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Ambassador of those days. He afterwards went to Athens in the same capacity and then to Samoa where he received asalary of two talents. It was the master mind of Hippocrates (B.C. 460) that gathered up what was best and gave to medicine an impress of his own, teaching that carefulobservation and recorded facts were essential forwisdom in medical science. He denied that diseasehad a supernatural origin : ’’ from God comes one disease.as well as another, but nothing happens except in

conformity with nature." His knowledge of diagnosis andtreatment was marvellous when it was remembered how

superficial was his acquaintance with anatomy, for the Greeksreligiously guarded the bodies of the dead. Plato (B.c. 427)and Aristotle (B.C. 384) were next referred to. The formerseemed to have but a poor opinion of medical men, butAristotle, a pupil of Plato, was a member of a medicalfamily and educated as a physician. He founded a schoolof anatomy at Alexandria where anatomy was first studiedby dissection. His plans and methods of classification werecopied 2000 years afterwards by Cuvier. For centuries theAlexandrian school was the focus of the intellectual life ofthe world. Herophilus and Erasistratus (about B.C. 300),Philoxemus and Ammonius were among the workers there.The orator then passed briefly to consider the various schoolsof teaching which sprung up-the Rational or Dogmaticschool of Hippocrates, the Empirics, the Methodists, and theEclectics. In the second century before Christ MarcusPortius Cato, the censor who strove to stem the tide of Greekluxury, gave some useful surgical rules in his " De Re’Rustica." The first physician of eminence who practised inRome was a Greek, Asclepiades (128 B.C.), a friend of Cicero.He left behind him a number of worthless imitators whodesired to be judged by the luxury they displayed ratherthan their knowledge, and a few more capable pupilswho developed the methodic system. In Rome medical menseemed to have had but a poor social position and most ofthem were foreigners or freedmen. The calling was con-sidered unworthy of a Roman citizen, at any rate, until thefirst century of the Christian era. In the Roman period thephysician (medious clinicus) and the surgeon (chirurgicus)seemed to have been clearly distinguished. Celsus was thegreatest man associated with Roman surgery, but it wasdoubtful if he ever operated, or, indeed, if he was a medicalman at all. Galen (A.D. 131 to 201) was a Greek but went toRome. Subsequent Greek and Roman authors were mainlycompilers from his writings. After his time the practice ofdissection was apparently given up for centuries. Amidst thegeneral disregard of learning in Europe during the MiddleAges the practice of the healing art was maintained chieflyamong the religious orders, where it was much inter-woven with augury, divination, cheiromancy, astrology, andalchemy, excepting perhaps among the Benedictines. Intheir hands the practice of physic became so lucrativethat an ordinance of Pope Innocent III. debarred theclergy from undertaking surgical operations in 1215.This threw the practice of surgery into the hands of thebarbers and bone-setters who practised it mechanically andwithout any special training or anatomical knowledge.About 1423 an effort was made to form a conjoint faculty ofmedicine and surgery, but it was short-lived. The surgeons,however, continued to work together, and in 1435 the Guildot Surgeons was founded, the College of Physicians beingfounded later. After tracing the evolution of medicine andsurgery in the succeeding centuries the orator concluded byadverting to the usefulness of the study of modernlanguages.

Mr. CHRISTOPHER HEATH proposed, and Mr. HENRYMORRIS seconded, a cordial vote of thanks to the orator,which was carried by acclamation, and Mr. RICHARDSONCROSS briefly replied.The meeting was then resolved into a conversazione.

PATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

The Morphology of the Genus Streptothrix.-An Unusual Case.of Intestinal Obstr2cetion.-Case of Calcified Peri-cardium.-Thrombosis of the Lateral Sinus in GeneralTuberculosis.-Sarcoma of the Suprarenal Body.-CalcucliFormed on Pubic Hairs.-Annual General Meeting.A MEETING of this society was held on May 21st, Mr.

