Issued First and Fifteenth of Every Month by the Fortnightly Press Co. UNDER THE EDITORIAL DIRECTION OF FRANK PARSONS NORBURY, M. D. AND THOS: A. HOPKINS, M. D. Associate Editor: J. N. HALL, M. D., Denver. A COSMOPOLITAN BIWEEKLY FOR THE GENERAL PRACTITIONER Editorial Offices in St. Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, St. Joseph, Kansas City, and Pueblo, where specimen copies may be obtained and subscriptions will be taken. Address all communications to the Fortnightly Press Company, Century Building, Saint Louis. Address all contributions and books for review to the Editors. Copyright, 1899, by Frank Parsons Norbury. Entered at St. Joseph post-office as second-class matter. Volume XVI AUGUST FIFTEENTH. Editorial Department. Be Just to the Number 4 THERE is no fear but that the young man in medicine can take care of himself. He is a factor which gives to modern medicine its motive power. Without him there would be an aching void in the potential force of true progress. While, indeed, the crowning years of professional life, come to physicians late, it is because their talents for work, so marked in their younger years, then crystallize into mature judg ments. Judgments founded upon an amount of toil, of hard, unremitting, exhausting work-nay, even drudgery, that cannot help but make a physician worthy of all of the honors and success which falls to his lot. It is fitting then, perhaps, that when standing at the zenith of success, a retrospect be taken-an analysis of the steps leading to such a position be carefully made and recorded for the benefit of the young man, trudging over the same rough road. "These foot prints in the sands of time," do encourage, do give heart again and are helpful, and make possible other worthy successes. Why then should we not hear more from our standardbearers as to how they won their victorious position? Why not recite for the young man in medicine the hard knocks taken and given in the struggle for professional existence? Above all, let us hear less of the unjust insinuations; the unkind criticisms so frequently heard and seen in print, wherein the young man is stigmatized, and has impressed upon him that he is but a worm grovelling in the dust, unworthy of recognition, and fit only for the use his superiors may make of him as stepping-stones for themselves to greater heights. The American Academy of Medicine in its recent discussion of medical advertising, in several instances did the young man an injustice. Perhaps, not intentional, but yet it was unjust criticism. It is the exception for a truly worthy, honorable young man, just entering upon his professional life, to wish to impress himself upon the public by any other than honorable means. It is honorable for him to work and exert his tireless energy in the field of research, and write of his results. It is honorable for him to teach, if he is qualified, and it is honorable for him to be an active medical society worker, that his talents may not be hidden in the dark recesses of a dismal, selfish self. We differ greatly with McClintock, of Detroit, who said, "I know of a number of young fellows who are rusting in medicine, because their time is taken up in advertising - lecturing in medical colleges, attending medical societies, not to learn, but to become known." There are men in medicine who would stoop to such ignoble practices, but are they all young men ? Tell us who are the men whose clarion tones sound most in the society halls? Tell us who it is that has a case identical with, or superior in its uniqueness to that reported by the young man? Tell us who it is who quotes experience by the yard, and who always goes one better when the young man presumes to speak? But we are departing from our text, let us proceed. Let us be just to the young man ( not because we are young ourselves), and let us be not too critical because the young man can work, rather let us be thankful that he has the talent for work, and because he reads and works, works and writes, writes and practices. Let us not judge him falsely. "Judge not that ye be not judged." The young man who succeeds in medicine is superior to others who do not succeed, largely because he takes pains with his work, he has no secret for his success but hard work-his only great talent is that for hard work. He grasps opportunities, while the "old man growls" and frowns upon the ambitious pretender. F. P. N. WE AVOW that the medical profession of the good State of Illinois, together with its State Board of Health, have had their fill of the free and unlimited Mental Healing in Illinois. coinage of faith healers, since free licence has been given this peculiar breed, sect or school of healers of the sick, by legislative enactment. The Dowie Institute in Chicago (posing as a christian institution run on christian principles, and all for the glory and good of the Lord, is a festering canker of iniquitious practice) then the followers of the divine Mrs. Eddy; the Weltmerites