cause they suppose the desire will remain with them, even tho not an irresistible desire. This is a mistake. I have talkt with scores of cured patients and found only one who said he still wanted the morphin. Relapses are due to pain, insomnia, mental worry-to the same things that caused the original mania.

It is now more than four years since I was cured. Since about ten days after the last dose, I can truthfully say I have not had one particle of desire for morphin. I am careful not to take opium in any form. I have endured considerable pain and expect to endure more, without the least wish for the pain relieving remedy. Instead there is a shudder at the thought—a horror of it. EX-FIEND, M.D.

Electric Belt Exposé.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Your exposé of the St. Paul Electric Belt business in March WORLD was quite interesting. You will see by the enclosed clipping that parties in Chicago are carrying on the same nefarious work. Four or five in our city have had the same experience as given in WORLD. Only one of them has taken the medicin; all others as far as I know have had belts and medicin returned, altho the company finally offered the whole for one dollar. I think it would be well if other medical journals would have the courage to expose such nefarious work.

Oneida, N. Y. H. W. CARPENTER, M.D. Hair Tonic.-Another Doctor who Makes His Own" Analgesic."

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Tell T. M. Lippit and all others who want a sure, time tried hair tonic and cure for dandruff and falling out of hair (not baldness) to use: Tinct. cantharides. Glycerin

Bay rum, q. s. ad..

Mix; use for a hair dressing once a day.

Will you please thank Dr. R. B. Elderdice for me for telling us (page 110, March, 1903, WORLD) how he saved $45.00 per year? There are others doing the same (myself included). I get better results from the mixture than from any of the "anti," or coal tar compounds, at a cost per pound of about what the proprietary articles cost per ounce, besides the further advantage of knowing just what proportion of what it contains, also always having a fresh preparation. I would advise every practician to try it; those who prescribe can have their druggist fix it up for them.

I would like to ask if any of the brethren know of an easy working formula for preparing either a granular or powdered effervescing preparation of mag. sulf. or sod. phos. La Farge, Wis. [This communication was received just too

E. E. GAINES, M.D. 'Rush," 1886.

"

late for our March issue, else it would have been incorporated with our remarks on pages 102 and 103 of that issue.-ED.]

Antikamnia.

[Please see March WORLD, page 103, bottom of first column. We there suggested that members of the profession write articles similar to that of Dr. Elderdice, on the opposit page, and send same to medical magazines other than THE WORLD, and see if they could get them in. The following communication was sent to another medical publication (not the Medical Brief), with the request that it be immediately returned if it was not acceptable. Dr. Lowe writes us that this request was made in order that he might send the article to THE WORLD in time for the April issue, in the event of its rejection by the journal first addrest. It was returned to Dr. Lowe, and he sends it to us with a letter giving the above facts. We cordially welcome the article, as being in the interest of the medical profession, and here present it, omitting, however, the name of the publication it was first sent to. You see by its form that it is addrest, all thru, to the other publication.]

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-In the March issue of THE MEDICAL WORLD is republisht an article written a year ago by Dr. Elderdice, of McKnightstown, Pa., in which he gives the formula of the proprietary preparation called ammonol, sold by the manufacturers at $1.00 per oz., and which the Doctor states can be put up at a cost of 10 cents per oz. This compounding of everyday remedies under a fanciful name and putting them upon the market at a fancy price is the speculativ fad of the day among proprietary medicin manufacturers, and is a curse to the physician not only in a financial way, but thru its tendency to cause him to neglect his materia medica, and get into the lazy habit of prescribing these proprietaries without a thought as to their modus operandi -indeed, in most instances it would be impossible for him to post himself upon the physiological action of the combination, even tho the formula be furnisht him, for the manufacturers are shrewd enuf to include in the formula some "made to order" meaningless name not to be found in any work on materia medica nor in the pharmacopeia. They know that the average physician is "dead easy" in regard to such matters, and that his ethical demands can be satisfied with any old formula, however meaningless.

