THE CURE OF RUPTURE BY PARAFFIN INJECTIONS.-By Charles C. Miller, M. D., Published by the Author, 70 State St., Chicago. Prepaid, $1.00. Comprising a description of a method of treatment destined to occupy an important place as a cure for rupture owing to the extreme simplicity of the technic and its advantages from an economic standpoint. * * * THE BABY: ITS CARE AND DEVELOPMENT.-By Le Grand Kerr, M. D., Author of "Diagnostics of the Diseases of Children." Professor of Diseases of Children in the Brooklyn-Post Graduate Medical School; Attending Physician to the Children's Department of the Methodist Episcopal (Seney) Hospital; Visiting Physician to the Children's Wards of the Williamsburg Hospital, and of the Swedish Hospital in Brooklyn, N. Y., etc. Published by Albert T. Huntington, Brooklyn, N. Y. 1908. Price, $1.00. This book is intended not for physicians, but for mothers, and with intelligent mothers it will serve its purpose well. The book is well printed, well bound and the illustrations are clear and well selected. * * * CONSUMPTION, ITS PREVENTION AND CURE WITHOUT MEDICINE. -By Chas. H. Stanley Davis, M. D., Ph. D. Author of "How to Succeed as a Physician," etc. Edition Enlarged. E. B. Treat & Company, 241 West 23d St., New York. 1908. Price, $1.00. The key-note of the book is fresh air. As the author says in one of his chapters: "Without a full and free exposure to outdoor air, regardless of all weathers, no case of tuberculosis ever has been cured; while with it, and it alone, many cases have been and may be cured. An open air life not only preserves and strengthens the resistance of the body to the inroads of the bacillus, but it destroys the tubercle bacillus itself. No remedy known to man has such a powerful and permanent influence in maintaining or regaining health, as the judicious employment of cheerful exercise in the open air." We do not at all agree with the author that medicine should be altogether discarded in the treatment of tuberculosis, but between too much medicine and no medicine at all, we would certainly select the latter. * * * Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was not only a great artist; he was also an anatomist, physiologist, chemist and botanist. The Segregation of Prostitution. Editor CRITIC AND GUIDE:-The following letter, which I wrote in answer to an inquiry by The State Board of Health, is based on actual experience, and expresses the practically unanimous view of the doctors and druggists of this section on this phase of the social problem. To The Health Officer. Dear Sir-Replying to the inquiry of the Secretary of the State Board of Health as to the increase or decrease of Venereal diseases in this City and the causes relating thereto, I beg to state that a careful analysis of my experience and observation leads me to believe that there has been an increase of at least fifty per cent; this increase dating from one year ago when the isolated "sporting" district known as the "West End" was closed up by the County Officials. The causes of this alarming increase are quite apparent when viewed from the practical, scientific standpoint of the physician. FIRST: We have in this City a relatively large number of unmarried men, both old and young; and many of these being away from home influences seek low company, which until a year ago they found in the "West End" resorts. The closing of the "West End," however, did not alter the lascivious natures or desires of either the women inmates of the resorts or the men who patronized them; and their practices did not cease. But isolation being denied them, they were forced to mingle with the rest of the population in the down town districts, the women secured rooms in business blocks or flats or found homes with families, and solicited on the streets. The "street walker" was then more dangerous to the community than the same woman in the isolated brothel, because in the isolated resort she waited to be sought by the men, whereas, now, she seeks for them in the open, and thus many more men become exposed to her enticing charms, and many men who would not make up their minds to go to the isolated brothel yield to the desires aroused by the woman who meets them on the street. Having been driven from the isolated and regulated "sporting houses," these women hold sexual relation with men in various places, usually under cover of darkness, and under conditions rendering sexual cleanliness and prophylaxis impossible. In their former places they were obliged to keep clean and to regularly submit to examination and treatment, if need be, by physicians, usually at the expense of the keepers, who had a pecuniary interest in keeping the girls free from venereal diseases, as naturally such cleanliness helped to keep up the reputation of the house and to draw "trade." Now, however, being in different circumstances, these women have a different class of customers, or rather a larger class, being most of their old customers with the addition of many men and boys with whom they would not have come into contact in their isolated houses. It is these latter men and boys who furnish most cases of venereal diseases, because being newly initiated in the practice, they have not learned to protect themselves from infection, and as under the present arrangement prostitution is carried on under cover of darkness and secrecy, they can not keep free from disease if they did know how. The antiseptic douche and wash regularly used in the "sporting houses" was an efficient means of protection against venereal infection, at