limbs aching as of tiredness. hereditary one.—IBID. Iris Versicolor 2 x in Diabetes Mellitus.-Mr. J. B., age 36 years, single, merchant. Duration several years. Pathogenetic symptoms: Mind low-spirited, dullness of mental faculties. Dull, throbbing supra-orbital pains, chiefly on the right side, with nausea, urine sometimes vomiting in the morning. Eructations, anorexia, urine pale and copious. Clinical symptoms: Burning in the pancreas. Urine of increased specific gravity and containing sugar. Feeling of tiredness and exhaustion and weakness of lower limbs. Remarks: Treated by various physicians. Pronounced hopeless by last medical adviser. Symptoms began to disappear and sugar to decrease within the first week. After suspending the remedy for two weeks the symptoms and sugar began to reappear. Disappeared again on re-administration of drug which was continued for eight weeks. Ten months have since elapsed, without the slightest observation of diet and no symptoms have returned.-IBID. Remarks: The case seems to be a Conducted by Medico-Legal. HON. JOSEPH M. DEUEL. All correspondence in regard to this department should be addressed to J. M. Deuel, Esq., 118 West 48th Street, New York City. Does a PROFESSIONAL CONFIDENCES. physician "incur any risk or legal responsibility by divulging any facts concerning a patient that he considers necessary to prevent him from communicating disease to others?" This inquiry, by a New York physician, is singled out from those received, because seemingly, it is of general interest. The signifi cance of the question, and what is included therein, will be better comprehended by quoting from the letter a hypothetical situation with which the doctor leads up to the inquiry: "A patient residing in a large boarding house wherein the physician has other patients is suffering from an infectious disease of such a nature as to make him (to some degree) dangerous to his fellow boarders, but not a disease which the Board of Health requires to be reported as contagicus (for illustration syphilis or gonorrhea in the active stages) and is known to be careless and negligent of the precautions advised for the safety of others." The law places no seal on the doctor's lips and prescribes no penalties in such cases. information obtained by him in a professional capacity are privileged only when he becomes a witness in some judicial investigation. Communications made to a physician and Even then silence is not a matter of right belonging to himself but remains with the patient exclusively. At no other time is the doctor under legal restraint. If the doctor will turn to the April number of the JOURNAL he will find on page 262 the exact words of the only statute there is which in any wise appertains to this subject. And the discussion of the law which follows is quite ample to meet the present inquiry. As now presented it is one of ethics pure and simple. While that is wholly outside the domain of this department, it may be remarked-obiter dicta—that under many circumstances the physician not only would be fully justified in putting other patients on guard, but would be culpable if he failed to do so. there should be well-grounded fear for the safety of others; carelessness or indifference on the part of the afflicted amounting practically to criminal negligence. But While the statutes impose no secrecy on the doctor, a malicious circulation of information intended to bring a former patient into social disrepute might involve the professional tale bearer in a suit. for slander. But under the circumstances detailed in the letter where a duty is owed to others, and the information is imparted solely for their benefit and protection, no action could be maintained.. Communications made in good faith and in the performance of any duty, public or private, either legal, moral or social, to a person having any interest in the information, even if the facts are untrue, are privileged and not actionable. Surgical and Therapeutical Points. Conducted by JOHN B. GARRISON, M.D. In all Urethral Injuries great care should be taken in the passage of instruments, as there is great danger of tearing up lacerated tissues and making a false passage. Spongia has the most remarkable applicability to that terrible acute disease-membranous croup-provided, however, the local inflammation has first been diminished or subdued by a very small dose of aconite. The additional use of a small dose of hepar sulph. will rarely be found necessary.-HAHNEMANN. Naphthol has been recently recommended in gonorrheal urethritis. It is said to act by becoming decomposed and then destroying the germs of disease by coming in contact with the mucous membrane of the genito-urinary tract. It has been given in doses of from two to fifteen grains several times daily. In Intermittent Fever when the chill predominates, when the gastric phenomena of a low intensity is well marked, especially by a constant nausea, when the patient feels as if there was a hoop around the body, then give ipecacuanha with confidence. In Hypertrophy of the Prostate the least disturbance of the usual regimen or the slightest venereal or dietetic excess or exposure causes congestion of the deeper parts of the urethra. This may excite reflex contraction of the surrounding muscles and be the cause of a retention of urine.—Am. Text-Book Gen. U. Dis. China is an Old Remedy for the homoeopath, but when you have a congested liver or spleen with sticking, tearing, drawing pains, lassitude, with a peculiar restlessness impelling to constant motion, aggravated by touch, motion and every kind of physical or mental effort, yellowish hue of the skin and periodicity of symptoms, then try it. One-half of all Cerebral Haemorrhages are due to recognized or unrecognized interstitial nephritis, resulting from the weakened condition of the vessels and especially the development of small miliary aneurisms, which Charcot says are frequently developed in interstitial nephritis, as well as to the diminished or want of coagulability of the blood; hemiplegia, with or without aphasia, may be the first symptom calling attention to kidney lesion.