Assembly bill No. 585. An Act "To Amend the Charter of the City of New York." This act provides that the driver of an ambulance shall have the right of way over all vehicles except those carrying United States Mail. Assembly bill No. 1229. An Act" In Relation to Chiropodists and the Practice of Chiropody." This act provides for the association of ten or more chiropodists who after organization shall pass upon the licensing of all persons to practice chiropody. Any person, unless he be a member of this association, who practices chiropody, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. 66 Senate bill No. 818. An Act To Amend the Public Health Law, and to Incorporate therein other Statutes Relating to the Public Health.” This act contains provisions relating to the organization and powers of the state and county medical societies. The period of medical study required for a degree is changed from four years of nine months to four years of eight months, and an allowance of the first year is made to gradu ates of a registered college course. PRESENT POSITION OF MEDICAL BILLS Assembly bill No. 846 (Senate bill No. 509). Third reading, March 14. Assembly bill No. 847 (Senate bill No. 511). Second reading, March 7. Assembly bill No. 904 (Senate bill No. 559). Third reading, March 6, and sent to Senate March 12. Assembly bill No. 1129. clerk, March 15. Assembly bill. No. 1229. mitted March 7. Assembly bill No. 585. Assembly bill No. 1262 March 16. Sent to Senate, February 23. Amended and delivered to city Third reading, March 6; recom In committee. (Senate bill 740). Third reading, For titles see ALBANY MEDICAL ANNALS, of February, March and April, 1900. Dr. Henry C. Van Zandt ('65), one of the best known members of the medical profession in Schenectady, died at his home in that city in February, 1900. Dr. Van Zandt received his early education in the schools of Schenectady, and entered Union College in the class of '65. After leaving college he entered the Albany Medical College, graduating in 1865, and began his professional career on Long Island, later returning to Schenectady, where he established a substantial practice. He was also identified with the drug business. He was a member of the staff of the Ellis Hospital, the Holland Society, the Schenectady County Medical Society and the New York State Medical Association. Medical News THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF THE COUNTY OF ALBANY.-Meeting held March 14th, 1900, in Alumni Hall. The following members were present: Drs. Bartlett, Blumer, Davis, George, W. H., Happel, Hun, Jenkins, Lipes, McCulloch, Mosher, Munson, Neuman, Richardson, Sabin, Thompson, Wansboro, Wiltse. The meeting was called to order at 9 P. M., the Vice-President, Dr. WILTSE, in the chair. 1. Reading of the minutes of the last meeting. It was moved by Dr. Mosher that, as the minutes had already been printed, they should be adopted as printed. Motion seconded and carried. 6. Miscellaneous business. Under this head the following letter from the Hon. Martin H. Glynn was read: HOUSE OF Representatives, WASHINGTON, D. C., March 13, 1900. Dr. GEO. BLUMER, Albany, N. Y. MY DEAR SIR:—I am in receipt of the resolution of the Medical Society of the County of Albany requesting me to support House Bill No 6879, which seeks to provide women nurses in the military hospitals of the army. In acknowledgment of that petition allow me to say that I am heartily in favor of this bill and will do all I can towards having it enacted. 7. Reading of papers. Very respectfully, MARTIN H. GLYNN. Dr. DAVIS read his paper on " Leprosy in the Hawaiian Islands." Dr. BARTLETT remarked that he did not rise to discuss the paper as he did not feel himself familiar enough with the subject. He wished, however, to make a motion that a vote of thanks be extended to Dr. Davis. One suggestion in the paper he thought would bear repetition and that was the suggestion that the medical men in this country should study leprosy more carefully, inasmuch as it occurred in our new possessions. Regarding the statement that the lengthy incubation of the disease made it dangerous, as an individual could be infected and then move to another country before the disease showed itself, he emphasized the importance of learning to recognize the disease in its early stages. He noted the similarity between syphilis and certain forms of leprosy and inquired if the Hawaiians were more subject to syphilis than other savage peoples. Dr. THOMPSON seconded Dr. Bartlett's motion, which was carried. When he was a student in New York he said that Buck and the elder Bulkley had pointed out certain special forms of syphilis which occurred in sailors who had been in the tropics and contracted the disease from colored women. This form was particularly difficult to cure. Could some of these cases possibly have been leprosy ? Dr. JENKINS stated that he thought he had recently seen a case of leprosy in Albany. The patient was a woman. One foot was much enlarged and she had lost some toes. There was anesthesia of the skin and an ulcer on the dorsum of the foot. Dr. DAVIS, in closing the discussion, stated that syphilis was very severe amongst the Hawaiian natives, especially the tertiary forms. He suggested that in future years we are likely to have some cases of leprosy in Albany amongst the 400 men who were with the First N. Y. Volunteers in Hawaii. Dr. WANSBORO then read his paper on "Typhoid Fever in Private Practice." Dr. WILTSE declared the paper open for discussion. Dr. DAVIS stated that his experience with whiskey and strychnia differed from Dr. Wansboro's. Perhaps the good effect of the whiskey was due to the fact that the soldiers were used to it. In the 395 cases which he saw amongst the troops in Hawaii, whiskey and strychnia were the only stimulants