states, is abundantly diffused throughout the air, these disorders are rarely seen, and that the energy of the vital functions is in the direct ratio of the quantity of iodine existing in the animal economy. He proposes to iodize bread, cakes, sirups, etc., simply by the introduction of such plants as naturally contain iodine, namely: all kinds of sea-weeds and cruciferous plants, or else by using the water of iodized springs or salts containing the same principle. Under these forms the quantity of iodine administered is so small as to communicate no peculiar taste to the edible substance. After ten years' experience, during which Dr. Boinet has treated children specially selected by a physician of a “Bureau de Bienfaisance" for their scrofulous habit, he has come to the conclusion that the diet he proposes, if persevered in for some months, will not only cure scrofula but ulcerous habits, diseases of the skin, opthalmia, caries of the bones, etc. The Academy of Medicine has referred Dr. Boinet's paper to a commission composed of Drs. Chatin and Trousseau. If there be any correctness in Dr. Boinet's statement, all mineral waters containing iodine will be invested with new interest.

EXTERNAL USE.-The external use of this water will be doubtless found of great benefit, and if the proprietors should determine to apply fully its medicinal properties, they will have to construct proper baths. In most instances, and for the greater portion of the year, the water can be used at the temperature it has on flowing from the well; but for many purposes they will have to elevate the temperature 20 or 30 degrees.

Thus applied, sulphur saline waters are well known to be beneficial for a variety of diseases of the skin, scrofulous affections, and lymphatic tumors of every description, gout, rheumatism, etc. In several of the diseases, it would be proper to use the baths warm, as will be advised by those physicians who may direct the patients.

In addition to the above, it may be applied beneficially in many diseases of those mucous membranes that are accessible by washing or by injection, as in certain diseases of the mucous membranes of the eye, etc.

In reporting on the medical virtues of this water, I have purposely avoided any reference to those cases who have been cured, or supposed to be cured by it; for I have not traced out any of them, as I did not conceive any record of the kind.

would be of much value in so short a history of the water, but I have preferred to give my opinion of its virtues from its composition and from the known virtues of similar waters. The opinions are little else than the reflections of those of physicians in this country, Germany, France, and elsewhere, who have paid especial attention to the medical properties of mineral springs, and who are engaged in giving advice on the subject.

H. R. STORER, M.D., of Boston, having been directed by the American Medical Association, at its meeting at Nashville in 1857, to prepare a Report on Criminal Abortion, with a view to its general suppression, from which duty he has hitherto been prevented by ill-health, desires the general co-operation of the profession. He has already received pertinent and valuable information from many parts of the Union, and would gladly hear from all who may be interested in the subject. For this purpose he subjoins the following inquiries;

1. Is Criminal Abortion, whether induced by the patient herself or not, on the increase in your neighborhood?

2. Is it confined to unmarried women?

3. If it is increasing, is further silence and inaction the duty of the profession?

4. Is a general exposure of its true character, owing as it often is to ignorance, and a decided and general denouncement of its guilt, likely to increase still further the crime?

5. Is it necessary and advisable, where the laws on this subject are notoriously and fundamentally defective, for the profession to recommend their revisal and subsequent enforcement?—North American Medico-Chirurgical Review.

STRYCHNIA IN THE ADULTERATION OF ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS.-DR. HENRI ERNI, in an article in the Peninsular and Independent Medical Journal, denies that strychnia is ever used for the adulteration of alcoholic liquors; 1st, because it would be detected by its intensely bitter taste, which is evident when dissolved in seven hundred thousand parts of water; 2d, because of its high cost; 3d, because it is a most dangerous poison, and one which, unlike most organic poisons, can be readily detected by chemical tests. With regard to malt liquors, Dr. Erni states that this poison cannot be introduced into them together with hops, since the tannic acid, which these always contain, precipitates strychnia completely, in the form of an insoluble compound. As a substitute for hops, it would be much less likely to be employed than aloes and many other bitter drugs, on account of its high price.

Editorial Department.

