bacillus is found in the expectoration, this denotes an open tuberculous focus and one that always is contaminated with secondary infective microorganisms.

In short, the finding of tubercle-bacilli in the expectoration means phthisis, or pulmonary consumption. To be sure, the bacilli may persist in the expectoration during convalescence, and even for a long periods afterward. If convalescence is well on the way and the tuberculous lesions are healing, the little red rods, however, will show evidences of disintegration.

It is true, though, that tubercle-bacilli as well as those of diphtheria have been found in the nasal passages as also in the pharyngeal secretions of healthy persons. But, this was the case only in people who had been in close contact with patients ill with these respective diseases, and, the fact that the bacteria were found in the secretions of healthy persons does not show the innocuousness of those germs, but, only the satisfactory immunity or the resistance on the part of those who are thus infected, yet, without acquiring the disease.

We are persuaded that Doctor Marner views conditions more darkly than is justified by fact. The modern methods of laboratory-research, especially of clinicallaboratory research, undoubtedly are of the greatest benefit in enabling physicians to arrive at definite diagnoses more speedily than they could by clinical observation alone. That methods like the Wassermann test for syphilis or x-ray examinations are erroneous and useless, is incorrect, as are other opinions that are voiced by our correspondent. Of course, if complicated investigations are undertaken merely for the purpose of increasing the fees, they become vicious. But, we absolutely refuse to support Doctor Marner in his contention that the physicians of the United States are a lot of grafters and thieves. We venture to say that, with few exceрtions, the work done by physicians is absolutely honest, done in good faith and by no means with an eye primarily to the dollars that may be involved.

Frankly, we rather deplore Doctor Marner's attitude as evidenced in his criticisms and accusations, believing that they are unjustified and unjust. This is true also in great measure regarding the strictures of the medical service of the Army.

We are quite aware of the fact that serious epidemics occurred and that many of

the soldiers succumbed to them. We also are aware of the fact that many unfortunate instances of insufficient preparation and service have occurred. In a few camps, the management both of the medical service and in other respects seems to have been wofully lax. On the whole, however, it must not be forgotten that we can not judge from isolated individual occurrences, but, that we must think in large figures. From this point of view, the morbidity as well as the mortality among American soldiers and sailors has been far less than that of the Japanese army which hitherto has claimed the best records.

When Doctor Marner indulges in a condemnation of Socialism and its vicious outcroppings, we can not follow him, either. That, though, concerns questions of a nonmedical nature in which we prefer not to express opinions. If not too much space is asked for, however, we shall be ready to accept a few replies to Doctor Marner's letters. But, please, make it concise and short.-ED.]

PHYSICIANS WANTED IN IDAHO

W. D. Keller and Son, druggists at Culdesac, Idaho, are anxious to secure a good physician for that locality, asserting that there is a big field for a general practitioner in that location and that one is sorely needed. We suggest that physicians looking for a good opening with plenty of work communicate with the firm mentioned.

GOVERNMENT AID TO WOUNDED SOLDIERS

The United States Government is resolved to do its best to restore every wounded American soldier and sailor to health, strength, and self-supporting activity.

Until his discharge from the hospital all medical and surgical treatment necessary to restore him to health is under the jurisdiction of the military or naval authorities, according to the branch of the service he is in. The vocational training, the reeducation and rehabilitation necessary to restore him to self-supporting activity, is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Board for Vocational Education.

If he needs an artificial limb or mechanical appliance the Government will supply it free, will keep it in repair, and renew it when necessary. If after his discharge he again needs medical treatment on account of his disability, the Government will supply it free. While he is in the hospital and while in training afterwards, the soldier or sailor will receive compensation as if in service and his family or dependents will receive their allotment.

A wounded soldier or sailor, although his disability does not prevent him from returning to employment without training, can take a course of vocational training free of cost and the compensation provided by the war-risk insurance act will be paid to him and the training will be free, but no allotment will be paid to his familiy.

Every Liberty Bond holder who holds his bond is keeping up a part of this great work of restoring to health, strength, and usefulness the men who have suffered for their country.

LETTER FROM FRANCE.-V.

The burial-grounds of the Americans who fell on the field of honor during the months of June and July are being put in perfect order, so that, when the war is over, their relatives will be able to find the resting-place with little difficulty.

