be aborted. If, however, he is not a good physiologist, if he is not a thinker, and if he knows nothing of the curative influence of pure drugs on a diseased body, the patient may die, may wallow around in the slough of disease until the natural recuperative powers assert themselves, or he may be crippled for the rest of his life by the remains of uncured disease. Nature, it must be remembered, is the expression of habit. Physiology is normal habit; pathology is a deviation from normal habit which may become permanent. Drugs are used to bring the system back to normal habits by stimulating inactive parts of the body and soothing over-active ones. In other words, they restore equilibrium.

For instance, constipation is an abnormal habit, and one which is seldom or never spontaneously cured. It causes a chronic mild degree of infection, due to absorption of poisonous gases and ptomaines from the intestine. Those who are habitually constipated have always a coated tongue. The blood is devitalized, all the organs are more or less injuriously affected, and the system generally is more apt to take on diseased action. Habitual constipation is usually due to hepatic torpor or deficient intestinal secretion. A mild hepatic stimulant will remedy the condition if given long enough to wean the bowel from its bad habit by substituting a good one.

A sluggish skin is another unnatural condition which doubles the work of the kidneys, causes mild chronic infection, is provocative of colds, etc. In these cases, very minute doses of aconite and ipecac (ten or fifteen drops of each in four ounces of water, teaspoonful four times a day), given for some time, will often effect a cure.

Weak hearts and irritable or paralytic nervous systems are due to impoverished blood. While we are building up nutrition by a carefully regulated diet, and the administration of remedies to increase the normal digestive secretions, we should give a mild heart tonic and phosphates, or hypophosphites.

Bodily energy is derived from the building up and tearing down of tissue. Therefore, active metabolism, normal digestion and assimilation, mean abun

dant energy. We can not have good digestion and nutrition without hunger, and hunger is the natural expression of healthy and harmonious function. One false note occasioned by a torpid liver, a sluggish skin, a depressed heart or dormant muscles, is sufficient to derange the whole system, depress nutrition and lower energy. The doctor who recognizes these great fundamental truths in therapy, and is familiar with drugs which will control them, is the man who cures his patient and makes real progress in medicine.

Have We Statesmen Now? Coming down in the street car the other day, the Editor of the BRIEF overheard an animated conversation between two of his fellow-passengers.

In speaking of the troublous times on which we have entered, one of them was sighing for the good old days when there were some real statesmen among our political leaders, and asserted that there was not a single living American of gigantic stature. The other gentleman, however, earnestly maintained a contrary position, and instanced Wm. McKinley and Thos. B. Reed as coming up to the full measure of statesmanship. We are inclined to agree with this latter statement

Few men in the history of the United States have possessed a greater force of character and a capacity for making their influence felt, than Speaker Reed, and none who have ever exerted power have used it with less selfish purposes. As for Mr. McKinley, he has surprised even his friends.

He has shown himself to be a statesman of the first rank. He has not committed a single blunder, nor made a false move since his accession to the presidency, notwithstanding all the complications and embarrassments that have beset him. To speak of nothing else, his conduct in the negotiations with Spain over the Cuban embroglio, will always be considered as one of the most brilliant diplomatic victories ever achieved by any country.

Every demand made by him on Spain was acceded to by the government of that country. His pressure was made

slowly, cautiously, and with firmness, and there is no doubt in our mind, that he would have freed Cuba without the loss of a single life, or the expenditure of a dollar, if Congress had been more patriotic and less impatient, and had not compelled him, by threatening to precipitate a crisis, to commit the whole matter into its incapable hands.

War Revenues.

At this writing, Congress is engaged in the task of providing revenue for the prosecution of the war against Spain. War entails extraordinary expenditures of money, and in spite of the vast resources of the United States, the ingenuity of our statesmen is severely taxed to devise means that will raise the requisite funds in a manner that will be the least obnoxious to the people. It is altogether out of the question to extract the immense sums necessary by immediate taxation. Resort must, therefore, be had to other expedients. The most sensible of all these measures, consists in pledging the credit of the nation in the shape of long time bonds.

