cavity. Inserting the finger in this opening, as far as could be felt in every direction there was a mass of soft, brain-like tissue, pieces of which were easily broken off and removed. The hemorrhage was most profuse but was easily controlled by tamponing the cavity left by the removal of pieces of tissue. The patient died at the end of one week, asphyxiated. A postmortem was not allowed. This is to be regretted, for it would have been of unusual interest to have known the extent of this neoplasm, its point of origin, whether primary in the lung or secondary to a sarcomatous deposit elsewhere. Dr. McElroy's report as to the microscopical examination of the tissue removed at the time of thoracentesis is as follows: "The tissue consists of masses of various sizes, from that of a pea to a large marble. They are composed of tumor tissue in which lung tissue can be made out. Sections embedded in celloidin and stained with hematoxylin and eosin show the new growth to be a spindle-cell sarcoma, involving the connective tissue of the alveoli and peribronchial tissue. The alveoli are very much compressed and there is not much. proliferation of the alveolar epithelium." Porter Building. BIBLIOGRAPHY. A. Hamilton-Reference Handbook of Medical Sciences. A CONFERENCE OF REPRESENTATIVE SOUTHERN MEN is to be held at Chattanooga on November 9 and 10, with the object of considering first, a uniform system of quarantine in yellow fever; second, a reform in the matter not only of landing an undesirable class of immigrants in Southern ports, but of the alleged custom of scattering them from Northern centers throughout the South. While both of these are very important subjects, the first naturally will demand the most attention, and we hope that the conference will result in the adoption of a resolution favoring Federal control of maritime quarantiue. CESAREAN SECTION. Report of Two Cases Performed Under Adverse Conditions. LORIN A. GREENE, M.D. GREENVILLE, Fla. CESAREAN section has of late years become a not uncommon procedure, but the report of two cases where Cesarean section was done, occurring in my practice and that of my brother, Dr. Ralph N. Greene, may be of interest to rural practitioners at least. Case I. On June 1, 1905, my brother was called to Fannie E., a negress, 15 years of age. She had been in labor for eight hours, the case being under the supervision of a midwife. When first seen by my brother she was in an eclamptic condition and having violent uterine contractions. Examination disclosed a pelvis contracted to about two and three-quarter inches, and a living child. Craniotomy being considered equally as dangerous as Cesarean section on account of the small conjugate diameter, the latter procedure was offered and accepted. The conservative operation was done and a living child was delivered. The mother made a tedious but complete recovery. Case II. On July 8, 1905, my brother was called to Annie W., a negress, 25 years of age, a multipara. A short time after I received a very urgent call from him to the same case, and upon my arrival was placidly informed by him that we were "up against it." The patient had been in labor six hours, and examination revealed a twin pregnancy with one child's legs and buttocks projecting from the vulva, and the other child's feet visible. Further examination disclosed the fact that we had a monstrosity to deal with, and immediate preparations were made for a mutilating operation. Before the operation was begun the patient gave evidence of having sustained a rupture of the uterus, and as quickly as possible the abdomen was opened and the uterus emptied of its contents. The entire appendage was then removed, the so-called Porro-Müller operation being performed. The rupture was on the posterior surface of the fundus and was about three and one-half inches in length. The peritoneal surfaces were thoroughly rinsed with hot saline solutions and the abdominal incision closed. The patient died during shock twenty hours after the operation. Being desirous of retaining the specimen, we made no post mortem examination. The sternal union is osseous. CORRESPONDENCE. THE NEW PHARMACOPEIA.* To the Medical Profession of Memphis and Shelby County : It seems a possibility that sufficient notice has not been given the medical profession as to the date when the eighth revision of the United States Pharmacopeia became effective, and as to the large number of changes in the strength of the more potent Galenicals, to say nothing of the many changes in titles. Therefore, do you not think the probability of confusion in dispensing would warrant some action by the physicians of this city and county at this meeting? It is not my desire to appear officious, but it seems that some concerted action should be had by the physicians to prevent confusion and possible dangers. Our firm has notified the physicians of this city by card of the most radical changes of the potent Galenicals, and we would urge upon them the committing to memory of those at least most frequently prescribed. The State Board of Pharmacy has sent out notice that on and after September 1, 1905, the eighth decennial revision of the Pharmacopeia, or, as it is popularly known, the Pharmacopeia of 1900, becomes official, and all examinations of pharmaceutical preparations made by the chemist of the Board after that date will be based on it. Therefore, unless the profession observe these changes the effects of their prescriptions may not be satisfactory, owing to the reduction of strength of tinctures, or else, as in the case of strophanthus, the dose will be double the amount intended to be given. This change has been brought about by a conference at Brussels to introduce an international standard of the potent Galenicals, which no doubt was the proper step, and as has been accomplished in the monetary system and the system of weights and measures. This, however, is a matter that can not be used at our pleasure-grains or grammes-but it becomes compulsory to adhere to one standard, and that standard to be adopted at once. As the old saying puts it, "The apothecary is little more than the physician's cook." It devolves upon us to watch * Read before Memphis and Shelby County Medical Society, Sept. 19, 1905. more carefully the physician's prescriptions, and when there is any question of doubt, to communicate with him at once for verification of his doses. Hence the medical profession will incur little trouble or annoyance if they will specify at the head of their prescriptions, U. S. P. 1900. It will be easy to remember that the more potent remedies, belladonna, cannabis, colchicum, digitalis, gelsemium, hyoscyamus, physostigma, squills and stramonium are given in 50 per cent. larger doses, aconite in three times as large a dose and veratrum in four times as large a dose, excepting when Norwood's is prescribed, which will remain the same, being an individual standard. Strophanthus must be given in half the usual dose formerly prescribed, as well as tr. cantharides. The question is, "How can the pharmacist best guard against the inevitable pitfalls brought about by change of standard? It behooves him to be on his guard and use the best diplomacy at his command in order to save the sick from errors on the part of the makers of the tinctures on one side and on the part of the prescriber on the other. With tincture of aconite reduced from thirty-five per cent. to ten per cent., and that of veratrum from forty per cent. to ten per cent., while that of strophanthus has been increased from five per cent. to ten per cent., many chances for dangerous errors are presented. Those who make the tinctures may follow the old formulas at times, those who sell them at wholesale may supply the strengths prescribed by the Pharmacopeia of 1890, and those who dispense may be in some doubt as to whether the old or the new strength of any of these tinctures is wanted. It is safe to say that if the prescribing physician wants the old strength and gets the new, or vice versa, the druggist will be the one to get the blame. In dealing with the questions which will be presented on account of the changes mentioned, pharmacists will have to be unusually careful, and will have to bring into requisition all the tact for which they have long been distinguished, in order to protect their customers from serious consequences and to keep themselves out of unpleasant situations. auu "It should be said just here that the committee of revision did not make these changes, so likely to cause trouble, hastily |