used. There were only twelve deaths in the 395 cases. Sponging in the form of ice sponges was very beneficial; a sponge was given whenever the fever exceeded 103.5,° F. No antipyretics were used. There was no difficulty in keeping the fever down. Almost the only nourishment was two quarts of milk daily. A few cases had albumen water and liquid peptonoids. One physician tried feeding the patients on soft maccaroni without ill effects. The patients had diarrhoea as a rule; only a few had hemorrhages. Death was generally due to perforation. Some patients had tobacco smuggled in to them and a patient occasionally swallowed a chew of tobacco. Dr. HUN congratulated Dr. Wansboro on the care with which he had evidently studied his cases. His conclusions mainly accorded with his own ideas. He thought whiskey should be used in cases which had been accustomed to it. He thought that Dr. Wansboro would probably change some of his ideas on the subject as he saw more cases. He could not see that any drug particularly influenced the disease. Water was a good thing. The rule was at present to give a liquid diet but he did not think it would make much difference if we gave solid diet. He cited Fitz's statistics covering a very large number of years, and showing that the mortality was no greater in the old days of solid diet than it is at present. In his experience delirious cases had a more unfavorable prognosis than non-delirious ones. He thought digitalis was the best heart tonic in the disease but had seen cases where it failed to act. He thought that whiskey and strychnia were good heart tonics when the pulse became very rapid. DR. SABIN then read his paper "Report of a Case of Opacity of the Vitreous. DR. WILTSE declared the paper open to discussion. DR. MUNSON stated that when a case of opacity of the vitreous presented itself to him he looked for one of three forms: I. 2. A fine stippled condition which usually indicated syphilis; An opacity in the form of fine filaments found with chronic chorioiditis or progressive myopia; and 3. A dense heavy condition of the vitreous due to hemorrhage. He then reported an interesting case: A woman, aet. 45, come to him with a body in the vitreous which looked like some animal parasite. He made a diagnosis of cysticercus in the vitreous and sent the case to Dr. Knapp, of New York, who concurred in the diagnosis, at the same time noting certain changes in shape which the body was undergoing. Several other New York oculists also saw the case and agreed with the diagnosis. Later the appearances changed and Dr. Knapp became doubtful of the diagnosis and finally the cysticercus-like body entirely disappeared and many fresh hemorrhages of the chorioid became apparent. It proved to be eventually a case of opacity of the vitreous in all probability due to hemorrhage. He mentioned the case as indicating the necessity of keeping some cases constantly under observation before operating. The treatment of such cases was not satisfactory except in those due to syphilis. He thought that at times he had had good results from the use of pilocarpine, used on several successive days in doses sufficient to cause profuse perspiration. A motion to adjourn was made. Seconded and carried. ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE: SIXTY-NINTH COMMENCEMENT.-The Sixtyninth commencement will be held on May 2d, 1900. Reunion of decennial classes, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Class of 1875, and the meeting of the Alumni Association will take place in the College Building, at 10 o'clock. The address of welcome will be delivered by Professor Hailes. At noon the Association will visit and inspect the new Albany Hospital. Commencement exercises will be held at Odd Fellow's Hall at three o'clock, the address to the graduating class to be delivered by Dr. James H. Canfield, Librarian of Columbia University. The alumni dinner will be served at the Hotel Ten Eyck. ALBANY CITY HOSPITAL.-At a recent meeting of the Board of Governors of the Albany City Hospital, Mr. William H. Weaver was unanimously elected vice-president to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. J. Townsend Lansing, whose engagements prevent him from giving his time to that office. Dr. Henry Hun presented the action taken by the Board of Supervisors relative to the request of the medical societies for the construction of a pavilion for cases of insanity. President McCredie was authorized to appoint a committee from the board to confer with the supervisors with regard to details. Dr. Henry Hun, Hon. William L. Learned, and Mr. William H. Weaver were appointed as the committee. The report of the work performed by the surgical staff of the hospital was presented by Dr. Albert Vander Veer. ALBANY COLLEGE OF PHARMACY.-The nineteenth class of graduated pharmacists to leave the Albany College of Pharmacy received their degrees Tuesday evening, March 19, 1900. The commencement exercises, which were held in Odd Fellows' hall, were opened with prayer by the Rev. Lorenzo D. Case. Dr. Willis G. Tucker then delivered a short address of welcome and was followed by President Raymond who conferred the degrees, thirty-five in number. The Rev. John J. Lawrence delivered the address to the students. Walter A. Wright delivered the valedictory. Arthur L. Andrews, Esq., of the Albany Bar, presented the prizes to the graduates. After the exercises the alumni banquet was held at the Kenmore Hotel. BOARD OF CHARITIES OF PORTO RICO.-The tremendous amount of work being done for the relief of the indigent of the Island of Porto Rico may be gathered from the weekly reports of the Relief Department, Board of Charities of Porto Rico, in charge of Major John Van R. Hoff, Chief Surgeon U. S. A., (A. M. C. '64). The total population of the municipalities |