from the Nevada, Mo., school of magnetic healing, and the street fakirs, hatless, with long hair, and dressed in a garb striking in its imitation as to quality and color of that supposed to have been worn by Jesus Christ, make up a mass of sacrilegious mountebanks that are shocking even in this day of irreligious practices. It does seem that the people are utterly incapable of choosing the wheat from the straw when they make possible the toleration of such humbuggery. And, too, even in the face of deaths (murders) innumerable following these pernicious practices, where let it be said, that those divine healers recognize their culpability, as shown in their attempts to hush up such things and rush the bodies into the ground. It is a grand game of fraud perpetrated upon an unsuspecting public by abnormal suggestibility, to which legisla tors, ordinary citizens and others have fallen victims. Illinois will soon be the scene of another epidemic of fetich cure, and resurrection of the ancient medical science so deeply alloyed with pseudo-theological practices. A mob prejudice against scientific medicine is being built up by these superficial mongers, of which christian scientists, perhaps, are the leaders, as they endeavor by their self-created authority to weaken the allegiance of the people to scientific medicine, and instead create a power of their own, which we all know is but a form of abnormal suggestibility (self-hypnotism) and which in the limited field of scientific inquiry of the average person, passes for scientific means of cure. Illinois will have a luxuriant growth of medical myth and legend before the legislature meets again; every cross-road and side-track will have its miracle-working saint, and Secretary Egan will have his hands full listening to complaints and protests. We would suggest as compensation that he will have one consolation from the other side, viz., the cures which will be so marvelous, that he can write a book, subject to be "Miracles Wrought during the Existence of the Christian Science Clause of the Illinois Medical Practice Act." F. P. N. THE Illinois State Medical Society, at its Cairo meeting, decided to try the experiment of publishing its transactions in journal form Two numbers A Worthy of the journal of this society have been issued. It is tasty typographically and well edited by the Committee on Publication, viz., Drs. Edmund W. Weis, H. N. Moyer and G. N. Kreider. We feel that this journal feature will greatly add to the efficiency of the society by attracting more interest from the profession not as yet members of the society, and greatly increase the value of the transactions to those already holding membership in it. Heretofore the transactions have appeared in book form, and while their usefulness in this form is not questioned, yet, aside from the members, very few, if any other physicians profited by their publication. Dr. Weis has this to say in comparison regarding the two methods: "By the old method of publication only about five hundred copies were sent to members, but by this (the journal method) one thousand copies will be printed, and at about the same price it will cost to publish in book form." The journal method will certainly aid in arousing interest in the society, increasing its membership, and promoting the influence, power and progress of the profession in Illinois. The unique feature of the journal is that it contains no advertisements, and is published purely as a means of creating interest in the society, for the society and by the society. We believe, however, that this feature should not be adopted as a permanent policy of the Journal, because a wider circulation, a more extended subscription list is of value to the society and the profession, the sale of advertising space will enable the Journal to become a more stable publication, give it more means wherewith to extend its usefulness and be a source of revenue to the society. The Journal of the American Medical Association has proven to be useful power in National medical affairs, and the Illinois Medical Journal can be just such a journal in State medical affairs. The Peoria Medical Journal in an editorial, July number, has seen fit to criticize the establishment of this journal. But why call halt, before the experiment has proven a failure, which, while possible, is not probable. The medical society which is progressive, active and alive to its opportunities is the one which wins success; it does not spend its time in personal bickerings, inuendos and criticisms, but goes to work to get the meat out of the nut. The Illinois Medical Journal will help prepare the meat, and we believe the members of the society will thrive on it and have many additions to the feast from time to time. We wish the Journal -the innovation-and the profession success. F. P. N. The Journal of the American Medical Association has improved greatly under the able direction of the new managing editor, Dr. George S. Simmons. It