Bendell, Blessing, Blumer, Boyd, Carroll, Case, Classen, Cook, Craig, Davis, W. H. George, Happel, Jenkins, LeBrun, Lewi, Lipes, Lochner, MacFarlane, McCulloch, Mereness, Merrill, C. H. Moore, Mosher, Moston, Munson, Murray, Papen, Richardson, Ryan, Theisen, Thompson, Van Allen, Vander Veer, Wansboro, Wilson, Wiltse. 1. Reading of minutes of last meeting. It was moved by Dr. Mosher that as the minutes had already been printed, they should be adopted as printed. Motion was seconded and carried. 2. No minutes of special meetings. 3. Reading of reports of officers and committees. The treasurer's report was read by the treasurer, Dr. W. H. George, as follows: TREASURER'S REPORT. ALBANY, N. Y., May 8th, 1900. To the President and Members, Medical Society, County of Albany. Gentlemen.-The treasurer would respectfully offer the following report Dr. LIPES moved that a committee of three be appointed to audit the treasurer's report. Motion was seconded and carried. The President appointed Drs. Bendell, Blessing and Lipes as a committee. CENSOR'S REPORT. The censor's report was then read by Dr. STILLMAN, and he stated that the following names had been acted upon favorably by the censors: Drs. H. L. K. Shaw, A. W. Elting, Edgar A. Vander Veer, A. H Traver and Howard E. Lomax. Dr. Stillman stated that there was nothing further to report as nothing had come up during the year requiring the attention of the censors, and no regular meeting of that body had been held. Dr. BENDELL moved that the report be accepted, and that the names passed upon be balloted for as usual Dr. BAILEY then read the report of the committee on hygiene. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON HYGIENE. In an address given at a dinner before legal and medical gentlemen in this city, some years ago, the following remark was made: "The health of the citizens of Albany depends largely upon the condition of the bowels of the citizens of Troy." This is no longer true since the water used by Albany has been filtered through the new filter beds. Since this has been an accomplished fact typhoid fever has fallen off in this city nearly ninety per cent. In neighboring cities, still using river water, not filtered, this disease still continues very active, notwithstanding the report by one of our city officials that "$3,000 had beer expended in an attempt to isolate the bacillus of typhoid fever in river water and to demonstrate its presence." We all know that many cases of typhoid fever have occurred in our city for many years, and very few fail to attribute the presence of this disease to the presence of the typhoid bacillus in drinking water as the most common cause. Sternberg, in his Text-Book of Bacteriology, says: "The generally recognized fact that typhoid fever is generally contracted by drinking water contaminated by the typhoid bacillus has led to numerous researches, having for their object the discovery of a reliable method of detecting the bacillus when present in water in comparatively small numbers, in association with the ordinary water bacilli. The use of Koch's plate method, as commonly employed, will not suffice, because the water bacilli present grow more rapidly and cause liquefaction of the gelatin before visible colonies of the typhoid bacilli are formed, and owing to the relatively small number of typhoid bacilli they are likely to escape detection." He also says, concerning typhoid fever: "A predisposition to typhoid infection is established by various depressing agencies, such as inanition, overwork, mental worry, unsanitary surroundings, etc., and that there is a considerable evidence in support of the supposition that exposure to the offensive gases given off from illventilated sewers constitutes a predisposition to the disease." Another, in commenting upon the filtering of water for domestic use in cities, as applied to Albany, says: "The disease directly traceable to the sewer polluted water of the Hudson river was typhoid fever, the death rate from which the city of Albany for nine years, ending 1898, had averaged eightyfive per annum. During the first four months in which the filters have been in operation seven deaths from this cause have been reported, during the corresponding interval of nine years, ending 1898, the average number of deaths was twenty-four; so that the filtration of the water has reduced the deaths from this cause in the ratio of twenty-four to seven. The filtration plant at Lawrence, Mass., has reduced the typhoid fever death rate in that city from 11.31 to 2.54. The filtration plant in the city of Hamburg, Germany, was put in operation in 1895; during the five years previous to that date, the average typhoid death rate was 4.72, since that date it has