Issued Tenth and Twenty-fifth of Every Month by the Fortnightly Press Co. UNDER THE EDITORIAL DIRECTION OF FRANK PARSONS NORBURY, M. D. AND THOS. A. HOPKINS, M. D. Secretary: CHARLES WOOD FASSETT, M. D. A COSMOPOLITAN BIWEEKLY FOR THE GENERAL PRACTITIONER Editorial Offices In St. Louis, Jacksonville and, St. Joseph, where specimen copies may be obtained and subscriptions will be taken. Address all business communications to the Fortnightly Press Company. Address all contributions and books for review to the Editors, Suite 312, Century Building, Saint Louis. Volume XXIV JULY TENTH Editorial Department. Number 1 This DR. S. WEIR MITCHELL, the veteran neurologist, who has done so much to advance the science and art of medicine, contributes a suggestive paper (American Medicine, June 27, 1903) on "The Relation of Neuralgic Headaches to Storms." relationship between the storm periods and neuralgic headaches is shown by the graphic method in one case. The observation is given with a view of encouraging other physicians to note the effect of atmospheric conditions in the production of pain of The Relation neuralgic character. Mitchell says: "As in traumatic neuralgia so in headaches, it is only required to come within the outer limits of storm conditions. The sky may be cloudless, and the rain or cloud areas two or three hundred miles away, and yet the sufferer be within the area of barometric depression. I have at different times been able to convince myself that certain migraines were due to storms, but not, as a rule, to the summer electric storms, which, however, in some hysterical women are sure to occasion a general headache, distinct in character from hemicranial attacks." The observations made in the case reported show that low barometer alone had no tendency to bring on this form of neuralgia, but a grouped condition of the atmospheric conditions which constitute a storm will be found to be in hemicrania, as in traumatic neuralgia, essential to the causation of migraine. The question then is as Mitchell puts it, "Given a human instrument capable of evolving a group of symptoms, of which pain is the most surely present, what are the agencies which evolve attacks? How far are climatic conditions responsible?" To facilitate the study of this problem it is suggested that patients (preferably males) be induced to note in the calendar the dates of headaches during two years, the question of connection of storms and kind of pain could be surely ascertained. This is a practical question and one. of considerable interest to all physicians interested in neurology. F. P. N. THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU has undertaken a very important work in endeavoring to establish a National uniformity system of regis Registration of Deaths. tration of deaths. With the co-operation of the American Public Health Association a standard form of death certificate is suggested which if adopted by all states, cities and towns will insure valuable data for the study of vital statistics. State and municipal registration will become a part of the National service under this plan and these statistics compiled under the International or Bertillon system will eventually give a fund of knowledge concerning the causes and forms of death with details in full, which will be of great aid in the ultimate study of preventive medicine. It is to be hoped that every state and city will co-operate with the Census Bureau in this great work. There are many physicians who are careless in the making of death certificates, as evidence one but has to go over the accumulated certificates in the registrar's office, when it will be revealed that there no attempt is made to be uniform or to enter into details, necessary for a proper understanding of the real scientific facts concerned in the causes of death. A few years ago a friend investigated the vital statistics of one county in Illinois for the period extending back to the establishment of registration of deaths; he carefully compiled all of the data, and what was especially noticeable in the summary of these statistics was the lack of uniformity in classification, inadequate details and apparent carelessness and indifference. By the methods suggested by the system proposed by the census bureau, here will be uniformity in classification and detailed information which will give real value to the statistics Every physician having an interest in the welfare of his profession and scientific interest in the work now undertaken by the census bureau will cheerfully co-operate in securing the adoption of this system. F. P. N. A SUIT FOR A STOMACH.-A Milwaukee surgeon performed a gastrectomy on a woman some time ago and kept the part removed among his pathological specimens. The son of the woman has now sued the surgeon for $5,000, the alleged value of the purloined stomach. SHALL LEPERS BE DIVORCED?