The A. M. A. being in Portland, most of the work fell upon Portland doctors. The General Committee, the Finance Committee, and other sections of workers, representing the American Medical Association, were appointed out of our own membership.

Your society at its last annual session passed a resolution, in which it was stated that the City and County Medical Society not only had a duty but also possessed a privilege, of taking a substantial part in the entertainment, and your president was instructed to work out such

matter.

The work of the entertainment was placed by your president into the hands of various committees, authorized to choose their own managers, and all are very proud of the work you were able to do, in the entertainment at the Oaks. You were over-crowded, it is true, and some mistakes were made, but everywhere in my travels I have heard praise of the work done by this society in its own function, in which every member of the society not only had an opportunity, but was expected to assist. This, too, was but a small part of your individual labors, for you were always ready to assist the General Committee in any of its work. While congratulating you upon the success of your meeting, we must not overlook the debt of gratitude we owe to the physicians of Idaho, Washington, Montana, Utah, California and Colorado in their large attendance, and the spirit evinced in financial assistance so generously accorded us by our Idaho brethren.

Some months ago you appointed a Committee upon Medical Legislation consisting of Dr. S. E. Josephi, chairman, Andrew C. Smith and Henry Waldo Coe. This committee is still in service, and if no change is made therein, will doubtless be able to be of some help to the profession, in public matters, assisting the committee from the state society recently appointed. Dr. Josephi has tonight made report of the work done by his committee up to date. He also reports the circular sent societies and physicians. This is full of good advice, for which Dr. Josephi deserves all credit, as he drew up the same and attended to it alone.

A discussion was had at one meeting of the society touching the question of securing as many physicians upon the various political legislative tickets as possible. It was not found practicable to make an open fight for independent candidates.

Dr. Thornton was placed before the primaries by republicans and Dr. Wells by democrats. Both of these men were defeated.

Dr. Wells is one of the best known men in the city, a practitioner of standing, an ex-professor in the Medical College and an ex-president of this society. Dr. Thornton has been for many years an active member of the local and state socety. Another member of the society, a candidate for coroner, was defeated by a layman. It may be well stated that Dr. Wells was defeated because his name began with W and Dr. Thornton because his initial was also low down in the alphabet, yet on one of the tickets, the voters went way down a long list and nominated a man named Wilson.

The fact is that the medical profession is still looked upon by the

public as not fitted for political duties, and that those who vote consider the profession theoretically all right but practically untrustworthy. Here and there a doctor secures political pre-eminence, but he does so, not because he is a doctor, but in spite of being a physician. This fact has kept the medical profession out of its own, and given every vagary and medical monstrosity an undue advantage over legitimate medicine.

As an evidence of the politician's belief regarding the aspect of the public toward doctors for public life, it is to be noted that in the present campaign a decided appeal to prejudice is made against one of the candidates for office in that he is a "doctor," although he is but a member an honored member, however—of a collateral branch of the medical sciences.

If, as stated before the state medical meeting yesterday, the doctors' constituency is among the women, and his influence is more in the home than with any other class of our citizens, we will come more into our own when our special constituency is given the ballot, as is thought by its advocates will be done in June. Certainly the addition to the voting constituency of Portland of our own lady members of this society would add to the political strength of the medical profession in its fight for better hygienic conditions, a more beautiful city, and a more rational conception of the rights of the profession to which we all belong. I am sure that none of us men desire to maintain over these ladies in our own ranks any preference in this matter.

Under or new constitution and by-laws we are enjoined to crowd the younger members of the profession to the front. In pursuance of this plan, when the program was made up for the present year, preference was had for the newer members of the society. With about 200 members, as at present constituted, in one's turn, even the younger members will hereafter have much longer to wait for the opportunity to present a paper.

The papers read have been as follows:

LIST OF PAPERS 1905-6.

Oct. 4, "Reorganization of Medical Profession," Dr. McCormack, A. M. A.