Around Lucy-le-Bocage, where the Marines first went into action, and around Bouresches and the Belleau Woods the Americans advanced so rapidly that it was possible to give only a temporary restingplace to the brave ones that had fallen so gloriously. Small parties were detached to throw a few spades of earth over them on the spot where they had fallen face downward in their first on-to-Berlin rush. Many of them fell in shell holes, which were easily enough filled up for the moment. Others fell in the open, and comrades would stop long enough to throw a little earth over them and put up a cross.

Now all those shell holes are being searched out, the bodies are being removed, their identification-discs carefully collected, and the bodies are being placed in proper graves in rows along the road. The bodies are being buried in groups of twenty-six, side by side, with a wooden cross marking the head of each individual grave. On every cross, there is placed an aluminum plate bearing the name and number of the soldier, with one of his identification-discs attached just below.

The ground is being searched inch by

inch, so that there is no possibility of any of these glorious lads that have lost their lives for their country being overlooked and left in an unmarked grave, and it is a great satisfaction to note how very few of the aluminum plates bear the word "Unknown".

Detachments of Negroes were at work under the supervision of a white sergeant and several other white soldier assistants. While they agreed that it was a frightful undertaking, they said that they were repaid by the thought of the satisfaction that would be derived by the parents of these fallen soldiers, because of the knowledge that their sons were being buried so that their graves might be found after the war. In many instances, valuable jewelry and other personal articles, are found on the dead, and these are sent to the parents without delay. Recently, the body of a lieutenant was brought in, on whom 12,000 francs was found. It was difficult to decipher his name, but, it was something like Milsen, and he was from Philadelphia. Those in charge never lost sight of the fact that the parents may decide to take their dead home after the war is over and always the graves are made carefully with that thought in mind.

The groups of graves are not all near together, but, are scattered along the road, where they occupy space that would not be used for anything else and indicate the first path the Americans took on their road to victory. The graves are not merely barren mounds of earth, marked with their simple wooden crosses, but, in many cases. the soldiers of this detachment have stopped to form the letters "U. S. A." with tiny white pebbles embedded in the earth, and have planted flowers; while, of course, the flag is there, too.

In looking from a hilltop, not far from Belleau Woods, over these American graves, with an occasional French cocarde marking a fallen brother and a German's grave here and there (I recall one marked with a German spiked helmet), one might be overcome by the pathos of the situation; yet the glory of it all is so overpowering that the pathos is lost and one comes away filled more with pride than sorrow.

Broadway sent a shining star to Longchamp last night, to brighten the hearts of the men of the Ambulance service stationed there, and the star, Miss Irene Franklin and her "Broadway bunch" made a big hit with the Longchamp camp. The same charming personality that has won her audiences in the States was evident on the improvised stage in the Longchamp mess-hall. The songs were full of snap and brightness, and in response to popular demand she sang her immense success, "Redhead". Together with the "Broadway bunch", appeared the "Magic-MelodyMirth" Company. They won the audience from the first and their place in the memory of the ambulance men is assured.

Soldiers stationed in the Paris district have their choice of several entertainments this evening, when three theatrical groups, that are operating under the auspices of the American Y. M. C. A. are to appear.

Irene Franklin and her "Broadway bunch" at Fort de Stains; D. C. MacIver's "Magic-Melody-Mirth" at Hotel Pavillon. Adler's "Laugh Barrage" at Orly.

The "Magic-Melody-Mirth" Company, which also will play a Saturday matinée at the U. S. Hospital at Auteuil, provides a very good evening's entertainment. The company consists of D. C. MacIver, Hai Pierson, Madeline I. Glynn, and Alfred Armand. MacIver was, for four years, a magician and illusionist of high standing on the vaudeville stage. Some time ago, he retired from the boards to engage in mining in Arizona, but, when the call for volunteers for theatrical work in France reached

him, he gladly packed up his black book

In one month's time, the 5,000 refugees returned to their homes in the reconquered districts of the Aisne and Marne have been aided by the American Red Cross. Fortyfive carloads of supplies have been sent since August 5 to Chateau-Thierry, Essonnes, Dormans, Troissy, Verneuil, arn.. Villers-Cotterets. These camions, known as rolling grocery-stores, make the rounds of the districts, to supply the needs of the homecomers in the places where no shops have as yet been opened.

