intellectual culture and refinement, and this is best done by the study of the classics. That is not the most desirable physical training which develops only muscular power, but which, besides strength, imparts endurance, quickness of movement, grace, etc. A person whose physical system had thus been trained would soon overcome in a pugilistic encounter him whose bodily exercise had been limited to lifting heavy weights, though he manifested a muscular strength as great as that of Hercules or Sampson.

Latin and Greek are well termed the learned languages. Far more it is true with them than with any of the modern languages, that the acquisition of them constitutes learning. Or we will modify the expression by saying that, having acquired a knowledge of them, the intellectual faculties are better developed for gaining knowledge by study-as a knowledge of medicine, law, theology, natural sciences, etc. -than if, instead of their acquisition, some of the modern languages had been substituted. They are the mothers of the European languages of to-day. They have a scientific structure that is peculiar to them. The study of their contruction and idioms not only educates, but constitutes knowledge. The English student who learns Latin, gains an insight into his own language that would be impossible. for him otherwise to obtain.

Dr. Dawson, in speaking of American medical colleges, quotes Dr. Senn, who, about a year ago, wrote as follows: "There is no question in my mind that the average American student learns more in one month than the average German student in three. He learns more, not because he has better teachers or better facilities, but he makes better use of his time. I am satisfied that in our last graduating class I had at least a dozen students who, after studying three years, would pass a brilliant examination in any English or German university. They would have felt at home even in a dress coat in Volkman's clinic, passing their final examination."

We read Dr. Senn's paper, and we remember that he ascribed the difference in the proficiency of American and German students to the fact that American students, while in attendance upon medical lectures, were stimulated to hard study by daily examinations before the whole class by each one of the professors, while German students were subject to no examinations during their whole seven years of study until they came to be examined for their degrees at

the end of their course of instruction. The result was, having no fears of disgraceful failure, from examination, they spent their evenings at places of amusement or in dissipation.

Dr. Dawson very correctly stated that it was no longer necessary for students to go abroad to seek instruction in any department of medicine. Every facility can be had in this country. For the study of pathogenic micro-organisms there are no better laboratories in the world than those of Prof. Welsh in Baltimore and the Hoagland Laboratory in Brooklyn. But besides these there are ample provisions for the study of pathogenic micro-organisms in most of the leading medical colleges of this country-in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Cincinnati and the cities of the West and South generally.

Prof. Welch's laboratory is in connection with the Johns Hopkins University. The distinguished army surgeon, George M. Sternberg, is the director of the Hoagland Laboratory founded by Dr. C. W. Hoagland. The latter has been built and equipped in the most complete manner for research work in bacteriology and experimental pathology.

Under the head of "Clouds" the President spoke as follows in regard to certain remedies now used by many physicians: "These remedies with patent processes' are in daily use. This is one of the dark spots in the picture. It came in with the legally qualified practitioner.' What is antipyrin, antifebrin, salol, sulfonal? The reliant patient may well propound such questions. Who can answer them? Are we relegated at one fell move back into outer darkness, the associates of venders of 'secret remedies,' 'of patented processes'? What higher is a patented process' than a 'patented nostrum'? The profession was never so low as to countenance the latter; but have we not, in these latter days, become propagandists of patented, and therefore secret processes ?"

We are able to say for ourself that we have never yet made a prescription for antipyrin, antifebrin, salol, or sulphonal, and we do not believe that thereby we have committed a wrong against one of our patients. Are there not remedies which have long been in use, which, if properly employed, will fulfill every indication fulfilled by them, or even better. We think so. Further, we believe that the time is not far distant when they will be entirely discarded,

Though it would seem that we had given quite a lengthy outline of President Dawson's Address, yet there are many subjects pertaining to medicine in general, and to American medicine, which he discussed, to which we have not space to refer. It was an excellent address, which will compare favorably with any of the Annual Addresses of the past. Dr. Dawson by his address not only did credit to himself, but to the profession of his city.

A PHYSICIAN DESERTS PHYSIC FOR PHILOLOGY.—Dr. Christopher Johnston, Jr., after several years of practice, has announced his decision to leave medicine and devote

