childishness of the charges made is fully shown in the eleventh annual report of the Trustees, and Mr. F. H. Wents in the Boston Herald has given in detail there features of management which make the Westborough Asylum one of the very best in the United States.

The Passing of Antitoxin. It is reported from Paris that the enthusiasm manifested last year for antitoxin has materially lessened. The weekly deaths from diphtheria, as published by Bertilton exceed that of any preceding year before the discovery of this alleged specific. The recognition of the fact is at hand that serum-therapy can not keep the promises made in its name. The serious and frequent accidents to which the antitoxin gives rise, reported to the Paris Medical Societies by Drs. Sevestra, Gaucher and Legendre have lessened zeal and increased reflection. From England also comes corroborative testimony of the doubtful value of the much vaunted serum. The report issued by the Metropolitan Asylums Board on the results from the use of autotoxin in diphtheria shows that during the year 1895 the mortality in this disease was 7.1 lower than in 1894. But as the Lancet points out inasmuch as the case mortality fell constantly from 59 per cent in 1888 to 29 per cent in 1894 without the use of antitoxin, it is claiming too much to insert that the decline of 7.1 per cent in 1895 was due to antitoxin alone. And there seems but little credit due antitoxin upon a careful summing up.

Professional Secrets. It has been remarked that while the lay and medical press has been unanimous in condemnation of the violation of professional confidence by Dr. Playfair, yet there is a great want of consistency both in the English courts and our own regarding this question. There is no definite law for guidance. One court may award damages for the revealing of professional secrets and another may commit for contempt a witness who refuses to violate such confidence. We learn from an exchange that there was a case at Montpellier some years ago, which, though far more dramatic than the Kitson-Playfair one, resembled the latter in that it largely turned on the revelation of professional secrets. A doctor of medicine at Montpellier was consulted by a mother as to one of his patients who was a suitor for her daughter's hand. The doctor at first gave an evasive answer to the questions put to him, but when the lady point blank asked him whether, as the father of a family, he would give his daughter to the young man, he felt constrained to reply in the negative. As a result of this communication the marriage was broken off. Some days later the doctor's carriage drove up to the local school of medicine, which he was in the habit of attending, without either the physician or his coachman. Search was at once made, and the unfortunate men were found lying dead on the road some distance away. For a time the origin of the crime was wrapped in mystery, but eventually the act was traced to the disappointed suitor, who, however, had blown out his own brains before the discovery was made.

A "Refuse Destructor."-In view of the fact that New York will very shortly be obliged to provide some decent way of disposing of the municipal refuse, the new "plant" now in operation. in one of the parochial districts of London is worthy of a brief description. It is claimed that this "refuse destructor' plant, saves in cartage of refuse, saves in coal at the electric stations, (the heat generated runs the electric plant) and saves the taxpayer by making. a profit every year of some thousands of dollars.

There are eighteen furnaces, capable of consuming 1,260 tons of refuse per week. There is but a small amount of "clinker" left behind, and this is withdrawn every six hours. This can be used to form an exceptionally tenacious mortar, and its sale (together with certain reduce expenses), will yield a profitable gain to the parish of $25,000 per annum.

"The fiery gases from the burning material pass through long flues to the engine-room of the electric works, pass around and in front of the boilers into an "economizer," and so into the chimney. The destructors are said to produce 12,000 degrees of heat, and supply from 300 to 400 horse-power to the boilers. Efficiency with economy is proved possible to this scheme. For instance, the water needed is procured by saving the waste steam, passing it through a condenser and a water-softening apparatus, pumping it to the top of the building to a cooler, whence it returns to a tank of 115,000 gallons capacity."