The regular current expenses of the Government ought, of course, to be borne by the present generation, by, and for whom they are incurred. But wars are usually waged not simply in the interests of the present, but for the benefit of future generations as well. The latter, therefore, should bear their proportionate part of the burdens of a war, in the benefits of which they will largely share, and the issue of bonds is the only means by which they can be compelled to do so. In the present emergency we think that the bonds should be of small denominations, say of one, two, five and ten dollars each, bearing interest at two or three per cent, and running for thirty, forty and fifty years. Bonds of these amounts would be readily taken up by the people of all classes. The spirit of patriotism would inspire our humblest citizens to lend a small part of their earnings to the support of the Government. Such

a system would not only promote economy, but would put into circulation millions of dollars, which are hoarded, and which are, therefore, use

now

less, except for the gratification of the miserly instincts of the hoarders.

Another, and a most important result, would be, that every person who owns these bonds, however small his holdings, would feel an active and a personal interest in the welfare of the Government. It would make him study questions of government and economics, and being thus personally interested in the prosperity and well-being of the whole country, he could not be so easily deluded by politicians and others, who are always coming before the people with schemes professedly for the benefit of the people of the country, but really designed to further their own selfish interests. Protective tariffs, free silver, or greenback legislation, and other similar projects, whose purpose is to use the powers of the Government for the enrichment of the few, at the expense of the many, or which are designed to cause the Government to repudiate its obligations, would find fewer and less devoted followers. The expenditures for Government purposes would be more closely watched, and would, therefore, be smaller, and the people would get the benefit from them. All forms of lawlessness would be more easily suppressed. There would be fewer laws and fewer officials, and the occupation of the professional politician would be lessened.

There are some people, who, because they realize that it is unwise for individuals to hamper themselves with debt, think the same rule holds equally good with nations. We think they are mistaken. The life of an individual is of short duration. He lives mainly for himself, and his immediate family. He can not, in this country, transmit his property beyond the second generation which succeeds him, nor can he bind his children to carry out obligations which he has assumed. It would be contrary to public policy were he allowed to do either.

The lives of governments are, on the contrary, continuous. We, who live now, are enjoying the benefits which resulted from the sacrifices of our ancestors. We hope to transmit to remote posterity the blessings of government which we enjoy. It is but right, there

fore, that those who come after us should bear a part of the expenses incurred for their benefit. The loss of life, and the hardships of war, can only be borne by the generation which wages the war.

A large national debt is a good thing in many ways. It steadies the people, and develops in them a sense of responsibility, and thus promotes individualism. A large part of a nation's debt is necessarily held in other countries. Those who hold it are usually influential in the political councils of their respected governments. The fact that a large part of our present national debt is held in Great Britain accounts, no doubt, in a measure, for the friendly interest manifested by that country for the United States in the present crisis. It thus has a tendency to make even foreign governments interested in the perpetuity and stability of our institutions.

We repeat, the running expenses of the Government should be paid by the generation which incurs them. On the other hand, expenditures of money, in the benefits of which posterity will share, should be distributed through the years, so that all who enjoy shall likewise pay.

Wealth is Honorable.

Enterprise, energy, economy and thrift have always been considered by civilized men as virtues. The fruits of these qualities wealth and worldly success, have been esteemed desirable and honorable; but unfortunately for our civilization, a disposition has grown up in this country in the past few years, which would put a premium on thriftlessness, and would make the accumulation of wealth dishonorable. If energy and thrift are to have no reward beyond that of mediocre talent, will men continue to make extraordinary efforts? If the man who manages and bears all the responsibility of a vast enterprise is to have no better reward than the man who works for him, and has no responsibility beyond the routine performance of his daily task, will the proprietor continue to carry the nerveracking strain? There is another side

to the millionaire's life, beside the purple and fine linen, which ignorant men envy him, and which he, himself, has neither time nor thought to enjoy.

