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and in such cases it is usually found that the care of the instruments employed is defectiv. The disease, however, even under such circumstances, should not be termed "barber's itch," for this name is reserved to designate an infection of the beard due to invasion of the follicles by the fungus of ringworm. Impetigo is far more superficial, begins as vesicles, tends rapidly to form crusts, and is much more quickly amenable to treatment than ringworm of the beard (tinea sycosis).

The circinate variety of impetigo is apt to be confounded with ringworm of the

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skin (tinea circinata). The bulky crusts, the more rapid spread, the presence of other pea-sized lesions and the absence of the ringworm fungus will decide in favor of impetigo. When the lesions of impetigo coalesce and form large patches (Fig. 5) it may be a matter of great difficulty to exclude the diagnosis of pustular eczema. In the latter, there is itching, infiltration, more persistent discharge, more crusting, absence of outlying lesions, and longer duration.

Many cases of pemphigus of the newborn and acute epidemic pemphigus doubt

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It is highly important to caution patients against "fingering" the lesions, for by this means healthyareas of the skin are inoculated. It is also desirable to avoid pillow infection at night by covering

Sometimes lesions upon the face will the affected parts, when possible, with a

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[We are under obligations to Messrs. E. B. Treat & Co.. of New York, publishers of the International Medical Magazine, for the use of the cuts in this article. [

yield more quickly to an ointment made bandage.-Dr. Jay F. Schamberg (Proup of fessor Skin Diseases Philadelphia Polyclinic), in International Medical Magazine.

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Municipalized Milk.

The experiment of the St. Helens Corporation in supplying to the poor of the town sterilized humanized milk for infants has attracted considerable attention. As the departure was only inaugurated in August, 1899, it is a little premature, says the Hospital, to judge results at the present time. The charge made for the milk is twopence per day's supply, and is payable in advance. Within three weeks of starting, the municipal depot was feeding eighty children children on the books. The effect on the infant daily, and by the end of the year there were 120 mortality and diari hea rate has been markt.The Therapist.

Removal of Powder Stains with Hydrogen Dioxid.

I wish to add a case confirming Dr. J. Neely Rhoad's method of removing powder stains with hydrogen dioxid. A few days after reading his note in your first issue a boy came into the office with severe powder burn of whole face and neck. We cleaned him up thoroly and removed several grains of powder from each eye, but the face was black with stains and imbedded particles of powder. I sent him to City Hospital on account of the injury to the eyes, and ordered the face to be kept covered with pieces of lint saturated with glycerin, one part, and hydrogen dioxid, three parts. A couple of days saw the complete removal of all the particles and stains, without any of the tedious and painful picking process we are accustomed to; and all marks promptly healed.-Colin R. Clark, M.D., of Youngstown, Ohio, in American Medicin.

The Acid and the Alkaline Diathesis. Quite a number of years have elapst since the late Dr. Paul Gibier first enunciated and publisht his views upon the influence, in pathology, of a prevalence of the alkaline or of the acid temperaments and dispositions. His views have been slowly and gradually accepted by many. More than this, we believe that a study of the literature of the last few years will show that, to a considerable extent, these views have been independently evolved in many minds. From a chemical standpoint, there can be no doubt that all men may be divided into three classes, to wit, the acid, the alkaline, and the neutral. The two first comprise the majority of the sick, whose body fluids appear to contain an excess of acids, as in the rheumatic and the gouty, or an excess of alkali, as in the strumous and tubercular. The neutral, or those in whom there is a fair and proper balance between acidity and alkalinity, are apt to be the healthy people. The importance of the acceptation of this simple view lies in the fact that it must emphasize in our minds the value of the dietetic treatment of disease, to the end that, by the adoption of appropriate foods and modes of living, we may be able to combat a predisposition to excess in either direction, in order to maintain that neutrality which alone seems compatible with prolonged good health. We know, for instance, that the bacillus of tuberculosis cannot be grown in an acid medium, and we are obliged to prepare an alkaline pabulum for it before we can obtain a culture. We also know that tuberculosis is quite rare in individuals who give a history

of rheumatism, or of any of the so-called acid diseases. Hence, we must realize that a properly workt out dietary, in many diseases, is of greater importance than medicinal treatment, since diet is our only reliable means of influencing the quality of the body-fluids. -International Jour. of Surg.