Arrangements are now being made by the American Red Cross to send out a

force of workmen for provisional repairwork in the shell-ruined villages. More than 100 peasants returned each day to Chateau-Thierry and nearby towns. In the Somme district, the Red Cross is gathering supplies in huge warehouses, in preparation for the return of the refugees. The equipment includes everything, fronı paint-brushes and chicken-wire, to food and coal.

The villages are now simply piles of ruins. The roofs are torn asunder, the walls overturned, exposing the interior of what once were happy homes. Fragments of broken furniture are scattered here and there. The belfry of the little church, has, in falling, broken through the vaulted roof of the nave, and a great image of crucified Christ stretches out suffering arms upon this sinister chaos. The fires still arc smouldering in place. An acrid and sickening smell seizes upon one; the smell of the Huns. They were still here last night.

An American battalion that was in the very thick of the fight is endeavoring to find billets among these ruins. The men have been promised three-days' rest. Worn and fatigued, covered with mud, their cheeks fevered, the men throw down their packs and throw themselves down just anywhere-be it in gardens ploughed up by shells or in roadside ditches. The tents have not been pitched and every man is obsessed by the one, single thought-sleep!

On the morrow, the sun is shining. Toilet-sets appear from all the packs; the men wash and shave themselves, clean their uniforms, and change their linen; the fatigue and privations of past few days already are nearly forgotten. Suddenly shouts of joy resound. From the window of a small house, not quite so completely demolished as the neighboring ones, the Stars and Stripes are floating and a red sign bearing the letters Y. M. C. A. is being discerned.

During the night, three autos had arrived, laden with chocolate, milk, cigars, cigarettes, biscuits, candy, soap, newspapers, or in a word everything that delights a soldier. Miss B., who is in charge of this expedition, has, with the assistance of her valiant volunter staff, cleaned up this miserable hovel and managed to lend it quite a festive appearance. Her trim figure is seen everywhere; her gray-cloth costume. cut on military lines, her highlaced boots. her blond hair straying from under her Where shells were falling yesterday and poison gases were still lurking this morning, there now reigns a feminine smile. May you be blessed, you, who, risking your own life every day, thus comfort with your presence the brave men that have done their duty!

Experiments with a new system of partly restoring sight to the blind are being made at Nice. This system is the invention of a Polish savant named Kann, a soldier in the Foreign Legion, and is based upon the principle that, even when the eye has been removed, the optic nerve may remain sensitive to rays of light. This invention is an apparatus resembling a Carnival mask, and it contains prisms and a chamber in which the rays of light are filtered. This apparatus is connected with a small induction coil in the patient's pocket. With the help of this contrivance, blind men have been able to identify all the colors of the spectrum, as well as ordinary white light and shadows caused by solid objects. One wearer succeeded in distinguishing the outline of pieces of furniture and in counting uplifted fingers. The experiments are being continued.

The rehearsals of the war choir of the Paris American Church of Holy Trinity will be resumed when applicants for membership can attend. This choir, composed of soldiers, sailors, and men and women war-workers of the Allied Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., all volunteering their services, has sung at many ceremonies since its organization in last March, notably at the Memorial-Day Service on May 30.

Demands of the military and relief organizations cause fluctuations in the strength of the choir. The choir will collaborate with the French choral society, the Chanteurs Classiques de Passy, of which Mr. Gustin Wright, the organist of Holy Trinity, also is conductor, in giving a series of oratorios and musical services during the winter for American soldiers in Paris, beginning next month.

Doctor Dommartin, head physician of the Nice military command, yesterday visited the American hospital No. 107 bis and the Russian hospital No. 139, to present four medals of Reconnaissance Francaise, the

the American hospital, the silver medal of the second class of this new decoration had been awarded to Mrs. Alice Dulany Hunter, the wife of the American Consul, who is the directress of the formation: and to Mr. Richardson Robinson Riley, the American Vice-Consul, the administrator of the hospital.

The recipients of this decoration at the Russian hospital are, Count Michael Rohozynsky, founder and administrator of the hospital, and Princess Ouroussoy, the head nurse. Doctor Dommartin could present only the ribbon of the new decoration, as the medals have not yet been struck. The ribbon is white, edged with blue, white, and red.

At each hospital, the principal physician indicated the titles of the recipients of the new distinction to the recognition of the French Government. Everyone here knows how perfectly these two voluntary hospitals, which are entirely dependant upon their own resources, are administered and with what untiring zeal and constant care all the nurses attend to those in their charge.

