of the National Medical Association and of the By-Laws of this Society in the following manner, to-wit: Dr. N. G. Clark did in the month of April or May, 1868, consult with a homeopathic practitioner by the name of Hutchins, in the family of Wm. Terry of Batavia. The undersigned has the honor to submit this case for the action of the Society, praying that the code under which we live may not be violated without just notice.

Your obedient servant,

M. W. Townsend.

On motion, the subject matter of the above communication was referred to a committee of three, M. W. Townsend, J. Root and M. C. Potter, who made the following report:

The committee appointed to report on the charges preferred against Dr. N. G. Clark, have the honor to submit the following:

Whereas, Dr. Clark has been guilty of gross violation of the Code of Ethics and By-Laws of this Society in consulting with an irregular practitioner in the manner and form mentioned in the charges;

Resolved, That Dr. N. G. Clark ought to be, and hereby is, expelled from this Society, and that the Secretary be instructed to give him official notice.

Respectfully,

M. W. TOWNSend,

J. ROOT,

M. C. POTTER,

Committee.

The report was accepted and the resolution passed unanimously. Dr. Townsend also moved that hereafter it shall be considered dishonorable for any member of the regular profession to hold medical consultation with Dr. N. G. Clark, and that the proceedings of this meeting, signed by the President and Secretary, be published in the Buffalo Medical Journal. Passed unanimously. L. L. TOZIER, Sec'y. O. R. CROFF, President.

DEATH FROM NICOTINE.-A case of death from nicotine recently occurred at Cohoes, N. Y., under the following circumstances:The father of a little girl, in an endeavor to "heal a sore on her lip," applied to it the contents of a "rank" pipe stem. The victim was almost immediately seized with the peculiar symptoms of tobacco poisoning, and died a few hours afterwards.

VOL. 7, NO. 11-56.

Editorial Department.

Medicine as a Business and Business in Medicine.

The practice of medicine as a business, in no way favorably commends itself to the attention of those about to choose a profession. It demands exclusive, unremitting and earnest attention, and with all this, offers but the very poorest return. It does, it is true, afford a few who are faithful and active enough to gain distinction, a fair income, but the great mass of hard workers receive "small wages." Attention is not enough directed to the causes of this poor return for medical services. It has been common for physicians themselves to place little pecuniary value upon their services, and to demand little or nothing from the community. There are few cities or towns in which cannot be found men who are called because they never demand any pecuniary return, perhaps indifferently guess at the amount due them if by chance some active business inan values their services enough to insist upon payment. The great fault in medicine, as a business, arises mainly from the fact that so many who practice it, are not "business men;" have no rational idea of exchange. We have never known a physician habitualty selling himself for nothing, but received, really, all he was worth. The men who value their time and advice are almost always appreciated. Business men respect a consistant, straight-forward, reliable, prompt, business man; indeed, everybody appreciates such men. A careless, indifferent, unsystematic man, who never has system in his pecuniary matters, is the poorest, and as a rule, most unscientific, careless, unprogressive and unsatisfactory medical adviser in the world. It is all right that they expect nothing for their services; they are really of no value; a poor business man is a poor doctor. Bnt we were about to suggest the importance to the profession and the advantages to the community of early and prompt presentation and settlement of medical bills. There is no other man who devotes his personal time to any pursuit or calling, but expects and demands his reward. There is nothing in the conditions of physicians' necessities and wants which justify delay in obtaining the rewards of their services. If by chance any are able to neglect collections, it constitutes no reason for so doing, and is a disadvantage to both physicians and the public. The time has fully come when medical men should expect immediate return, and when the public should understand that the physician is to be paid immediately, before anybody else—that his is a debt of honor, that bankruptcy does not effect the obligation, that the grocer and the dry goods merchant may be put off a little, but a physician who attends them at all seasons and hours, adds his sympathies and personal interests to theirs, bears the anxieties inseparable from his calling and faithfully advises them in times of pain and peril is to be rewarded. The public can never appreciate these facts and conditions until instructed to do it, and will undoubtedly be slow to learn, but the public can learn it, would have known it long before this, if the "slip-shod" business manners of physicians had not been constantly inculcating the opposite doctrine of delay. Who in the profession are best and soonest paid? Certainly those who are highest prized and most extensively patronized. The real business men of

the profession charge for their services and collect their bills, and men say, "here is your claim; thank you, sir, for your kindness and attention; I feel thankful that I could obtain your services." The "slip-shod" physician receives pay after the following manner, by the hand of a child: "Dr. Waitforever: Dear sir: I am no better, and feel anxious about myself. I hoped, when I called you, that my sickness would be trifling, and that I might avoid expense, but as I do not improve, I desire to call Dr. who is, as you say, very high in his charges and expects his pay down, but who is distinguished in the care of such cases. Yours, truly, True E. Conomy."

"The poor ye have with you always, and may do them good when ye will." It is wrong, and often cruel, to accept pay of the very poor when they are sick. If physicians will cultivate system and promptness in their business, they can advise and help the poor and be respected, and paid, or thanked, by all.

Preparation and Publication of the Medical and Surgical History of the War.

It will be seen by the following extract from Congressional proceedings, that $30,000 have been appropriated for the preparation and publication of the Medical and Surgical History of the War. The work is to be compiled and completed by Dr. J. H. Baxter, which is sufficient guarantee that it will be made in every respect as perfect as possible:

§ 3. And be it further enacted, That of the appropriation of $60,000 for publishing the medical and surgical history of the rebellion and the medical statistics of the Provost Marshal General's office, made in an act approved July 28th, 1866, $30,000 shall be devoted to the preparation and publication of five thousand copies of the medical statistics of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau, and that the work shall be compiled and completed by Assistant Medical Purveyor J. H. Baxter, under the immediate direction of the Secretary of War, and without the interference of any other officer.