X-Ray in Diagnosis.

To read some articles one would suppose that with the X-ray apparatus it is possible to make any sort of diagnosis. If a dislocation is suspected, if a broken bone is in dispute, all you have to do is to turn on the X-rays and there you have it plain as day; that we can take the X-rays and go thru the human anatomy the same as we could take a lantern and examin a dark room. This would all be very interesting if it were only true. The revelations of the X-rays up to date have been very ambiguous. We are proposing to quote something along this line to see what other people think. We will quote only such men as are considered to be authority on this particular subject.

Rudolph Matas says: "It is my opinion, based upon personal experience, that the practitioner can not be held liable to damages in malpractise suits simply on the Xray evidence of imperfect union of fragments in case of fracture."

Chas. A. Powers says: "In my hands the employment of the X-ray has not been of especial value in establishing a positiv diagnosis of fracture or dislocation. I have thus far found it of no value in diagnosis of fracture of the neck of the femur or of dislocation of the femur."

accurate

L. M. Tiffany says: "Examination under anesthesia has given me as knowledge of most injuries as I could obtain by the X-ray."

Dr. Williams, of Macon, says the X-ray is "not an infallible aid." "Three times during the past year Dr. Williams had been misled by the X-ray photography, twice into performing useless operations for lesions supposed to be dependent upon apparent bone injury, and in one case a supposed tumor."

Dr. Samuel Lloyd, of New York, says: "I believe the use of the X-ray in medico legal work without careful preparation for that work on the part of the surgeon would do great harm."

Dr. B. Lacey, of Council Bluffs, Ia., says: "It seems to be an accepted fact

that the X-ray can easily be made to distort or exaggerate in case of a foreign body or displaced fragments in fracture. Personally, I dread the oncoming of the Xrays in these cases unless the future should develop greater accuracy."

Dr. J. Hodges, of Anderson, Ind., says: "That there are undoubtedly cases on record in which the X-ray seems to show a fracture when it does not exist."

Dr. E. A. Tracy says: "That harm is threatened in the field of medical jurisprudence by the use of the X-ray picture. To admit them as evidence in courts will result in injustice because they can so easily lead to error." "He again says: "From practical work with X-rays I learned their fallacies more than two years ago and hasten to bring the matter to the attention of the profession."

And so we might go on quoting physiciau after physician as to the danger of accepting X-ray evidence. The same thing has happened to the X-ray mode of diagnosis that happens to almost every new discovery, especially in medicin and surgery, namely, a great deal of furious enthusiastic hobby riding at first. all this foolishness has subsided, it sometimes happens that a grain of truth remains. Undoubtedly, the X-ray instrument will yield some good results in the future, but up to date it has done far more damage than good.-Med. Talk.

For Sweating Feet.

After

Gerdeck has recently given a synopsis of the results he obtained with formalin in the treatment of excessiv sweating of the feet (La Presse Medical, No. 59, 1900). Some of the cases were so severe as to hinder the patient from walking and others so offensiv as to be a source of constant annoyance. The use of the drug in vaporized form gave no results, and the powdered drug was of service only as a dusting powder for the inside of the stockings; it was used in the strength of 20 to

100.

The best results were obtained by painting the feet with the concentrated solution (40 per cent.) morning, noon and night. A solution of 3 to 100 controlled the odor, but a solution of 5 to 100 was required. Weaker solutions acted nicely but required a much longer time. Only a Only a few paintings are required for a perfect The strong solution must be used lightly, on account of its destructiv action upon the tender and abraded skin;

cure.

one application followed by the 5 to 100 solution for three or four times sufficed for a cure. There was slight recurrence after three months in a few of the cases, but it again readily yielded to the applications. The men upon whom the test were made were soldiers who had not before been able to march. After the treatment they stood long marches well, even when wearing the same stockings for two weeks at a time. Shoes are easily disinfected by dropping a few drops of the 40 per cent. solution into them.-Therapeutic Gazette.