-From Honolulu comes the news that as the result of the report of the United States Senate Committee that visited here last fall, and local agitation, the Board of Health is trying to arrange about 60 divorces at the leper settlement of Molokai, and the assistance of the attorney-general has been invoked. In all the cases under consideration the husband or wife is at the settlement, while the other person is away. These partitions have resulted in conditions at the settlement that the Senate Committee strongly condemned, and it is the opinion of many that the moral situation would be greatly improved if the lepers were free to intermarry at Molokai. The plan has aroused much local opposition, chiefly of a religions nature.-Am. Med. The Reviewer's Table. Books, Reprints, and Instruments for this department, should be sent to the Editors, St. Louis. A TEXT-BOOK OF PRACTICAL MEDICINE. By William Gilman Thompson, Brothers & Co., 1902. Illus Thompson's text-book became a standard work from the date of its first publication. This position has been won purely on its merits. Its chief merits being that it is founded upon a large clinical experience; it is practical. Its author has used rare analytical abilities in presenting the best thought on diagnosis and treatment-the two essentials of success in the practice of medicine. The text has been carefully revised and new material added, notably the chapters on the transmission of diseases by mosquitoes and parasities; the chapters on yellow fever, dysentery, malarial fevers, etc. The student will find this book of great value, and the practitioner of exceptional interest and helpful, as a ready reference desk companion. This edition is representative of the latest and best teachings of American medicine. It is a handsome volume, convenient size, and of the uniform excellence in type, etc., characteristic of the books published by this progressive house. F. P. N. HARRINGTON'S HYGIENE. A Manual of Practical Hygiene for Students, Physicians and Health Officers. By Charles Harrington, M.D., Assistant Professor of Hygiene in the Medical School of Harvard University. New (second) edition, revised and enlarged. In one octavo volume of 755 pages, illustrated with 113 engravings and 12 full-page plates in colors and monochrone. Philadelphia and New York: Lea Brothers & Co., Publishers. (Price, cloth, $4.25.) A second edition within fifteen months of this valuable book bespeaks its usefulness. The demand for more thorough knowledge of hygiene on the part of National, State and Municipal authorities makes it imperative that the individual student be well-grounded in this branch of medicine during his college course, and to meet this demand this manual presents in excellent form the facts of modern hygiene. It is the best text-book we have in the English language, and as a reference work for physicians and health authorities it is of especial value. This present edition has been thoroughly revised, many chapters having been rewritten and a new chapter added on the Relation of Insects to Human Diseases. This subject is receiving much consideration from health authorities, in consequence the pestiferous mosquito has received his sentence, and his extermination is the problem now in localities where malaria, yellow fever, etc., are prevalent. Every physician should have this book in his library. F. P. N. INTERNATIONAL CLINICS. A Quarterly of Illustrated Clinical Lectures and especially Prepared Original Articles on Treatment, Medicine, Surgery, Neurology, Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Gynecology, Orthopedics, etc., etc., Edited by A. O. J. Kelly, A. M., M.D., of Philadelphia. With the Collaboration of Wm. M. Osler, M. D., Baltimore; John H. Musser, M.D., Philadelphia; Jas. Stewart, M.D., Montreal; John B. Murphy, M.D., Chicago; Thomas M. Rotch, M. D., Boston; John G. Clark, M.D., Philadelphia; James J. Walsh, M.D., New York; J. W. Ballantyne, M. D.. Edinburgh; John Harold, M. D., London; Edmund Landolt, Paris; Richard Kretz, M.D., Vienna, with regular correspondents in Montreal, London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Leipsic, Brussels and Carlsbad. Vol. I. Thirteenth Series, 1903. Pages 300. