trally located but offering every attraction as a convention place, an attendance of at least eight thousand was expected. Instead of this figure being approximated, the total registration only reached a little over four thousand! Such an attendance with a total membership of over thirtyfour thousand is a sad reflection on the interest and enthusiasm of the individual member. More than this, as we have also said before, it is not a fair way to treat those who have devoted every energy to placing the profession on a properly organized basis. However opposed some may be to certain of the means employed-the "ring-like" methods of those in control having seemed at times perilously near to machine politics-it cannot be denied that the re-organized American Medical Association has been the most important factor in the recent forward march of the profession. It is entirely probable that gentler methods would have availed the same result, that a little less tendency to consider every bit of criticism or difference of opinion as pernicious antagonism or subsidized interest would have evidenced a broader, kindlier spirit. But that is neither here nor there. Great good has been accomplished and not only every honest physician but every man, woman and child is going to reap the benefit. Every physician, therefore, who is in sympathy with the work of the Association for the betterment of mankind owes it to himself, his fellow workers and his profession to be more than a passive, or indifferent member. In other words, he should strain. every effort to attend the annual meetings and by his presence if in no other way, demonstrate his interest and personal influence. Circumstances occasionally force a general practitioner to stay at home. We

are not referring to such men. Their number is small and if they are obliged to miss a meeting one year the same misfortune rarely occurs the next. It is the physician who stays at home because he does not care who hurts and handicaps the cause, and it is such men who are recreant to their duties and responsibilities in the onward march of their profession. Unfortunately they are in the great majority, or the aims and objects of those who have blazed the way would have been achieved long ago.

A few needed changes were looked for this year, for a great many physicians have felt that those in power would recognize the justice of the demand that the rank and file of the members in attendance at each meeting be given a larger voice in determining and directing the policies of the Association. Likewise, there are not a few who believe that the president of the Association should be more than a mere figure head. The office should be broadened and carry with it a veto of questions. of policy or the expenditure of Association. funds. This would dignify the office and go far to remove the accusation that the Association is managed and controlled by two or three Chicago men. In the beginning it was doubtless necessary for a few to go ahead and forcefully carry out the measures needed to place the Association on a solid foundation. Now that this has been done, and the organization has grown to proportions that touch so many interests of humanity, it is time to spread the enormous responsibilities that have. been created, and thus give to the great work of the Association the benefit of additional minds and enthusiasm. Plainly, the Association must take such steps to reach its splendid possibilities, or a period

every clinician must appreciate the labors of Koch in bringing so many diseases from the realm of uncertainty into the light of definite, demonstrable knowledge. To a certain extent Koch's great discovery of the tubercle bacillus may be said to mark the birth of preventive medicine. For generations tuberculosis had been one of the world's great scourges. Medicine was powerless to stay its course for it knew not where, nor to what to direct its efforts at prevention or cure. Then came Koch's report, one of the most remarkable in the whole history of science for accuracy, soundness and absolute incontrovertibility. What had been one of Nature's closest secrets, was now plain as day. No greater triumph of logical scientific investigation

will ever be written in the annals of medicine, and as some one has said the honor of having given to mankind the secret of the cause of tuberculosis is greater by far than to have won any or all of the world's greatest battles. From that day the prevention of disease was shown to be the great object of medical science, and preventive methods received an impetus that meant everything to the world at large.

Koch had his trials. The publication of the results of his studies naturally attracted world wide attention. His discoveries were so important that before he knew it, the people were ascribing miraculous power to him, and although he made no hasty or unwarranted claims, he soon became a victim of the people's enthusiasm.

When the reaction set in and innumerable consumptives found that Koch could not cure them, they blamed him, even though he had never claimed that his tuberculin was infallible or absolutely specific. As the years have gone on, however, most of his claims have been substantiated and the belief is growing that the ultimate elaboration of Koch's principles will witness the development of at least an approximate specific for tuberculosis. Professional jealousy, spite, contumely, everything was his lot, but through it all he retained his poise, and fortunately his government recognized his worth. The stress of financial problems, therefore, never interfered with his scientific work and in the face of antagonisms openly expressed by not a few of his confreres, he kept staunchly on his way. Today in reviewing his splendid work, it is apparent beyond all cavil that Koch triumphed in spite of every obstacle. Unlike many another hard worker time is not necessary to prove the value of Koch's labors, for the true worth of much that he accomplished was evident from the first. But as the years go on, men are bound to appreciate more and more the services he has rendered all humanity. Long after kings, presidents, statesmen, politicians. and millionaires have passed away and been forgotten except in name, the efforts and work of Koch will go on bearing fruit. and multiplying for the good and welfare of mankind. He labored well for the benefit of humanity and no man could ask a grander monument than the actual results he was able to accomplish.

"Keep off the grass" signs have recently been ordered removed from all the parks by the mayor of our metropolitan city. No one will deny the virtue of this

act, and yet, we know of no single instance where the medical profession of any city has ever urged the removal of such signs for reasons of health.