fallen to 0.72. Since the opening of the filtration plant at Mount Vernon, N. Y., in 1894, the number of deaths from typhoid has decreased over seventy-six per cent." Dr. MACFARLANE moved that Dr. Bailey's report be accepted and spread upon the minutes of the society. The motion was seconded and carried. Dr. MacFarlane then read a report of the committee on the secretary's minutes. He stated that two volumes of the minutes of the previous year had been bound; one volume had been sent to the State Library, and one volume retained for the use of the society. He supposed that it would be a good idea if these bound numbers could be put in some place where they would be accessible to the members of the society. The president suggested that as one volume was always deposited in the State Library that this was accessible. 4. Election of members. Dr. Cook moved that the secretary cast one ballot for the names passed upon by the censors. The motion was seconded and carried and Drs. Shaw, Elting, Vander Veer, Traver and Lomax were declared elected to membership. Under the head of motions and resolutions, miscellaneous business, amendments and by-laws no matters for discussion came up. Dr. VAN ALLEN then delivered the President's Address on "Some Points in the Etiology and Treatment of Phlyctenular Conjunctivitis and Keratitis in Children." The vice-president, Dr. Wiltse, was in the chair and declared the paper open to discussion. Dr. Cook moved a vote of thanks to the president, also that the address be spread upon the minutes of the society, and printed in the ANNALS. The election of officers. The president asked the wish of the society as to whether they would like an informal ballot or to have nominations made. Dr. Cook made a motion that the method of procedure be nominations by the form of election. The motion was seconded and carried. Dr. Carroll nominated Dr. Chas. E. Davis for the office of president. Dr. MacFarlane nominated Dr. Wm. Hailes for the office of president. Dr. Cook said there were very few members there who had attended the society so long as he had, and among them there was one who had never been elected to the office of president. He nominated Dr. Wm. H. Murray for the office of president. The president appointed Drs. Lewi, Richardson and Ball tellers. An informal vote was then taken which gave Dr. Murray twelve votes, Dr. Davis seven and Dr. Hailes nineteen. A formal vote was then taken which gave Murray nine votes, Hailes twenty-four votes, and Davis four votes, one ballot being returned blank. Dr. Wm. Hailes was declared elected to the office of president. Dr. Bendell then reported that the committee on the treasurer's report had examined the figures and found them to be correct. The nomination for the office of vice-president was then declared to be in order. Dr. Mereness proposed the name of Dr. Martin MacHarg. Dr. Cook proposed Dr. Fred Crounse. Dr. Munson nominated Dr. D. C. Case. Dr. Case immediately withdrew from the nomination on the plea that he filled the position once seventeen years ago. Dr. Davis nominated Dr. Blumer. Dr. Ryan nominated Dr. Richardson. Dr. Richardson immediately withdrew stating that he was not a candidate for this position. Dr. Mosher nominated Dr. MacFarlane, who respectfully declined the nomination. Dr. Mosher then stated that the secretary's minutes, as prepared for the ALBANY MEDICAL ANNALS during the last year, by Dr. Blumer, had been most satisfactory, and it had been his intention to request Dr. Blumer to accept a re-election to the office of secretary. Dr. Blumer said that after Dr. Mosher's remarks there was nothing left for him to do but withdraw his name from the nomination for vice-president. The name of Dr. Crounse was withdrawn as it was found that he was not a member of the Society. A ballot was then taken with the following result: Dr. Richardson, one; Dr. MacFarlane, two; Dr. MacHarg, twenty-five and Dr. Blumer nine. Dr. Mereness moved that the secretary deposit one ballot for Dr. MacHarg. The motion was seconded and carried, and the secretary cast the bailot. The president declared Dr. MacHarg elected vice-president. Under the head of nominations for secretary Dr. BALL moved that the treasurer cast one vote for Dr. Blumer. The motion was seconded and and carried, and the secretary cast the ballot. The president declared Dr. Blumer elected secretary. Under the head of nominations for treasurer it was moved that the secretary cast one vote for Dr. W. H. George. The motion was seconded carried, and the secretary cast the ballot. The president declared Dr. George elected treasurer. Dr. BENDELL then moved that the secretary cast one ballot for the five censors, substituting the name of Dr. T. A. Ryan for that of Dr. MacHarg who had been elected vice-president. The motion was seconded and carried, and the secretary cast the ballot. The president declared Drs. Archambault, Featherstonhaugh, Stillman, Lochner and Ryan elected censors. A motion to adjourn was made by Dr. MUNSON. Seconded and carried. Secretary. ALBANY HOSPITAL TRAINING SCHOOL FOR NURSES.