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co., Publishers, 1903. (Price, Cloth, $2.00 net.) This standard work comes to us under new editorship, beginning with this volume. Dr. Kelly has not changed the form of the quarterly, he has added new names to the staff of collaborators. This work is deserving of the consideration of every physician who wishes to keep in touch with the advancement being made in practical medicine and surgery. It is practical becauses it discusses clinical medicine as we meet it in daily practice. This volume is rich in good papers by such well known authorities as Wm. Osler, who discusses "Aneurism of the Descending Aorta;" Reynold Wilcox on a number of interesting Heart cases, in which treatment is discussed; Satterthwaite on Nauheim Methods of Treatment Chronic Heart Disease; Finger on Treatment on Urerhritis; Fussel on Treatment of Diphtheria; Billings on Primary Interstitial Tuberculosis; Einhorn on Obstruction Gastric, Dilatation Gastric Stagnation; Keen on Surgical Cases; Senn with excellent clinical cases; Jonneseo discusses surgical treatment of Basedow's Diseases; Ross on Hernia, and other good papers. The special articles on pediatrics, orthopedics are worthy contributions. The whole volume is of superior grade of work, and bespeaks well for the usefulness of this quarterly. F. P. N. DISEASES OF THE HEART AND ARTERIAL SYSTEM. Designed to be a Practical Presentation of the Subject for the Use of Students and Practitioners of Medicine. By Robert H. Babcock, Professor of Clinical Medicine and Diseases of the Chest in the College of Physicians and Surgeons (Medical Department of the Illinois State University), Chicago, etc. With 3 colored plates and 139 illustrations. New York and London: D. Appleton & Co., 1903. This is an exceptional work, crowning a labor of love, enthusiasm and devotion to a purpose. To the average physician unfamiliar with the disadvantages under which this distinguished author has worked, the book will command attention and its merits be recognized. To those who know personally the author this book will be regarded as a monument to his persistent painstaking work; wonderfully acute discernment in diagnosis; his wonderfully refined cultivation of other sense perceptions to compen sate for the loss of his eye-sight; his ability to present to the reader in such excellent text the description of disease based on the conclusions of extensive, observation and the formulation of scientific clinical deductions; the mobilization of clinical facts in a form that gives practical results in treatment. The author is not inclined to be speculative, nor does he appeal to our imagination; he simply puts in good, terse English his observations, and thus assists the practitioner to reach practical results in treatment. Babcock's work in comparison with other special works on the Heart, seems to us to be more useful and practical-he does not waste space, time nor energy like Gibson; he is more elaborate on diagnosis than Balfour; more careful of the needs of the practitioner than Broadbent and, of course, more modern in therapeutics than any of the writers. The book is well illustrated, well printed and is uniform in style and binding with the Appleton Medical Library so well known to all physicians. F. P. N. DISEASES OF INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD. For the Use of Students and Practitioners of Medicine. By L. Emmett Holt, A. M., M.D., LL. D., New York. Nine colored plates; 225 illustrations. New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1902. Holt is one of the leading authorities of the world in this special field of clinical medicine. This text-book is in consequence recognized as the exponent of the present teachings of pediatrics. It is an excellent work, full of detail; original and practical in its teachings. The consideration of all of the ailments of childhood is based an extensive experience with every advantage for exhaustive study of pathology and original research observation in therapeutics. Therapeutics in this work is comprehensive and thorough, embracing every feature that will contribute to the welfare of the child. Drug medication is but a minor element in the scope of therapeutics as viewed by this master in treatment. Some well merited therapeutic axioms are stated in terse language, axioms which every physician should know, practice and preach. It is only by studying such a work that the fulness of it is appreciated, and it is only by applying in practice its teachings that the breadth and practical value of it reaches its true estimate. The reviewer has followed the precepts laid down by Holt in the practice of infant feeding, and has always regarded his teachings as reliable and productive of good results. We feel constrained to differ with him as regards the value of some infant foods now on the market, because the old saying, the proof of the pudding is in the eating' holds good in infant feeding as well as in the more refined culinary art of supplying wholesome palatable diet. Our difference of opinion is in the use of Mellin's food-his chart of the food value, proportions, etc., is misleading because he neglects to say that this food, when modified by milk, changes these percentages, bringing them approximately to the food value of mother's milk. It is not fair to give an incomplete statement of this food, because the majority of the profession |