tificates should confer no advantage over competitors other than the weight which may be attached to their testimony by public opinion."

In this country the various laws enacted to make the holders of medical diplomas and, later, State licenses, the only legal practitioners of medicine have done more to foster superficial cramming in medical education than all other causes combined. Through this legal entrance to the profession, the superficial memorizer of things to be forgotten in the business of life, fresh from some cramming college, can easily pass, while the slow-plodding reasoner grasping for practical facts is denied admission.

It is now no unusual thing for medical colleges to advertise that their students will be "prepared to meet the requirements of the medical examining boards." How much better it would be if these colleges could conscientiously advertise that "students are prepared to meet the everyday exigencies of practice." Just as long as State governments demand a superficial medical education to meet the demands of superficial and often ignorant examining boards, the colleges will be compelled to supply that demand. When the State law prescribes that none but graduates of five or six-year colleges shall be allowed to practice, the colleges must advance their time requirements or quit business. So it is with the superficial technical demands of the examining boards. In their effort to elevate the standard of medical education, they become more and more technical; and the schools, in order to meet the requirement, have degenerated into colleges of technical medicine. This result, deplorable as it is, was inevitable. You might as well try to make a man a good Christian by legal compulsion as to try to make him a competent physician by medical legislation. In the very nature of things, the matter is beyond the power or possibility of State legislation. It should be evident to even the most superficial observer, that the severest possible technical examination must, of necessity, fail to determine a person's fitness to practice medicine. The most essential

qualifications of a competent physician do not, and necessarily cannot, come within the province of these examinations. Then what common-sense reason is there for the existence of these examining boards? State religion and State medicine must alike be failures. It seems to me that it would be infinitely better to leave the matter of medical education to the colleges alone, and the matter of practical fitness to practice where it naturally belongs-to the people. I, for one, have learned thousands of pages of medical literature only to forget them in the business of life.

I have doubtless said enough to introduce the subject. I hope that the medical profession, and especially the medical press, will continue to agitate this matter until we have a more common sense medical education.

Communications.

A Danger in Dilating Urethral
Stricture.

TO THE MEDICAL COUNCIL:

I have been reading the COUNCIL with considerable interest and profit, especially the genito-urinary articles. In the treatment of urethral strictures by dilation, would it not be well to caution against the use of force? I think that when decided resistance is offered the dilating instrument, the healthy tissue will probably tear before the cicatricial tissue will give way. This is especially true in old cases that have been dilated before. Scar tissue has greater tensile strength than mucous membrane, and little elasticity. Therefore, when considerable resistance is offered the dilating instrument, the healthy tissue will be the first to give

way.

This accident will give apparent good results for two reasons: Ist, lessened congestion due to local bleeding; 2d, increasing the caliber of the urethra, so that a large sound may be passed. But, when repair takes place in the torn healthy tissue, new scar tissue bridges over the tear, and we have a new obstruc

tion added to the old, bringing about the very condition we try to remove. “Dilation is a very valuable procedure, but, like other good things, it must be used with due regard to undesirable possibilities. It is well to bear in mind that a little pressure exerted on the end of the lever (the dilating instrument) will be sufficient to do considerable damage at the point of resistance.

If you think this item will be of interest to your readers, you may use it. The caution may seem unnecessary, being selfevident, yet I know several cases where it could have been used with profit to the patient. PAGE EDMUNDS, M. D. 630 Gilmore St., North, Baltimore, Md. [The points suggested by the Doctor are well taken and should be borne in mind. The best way to treat urethral stricture is by electrolysis.-ED.]

On the Communicability of Late
Syphilis.

TO THE MEDICAL COUNCIL:

I would like to ask the readers of the MEDICAL COUNCIL if there is any danger of contracting syphilis from a patient who had the disease ten years ago, but neglected treatment, and yet at present seems to enjoy good health? Will his family be liable to contract the disease by using the same household ware?

In regard to your article in the February number on schools of science, I for one will say they are useless. I have not been caught by their schemes, but have investigated their methods of obtaining money.

I enjoy the MEDICAL COUNCIL very much, and wish it continued success Joplin, Mo. M. B. HARUTUN, M.D.

Priority in the Tincture-of-Iodine Treatment of Tonsillitis.

TO THE MEDICAL COUNCIL:

I see that Dr. Samuel Floersheim has written an article in the N. Y. Med. Jour., and copied by you, on the treatment of acute tonsillitis with tr. iodine as the remedial agent. I wish to testify to its merits, as I treated my first case six years ago with tr. iodine. One year later I

reported it, or rather sent a report to the COUNCIL, but for some unknown reason it did not appear. Then, again, in the May (1901) number of the Medical World, page 188, I reported it, and will say that I never saw or heard of it being used before that time. I don't care for the priority of the treatment, nor for any notoriety, but wish to call the Doctor's attention to my hearty concurrence in the treatment. DR. J. W. COLLINS.