-The graduating exercises of the class of 1900, of the Albany Hospital Training School for Nurses, occurred Thursday afternoon, May 10, at the hospital. This was the first class to graduate from this institution. Thirteen young women who have taken the three years' course of hospital training under the direction of the superintendent of the training school, Miss Emily MacDonnell, received diplomas. The graduates were: Florence Elizabeth Wright, Canada; Mabel Annie Wark, New York; Eliza Bottsford Callender, Massachusetts; Jennie Fenton Smith, New York; Nora Josephine Hogan, New York; Mary Gertrude Snyder, Canada; Annie Cumming, Canada; Cornelia Pauline Lansing, New York; Mary Ellen McIntyre, Canada; Nancie Sophia Ellis Tupper Cameron, Canada; Mary Harriet Giffin, New York; Sarah Spooner, Canada, and Jennie Crounse, New York. The hospital was in gala array for the occasion. From the tulips in bloom in the garden beds and the green lawns outside, to the blossoms and foliage that embowered the platform of the pavilion in which the exercises were held; Elgie's orchestra furnished excellent music during the entire afternoon without money and without price, and the audience hall was crowded with representative Albany folk, men of affairs and governors of the institution, members of the woman's auxiliary board, patronesses and friends of the hospital in general. Place of honor was given to the medical and surgical staff of the hospital, and to the graduating class and nurses, who at the left of the platform in their pink and white uniforms made a showing of rose color, white caps set crisply above bright faces and white aprons of their office proudly worn. Judge Learned presided and announced the order of the exercises. The opening prayer was made by Rev. Dr. William Force Whitaker and the opening address by Mrs. Hunter Robb, of Cleveland, O., a prominent representative of the nursing profession, identified with the training school of the Johns Hopkins hospital until her marriage to an eminent member of its faculty, Dr. Robb. Mrs. Robb took for her topic "Nursing as a Profession," and gave a most earnest and eloquent address. Dr. Albert Vander Veer, Dean of the Albany Medical College and head surgeon of the Albany Hospital, to whose untiring enthusiasm and efforts the establishment of the training school, and indeed the new hospital with its perfect equipments in all departments are largely due, made the address to the graduating class. Judge William M. Learned then presented the diplomas with well chosen remarks. Benediction by Dr. Whitaker closed the program. The hospital was thrown open to guests, members of the medical staff and nurses acting as a reception committee, and in the Nurses' Home an elaborate luncheon was served. BANQUET OF BETA CHAPTER OF THE PHI SIGMA KAPPA.--The reunion and banquet of Beta chapter of the Fhi Sigma Kappa fraternity occurred May 1st at the Kenmore. Beta chapter is one of the oldest of the fraternity, and was established at the Albany Medical College on February 2, 1888. Prior to the banquet, initiation ceremonies were held at the fraternity's rooms in the DeGraaf building, and were presided over by Frederick William Loughran, M.D., of New York, who is the present president of the grand chapter of the order. Dr. T. F. C. Van Allen, of this city, was duly elected to membership. Dr. Arthur G. Root, of Albany, acted as toastmaster and in a few well chosen words introduced Dr. Hermon Camp Gordinier, of Troy, who responded to the toast "Faculty." M. J. Thornton, class 1901, Albany Medical College, talked of "Our Chapter." W. H. Happel, M. D., of this city, in his quaint, humerous way spoke of "Sister Chapters." Dr. Frederick W. Loughran, of New York, president of the grand chapter, responded to the toast, "The Council." Dr. Loughran spoke at length of the advisability of procuring a house for Beta next year and, it is believed, when the college opens again next year, the fraternity will have a house of its own. After the regular toasts were responded to, remarks were made by Drs. LeFevre, Hailes and others. A large number of the alumni of the Albany Medical College were present. BACTERIOLOGICAL LABORATORIES OF THE RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL.-The new bacteriological laboratories of the Rhode Island Hospital were formally opened Thursday, May 10. Drs. W. T. Councilman, J. W. C. Ely and |