lar readers will observe frequent abstracts from its pages, indicating better than words the estimate that we place upon it.

The British Medical Fournal has opened a confessional, in which any one may report his failures and mistakes, without any other than the editor knowing the name of the reporter. This is an excellent idea, as there is no doubt but that the published records as they appear in the journals are one-sided. Probably unfavorable and unfortunate experience would be more frequently published, except for the injury that would re-act upon the writer through an ungenerous use of the confession by the thoughtless or unscrupulous rival.

The St. Louis Medical Record announces that hereafter it will advertise only such medical colleges as require a strict preliminary examination of matriculants and attendants upon three full annual courses of lectures of not less than four months each. The same journal records a hand-to-hand fight with one of the associate editors of the St. Louis Courier of Medicine. Medical matters seem very active in St. Louis.

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Dr. W. Yandell (Amer. Practitioner), says: "My income has lessened just one-half in the last three years. It has fallen off for the past four months thirty-six per cent. on any similar time. * * When I come to talk among my brother chips of equal standing, I find that they have the same reports, that the same shrinkage has occurred in their incomes. The same has occurred to all classes in this country. The only men in our profession who have gained are the young doctors who, in the natural course of things, have gathered here and there a case, now and then a patient. The whales have suffered the most; the minnows least. Had the times been prosperous we would have prospered with them. The times have brought disaster to all branches of art and industry. We who follow medicine can no more escape the calamities which affect other classes than we can fly."

We have received the first number of the American Fournal of Otology, a quarterly of eighty pages each issue. lished by Wm. Wood & Co., New York, for $3.00 a year.

It is pub

Dr

Clarence J. Blake edits it, and is assisted by an able corps of workers in this specialty. It is issued in excellent taste. This number contains an article by Dr. C. J. Blake on "the Graphic and Photographic Illustrations of Sound Waves;" one by Dr. Chas. H. Burnett on "Twenty Cases of the Growth of Aspergillus in the Living Human Ear;" one by Dr. Albert H. Buck on "Syphilitic Affections of the Ear," and one by Dr. Samuel Sexton on "the Use of Calcium Sulphide in the Treatment of Inflammation of the External Auditory Meatus." The remainder of In another

the issue is occupied by book notices and reviews. place we shall present abstracts of the articles of general interest. The Archives of Medicine is the title of a new bi-monthly journal, edited by Dr. E. C. Seguin and published by the Putnams, of New York. Each issue contains 112 pages. Terms, for a year, $3.00. Dr. T. E. Thomas presents a "New Method of Removing Interstitial and Sub-mucous Fibroids of the Uterus;" Dr. Mary Putnam Jacobi makes a provisional report on the "Effects of Quinine upon the Cerebral Circulation;" Dr. C. Hertzman presents a statement of the "Aid which Medical Diagnosis receives from recent Discoveries in Microscopy;" Dr. A. F. Delafield gives an "Elementary Lesson in Electricity." As an editorial, Dr. Seguin lays before us "the Present Aspect of the Question of Tetanoid Paraplegia." New books are reviewed; abstracts and summaries follow, and the number closes with short "original observations." The issue is, mechanically, a perfect specimen of the printers' art, set forth with singularly good

taste.

The Chicago Medical Journal has been carefully studying the fifty-three regular medical journals now published, and reaches the following conclusions: 1st. Only from fourteen to twenty are of any permanent value to the profession and worthy of general circulation, or to be sent abroad and handed down to posterity as fit exponents of American medical periodical literature. 2d. Some of the others possess no value whatever apart from the gleanings which they regularly make from the crops carefully harvested by their more thrifty neighbors.

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3d. Some are absolutely worthless, judged from any stand point, and a few are undeniably worse than worthless. They are dangerous and disgusting parasites upon the body medical." "It is the duty and interest of every physician in the land to support heartily the best of our journals and none other. Let it be understood that it is a stigma upon one's reputation that his name has appeard in an obscure advertising sheet in connection with the endorsement of a questionable 'novelty' in drugs, or even as an author.

