Dr. G. N. P. MEAD, of Winchester: I should like to ask what is considered a successful vaccination. As we all know, there are some cases where there is some redness, a little swelling, slight pain in axilla, and a very slight discharge. A crust forms, and in a few weeks there is no scar. Dr. DURGIN: I will say, that, as far as my observation is concerned, in primary cases especially, all the stages of vaccination should be well defined. There should be the welldefined vesicle, pustule, umblication and crust, covering a period of time not less than three weeks. Of course in revaccinations we find the appearance of the arm falling short of typical characteristics of vaccination. I regard this as a very important question, and if we have not already wearied Dr. McCollom too much, I would like to hear from him. Dr. MCCOLLOM: As far as primary vaccination is concerned, I think the appearance is very characteristic. Regarding the secondary vaccination, it is sometimes very difficult to decide whether the vaccination has taken or not, but if the arm begins to show redness and slight irritation at the end of twenty-four hours, the vaccination is not a success. On the other hand, if in a secondary vaccination the patient in six days has a small vesicle surrounded by an areola, you may be sure that person has been successfully revaccinated. ARTICLES XI.-XIV. THE USE OF ALCOHOL IN MEDICINE. THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF ALCOHOL. BY FRANCIS G. BENEDICT, Ph.D. OF MIDDLETOWN, CONN. THE BASIS FOR THE USE OF ALCOHOL IN THERAPEUTICS. BY ARTHUR N. CUSHNY, M.D. OF ANN ARBOR, MICH. THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL UPON INFECTION AND ITS USE IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE INFECTIOUS DISEASES. BY SAMUEL J. MELTZER, M.D. OF NEW YORK CITY. THE COMMON USE OF ALCOHOL BY GRAHAM LUSK, Ph.D. OF NEW YORK CITY. READ JUNE 11, 1902. ARTICLE XI. THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF ALCOHOL. BY FRANCIS G. BENEDICT, PH.D. OF MIDDLETOWN, CONN. In view of the widespread use of beverages containing from 3 to 70% of ethyl alcohol the inquiry as to whether this chemical compound possesses any nutritive value is a proper one. The inquiry is of especial importance to the medical practitioner, since alcohol is used to a very considerable extent in therapeutics and dietetics. In discussing the nutritive value of any food material it is necessary to see in how far the substance under examination possesses certain chemical and physical properties common to our ordinary foodstuffs, and in how far it performs the commonly accepted functions of food, and what disadvantages, if any, exist as to its permanent and universal use. We may say that a food material should (1) be palatable per se, or be capable of being prepared in a palatable manner, otherwise the ingestion of sufficient quantity to play any rôle in nutrition would not long be tolerated; (2) it should be capable of being absorbed as it passes through the alimentary tract; (3) when absorbed it must serve either to furnish tissue-building material and thereby aid the growing organism and repair waste, or it must furnish fuel to keep the body warm and supply energy for internal or external muscular work-in performing either or both of these functions it must of necessity spare body material from con |