Editor cannot hold him Correspondence.self responsible for any clas views in this Department. DR. CARVETH AND the christian SCIENTISTS.--DR. CARVETH'S STATEMENT. To the Editor of THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY: DEAR SIR, I had thought my course of twenty years among the medical men of Toronto, in that time trying to work honestly and professionally, would have been sufficient to protect me, against charges that have been brought against me in this connection, but some statements lately made concerning my dealings with the Chrictian Science people require explanation from me. Some years ago the late John Kent, of McCaul Street, was under my care. After a time he left me to trv Christian Science treatment. A day or two before death he became comatose, and his friends sent for me and Dr. McPhedran. After his death the case was reported to the Crown officers and an investigation was held. The whole matter came before the late Sir Thomas Galt, who, in dismissing the case, made the statement that a man may have whatever treatment he wishes when sick, and the law cannot interfere with him. Since that time a large number of my patients have left me to try Christian Science treatment. Some of these and their friends still come to me when sick for medical treatment. My treatment of these patients is the same as given to all my other patients. In August, 1901, I was called to Markham Street to see the child of Mr. Lewis. When I reached the house, I found the boy had been dead a short time. Upon examination, I suspected he died of diphtheria. I took a swab from the throat and, with Dr. Wilson, made a culture, which turned out to be diphtheria. Upon finding this out, I reported the case as diphtheria to the Health Officer and gave a certificate of death from diphtheria. not knowing at that time that I was doing anything but what the law requires. In February, 1903, I attended Mr. Frazee, of Spadina Avenue. Some weeks after this I was called in to attend his child. I found the child suffering from a severe form of scarlet fever, which I reported at once to the Health Officer. The child died in two days and I gave a certificate of death from scarlet fever. In the early part of January of this year I received a message to attend a young man named W. H. Goodfellow at 611⁄2 Vanauley Street, the message stating that the young man was very sick and that his people did not know from what disease he was suffering. I went to the house and found the young man with a pulse of 130, respirations 65, with nostrils dilating, blue-white in color, bathed in perspiration and unconscious, dulness over lower parts of both lungs. After some hesitation I consented to treat him. I prescribed for him and saw him again next day, when I found him in a dying condition. After leaving the house, his mother-in-law, living near, called me in from the street and explained to me that a medical man (Dr. Riordan) had been in attendance up to within eight days of that time, but that he had received no medical attendance during the last eight days. His diagnosis had been typhoid with lung complication. On the advice of this doctor, his mother-in-law had reported the full circumstances of the case to the Crown Attorney. Knowing that the Crown officers were apprised of the whole matter, I gave a certificate of death from pneumonia (my diagnosis at the time I saw the patient). I gave the certificate, explaining to the patient's brother that, as the case had already been reported to the Crown officers they would likely investigate and that the responsibility would not be upon me. Feb. 11th, 1905. G. H. CARVETII, Cor. College and Huron Sts., THE MEDICAL INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS. To the Editor of THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY: DEAR SIR,-The Provincial Board of Health adopted the following regulations, Feb. 13th, 1903: "8. Whenever a case of diphtheria has occurred in a child attending any school, the Medical Health Officer shall personally, or through another physician, cause a daily examination to be made of all the children of the school room for at least one week from the date of occurrence of the last case amongst such children. "If any children are absent from such school, a medical examination shall be made of them in the same manner as if they were in attendance at school." In accordance with the above regulations, and at the request of Dr. Chas. Sheard, M. H. O. for Toronto, I inspected a large number of school children during the winter of 1903 plan adopted was to visit any class room where a case of diph theria had occurred, get a list of absentees, and ascertain the cause of absence. If the absentee was ill and a physician was in attendance, his statement as to the cause of absence was accepted. If illness existed and no physician was in attendance, an examination of the child was made to ascertain the nature of the illness, and a swab was taken if indicated. Among many hundreds of cases enquired into, I do not recall one where contagious disease existed that was not being properly looked after. The teachers are exceedingly careful and have been very successful in excluding from attendance at school all suspicious cases. My own opinion is that our city being small compared with many United States and European cities, and our population of a much higher average physically, morally and intellectually, medical inspection of school children is not necessary to the same extent as in those cities. Something might be done to secure greater cleanliness in a few cases. There are, undoubtedly, a number of