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By reference to Appendix B, you will see that in the two years just passed we have received and treated in hospital 152 cases.

From 1874 to 1876 there were rec'ed and treated in Hospt'l...344 men.

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The important points in regard to the last two years will be found in Appendix B, as stated, and are well worthy of consideration.

In addition to the cases treated in hospital, there were from twenty to thirty cases presented each day at the prison dispensary, who were treated as out-patients, their ailments being light or trifling—such as the extraction of a tooth, the bandaging of a bruised or injured finger, light cases of diarrhoea, neuralgia, chronic rheumatism, gonorrhoea, secondary or tertiary forms of syphilis, cough, colds, constipation, hernia for adjustment of truss, general debility, etc., and malingering. Some of these cases would be excused from work for one or more days, put upon light diet, and given such treatment as they required.

In the summer of 1885, we had quite an epidemic of Rotheln or German measles, about forty cases in all occurring, requiring but little, if any treatment, besides excusing from duty, and light diet, or a simple laxative. All recovered. Only one treated in hospital.

In September last measles developed in one of the prisoners. He was immediately placed in a separate room adjacent, but separated from the hospital, properly prepared. In about ten days two more cases devolped in prisoners who were employed in the same work-shop. In about ten days more, five more cases developed. They were all treated in a room established as a contagious disease ward, and the disease did not spread beyond these eight cases. All recovered.

Last summer, with your concurrence and the assistance of the officers of the prison, every man not disabled by disease was required systematically, once each week, to take a bath in the pool in the prison yard-a certain number each day. This method gave most satisfactory results over the previous custom of letting those bathe who wished to do so. The improved hygiene of the prisoners during the summer was marked; so much so that the Lessees have just constructed a bathhouse, with tubs and toweling, supplied with warm water for bathing during the winter months. From it I can confidently anticipate the most gratifying results, cleanliness being of the greatest importance to prisoners "confined at hard labor."

In regard to the clothing of the prisoners, it has been such as the law requires, with such additions thereto in special cases, such as rheumatic prisoners or those in feeble or poor health, in which cases I have ordered extra garments, which have in every instance been promptly furnished by the Lessees. As to the food, it has been ample in quantity, good and sound in quality, with such variety as the Warden and I have seen fit from time to time to suggest. My suggestions in regard to variable or special diet for the well prisoners, special diet and hospital diet for the sick and invalids, have always been promptly accepted and acted on by the lessees.

The heating of the work-shops by steam, instituted last winter by the Lessees, I believe to be a move in the right direction. It insures a more certain and equable temperature in the work-shops for the prisoners, and greatly lessens the danger by fire, so imminent with the use of stoves or open fire-places amidst so much inflammable material.

The night-soil is, as stated in my report of 1884, promptly removed every day in air-tight barrels. Last summer, the lessees, as requested, substituted for the wooden buckets, formerly used, cast-iron vessels for use in the cells, thus getting rid of the offensive odor that by absorption will attach itself to a wooden vessel, and thus contaminate the air. The iron vessels can be more readily cleansed, especially by the occasional use of high heat, and will not absorb and retain for subsequent emanation, unwholesome, deleterious, or odorous matter.

The character of the work, and the amount exacted each day, has not been beyond the ability of any of the prisoners. They have all, when not excused on account of illness, been required to work, but not beyond their ability.

Before closing my report, which I hope you will not think unneccessarily lengthy, I desire to tender my sincere thanks to yourself for your kindness and courtesy, and the promptness in which you have met my suggestions in regard to the welfare of the prisoners on all occasions; also to Capt. F. S. Harris, the former Warden, and his successor, Mr. A. J. Hooper; to Capt. Fred Crass, Deputy Warden, for their courtesy, kindness, and aid in the discharge of my duty, and their attention to every detail I have suggested in regard to the hygiene of the prison; to Professors Duncan Eve, M. D., J. G. Sinclair, M.D., J. S. Cain, M.D., Dr. H. K. Hiller, Dr. J. D. Rucker, Dr. D. C. Day, and Hon. N. T. Dulaney, M.D., for valuable professional assistance rendered me in special or general disease during emergencies. I also desire to tender my thanks to the

Lessees, Messrs. Cherry, Morrow & Co., for the promptness with which they have filled my requisitions for drugs, from the best and most reliable houses in Nashville-such as Messrs. Berry, Demoville & Co., Pendleton, Thomas & Co., and Messrs. Spurlock, Page & Co., who have furnished on every requisition good and reliable medicines. I further desire to thank the Lessees for the promptness with which they have met my suggestions in regard to any thing pertaining to the health or physical welfare of the prisoners.

Very truly and respectfully, your obedient servant,

DEERING J. ROBERTS, M.D.,

Surgeon Tennessee State Prison.

A ROLAND FOR AN OLIVER.

