In the January WORLD, page 29, Dr. Shirk wants an "old and tried remedy and no guess work" for after-pains. Camphor and opium pills, two grains of former and one grain of latter, is the thing to relieve those pains. I never saw any unpleasant after effects from their use. The infant should be put to the breast and made to nurse in about an hour after being born, and repeated every two hours during the first day; then there will be less trouble with the womb.

For after-pains I have found a few teaspoonful doses of ergot at intervals of two or three hours following the labor, excellent to insure firm contraction, which can then be maintained by gtts. iij cimicifuga every two hours, or as much of this latter drug as the patient will stand without headache.

Versailles, Ky. S. M. WORTHINGTON.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-I wrote Dr. S. (page 29, January WORLD), to administer gr. glonoin for after-pains; one granule every ten minutes dissolved on tongue. Throw your nasty stuff to the dogs after you have used the glonoin. A. L. STIERS.

Lorton, Neb.

I have been a subscriber to THE MEDICAL WORLD for five years, and have never made myself known in its columns. But, after reading Dr. F. M. Shirk's request for a specific for after-pains, I have concluded to leave my seclusion, and emerge into the light. However, after reading the answer of the Editor, I feel as tho there is not much left to say. On being notified of my patient's sufferings, I learn if the womb is clear of clots; if not, of course clean them out. My favorit way is to wash them out with some good antiseptic, such as listerine and hot water; once will suffice. I also give her by the mouth one of P. D. & Co.'s hypodermic tablets of morphin and atropin. I leave four or five to be taken, when indicated, if pains are severe; if not, I order a half of one taken. This makes the patient quiet and comfortable before I leave her bedside; and when I am called in her next confinement, before the child is delivered, she asks me to be sure and leave her some of those little pills or tablets for afterpains. If I am compelled to leave the sick room to look after other patients, I can feel certain that I will not be called back. I have been practising medicin for seventeen years, and have been at the bedside of almost a thousand lying-in women; not one of those that I gave the tablets to ever knew what it was to have after-pains. On a few occasions, I have been askt if it was not morphin that I give. I told them it was atropin. Many times mothers have said, "I do not care what it is; they give me ease. Mohawk, Ind.

O. A. COLLINS.

Quinin for After-pains.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Dr. Shirk, on page 29, January WORLD, asks for a specific in after-pains. I give quinin gr. vj, strych. sulf. gr. in No. 1 cap., and repeat every three to six hours, or as required. I got the quinin idea from Playfair's Midwifery, third American edition, p. 548. Have added the strych. on general principles. Have used it so long and with such uniform results that I came to think all doctors everywhere were certainly using the same. There may be cases where quinin cannot be tolerated, but they are few. In such case other remedies may be tried. Deedsville, Ind.

J. C. FRETZ, M.D.

Cold Feet.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-On page 16, January WORLD, Dr. Crittenden asks for a remedy for "cold feet." Having suffered a great deal from the trouble, I offer my remedy as follows: Make a saturated solution of Epsom salts in warm water (as long as any will dissolve); the same of gum camphor in pure oliv oil. Now after bathing the feet and

wiping off lightly, use the salt solution with the hand or soft cloth; wipe dry and apply the camphorated oil to the feet and legs as high as the knee and around it also into the popliteal space; repeat each night and morning if necessary. The salt solution is a stimulant and detergent, removing every particle of effete and dead material, and puts parts in good condition for osmosis. There is stasis or some defect in the circulation which should be sought and removed if possible. If the brother should have sciatica, rheumatic or gouty troubles, the following formula is the best local application I know of.

am.

In a recent number there was an article regarding the medical papers read in our socie

I have forgotten the author, and I do not have the particular number referred to at hand, but I wish I could shake hands with that doctor. His article is to the point. We have a medical society here which I shall call "The Goose-run Medical Society." Its meetings are held semi-annually, and the time on the program is given over to the Kansas City, St. Joe, and St. Louis specialists, who come with their jars of pickled specimens and talk learnedly about a hysterectomy, pyo-salpinx, etc.; whereas most of us would be greatly benefited by hearing something regarding the best method of treating an in-grown toe nail, or

some good procedure in cureting a womb. May THE WORLD prosper.

X. Z.

[The article referred to will be found on pages 16 and 17, January WORLD; the author being Dr. Benj. Edson, of Brooklyn, N. Y.ED.]

Telephone Consultations.

Dr. F. W. Moses, of Columbus, Ind., remarks that there is one phase of practise that the fee bills publisht in WORLD do not cover; and that is, what shall we charge for consultation over the telephone? He says that he is frequently consulted in this way, as doubtless thousands of other WORLD readers are, and he asks what charge he should make. This would be an interesting point to exchange views upon. We predict that the majority opinion will be that a telephone consultation should rank about with an office consultation, and be charged for about the same. However, only subjectiv symptoms can be learned, as, the patient not being present, cannot be examined objectivly; but the doctor is not responsible for this disadvantage. The patient should come to him, or call the doctor to him (and pay accordingly), or be satisfied with any disadvantage to him that a telephone consultation involves, and pay for the service rendered.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-We need more God fearing, liberal, wide awake men in the medical profession, that are not afraid to step out on the high pinnacle of homeopathy, overlooking the entire field of medicin, and select the best there is in this broad universe, regardless of the opinion of any man, or set of men, that discourages research and progress. No, Dr. Giltner, (page 545) you can never "nip such wild claims, close up in the bud." They are as eternal as the ages, hence must and will stand until time is no more. "God made man in His own image," and it is presumption for man to try to improve on himself; the prepuce was put there for a purpose, and no one has a right to deprive his fellow man of a God given organ when He has provided medicins to cure, and a law to guide in their selection. It doesn't matter whether it is balanitis, balanoposthitis, phimosis or paraphimosis; homeopathy will cure it, and not absorb the prepuce, gland or penis. Dr. Edgar made a simple statement of facts, and if you would get out of your shell you could see them.