Nowhere in France is a single incident or occasion allowed to pass that in any way appears to give a chance for the French to show their appreciation of an love for America and Americans. While American troop-trains were passing through Enghien les Bains, a work-train crashed into a trooptrain, and one American soldier, Private William MacKnight, was killed outright. Another man, Private Ward Lewis, was terribly injured. Four other men were more or less seriously hurt. MacKnight's body and five wounded were brought into Enghien les Bains. They were then taken to the French Hospital of the Casino. Privates Ward Lewis and Henry D. Lowery were both operated upon in the presence of Mrs. Addy Weaver, of the American Red Cross; but, in spite of all possible help and devoted care, Private Lewis died at about midnight, and on Monday morning, at the American Hospital, Private Lowery passed away.

An impressive funeral service, arranged by the Municipal authorities of Enghien, was held for Privates Lewis and MacKnight on Saturday evening, near the Hospital. Red Cross men and women were present at the service. Many beautiful

flowers were placed on the coffins by French, British, and American sympathiz

ers.

The ceremony was an impressive one. Doctor Helary, the mayor of Enghien les Bains, in an eloquent oration, paid a high tribute to the American army and to the unforunate young soldiers. Many of the inhabitants of Enghien accompanied the hearse. A detail, which will speak for itself, is that, notwithstanding the deceased Americans having been of the Protestant religion, Abbé Simonin, Rector of the Catholic church of Enghien, brought to the cemetery a beautiful wreath of flowers to the funeral and was among the leading fol. lowers of the poor boys' bodies.

When Newton D. Baker, United States Secretary of War, landed in France for his present visit, his first official call was upon two representatives of the American Red Cross, the Misses Lansing, who organized at this port a canteen for the American wounded returning to America. Secretary Baker was accompanied by John D. Ryan, formerly a member of the Red Cross War Council and now at the head of the American aviation; by the brigadier-general commanding the United States army at that point, by the French admiral who received him, and by Captains Hitchcock and Hooker, of the American Red Cross. He immediately congratulated the Misses Lansing upon their reception of the War Cross, and was keenly interested in the work which they are doing for the wounded soldiers returning to America.

This is one of the more recent activities of the American Red Cross. The two workers that have organized it have a central receiving-point for sandwiches, hot drinks, cigarettes, chocolate, et cetera. Here they oversee the making of sand wiches and hot drinks for the soldiers, and from here they take them to the boats and distribute them to the soldiers

on

the lighters carrying the men out to the hospital-ships. In the unavoidable delays between detraining and getting settled on the boats that take them to America, there sometimes are long intervals when the soldiers have no regular meal served to them. It is a comfort to them to be sent off to America with a parting Godspeed from their Red Cross friends in France and with sandwiches, hot drinks, and cigarettes. Naturally, Secretary Baker was much interested in an undertaking which is especially devoted to the welfare of the wounded sol

diers returning to their native land-heroes who have done their part, and done it well.

Details received from Murcia and Valencia confirm the news that the Spanish grip has again broken out in those provinces, and the population is alarmed. At the town of Lorca, a girl belonging to one of the best families has succumbed. At Catarroja, Alcira, and Valencia, itself, there are many new cases of the epidemic.

The situation is much aggravated by the fact that, on account of the scarcity and high price of food, the inhabitants are in a state of weakness that favors the spread of the epidemic.

Paris, France.

B. SHERWOOD-DUNN.

THE EIGHTY-NINTH MILE-POST

Inhospitable vicissitudes have been passed through and surmounted in the last stage of this tremendous pilgrimage of mine. The climax was reached a year ago, as I have told, in sustaining a fractured skull and loss of blood but slightly short of causing dissolution. Since then, a marvelous change came over the spirit of this tropical dream, tantamount to my resurrection to an active state of rejuvenation. A fresh blood supply filled my depleted arteries, setting back my physical and mental faculties at least a score of years. The surprise thus given was almost a startling one to my friends, the superstitious natives who witnessed my rejuvenation.

Maybe some superannuated professional brethren, trembling on supporting canes of senility, might like to know something about this process of my recuperation in this period of wasting of old age. As to the copious letting of old blood which I then experienced, I hesitate to urge it upon others, although believing it was the active factor in my own transformation. In the practically hopeless semi-comatose crisis, fresh boiled milk, steaming-hot, was brought to my bedside any hour both by married women and young girls, with the cheerful salutation of "Doctor, aqui esta