The physician is apt to consider anything advertised in his medical journals as above the degrading level of the quack nostrums offered

in the lay press, but alas! in this he is too often deceived, and in many instances he can even be induced to use and prescribe these very preparations simply because he sees them advertised in his medical journals, and because they are well spoken of in the (of course not paid for) advertising editorials. THE MEDICAL WORLD is in this respect an exceptionally clean journal; and taken as a whole, the deserves much praise in keeping purged from

its columns the advertisements of those firms which cater to the trade of both the profession and the laity, but it has long harbored a certain advertisement which is a constant eyesore and source of disgust to many of its readers. I refer to the antikamnia advertisement. This antikamnia is a remedy which, like ammonol, is made at a very nominal cost, and is sold to the profession at a fancy figure; and saddest of all, there are many doctors who allow themselves to be roped in by this clever firm, and constantly use antikamnia when they could purchase at a reasonable price practically the same formula in tablet form-minus the monogram-from any reliable drug supply house. Let those who have not done so look up in their drug catalogs the tablets put out by the various firms under the head of analgesic, antipyretic, acetanilid comp., or headache tablets, and they will find numerous formulae over which the high priced antikamnia tablets possess no superior merits, and which do not possess the stigma of a patent or secret medicin. The doctor who uses or prescribes antikamnia will doubtless get the name of being a patent medicin vendor, for the antikamnia people are anything but ethical, and make no bones of pushing the sale of their wares among the laity. How long would a doctor hold the respect of an intelligent community if he went about prescribing De Witts' Little Early Risers, Ripans Tablets, St. Jacobs' Oil, Chamberlain's Cough and Diarrhea Remedy, Swift's Sure Specific, Rocky Mountain Tea, etc.? Not long surely! And yet he is doing but little better who uses antikamnia. The antikamnia monogram is not put on those tablets merely to tickle the esthetic eye of the doctor; it is calculated to be a means of identification for the laity, who, the manufacturers know, will readily recognize the remedy, since the firm is flooding the country with antikamnia literature, and even free samples; and is placing them on sale in drug stores in "handy vest-pocket packages." I have in my possession, and send you herewith, one of their letters with literature, free sample, etc., complete, which, as you see by the address, was sent to a minister in this place. Please publish the letter so that those who use antikamnia may see how this firm protects the interests of the doctor. The sample package was turned over to me, as I was at the time of its receipt attending the family during an attack of influenza, but being more sensible than the majority of patients, they wanted nothing to do with remedies of which they knew nothing too bad more doctors haven't the sense of this minister's family.

In view of these facts, I repeat, it is an eyesore to many of the readers to see among

the pages of a journal they respect so highlya journal in which they feel and individual pride and almost an ownership, for it is chiefly their own articles that make the journal-the advertisement of a company so flagrantly unethical. The adv. is no doubt a paying one financially, as far as the prompt settlement of bills is concerned, for the company is a prosperous one (who made it so; doctor, did you help?) and realizes the value of space in the medical press. But are there no other things to be considered? The readers are not all blind, and some day there will be a reactionary period. If the feels unable to lose

the patronage of this firm, let me suggest that those readers to whom the advertisement is a disgusting sight will doubtless contribute a small sum each to reimburse the editor for any loss he might suffer thru rejecting the ad. Farley, Iowa.

L. M. LOWE, M.D.

[Here is the letter to the clergyman. Was a similar letter and sample sent to every clergyman in the U. S.? It seems so, for if not, why this one and not all the others? These people have a wholesale way of doing things; besides the letter and the printing on the letter head, particularly the latter, in two colors, and not reproduced here, were evidently prepared for the laity; for example, an engraving of the vest pocket box; and in a bold line: "A few tablets kept about the house will be found useful in time of pain." What are the doctors going to do about it? Rev. John Caldwell, Farley, Iowa.

Dear Sir:-The enclosed is a free sample box of "Antikamnia Tablets," and a sample of a good thing" is a good thing to keep about the house, or in your pocket.

"Antikamnia Tablets" will cure all headaches, neuralgias, la grippe, women's aches and ills, and also men's worries. The little booklet tells when and how many, and druggists everywhere sell them in any quantity, or in "vest-pocket boxes." Sincerely yours, THE ANTIKAMNIA CHEMICAL COMPANY. FRANK A. RUF, Pres. and Treas.

Acetanilid Mixture.-"The Brief.".
Influenza.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-I have read with great pleasure your March number, and am more than pleased with the stand you take, and your speaking out plain about the acetanilid compounds with fanciful names. No doubt some of them are good, but so is acetanilid, their chief constituent. As you

say, the formula for "Ammonol" would bear printing every March. I have used it ever since seeing the formula in THE WORLD. I like it very much. I gave some of my preparation to a friend and he liked it. If any one objects to it in the powder form, P. D. & Co. will put it up in tablets very cheap, and any other tablet manufacturer would also be glad to do it I presume.

My treatment of pneumonia is essentially the same as W. C. Abbott's, and I think it the best. Have used it for the last five years with excellent results.