his time to philology. During his course at the University of Virginia, Dr. Johnston excelled especially in the ancient languages, and was one of the few men who left that center of learning with the degree of A. M. In the wish to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious father, he graduated in medicine at the University of Maryland, and has practiced here for several years, but during all this time he has always given a great deal of time to languages, and in the past few years he has devoted much attention to philology, especially to Greek and Hebrew. He carried his studies to such a point that the Johns Hopkins University honored him with the position of Fellow in the Semitic Languages. During the past few years, Dr. Johnston has contributed to the literature of this department. He has written a "Biographical Sketch of Sir Henry Rawlinson, the English Assyrian Discoverer," which was published in the Johns Hopkins University Circular for March, 1889. Also at a late meeting of the American Oriental Society held at Boston, he read a paper on "Chaldean Astronomy.' As his appointment at the Hopkins dates from October 1st, 1889, Dr. Johnston will continue the practice of medicine until that date. He has, however, resigned his position as Chief of the Eye and Ear Clinic at the University Dispensary. It is seldom that a medical man attains such eminence in this department of philology. Dr. Johnston, in the beginning of his new work, will pay especial attention to Assyriology. If it did not sound too much like an obituary notice, it might be added that his friends in the medical profession, and particularly his many friends among the younger men, will miss him, although, they may console themselves with the fact that he goes into this new work with his whole heart.-Maryland Med. Jour.

HOW TO LOOK FOR TUBERCLE BACILLI IN SPUTUM.-We copy the following directions from Ziemssen: Press a little of the suspected sputum between two cover-glasses so as get a very thin layer. Dry the cover-glasses separately, either by moving them through the air or holding over a flame, or by passing a few times through the flame. This fixes and dries the preparation. Place some drops of aniline oil in a reagent glass half filled with water; shake, and filter into a watch-glass. Add several drops of fuchsin or methyl violet to the contents of the watch-glass till they are markedly colored. Warm this mixture till it begins to smoke. Place the cover-glass with the dried sputum, face downward, on the warm liquid, and let it float for from three to five minutes. Remove and rinse in alcohol, acidulated with nitric or hydrochloric acid, until very slight traces of color remain; then rinse in ordinary alcohol (70 or 80 per cent.). Dry the cover-glass as before by holding above a flame, clean it when necessary, add a little pure glycerine, and set under the microscope. An enlargement of four hundred diameters will show the bacilli if present.

SPINAL IRRITATION.-A recent number of the Alienist and Neurologist has an interesting article on this affection by Dr. J. T. Eskridge, of Denver. The Doctor is of the opinion that clean-cut cases of spinal irritation due to anemia, as supposed by Hammond, are less numerous than those complicated by symptoms of a mixed condition.

Spinal irritation is the cause of very many obscure symptoms which often puzzle a physician very much. With some it causes symptoms of indigestion, in others neuralgic pains in various parts of the body; others affected with it will complain of a dry, harsh cough, with a feeling of constriction about the chest, and yet an examination of the lungs will not disclose any lesion. Vertigo is a frequent symptom, especially when in the erect position and walking. As stated by Dr. Radcliffe, cardiac distress is frequently complained of-palpitation, vascular throbbing, flushes and epigastric pulsations. Aphonia has been met with frequently by some physicians, but we have never met with a single case, and Dr. Eskridge says that, so far, he has met with only one case in which the loss of voice was associated with an irritable spine.

Dr. Eskridge is of the opinion that hysteria plays an important part in spinal irritation. That hysteria is frequently present in cases of it in females there is no doubt; and they undoubtedly constitute a large majority of the cases; but spinal irritation is not unfrequently observed in men, who generally are not subject to hysteria, though such is sometimes the case. But we have had patients of the male sex who had no symptoms of hysteria whatever. We, therefore, differ with Dr. Eskridge in his belief that hysteria frequently acts as a cause. While it often attends upon the affection in females, yet we are of the opinion that it is only an accompaniment-the cause which brought about the spinal irritation producing also the hysteria; or, may be, the spinal irritation causing the hysteria as it causes vertigo, symptoms of indigestion, etc.

Spinal tenderness, while it is not always a prominent symptom of spinal irritation, says Dr. Eskridge, yet it appears to be almost invariably present when properly sought for. In fact, it is our opinion that it is always present. He quotes Radcliffe, who says that it is a pathognomonic symptom, and Hammond, who says that it is a constant symptom, never regarding a case as one of spinal irritation unless spinal tenderness is found. The Griffin brothers, he states, found it present in one hundred and forty-three of one hundred and forty-eight cases, and Flint in fifty-three of fifty-eight cases. The tenderness, he continues, is not always complained of, and the patient's attention may be first attracted to it while the spine is being carefully examined to determine the cause of some obscure nervous symptoms. We have frequently found the back very tender just outside the vertebral column on both sides, when, according to the testimony of the patient, tenderness had not been suspected previous to our applying pressure. The tenderness, as the Doctor says, is rarely limited to one spine; but, as a rule, several spines are tender, and in some cases the tenderness extends throughout the entire spinal column. The dorsal region is the most frequent seat of tenderness, the cervical the second, and the lumbar the least.

Radcliffe is quoted as saying that "the pain in the back may be brought on or exaggerated by lifting, twisting or straining the back in any way, or by mental effort." In some cases, says Dr. Eskridge, strong pressure is required