Dr. Hines, Case II, page 562: I cured two cases of prolapsus of rectum in December with podo. 30, in about forty-eight hours each. The indications were prolapsus, with white mealy, very offensiv stools, worse mornings.

Paris, Texas. G. F. THORNHILL, M.D.

Chalk (calcii carbonas, precipitated, U. S. P.), is an excellent antacid in those cases where acidity of the stomach is connected with undue relaxation of the bowels. It suits all ages; is not poisonous; and may be administered almost ad libitum. The dose is from ten grains upward; give plenty.

The

Toxic Action of Formaldehyde. Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Say if you please, concerning formaldehyde-the toxic action of which seems little understood—a man in this city subjected himself to its fumes a number of times, and one afternoon was seized with hematuria, greatly to his astonishment. next morning he experienced a large discharge of blood with clots. Twenty-four hours after his attack, was seized with a hard chill, which lasted more than an hour; this was followed with fever; but after a few days in bed he seemed to recover except that he felt quite weak for some time and had something like urethritis for two or more weeks.

Records in Longevity and Fecundity. Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-In the January number of THE MEDICAL WORLD, page 19, Brother Dorsey gives a remarkable case of rapid child-bearing. I will not try to compete with him in this line, but challenge him with a family for longevity.

I examined a woman for insurance and elicited this family history: She was one of a family of sixteen children, the youngest of whom was thirty-six, every one living and both parents living. Her grandparents died at the ages of 84, 89, 96, and 104.

I also had a patient who was the mother of a child of 25 months, one of 15 months, one of 5 months, and was at the time several weeks' pregnant.

I also delivered a woman of her first two children, the second being born ten days before the first was ten months old. The second child was all right in every way, and seemed to be at full term. M. E. VAN METER.

San Francisco, Cal.

Diagnosis of Typhoid.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-On opening the February WORLD to page 60 I was half amused on reading Dr. Thompson's article "Nourish Your Typhoid Patients." If he has treated 314 cases in ten years without a single death, he has been more fortunate than any other practician on this mundane sphere. Many typhoid patients, when first seen by a doctor, are unable to eat oyster crackers, soda crackers, boiled eggs, oysters, corn starch and rice, as recommended by Dr. Thompson; the secretions being all dried up, the patient has no desire for any kind of nourishment. me ask Dr. Thompson if he applied the blood test to his 314 cases of typhoid ?

Let

J. G. NUGENT, M.D. Briggs' Corner, New Brunswick. [This is one of many comments on Dr. Thompson's article, calling in question his

diagnosis, as we did in our note at the end of the article. We publisht the article in order to illustrate the laxity in the diagnosis of typhoid fever that still exists in some localities. We want doctors to write to THE WORLD just as they think, or as they talk to one another when they meet. Then their real ideas and practise come out; and if wrong, they are sure to be "called down" when exposed to the bright light of publicity in THE WORLD.-ED.]

The Typical American Family. Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-The January number of your valuable journal is read with interest up here, and especially an article signed "Race Perpetuation." The author of that

article wants to hear from some reader of THE WORLD on the subject contained in his letter, and the reason why the American is more childless than the foreigner.

Comment on the course he pursued in the confinement case is only this: Are you satisfied with your own actions in the course you took? Circumstances would so much govern one's conduct that it would be impossible to give an expression justly.

Now, President Roosevelt may be a man of large family, but according to a story that drifted up here, one of his appointees is not. This story may be a chestnut to a great many, and I would hesitate to vouch for its truth; but its moral so largely accounts for "what is wrong with the nativ American," I am going to give it for the benefit of the doctor who signs himself "Race Perpetuation."

Scene, Castle Garden.

Immigrant Commissioner, and Pat just arrived from Ireland.

Com. Good morning Pat.

Pat. Good morning, sur.

Com. Just arrived?

Pat. Ay hev sur.

Com. Did you bring your family with you? Pat. Indeade and ay did sur.

The above quantity fills a four-ounce salt mouth bottle. The manufacturers sell it at $1 per ounce, and the above costs about 10 cents per ounce. I use in office, on an average, about one ounce per week, and have done so for nearly ten years past; and the fifty ounces per year have cost me about $5 in place of $50, which in ten years is a saving of $450 on that one article to the country or village doctor who dispenses his own drugs. This preparation combines well with pulv. Dover's, soda salicyl., etc., and is useful in grip, bronchitis, rheumatism, neuralgic headaches, etc.

As to the driving lamp question, I have had three of the Dietz driving lamps, and used them the last ten years. They have never jarred out on worst of roads; but a high wind gives you "the light that failed" quicker than wink every time. I'm in the market for something better if it can be had, but it must be warranted not to blow out. R. B. ELDERDICE, M.D. McKnightstown, Pa.

[The above article appeared in WORLD last March, 1903. Physicians have written us expressing the great value that such articles are to them, this article in particular, and that such articles are to be found only in THE WORLD. Many physicians have said that in money value, this article alone is worth the price of THE WORLD for many years. Hence, we think it well to republish it on this anniversary of its first appearance. Perhaps many will think it well to republish it regularly every year-every March. But, in order to get the