Reserve Medical College, Cleveland, reports in the September issue of the same publication under the title of "The Effect of Atophan and Novatophan on the Endogenous Uric Acid Excretion of Normal Men," the results of his experiments with twenty-one medical students who were apparently in good health and who had been kept on a purin free diet for at least one week before atophan or novatophan were administered. Sixteen of these showed an increase of urinary uric acid excretion of over 200 milligrams, four, a noticeable but lesser figure and one, no increase at all. The author concludes that the action of atophan does not merely consist in stimulating the kidneys to abstract from the blood a greater quantity of uric acid than they otherwise would, but that the main effect of the drug is to drain uric acid out of the blood, leaving the uric acid content of the latter subnormal.

While both these investigations add still further scientific evidence to the superior qualifications of atophan and its derivative as therapeutic agents in gout and other manifestations of the uric acid diathesis, it should not be forgotten that already independent of their uric acid "mobilizing" action, these substances possess marked analgesic, antipyretic as well as powerful antiphlogistic effect. This has been very conclusively demonstrated clinically by Prof. Klemperer of Berlin, who disposes of an experience covering the use of approximately 2,000 fifteen grain doses in nearly 300 cases of acute polyarthritis treated at the Municipal Hospital, Moabit, during the past two years (Therapie der Gegenwart, June, 1913).

A most convincing demonstration of the powerful antipholgistic effect of atophan and its derivative has been furnished by Profs. E. Starkenstein and W. Wiechowski of the University of Prague in the entire suppression, in guinea pigs treated with atophan, of the violent chemosis following ocular instillations of essential oil of mustard (Prager Medizinische Wochenschrift, January 16th, 1913).

Atophan and Novatophan will therefore also be found of the greatest value in lumbago, muscular rheumatism, neuritis, sciatica, hemicrania, migraine, non-specific iritis, episcleritis, otosclerosis and generally in all painful inflammatory conditions whether uratic or non-uratic in character.

Metz "22" Wins Glidden Trophy. Over roads that would test any make of car, and particularly the big high powered

gear transmission car, the Boston team of three Metz cars of the gearless transmission type, demonstrated their ability to negotiate anything in the line of rough country that any automobile could be driven over, in the long grind on the Glidden tour from Minneapolis to Glacier National Park, Montana, and entered the last control with a perfect score, and the winner of the Glidden and Anderson trophies. The famous cup of the Classic and American automobile road contest, comes back to the city in which it originated, and which the donor, Charles J. Glidden, claims as his home.

The winning of the three Metz cars not only brings fame to the makers, but honor to Boston, and added prestige to the gearless transmission type of automobiles.

The winning of these trophies was of such a decided character that there was no doubt left in the minds of the judges that the cars had shown exceptional durability, and the drivers splendid judgment.

Over some of the long prairie trails the big cars plowed up to their hubs in gumbo, and made bad weather of it, and several times on the trip, the Metz team was actually compelled to leave the road and make a detour through the fields to get around some of the large, high powered cars which were ditched or stuck in the ooze.

The Metz team being obliged to start last on the tour was badly handicapped and had all its difficulties and obstacles ahead of it so that its perfect scores at each control were all the more remarkable.

Just before the control at Minot, N.D., was reached one of the cars struck a concealed rock and smashed a wheel, which necessitated reshipping a spare wheel and naturally some time was lost, but in this case the car was driven over the roughest kind of roads at the rate of 33 miles for the last hour, and arrived at the control with minutes to spare-a wonderful test for the little machine and its driver.

If ever a comparison was a test between the gear type of transmission and the friction driven car, it was had on the Glidden tour just ended, and the gearless type of transmission came out with flying colors.

At every control the drivers of the Metz team, which included Mr. Chas. H. Metz, president of the Metz Company, and his son, Walter Metz, were given a most enthusiastic reception. They were feasted and entertained several times on the trip, and at the big pow-wow arranged by President Hill of the Great Northern road, they were the center of attraction and were critically examined by the Indian chiefs. An Indian interpreter gave the little cars a

The American Medical Defense Association is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Illinois, "not for profit," but for the exclusive purpose of protecting its members from unjust attacks in civil courts upon any cause which involves the professional acts of its members such service to be devoid of all the quibbles and technicalities so frequently set up by insurance and casualty companies and society defense by "conditions" and "limitations" contained in the policies and rules governing such defense. Its plan is the result of years of study of the desires of the medical and dental practitioners, by the men in charge of the management hereof.

Dr. William A. Montgomery, president and general manager, has had nearly fourteen years experience in this work. He began this work early in the year 1900 as general agent of the Physicians Guarantee Company, the pioneer in this business, and later he was made western manager of that company.

William F. Hatch, the secretary of the association, has been the assistant secretary and manager of the Physicians Defense Company at the home office of that company for several years in which position he has had an experience of great value to him in his position with this association.

The plan of the association is to nationalize the ethical defense which state medical societies are trying to accomplish single handed, amplifying the same to make it all that is to be desired and getting the advantage of the law of general average.

The annual dues of this association are placed at ten dollars which is deemed amply sufficient to cover all costs of efficient and successful defense and to leave a margin for rebate as well. As the experience of the Physicians Defense Company has proven a fighting defense, with no compromises ever contemplated in a prophylaxis against the filing of suits, so will be our experience beyond question.

If there is anything in the plan of the American American Medical Defense Medical Defense Association that is lacking for complete protection and prevention of malpractice suits, fourteen years of experience has not disclosed what it could be that is missing. Write for full information to Wm. F. Hatch, secretary, 127 N. Dearborn street, Chicago, Ill.