Meeker, Col.

Blow Versus Brevity.

TO THE MEDICAL COUNCIL:

Medical literature nearly everywhere is padded with too many words. Too much no-account politeness.

Says Dr. S.: "I am glad to see that this subject has been handled in such a scientific manner. I wish to remark in this connection that we as physicians have great opportunities for doing good by instructing our patients in regard to such matters. The physician, above all, should be thoroughly informed upon these subjects"-and so he goes on in ten pages.

I can easily put all his ideas upon half a page! Then-Ye Gods! he makes me tired!-he goes on, saying, "This is a subject which cannot be handled in a few minutes." No, nor in a few years by such a double-distilled extract of moderation.

When I hear a speaker like the above my eyes irresistably wander around for a small and moderately plastic brickbat; the air becomes suffocating. What must such a doctor be to the nerves of his patients, when fellow-physicians develop a mild type of insanity by being obliged to listen to, or read, his long-drawn-out abstracts of nothingness?

Now, Doctors, Professors, double L. D.s, A. M.s, and A. S. S.s, drop onto yourselves. Stop your nerve-irritating preambles. Get down to facts. Pith, point, ideas, braining, not mouthing, are what readers of medical literature want.

It is no fun for a reader to run a fanmill in his brain to separate the wheat from the chaff of his readings.

Los Banos, Cal.

DR. C. E. BOYNTON.

The Business Side

OF MEDICAL PRACTICE.

While we as physicians desire to be scientific students and practitioners of medicine, yet we desire also, for the welfare of our dependent ones and for the sake of our standing in the community, to secure a fair compensation for the services we render to our fellow-men and to society. To this purpose The Council will occasionally conduct a brief department in which may be discussed those subjects that pertain to the financial welfare of the practitioner and the profession. Ideas are solicited for this column.

The Reason for the Quack.

It was the philosopher, Thomas Carlyle, who said that all things are right because they are, meaning, that in the ordinary order of evolution, things occur in natural sequence, and are thus normal effects of precedent causes. The quack in medicine must have some reason for his being. Two occur to us that are prominent. One, the difference in therapeutics between the rational and sectarian schools of medicine, and which, by the way, should not exist if therapeutics was a science. The other cause is due to in

attention or indifference. The rational school of medicine has practically cultivated but one of these, hygiene, preventive medicine. Massage, calisthenics, other exercises, mental suggestion, the various uses of water, and numerous other procedures have been better observed in

the breach!

It is a sad truth that most medical men

are dilatory in continuing their studies after beginning the practice of medicine, into the reasons for which it is not now

our purpose to inquire. The confidence of the patient is too often abused by careless examination, deficient diagnosis, and routine therapeutics. It requires time and effort to continue the study of medicine after practice is begun, and

particularly to keep abreast of the times. A man must be a reader of periodic literature and books. This requires the continued expenditure of money. To accomplish these things requires conscientious effort and the securance of fairly good fees. A man who is content with a small fee cannot secure enough money in the limited portion of the twenty-four hours allotted him for this purpose to purchase the necessary literature for study, and the implements and drugs for the application of his knowledge, that the advances of medicine now make requisite. It is a fact that the patient who goes to a doctor charging a small fee, and even then permits himself to be despoiled of it in a large proportion of instances, cannot obtain the same service that can be, and usually is, rendered by men who exact a larger fee, and insist upon having it. Osteopathy, for instance, is a combination of massage and gymnastics, with some regard to portions of the body that are generally overlooked by superficial practitioners.

titioners. Thus a numbness of the arm is sometimes due to congestions in the neighborhood of the foramina of exit of the nerves from the spinal column. Here is where the osteopath gives the massage that cures a numbness that has baffled several physicians. They frequently cure where we fail, for this very reason. The Christian scientist, the divine healer, or hypnotist, or even an ordinary mountebank, cures by mental suggestion when we fail because we are too careless to

realize that the patient's ailment is mental. They make brillant cures where we frequently fail, and so we might go through the list, heaping indictment upon indictment against the intelligence and efficiency of the least qualified, as well as major, portion of the profession. Let legal practitioners throw down the barriers that separate them on differences of

opinion in matters therapeutic, the least certain in medicine, and carefully winnow the good from every mode of treatment that claims good results. Let us weigh these carefully in a true scientific spirit, giving each its proper credit, and using it intelligently in the interests of our charges. This will cause a disappearance of the quack because there will be no place for him.

the Medical Profession.

