.

them cream and beef steak and build them up if they are tubercular inclined.

Dr. Oertel (in closing): It is not possible to say any thing in five minutes about a subject as big as this. If I had one hour I would like to outline what should be done and present further evidence if I thought it was necessary, but with this audience, having the knowledge I know they possess, I know this would be entirely unnecessary. I will not attempt to answer any arguments, because it would be impossible in this short time. My idea in presenting this paper was that it was time something was done. I attend-ed a meeting in Baltimore where the State board of health combined with the city boards of health presented their report, and I felt somewhat chagrined in not being able to report that Georgia was abreast of the times. We can not afford to be behind the times any longer. We have no statistics or any way of telling what the conditions are. I heartily second the resolution introduced by Dr. Kime favoring the appointment of a committee to consider this matter. We have cold, hard facts, and although I am not a fanatic in this matter, yet it is time for us to be doing something. I am exceedingly gratified at the way in which this subject has been taken up.

Dr. Brown: I would like to say that in conversation with Gov. Terrell and others, that I am sure that the leading lawmakers of the State would heartily co-operate in any legislation in this matter. I would suggest that a temporary committee be appointed to confer with the committee of the National Tuberculosis League, which is composed of the leading men in this work, and in this way we can get it before the people in a better way than from a purely medical standpoint.

THE PHENOMENA OF A DREAM.

BY W. A. O'DANIEL, M.D., BULLARDS.

It has been said by eminent authority that the human mind is never at rest.

It is a fact, or seems to be a fact, that the highest quality of the mind, and the only link which separates man from the lower order of animals, does sleep, and sleeps soundly.

It is the province of this paper to suggest that reason, the highest and most valuable faculty of the human mind, is thoroughly at rest during our sleep; and even during our dreams is thoroughly inactive, and does not play any part whatsoever in them. For instance, I dreamed some time ago that I was in a swamp fishing, and was about to be bitten by a most vicious-looking reptile. I thought I was fishing, and that the vile reptile was so near me I could not get out of his way, and could not see in my dream any avenue of escape in any way at all.

In the terrible agony of being bitten by this vile monster, I awoke, to find myself, not in a swamp, not on a fishing expedition at all, but in my own room, cosily in bed.

I knew a young girl who dreamed such horrible. dreams as to make her get out of bed and run in any direction, very much frightened of course, until she would awake to find it all a dream. In the dream above mentioned which I myself experienced, I suffered as

though a monster rattlesnake was about to bite me, until I awoke to find it all a dream.

Therefore, if a particle of reason could be exerted in a dream, we would immediately see we were not fishing in some dense and dismal swamp, but in our cosy beds asleep, and in no danger whatever. If our reasoning faculties could be brought into action at all; if we could reason in the least degree, there would be no dreams. The moment we realized where we were and what the circumstances about us were, we would see and realize it all a dream, and not suffer the agony incident to some most hideous dreams to which so many people are the subjects.

I have heard many people say they have suffered in a dream the effect of murdering people, and of being placed in most critical dangers, until they would awake from the mental agony so intense as to actually make physical suffering.

We all know that the memory and, in fact, nearly all the prerogatives of the human mind, except the reason, are brought prominently into play in a dream. We see people plainly who are dead, and have been dead for years. Our passions and inclinations are brought prominently into action. We see people, recognize them, and talk to themn, and many of us have had dreams so real as to be in the presence of, and enjoy the company of, those a thousand miles away. A moment's reason would teach us that "it's all a dream."

Therefore, I say, Why is it that the memory, the hearing, sensation, and even the passions and the prejudices of human beings can be vividly brought into play and not one spark of reason can be elicited, and not one thought based on reason can be manufactured in the brain. of the most brilliant man? Though while he dreams he brings into play his fiue memory, and almost, if not en

tirely, every other faculty of the human miud, except his reason that faculty alone which separates us from lower animal life.

If every faculty of the mind should sleep as does our reason, we would not dream at all, for, as soon as the vivid picture was being painted on the horizon of our minds, we would know at once that we were not on a fishing expedition, or being gored by a vicious cow. And neither were we in the presence of weird music and angels, but asleep in our beds. We would at least know that we were not yet either in hades or heaven, but probably striving for one or the other of these places.

Reason, therefore, would annihilate dreaming. And the question is, Why is every other function of the human mind entirely active in a dream, except this great function we call reason? making us, in our most profound slumber, have either pleasure or pain, as the character of the dream may be pleasant or painful.

Certain it is, that if one atom of reason could be brought into play, it would all be a dream indeed. Reason, therefore, sleeps, and sleeps soundly; and the man or philosopher who says the human mind is never at rest, most egregiously errs. The highest faculty of the mind, and the only one which separates us from a monkey, does sleep and sleeps soundly, even when all other mental functions are merely dozing. We may in our sleep go back through innumerable years; may visit kings aud queens and principalities, but the reason is asleep and can not be disturbed until every other faculty of the mind is thoroughly and completely awake. The conclusion is inevitable-whe re there is reasoning, there is no dreaming.

INSTANTANEOUS CURE OF ERYSIPELAS.

BY W. B. TAYLOR, M.D., DEXTER.

In studying erysipelas I found in reading after Prof. Anders, of Philadelphia, in his text-book on practice, edition 1902, where he says a knowledge of the microbic nature has led to the local application of numerous antiseptic remedies, and it is along this line that the greatest advances in the treatment of the disease are to be expected. This led me to believe that we had some drug at our command that would dissolve out the sebaceous matter of the skin and penetrate the deep layers and superficial lymph-vessels, the habitat of the streptococcus, and kill them. In studying further into the subject, I concluded that creolin, being a saponified coal-tar creosote, was worthy of a trial.

My first opportunity to use this remedy was some months after my study of the subject from an antiseptic standpoint in May, 1903. My first case was a married lady about thirty-three years of age, who gave a history of several previous attacks. Examination showed small wounds on both feet, evidently the point of infection. The disease had spread far above both knees, with intense burning pain. I at once painted undiluted creolin over the affected area and waited three minutes and washed off same with plain water. The effect was instantaneous. The lady was cured, the skin resuming its natural appearance with no damage done by the creolin.