single method of treating central nervous lues. Absolute restoration of tissues to normal, absolute removal of all symptoms of disease, are in a large number of cases impossible, as impossible as removing the scar of a chancre by medical means. Serological improvement is nearly always likely. This is interesting, but of little value to the patient. Nothing will ever restore destroyed tissue, but until a better method is discovered the intraspinal treatment cannot be cast aside, and it certainly offers as much as, if not more than, the intravenous alone. One cannot escape the conviction, however, that the two are mutually supplementary, and to take sides in the matter, to endeavor to establish the thesis that either is vastly the superior of the other, is futile. The middle course is probably the proper one, for central nervous syphilis is part of a systemic disease which requires general therapy for general indications, and special therapy for special. The intraspinal treatment supplies the latter need, albeit inadequately, perhaps, and it seems intolerable to condemn it as useless before an improved substitute has been discovered. -The Medical Times. A CLINICAL CONSIDERATION OF MIGRAINE By John A. Litchy, M. Ph., M. D., Pittsburgh, Pa. Migraine is considered by the author as the most frequent headache, occurring in 700 of his 15,000 patients sick from all causes. He believes that the so-called acidosis in children may often be a forerunner of a well-established sick headache habit. The interesting relation between migraine and epilepsy deserve further study. Among the author's 15,000 patients epilepsy occurred in seven, and both migraine and epilepsy in 70. Auerbach's theory which attributes migraine to an actual disproportion between skull-capacity and volume of brain, needs further proof. In the International Clinics for December, Dr. Litchy shows that the diagnosis is easy when there are headaches which are unilateral, periodical and hereditary, but when only one or two of these symptoms are present, or when there is only a periodicity of some of the minor symptoms or possibly of the aurae, the diagnosis may be difficult. Migraine is frequently mistaken for pelvic disease, for acidosis or cyclical vomiting in children, and organic disease, when some of the aurae are present. The psychasthenic and the gastric symptoms frequently lead to confusion in diagnosis. While the underlying causes of migraine are vague and furnish little light as to treatment, much can be done to ameliorate the symptoms by proper handling of the exciting causes that aggravate the pa tient's general condition and precipitate the attack Medical Notes HEALTH BOARD ASKS FOR LARGER STAFF Four additions to the force of the Oregon State Board of Health for carrying forward more efficiently the work of that body are urged in the seventh biennial report of the Board to the Governor and the 29th Legislative Assembly. The additional members of the force declared necessary are a school nurse for the inspection of school children and to supervise school sanitation; deputy health officer who is an epidemiologist, to act as alternate for the State Health Officer; a field representative to cover the state and extend the activities of the Board among the public, and a stenographer to take care of increased office work. Of the necessity for the increased force the report says: "These additions are necessary because there is an absence in the state of any organized effort for the prevention and control of tuberculosis; there is an absence of any regular child hygiene or infant welfare department; there is an epidemiologist needed to supervise the suppression of communicable diseases; there exists an absence of systematic rural and city school sanitation; in approving the installation of municipal sewage and water systems the services of a consulting engineer are necessary to pass on the plans and specifications submitted, as well as making trips of inspection. "Without going into confusing details, permit it to be stated that it is absolutely impossible to prosecute the previously mentioned Board of Health activities, as well as other correlative work, with no field representatives." Births recorded by the Board during the biennium amounted to 24,520, of which 12,581 were males and 11,939 females. Death certificates received reached a total of 13,458, of which 8035 