Mr. Bonebreaker, who will shortly appear for examination before your State Board of Health. See that he is successful." Mr. Governor says to Mr. Board of Health, "Mr. Bonebreaker will appear before you for examination in that department of medicine called Shampooing.' Read well section 2 of the Medical Act, and see that he receives a license. A word to the wise is sufficient." Mr. Board of Health may not believe Mr. Bonebreaker efficient to practice medicine, but he gets a license which permits him to treat asthma, by making pressure on the cervical vertebra with his thumb nail or locomotor ataxia by twisting the end of his patient's coccyx. He relieves all cases speedily-of their money. The law is good enough to cut off such impostors as those who manipulate the so-called Weltmer system, and the State Board cannot license them from the fact that having no qualifications whatever, it is impossible to classify their "department" of medicine or surgery. Weltmer should have donned a religious cloak. The legislature quailed before the onslaught of christian science, and gave them free and unlimited license to commit the deadly sin of omission, only limiting them to ethereal methods. Well may legislators and jurors quail before anything religious, however, for they fear a repetition of "Christ before Pilate," yet the sin of omission practiced by the christian scientists is a thousand times more deadly than that of commission practiced by the osteopath. One of the last states to fall into line in passing medical laws was Michigan, and yet one of the rudimentary suggestions of the Michigan State Board of Health was "That interests of life and health demand that children and persons too sick to be able to judge of the qualifications of those who are called to treat them, shall have protection against such quacks and charlatans"-meaning "christian scientists." If we cannot dispose of them altogether, something like this incorporated in our laws would do wonders for humanity. What we need is a single high standard of scientific medical education for everybody, and a Board of Health with the back-bone to see that every applicant's qualifications meet that standard. Illinois has become old enough to do away with child's play. The men appointed to execute health laws should determine properly such schools to be recognized, and power should be given them to revoke the charter of such institutions as failed to fulfil the standard set. This would do away with the various diploma mills in Chicago and elsewhere, which are an insult to the profession. The determination of standing of medical colleges should be left to none but medical men. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on being appealed to for decision as to the standing of a certain institution, replied: "We have no more right to decide on the degree of medical science in the applicant than on the piety of a congregation or any other religious sect which applies to us to certify to a proposed charter of incorporation; and this might place the degree of Doctor of Medicine in a situation somewhat similar to what was threatened by a celebrated minister of France, who said 'He would create so many Dukes, that it would be a shame not to be a duke and no honor to be a duke.'"' Our requirements should at least be as high as other less civilized countries. Even Spain requires a course of four years and a rigid examination; Portugal five years and reading publicly of a thesis; France four years; Germany four and one-half years and a good preliminary training; England five years; Turkey six years, and poor, ignorant Russia eight years, and besides that, every applicant for a medical degree must have obtained the degree A. B. In dealing with the relation of our laws to the practice of medicine, we should consider, primarily, that "Every man may use his own property or knowledge to his own advantage so long as it does not injure another. Therein lies the fundamental principles of social government. Government is indeed a social compact. Society does away with the struggle which animates the breasts of animals. Society grants equal rights to all. I give up my liberty to murder you and you give up your liberty to murder Violation of my rights or your rights should constitute an offense against the law. Therefore, if the law allows me a license to follow a certain vocation or profession, and I use such a right to the injury or depletion of my fellow-men, that same law should take away the right from me. Before I go farther, I want to say the present Illinois law has many good points. It is defective through no fault of ours, but due to depraved opposition. I have respect for it and its advocates. In fact, faith in its efficiency and power to moderate present evils was so great that we took steps to see it enforced. When we began its enforcement in our quack-bedridden city of Peoria, it brought down a landslide of abuse and personal slander from a back-biting, quack-supported newspaper of Peoria. Suffice it to say, These attacks teach a man where his friends are. however, that with the aid of a conscientious young attorney and the support of the city medical society, we have succeeded in ridding our city of all our quacks and irregulars, except those advertisers who hold diplomas and one osteopath, who in some way obtained a license from the State Board. The whole earth fairly teems with the advertisements of these follows and their remedies. The bill-boards glow like Italian sunsets; whole editions of dailies, weeklles and monthlies are turned into bulletins for them. We have remedies from the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdom. From the far East and distant South, come remedies which in the hands of the charlatans cure disease in ten minutes by the watch. The watch stops usually before the ten minutes are up, however, but not before money has changed hands. Cures by magnetism, electricity, faith, christian science, mental culture, allopathy, homeopathy, hydropathy, boneopathy and mudopathy. Cures! cures! are everywhere, and yet disease and illness go stalking through the land. Dr. Ratte discovers a cure for consumption; gold-befogged and fool-begotten newspapers herald his self-imagined lies throughout the length and breadth of the land, and many poor sufferers draw near and deposit their hardened gold in his coffers, and retire poorer but rarely wiser men. Disappointment and ruin follow this awful fool |