the most interest is manifested, even by members who never so much as incise an abscess. The inordinate craze for surgery is also manifested by the laity. They have a more than ordinary respect for the medical gentleman who wields the knife freely, and think his skill also extends to the other departments of the healing art. Some doctors have the same complaint. Many surgeons have read on, thought of, and practiced surgery, to the exclusion of medicine, till they have become medical nihilists. The action of drugs is not tangible enough for them. They have become doubting Thomases, and must thrust their fingers in or "they believe not." An eminent operator remarked that "There is a great field for the general practitioner in diagnosis, but there is not much in therapeutics." I am glad to state that not all surgeons, by far, are of this opinion, and will, for one example, refer to the article on appendicitis in Senn's Practical Surgery, published in 1902. Everything being equal, the best surgeon is the man who spent some years in general practice, and better, if a good part of the time was spent in on out-of-the-way country location, where he had to depend on his ingenuity, and do much with little; no hospital, trained nurse, instrument house or expert assistant at hand. Such an experience develops self-reliance, and a resourcefulness that the city-raised hospital surgeon rarely attains. Such a man could hardly become so one-sided, so badly unbalanced as to say, "There is not much in therapeutics." Surgery and medicine should have no conflict; should go hand in hand to the bedside of the afflicted, and work together for a com mon cause. J. M. Anders, in a recent edition of his "Practice of Medicine," advises that, in treating appendicitis the physician should always call to his aid the council of the surgeon. And that appendicitis has a medical as well as a surgical aspect. I refer you to Senn and Anders as before mentioned. The practitioner of medicine envies the surgeon's brilliant reputation and handsome fees. The layman looks at the work of the surgeon and says, "If my boy studies medicine, I will make a surgeon of him." Some imagine the chief qualification of a surgeon is to be fearless in the use of the knife, to have an abundant stock of blind courage, if you please, a reckless disregard of consequences. very dangerous quality to say the least. A In our great medical centers the practice of medicine is held in greater esteem, and most operators of ability recognize the merits of the man whose armamentarium consists largely of drugs. Gentlemen of the medicine-case, you can add greatly to the reputation of your department of the healing art by a closer, more thorough study of your cases. You have perhaps been too superficial in your examinations, which has resulted in faulty diagnoses. You have not entered into the study of your department with that energy and zeal that will warm you up to your work. You have been pulling on a cold collar, and you fellows, especially the surgeon and layman, have observed you, and concluded there is not much in your job. While you have been delinquent in the study and practice of diagnosis, you have been far more so in the consideration of drugs. How much time do you give to the study of materia medica and therapeutics? Is it not a fact that too often with an imperfect knowledge of the nature of the malady, you do about as much for the patient as he could have done for himself with a bottle of patent medicine, by giving a lot of "ready-to-hand-out proprietary stuff" which is recommended for the complaint you imagine the patient has? I feel sure I am not putting the case too strong, and that herein lies the cause of medicine suffering 30 much by contrast with surgery. Gentlemen, it is not the purpose of this paper to decry surgery. All honor to its brilliant achievements of the past, to the grand work now being done, and to the glory of its future prospects. But the man of medicine must have due consideration. He has a very important place to fill, and must come up to the high standard rightly expected of him, and claim his share of the honors the world has to bestow. To do this, he must study pathology and diagnosis critically and not neglect the study of drugs. Let me also call attention to the importance of recognizing the value of physiological therapeutics, general and personal hygiene, as agencies which, if understood, so as to be properly applied, will contribute much toward good results. If the regular physician had in years gone by given due attention to massage and Swedish movement, the osteopath could never have duped the people as has been done. Medical societies are most excellent agencies for stimulation to greater effort, and a potent means for continual and substantial improvement. We should take an active interest and part in them, from the country to the district and State organizations. Sup port them by our presence, and by always performing, as best we can, whatever duty may come to our hands. Diet in Tuberculosis. Herbert Maxon King declares that disturbed metabolism is essential to the development of tuberculosis. If, in all respects, the cell is normally nourished, it will be sufficiently resistant to the invasion of the tubercle bacillus. As a rule, one is able to trace errors in nutrition antedating by months and often by years the probable period of infection in a given case. The diet question in the case of tuberculous invalids is more than one of calories. It can not be solved merely by arriving at theoretical standard amounts and relations of proteids, fats, and carbohydrates. The tastes, habits, and peculiarities of the patients, and their heredity are important factors. Variety, preparation, and the manner of serving foods are all important. Psychotherapy is more important in diet prescriptions perhaps than anywhere else. In the study of these cases the food requirements should be determined and met, if possible, and the dangerous error of overfeeding should be avoided.