Oct. 18, "Recent Observations on Tuberculosis," E. N. Crockett. Nov. 18, "Some Cases of Surgery of the Stomach," E. F. Tucker. Nov. 15, "The Practical Side of Infant Feeding," R. J. Marsh. Dec. 6, "Responsibility of the General Practitioner in the Treatment of Appendicitis," R. C. Coffey.

Dec. 20, "Diagnosis and Localization of Brain Tumor," Wm. House. Jan. 3, "Discussion of Dr. McCormack's Article and Editorial in the Journal A. M. A.," Dec. 9, 1905.

Jan. 17, "Finsen Light," J. C. E. King.

Feb. 7, "Notes on the Social Aspects of Dermatology," A. Tilzer. Feb. 21, "Displacements of the Uterus," Marie E. Equi.

March 7, "Discussion of Resolutions on Lodge and Contract Practice."

March 21, "Acute Inflammation of the Accessory Nasal Sinuses,"

J. N. Coghlan.

April 4, "Nasal Obstructions," J. P. Goray.

April 18, "Drainage," J. S. Sternberg.

May 2, "The Increasing Mortality from Pneumonia," C. E. Hill. May 16, Annual Meeting and Election of Officers.

This brings me to a suggestion, which has long been growing in my mind, and that is the necessity of handling our scientific work more like an Academy of Medicine than the old-fashioned County Society. Portland is growing, and Portland medicine must keep pace with such growth.

Because one presumably knows more of his own line of practice than that of any other, let me refer to the changes which have occurred here in the neurological section of medicine. I remember when two, and certainly not more than three practitioners of medicine, covered all who had any special fitness or standing in this community, along neurological lines. Today a section could be organized of those who are working along such lines, in which not less than a dozen competent men and women would be able to handle the intricate problems of this special department, with credit to themselves, and benefit to each other. Men and women in the same line are not infrequently inclined to be captious and critical of each other and to say things not as complimentary as should be. That frequent meetings of those specially interested in internal medicine, neurological, surgical, gynecological, ophthalmological, and other departments, would not only build up a stronger class of practitioners in each department, but that more social natures of all would be softened, and greater friendliness arise therefrom I feel sure is true. Then, too, the character of work done under classified departments would be of a much higher grade, and more of this work would be done. When we are presenting a paper, from a specialist to a body of like specialists, we will have more critical listeners than though we were talking to a mixed audience of doctors. We must, therefore, prepare such papers with greater care and accuracy. With the sections, there would also be a better opportunity of presenting papers and reporting cases, for in smaller bodies all would have time and opportunity.

One plan which might be carried out, would be to have a general session on the first Wednesday in each month, and the sections upon the third Wednesday. A half dozen meetings might thus occur on the section night. All members could be notified of the work in the different sections by postal as at present, and the general practitioner could go where he might be most interested upon the section evening.

I would suggest that a committee be appointed to consider this matter and present a plan of action at the opening of the year's work next Fall. At least that such committee should consider the matter, and make such report, for or against the project as may seem proper. The work of your secretary is now to become greater, and I would recommend that a slight increase in the salary be made for him.

I look forward to the time when the City and County Medical So

ciety, acting as an Academy of Medicine, shall have a home of its own. That at such time, a carekeeper shall be put into commission in charge of such home, and that some individual shall be chosen, dependent upon general fitness, who may act as secretary of our Portland and Oregon State Medical Associations, from the treasuries of which shall come sufficient funds to remunerate him for his entire time, in the service of the united profession. At this time we are unable to make such arrangement, but in the near by future, such moment is sure to come. A home for the Portland doctors should very soon be arranged. A reading room where one may wish to come. The present Portland Library arrangement is wholly unsatisfactory. Hardly any of you ever go there, although some have given good-sized sums for its medical purpose. If you had a place for them, I can promise you monthly 150 to 200 medical journals for your files free of cost, a donation from the exchange library of the Medical Sentinel. No doubt others, in other ways, would give even more freely.

