recounted Dr. Senn's contributions to military surgery and the active part he has taken in the deliberations of that body. Dr. Senn as a Traveler.- Dr. Daniel R. Brower, Chicago, spoke of Dr. Senn as a traveling companion and of the trip he took with him around the world via Siberia. He referred to Dr. Senn's international reputation as a surgeon and to the manner in which he was royally and hospitably entertained by distinguished surgeons and physicians in the various cities they visited. Dr. Senn proved himself to be a very agreeable and delightful traveling companion, and their trip proved to be one triumphal march. Dr. Senn in American Medical Literature.- Dr. Charles A. L. Reed, Cincinnati, said that Dr. Senn had contributed largely and liberally to the value and quality of the great mass of surgical literature. In the last twenty years his contributions to American medical literature amounted to more than 250 entries, 238 of which relate to surgical subjects. In the list of titles are 12 printed volumes, some large, some small, but all of them important, many of them being used as text-books, others as standard works of reference in the majority of medical schools in the western hemisphere. Of these contributions a number have been translated into foreign languages. The range of subjects embraces practically every department of surgery. For the most part, these contributions are absolute protocols of original investigation. They cover, among other subjects, the surgery of the pancreas, stomach, the intestines, gall bladder, etc. Dr. Reed commended Dr. Senn's example in broad citizenship, a life actuated by an altruistic spirit of personal self-sacrifice, by a spirit of patriotism. (Applause.) Dr. Senn as a Thorough Diagnostician.- Dr. William E. Quine, Chicago, spoke of his association with Dr. Senn as an interne at the Cook County Hospital. He has seen Dr. Senn as an interne engaged in controversy with the members of the attending staff of that institution-men who represented the strongest elements of the profession in relation to problems of diagnosis, and he has seen him floor every one of them, though boy he was. The intensity of his earnestness, the thoroughness of detail in his methods, impressed Dr. Quine and inspired him. in his work. It was something of a liberal education to be under the inspiration and guidance of such a man. He investigated thoroughly every case from the very foundation to the most minute and most intricate of its ramifications. Dr. Quine said that he was sure that Dr. Senn will close his professional career as he began it and as he has lived it through every day of his life with sincerity, with intelligence, with dignity of effort, and with an eye single to the best interests, the greatest happiness of his fellow-men, and the greatest advancement of his brethren in the medical profession. (Applause.) - The singing of "Auld Lang Syne" brought the proceedings to a close. Cura SUPERIORITY OF LIQUID MEDICINES OVER ALKALOIDS. tion of disease is a problem which is constantly confronting the practitioner of medicine. Among the multitudinous duties of mankind there are none that are so complex as those which fall to the lot of the physician. The mechanism of man is a wonderful network of complicated organs, all striving toward a common goal — the health and strength of its various tissues. While anatomy is essential to the understanding of the structure, physiology is no less important in aiding us to comprehend the action of its component parts. Physiology, then, plays a large part in the practice of the successful medical man. It teaches us that all nutrition is supplied to the body through the medium of the blood; that this nutriment is conveyed to the blood, and the parts needing renewal, by means of endosmosis and exosmosis; that it is necessary for this nourishing pabulum to be in a liquid state before these exchanges can take place. Experimentation has demonstrated that liquids are much more promptly absorbed than articles of a semi-fluid or more compact nature. Hence the first point of the superiority of liquids over the alkaloids is the fact that they are absorbed with greater ra pidity, and thus their beneficent action is commenced more quickly. The actions of the liquids are more gentle, because, as a rule, they are less powerful than the alkaloids which are extracted by means of chemical manipulation from the various fluid preparations that yield to alkaloidal principles. All who are familiar with the workings of nature know, and must admit, that the more gentle the process the more lasting and complete is the result obtained. The constant dripping of water, drop by drop, will wear away the hardest substance over which violent measures, though more energetic in their onset, would utterly fail. The soothing effect of liquid medication will aid materially in producing a more lasting relief from those conditions which are the cause of the departure from the normal or healthy standard. The liquid preparation - be it infusion, decoction, tincture or fluid extract contains all the plant constituents, and combines in Dame Nature's own way the various ingredients. Plants yield their medical qualities to a varying proportion of water and alcohol. The practical pharmacist knows that the right proportions must be used in order to get a reliable and complete representation of the plant under treatment. Again, the plants must be used at different stages of their existence in order to obtain the most reliable results. Some must be used in the green state with all their juices; others should be partially dried and a part of their liquid substance allowed to evaporate, while still others must be in a complete dried condition. Physicians understand very well that they get better results from the medicines of some manufacturers than they do from those of others. They do not always stop to consider why this is so. It lies all in the process of manufacture. The practitioner who uses tinctures made from fluid extracts will be very apt to lose faith in medication, because of the poor results which he, many times, obtains. He charges the fault to the medicinal agent, when, in reality, the fault lies in the method of preparation, The blame should be laid at the door of the pharmacist. The rapidity of the absorption of fluids by the blood will prevent the cumulative action which sometimes results from the use of the alkaloids. This is a factor which should not be forgotten. Many deaths could be properly charged to this mode of action in the alkaloids. Many times the alkaloidal principle must be placed in a fluid vehicle in order to get the best results, as, for instance, the whole method of hypodermic medication. There is no question but that the hypodermic syringe has been a blessing to mankind. But where is the practitioner who would like to treat his cases wholly with this instrument? The alkaloids, when you have said the best you can in their favor, are, at best, only a part of the original plant. We are apt to term the active principle of the plant. How are we to demonstrate this fact absolutely? Can it be demonstrated? I think not. Who would be rash enough to assert that all the good of chincona lies in the quinine, or that of nux vomica in the strychnine? And not only of these two, but also of the entire list of plants, which, by means of manipulation, can be caused to give up their alkaloidal principles. Those who are at all familiar with the early history of the Eclectic School of Medicine know how nearly it came to shipwreck because of the wild enthusiasm over the idea of alkaloidal medication. Fortunately, the error was discovered early, and the more rational and scientific method of using the entire plant was substituted. Without doubt there are fewer therapeutic nihilists to-day among the eclectic practitioners than any other school of medicine. It is due to the fact that they use almost exclusively the liquid medicines. I do not wish to be understood that there is no place for the alkaloids in the medical practice, for I am willing to admit that there is. I do contend, however, that that place is very much smaller than many of its champions would have us believe.Pitts E. Howes, M. D., in Electric Review. Official Organ of the Association of Medical Officers of the Army and Navy of the Confederac Glocated on Broad St., just EVE'S SURGICAL INFIRMARY, opposite Stonewall Street, in the highest, healthiest and most desirable portion of the city. BUILDINGS roomy and well ventilated, home-like, free from institutional features, and devoted exclusively to Surgical Cases. GROUNDS ample, and Uranged. Surgical Operations done with the strictest Antiseptic and Aseptic precautions. RATES REASONABLE. Vol. XXVII. DRS. DUNCAN & PAUL F. EVE, Nashville, Tenn. [See Facing Page 4401 AUGUST, 1905. THE No. 8 Southern Practitioner AN INDEPENdent Monthly Journal YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION, $1.00 A YEAR IN ADVANCE. Editor and Proprietor, 208 N. 6th Ave., Nashville, Tenn. Southern Publishing Association, Printers, Nos. 1025-27 Jefferson Street, Nashville, Tenn. 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