Some time ago a bill passed the United States Senate unanimously retiring Surgeon General Sternberg with the rank of Major General, and was reported favorably by the entire Committee on Military Affairs, but was defeated in the House on June 2d of this year, the most active members against it being Messrs. Cannon of Illinois and Underwood of Alabama. During the debate the medical profession, as such, and its organization were shamefully traduced. The proposed honoring of Dr. Sternberg was unquestionably merited and was equally an honor to the profession of which he is so distinguished a member. The 135,000 lawful practitioners of medicine in this country owe it to themselves and their profession to make themselves unmistakably felt against this injustice to the profession, especially with reference to the insinuations of Cannon of Illinois and Underwood of Alabama. A full account of the matter was presented to the American. Medical Association at its Saratoga meeting on June 10th, by its Committee on National Legislation, a full report of which will, no doubt, appear in the official journal.

nia) before April 10th. All accounts not settled on that date will be left for suit. "Very respectfully, A. M. Cook." Most responded. A few I went to see afterwards. One woman, whom another doctor spoiled by never sending a bill, and where she owned the property and not her husband, said: "You intend to use your friends just the same as your enemies." I replied, "I have been either so fortunate or so unfortunate that most

of my patients are my friends. This is merely a question of business, and I shall use all alike." She has paid part, and after a while I shall notify her that I must but are extravagant. file it. Now they have a large income,

I

I sued a good many. Several claimed. that I had never sent them a bill, when the ledger showed like this: B. S., I, I, '97; B. S., 6, 1, '97; B. S., 1, 1, '98 ; B. S., 6, 1, '98; B. S., 9, 1, '98, etc. had one come to trial, where they claimed that, as one of the hospital staff, I was not entitled to pay, although she was a private patient, in private room, and I was not on duty at that season.

The class most prompt to settle were the Jews, and I have a large practice among them.

For some years it has been generally known that I expected my pay for services, that I sent bills promptly and collected close, yet with that, and much illhealth, I have helped to start several doctors on the overflow from my office. Of course, I have had my share of God's poor, and the town has grown so rapidly, 15,000 in ten years, I could not know all the new dead-beats. Since having another

[THE MEDICAL COUNCIL,

paid no attention to telephones at night, have quit when I had done enough, and have recovered most of my health; and because I have been a good collector I can afford to play for a year or two, and know my rents will more than keep us. It will pay every physician to collect close. Some may leave for a time, but they will be back, and more prompt. A. M. Cook, M. D. 67 Pittsburg Street, New Castle, Pa.

Jewel-weed, an Antidote to

Poison-Ivy.

Nature is said to have provided a most efficient remedy for poison-ivy poisoning, in the shape of the widely-spread flower known as "spotted touch-me-not," or "Impatiens fulva." It is also called the "jewel weed," and is very abundunt in the water courses during June and July, when the rhus toxicodendron and the rhus venenata are most poisonous. The color of the flower of the "spotted touch me-not" is a deep orange, and the spots are of a reddish-brown. The lips form a sac, not very much unlike the moccasin flower, and it ends in a curved spur. The seed-pods burst if slightly touched, and scatter the seeds all around. To this peculiar property the plant owes its com

mon name.

It is also called "noli-me

tangere" and "N'y touchez pas." The remedy is applied by expressing the juice of the plant and applying ic to the skin which has been poisoned.-Pract. Drug.

We respectfully solicit from our readers reports from experiences, either favorable or not, on the following subjects brought out in recent years:

Permanganate of Potassium in Opium and Other Narcotic Poisoning.

Lard Freely Administered in Strychnine Poison

ing.

Free Saline Purgation in Peritonitis.

Gelatin to Check Hemorrhage.

Normal Salt Solution in Collapse.

Local Anesthesia in Larger Operations.

Phosphate of soda combined with ergot affords favorable results in melancholia, hysteria, adynamia, and chlorosis; it overcomes the great constitutional depression of the algid stage of certain fevers. Sodium phosphate alone has been employed in the cerebral torpor of senility, but the combination with ergot increases its efficacy. The general indication for the administration of the mixture is functional debility of nervous origin.-LUTON, Journal de Medicine de Paris.-Exchange.

[We should like to know how this combination is so beneficial. We presume that it may be due to the effect of ergot in maintaining the arterial tension during the action of the phosphate of soda.

New Remedy for Hemorrhoids.

Dr. E. V. Hall states that he found in echinacea angustifolia (common names:

X-Rays, Alcohol Injections, Thuja, for Cancer. A report of unfavorable results is of as much value as the opposite, as it warns others not to use an unreliable remedy.

very efficient remedy in hemorrhoids. His first case was that of a woman, who had such severe hemorrhoids that an operation was considered the only pros