In closing, I desire to thank you for the great honor you conferred upon me in choosing me as your president during the American Medical Association year. I wish to apologize to you for the many shortcomings, derelictions and failures upon my own part. To thank the officers who have served with me, and for me during my absence at times, and for the great consideration and kindness manifested during the entire term, by such officers and the whole body of the society. My membership with you is one of the most highly prized possessions of my life.

Wishing you all length of years, prosperity and happiness, and that our good society may ever increase in numbers and grow in power for good, again I thank you.

The Pharmacopeia and the Physician.

Chapter XXI.

Drugs acting on the skin and mucous membranes, mainly when externally applied, are the subject of Chapter XXI of the special article (Journal A. M. A., May 19. After some general remarks as to the points of application of counterirritants, and on the stimulating action of baths, saline and others, the subject of rubefacients is taken up. Alcohol is first considered and a caution is given against any employment of wood alcohol which may be dangerous, even if used only externally. The popular preparations of hamamelis, arnica, etc., are

mentioned as being effective mainly through the alcohol they contain, and soap liniment is also referred to in this connection. The use of chloroform and its action as a rubefacient is next considered, and, after it the irritant volatile oils, capsicum, mustard, etc., and their official preparations. The use of heat, by means of poultices and the substances employed are next described and a word is given regarding the utility of formic acid as a rubefacient. The concluding paragraphs are devoted to the rubefacient action of iodin and the saponified petrolatum of the National Formulary is mentioned as likely to replace the other preparations as a medium for its external application.

TREATMENT OF PHTHISIS PULMONALIS.

By E. F. Maginn, M. D.

Late Instructor Diseases of Chest, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Chicago, and now Physician to Murray Hospital, Butte, Montana.

If one were to judge of a disease according to its distribution and the degree to which it menaces health and prematurely produces death, Pulmonary Tuberculosis assumes the first rank. It has been known as far back as the memory of man extends, and has unceasingly decimated the human race for hundreds of years. The present understanding of tuberculosis hardly antedates the present century. As early as the year 460 A. D. to 377 B. C., Hippocrates gave a description of the classical symptoms of pulmonary consumption. Aside from the alarming high rate of mortality, tuberculosis attains an especial politicoeconomical significance as it not only claims its victims from the children, whose maintenance and education represent but a comparatively small outlay, but to an extent of more than 75 per cent from the breadwinners of the family. This dreadful result of the ravages of consumption is brought forcibly to our notice here in Butte, where the greater part of the male population is employed in the mines, working in artificial light, impure air and dust, conditions predisposing toward consumption. When their work is over in the mines they return to their homes, remaining indoors in small houses with doors and windows tightly closed, the rooms permeated with gases from cooking, clothing, etc. Consumption should be called a house disease, as it is usually brought on by confinement and malnutrition, conditions which lower resistance and so prepare the road for the tubercle bacillus.

In accordance with our present knowledge, consumption responds to treatment only in its early stages; therefore, it is imperative that we make an early diagnosis, using all the means in our power to do so. In conjunction with the physical examination, we should make use of the microscope. In suspicious cases in which sputum is negative, make use of the tuberculin test; this is done during a period of apyrexia. After taking the temperature for several days and finding it normal, should inject, at night, 10 miligrams of tuberculin diluted in I c.c. of water. Taking the temperature the next day in positive cases we will find a rise of temperature, which may reach 104 degrees. This test will prove of value in a large percentage of cases. Arloing and Courmond, in 1898, stated that the blood of rabbits and goats, after having been treated with tuberculin, gave a serum reaction. Also, that the blood of patients having pulmonary tuberculosis gave a reaction. in dilutions of 1 to 10 and I to 20. This reaction is not constant and would be of little use in diagnosis. Vetlesen recommends the use of potassium iodide for the purpose of increasing the amount of