Reverse the regime and produce vital repletion, i. e., extreme warmth, high tone, luxuriant, tropical, positive conditions, for which the female germs, with opposite polarity, have an affinity, and they respond quickly, develop rapidly, get the start of, and crowd out the male germs (the conditions not calling out their latent forces), which perish, leaving the female germs to struggle among themselves, the fittest surviving.

In vegetable life, a soil extreme in heat and richness is as inimical to some plant life as opposite soil is to other.

"Biological chemistry," is not, as yet, an exact science, and unerring results can not be expected. A close approximation to certainty is all that can at present be hoped for.

The

My theory explains what Naphey observed but failed to account for-a tendency to female offspring soon after the menses, and males later. menses evidently mark the high tide plethora of vital magnetism. As more conceptions must occur in the first half of the fertile period, we must account for present sex equilibrium on the theory that the first, or female period, is correspondingly shorter than the latter. My regime includes compliance with the theory that the first three days represent positive conditions, and the last three negative.

Geddes noticed that high nutrition was favorable to female offspring, and vice versa, but could not explain it. People saw apples fall from trees before Newton was born, but he was first to apprehend, to comprehend, to discover the law of gravitation.

I had intended to subject my theory to more systematic and thorough experimentation before letting off any fireworks, after the fashion of European scientists, but Dr. Schenck having "aired" his theory, I have been urged by friends, both in and out of the medical profession, to make mine public, also, that they may run the gauntlet of criticism, and go into the crucible of demonstration together.

If I have not discovered the law of sex control, of one thing I feel confident-that it will never be discovered with a microscope. The problem of sex

manifestly belongs to the "invisible world"-to the domain of the psychical.

In the solution of that great mystery, the "comprehendiscope" (to coin a fanciful, though expressive term) will be found the more useful "scope." It deals not merely with effects and trifling details, but with causes, immediate and remote, with elements, principles, forces and laws. It is the interpreter of phenomena, the revealer of Nature.

Assuming that I am on the right track, and that possibly I have discovered the law of sex control, or, at least, its main outlines, I find myself somewhat in the position of a man who has dug out a diamond in the rough and is yet unable to cut and fit it for use.

Catching the "Kansas fever," and taking French leave of my medical tutors, forty-three years ago, I breathed the free air of the West and developed chronic "irregularity" and scepticism, until for thirty years I have been little else than a medical iconoclast and theorizer.

Sans "technique," and without patience in detail, or aptness in minutia, and being overburdened with business cares, I am unfitted to work out the practical application and formularization of my theory. Hence I ask those better equipped in that special line to undertake the arduous task.

Without scepticism there could have been and can be no progress.

Inquiry Department.

Pott's Disease.

I have a daughter, three years of age, who has a peculiar affliction, and if any of the brothers can suggest any thing that will relieve, I will be under great obligations to them. Family history on father's side good. Family history on mother's side not the best, having had five relatives, a mother, three brothers, and a sister die of phthisis. We have had two children, girls. The first died at twenty-one months, with coxalgia, due to a fall; the second was as healthy a child as I ever saw till December 1st, 1897, when she would complain of her back; no fall or blow as far as we can tell. At the same time spine suddenly formed a curvature outward of the first four lumbar vertebræ. A number of doctors have seen her, and pronounce it a curvature without any break, or dying away of the spine. The curvature, I am glad to say, is gradually being rectified and cured by A. S. Aloe's "Teufel's Aufrecht," which, by the way, can not be beat.

But now for the peculiar symptoms. At first the child, while resting easily, would, in a second's time, begin breathing just like a dog panting on a hot day; pulse one hundred and twenty, temperature from 102° to 10412°, and, at the same time, a constant, dry, brassy, blowing cough. This cough will continue for thirty-six hours, without more than two minutes' cessation. At the end of the thirty-six hours, the eyes become glassy and set, pulse down as low as sixty, cold all over, and a cold, clammy sweat breaks out over the whole body; skin very pale, and there is a long sleep of eight to ten hours, when the child wakes up very weak, but free from cough, fever, and is, in a manner, well. At first this spell occurred once in seven days, then once in fourteen days, till now it has not occurred but once in six weeks. As these attacks come farther apart, they are harder each time, and last the same time.

I have had her examined several times, by good doctors, at these times, and all say: No brain lesions, no lung nor heart

trouble. So, what is it? How long will it probably last, and what is probably prognosis, and what is best treatment?

