Published on the 15th of each month. Address all Communications and make all Cheques, Post Office Orders and Postal Notes payable to the Publisher, GEORGE ELLIOTT, 203 Beverley St., Toronto, Canada.

VOL. XXIV.

TORONTO, JANUARY, 1904.

No. 1.

COMMENT FROM MONTH TO MONTH.

The medical profession of Halifax and Nova Scotia are already getting matters into ship-shape for a monster meeting of the Canadian Medical Association there from the 22nd to the 25th of August next. Mr. Francis Caird, of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, has promised to come and deliver the address in surgery. Dr. Howard A. Kelly, of Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, will deliver the address in gynecology. Dr. J. W. Stirling, of Montreal, will deliver an address in ophthalmology. In addition to these there are to be addresses in medicine and pathology, which is certainly an attractive nucleus of what promises to be a very fine very successful meeting. The success following in the footsteps of the Canadian Medical Association will be sure to make the Maritime men enthusiastic in its cause for 1905. Between three and four hundred medical men are a lot to get together in a country where distance is a great contributing factor in deterring men from being present at these annual meetings; and our

programme

and a

friends in the East, now that they have taken upon themselves the work of organization for 1905, will most surely deserve the loyal support of those of the West. We are satisfied from the hint we have had of entertainment, that the 1905 meeting will be one of great enjoyment and be as truly profitable as it will be pleasurable. Let our readers make up their minds early that they will go to Halifax in earnest next August.

Anent our criticism of the "commission business" in Canadian medicine, or rather, to be quite correct, the lack of such in Canadian medicine, we notice from our contemporary, The Canadian Journal of Medicine and Surgery, as well as from the responsible columns of a leading society paper, that there is or has been a "commission business" of a rather inferior character carried on in connection with one of the proprietary schools of the city. This order of commission seems to be a mighty poor specimen, and Dr. MacCallum, when he turned it down, did only an act which an honorable man would do. We are loth to believe that any man is amongst us who would give back 10 per cent. of his fees to a girls' college in order to hold the business of such institution. It is scarcely necessary to say anything of such an institution, or the authorities thereof, who would ask for this. It would certainly not be a charitable institution.

The year 1904 has been chased into history. It cannot be said that it has been remarkable for any important, specific, medical achievement in the annals of medicine, although, no doubt, there has been much painstaking, active medical work. True, the British Commission for the investigation of cancer was organized, but it has accomplished nothing; but the time is short. Researches have been made into the mysteries of immunity; good work has been done in the matter of the care of the consumptive patient; Sajous has studied the internal secretions to some advantage; yeast has been rehabilitated in the therapeutic

world to some extent. In surgery we are yet watching experimental renal decapsulation. In Toronto, Ontario, and Canada, the most noticeable item is the impetus given to the idea of a large hospital in connection with Toronto University Medical Faculty.

Last year the doctor loomed large in politics. The reason is not far to seek; there have been so many general elections. Of course he has a right to be there the same as any other citizen, but politics have ruined many a man's practice; and it is easier to get into politics than it is to get into practice. Politics is never a very clean game, and most doctors who have been in it or who are in it would be better had they never had anything to do with it. A man must, however, take upon himself the duties of citizenship, and if his natural bent lies in this direction, if he has a taste for public life, and assumes the trust without the "graft" idea buzzing in his bonnet, he should be upheld and supported by both those within and without the profession who desire to see clean men in public life to-day. But too often, probably, the profession looks askance at the doctor-politician, in many cases without just cause. His motives are impugned, probably justly, probably unjustly. No doubt all classes of the community should be represented in the legislature, and the doctor ought to be a very important member of that body. Their number is not at any times large when they get into parliament, and wherever one appears in the political race, we think he ought to have the earnest support of the profession to which he belongs.

Some one has recently been recommending that all bread be delivered in a paper bag. The idea is a good one, but we are afraid that public sentiment is scarcely educated up to that mark yet. Another good, if not better, thing would be the prohibition of fruits and berries in open shop windows in summertime, catching all the dust and dirt blowing off the street on a windy day. Still another matter ought to receive attention at the hands of the health authorities: the prohibition of chunks of ice on the side

walk, etc. This mark for dogs lies often for hours where the man with the tongs has slung it. When you buy vegetables from your huckster he will carry same into your cellar; but the autocratic ice man comes along and "slings it," perhaps on the sidewalk, perhaps "bang" against your back-door, perhaps over your high-board fence. It is bad enough to get ice which you trust is pure, but you don't want it 'deposited where animals can monkey with it.

In medical circles in Toronto the last week of 1904 may be called "Osler" week. On the afternoon of Tuesday, the 27th of December, Dean and Mrs. Reeve were "at home" in the Medical Buildings, and many of the profession of Toronto and their wives, called to meet Dr. Osler. On the evening of the 28th, Professor McPhedran was "at home" in his handsome residence. on Bloor Street, where over two hundred physicians gathered to wish a Happy New Year to Professor McPhedran and his distinguished guest. On the following afternoon Professor Osler formally opened the new home of the Ontario Medical Library Association in Queen's Park, and, of course, made some practical remarks. Then he was dined by the Canadian Club and the Trinity Old Boys' Association. Such homage would be sufficient to turn the head of an ordinary man, but Osler's head never revolves; it always goes straight forwards and continues to mount upward. All wish him God-speed in his new home.

According to the Medical News, there is a good chance of further lustre being shed on Canadian medicine. Dr. Lewellys Francis Barker is likely to become Professor Osler's successor. at Johns Hopkins. It states that the Baltimore Sun writes that the trustees of Johns Hopkins strongly favor the appointment of Dr. Barker, who is Professor of Anatomy in the Rush Medical College of the University of Chicago. Dr. Barker is yet a young man, being only thirty-seven years of age, but in the space of his short life he has had an exceedingly brilliant career.

News Items.

CANADIAN.

DR. GLEN CAMPBELL, Vancouver, is visiting in Montreal.

DR. HOPKINS, formerly of Grand Valley, has located at Toronto Junction.

DR. BREFFNEY O'REILLY has returned to Toronto after a trip across the Pacific Ocean.

DR. D. A. SHIRRES, Montreal, went to the Pan-American Medical Congress at Panama.

DR. J. COLVILLE has left Bowmanville for Chatham, having bought out a medical practice there.

DR. HENRY PIGEON, Peterboro', died suddenly on the 7th of December at the age of sixty-five years.

SIR GEORGE A. DRUMMOND has been elected President of the Montreal League for the Prevention of Tuberculosis.

DR. MURRAY MCFARLANE has moved to 18 Carlton Street, the residence formerly occupied by Dr. Uzziel Ogden.

DR. S. R. RICHARDSON, of Eglinton, has received the provincial appointment of associate coroner for the County of York.

DR. REIVE, who has been assisting in the General Hospital, Toronto, for some time, has gone to Huntsville, where he will spend the winter as assistant in the hospital there.

DR. MACKENZIE is visiting in Trenton, having left Rossland a few days ago. He will devote the rest of the winter to hospital work in Montreal, having left his practice in Rossland in charge of his nephew, who has just graduated from McGill University, Montreal.