-Medical Record. The Treatment of Stammering. Elmer L. Kenyon advances three main ideas in his discussion of the treatment of stammering: First, education, that the patient may conscientiously learn how to handle his speech apparatus; second, discipline, that he may overcome a firmly-rooted and stubborn habit; and third, correction of general organic disability, and of peripheral abnormalities, in order that the delicate mechanism of speech may not be physically interfered with. The patient must at once be made a student of normal speech from the standpoint of the technique of its production. This new knowledge must be immediately put into practice. Speech is now no longer automatic, but becomes a function governed in detail by the consciousness and the will. The patient will gain control of his speech mechanism and direct it in detail. But even then the subconscious nervous structures must be held well in hand until they can be entrusted to assume control. This defect should be corrected at an early stage and firmness of purpose on the part of the patient is one of the important elements in its successful treatment.-Medical Record. > THE TEXAS MEDICAL NEWS.. A JOURNAL OF MEDICINE, SURGERY AND HYGIENE. MATTHEW M. SMITH, M. D., Managing Editor. S. C. RED, M. D., Houston, ASSOCIATE EDITORS. J. W. MCLAUGHLIN, M. D., Galveston, A. M. ELMORE, M. D., Dallas, H. A. BARR, M. D., Beaumont, T. J. BENNETT, M. D., Austin, WM. E. LUTER, M. D., San Antonio, The Texas Medical News Publishing Co., Publishers, Austin, Texas. BRANCH OFFICES. 215 Main Street, Corner Sixth and Houston Streets, FORT WORTH, TEXAS. Subscription, $1.00 per annum in advance. Single copies, 10 cents. Advertising: rates on application. A PLEA FOR THE BABY'S EVERYDAY MEAL. During this advanced age with the oftentimes obliging physician,. the society demands and the enterprising and enthusiastic imitators of mother's milk, there are entirely too many cases of the mother not nursing her child as a result of some one of the causes set forth above. However, we start out with the assumption, which we believe will be granted by every one, that the milk of the ordinary healthy mother is far superior to any combination or preparation known for the health, growth and happiness of the average child. Hence we desire to impress upon the profession the importance and necessity of insisting, as far as possible, with, of course, legitimate exceptions, that the mother should invariably nurse her own child and only supplement by artificial feeding when the milk sup-ply is not sufficient. It is surprising how many mothers neglect this most important function of nature in rearing their children. Some say, "Why, I can not go to theaters; I can not spend my time in social functions, because the time of feeding for my child would. demand that I should be elsewhere"; others for esthetic reasons, and we make the bold and broad statement that it is a duty incumbent upon the mother of every child, if healthy and capable of doing so, that she should nurse her own child. In writing this editorial we would not for a moment have our motives misunderstood; nor do we desire to condemn a large majority of the devoted and attentive mothers to the children of this country who make every sacrifice known for their health, growth and happiness, but rather to call the attention of members of the profession to this growing evil, so that they may take active steps for its prevention wherever an opportunity arises. Here this natural food has all the essential elements, in the proper proportions, served hot and tempting at regular hours, for the convenience, happiness and rightful growth of the child. NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS. As we stand upon the mountain peak looking behind us we see the past year with its successes, its failures, its joys and pleasures, its sorrows and disappointments, and as we turn to bid it a final farewell and cast our eyes upon the opposite side to the oncoming new year with its possibilities and with its uncertainties, we should each and every one arm ourselves with the determination of going forth to accomplish more in this world for good, and to excel in every possible way and to make decided improvements over the last. So let us all make good and wholesome new year resolutions, with the determination of carrying them out to the best of our abilities, even though we do not succeed with them all; yet, when the last final count is made at the end of the year, let us hope that the grand total exceeds that of the past year by a large majority. The physician who is not ambitious, determined and energetic and who does not reach out to accomplish things never before accomplished, who does. not have high ideals and who does not make an effort to constantly and steadily move forward to them, will naturally drop behind in the race of life. So let all be up and dcing and forge to the front and crown their efforts with success. If a general practitioner of medicine, then improve in that line--have better text-books, do more reading, more fully equipped offices, with appliances and methods of examination, be more careful in detail work, when it comes to making a diagnosis, watch your cases more closely and look out for the danger signals, which are hung out almost invariably, if you are able to recognize them, in advance of the fatal termination of any case, and resolve as a whole to make progress in your particular department. If a surgeon, then study closely and carefully pathology and pathological anatomy, review the grosser as well as minuter details, keep posted |