Doctors know how often sugar and albumen are found in the urine of bank

presidents, how common indigestion and insomnia are among the responsible heads of large industries. Nor are these troubles the result of indulgences. Most of them have long since learned that neither indulgence nor recreation are for them. Everything is made subsidiary to the progress and prosperity of the business, with its army of dependents. The whitening head and quivering pneumogastric nerve testify to this. Some consideration must be shown these men. They are human. We can not reasonably expect them to endure everything without protestation or reward.

The snorting politician, because of his ignorance, and to curry favor with the people through their prejudices and passions, is accustomed to heap abuse and ridicule upon our aristocracy of brains and commercial talent, and the latter, conscious of their integrity and purity of motive, have been content to be misunderstood and maligned. But when it comes to the enactment of laws which would injure and defraud those who constitute society's bulwarks, it is time the people be made to see the other side. We have no angels in the world, and if we should turn it upside down to please the snorting politician and his ilk, we should probably find the lower stratum of society less adapted to the crust than those who now occupy it. That line about equal freedom before the law reads up as well as down.

antitoxin is the latest scientific discovery, and that if they would be up-todate, they must use it in the treatment of diphtheria. This argument is quite sufficient for this class of practitioners, good and intelligent men in their way, but not thinkers. They have no originality, and never grow any. They are routinists, first, last and all the time. They never do anything for medicine; in fact, they are obstacles to real progress. They are not conservative, for true conservatism is active, a sifting process, a trying of all things and holding fast to that which experience has proved to be good.

Notwithstanding this element in the profession, the life of antitoxin would have been as brief as tuberculin, but for the self-limited nature of the disease, diphtheria, and the ingenious use of carbolic acid and other antiseptics in the manufacture of antitoxin. It had long been known that antiseptics constituted the rational treatment of the acute infectious diseases. Many cases were on record of the successful treatment of diphtheria, scarlet fever and allied diseases with carbolic acid, sulphurous acid, Listerine, and other good antiseptics. By combining some one of these antiseptics with tainted horse water, and writing a superstitious rigmarole about the animal cells manufacturing a natural antidote to the disease poison-an undemonstrable idea-a large demand, extortionate prices, was created for the nasty stuff, which actually does produce some of the good results claimed for it, because of the antiseptic which it contains. But that it is the antiseptic, and not the serum, has been proved over and over, for the antiseptic alone will do all that antitoxin can, while the serum alone can do nothing, and is nothing but a putrescent solution of animal albumen.

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Now that antitoxin has been established by the creation of numerous plants for its manufacture, which appeal constantly to the credulity of the profession, it will take time to uproot this fallacy. Health Boards, through the sensational newspapers, are doing all they can to convince people of the prime importance of antitoxin, and of themselves as scientific protectors of the people's health. But notwithstand

ing the large commercial interests and political ambitions involved in antitoxin, and notwithstanding the endorsement of scientific pretense and superstition, this delusion will eventually go the way of all others. Thinking men are discarding it from their list of remedies, and the others will gradually fall into line. The MEDICAL BRIEF has added laurels to its previous great popularity by this fight for truth, and has received commendation and eulogy from one end of the civilized world to the other.

Feeding the Baby.

A majority of babies are over-fed, a few under-fed, many improperly fed. The stomach of a new-born child is a mere dilatation of the intestinal tract, and has a capacity varying from onehalf to one ounce, which increases at the rate of about a half an ounce per month. To allow a child of two or three months to consume a half a pint of milk at a feeding, is to prepare the way for trouble in that household. The act of nursing is automatic and mechanical. A child will continue to nurse until the stomach is so distended as to vomit forth its contents. Or, if the milk is retained, it ferments, causes flatulence, colic, perhaps fever and convulsions. A child which is habitually over-fed will suffer from obstinate constipation, or diarrhea, rashes, catarrhal troubles, irritability, etc. A baby which nurses should be separated from the breast as soon as it ceases to draw vigorously, and the mouth relaxes. A baby which is fed may be given an ounce every hour during the day, at the age of one month, and two or three times during the night. Babies vary very much in their digestive powers, however, and the doctor will have to experiment a little in each case. The amount of each feeding will have to be gradually increased, and the intervals between lengthened as the baby gets older.

