We do not favor the amalgamation idea with the old school societies in the present form of its development. We think we have enough to do for the advancement of our own interests. The Committee, THOS. M. STEWART, J. RICHEY HORNER, C. E. SAWYER. SANITARY SCIENCE AND THE MEDICAL MAN. By R. B. Carter, M. D., Akron, Ohio. Science is to know, and knowing or knowledge is the truth, certain and evident in itself or embraced in a body of principles, attained inductively, deductively, or by a course of methodical study. Sanitary Science then is simply the truth relative to the best known methods of keeping all the different organs of the body in a perfect state of health and equilibrium, so that the individual will be in the best possible condition to encounter and overcome disease. Human experience and common sense have united for centuries in declaring that the laws of health and disease are as positive and inexorable as the tides of the ocean or the attraction of gravity, but yet in almost every community may be found some people who still regard the natural penalties of their infraction as an evidence of luck or fate. Ignorance, prejudice and superstition, frequently crouching behind the garb of a so-called religious belief, have for ages either openly antagonized or secretly endeavored to neutralize the influence of Sanitary Science. It is universally conceded that the three great educators of the people are the school, the pulpit, and the press. The efforts of the school are almost entirely in the direction of "training the mind" for earthly usefulness, and those of the pulpit are toward "saving the soul" after the body has decayed, while the press works overtime strenuously endeavoring to elect its party nominees, abuse the opposition, and publish the news of the day in the most dividend-producing man ner. What education is to the mind and religion is to the soul, sanitation is to the body; aye, if possible, more, since the "sound mind" or "saved soul" which is compelled to inhabit a diseased tenement of clay must always labor at a proportionate disadvantage. It was Carlyle, you know, who said that although possessed of a vivid imagination he utterly failed to see how a Christian spirit and a dyspeptic stomach could inhabit the same body at the same time, or in other words, how the love of God could be in a man's heart while the devil was in his stomach. The medical man's professional knowledge and training, together with his researches in the realms of Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry and Hygiene, renders him peculiarly adapted to appreciate and apply those sanitary principles and methods which are of advantage to moral, mental and physical well-being. The true purpose or calling of the physician is not only the cure of disease, but also the prevention, which latter is usually accomplished by the removal of the causes of disease, and to do these successfully he must have a correct and complete knowledge of the structure and function of each organ and separate tissue, together with the elements. necessary for growth and repair. Molecules of effete matter are constantly being cast off by the excretory organs and just as continually new materials by means of digestion and assimilation are being supplied to replace the lost materials, so that it may be said that in man death commences with birth and continues uninterrupted until the body succumbs and the spirit returnes to its Maker. Activity without intelligent direction is apt to be more or less of an absolute waste of energy, and on the other hand, a correct understanding of the difficulties to be encountered in any situation is frequently the first and most necessary step toward a satisfactory solution of the problem. It is a generally accepted doctrine that self-preservation is the first law of nature, and, if this be true, the protection and perpetuation of kind is certainly the second or correlative law of nature. Each individual enters upon this life without consultation or consent and in an utterly helpless condition. Upon the predecessor, therefore, rests the responsibility of coming and subsequent care. The "coming" should be from physically healthy parentage, untainted by any acquired or hereditary mental or moral influences. Certain restrictions should be placed about unfortunates afflicted with hereditary diseases, such as cancer, consumption, syphilis, or insanity, while the habitual drunkard and confirmed criminal should be so treated as to preclude reproduction, upon the well established grounds of "the greatest good to the greatest number" and the elevation of the whole human race. It is a sad commentary upon our boasted civilization that in this day and generation more intelligent consideration is being devoted to the production of fine horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, than to rearing model men and women. al 66 The subsequent care" means the providing of appropriate clothing, pure food, water and air, good heating, lighting, ventilation and drainage, together with the proper facilities for mental and moral growth. One-fifth of the entire population of the United States is registered in our educational institutions. If we make laws compelling children to go to school, it is incumbent upon us to see that they are benefited as much as possible and injured in no way that can be reasonably avoided under the circumstances. They should be taught not only as to what are the best things to do, but the time, method, extent, and results of said doing, together with the penalties which outraged nature would be likely to exact as the punishment for a failure to do, and do correctly. Teachers are engaged to present a definite subject for a certain length of time to the pupils apportioned to their classes. Physical disadvantages and mental inequalities are frequently disregarded, if indeed recognized, since between urging on the ambitious scholar and upbraiding the sluggard little time is left for discrimination and individualization. In addition to this it sometimes occurs that the person in charge is not, strictly speaking, a teacher; for it is one thing to know for one's self and an entirely different thing to be able to impart knowledge to another so that he knows. Just as the assistance rendered to a beggar is usually measured by the amount of cash transferred, rather than by the number of words uttered. A few minutes of school life each day devoted to the active demonstration of the best methods of physical culture, or the