W. WATSON CHEYNE, the President, being in the chair.Mr. A. G. R. FOULERTON and Dr. C. PRICE-JONES com-

amnicated a paper on the Morphology and General

Characteristics of the Genus Streptothrix. Cultures of25 species, 10 of which were pathogenic, were shown.These included four new species-streptothrix luteola,streptothrix leucea, streptothrix leucea saprophytica, andstreptothrix erythrea. Of these the first was pathogenic,having been isolated in pure culture from a case of acuteconjunctivitis with sloughing of the cornea. It was notthe same organism which Dubois St. Sevrin had describedunder the name of streptothrix aurea as a cause of con-junctivitis. The morphology and method of developmentof the various species shown was considered and Mr.Foulerton and Dr. Price-Jones pointed out the reasons forplacing the streptothricheæ amongst the hyphomycetes, ormould fungi, rather than amongst the bacteria, or fission-fungi. The writers who had regarded them as highly pleo-morphic fission-fungi had been misled by the examination ofsingle species in which the true course of development wasdifficult to follow. An examination of a series of species leftno doubt in the minds of Mr. Foulerton and Dr. Price-Jonesbut that the original classification of Hartz, which placedthese species amongst the higher fungi, was the correct one.Out of the 10 pathogenic species examined, two, streptothrixNocardii and streptothrix capræ, were found to be bothacid-fast and alcohol-fast, whilst two, streptothrix Eppingerieand the streptothrix described by Sabrazes and Rivière, werefound to be acid-fast, but the carbol-fuchsin was dischargedby a subsequent washing in absolute alcohol. Lanternslides illustrating the fragmentation of the mycelium and thedevelopment of spores by segmentation were exhibited ; andan exhaustive table was submitted comparing the 25 speciesexamined by Mr. Foulerton and Dr. Price-Jones as

regards their growth on gelatined on inspissated horse-serum, their diastatic action on starch, their growth onnutrient malt-agar (the best medium to grow them upon),on potato and in alkaline milk, their thermal death-poiht,and their staining reaction to the Ziehl-Neelsen method.No doubt but that the species of streptothrix described byAfanassiew and others in certain cases of human diseasewas identical with streptothrix bovis communis, which wasthe cause of the common actinomycosis of cattle. But

many other species had been met with and these werebriefly referred to. Possible sources of infection for manwere to be found in cereals which were known to harbourfungi of this sort ; absolute proof of infection of man fromthis source was, however, still wanting. Some of these fungihad been found in grass.

Dr. HUGH THURSFIELD narrated an Unusual Case’ ofIntestinal Obstruction. The patient was a boy, aged twoand a half years, who was admitted to the Hospital for SickChildren, Great Ormond-street, with symptoms of intestinalobstruction which had set in three days before admission.From birth he had had attacks of vomiting which recurredevery four to six weeks. He was operated on, but withoutany definite obstruction being found. At the post-mortemexamination the mesentery was discovered to have only itsprimitive short attachment to the spinal column, while thecolon ran behind instead of in front of the small intestines.The anomalous conditions appeared to be capable of explana-tion by a reversal of the normal twist of the gut from left toright, which occurred in the process of development at acertain period of intra-uterine life.Mr. ERNEST JONES (introduced by Dr. J. ROSE BRADFORD)

exhibited a specimen of Calcified Pericardium taken fromthe body of a man, aged 60 years, who had died inUniversity College Hospital in November, 1900. He hadnever had rheumatism, but had suffered from dropsyfor 10 years. There was enormous enlargement of theprascordial area of dulness but no definite murmur to beheard. There was left hemiplegia. He died from pneumoniaand at the necropsy the most noticeable feature was the

presence of free spaces outside the heart, between it and thepericardium, filled with blood-clot. The walls and cavitiesof the ventricles were of about the normal size, but theauricles were enormously dilated and their walls thinned,especially the left. The true condition was not diagnosedduring life, the case being looked upon as one of great dilata-tion of the heart. No cause could be suggested for the heemor-rhage into the pericardium. Mr. Jones had collected recordsof 58 cases of calcified pericardium. The condition seemedto be twice as common in the male ; the average age was 48years, whereas adherent pericardium was equally common inthe two sexes and the average age was 36 years. Thereseemed to be no signs diagnostic of calcified pericardiumduring life. There had been no cardiac signs at all in aquarter of the cases, and the diagnosis even of adherent

