Editorial.

COMING MEETINGS DEVOTED TO THE SUBJECT OF PHYSICAL THERAPEUTICS.

WITHIN

ITHIN the next two months three important meetings will be held in the interest of physical therapeutics: (1) the meeting of the American Electro-Therapeutic Association, which will be held in Boston on the 17th, 18th, 19th of September, 1907; (2) the meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society, which will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 2d, 3d, and 4th of October; and (3) the meeting of the II. Congrès International de Physiothérapie, which will be held in Rome on October 13-17. Except the meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society, the subject of physical therapeutics will be consiered broadly in these meetings, and there is every reason to believe from the personnel of the contributors-the members of these distinguished bodies-that very much will be accomplished in the furtherance of the progress and betterment of these important subjects which are now attracting the attention of the professional mind of the whole scientific world.

There has been no time in the history of therapeutics when there has been such opportunity and demand for the labors of these scientific bodies;-a time when the medical profession is so at sea and at variance with the medical practice and therapeutics of our day; when such men as Osler, Sajous, Wright, and hosts of others decry the therapeutics of drugs. It is of the utmost importance that the value of these measures which are capable of filling well the requirements where drug medication has proved unavailing in the treatment of a host of pathological conditions, which have been consequently looked upon in previous times as incurable, be established.

The significance of the employment of these methods is of the greatest import to suffering humanity, and if the profession is to pursue in honesty its calling, measures must be employed which will appeal to the intelligent mind of an intelligent public or the decadence of the profession, which has held a position so long of the highest regard and esteem, is certain. That the enlightenment which the profession requires must proceed from the members who constitute these bodies and others affiliated,

is appreciated; for the medical schools with few exceptions are making slow progress in the advancement of these subjects which must supplant the decaying therapeutics of medicine.

It is to be regretted that the other society should entirely ignore the consideration of other subjects than the use of the x-ray if it considers therapeutics at all, for while the Roentgen ray may fill a valuable place in therapeutics, it can only achieve its greatest successes by combining its use with the allied methods.

The physician who would include himself in the category of the Roentgenologist or x-ray specialist, except he make the purpose of his work diagnosis, places himself in the same narrow position as the osteopath, who expects to accomplish almost everything with one sort of therapy to the exclusion of all of the other physical or other measures.

There are probably but few of those who are enrolled as members of the American Roentgen Ray Society who would wish to be put in such a position; and yet it is a notorious fact that in its councils and discussions it has in the past generally been narrowed to the exclusion of all other subjects, excluding even light and the high-frequency currents. If for no other purpose than to control the dermatitis of the Roentgen ray, these two modalities at least, should be considered in the meetings of the Association. It is probable that in the future this society will become somewhat broader in its conception of physical therapeutics and thereby enlarge its field of usefulness in therapeutics.

MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ELECTROTHERAPEUTIC ASSOCIATION.

The next meeting of the American Electro-Therapeutic Association will be held at Copely Hall, Clarendon Street, Boston, Mass., on the 17th, 18th, and 19th of September, 1907.

Arrangements have been made to accommodate members and families and guests at the Hotel Brunswick on Copley Square, with which special rates have been made for members of the Association. The hotel is within two minutes' walk of Copley Hall, and also near the famous Public Library, Art Gallery, Trinity Church, and other points of interest. Car lines to every part of the city pass the hotel.

Arrangements have been made by the Committee for entertainments, receptions, automobile and sight-seeing trips, which in this historic city will be a great attraction to the members and their wives who attend the meeting. Efforts are being made to arrange for special rates with transportation companies of which notice will be given in the preliminary programme if effected. There will be in addition to the papers published in the accompanying programme, several others, most of which will be published in the programme which will be forwarded to the members before the time of the meeting. Copley Hall, where the meeting will be held, has a most capacious and well-adapted assembly hall, as well as rooms for Committees, and a large room in which there will be an unusually good exhibition of therapeutic apparatus.

Every detail of arrangement is receiving most careful attention, and the meeting, in every particular, promises to be one of the best attended and most interesting in the history of the Association. Those who have not already sent in the titles of their papers should forward them to the Secretary at the earliest. possible moment.

Preliminary Programme.

The following subjects for papers have been forwarded to the Secretary:

President's Address, by Morris W. Brinkmann, New York. Electricity a Rational Curative Factor. William S. Watson, M. D., New York.

A Historical Sketch of Physio-Therapy. H. H. Roberts, M. D., Lexington, Ky.

Light-More Light. A. W. Herzog, M. D., New York. Electric Light Baths in Nervous Diseases. T. D. Crothers, M. D., Hartford, Conn.

Electrical Treatment of Chronic Prostatitis and Enlarged Prostate Gland. H. E. Pitcher, M. D., Haverhill, Mass. Limitations of Electrical Treatment in Malignant Tumors. R. Reyburn, M. D., Washington, D. C.

Roentgen Dermatitis: Its Prevention and Treatment. M. Kassabian, M. D., Philadelphia, Pa.

Report of 150 Cases of Tuberculosis. J. D. Gibson, M. D., Denver, Colo.

Physiological Laws Relating to the Effects of Physical Measures, as Employed in Therapeutics. William Benham Snow, M. D., New York.

Presentation of a Case of Lupus, Showing the Effects of Treatment by Concentrated White Light. Felix Barrett, M. D., Westbrook, Mass.

Electricity in the Diseases of the Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat. S. J. Harris, M. D., Boston, Mass.

Arthritis Deformans. T. H. Cannon, M. D., Baltimore, Md. A New Method for the Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis. F. F. Strong, M. D., Boston, Mass.

