which I used in the first instance; but one of my assistants, on one occasion, misunderstanding my directions, used an enema of one-half that strength with apparently as good results. But as no bad effects follow the use of the stronger solution, I still use an ounce of powdered alum to a quart of warm water, which is approximately a three per cent. solution. It usually causes expulsion of gas in from five to fifteen minutes, but in some cases a longer time is required. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat the injection before it will act. This can be done with perfect safety an indefinite number of times. There may be a reaccumulation of gas after the first enema has done its work. If so, the injection may be repeated as often as the gas accumulates. There is sometimes some pain attending its use, but is not severe. It is not necessary that the solution should be carried high up in the colon. I inject it in the same manner that I would an ordinary enema, and probably in no instance does it go above the sigmoid flexure. But peristalsis is induced throughout the whole intestinal tract, including the small as well as the large intestine. In a certain proportion of cases in which the alum enema has been repeated several times, there is thrown off from the bowel a tubular cast. The first time that this occurred I was much alarmed, as I feared that it was due to sloughing of the mucous coat of the intestine. But a microscopic examination showed that the cast was composed simply of mucus whose albuminous elements had been coagulated by the alum. I have therefore come to regard this phenomenon as of no importance.

As to the manner in which the alum enema acts in producing movement of the bowels, I have no theory to offer. That it does not act mechanically by its bulk is shown by the fact that in cases in which a similar quantity of water or of any other fluid has been injected without any result the alum solution is effectual. It seems to have as specific an action in inducing intestinal peristalsis as has castor oil when taken into the stomach. In only a small proportion of cases is the peristalsis sufficiently violent to produce griping pains."

CONCERNING GONORRHEA.

That gonorrhea is a disease requirring care and skill in its treatment and that a patient so afflicted should have the best attention the physician can give is well recognized by the writer of an article in the Providence Medical Journal. It is a fact that too many doctors attempt to treat this trouble "just to accommodate the patient" when they have little idea of the cause or gravity of the disease; concerning this malady, so generally prevalent the writer says:

"The gonococcus is not a respecter of persons, and respectability renders no one immune. If my observations in the past are not incorrect, professional gentlemen, apprehensive of personal trouble have hastened at the earliest manifestation of any urethral irritation to ascertain by microscopic examination if a gonococcus infection were present. If then, when a mal

ady becomes personal it calls for an immediate microscopic inspection, why should any physician not be equally solicitous for the welfare of his patient similarly afflicted? Gonorrhea is a serious disease. It should not be diagnosed carelessly and treated with indifference. Before you establish the diagnosis as gonorrhea give your patient the benefit of careful attention to history, to objective signs and to microscopic examination of the discharge; let this be followed by rational treatment, and you will do far more than can be realized in alleviating the sufferings of humanity."

IDIOCY IN CHILDREN.

From a most excellent article in the Medical Times, written by Dr. Geo. R. Wilson, we clip the extract below. It would seem from the slight importance given to the question of pressure on the child's head during delivery with the forceps, that mischief from this cause seldom if ever resulted. It should be borne in mind that injuries from this cause sometimes yield grave results in later years, and that it may require years to undo the mischief if it is ever undone. The writer says truly:

"A subject which has attracted but little attention in America is that of idiocy. Children of this class are gathered in asylums and hid from public and professional gaze. It has been my fortune to see many of these cases and I take pleasure in recording the report of Wilmarth, made from the study of the brains of one hundred feeble-minded children.