Dr. A. L. Skoog will sail from New York December 13 for Havre. He expects to be absent a year.

Dr. A. H. Cordier was recently operated for a indefinite adbominal condition by Dr. John B. Murphy of Chicago.

At the meeting of the Kansas City Academy of Medicine, November 29th, Drs. Frank I. Ridge, Walter S. Sutton, Hugh Wilkinson, C. H. Bryant and L. S. Milne were elected to membership.

Dr. David R. Porter was dined at the

University Club November 24th, in commemoration of his 75th birthday and his 50th year in the practice of medicine. The dinner was given by his old medical friends.

Dr. Jacob Block addressed the Academy of Medicine, November 26th, on Renal Tuberculosis and presented a post-operative specimen of unusual interest. It is unfortunate that this learned discourse was not reduced to manuscript that the reading profession might profit by it.

A

St. Nicholas Features.

All children, and most grown-ups for that matter, hate to go to a book store and ask questions about books unless they are ready to buy them, however desirous they may be for information. This accounts for the large correspondence that has been created by the Book Man department in St. Nicholas Magazine. The Book Man is a genial person who discourses with children about books through direct correspondence. He has some difficult questions put up to him from time to time; for instance, he was recently asked by an inquiring child, why Bret Harte made fun of a number of great books in his famous Condensed Novels."

Rudyard Kipling is conceded to be one of the greatest experts alive in titles for his stories and books. His Jungle Books, which originally appeared in St. Nicholas Magazine, contain many unforgettable titles. Another less distinguished, but widely read contributor to St. Nicholas, is Miss Ariadne Gilbert, author of a series of biographical sketches. Her paper on Lincoln is called "The Matterhorn of Men;" on Washington Irving "The Sunny Master of Sunnyside;" on David Livingstone "The Torch Bearer of the Dark Continent."

The Most Important Year of the Century Magazine.

"The period through which we are living, in its display of scientific accomplishment and clashing social forces is the most broadly significant and humanly spectacular in the forty-three years of the existence of The Century Magazine," says an editorial in The Century.

It is the avowed ambition of the magazine, say its publishers, to be as nearly as possible representative of the times in which we live. Believing that fiction is virtually the only effective means of approaching the minds of millions of intelligent persons, The Century will devote about half of each issue during the coming year to fiction. In a magazine of the size of The Century, this amount of space given to fiction leaves a great many pages which as usual will be devoted to art and poetry and to such papers as those on immigration by Professor Edward A. Ross of the University of Wisconsin; by W. Morgan Shuster, author of "The Strangling of Persia," on subjects of international interest; for example, "Have We a Foreign Policy?" and "Shall the Filipinos Have a Fourth of July?"

Characteristic of the "New Spirit of the Century" are the genuinely important papers: Theodore Roosevelt on The Progressive Party;" Edna Kenton on "The Militant Women-and Women'' which gives the case for the feminists, and "The Modern Quest for a Religion," a serious and reverent study by Winston Churchill, author of "The Inside of the Cup," which will be a feature of the December Century.

In the February Century will begin a prophetic triology by H. G. Wells, in which this modern prophet sees a possible and logical future that stirs the imagination. The February number will be a "Short Story Number," and will contain a special group of stories by authors who are either celebrated already or likely to become so.

Always a leader in the art field, The Century will continue to make a number of interesting experiments in various reproductive processes. With its corps of artist-engravers and its elaborate art depart

ment, The Century is able to get effects in full color and in "Century color-tone" that are impossible in less carefully printed and designed magazines.

In its comic department, In Lighter Vein," The Century continues to prove that the best illustrators and the best writers are glad occasionally to turn to the lighter treatment of current topics.

The New Woman vs. the Old.

Babies, then, being just the same as formerly, except that the great advance in medicine, surgery, sanitation, and such matters has improved their chances of growing up, and young children now being not so different as might be supposed from what young children used to be, one naturally wonders at what age the great changes in life (which are understood to be proceeding in this generation) begin to touch the girls and make them different. I inquired about that of an expert man who has to do with the training of the young, and always has a lot of them convenient for observation during their pupilage. "When," said I, "do the modern girls begin to feel the influence of their times and begin to be different from their grandmothers at their age?"

He deliberated. "At about forty.'

"Then you don't see any change in young girls and young women? You've known them by the hundred, intimately and over long periods of time, studied them more than anything else for nearly half a lifetime, and you say the new girls are just the same as the old?"

"Yes; just the same. The fashions change, but the girls don't. Sports have changed a little; studies have changed; but the girls haven't. They are still the same girls, and do things very much as they always did, albeit they do different things now from what their grandmothers did. Their grandmothers, also, in their day did things different from what their grandmothers did. The conditions of life change; employments change; education follows new fashions; new opportunities offer, old ones dwindle in importance; the girls as they come along take up the newer fashions in all things, That makes them look different, and people think they are changed, and are going to change still more, and that there is going to be the New Woman who is to be something that woman never was before. But that's a mistake. The girls don't change. They are just the same they always were, and they will keep on being so." "And the New Woman?"

"Why, bless you! the New Woman is just the old woman in a new bonnet, adjusted more or less to enormous changes in the physical and mental apparatus of the world, learned in new branches, a reader of newspapers and many books full of undigested suggestion, unedifying quotation, and very doubtful assertion. She used to ride on a pillion; now she rides in a motor-car, and often drives it herself. course she goes faster than she did., So does all the world. She keeps her place in an advancing linethat's all. Her relation to life has not changed unless she had kept up with the times.-E. S. Martin, in Harper's Magazine for December.

MODERN NURSERY RHYME.

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