The Dispensary Question.-The views of the NORTH AMERICAN on the abuse of medical charity seems to be pretty generally endorsed by the medical press. But there is one point to be remembered. We could not abolish dispensaries if we wouldnot even the smaller ones. The trend of public sentiment and opinion is against it. People are inclined to demand free treatment as a right rather than to accept as a charity. We have allowed the pauperization of the people to go too far. The Medical Councilor makes some pertinent comments as follows:

"We believe that there are over six hundred thousand persons in the limits of New York City, into whose heads the idea of paying for medical service never enters. The existing hospitals and dispensaries are largely to blame for this state of affairs. Hospitals have been multiplied beyond all necessity and dispensaries have striven so fiercely for patients that the managers have even been known to send carriages for patients with interesting pathological lesions about their persons. Patients who could easily pay fees of one-half and one dollar are treated daily without question in order to swell the grand yearly total of patients. It is a standing joke about one of the uptown dispensaries that the clinics in summer are small because the regular patients have gone to the seashore or the mountains.

The source of greatest grief to both allopaths and homoeopaths was the fact that the young men and others as mentioned above, organized institutions of their own and 'were out for plunder.' These men, it was the unanimous opinion of members of both schools, should be disciplined. Why are these young men out for plunder any more than others holding many coveted positions, of whom few die and none resign! If one looks at Polk's Register he sees many men who hold from three to six appointments-professorships in one or more colleges, attendants to one or more hospitals-consultants to one or more institutions-all forced upon them of course, against their will, nevertheless they fill what might have been distributed to four or five and so saved as many private dispensaries. Don't discipline the young men, make room for them!

International Hahnemannian Association.-This association (or rather what is left of it since its division into two parts) meets, we are informed, at Gen Summit, Pennsylvania, on June 24th. It might have been supposed by those not conversant with the past history of this body that it would have gladly met at Detroit this year in joint celebration with the Institute, of the Centennial of Homoeopathy. But it has seen fit to refuse to do this and prefers to flock by itself. The spirit that prompted this action may be most admirable but the profession will demand very tangible evidence before it will believe such an assertion. If there ever was a time when justification existed for the maintenance of a national homoeopathic organization, other than the American Institute, that time long since passed away. There is no excuse for the existence to-day of the Hahnemannian Association. The Institute is broad enough, tolerant enough, free enough for every homoeopathic physician The association should merge itself in the Institute where it belongs.

TH

THE DOCTOR TALKS.

HE last time that I saw the Doctor he was in his office, sitting tilted back in a swivel chair, with his feet resting on the mantel. Not a very dignified position, but an awfully comfortable one. The Doctor was meditating, or cogitating, or ruminating, or something to that effect.

As I entered he slowly lowered his feet to the floor-one at a time-straightened up and greeted me. He was not long in coming to the point. Said he

"You asked me the other day something about the limitations of knowledge in our profession. I was just meditating on the subject when you came in. As a consequence, I now find myself prepared to give you an opinion 'as is an opinion.'

"I think that a doctor should know everything.

If he doesn't,

he should pretend that he does. If he doesn't adopt this plan, he will frequently 'get left.' And if he does, he will also frequently 'get left.' Many doctors are very ignorant. But the people are more ignorant than the doctors. And the ignorance of the people is the salvation of the doctors. People ask doctors all sorts of questions. And doctors give all sorts of replies. That is the right thing to do. The trouble is in always making the reply fit the question. But this is a small matter. It is not necessary. It is not necessary for doctors always to speak the truth. Neither is it possible. If doctors spoke only when they told the truth, there wouldn't be so much noise. There would be less talking. But doctors must talk. It will not do for a doctor to be silent. A silent doctor is always viewed with suspicion. People think he knows something he won't tell. Whereas, more than half the time, he doesn't know anything, and he is simply keeping quiet in order to lay plans to keep people from finding it out. What! Must you go?" asked the Doctor. "Well, come again when you can stay longer, and I'll tell you all I know."

All of which is truthfully reported by

SELAH.