The American Association and has become of great worth to every practitioner by the elaboration of the new features, viz., the review of current medical literature; the improved distribution of papers read before the sections at the annual session, giving in each issue papers from various sections; the vigorous and scientific editorials and the additional space given to societies, miscellany, news and queries and minor notes. All of which give value to the medical reader, and serve to keep him strictly in touch with progress, news and general interest in his profession. We trust all of our readers are members of the American Medical Association; if not, let us encourage you to at once make application and thus serve to lend your influence and good will to the progress of American medicine. We need your earnest co-operation and you need the help and weekly inspiration which the Journal and such membership can give you. F. P. N. THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. The meeting of this society, to be held in Chicago, October 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th, promises to be the banner meeting of the Association. The chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, Dr. Harold N. Moyer (President of the Illinois State Medical Society) is preparing for unusual interesting features for the occasion, while the efficient Secretary, Dr. Henry E. Tuley, is exerting his abilities in preparing an excellent programme. The meeting will be held under the presidency of Dr Duncan Eve, of Nashville, Tenn. The railroads are preparing to give a flat fare rate for the round trip. The Wabash route is especially prepared to give the physicians of St. Louis, Kansas City, and all intervening and tributary points, a desirable route with all of the conveniences of a strictly modern up-to-date equipment. DRS. J. L. WIGGINS, Otto Sutter and O. F. Baerens have been made members of the faculty of the St. Louis College of Physicians and Surgeons. Books, Reprints, and Instruments for this department, should be sent to the Editors, St. Louis THE valuable features of Hirt's work have been commented upon before in a review of a previous edition. In brief, they are the arrangement of cere DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. A Textbook bral diseases into three parts, viz.: diseases of the meninges; second, diseases of the cranial nerves, and third, diseases of the brain proper. Diseases of the spinal cord are considered in the same novel manner, and diseases of the general nervous system are fully and thoroughly considered in two parts-the last part including "the distinct advance in classification" (Osler), viz.: Considering tabes dorsalis and paralytic dementia, among the diseases of the general nervous system. The especial value of Hirt's work to students as well as practitioners is its thorough and exhaustive consideration of the anatomy and symptomatology of nervous diseases. We have freely used this book in preparation for lectures, and consult it freely in special practice. It is an invaluable guide which physicians in general appreciate. F.P.N. WE HAVE previously reviewed this most popular work, which now reaches it fourth edition in three years. The peculiar valuable feature of this work is its consideration of the symptoms of disease as they are presented to the physician at the bedside. It is, therefore, convenient for ready reference, and especially practical in its systematic arrangement into two parts. "The manifestation of PRACTICAL DIAGNOSIS. The Use of Symptoms in the Diagnosis of Disease. By HOBART AMORY HARE, M.D., B. Sc., Professor of Therapeutics and Materia Medica in the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia. Fourth edition. enlarged and thoroughly revised. In one octavo volume of 623 pages, with 205 engravings and 14 full-page colored plates. Cloth. $5.00, net. Philadelphia and New York: LEA BROTHERS & CO., Publishers. disease in organs," and second, "The manifestation of disease by symptoms." It is a valuable book, and to students and physicians will continue to merit its present popularity. F. P. N. THIS is a compact, useful manual designed for nurses, ready both as reference and text-book. It considers the classification of drugs in Part 1, and in PRACTICAL MATERIA MEDICA FOR NURSES. With an Appendix Containing Poisons and Their Antidotes, With Poison Emergencies; Mineral Waters; Weights and Measures; Dose List; and a Glossary of the Terms Used in Materia Medica and Therapeutics. By EMILY A. M. STONEY, Graduate of the Training School for Nurses, Lawrence, Mass., etc. Philadelphia: W. B. SAUNDERS. Price, $1.50. Part II materia medica is taken up, drugs, etc., being considered in alphabetical order. Part III considers poisons and their antidotes, mineral waters, weights, etc. Dose of drugs in both apothecaries and metric weights. Nurses or attendants having charge of the sick will find this a useful volume, and well worthy of recommendation. F.P.N. |