were males and 5423 females. The increase in births over the preceding biennium was 2728, and the increase in deaths 920. During the same period there were 9505 marriages in the state. The failure of many physicians to report cases of communicable diseases is scored as being a great hindrance to the efficient work of the board in controllin gepidemics of such diseases. The report says of this: "Good health statutes and board of health rules exist for the control of communicable diseases, but failure of the local health administrations to enforce them defeats their purpose. There is a failure on the part of many physicians to report or quarantine contagious or communicable diseases, and this condition will continue to exist as long as the Board of Health is inadequately provided for and has no field representative to enforce health statutes and health rules and regulations.". The organization of the vital statistics departmnet is mentioned as paramount in the work of the board during the past biennium. The total expenses of carrying forward the work of the Board for the biennium from September 30, 1914, to September 30, 1916, is shown by the report to have been $29,860.15. The report is signed by the mem Strict Medical Law Urged More stringent laws regarding qualifications for the practice of medicine in Oregon were recommended by Dr. W. T. Williamson in his address, January 1, before the City Club on the subject of medical legislation. Dr. Williamson made no attack upon any specific school of healing, but asserted that before anyone should be permitted to undertake the practice of healing in the state, he ought to be required to have a good basic knowledge of pathology and the fundamental facts that underlie disease and its treatment. Dr. O. A. Thomle, of Everett, Washington, was appointed county physician by the county commissioners, to replace Dr. Stauffer. Dr. Thomle is a graduate of the University of Chicago and the Rush Medical College, and has served as house physician in Chicago, Seattle and Denver hospitals. He has been in active practice in Everett during the past two years. Seattle Red Cross Will Establish Base Hospital The Seattle Red Cross pledged itself to raise $17,000 for the establishment of a navy base hospital in Seattle, at a meeting held January 18, at the New Washington Hotel. The proposed hospital will be one of the five which have been ordered established in large cities of the United States. The supplies will be stored and arranged in a portable condition so that they may be moved wherever they may be needed. The decision to raise sufficient money for the hospital followed a talk by John L. Clymer, director of the Pacific division of the National Red Cross, in which he told he had been directed by the surgeon-general of the United States to ask the Seattle chapter to undertake the establishment of a hospital unit. Mrs. John Erickson, Mrs. Frederick Bausman, Mrs. M. A. Gottstein and Samuel Schwabacher were appointed by the chairman, Livingstone B. Stedman, and more members of a committee will be named later, to investigate the conditions in Seattle and determine upon the best means of raising the $17,000. 24 of 30 Doctors Pass The semi-annual examinations by the Oregon State Board of Medical Examiners, held Jan. 2-4, returned grades which passed 24 of the candidates out of 30. Members of the examining board are: Dr. L. Hamilton, Dr. U. C. Coe of Bend, Dr. H. S. Nichols, secretary; Dr. H. F. McKay and Dr. F. E. Moore. The list of successful candidates who took the examination follows: Charles R. McCall, J. Alex Trommald, Johnson F. Ditto, W. Ross Eaton, Samuel A. Roe, Elmer J. Merrill, Nina Elizabeth Pickett, Frank E. Butler, Kate Wyman Grant, Clara Dunn, Sam Frank Le Fivre, Mabel Akin, Henry Herbert Slater, Ralph Currey Virgil, Max W. Brachvogel, Evan G. Houseman, Geo. R. Vehrs, Frank R. Menne, John W. Gearhart, Walter W. Black, Harry S. Harding, William Boyd Mott, Carl G. Rahal, Amos Orville Waller. Doctor Fees Are Same The cost of being sick will be no greater in Portland this year than it was last, at least insofar as doctors' fees are concerned. And this in spite of the fact that physicians in Boston and other cities of the country are making a concerted move for the advance of fees. It will cost no more to be born this year than in previous years. The customary fee of $25 for presiding at such