most liberty in trying to discover methods of healing disease, or preventing sickness.

If the books are used in this way they will be very valuable books, indeed. But, as a rule, you doctors will file them away in your libraries, never to look at them again. Partly because you know they are absolutely worthless to guide you in your practice to-day, and partly because you are so busy in exploiting new theories that you have no time for reading what you wrote a few years ago.

You know very well that the teachings. of the average medical journal are out of date almost as soon as the volume is completed. Therefore, these books are absolutely worthless to you. But to me they are valuable as records of the fantastic medical theories that time has exploded, the cruel and needless surgery that has been abandoned, the host of poisonous remedies that are no longer given.

It is a weird life that these pages roll from the history of medicine. It is not a pleasant picture that it reveals, but truth, however grewsome it may be, should not be lost sight of, even though it serves no other purpose than to show us the error of our ways.

Those Tetanus Germs.

Query: Your article on "Fourth of July and Lockjaw," in THE COLUMBUS MEDICAL JOURNAL for February, I read with interest. I am not a germ crank, but how do you account for a person in pretty fair condition taking measles, mumps, grip, chickenpox and smallpox when exposed to them? How do you account for contagion in disease?

I think health is the best immunity. from all disease, but a great many apparently healthy people would get smallpox were they exposed to it thoroughly.

Some no doubt would not. How is it that diphtheria is so very contagious? Were the conditions right for it I should think it would develop in a child as speedily without contagion, as with. I am not ready to believe that germs are

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more than scavengers, but I can't explain how an apparently well person becomes diseased after exposure to a contagious disease. Will you please explain this matter in an early issue of your JOURNAL, and clear up this mystery for me, as well as many others?-H. B. B., Maryland.

Answer: You seem to assume because I have denied the causative relation of disease germs to lockjaw, that I have therefore denied that disease germs cut any figure whatever in the spread of contagious diseases. I did not intend to take such a position.

Ordinarily, disease germs are incapable of exciting disease. They are about us all the time, preying upon our bodies in a natural way, and do not provoke disease.

But under special conditions these same disease germs may be able to overcome the resistance that the phagocytes of my body offer to their entrance. Having overcome it, they make of my body a germ culture. Billions and billions of disease germs will pervade the juices of my whole body. In this state I become a danger to any one with whom I come in

contact.

In the first place, the number of the disease germs is greatly multiplied. In the second place, their virility is increased. This makes them especially dangerous, even to people in fair health.

Disease germs cannot start an epidemic. They must always have a chance in some diseased body to get a start. Here they multiply in abnormal numbers and abnormal strength, and become a great source of danger. But we should remember that we are surrounded by disease germs at all times, and under normal conditions they cannot harm us. But if by peculiar abuse of my body I produce

a condition which allows them to enter, then they will do so, and not only have I endangered my own body, but by affording the disease germs a special opportunity to develop strength and numbers, I have endangered many persons.

To illustrate. Rabbits thrive and multiply in this country, without doing any especial harm. They are kept as pets, they make excellent sport for the hunter, and no one regards them as a pest or a danger to the people. This is because the natural enemies of rabbits keep them. from over-production.

Many years ago some one took a pair of rabbits to Australia as pets. There were no such animals in Australia as rabbits, and consequently no other animal to check their over-multiplication. Also the country was peculiarly fitted for their maintenance and development. From the two rabbits taken there as pets there rapidly sprang a host of rabbits, which very quickly overrun the whole country, and at one time threatened to destroy all vegetation and produce a veritable famine. The government had to interfere with the matter, and offer special rewards for their extermination. Every possible device for destroying the rabbits was resorted to, but they have never been able to quite get rid of them. They are still more or less a danger and nuisance to that country.

Why did the rabbits thrive so in Australia? First, because there was an abundance of material for them to feed on. Second, there were no natural enemies for the rabbits. No other animal to prey upon them, and thin out their ranks. In this country, where they came from, there were many other animals that kept the rabbits from multiplying in such numbers.

Now, this illustrates what disease germs do. In a healthy body these disease germs are like the rabbits were in this country. They are in the body, come in contact with the various cells of the

body, do a little harm here and there, perhaps, but mainly their work is the work of a scavenger, picking up bits of stray dead material and devouring it.

If the healthy phagocytes of the body are able to hold the disease germs in check everything goes on well. But if a person presents himself who for some

reason or other does not have in his body phagocytes that exterminate disease germs, then it requires only the slightest contact with disease germs to set up a disturbance in his body. In such blood as he has disease germs multiply with amazing rapidity.