DEAR NORTH AMERICAN:

I heard to-day that one of our fraternity, who was especially elated over the work of our Committee on Legislation for the District of Columbia, had written a letter to the Century giving it all the points, and that another one equally enthusiastic, had sent a similar letter to the Southern Journal. I remember with such pleasure my recent visit to New York, that I think you ought to have a chance to announce the joyful news to the profession, therefore I will give a brief summary of the report of the work of the Committee.

First, Dr. J. B. G. Custis, representing our School, in connection with Dr. S. C. Busey representing the old School, has succeeded in having passed a bill regulating the practice of medicine in the District. We all think that they have together obtained the passage of a model bill, inasmuch as it ensures absolute equality for our School, and a standard of requirements which is uniform for all practitioners. Our Committee has secured the passage of a bill regulating medical colleges, which bill requires that all institutions not chartered by special Act of Congress, shall receive licenses from the Commissioners, which licenses can only be had after a public hearing, at which the promoters and opponents of the institution shall have an opportunity to be heard. They have also succeeded in having the Senate accept the Hahnemann Monument, and pass a bill relieving physicians of the obligation to testify in courts on professional matters.

Hoping to meet you in Detroit, I am

Each person desiring the excursion rate must purchase a first-class ticket to Detroit, paying the regular fare, and obtain from the ticket agent a certificate that such ticket has been sold him.

If the ticket agent at the place of starting be not furnished with blanks, purchase to the nearest point where such certificates can be obtained and then to Detroit.

These certificates when vised by the chairman of the committee, to whom they should be given at once on arriving in Detroit, and a special railroad agent, will entitle the holder to a return ticket at one-third the regular rate.

Certificates going may be obtained from Saturday, June 13th, to Friday, June 19th, inclusive.

The return trip may be made any day to June 29th, inclusive. Those wishing to avail themselves of the three days extension of time to July 2d, inclusive, must deposit their certificates with the special agent in Detroit. He will hold them until the day the return trip is to be made. These directions apply to members, their families and friends. No refund of fare can be expected because of failure of the parties to obtain certificates. No stop-overs allowed on return tickets.

W. A. DEWEY, Chairman.

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION IN SYRACUSE.

SITE FOR A

NEW HOMEOPATHIC HOSPITAL PURCHASED
AND PLANS DISCUSSED.

EDITOR NORTH AMERICAN :

The Onondaga Homœopathic Medical Society, May fifth, celebrated in a fitting manner the completion of a round century of Homœopathic progress, and laid many tributes of love and honor upon the grave of Father Hahnemann. This date was chosen as it was the time of the regular annual meeting of the society, and the double anniversary was celebrated with all the more enthusiasm on account of the bright prospects of the new school of medicine in Central New York.

For, as has already been related in these pages, a new Homœopathic Hospital is about to be founded in this city. The association having the matter in charge is composed of about fifty of the leading business men of the city, of whose business ability and financial standing no criticism can be made. A charter has already been obtained, and every member is full of the enthusiasm born of success.

At the regular business meeting of the society, the constitution and by-laws were amended by a committee previously appointed for the purpose. The annual report of officers followed, by which it was seen that seventeen meetings of the society had been held during the previous year. The following officers were then elected: President, Dr. C. M. Lukens; Vice-President, Dr. A. G. Anthony; Secretary, Dr. W. C. Du Bois; Censors, Drs. E. H. Flint, J. W. Sheldon and Leslie Martin.

While the society was holding its meeting the trustees were busy in an adjoining room and, later announced, as the result of their session, that it had been decided to purchase a tract of twenty acres of land in the eastern part of the city as soon as satisfactory terms could be agreed upon. This has since been done, and to-day we own the most elegant, sightly, and sanitary situation for hospital purposes that could by any possible means be secured in Syracuse. Its location is only one and one-quarter miles from the center of the city, and in securing this site the management has made, according to the unanimous verdict of the profession, a most perfect choice.

Following these business meetings all adjourned to the dining rooms of the Vanderbildt where the trustees were assembled as the guests of the physicians.