an event will be charged by physicians as before. Dr. J. M. Short, president of the City and County Medical Association, declared that no move was contemplated for the raising of the fees at present charged by physicians in Portland. Dr. J. Guy Strohm, secretary of the City and County Medical Association, said that any concerted action for raising the fees here would necessarily originate in that organization. He said no such action was considered likely just now. Advices received from Boston are that the increase in doctors' fees went into effect there after the first of the year. Physicians Discuss Medical Inspection A committee of three Eugene physicians was named January 15, by Dr. W. Kuykendall, who at a meeting of the Lane County Medical Society Saturday evening was authorized to do so, for the purpose of co-operating with the school officials in formulating a plan for medical inspection in the Eugene schools. The committee consists of Dr. P. J. Bartle, Dr. C. W. Southworth and Dr. T. H. Miller. The matter of medical inspection of some sort in the Eugene schools was suggested by Superintendent W. R. Rutherford, who was invited to address the meeting of the society, and after his statement of the need, there was general discussion of the subject by physicians present. Decision was to leave the matter to the committee. The meeting, which was held at the Osborn Hotel, was preceded by a banquet. Other business of the evening included the election of officers as follows: President, Dr. G. S. Beardsley; vice-president, Dr. C. B. Marks; secretary-treasurer, Dr. S. M. Kerron; members of board of censors, Dr. P. J. Bartle. Dr. J. Tate Mason of Seattle, who recently returned from an Eastern trip, and was appointed superintenIdent of the King County Hospital, announces the following staff appointments: Consulting staff-Surgery, Dr. G. M. Horton, Dr. J. B. Eagleson, Dr. C. A. Sharples, Dr. B. F. Whiting, Dr. H. A. Shaw, Dr. U. C. Bates, Dr. E. O. Jones, Dr. Alfred Raymond; Gynaecology, Dr. William Shannon, Dr. L. R. Dawson, Dr. H. F. Lazelle, Dr. K. Winslow, Dr. J. Wotherspoon, Dr. C. B. Ford, Dr. F. M. Carroll; Medicine, Dr. Jas. Shannon, Dr. W. C. Heussy, Dr. Mont. Russell, Dr. S. J. Holmes, Dr. E. W. Young, Dr. C. A. Smith, Dr. D. M. Stone, Dr. F. A. Churchill, Dr. T. J. Sullivan, Dr. G. F. Warmburg, Dr. G. H. Lyons; Obstetrics, Dr. Richard O. Shea; Pediatrics, Dr. Geo. B. McCullough; Oculist and Aurist, Dr. Frederick Bentley, Dr. D. V. Weirdeman, Dr. R. W. Perry, Drs. Swift and Wanamaker, Dr. W. K. Seeley, Dr. Arthur Burns. Active Staff-Dr. C. S. Leede, Dr. E. P. Fick, Dr. H. B. Haskell, Dr. P. C. West, Dr. W. S. Griswold, Dr. A. Crookall, Dr. L. Blake Baldwin, Dr. D. H. Houston, Dr. L. S. Bell, Dr. W. E. Joiner, Dr. A. F. Mat- Communication The Dalles, Or., Jan. 1, 1917. Editor Medical Sentinel, Portland, Oregon. Gentlemen:-From time to time we have noticed you have made comments in regard to our opposition here, what was formerly the Columbia Hospital and now is The Dalles Sanitarium, which has had a series of all kinds of professed medical doctors, some ten or twelve in number. The last two or three years they have all, however, made failures of their undertaking. We thought it might be of interest to you and prob ably would make interesting reading for the subscribers of your magazine to learn of the philanthropic institution we have here at the present time, which you will note by the enclosed marked paper. They have tried various other inducements, but this is the last bait offered the public. Very respectfully, J. A. REUTER, M.D. DALLES SANATORIUM COMPANY Through the generosity of old friends of the Sanatorium the management is prepared to announce that all surgical operations in the future will be done "GRATUITOUSLY"-the patient to determine the surgeon's fee, pay what they can afford, or what the work is worth to them. In Explanation: We believe that the public is honest and intelligent, and that the people will appreciate honest, scientific service-without the dollar sign— when their health is at stake. То prove our faith with the public we propose to do the work for what the public thinks it is worth. There will be grateful patients. Hospital fees will be sufficient to provide good nursing, wholesome food and to keep the hospital clean and warm. A hospital is a hotel for sick people. It is not run to make money. |