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108 ROME.-NEW YORK. majority of instances the small distoma was encysted, but a1 other times it was free in the thorax and abdomen. ThE small cysts were adherent to the interior of the abdominal wall and were scarcely visible to the naked eye, appearing a! white shining points varying in size from 150 A to 230 µ ’The free worm measured 1’3 millimetres in length and 0 ’20 millimetre in thickness. Each cyst contained only one ,distoma of a flat leaf-like form, oval, somewhat elongated, becoming during its active progressive movements after its liberation from the cyst narrow and ribbon-like in shape. ’The cuticle was thick and smooth. There were two suckers, .one placed at the anterior end and another about the middle of the body on the ventral aspect. The digestive tube began at the larger anterior sucker and divided into two branches, terminating blindly. At the sides of the body two large sexual .organs were generally visible, containing numerous small, rounded, yellowish-brown ova, but in many specimens these were absent. Several of the mosquitoes containing this ,distoma were also severely infected with filaria which were found in the Malpighian tubes. Although it is a matter of speculation both as to how these mosquitoes came to harbour -the distoma and as to what the further life of the parasite may be, yet the fact of its presence in the mosquito is interesting as offering a possible explanation of the mode of infection, still obscure, of some human parasitic diseases- such, for instance, as those produced by the distoma Ringeri and the Bilharzia hagmatobia. In regard to the chief object of his inquiries Martirano found that while up to March 15th mosquitoes were infected with malarial parasites in the proportion of from 1 to 5 per cent., after that date and up to the end of May his search for infected specimens of anopheles ’was invariably unsuccessful. A Case of Xiphopagus or Double Monster. At a recent meeting of the Royal Medico-Chirurgical -Academy of Naples, Corrado and Landi described a case of monomphalic monstrosity in which two female children ’were united to each other by a good part of the anterior surface of their bodies from the extremity of the sternum to the umbilicus, the latter being common to both. They were born on April 14th last at the village of Marianella, of young parents who had been married for one year, but the duration of the pregnancy could not be definitely ascer- tainted. The labour was normal, the presentation was occipital in both cases, and no instruments were required. ’There was one placenta without any trace of division, and the cords, although really double, were united by an .amniotic sheath. The children were quite lively and behaved like ordinary newly-born babies. Usually when one slept the other slept also, and when one cried the other did the same. On the seventh or eighth day of their "life the child first born showed signs of suffering and a .greenish diarrhoea set in, the other child at first not appear- ing to be affected. On the tenth day the former died and a few moments later the other, in whom similar symptoms had ’latterly appeared, also expired. The bodies were preserved in formalin and after being injected with different coloured injection fluids they were carefully dissected. The two - thoracic cavities were found to be independent, the connexions ,at this point being limited to adhesions between the last costal margins. The two diaphragms were continuous and - the abdominal cavities were united into one. The livers ’were fused at their anterior borders but each had its own .gall-bladder. There were two stomachs and two duodena, the latter uniting, however, at their lower ends into a single intestine having a double line of attachment of mesentery -to indicate the fusion. At the commencement of the lower ,fourths of the ilea the two canals again became distinct and =remained so for the rest of their course. International Congressof Physiology. The Fifth International Congress 11-Of Physiology will take ,place at Turin from Sept. 17th to Sept. 20th next, -when it is expected that many distinguished scientific men ’’will gather under the presidency of the genial and versatile Dr. Mosso, professor of physiology in the Turin University. _ A novel and important feature of this congress will be the ,rule that all communications must be accompanied by experi- ments and demonstrations. It is proposed to devote one sitting exclusively to experimental psychology. At the last sitting Professor Marey will present the report of the Inter- ..national Committee appointed to control all registering Ínstruments and to introduce uniformity into physiological methods in general. The Managing Committee consists of , the following members : Mosso of Turin (President), Bohr of Copenhagen, Bowditch of Boston, U.S.A., Dastre of Paris, Heger of Brussels, Kronecker of Berne, and Wedensky of St. Petersburg. The general secretaries are Fano of Florence, Fredericq of Lieges, Grutzner of Tiibingen, and Sherrington . of Liverpool. July 7th. NEW YORK. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Reorganisation of the American Medieal Association. THE meeting of the American Medical Association recently held in St. Paul, Minnesota, was in all respects a great success. The subject of reorganising that body created the greatest amount of interest and was the main topic of dis. cussion. The committee appointed to draw up a report con- taining suggestions and recommendation for reorganisation seem to have accomplished this task to the satisfaction of almost all of those concerned. In the first instance it is pro- posed that a business section shall be constituted, to be known as the "House of Delegates," which shall proportionately represent the State societies in accordance with their nume. rical strength. It is suggested that the present representation for the State societies should be fixed at one delegate to every 500 members. The committee summarises the objec. tions to the existing methods of representation as follows. 1. It is not representative. 2. It detracts from the scientific value of the annual meeting, wasting the time of those who are not interested in medico-political subjects. 3. The time devoted to the general sessions does not give opportunity for deliberate consideration of the living problems of the profession of the country. 4. The body as now con- stituted has become so large and unwieldy that it is impos- sible for it to transact business deliberately and calmly and to take up and to consider the important questions affecting the medical profession. The committee then recommend that both State and county medical societies should be uniformly organised and pertinently affirm that no successful organi- sation of the profession is possible without the mutual cooperation of the national and State societies." From the temper in which the State delegates at St. Paul received these recommendations it would seem that the propositions set forth by the committee will be carried into effect in course of time. The report of the committee was accepted almost unanimously. Congress of Christian Scientists at Boston. There has been held recently in Boston a very remarkable meeting of Christian Scientists from all parts of the world. The gathering was cosmopolitan to a degree and representa- tive of all grades of society. Members of the sect were present from Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and from other far-away parts of the globe, and earls and ladies rubbed shoulders with persons of no account." The congress was especially important in that Mrs. Eddy showed her face to her faithful followers for the first time within several years; she also delivered an oration which was chiefly distinguished by its brevity and its obscurity. Nevertheless, her oracular sayings met with the full approbation of her audience and were, indeed, received with enthusiasm. The figures given of the growth of the "mother church " reveal an astonishing and significant state of affairs. The membership in Boston alone reaches the respectable total of 21,631-a gain of 2496 since November. In all America the cult has more than 500 organised churches, the congregations of many of which have erected really imposing structures at great cost, notably in New York and Chicago. The progress of Christian Science is perhaps the most remarkable of any religious movement during the last few years and is mainly impres- sive for the reason that educated and otherwise sane iiadi- viduals are eagerly embracing its tenets. Undoubtedly Christian Science in America is pressing heavily upon an already severely handicapped medical profession, but that any restriction will be placed upon its teaching by legia- tion would seem in the present temper of the American public to be an illusive hope. Gift to Harvard Medical School. American multi-millionaires and millionaires seem to have developed of late a healthy emulation in giving for the