How, then, are we to keep our blood in such a condition that disease germs cannot thrive in it? By living natural lives, by keeping our bodies healthy and strong. A body weakened by excesses, debaucheries or intemperance or chronic disease, may develop a condition in which the blood furnishes an excellent feeding ground for disease germs.

Therefore, you see I am not denying the fact that disease germs play an important role in the spread of contagious diseases. A person with measles or scarlet fever proves a veritable germ culture more or less dangerous to even healthy people. Such vast numbers of disease germs of unusual strength emanate from his body that it is hazardous to come in contact with such a patient, even though a person may have had the disease before.

The same, possibly, is true of diphtheria, though I am not quite sure that diphtheria is a contagious disease, although without doubt it is an infectious disease.

What I was trying to say about lockjaw was not a denial of the germ theory at all. I simply raised a doubt as to whether germs have anything to do with the spread of lockjaw. Many cases of lockjaw are produced by a peculiar sort of wound. I do not believe that there is a specific germ that causes it. What makes me think so is that it is always a peculiar wound that causes lockjaw. Any other wound would afford as good an opportunity for disease germs as the peculiar wound that causes lockjaw. Therefore, I doubt if lockjaw is a germ disease, though I do not doubt that there are other diseases that are propagated and under exceptional conditions. caused by disease germs.

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HERE is an article in the Wisconsin Medical Recorder, of February, 1908, that every physician and surgeon ought to read and reflect upon. The article was written by Gordon G. Burdick, M. D., No. 72 Madison St., Chicago, Ill.

He undertakes to show in this article how physicians who live in country towns and villages could unite together to increase their efficiency and usefulness in the community. Instead of supporting separate offices, as they do, they would unite to build a fine office, equipped with all modern facilities for special and sanitary work. By joining together in this way they could afford to do this very nicely.

Then they would unite themselves in a sort of partnership. One making a specialty of the eye and ear, the other making a specialty of abdominal surgery, and so on, each one having some specialty of his choice. But in addition to these specialties each physician is a general practitioner.

The doctor then goes into the detailed business arrangement by which the remuneration which each doctor receives for his services is properly adjusted.

He goes on to describe one firm of this kind already in existence, in Nebraska. This firm has six doctors. They own their office building. They have three horses and buggies, and use livery hire when there comes a special rush. They have the finest equipped offices in the state. Their place is headquarters for all physicians visiting the town. They have a reading room and medical library, and all that.

remembered with flowers.

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Another one owns a fine touring automobile, with which he takes the sick and the poor and the crippled out for a ride occasionally. Another has a magnificent magic lantern, and gives picture shows every month to some society for nothing. And in this. sort of way these six physicians are banded together to do a great and useful work in their community.

What could be more splendid? What would quicker raise the medical profession out of the obloquy of petty politics. and local grafting to the plane of the noble profession they pretend to represent?

The author of this article goes on to say that such a firm of physicians should use the local papers to advertise their firm, to describe their facilities for treating diseases. Or they might use the local papers for articles for public good. Especially health articles, warning the people of the presence of epidemics and prescribing for them certain precautions.

They could also investigate the milk peddled in their locality, and see that it is pure. Have an oversight of the water supply. All this gratis. Just to make themselves useful in the community.

Why, this article ought to be read by every physician in the United States. They ought to cut it out and paste it in a scrap book and read it over occasionally, to be sure that it gets into their minds.

What a rebuke such an article constitutes to that puling, whining, pessimistic doctor with a dirty, dark office and a lot of unpaid accounts, who seeks through some political intrigue to get his hand into the public treasury because he cannot earn a decent living by his practice. What a slap in the face such a fellow receives by such a broad, inspiring suggestion as this article contains.

Instead of backbiting competitors, a few doctors collected in every small community could make themselves a beneficence which can scarcely be overestimated. No quacks could survive in

such a community. The people would have vastly more confidence in medicine and surgery if such a thing were organized and carried out. When the sick is trusted to any member of such a firm relatives and friends can feel that they have the combined wisdom of the whole firm. They know that these men are working together, instead of against each other.

Yes, indeed, if this was the sort of organization the doctors were trying to create they would never receive from THE COLUMBUS MEDICAL JOURNAL anything but the highest words of commendation.

The way to run the charlatan out of town is to beat him at his own game. Serve the people better than he does. Demonstrate the ability of the regular physician to save lives.