There is everywhere great and commendable agitation against tuberculosis; steps are instigated for the erection of proper dwelling houses in the sections of the poor; lectures are given on hygiene and sanitation, but we have never heard the virtue of the green grass in our public parks extolled by medical men or medical journals. All the talk being air and sunshine-and the grass was there; viewed from a dust-laden distance.

Green grass has many beneficial qualities. it is restful to the eye; it purifies and moistens the air making breathing much more pleasant and healthful; it has a tendency to encourage deeper breathing and no one will deny that it somehow has an exhilarating influence upon mankind. It is cool in the summer heat and we feel the desire to walk or lie on it. Most people think of it as a thing of beauty to look at and our sociologists urge it as a good playground for children. Why only children? The great army of ambulant sick and convalescent need it much more! The freedom of the park grass in cities and towns all over the country would soon improve health conditions and lower the death rate considerably. That at least is our opinion.

The anti-opium crusade in the orient is not progressing as well as was hoped. Very doleful tales come out of China as to the apathy of the officials, but what else can be expected when opium users are in every class of society? We might as well expect enforcement of a law in the United States forbidding the use of alcoholic beverages. The worst of the matter is

In

the discovery that the difficulty of getting opium to smoke is creating a class of opium eaters and morphine fiends, the same phenomenon as the resort to vile whiskey where milder drinks are forbidden. other words races and classes must reform themselves. Racial habits cannot be changed in a day and it is folly for Europeans to expect to change Chinamen into white men. Moreover where restrictions have been tried, there has been an appalling increase of smuggling as was freely predicted and it will continue. The oriental is learning to hate occidental laws as something to be evaded, whereas the peace of the world is dependent upon voluntary acceptance of higher civilization gradually. It cannot be crammed down their throats quicker than it can be digested.

The anti-opium crusade has been too precipitous and we must go back and begin over again or the last state will be many times worse than the first. The mistake was due to the hysterical exaggerations of the harm being done, mostly based upon well meaning reports of missionaries, who of course will not compromise with their consciences and will insist upon prohibition which cannot possibly prohibit. Careful scientific observers in the orient have repeatedly shown that the harm done is not anywhere near as great as the unscientific clergymen have imagined, and have shown that to a certain extent opium bears the same relation to these stolid nervous systems that coffee does to even more unstable organisms. There is even more than a hint that the moderate use of opium may fill some need which the Chinaman will satisfy by hook or by crook. Of course there are too many cases of abuse as there are too many cases of coffee intoxication or tobacco hearts, but it is absurd to force prohibition because some go to

extremes. It is as foolish to forbid possession of money because some hundreds kill themselves with too much. The whole hysterical business had better be allowed to quiet down awhile.

The superiority of female students, both children and adults, has been mentioned and explained hundreds of times and yet the full pedagogic significance of the fact still seems to be ignored. The girls in many a co-educational college furnish an overwhelming percentage of the best students and yet in later years the men take the lead in every one of the lines in which as boys they were so backward. It is all due to the well known fact that in her weaker physical state, self-protection has demanded an early development of the perceptive faculties. Age for age, girls perceive understandingly what boys scarcely notice. The differences between the two sexes are so great that it is unscientific to class them together and there is a growing suspicion that each is injured by current co-educational methods-the boys unduly stimulated and the girls retarded. In spite of this self-evident conclusion, pedagogs seem bent upon the impossible task of making the boys keep up with the girls-a plan sure to be followed by farreaching bad results. The boys are liable. to become discouraged while the girls are led to embark upon careers as wage earners in professions in which failure is inevitable.

Making history and learning it are two vastly different things requiring mental qualities of diametrically opposite character. The slowly developing boy is destined now as in the past, to be the history maker, while the girl is to learn of these deeds at the fireside. Indeed some of the world's greatest innovators have been notorious for their inability to learn of the innovations of others, while the exceptional

scholar and brilliant teacher may never have an original idea in his life. Although good students as a rule furnish most of the great men of college training, there is an appalling number of life failures among the best students. That is, ability of the immature to learn is no criterion of future

ability to do things, and there is absolutely no way of determining who are to be the successes. For these reasons there has arisen a great discontent with our present pedagogic methods which shower honors on women and boys who are not the best equipped for the life struggle. It is thought that the college reward should somehow fall to those who are to become successful, though no one can pick them out, and that more attention should be given to other faculties than mere mental quickness and ability to remember trivialities which grown men try to forget. At present let it be widely known that our methods give distinction only to those who are the best learners and not necessarily to those who will be the best workers. The superiority of women students may thus lead to a change of method whereby the slower male mental qualities will be better trained for the work of life.

The fate of the students who fail to get diplomas is now being given considerable attention with the alleged result that they are found to be doing very well, some being prominent leaders in numerous lines. of work. It is even said that relatively they are doing better than their classmates who succeeded, that is, a higher percentage attain success and distinction as workers and originators. This, if true, should not surprise us. The good student drifts. into teaching or writing of the deeds of others, while the others do deeds of their own the former become conservatives resentful of innovation, the latter innovators resentful of the restraints of authority. Progress is the resultant of these