MR. ANTHONY. There was a proposition made to change that appropriation and to make it applicable to the preparation of the whole work. I believe, as the resolution was passed by Congress originally, this money was made applicable to the publication of the work; at any rate it was so construed by the Congressional Printer; and I have been trying for months to get a resolution passed through Congress to make the appropriation applicable to the preparation of the work, so that the ordinary appropriation for printing may be applicable to the publication of it. If those who have charge of this matter-I have not-have taken it into consideration, I do not wish to interpose any objection.

MR. CONKLING. If the Senator from Rhode Island will allow me, I desire to suggest to him that this proposition has no effect one way or the other upon the idea which he now submits. This does not touch at all the question whether money shall be appropriated to the preparation and not to the printing of the work, or whether it shall be applicable alike to the preparation and the printing. That question is left entirely untouched and open for the resolution of the Sen. ator or any other treatment which the Senate may see fit to bestow upon it. This is simply a proposition that the appropriation shall be divided. It is direc

tory in its nature and divides the appropriation precisely as I have the evidence in my hand to show both Houses intended that it should be divided originally as between the two works, namely, the statistics of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau, and the medical and surgical history of the war being separate things, and the purpose being to devote half of the appropriation to one and the other half to the other; but the language of the bill left it, as it was supposed, obscure, and this is simply to draw the dividing line.

The amendment was agreed to.

The bill was reported to the Senate as amended, and the amendments were concurred in.

The amendments were ordered to be engrossed, and the bili to be read a third time. The bill was read the third time, and passed.

Annual Session of the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane.

The Medical Superintendents of the American Institutions for the Insane commenced their twenty-second annual session at the American House in Boston, June 3d, at 10 o'clock.

The first subject taken up by the Association was "The project for a general law for determining the legal relations of the Insane," and Dr. Ray was called upon to make some remarks in regard to the history and treatment of this question. Dr. Ray alluded to the necessity for having a general law which should be in force in every State. In order to facilitate the work in preparing such a law, a committee was some time ago appointed and the laws in the different States were considered and compared. This committee reported at the meeting at Washington in 1864. The points covered in the law were partially discussed at that meeting, and since that time the whole matter has been in abeyance. Experience is every year demonstrating more aud more the necessity of such a law, and cases are constantly occurring which urge the subject upon the attention of all persons interested in the treatment and cure of the insane. The general sentiment of the community is that no one class of persons ought to have entire and absolute control in regard to cases of insanity. Such a law as is proposed need not cover all the points in question in regard to the treatment of insanity, and the principal thing to be considered is in regard to the committal of persons to the insane asylums. He would not advocate the relinquishment of the authority which has long been vested by common consent in the families and friends of insane persons, but some legal process is necessary for the care of those persons who have no families, or whose familres do not care to take such a step. For these and kindred cases it is very desirable that the matter should be attended to legally and properly. Such a law, too, is necessary for the pauper insane, for the authorities who have them in charge are generally likely to avoid the expense of committing them to asylums as long as possible. Such a law, too, is necessary for the care of the vagrant insane, who have no regular residence, and whose confinement is an act of humanity to themselves and a means of safety for the community.

At the re-assembling of the Association in the afternoon, Prof. Charles A. Lee of New York, made an address of welcome as a delegate from the American Medical Association. He alluded in the strongest terms to the progress that has been made in recent years in the treatment of the insane, and congratulated the Association upon all that its members had been able to do for the advancement of one of the most important departments of medical science. The address was very cordial in its tone, and the Association manifested great pleasure at the interest taken in it and its work by the Association represented by Dr. Lee.

EVENING SESSION.-The consideration of the question of making provision for commitments of patients to Insane Asylums was resumed, when the Association re-assembled at 8 o'clock. Dr. Earle withdrew the motion for the postponement of the discussion until next year, and Drs. Chipley and Hills withdrew the substitutes for the first section of the proposed object of a general law, which had been offered by them. Dr. Hills then offered the following, which was adopted as a sense of the Association by a yea and nay vote, Dr. Harlow of Maine alone voting in the negative:

Insane persons may be placed in a hospital for the insane by their legal guardians, or by their relatives and friends, in case they have no guardians, but never without the certificate of one or more responsible physicians. after a personal examination made within one week of the date thereof; aad this certificate to be duly acknowledged before some magistrate or judicial officer, who shall certify to the genuineness of the signature and of the respectability of the signer.

The remaining sections of the proposed model for a law, as reported by Dr. Ray, were then successively considered and adopted, most of them with but little change of form and with little debate. The first section was the only one upon which there was any very decided diversity of opinion, and the substitute for that section finally adopted seemed to give general and almost unexpected satisfaction to all the members of the Association.

Books Reviewed.

Stille's Therapeutics and Materia Medica. Third edition, revised and enlarged, in two volumes. Philadelphia: Henry C. Lea, 1868.

Stille's Therapeutics and Materia Medica requires no general description from us; its character and standing are too well understood by all intelligent physicians to admit of it. The simple announcement of the appearance of a third edition will at once suggest the inquiry, what new subjects have been added? About one hundred pages of new matter have been added, mainly upon the subjects of: Chromic Acid; Permanganate of Potassa; the Sulphites of Soda, etc.; Carbolic Acid; Nitrous Oxide: Rigoline, and Calabar Bean. There has also been added an article upon Bromine, and that on Electricity has been enlarged by an account of recent improvements in apparatus, and the application of this agent to the cure of diseases.

Speaking of the Sulphite of Soda, one of the new substances treated, he says: "Although the power possessed by the sulphites of controlling fermentation had