To deal honestly with every man. To resort to no trickery or sly games to get money. This is organizing for the benefit of the people, as well as the doctors. Such an organization would be a help to the whole community, and would exalt the medical profession in the eyes of the multitude.

Go on, Brother Burdick, preaching the gospel of fraternity and organization to your brethren. I hope some of the good seed sown will spring up into fruitage. Your article is an inspiration. Is a clear, sweet tone in the jargon and jangle of medical literature.

Every doctor who reads these lines should not fail to send for the February issue of the Wisconsin Medical Recorder. I presume it would be a good thing to enclose ten cents, to enable the publisher to print another issue as good as this

one.

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HEN quite a young man I discovered that if I put my hands on a person in pain he would be relieved almost at once, but I did not develop this power until about twelve.

years ago.

I then found that I could not only relieve pain, but actually cure diseases. And I have broken up fever in a few hours. Have cured anemia after the doctor had admitted that there was no

hope of recovery. Have had people come to me on crutches, suffering with rheumatism, and in a few weeks they would go home rejoicing, perfectly cured. I have removed thirty-six goiters, some tumors, after the doctors had declared that an operation must be performed to save life, and one cancer, and many other ailments that had baffled the skill of the doctors.

I have done these things quietly, because of the medical laws in our state. I sometimes wonder what they would do if Peter, Paul or the Lord himself should go to healing. I presume they would soon find themselves behind the bars in the pen.

felt a pain or soreness in it since. Yours respectfully, Mrs. H. C. Pierce.

To Whom it May Concern:

Six years ago I was very ill, for more than a year. Was given up to die by two of the leading physicians of St. Paul. The ailment was abscesses of the liver, which terminated in bronchial or lung trouble, the doctors being unable to agree. I was having very severe hemorrhages.

As a last resort for life, I went to Mr. Hanson. He treated me two weeks, when I was able to return home, some fifty miles from St. Paul, where I continued to improve, and inside of one year was strong enough to do a hard day's work, being on my feet all day.

A year ago, after an awful summer's labor, rheumatism attacked me in my feet and ankles. Was on crutches for a month, suffering untold agony, when I again commenced treatment with Mr. Hanson. In a week's time I returned home, and was entirely cured in a few weeks.

If any one will co-operate with Mr. Hanson, in my opinion, he can readily cure almost any ailment. Mrs. S. V. P. Root, 172 Farrington Ave., St. Paul, Minn. June 12, 1907.

A

Make School Houses Safe.

ND now the cry has gone up all over the land, Let us make our school houses safe for children to attend school. Let us change them from fire-traps to buildings that afford ample and safe exit in times of fire. This cry has gone up because of the awful tragedy that occurred in one of the Cleveland schools.

But why is it that it requires a tragedy of such tremendous proportions to awaken those who have charge of our school houses to the necessity of simply doing their duty? Is there any lack of laws requiring school houses to be so built and managed that the children can have some chance for their lives in case of fire? I think not. I think there are plenty of laws on this subject.

And there are plenty of salaried officials whose duty it is to see that the requirements of these laws are obeyed.

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It is simply laxity somewhere. Perhaps with the fire inspector. Perhaps with the school board. Perhaps with the superintendent of the school. Somewhere there has been an easy-going official who has just let things slide along. There is no doubt of it.

Investigations and probes rarely uncover such guilt. Everybody is sorry for everybody else. That is quite natural, and possibly commendable. The frightful holocaust, with its innocent victims, produces a terror in which little or no sanity can be expected.

The investigation begins. It is very easy to find that the letter of the law has been transgressed. But the excuse will arise, Oh! well, everybody does it.

Perhaps the fire drill was not what it should have been. It may be it was as good as it is in other school buildings. Maybe a door was locked that should not have been locked. Or a door was made to open in the wrong direction. Something was wrong somewhere.

The laws are ample. The people have paid their good money to build proper school houses. There are plenty of officials who have been trusted to see to these matters, and yet the children are not safe. It requires not only fat salaries to keep our officials at work, but it requires human sacrifice, also.

We talk about Aztec civilization committing human sacrifice. It is a terrible thing, to be sure, that they should have allowed any such thing. But how many human sacrifices do we require to procure of our officials decent attention to the details of safety?

A theater is burned, with hundreds of people who could find no exit. Then it is suddenly discovered that the theaters all over our country are in a similar condition. Why is it? Because officials do not do their duty. That is why. The proprietors of these places and the public officials are all good fellows together. Belong to the same club. They smoke together. Drink together. Play billiards together. They are chummy all around. And things are allowed to run in a lax way, as a consequence.