One of the Eastern medical journals published by a great book house recently had an editorial depicting the evils arising to the profession at large from subscribing to and reading medical journals pub lished by, or in connection with, manufacturing chemists or wholesale drug houses. The remedy for these evils, and the moral inculcated by the editorial, "buy your medical literature from those whose profession it is to make books."

The Therapeutic Gazette, as the most prominent publication emanating from or published by parties connected with the wholesale drug trade, or by manufacturing chemists, took up the gage thus thrown down and retorted in an editorial which is a model of its sort. While we are not taking up anybody's quarrels, we confess to a keen enjoyment of the discomfiture of any one who makes a wanton attack upon the motives, business, or reputation of another, and for this reason we commend the answer made by the Gazette.

The idea that a journal edited by such men as Horatio C. Wood and Robert Meade Smith, although published by a house of less honorable name and fame than that whose imprint is borne by the Therapeutic Gazette, could possibly be utilized to deceive the medical profession in any manner, shape, or form, is an utter absurdity, born of a spirit of envy and business pique.

To this we may add that the closest inspection of every copy of the Gazette, from the first one published in Detroit down to the one now lying before us, fails to show one single instance wherein Messrs. Parke, Davis & Co. have taken advantage of their position toward that

journal, or converted it to their aggrandizement in the smallest particular. As an impartial and scientific exponent of therapeutics the Gazette stands without a rival in this country or abroad, and richly

Very sound reasoning, Brother Jim. Shake!

merits the success that it has achieved.—St. Louis Medical and Surgical Journal.

MEDICAL WONDER.

A writer in the PRACTITIONER of November, 1886, gives the case of Dr. T. J. Pollard, of Arkansas, as the oldest active practitioner now in the United States. I think I can "show up," and head him off a year or two.

Dr. A. W. Brabson, of Washington County, Tennessee, now in active practice, is eighty-four years old. He entered the practice in 1826; graduated at Transylvania when Dudley was at the height of his fame, in 1845. Many good practitioners in those early days never saw a medical college, and many graduated ten and twenty years after they had been in practice. Dr. Brabson had quite a reputation as a physician and surgeon long before he graduated. He has always resided in one place, on a farm in the country, where he was born. He always rode horse-back, and now rides (except at night) as much as he did twenty years ago. The writer studied medicine with him in

1845. Dr. Brabson has been in active practice sixty one years, and at the present writing he is hale and hearty, and in the saddle daily in the active duties of a country practice, and has been the accoucheur of three generations has delivered the grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter of children. S. P. CRAWFORD, M.D.

STOCTON, CAL.

TAKING THE STARCH OUT OF A PHRENOLOGIST BY MEANS OF THE LEAST STARCHY OF ALI. ROOTS.-The following we reproduce from the College and Clinical Record:

"An English gentleman found a large turnip in his field of the shape a man's head, and with the resemblance of the features of a man. Struck with curiosity, he had a cast made of it, and sent the cast to a phrenologist, stating that it was taken from the head of a celebrated professor, and requested an opinion thereon. After sitting in judgment, it was reported that it denoted a man of acute mind and deep research, that he had the organ of quick perception, and also of per

severance, with another that indicated credulity. The opinion was transmitted to the owner of the cast, with a letter requesting, as a particular favor, that he would send them the head. To this he politely replied that he would willingly do so, but he was prevented, as he and his family had eaten it the day before with their mutton at dinner."

SPECIAL PREPARATIONS.—It is a well-known fact that there are druggists in every large city who are not to be trusted with the filling of a prescription that calls for any expensive drug. They come and go, so that at last physicians are compelled to designate certain of the drug fraternity as trustworthy, and insist upon their patients going to these alone for their medical supplies. If they fail to do this, their work is thrown away, and their reputations go with the failure of their remedies in critical cases.

In a case of profuse menorrhagia, one ounce of fluid extract of ergot was ordered, with directions to take one fluid drachm every hour until the hæmorrhage ceased. The entire amount was taken without result. An ounce of "Sqibb's fluid extract of ergot" was orderedsame directions, and the flooding ceased after the second dose.

Four ounces of a mixture of bromide of potassium and chloral, each an ounce, with tincture of hyoscyamus and fluid extract of cannabis indica, in appropriate doses, were ordered, with direction to take one teaspoonful every hour until sleep should be induced. An ugly, muddy mixture was received, which produced nausea and headache, but no sleep.

A similar prescription instead of the above extemporaneous officinal combination was ordered, only "Battle's BROMIDIA" was designated, which induced refreshing sleep after a few doses of from twenty to thirty drops had been taken.—Extract from an article in the Dec. Med. Brief, by William B. Hazard, Prof. Principles and Practice of Medicine, Col. Phys. and Surgs., St. Louis.

NATURE AND TREATMENT OF THE FEVERS OF TROPICAL AND TEMPERATE CLIMATES.-We have received from the author, Prof. Joseph Jones, M.D., of New Orleans, La., the announcement that the above work is completed and now ready for delivery.

The author has embraced in his work on fevers the original investigations and scientific researches of the past thirty years, and has con

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