If insufficient food is given, or if the milk is wanting in any one of its natural constituents, the infant is liable to develop scurvy, rachitis, marasmus, troublesome dentition, etc.

The nutrition of the baby must be watched, therefore, and it should be

weighed from week to week, to make sure that it is gaining normally.

Frequent vomiting is the first sign hung out by Nature to show that she is overworked. Next, we will have trouble with the discharges, which become thicker, and filled with undigested curds, or take on a greenish hue, and run into diarrhea. In these cases the quantity of milk must be lessened, and it must be further diluted.

The idea of modifying milk to suit the needs of the individual baby is one of the greatest of modern advances. This idea has been put into practical operation in many of our cities, with great advantage. It is more difficult to extend it to the country, but, perhaps, if some rough classification of the more common nutritive disorders of babies were made, a properly modified milk to suit each could be concentrated, and sold in cans for temporary use.

Straining After the Unnatural.

We can never educate ourselves away from the natural. We have tried, and are trying hard, but with poor success. The novelty of each attempt finds advocates and disciples at first, but it is only a vogue, and soon passes. In music, for example, no one has to work arduously to comprehend a strain of melody. It stirs him instantly and holds his attention in spite of himself. But no one really loves the music produced by the Wagnerian school. People have been told that this is intellectual musicthat it is grand, gloomy, and peculiar. Musical critics have attempted to read into it all sorts of fancies and moods, but this is self-deception. There is nothing in the world so deceitful as the brain when it is cut loose from fact. Wagnerian music is flat, insipid, meaningless. It is all tinkle and bang, full of dyspepsia and morbidity. It causes inexpressible weariness of the soul, and fatigues the mind. It produces none of those raptures which attend the performance of Gounod's Ave Maria, or the sonatas and symphonies of Mozart and Beethoven. Viewed from the standpoint of gymnastics, Wagnerian music is all right. Probably it would suit the Chinese, who care only for

noise; but the true aim of music is not to teach mechanical expertness, but to thrill and inspire the soul.

What is true of music is true also of photography. When we see the picture of a woman with eyes rolled up and hands crossed, or in any other elaborate and studied posture, we are displeased. We know that such attitudes are not natural. That self-consciousness, vanity, and pretense are responsible for them, and the insincerity, the untruth of the thing vexes us.

In religion, how we all hate the hypocrite! None of us respect or trust the man who is a rigid stickler for dogma and creed, but whose daily life is a continual offense against the Golden Rule. We find it far easier to forgive a good round oath, or an occasional glass too much, in the man who makes no protestations, but remembers the widow and fatherless with timely donations of coal and potatoes.

The unnatural exists in politics, too. The demagogue goes about expounding unnatural and impossible cures for political and economic disease. Fiat money, free silver, single tax, socialism, and other similar vagaries are dilated upon as panaceas. Not once does he touch upon the fundamental fact of selfownership upon which society rests. Not once does he tell the people that each man owns himself and must meet the responsibilities which such ownership implies, by the exercise of his natural faculties. If these faculties are not of a high order, his quarrel is with Nature, not with society. Society can not redress Nature's wrongs save at the expense of some one else, and we must constantly strive to preserve justice. As it is now, the strong bear crushing burdens. For every man who works to the full measure of his strength, there are a dozen idle mouths drawing sustenance from him.

In medicine, the unnatural threatens to become a fanaticism. Bugs have almost driven sanity out of the superstitious German mind, and the influence which German teaching and methods has acquired over American physicians is injurious to our progress in practical diagnosis and therapeutics. It is necessary to combat this influence vigorously