cases where children suffer through defects of sight or hearing and are thought to be dull. The present movement to supply larger playgrounds will be a great advantage. Occasional teachers who have taught in many different rooms in the city say that much might be done to improve the heating and ventilation in many instances. Medical inspection of schools should for the present be entirely at the discretion of the Medical Health Officer. The daily visit of a medical inspector to every school, as is the rule in some cities, is apparently unnecessary. In the case of country schools there is practically no need of medical inspection in Ontario. During seven years spent in teaching in three rural schools, no cases occurred of contagious disease that could have been prevented by medical inspection. The most neglected part of country schools is the outdoor closets. In many cases these are entirely unfit for use, through faulty construction and neglect. W. F. BRYANS, M.B. The Physician's Library. Clinical Hematology, a practical guide to the examination of the blood with reference to diagnosis. By JOHN C. DA COSTA, JR., M.D., Demonstrator of Clinical Medicine, Jefferson Medical College; Chief of Medical Clinic and Assistant Visiting Physician Jefferson Medical College Hospital; Hematologist German Hospital; Assistant Visiting Physician Philadelphia General Hospital; Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Second edition, revised and enlarged, containing nine full-page colored plates, three charts and 64 other illustrations. Philadelphia: P. Blakiston's Son & Co., 1012 Walnut Street. 1905. It is three years since we revised edition No. 1 of this excellent work on Diseases of the Blood; but since that date considerable advance has been made in this particular line of study, so that the author wisely undertook to revise his book and thereby make it thoroughly modern. It is, for instance, only during the past year or two that it has been decided that pneumonia, scarlet fever and typhoid are bacteriemic in character. Blood examinations have now come to be part of the effort towards correct diagnosis, and hematology is a study that must be taken up by all who wish to follow scientific procedure. These advances have been gone into in detail by Dr. Da Costa, and his second edition we find to be full of practical matter, not only the specialist, but for the practitioner who wishes to be a successful worker. W. A. Y A New Edition of Webster's International Dictionary. Printed from new plates throughout, and containing 25,000 added words, revised biographical dictionary and gazetteer of the world, prepared under the direct supervision of W. T. HARRIS, Ph.D., LL.D. Editor-in-Chief, NOAH PORTER, D.D., LL.D., late President of Yale College. Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam Co., publishers. Webster's International Dictionary contains a dictionary of the English language and a supplement of 25,000 new words, which together constitute the best and most recent vocabulary of the English language, and, in addition, the following valuable features: Colored plates (8 pp.) giving recent and authoritative reproductions of flags and arms of various nations, state seals, yacht flags, pilot flags, etc. Memoir of Noah Webster. List of authors quoted. Brief history of the English language by James Hadley, thoroughly revised by Prof. G. L. Kittredge, of Harvard. Indo-Germanic roots in English by Prof August Fick, Breslau, Germany. Guide to Pronunciation fully explaining the various English sounds and the simple Webster system of diacritical marks. To this is added a list of more than 1,400 words differently pronounced by leading orthoepists. Principles of Orthography with important rules for spelling, list of words variously spelled, reformed spelling, etc. Dictionary of Noted Fictitious Persons and Places often mentioned in literature. A valuable dictionary for any reader. Completely Revised Pronouncing Gazetteer of the world with over 25,000 titles, the figures for population and area agreeing with latest census reports. Completely Revised Pronouncing Biographical Dictionary containing names of over 10,.000 noteworthy persons of ancient and modern times with nationality, occupation, dates of reigns, date of birth, death, etc. Pronouncing Vocabulary of Scripture Names. Pronouncing Vocabulary of Greek and Latin Names. Vocabulary of Christian Names with pronunciation, derivation, meaning, nicknames, etc. Quotations from Foreign Languages translated into English. Abbreviations and Contractions used in writing and printing. Arbitrary signs and a classified selection of illustrations. Manual of Operative Surgery. By JOHN FAIRBAIRN BINNIE, Phila This is a beautifully gotten up little book, full of excellent material, compiled in a concise form. It will make a handsome ornament to the library table, a ready help to the busy practitioner, and a useful guide to the student of medicine. F. N. G. S. Chirurgie Orthopedique. Par LE PROFESSEUR PAUE Berger et LE DOCTEUR S.. BANZET, Chef du laboratoire de Médecine opératoire à la Faculté de Médecine de Paris. Avec 489 figures dans le texte. Paris: G. Steinheil, Editeur, 2, Rue Casimir-Delavigne. 1904. This is a work on orthopedic surgery of 624 large pages, printed on thick, royal paper, which serves well to bring out advantageously the 489 illustrations which serve to add much to the usefulness and clearness of the text. The extent of the work undertaken is much less than we are now accustomed to expect in a systematic work on orthopedic surgery. It is limited to a consideration of the deformities of the |