My treatment has been: brace for the curvature, and cod liver oil with creasote. Tincture of iron for a builder and tonic. For this cough, white pine compound, tar, squills, Dover's powder, carbonate ammonia, turpentine, coal oil, Ayer's Cherry Pectoral, and, in fact, every expectorant I could find in the market, but all to no avail, and it did not seem to lessen the cough, or cut it short one single moment.

Bowels have to be kept regular by Seng, glycerine, etc. Appetite poor, except when iron, in some form, is constantly given.

I have been in active practice ten years, and, as yet, I have my first case like this to see. Hope to hear from the brothers through the columns of the valued MEDICAL BRIEF, or by letter. Sorento, Ill. H. E. WILKINS, M. D.

The

[Doctor, the symptoms you detail are probably, due to irritation of the sympathetic nerve. In the next attack, put ten drops each of tincture aconite and tincture ipecac in a glass of water, and give a teaspoonful every thirty minutes until the skin begins to moisten, then lengthen the interval to an hour. skin is unduly sensitive in all persons of tuberculous heredity. They should wear silk flannels the year around, and be preserved from draughts, sudden changes in the weather, etc. Sponging daily with tepid water containing a little spirits ammonia is very good for the skin. Frequent small meals of some single tempting morsel of food is better relished and digested than a regular meal. The little body should be gently rubbed at night. It promotes assimilation and sound sleep.-ED.]

Incipient Consumption.

I have just received the BRIEF for May, and have put in a part of this delightful Sunday in reading its interesting contents.

Permit me to report a case and ask your suggestions regarding it. Mrs. C., widow, aged thirty-five, has been in indifferent health for seven or eight months past. She has almost constant cough with a good deal of phlegm, and sometimes thick sputa and clots. Examination discloses the fact that the right lung is involved, but as far as I can discover, the left is yet intact. She is not subject to constipation, nor are there any indications of fever. She has very sore throat, which I have treated with dilute solution tincture iron, swabbing the throat with this preparation three times daily. It is a very painful remedy, but gives temporary relief. Partly because she has no appetite, and partly because of pain in swallowing, she eats but little.

The worst feature in her case, is that some eight or nine months ago her menses became very scanty, and since December last there has been no dis

charge whatever. In the past six

months she has been under the treatment of two physicians, both of whom pronounced her case consumption, and gave her no encouragement to recover. Her neighbors and friends (she lives four miles in the country), have been expecting her to die when spring fairly opens. They did not think it much use to call a doctor, but her brother asked me to visit her, and on April 12th I made my first call. It occurred to me that the best thing to do would be to establish the catamenia, as I was impressed that the discharge from the throat was, to a large extent, vicarious. I accordingly put her on Aletris Cordial, and berberis aquifolium with pulsatilla glycerine tampons to os, also daily injections of hot water. Kept this treatment up until April 26th, without any effect. No catamenia appeared, and her cough seemingly worse.

In addition to this, I required her to take a teaspoonful of crude coal oil three times daily. I have encouraged her to believe that she will get well, if she will use her medicine, which she takes faithfully. I made a vaginal examination early in the treatment, and the condition seems to be normal.

I am strongly impressed that, if her periods could be re-established, she might recover, but two weeks' effort failed to establish them. Can you make me a suggestion in this respect?

She has been on the coal oil and creasote for only five days. There is not much, if any, improvement in her condition as yet. If her menses are not soon brought on, in a very short time she must necessarily yield to the inevitable.

She is much emaciated-lies down a good deal of the time, but is quite able to walk about, even to visit the neighbors. J. L. CUNNINGHAM, M. D.

Houston, Tex.

[We do not regard cessation of the catamenia as of grave import in itself, but it is valuable as an indication of impaired vitality and deranged circulation. Do not worry over the menses. Women get along very comfortably for years without them. They will return of their own accord once the system is restored to normal.

Coal oil seems rather heroic treatment for a person of delicate appetite and small digestive capacity. We would recommend the phosphate of strychnia, one one-hundredth grain three times a day, and the following:

R Ammonii Carb.....

1 drachm.

Mist. Ferri et Ammonii Acetatis....... 4 ounces. M. Sig. A teaspoonful in a half a glass of water four times daily.

This formula stimulates the skin and kidneys, and frees the lungs from exudate, while the phosphate of strychnine tones the nervous system and improves assimilation. This treatment, or any treatment, must be persevered in for some time before full beneficial effects can be noticed. A person who has been running down steadily for nearly a year can not expect to recover in two or three weeks. It will require patience, judicious and faithful treatment, for at least several months. The whole (Continued on page 888.)