From causes with which we are not conversant, and which we do not care to investigate, Louisville, with a population of eighty thousand, and centrally situated, with reference to a large field of practical medicine and surgery, has been some time without a Medical Journal, notwithstanding the fact, that, in addition to her intrinsic advantages as a city, her physicians sustain a proud position in the forward ranks of Medical Science. This, with other considerations, induced the Editors, during last summer, to institute arrangements of which this Journal is the product. Having embarked in the enterprise, we are determined, at all hazard of individual inconvenience or annoyance, to persevere, and establish, and maintain such a position for it, as will be worthy of the cause in which we have engaged, and of the city in which we live.

Our pages will be firmly barred against all matters of personal controversy. Communications, or papers, which are written for the writer, we will endeavor to exclude. Such as are written for the reader, will be sought for and welcomed. We class already among our collaborators, some of the most distinguished members of our profession, and we hope to add materially to their number.

We will receive the best European and American journals, and such matters in them as we may deem best, will be translated or transcribed. We will devote especial attention to reports of clinical lectures and cases, and the Pharmaceutical Department alone, will, we are confident, make the "NEWS" a welcome visitor.

We have not launched our bark in ignorance of the troublous sea upon which it is to ride, nor have we anticipated an undisturbed and peaceful voyage; but we have launched it, and manned it, and equipped it, and will stand by the helm, in the calm, or amid the breakers, in peace or in war.

To maintain social and kindly intercourse with our profes

sional brethren-to uphold the dignity of a profession we loveto discountenance quackery in whatever guise it may appearwhether in the exalted or the humble-will be aims constantly before us, and in the discharge of our duties as independent and personally responsible journalists, we intend to be as fearless as we hope to be just. We have not a public or private enemy to encounter, that we are aware of, and we will try to preserve the same pleasant relations with our brethren which now exist. Our career would, however, be an extraordinary one, if we should be entirely successful in this respect. The Millennial day for the realization of perfect peace, seems to be still prospective, and that christian duty which requires us to "turnt he other also," has not yet received a practical interpretation. Nevertheless, we are determined that our pages shall not be soiled by personalities, or their value diminished by useless polemics.

We will, in our next number, begin the publication of the reports read before the State Medical Society, at its last three sessions the committee of publication having been unsuccessful in procuring funds to meet the expenses of their separate publication. Each member of the society entitled to copies, by payment of dues, will promptly receive them as they appear in our pages.

We will, on, this occasion, urge the medical profession throughout Kentucky, to sustain our State Society. The eighth annual session will be held in Lebanon, on Wednesday, 20th of April, 1859, and we hope the meeting will be largely attended.

In the confusion necessarily attendant upon the arrangement of our first issue, it may be, that many errors have escaped notice. If so, we trust that our correspondents will not feel annoyed, or fearful that such are to occur in future. We intend to revise all communications carefully, and thus relieve the writers of an onerous task. In this connection, we would urge our professional brethren to furnish us with reports of such cases as may present points of particular interest, as it is often from aggregated statistics that the most frequent phenomena of disease, and the safest therapeutics, can be educed.

As soon as our exchange list becomes complete and operative, and our foreign journals arrive, our readers may expect more miscellaneous matter than we can safely promise them for a few weeks. We have not been remiss or parsimonious in laying a good foundation for this department. We will receive in a few days, many of the leading Medical and Surgical Journals of Europe, which, with those of our own country, will always afford sufficient material of interest, to cause our selections to be sought for and appreciated.

The Semi-Monthly Medical News will be published on the 1st and 15th of every month, at three dollars per annum, in advance. Those of our professional brethren who favor the enterprise, are respectfully solicited to sustain us by increasing our subscription list. The advertising pages are under the control of Messrs. Hanna & Co., to whom advertisements may be sent, and with whom all arrangements relating to that department, must be made.

AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

The twelfth annual meeting of this association will be held in Louisville, Ky., on Tuesday, May 3d, 1859. The secretaries of all societies, and other bodies entitled to representation in the association, are requested to forward to the Secretary, S. M. Bemiss, at Louisville, correct lists of their delegations so soon as they may be appointed. The convention of Teachers, invoked by a resolution of the National Association, for the purpose of a general conference upon the best means of elevating the standard of Medical Education in this country, will meet in the same city, on Monday, 2nd of May.

Medical Journals, throughout the United States, are requested to insert the above.

S. M. BEMISS, Sec'y Am. Med. Asso.

Reports of such proceedings of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, as may be important, will be made for this journal.