We have received the first number of the Index Medicus, a monthly classified record of the current medical literature of the world, compiled under the direction of Dr. John S. Billings, Surgeon, U. S. A. It fully sustains the promise of its prospectus. It is exactly what its title states it to be, and as such commends itself to every physician in the land. From it he may learn each month what new articles have been published in any journal in any language during the previous month. The number before us contains a full list of all the periodical medical publications of the world. Most heartily do we recommend this work to every doctor as absolutely indispensable to his list of medical journals. The elegant manner of its issue reflects great credit upon the publishers, F. Seyboldt, of New York.

Obituary Notices.

At the annual meeting of the St. Joseph Valley Medical Association, held at Three Rivers, Mich., January 15th, 1879, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted upon the death of Dr. E. A. Egery, who located at Three Rivers forty years ago, to practice his profession, when the country was comparatively new. He was an active practitioner until disabled by disease, but up to his death took an active part in the interests of the profession. His efforts to form the various medical societies with which he was connected were untiring, neglecting no

opportunity whereby the physician might be honorable in his calling and true to his fellow men:

WHEREAS, It has pleased God in his wisdom to remove by death from our number our friend and colleague, Dr. E. A. Egery, therefore,

Resolved, That in the death of Dr. Egery this association has lost one of its founders-its first president-one that took an active part in the association's interests, and for the advancement of medical science.

Resolved, That as a practitioner he was true to his profession, precise, clear in his diagnosis, careful in prescribing, and his efforts to ameliorate suffering won for him a warmth in the hearts of the people, and by so doing set examples we may all be proud to imitate.

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted to the bereaved family, and that they be published in the Three Rivers papers and DETROIT LANCET.

Dr. Nathan Mitchell died at his home in Colon, St. Joseph county, Michigan, January 26th, in the seventy-first year of his age. Dr. Nathan Mitchell was born November 27, 1808, in the town of Calais, Washington county, State of Vermont. father being a farmer, he was early trained to agricultural pursuits, which he followed until he became of age, securing at the same time more than an average education from the limited educational advantages of those days. He immediately commenced the study of medicine, and in 1830 entered the Middlebury Medical College, and graduated in 1834. Starting immediately for the far west-as it was considered in those days-he located in Trumbull, Ashtabula county, Ohio, and practised his profession successfully in that place for five years.

In 1839 he came to Michigan and located in Colon, St. Joseph county, where he has been ever since. Commencing as he did with the early settlers, he has shared all the ups and downs of a new country with them, and for forty years has been a faithful physician to the people, riding far and near in an early day to relieve suffering, and oftimes without money and without price.

About two years ago a cancer made its appearance on his lip, and has steadily progressed, destroying all the lower portion of one side of the face, including gums, jaw and neighboring lymphatic ganglions. The doctor bore his afflictions in a remarkable manner. He suffered one operation in its early stage, and used all the means he could command to arrest the disease, but to no purpose, and for the last few months has patiently awaited the slow but sure result. The doctor was a careful student, possessing a very active and retentive mind, ever anxious to grasp all the advancements in the science of his profession. He was a member of the St. Joseph Valley Medical Society and the Michigan State Medical Association, and his professional acquirements were held in high esteem by all who knew him.

Book Notices.

Any Book noticed herein may be had of E. B. Smith & Co., Publishers and Booksellers, Detroit, Mich.

SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE MICHIGAN STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, for the year ending Sept. 30th, 1878. Cloth; pages, 434.

This volume contains the report of the secretary's office, including forms of the blanks distributed during the year; abstracts of the proceedings at the meetings of the board, and special reports on outbreaks of typhoid fever and scarlet fever, etc., and sixteen reports and papers upon various subjects pertaining to public health.

In recording the details of two kerosene lamp explosions, Dr. Baker calls attention to the two sources of danger arising from the quality of the oil employed. (1.) A composition that enables the oil to flash at a temperature lower than 140° F. (2.) The presence of paraffine in the oil, which so clogs the wick as to greatly heat the wick tube, and so raise the temperature of the superficial strata of oil in the lamp far above 140° F. Thus,