-CARLETON. The Edges of the Chancre are smooth, often elevated and are not undermined, while in chancroid they are clean cut, perpendicular and undermined. Then, too, the floor of the chancre is smooth and shiny, while in the chancroid it is uneven, irregular and dull. Herpes Progenitalis cannot have too much care in making the diagnosis, for the occurrence of abrasions about the genital organs of either sex, especially in a male with a tight prepuce, may become the site of inoculation of chancre and chancroid; and the diagnostician should exercise the greatest caution in prognosis, never forgetting that what is now a simple herpetic vesicle may, from infection, develop other trouble.-BANGS-HARDAWAY, Am. Text-Book. In Differentiating Herpes from the initial syphilitic sore attention must be paid to history and duration and manner of attack. Chancre generally occurs singly; herpes in groups of vesicles. The edge and base of a chancre are hard, indurated and elevated; those of an herpetic ulcer, light red; chancre, dark red or yellowish-brown. of herpes soft, pliable and with little or no elevation. The color Herpes has a serous exudate, making the ulcer appear moist; chancre has no secretion, the ulcer is glistening and dry.—Ibid. Mucous Patches are flat while herpes always appears as vesicles udate; mucous patches by macerated epithelium.-Ibid. that are acuminate. Herpetic ulcers are covered with a serous ex Chancroid Never Appears as a vesicle or group of vesicles; herpes always does. Herpes is attended with little inflammation, discharge is slight, outline regular; chancroid is usually accompanied with inguinal adenopathy. In herpes enlargement of the glands rarely occurs; when it does it is transitory. The discomis decided soreness. Chancroid is inoculable; herpes never.-Ibid. fort from herpes is from itching and burning; in chancroid there CONDUCTED BY Current Events. WILLIAM S. PEARSALL, M.D. Readers of the JOURNAL are cordiany requested to send personals, removals, deaths and all items of general news to Dr. William S. Pearsall, 128 West 78th Street, New York City. Secretaries of societies and institutions are invited to contribute reports of their proceedings, and as it is intended to make this department crisp and newsy reports should be complete but concise. DR. C. E. FISHER recently visited this city. DR. FRED D. LEWIS recently called in the city. DR. E. N. WILCOX will assume the care of his practice for the summer. Dr. L. C. MCELWEE, of St. Lous, paid a brief visit to New York friends recently. A GOOD OPENING for a homoeopathic physician is to be found in Eatontown, N. J. DR. AND MRS. J. B. GREGG CUSTIS were the guests of Dr. E. H. Porter at commencement time. DR. W. R. KING, of Washington, D. C., was a welcome guest at the New York Alumni Banquet. DR. CHAS. W. TOWNSEND frequently returns from short trips up the Hudson. Professional of course. Dr. W. H. HANCHETT, of Omaha, made a flying visit to New York friends on his return to Philadelphia. DR. H. EVERETT RUSSELL will be at the "Ocean House," Watch Hill, R. I., from July 1st to September 10th. IT IS RUMORED that the Board of Surgeons of the New York Ophthalmic Hospital is no longer in existence. DR. AND MRS. WILLIAM TOD HELMUTH recently spent a month abroad, returing in time for the college commencement. DR. W. W. VAN BAUN, editor of the Hahnemannian Monthly, was recently the guest of the editor of the NORTH AMERICAN. DR. M. O. TERRY has been appointed division surgeon with rank of major, and is making his preparations to go to the front. CALDWELL MORRISON, M.D., of Summit, N. J., has removed to De Forest Avenue. Office hours, 8 to 10 A. M.; 2 to 3 and 7 to 8 P. M. DR. HUNTOON, of Lowell, Mass., a member of the first class in the New York Homoeopathic Medical College was present at the alumni banquet. THE JOURNAL. takes great pleasure in extending its greetings to Paul Dudley Allen, the son of Dr. and Mrs. J. Wilford Allen, born April 7, 1898. THE UNION CLUB DINNER, at which the members of all the medical clubs of Greater New York and Jersey City were present, was held at the Brevoort House on the 3d of June. DR. RIAL N. DENISON has removed to No. 55 Eighth Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. Telephone, 152 Prospect. Office hours, 8 to 10 A. M.; 6 to 7.30 P. M. Sundays until 11 A. M. NIGHT CALL.-The residence of Dr. A. B. Norton, of 16 West Forty-fifth street, New York City, was entered by burglars recently and many hundred dollars worth of valuables taken. DR. EDWARD HILL BALDWIN, O. et A. Chir., has removed his office and residence to No. 77 Clinton Avenue, Newark, N. J. Telephone, 4021. Diseases of eye, ear, and throat exclusively. ST. PETERSBURG.-The Russian Homeopathic Society has, through its President, Dr. Bresol, contributed 2,000 francs to the restoration of Hahnemann's tomb in the cemetery of Montmartre, Paris. REMOVAL NOTICE.-The Metropolitan Hospital Registry for Trained Nurses, has removed to Nos. 686 and 688 Lexington Avenue, near Fifty-seventh Street. Street. Telephone, 2266 Thirty-eighth ELECTION TO BRITISH SOCIETY.-Dr. Pemberton Dudley, Dr. W. A. Dewey and Dr. Eugene H. Porter have recently been elected corresponding members of the British Homoeopathic Medical Society. DR. WILLIAM LATHROP LOVE, has removed from No. 409 Classon Avenue to No. 1188 Dean Street, near Nostrand Avenue. Office hours, 10 A. M. to 1.30 P. M.; 6 to 7.30 P. M. Telephone, 191 Bedford. DR. E. P. SWIFT, of Pleasantville, N. Y., desires to announce that he will reside at Lake Mohonk Mountain House, Ulster Co., N. Y., during July, August and September, and will assume the care of any patient who may be referred to him there, or at “Mountain Rest." Society of the State of Michigan, held at Grand Rapids, the following resolution was unanimously passed: MICHIGAN.--At the recent session of the Homeopathic Medical That a vote of confidence be given to the professors of the homceopathic college at Ann Arbor, and that this society extend |