The one hundred given may be summarized as follows: Sclerosis with atrophy, 12; sclerose tubereuse, 6; diffuse sclerotic change, 7; degenerative changes in vessels, ganglionic cells, or meduallary substance not constituting true sclerosis, 15; hydrocephalic, 5; general cerebral atrophy, 2; non-development in various forms, 16; infantile hæmorrhage, 1; extensive adhesion of membrane from old meningitis, 2; angiomatous condition of cerebral vessels (with degenerative changes), 1; glioma (with sclerosis), 1; porencephalous (with non-development), 1; of thirty-one cases where actual disease or imperfect development of the brain proper was not demonstrated, there was hupertrophy of the skull, 6; acute softening (recent), 2; demi-michacephalic, 2; when the brain was above usual weight, but the convolutions large and very simple in their arrangement, 2. The average weight of the brain was 38.3 ounces, but in fourteen cases the weight was below 30 ounces. There is a comparatively large number of cases of actual cerebral disease, in proportion to the relatively small number where imperfect development produces the mental defect. With this fact, we see a corresponding improbability of a large majority of these cases ever attaining a full mental development. Children who inherit inactive brain from parents below the usual average of intelligence, without history or infantile disease or epilepsy, are the most promising of general and permanent improvement. The pediatrist has learned that the brain diseases of infancy are peculiarly

destructive, not only leave a permanent injury to the brain; preventing ite growth and development, but being liable, from the irritation they leave, to kindle epilepsy.

Injuries to the nervous system during birth, may occur to the peripheral nerves or to the brain; while cases have been reported of spinal birth palsy. The peripheral form is usually seen in the facial nerve or in the nerves of the arm. The former is due to the pressure of forceps, the latter either to the same pressure in front of the trapezius, to that of a traction hook above the shoulder in breech presentations, or to a fracture of the humerus. The commonest and most important form is the cerebral birth palsy. That this is due to an injury received during birth, is shown by the fact that almost all cases have been instances of difficult parturition, often terminated by the forceps."

We learn from the Pacific Medical Journal that Dr. J. M. Ward has been elected to the presidency of the San Francisco Board of Health and that largely through his influence a member of the eclectic school has been appointed to the same body Dr. Ward succeeds the Hon. "Mike Casey" as Health Officer and will have to acquaint himself with the duties of his new office if he would make a model officer; this he is likely to do as all who know him can testify to the wide awake hustling manners of the doctor and his energy in general.

One of the fruits of the new board's work is division on the wards at the city and county hospital which is on the proportionate plan and has for its representation physicians of the three schools of medicine the division of patients is arranged for as follows on the basis of 35.

"According to the resolutions of the board" until further orders, patients received at the hospital shall be assigned as received in regular rotation to the respective schools of medicine as follows on the basis of "thirty-five:" Allopathic or regular physicians-patients, Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 32, 33, 35; total, 23.

Homeopathic-Nos. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 28, 30, 34; total, 8.

Eclectic-Nos. 6, 16, 21, 31; total, 4.

This arrangment would seem to be a fair one and we think it is, but it is a new thing in Frisco and may not work smoothly for a time since the dominant sehool is as a rule slow to divide the work in a public institution with anybody; but if fair minded officers are in charge we see no reason why such an arrangment will not be of the best advantages to the patients, the colleges and the staffs of the different schools.

Such an arrangment would be the ideal one for the city of St. Louis and we hope one day to see the same in good smooth working order.

"To see ourselves as others see us" is a good thing sometimes and as the redoutable "Mr. Dooley" is not at all backward about expressing his opinion concerning anything, his ideas about the medical society claim our attention for a few minutes. It seems he had been attending one of these interesting meetings and he thus describes the impressions he received, nevertheless, concluding wisely that the "midical sassiety matin' is a good place t' go to." Of the one he attended he says:

"Well, after a long innin' on diphthery, one docthor gets up an' rades off a paper all about how some animal called a sarkooma gets on a woman an' is loike t' kill her, whin he, brave man, takes a 'lectric light carbon an' puts in th' Virginia, an' so burns th' baste out. 'Fwhat's th' Virginia?' says I to Doc. 'Luk in yer jography, ye innocent bachelor,' says he. Well, afther th' woman was saved from th' sarkooma ('twas too bad) she takes down wid cancer and doies. 'Twas discouragin' t' th' docthor. Afther he'd finished, they called on a foine, bloomin' docthoress, wid thray pigeons in her bannet (which, mark yez, Donohue is a sign av distinction), an' she says (afther throwin' a few bookays, like at th' prisident) that she is too tender-hearted t' use 'lectric wires on paple, so she alwas sends her 'lectric work out an' has it done be th' day. Thin a big man wid a smooth head rades off a paper too, an' 'twas a moity foine paper too, for before he got through, two or three av th' docthoresses was so overcome be th' illoquince av th' man that they fill asleep. Thin th' president says he wants a big attindance nixt toime, as he ixpicted some big guns av docthors t' be there from Cincinnati. It must be turr'bly dhry wur'rk radin all thim papers, Donohue, fur afther th' matin' was over, me an' Doc shtopped in down sthairs fur a shmoile, an' bedad, if there wasn't half th' shpeakers av th' av'nin' shmoilin', too. Which proves t' ye, Donohue, thot a midical sassiety matin' 's a good place t' go to."

HERPES CIRCINATUS AND SEPIA.

I. A widow, fifty-six years old, of a vigorous constitution, a blond of very sanguine temperament, was suffering from herpes circinatus on the right side of the face. The eruption had already spread itself over the nose, cheek and upper lip. The patient had for some time given no attention to it, but as it kept extending she was compelled to call in a physician. According to her statement she had neither had a cutaneous eruption nor any other ailment. She received six powders of Sepia 15 and was directed to dissolve one powder in water every day and take the solution in three portions, morning, noon and evening. At first there was no change, so that the remedy had to be given her twice. But then the herpes gradually diminished, until it finally disappeared entirely and has not returned in the course of a year.

II. An apprentice to a mason, seventeen years of age, of very phlegmatic temperament, mentally indolent and awkward, had been suffering for nine months with herpes circinatus on the right cheek, accompanied with a very irritating itching. Nothing could be got out of him as to his health.

Sepia 6, twelve powders, healed the eruption.-Homeopathic Recorder.

A NEW GERM.

Three sisters were af

A remarkable case comes to us from Georgia. flicted with appendicitis at the same time and were all operated upon at about the same time. There is no intimation that the three operations were done to take advantage of the special low quotations on a quarter dozen operations at one sitting. The three sisters having the disease almost simultaneously, however, is interesting to the doctor from Wisconsin, who states that appendicitis is due to a specific germ? What is it? The "vermiform-appendicoccus"?-Chicago Clinic.

GROWING TEETH.

According to a Russian report a Moscow dentist appears to have solved the problem of supplying the human mouth with false teeth which will grow into the gums as firmly as natural ones. Dr. Znameusky has performed several successful operations on dogs as well as on human beings. The teeth are made of gutta percha, porcelain, or metal, as the case may be. At the root of the false tooth holes are made. Holes are also made upward into the jaw. The tooth is then placed in the cavity. In a short time a soft, graduated growth finds its way from the patient's jaw into the holes in the teeth; the growth gradually hardens and holds the tooth in its position. It is stated that it does not matter whether the cavity in which the tooth is to be placed is one from which a natural tooth has been recently drawn.-Cleveland Medical and Surgical Reporter.

AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

The Alumni Association of the Homeopathic Medical College of Missouri will hold the Annual Reunion and Banquet, in the Parlors of the West End Hotel, on the Evening of April 13th, 1904.

The Committee having the matter in charge have spared neither pains nor money in their endeavor to provide suitably for the members of the Alumni and their guests; those who are able to be with us on that occasion will be assured of an evening's pleasure worthy of the occasion and we want you all to come, there is room for all and each and every one will be welcomed with such a welcome as only a fellow Alumnus can give.

All members of the Alumni and their friends are invited to attend and we may add that all the friends of Homeopathy anywhere will be made welcome indeed. Tickets to the banquet can be procured from the President, Dr. W. W. Gilbert, 314 South Jefferson Ave., or from the Treasurer, Dr. F. W. Lester, 2014 Victor street.

I have found in many instances that a little care in regard to drinking. fluids at supper and after supper has a beneficial effect on Enuresis. A young man about twenty years of age consulted me for this trouble some time ago. He had no local irritation so far as I could make out, as I pro