Am also glad to have you speak out about The Brief. I have had numerous sample copies but would never subscribe for it, for no other reason than that it boosts its own proprietaries, and in the most brazen way. It isn't the only journal that does it, either, if we read between the lines.

Dr. C. P. Horn asks for treatment for influenza. I give an illustrativ case and treat

ment:

Mrs. I. S., aged 30, was taken with chills, severe headache, felt as if it would split open; severe backache, limbs sore and all joints ached; felt as if she had been pounded all over; eyes sore; photophobia; head sore; pillows hurt head; hard dry cough; had to hold sides when she coughed; expectoration thick and bloody; tongue coated and breath offensiv; bowels constipated; no appetite; hadn't slept for two nights; temperature 103°, pulse 98; pains in lungs. Examination of fungs negativ, except a little roughness on inspiration.

Diagnosis: grip.

Treatment: Thirty defervescent granules in 25 teaspoons of water. Sig: Teaspoonful every 15 minutes till sweating freely; then every 2 to 4 hours to keep her so. Four tablets of acetanilid gr. ij, calomel gr. j, soda bicarb. gr. j. One such tablet every hour until gone. Then a migrain tablet or a five grain powder of the "ammonol" formula every four hours. For cough, am. carb. zss, am. cl. 3ss, tartar emetic gr. j, chloroform mx, water 3iv. Sig.: 3j every 3 hours. Morphin gr. ss. may be added to this if cough is particularly annoying. The next day temperature was 100°, pulse 84; no headache to speak of, and all symptoms improved. I may say I had a cotton batten jacket and lard and turpentine put on lungs. Patient's bowels had moved well.

In two days more, keeping up above treatment, temperature normal, pulse 72, patient feeling good and wanting to get up out of bed.

I keep temperature of room as near 68° as I can; the patient to be bathed with tepid water or not, as suits him. Diet, anything that is easily digested and nourishing; no solid food for a few days. Keep bowels moving once a day if possible. I never yet have seen any heart depression that gave me any alarm. I keep up the antipyretics till temperature is normal or very nearly so. Then when temperature and pulse are normal, I give strychnin, gr. every four hours, and my patients get along very well. Sometimes I add bovinine and port wine. This is excellent, especially

Proprietary Medicins in the Inquiry Department of Medical Journals.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Please send me three MEDICAL WORLD Binders. I inclose one dollar. I take three other medical journals, but THE WORLD is first in my affections. I prize each copy very highly, and take special care to save them, but still a copy will sometimes go astray, and cause me a little worry in getting it back into the fold. So hurry up the Binders.

I heartily endorse the Editor's position, on proprietary preparations in particular, and other subjects and issues as well. The inquiry department of the January Medical Brief contains twenty-one questions and answers, and to every answer except three (and one did not ask for treatment), the editor prescribes one or more proprietary medicins. One brother in Topeka, Kan., wanted a formula for a preparation that will bleach the hair, another in South Carolina wanted a remedy for hookworm, and the editor couldn't deliver. Now don't you think we need two more proprietary remedies? Or, maybe by a scientific blending of the activ principles" of the South American bamboo tree and other indigenous shrubbery, a compound elixir might be obtained that would answer both purposes. But I only commenced to order the Binders; will say that I am not a subscriber to the Medical Brief and never was. Campton, Ky.

་་

H. H. STAMPER, M. D.

Is there, anywhere, a single WORLD subscriber who is a regular, bona fide, paid subscriber for The Medical Brief? If not, doubtless many of our subscribers receive "sample copies" every month. Do you not think it strange that you should receive so many free "sample copies" of a large and expensivly gotten up journal like the Brief? Let us see why it is. Any who have the last issue (March) of the Brief, please take it up and begin at the first page (editorial). The first editorial is an attempted reply-a blatant one-to the comment of the editor of the Jour. of the Amer. Med. Ass'n, at the end of Dr. Wyeth's letter (reproduced in March WORLD, page 112, near top of second column). The second editorial is a "boost" for proprietary medicins in general, with a special mention (twice each) of two of Dr. Lawrence's children-well known to be his children-Dad Chemical Co. and Neurilla; and also a favorable mention of Duffy's Malt Whiskey. That's pretty good for the second editorial, isn't it? The next editorial is not an editorial; it is a communication from a Penna. doctor-or is presumed to be. Then there is a little more than a page with no references to proprietaries, and some of it is

pretty good. Then next comes (on page 165) a stiff Lawrence editorial of over a page in length, in which a large portion of the Lawrence family is brought out; Dad quinin pill, Neurilla, Respiton, Peacock's Bromids, Celerina, Neurilla again (evidently a favorit child), Bromidia (it is not known whether this is a real member of the family or only a near relativ), Seng and Chionia. Isn't that a good Isn't that a good set out for one editorial? Then follows about two pages of trade mark stuff. The rest of the editorial department is devoted to the editor boosting of himself and the Brief, condemning antitoxin, apologizing for boosting proprietaries, and diatribes against our accepted ethics.