Lupus of the Nose Requiring Three Years' Treatment with the X-Ray, Finally Cured. C. M. Steele, M. D., Oshkosh, Wis. Physiological Action and Therapeutic Indication of the Constant Current. By Francis B. Bishop, M. D., Washington, D. C.

The Light Modalities in the Treatment of Disease. By Thomas W. Brockbank, Philadelphia, Pa.

Additional papers are promised of which the subjects have not been forwarded.

II. INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF

PHYSICAL THERAPEUTICS.

The Commitee of the Congress to be held in Rome next October for the consideration of Physical measures in the treatment of diseases have arranged special transit facilities for members of the Congress and their families with the following companies: Societa veneziana di navigazione a vapore, La Veloce, Lloyd Italiano, and Navigazione generale Italiano. The last named have agreed to a reduction of 30 to 50 per cent. The advantages proffered by the other companies can be learned through any transportation company. The Committee have also concluded an especially favorable tariff for their visitors at the best hotels in Rome and other Italian cities, to which excursions will be made at very reduced rates.

The II. Congrès International de Physiothérapie, to be held in Rome under the patronage of the King of Italy, enrolls upon its list the names of the world's greatest contributors to the subject of physical therapeutics, including the following enrolled from Europe and America:

Committee of Organization: Prof. Guido Baccelli, President; Vice-Presidents, Prof. A. Tamburini and Prof. P. Casciani; Secretary, Dr. L. Cesari: Treasurer, Dr. L. Coleschi; Secretary-General, Prof. Ch. Colombo. The Italian members are

as follows: Hon. Prof. Santoliquido, Hon. Prof. Bianchi, Hon. Prof. De Giovanni, Prof. Fenoglio, Prof. Gabbi, Hon. Prof. Grocco, Prof. Murri, Prof. Riva, Prof. Bernabei, Prof. Capriati, Prof. Devoto, Prof. Gualdi, Dr. Luisada, Prof. Massalongo, Prof. Roth, Prof. R. Silvestrini, Dr. Vallebona, Dr. Gennari, Prof Bozzolo, Hon. Prof. de Renzi, Dr. Ferrero di Cavellerleone, Prof. Galvagni, Hon. Prof Maragliano, Prof. Patella, Prof. Barduzzi, Prof. Boeri, Prof. Ceccherelli, Prof. Colella, Prof. Libertini, Dr. Luraschi, Prof. Negro, Prof. Rossoni, Prof. Tanzi, Prof. Vitali, Prof. Lutario, Hon. Prof. Cardarelli, Hon. Prof. Durante, Prof. Forlanini, Prof. Giuffre, Prof. Morselli, Hon. Prof. Queirolo, Prof Belmondo, Hon. Prof. Castellino, Prof. D'Abundo, Prof. Fedili, Prof. Lucatello, Prof. Luzenberger, Dr. Quirico, Hon. Prof. Senise, Dr. Tessaro, Dr. De Lillo.

Germany: President, Very Hon. von Leydon; Secretary, Dr. Immelmann. Members: Prof. Bäumler, Prof. Brauer, Prof. Brieger, Prof. Curschmann, Prof. Da la Camp, Prof. Ewald, Prof. Goldscheider, Prof. Grünmach, Prof. Hoffa, Prof. Kraus, Prof. Lassar, Prof. Lichtheim, Prof. von Mehring, Prof. Moritz, Prof. Mosler, Prof. Penzoldt, Prof. Posner, Prof. von Renvers, Prof. Schultze, Prof. Schwalbe, Prof. Senator, Prof. Strümpel.

America: President, Dr. Francis B. Bishop; Secretary, Dr. William Benham Snow; Treasurer, Dr. A. C. Geyser. Members: Dr. F. H. Morse, Dr. M. A. Cleaves, Dr. M. L. H. Arnold Snow, Dr. W. J. Morton, Dr. M. W. Brinkmann, Dr. Curran Pope, Dr. M. H. Kassabian, Dr. G. C. Johnston, Dr. Chas. Denison, Dr. G. Betton Massey, Dr. D. E. Hoag, Dr. E. C. Titus, Dr. J. H. Kellogg, Dr. H. H. Roberts, Dr. G. F. Pfahler, Dr. J. G. Johnston, Dr. J. D. Gibson, Dr. H. F. Pitcher.

Austria: Honorary Presidents, Prof. von Noorden, Prof. Winternitz, Prof. Jaksch, Prof. Meixner, Prof. H. Lorenz, Prof. Rokitansky, Prof. Geuzinski, Prof. Jaworski. Acting President, Prof. A. Lorenz; Secretary, Dr. A. Bum. Members: Dr. Erben, Dr. Freund, Dr. Holzknecht, Dr. Klenböck, Dr. Marburg, Dr. Strasser, Dr. G. Pick, Drs. Mladejowsky, Spitzy, Wittek, Wunchheim, Kowalski, Chlumsky, Buchsbaum, Howorka, Kahane, Weinberger, Slavik, Wohrizek.

Denmark: President, Israel Rosenthal; Secretary, Dr. Jacobaeus. Members: Prof. Sloman, Drs. Faber, Forchhammer, Rubow, Sardolin, Brandsled, Lorenzen, Fischer, Reyn.

France: Honorary Presidents, Profs. D'Arsonval, Bouchard, Armand Gautier, Gariel; Acting-President, Prof. Landouzy; Vice-Presidents, Profs. Bergonie, Garrigou, Grasset, Lepine, Spillman, Lemoine; Secretaries, Drs. Maurice Faure, Albert Weil. Members: Profs. Albert Robin, Arnozan, Brissaud,