explaining of the evil effects of intemperance in eating and drinking or the abuse of many of the other God-given privileges of our existence, were far better than the same length of time spent in acquiring a smattering of knowledge relative to some dead language. An occasional lecture or talk upon the subject of sanitary light, heat, ventilation, drainage, or even the disposal of garbage, would be of far more practical benefit in after life than the mental drill acquired by a study of calculus or trigonometry. Sanitary Science must be unceasingly demonstrated to be not only correct in theory but absolutely practical in its relation to all the phases of life's work, and following this as a natural sequence, a knowldege of Hygiene must be accepted as of the highest benefit and importance. Sanitation is an obligation sometimes forced upon the individual by the municipal or State government as the result of its investigations or experiences, and should be national, if not international, in its scope, since it is just as feasible and more necessary than our magnificent postal system. Each government by wise legislation and diplomatic courtesy should protect the individual's health just as sacredly as they do his financial interests, and no nation or people will really succeed in measuring up to their full stature until this rule of conduct is adopted. It has been estimated that fully one-half of the sickness, pain and misery of this life is self-inflicted and due either to ignorance or neg lect of the laws of health and disease. The thinking portion of mankind is becoming more and more dissatisfied simply to be cured of the aches and pains already incurred, and demands of the doctor that they be enabled to avoid future ills. In the minds of many the medical man in actively advocating the prevention of disease simply stands in his own light and occupies the anomalous position of assisting to limit his own income, if not indeed destroy his occupation. It may be confidently expected, however, that at least for some time to come human nature will prove sufficiently strong, so that with the best of precept and practice, a large percentage of our population will continue to transgress, and thus continue to furnish food for reflection and receptacles for pills and powders. Possibly we may eventually be compelled to educate our patrons so that like the Chinese, they pay to be kept well rather than to be attended when sick, and in that event our position will be assured in the community and our relation to the rest of humanity expressed by that Shakespearean couplet: "The June-bug has the golden wing, the fire-fly the flame: The bed-bug has no wings at all, but 'gets there' all the same." The early recognition of tubercular disease is a matter of great importance to the patient, but it is often unsuspected until far ca vanced, when it coexists with other troubles. Women who apply to the physician for treatment for pelvic disease are very often victims of tuberculous infection in some part of the body, and the local lesion. which is often trivial, engrosses the physician's attention, while the serious disease is neglected. I have frequently been called to operate for laceration of the cervix or perineum, or displacement of the uterus. in a patient who was well advanced in tuberculosis. These sufferers have usually been told that all the trouble was reflex, and that a repair of the local lesion would effect a cure.-Dr. Edwin Walker. Cleveland Medical and Surgical Reporter. A Journal Devoted to the Science of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery. Published Monthly by the Cleveland Homeopathic Medical College, 226 Huron Street, Cleveland, O. JAMES RICHEY HORNER, A. M., M. D., Editor. WILLIAM H. PHILLIPS, M, D., Associate Editor. The Reporter solicits original articles, short clinical articles, society transactions and news items of interest to the profession. Reprints of original articles will be furnished authors at actual cost of paper and press-work, provided the order is received before the publication of the article. If authors will furnish us with rames before their article is published, copies of the journal containing it, will be mailed free of charge (except to addresses in Cleveland) to the number of 100. The subscription price of the Reporter is $1.00 per annum in advance. Single copies 10 cents. The Reporter has no free list. but sample copies will be given on request. The Reporter is mailed on the 1st of each month. All matter for publication must be in the hands of the Editor by the 15th of the preceding month. When a change of address is ordered, both the new and the old address must be given. The notice should be sent one week before the change is to take effect. If a subscriber wishes his copy of the journal discontinued at the expiration of his subscription, notice to that effect should be sent. Otherwise it is assumed that a continuance of the subscription is desired. Remittances should be sent by Draft on New York, Express-Order, or Money-Order, payable to order of THE MEDICAL AND SURGICAL REPORTER. Cash should be sent in Registered Letter. Books for review, manuscripts for publication, and all communications to the Editor should be addressed to J. Richey Horner, M. D., 275 Prospect St., Cleveland, O. All other communications should be addressed THE MEDICAL AND SURGICAL REPORTER, 762-4 Rose Building, Cleveland, Ohio. Editorial THE COLLEGE. Proverbially doctors are busy men. Furthermore, they are men who stay at home. The average doctor can't get rid of the idea that if he goes away from his practice, all his patients will surely die-or get well. Hence when you talk of having a gathering of the Alumni of a medical college, the proposition is entirely different from that for a gathering of the alumni of a literary college. But we can "point with pride" to the gathering resulting from the invitation of the College authorities to her children to join in celebrating the Commencement exercises and at the same time attend the meeting of the Ohio State Society. When one hundred and twenty-five of these women and men come from all parts of the State and from other States to attend the gathering and renew their friendships and their acquaintance with former classmates, professors and associates, it means that distance does not dim the memory nor lapse of time efface recollec tions. For many reasons the gathering of the Alumni was a good thing. Not to enumerate all of these seasons, we can say that the College was |