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French Methods to Increase Birth-rate.

The proposed tax on bachelors and old maids and upon childless couples in France will, if carried out, be an interesting experiment. If it succeeds in arresting the decrease of the birthrate it will show the possibility of the more economic method. In any case it is the pecuniary consideration that is involved; if the thrifty French peasant, who under the bounties for children is a regular proletarian in Canada, can be made such in France by the reversed induce. ments by fines, the problem is solved. The question is essentially an economic one, but it has some medical interest also, and the experiment if tried will be worth watching.-Journal American Medical Association.

To Render Cod Liver Oil Palatable. Gautrelet states (Pharm. Centralhalle) that a ferruginous water prepared by keeping a few bits of iron in contact with water for a few days serves to fully prevent the odor and taste of cod liver oil from being noticed. The mouth is to be

rinsed with the water both before and after taking the oil.-Drug Circ.

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Humanology, or Higher Physiology.

As a duty to society to check the rapid increase of defective human beings, I present this subject for your sincere consideration and deliberation.

In reviewing the statistics presented to us from time to time it is with shame and remorse to record that during the past fifty years crime has been on the increase, even out of all proportion to the increase in population. The statistics give us five times as many prisoners to each 1,000,000 of population as there existed fifty years ago.

Several different theories have been advocated to prevent or limit the propagation of this class of individuals.

Dr. W. Duncan McKim in his book entitled "Heredity and Human Progress" advocates the killing of criminals, idiots, degenerates, inebriates and other defective persons.

Dr. King believes that the castration of criminals will accomplish more good than the death penalty.

Dr. Orpheus Everts read an article. before the Cincinnati Academy of Medicin, February, 1888, on the "Asexualization as a Penalty for Crime." He proposed the removal of the testicles or ovaries of criminals in general, as it would prevent the begetting of children who would be liable to inherit the same evil inclinations of their parents.

The late Prof. Agnew is credited in this country with the proposition to castrate men convicted of rape.

As an act of vengeance the priest Abelard was castrated for having seduced the famous Heloise. But protection and prevention should be our motto instead of vengeance.

Legislation has already given attention to the marriage question. Several states require a marriage license, but in every one except North Dakota any inhabitant can secure a license to mary regardless of physical, mental or moral condition. The syphilitic, tuberculous, gonorrheal, epileptic, imbecile, criminal, and degenerate, can appear before the license court and receive unchallenged permission to legally procreate their tainted species, who often become a burden to society, and in some instances a danger to the community.

The intelligent mind appeals for a more restricted legislation, demanding a sound mind in a healthy body, as a prerequisite to marriage.

The senate of North Dakota recently passed the "Creel Bill," which provides for a commission of three physicians in each county for the examination of all applicants for a marriage license

Texas prohibits the marriage of the epileptic.

It has been decided by the Paris Court of Appeals that the fact of marrying while suffering from any venereal disease, is sufficient evidence alone on which a divorce can be granted.

A bill is now pending before the German Reichstag granting heavy penalties for the transmission of any venereal disease in any form or manner.

We, the medical profession, should be the first to realize the enormity of this rapidly growing evil against humanity, and it is our duty to make an effort to improve and protect the race by educating the future parents, in order that they may be able to produce offspring equal to or superior to themselves. But nevertheless until we are prepared to give the proper state of education to young people on this subject, suitable restriction against the marriage of those suffering from venereal or constitutional diseases would be beneficial, and at the same time would materially pave the way for a proper education along this line, as well as remove much of the false modesty that exists at the present time.

Young people who have been properly instructed upon this subject will not desire to bring into existence children who would have a serious hereditary taint or be mentally defective. By the proper education of the masses, ignorance and false social beliefs would be replaced by sound truths; the criminal, the mental

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