least to a great extent. This City was comparatively free from the class of women known as "street walkers" until a year ago, when by the closing of the isolated resorts they were driven to seek patronage elsewhere, and now, mingling as they do with our town girls they exert an influence which manifests itself not only in an increased immorality among men and boys, but a greatly increased amount of prostitution among young girls. Many men who in the past have been accustomed to gratify their desires in the regulated houses, knowing as they do that they are more liable to contract disease from the "street walker," have enticed many young girls to furnish them with the pleasures they will have at any cost, and which the present conditions compel them to seek in this manner. Thus, a great increase both of prostitution and the diseases arising therefrom, and the sad ruin of many school girls, has been the direct and logical result of an attempt to drive out the social evil by closing the isolated brothels. Since prostitution has always existed, and will exist as long as society is as at present constituted, and since it cannot be stopped by either religious or moral suasion or by force, it is evident that we must handle the social evil as we have handled other diseases, in a scientific, practical manner, namely, to isolate and regulate brothels, and by enforcing rules of cleanliness and prophylaxis on both inmates and patrons, to reduce the evil effects of the traffic to a minimum. As all efforts to stop prostitution only drive it into hiding, the ultimate solution of the problem must be regulation. Very sincerely, A. E. LEMON, B. A., M. D. Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Diabetes Insipidus. A study of many cases of this disease will demonstrate the following points: (1) The fact that the polyuria is primary; that is to say, that the patient drinks to replace that which he cannot help losing by his kidneys, and does not micturate abundantly merely to get rid of what he drinks in excess; (2) that the disease may arise without any apparent cause; (3) that, on the other hand, it may be due to some definite cause such as head injury or fright; (4) that in some instances there is a hereditary factor in the occurrence of the malady; (5) that life is not necessarily in danger on account of the disease; (6) that death results from intercurrent affections, such as phthisis or pneumonia, and not from supervention of glycosuria and coma; (7) that the disease may originate during pregnancy; (8) that it may occur even in quite young children. Goat bush or Chaparro. Positive claims are made as to the value of Chaparro amargoso (Castela Nicholsoni; common names: goat bush or Chaparro) in amebic dysentery. Its active principle is amargoein. It is used in the form of fluid extract (1 dram every 3 to 4 hours) or inferior. The latter is preferred by Dr. A. J. Smith of the University of Pa., formerly of the University of Texas who goes so far as to claim that any case of dysentery that is not quickly benefited by Chaparro is not one of true omebic dysentery. Thor-rad-X. No, doctor, sorry to throw cold water on your enthusiasm, but thorrad-X will not revolutionize medicine. No more than radium has, and thor-ral-X is only a very good "dilution" of radium. It possesses mean radioactive properties, and the way it has been exploited so far in the newspapers does not inspire confidence into credulity of its sponsors. CRITIC & GUIDE WILLIAM J. ROBINSON, PH, G. M, D., EDITOR. 1 year, $1.00 Single copy 25c. Foreign $2.00 ine Editor of this Journal writes his own editorials. He says what he wants to say and in the way he wants to say it without reference as to what Mrs. Grundy will say or think. The Editor is responsible for his own opinions only. He always tell the Truth or what he considers to be the Truth, but as he lays no claims to infallibility, he will the grateful to his readers if they will take the trouble to point out his errors. It is better to make a mistake in trying to tell the truth Vol. XII NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER, 1909 No. 9. Editorials and Editorialettes. The Editor's Trip. Faithful to my promise, I am going to describe to you my this year's European trip. While space will not permit me to mention every little detail, I shall endeavor not to omit any essential point. The Weather. We sailed as you know on July 10th, on which day the weather was delightful, and to finish at once with the subject of the weather, we will say that it remained just as delightful-only perhaps more so- until we landed in Genoa two weeks later, namely on July 24th. Perhaps we have a particularly lucky star, but here we have taken the Mediterranean route two years in succession, and the spectre of terrific hot weather in the Gulfstream in the Mediterranean, etc. failed to materialize. On the contrary, as said, the weather was delightful thruout, and for several days while you were sweltering in New York we had to wear our overcoats. I shall certainly always take this route in preference to the Northern one. The People. We had one hundred and fifty first-cabin passengers. As is usually the case with any mixed assembly of a hundred people or over, the majority belonged to the common average. There were some women on board who should have better stayed home attending to the kitchen and the laundry. All the benefit they would derive from a trip! One lady, who had buried her husband (we don't know whether she killed him or not) and was now "doing" Europe on the money he |