cases. There may be some mild colon infection of the kidney first infected, and often the opposite kidney is incapable of taking up the work thrown upon it, for the reason of infection, but he could find no pathologic ground for claiming that such a kidney is hyperinfected. Regarding the employment of X-ray, he said that every patient suspected of having a stone in the kidney is sent to have an X-ray picture taken, and about half of the plates are reported as "not satisfactory." The photographer always wants to take another picture, and the patient complains that the expense is too great. In one case he knew of a picture being taken of a man who came came in from Tuxedo, who had a pain in his left side. Stone in the kidney was suspected. He brought back a beautiful X-ray picture, showing a stone in the right kidney. He had pus in the kidney, and everything that would indicate this condition. The speaker's impression was that both kidneys should be operated on, as here was a man with a pain in the left side, and an X-ray picture of a stone in the right kidney, and he, the speaker, had always found the pain in the side that contained the stone. He believed very strongly in X-rays, and thought they would be very useful when they proved infallible, but the day has not yet arrived. Correspondence. AS TO ALCOHOL. Editor Southern Practitioner: DEAR SIR-Three times during the last half century medical manifestos have heen issued giving the opinion of physicians on alcohol. The first was issued in 1839, and was signed by eightysix persons. The second in 1847, and was signed by 2,000 physicians, and the third appeared in 1871, with the signatures of over 4,000 physiciaus, including the names of many leading physicians in all parts of the world. A fourth declaration of opinions is now being circulated for signatures, and reads as follows: The following statement has been agreed upon by the Council of the British Medical Temperance Association, the American Medical Temperance Association, the Society of Medical Ab. stainers in Germany, and leading physicians in England and on the Continent. The purpose of this is to have a general agreement of opinions of all prominent physicians in civilized countries concerning the danger from alcohol, and in this way give support to the efforts made to check and prevent the evils from this source. In view of the terrible evils which have resulted from the consumption of alcohol, evils which in many parts of the world are rapidly increasing, we, members of the medical profession, feel it to be our duty, as being in some sense the guardians of the public health, to speak plainly of the nature of alcohol, and of the injury to the individual and the dangers of the community which arise from the prevalent use of intoxicating liquors as beverages. We think it ought to be known by all that 1. Experiments have demonstrated that even a small quantity of alcoholic liquor, either immediately or after a short time, prevents perfect mental action, and interferes with the function of the cells and tissues of the body, impairing self-control by producing progressive paralysis of the judgment and of the will, and having other marked injurious effects. Hence alcohol must be regarded as a poison, and ought not to be classed among foods. 2. Observation establishes the fact that a moderate use of alcoholic liquors, continued over a number of years, produces a a gradual deterioration of the tissues of the body, and hastens the changes which old age brings, thus increasing the average liability to disease (especially to infectious disease), and shortening the duration of life. 3. Total abstainers, other conditions being similar, can perform more work, possess greater powers of endurance, have on the average less sickness, and recover more quickly than nonabstainers, especially from infectious diseases, while they altogether escape diseases especially caused by alcohol. 4. All the bodily functions of a man, as of every other animal, are best performed in the absence of alcohol, and any supposed experience to the contrary is founded on delusion, a result of the action of alcohol on the nerve centers, 5. Further, alcohol tends to produce in the offspring of drinkers an unstable nervous system, lowering them mentally, morally and physically. Thus deterioration of the race threatens us, and this is likely to be greatly accelerated by the alarming increase of drinking among women, who have hitherto been little addicted to this vice. Since the mothers of the coming generation are thus involved, the importance and danger of this increase cannot be exaggerated. Seeing, then, that the common use of alcoholic beverages is always and everywhere followed, sooner or later, by moral, pbysical and social results of a most serious and threatening character, and that it is the cause, direct or indirect, of a very large proportion of the poverty, suffering, vice, crime, lunacy, disease