Then comes (on pages 172 and 173) the inevitable and characteristic article by "Old Doc," with his numerous recommendations of the Lawrence litter of proprietaries. Can anyone doubt who "Old Doc" is?

Now let us turn to the "Inquiry Department," beginning on page 235-but before reading this my blue pencil marks made on first reading show many proprietary "boosts," for example on page 229. After reading a page or two of the Inquiry Dept.," can anyone doubt its purpose? Take a blue or red pencil and underline the proprietaries in the answers, and then glance over the pages again, and they look as tho they had smallpox-o spotted are they with marks.

If you don't happen to have a March number, examin, in the light of the above, any other number that you may happen to have, if any, and see if you can avoid the conviction that the Brief is a proprietary medicin

almanac !

Is this what you want medical journalism to be in this country? It has been going on for over twenty years. It would be impossible without the encouragement and support of the profession. Have you contributed to it in any way? That kind of medical journalism would not continue so long if it had not paid. It cannot pay except thru the profession. We know that the Brief does not pay from its subscription department (if it has such a department), for I have talkt with heads of firms who have numerous traveling men out constantly visiting physicians, and they say that they see the Brief around somewhat (frequently unopened), but they have not yet found a man who pays for it. And why should it be paid for? The advertising cannot pay, in the ordinary way, for, look for example at the title page; here we see Chionia at the top, Respiton at the bottom, and Seng at one side, all members of the Lawrence family. Panopepton is on the other margin, perhaps for the sake of appearances. the way thru, a practist eye can discern about

All

the same proportion. The few advertisements outside the circle cannot even pay expenses. The Brief is an expensivly gotten up journal, and the editor is fond of boasting of its financial success. When we analyze the thing we are forced to the conclusion that this financial prosperity comes, not from the publication itself, but from the sale of proprietaries, which sale is greatly promoted by unjournalistic and unseemly "boosting" in the reading pages. Advertising in the advertising pages is all right, but the pushing in the reading pages is unethical, unfair to other houses that have no "organ, "organ," and unfair to legitimate journals that depend on only legitimate sources of in

come.

Thus Dr. Lawrence has grown wealthy by fooling the profession (when will doctors get their eyes open), and he gets Uncle Sam to carry his proprietary almanac at second class rates, one cent a pound, which is unfair to other journals, subjecting them to unfair competition, and unfair to other houses, who have to pay full stamp rates on their advertising pamphlets.

Would the Brief exist without the proprietary medicin interests behind it? Would it be publisht at all except for the purpose of doing the boosting that we have shown? Evidently not. What would be the use ?--except as a matter of pride after this showing up, for the great wealth that Dr. Lawrence has accumulated off the profession, would enable him to print a model medical journal without any almanac features, and present it free for the rest of his life to every doctor in this country. That isn't what he is doing now. He is running an almanac, and hiring a few prominent men (who ought to be ashamed of themselves) to contribute in order to give the journal an "with the air of respectability, so it will "go more humble doctor, carrying the proprietary "push" with it, and thus win the patronage of the rank and file to the proprietaries thus boosted. It is a fine scheme, a deep laid plan for one man to prosper at the expense of the profession. It is being workt with great ability, and it has been very successful. But isn't the profession getting tired of it?

The true function of a medical magazine is to help the doctor in his daily work-not to ride him, and do it so cunningly that the doctor doesn't know it. Not only should the ideal medical journal help the doctor in a scientific way, but it should guard his interests in every possible way. THE MEDICAL WORLD learned the facts and boldly told the truth concerning the operations of the Comstock Collection Agency, and now we hear no more complaints of losses by physicians thru the operation of said agency, which seems to have quit oper

ating among physicians altogether. Owing to our exposures of fraud, doctors are not such an "easy mark" for speculativ schemes, such as gold mines, oil wells, copper mines, plantations of various sorts, etc. Do you see the difference between a journal that is working for you, and one that is "working" you? The latter has been going on for over twenty years. have often wondered why you were so blind. Now have I opened your eyes, and can you see? It isn't pleasant for me to do this, and I have hesitated for years, hoping that you would open your eyes yourselves. But this kind of work can't prosper except thru you. So I must at last do my duty.

I

The Medical Brief has publisht an elaborate and expensiv pamphlet giving the portraits of the men of high position who have been induced (by financial inducements, evidently) to contribute one or more articles to it. Nearly all of them are medical college professors, who ought to set a better example to the profession. This elegant pamphlet was gotten up to send to advertisers outside the " 'ring," in order that they might be influenced to take space in the Brief and help Dr. Lawrence to pay the expenses of his almanac, which is his mode of advertising; or in other words, to help Dr. Lawrence pay his advertising expenses. Also perhaps some copies of this pamphlet were sent to other prominent men in the profession (who might be in need of a nice little check) in order to help induce them to contribute to the Brief. You know, with some doctors, even with some who are "high up," ethics is only talk. When it comes to practise, they will do anything that will bring in the money. Here is a list of the men whose pictures appear in the elegant pamphlet above referred to. Wonder if they are proud of being Brief contributors. The street addresses are given, so you can write to them if you want to. Perhaps you want to send students to their schools!

Dr. Freeman Ford Ward, 6 E. Fifty-eighth St., New York.

Dr. W. Gill Wylie, 28 W. Fortieth St., New York. Dr. Augustin H. Goelet, 2030 Broadway, New York. Dr. C. D. Collins, 92 State St., Chicago, Ill.

Dr. J. Mount Bleyer, 460 Lexington Ave., New York. Dr. Waldo Briggs, 500 W. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, Mo.

Dr. H. Hoyle Butts, 313 Madison Ave., New York. Dr. A. R. Kieffer, 4268 West Belle Pl., St. Louis, Mo. Dr. Finley R. Cook, 5 Park Ave., New York.

Dr. Wm. Bedford Brown, 214 W. Forty-fourth St., New York.

Dr. Gordon G. Burdick, 3000 Michigan Ave., Chicago. Dr. Robert T. Morris, 58 W. Fifty-sixth St., New York.

Dr. C. A. Wilson-Prevost, 66 Madison Ave., New York.

Dr. S. V. Clevenger, 70 State St., Chicago.

Dr.A. Ernest Gallant, 103 W. Fifty-sixth St., New York.

Dr. Louis Faugeres Bishop, 54 W. Fifty-fifth St., New York.

Dr. Joseph B. Bissell, 15 W. Fifty-eighth St., New York.

Dr. Sinclair Tousey, 103 W. Seventy-sixth St., New York.

Dr. John Young Brown, 304 W. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, Mo,

Dr. Thos. H. Manley, 115 W. Forty-ninth St., New York.

Dr. Emil H. Grubbe, 2614 Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago.

Dr. A. Rose, 126 E. Twenty-ninth St., New York. Dr. Wm. J. Morton, 19. E. Twenty-eighth St., New York.

Dr. Senne S. Spencer, Chicago, Ill.

Dr. Frank Ferguson, 20 W. Thirty-eighth St., New York.

Dr. Francis Valk, 164 E. Sixty-first St., New York. Dr. Geo. D. Barney, New York.

It may be that some of these were trapt into it by the woman, as Dr. Wyeth was (see March WORLD, page 112, bottom of first column and top of second). If so, they ought to come out with it like Dr. Wyeth did. Will they do it? Write them and see.

More Light on Medical Brief Contributors. The following correspondence explains itself:

Philadelphia, March 4, 1904.

T. D. CROTHERS, M. D., Hartford, Conn. DEAR DOCTOR CROTHERS-I am sorry to notice on page 212, March number of the Medical Brief, that you have placed yourself among the contributors of that publication. See March WORLD, pages 111 and 112; particularly page 112, bottom of first column and top of second column.

Very sincerely.

C. F. TAYLOR.

Hartford, Conn., March 5, 1904. MY DEAR DOCTOR TAYLOR :-I am very sorry to receive a note from you calling attention to some kind of an error, exactly what I don't know. I don't see the "Brief." They do not exchange with our Journal, and how I can be a contributor to their journal is not clear. I sold an article on cocaine taking, to their credited agent, and that is the extent of all my transactions. I also gave a paper to this impecunious woman that attackt Dr. Wyeth, of N. Y., who was getting up articles for pay. Whether this was publisht or not, I don't know. I shall have to look into the matter a little, for I have not contributed articles to shady journals as a matter of pleasure.

Thank you very much for your suggestions, and hope I may have the pleasure of pleasing you rather than causing distress by my awkward appearance in another circle. With many thanks, believe me,

Very truly yours,

T. D. CROTHERS.