and death, not only in the case of those who take such beverages, but in the case of others who are unavoidably associated with them, we feel warranted, nay, compelled to urge the general adoption of total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors as bevverages as the surest, simplest and quickest method of removing the evils which necessarily result from their use. Such a course is not only universally safe, but is also natural. We believe that such an era of health, happiness and prosperity would be inaugurated thereby that many of the social problems of the present age would be solved. This declaration has already received the signatures of over 1,000 physicians in ail parts of the country. I have been appointed chairman to present this manifesto to American physicians for their endorsement. I should be very glad to receive the names, title and address of any physician who is willing to aid by his signature to correct public sentiment and assist in the prevention of one of the great evils of the age. This is purely a scientific effort for the purpose of having a general concensus of opinion of the leading physicians of the world, and it is assumed that American physicians are equally enthusiastic and prompt to lend their signatures to this statement as in the winedrinking countries of Europe. A postal card, with address and title, is earnestly solicited from every medical man who would like to be represented in this great movement for a clearer comprehension of the subject. Address T. D. CROTHERS, M.D., ANTIPHLGGISTINE. Deering J. Roberts, M.D.: MY DEAR DOCTOR-Antiphlogistine has served me so promptly and so satisfactorily on quite a number of occasions that I wish to say a few words as to its many excellent qualities. When you came down here in 1898, on my invitation to take a bird hunt, on the first day out, I having on a new pair of shoes produced a blister on my heel, the discomfort of which is well known to any one who has ever been so troubled. Fearing that I would not be able to accompany you on the following day, and mentioning my annoyance, you suggested that I try Antiplogistine, and on making a good application on retiring, spreading it on thick, very much to my surprise, on the following morning the "pain, heat, redness and swelling" were entirely gone, and I enjoyed the three following days with you in the hunting field although you are a "walker from away back." Very soon after, I had a severe case of lymphangitis following an attack of typhoid fever, involving the left leg of my patient. Here it did what I have had no other application succeed in doing, "cito, tuto et jucunde." However, it is in pneumonia that I have found it so specially valuable. Blistering without making a sore-bleeding without losing any blood, it not only does more than any blister can, it relieves and protects the lung and cures the pneumonia. Now, I apply it wherever and whenever I have any swelling or inflammation, and prefer it to anything I have ever used. A number of other preparations have been suggested to me by other doctors; but there is only one Antiplogistine, as there is only one Tongaline, one Antikamnia, one Glyco-Heroin, one Bromidia, and nothing will answer so well every purpose claimed for it as Antiphlogistine. H. D. MCGILL, M.D. Clarksburg, Tenn. SANDER & SONS' Eucalyptol (pure Volatile Eucalypti Extract).— Apply to Dr. Sander, 88 Lincoln Ave., Chicago, Ill., for gratis supplied sample and literature of Sander's Eucalyptol. It is invaluable in inflammations of the mucous membranes and in all septic and infectious dis eases, Meyer Bros. Drug Co., St. Louis, Mo., sole agents. Records, Becollections and Beminiscences. The next Annual Meeting of the Association of Medical Officers of the Army and Navy of the Confederacy will be held in New Orleans, La., May 19th, and 22nd prox., in the Medical Department of Tulane University. SOME FACTS OF THE HISTORY OF THE ORGANI- AND HOSPITALS. BY. 8. H. STOUT, A.M., M.D., LL.D., Ex-Surgeon and Medical Director of the Hospitals of the Confederate Armies and Department of Tennessee. (Continued from March [1903] Number). XVIII. I was determined to manage the general hospitals, as fully as was in my power, in the interest and care of the sick and wounded, and to so discipline every officer, soldier, detailed man, matron and hireling, that each having his duty assigned him, should, in his position, meet the responsibilities pertaining thereto in the most efficient way. To do this it was necessary to place reputable and profess sionally skilful surgeons of known ability in charge of the hospitals at each post. It was necessary, too, that surgeons in charge of hospitals at every post should be thoroughly and zealously in sympathy with the medical director in his efforts to make the hospital service efficient in the care and treatment of suffering soldiers, and satisfying to the commander-in-chief in |