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pericardium had only been made once in the 58 cases. Thepatient occasionally lived for 19 or 20 years. There was novalvular lesion at all in half the cases and it had only beenslight in two-thirds of the remainder. The probable causesof the condition were discussed. Suppurative pericarditisand tubercle were often given as the chief causes, but inonly 13 per cent. of these cases the lesion was probably theresult of the former, and not one case could be clearlytraced to tubercle. Mr. Jones was indebted to Dr. J. RoseBradford for permission to publish the case.Dr. J. FAWCETT exhibited a specimen of Thrombosis of

the Lateral Sinus and Cerebral Veins in a case of GeneralTuberculosis. The patient was a boy, aged three and a halfyears, who died from general tuberculosis of the subacute type.There were caseous mediastinal and bronchial glands withcaseous broncho-pneumonia and tuberculosis of the abdominalviscera. The brain showed extensive thrombosis of the veinsover the ascending frontal, parietal, and temporo-sphenoidallobes on the right side, and the lateral sinus was also com-pletely thrombosed as far as the jugular foramen. There wasno clot in the internal jugular vein. The cerebral substancecorresponding to the vascular area affected was in a con-dition of acute red softening with many haemorrhagespresent. There was no thrombosis in any of the arteries orof the other sinuses nor any local source of infection withinthe cranium, such as ear disease. The extensive softeningwith hæmorrhages pointed to an infective origin. In mostof such cases thrombosis was due to marasmus.

Dr. FAWCETT also exhibited a specimen of Sarcoma of theRight Suprarenal Body removed at the necropsy on a woman,aged 30 years. The growth measured 26 by 21 centimetresand was adherent to the under surface of the liver. Satis-factory microscopical preparations had not yet been obtainedon account of the friable nature of the tumour. There weretwo specimens of suprarenal sarcoma in the museum of Guy’sHospital.

Dr. HUGH THURSFIELD exhibited the Left Femur from acase of Infantile Scurvy occurring in a boy, aged 13 years,hardened in formalin so as to preserve the colour.Mr. THOMAS BRYANT exhibited several Calculi which had

been formed on Pubic Hairs.,

Tlie annual general meeting was then held. Certainalterations in the rules, as recommended by the council,were put to the meeting and carried, the PRESIDENT explain-ing that their object was to abolish the distinction betweenresident and non-resident members.-The annual report, readby the SECRETARY, showed the society to be in a prosperouscondition. The institution of the laboratory meetings hadbeen a success. The future work of the society would bepromoted by its division into four sections. The Secretaryalso read the treasurer’s report, which showed a satisfactorybalance at the banker’s. The society had arranged to payless rent for the use of the room for meetings.-The adoptionof these reports was carried.-Sir R. DOUGLAS POWELL,Bart., proposed, and Mr. S. G. SHATTOCK seconded, a voteof thanks to the retiring officers and the council.-Mr.D’ARCY POWER proposed, and Dr. W. BULLOCH seconded, avote of thanks to the retiring secretary, Mr. C. A. Ballance.At the close of the ballot it was announced that the

officers and council for the ensuing session, as nominated bythe council, had been elected as follows -President: Mr. W.Watson Cheyne. -Vice-Presidents: Dr. E. Crookshank, Dr.W. D. Halliburton, Mr. V. A. 1I Horsley, Dr. E. Klein, Dr.S. Martin, Dr. F. W. Pavy, Dr. J. F. Payne, and Mr. J. H.Targett. Treasurer: Dr. Sidney Coupland. GeneralSecretary : Dr. J. Rose Bradford. Sectional Secretaries : Dr.H. Morley Fletcher, Mr. A. G. R. Foulerton, Dr. T. GrigorBrodie, and Dr. A. E. Garrod. Council: Dr. James

Galloway, Dr. C. D. Green. Dr. H. D. Rolleston, Dr. N.

Dalton, Dr. G. F. Still, Dr. T. W. P. Lawrence, Mr. D’ArcyPower, Dr. F. W. Andrewes, Dr. W. Bulloch, Dr. JohnMcFadyean, Dr. Allan Macfadyen, Mr. H. G. Plimmer, Mr.W. C. C. Pakes, Dr. W. S. Lazarus-Barlow, Mr. W.Edmunds, Dr. E. H. Starling, Mr. C. A. Ballance, Dr. F. G.Hopkins, Dr. V. Harley, and Dr. S. G. Redin.

LIVERPOOL MEDICAL INSTITUTION.

Perrforaterl Gastric Ulcer.-"Malignant Polypus."-Tetanus.-Friedreie)i’s Ataxia.-Family Muscular Atrophy.

AN ordinary meeting of this society was held on May 9th,Mr. EDGAR A. BROWNE, the President, being in the chair.Mr. ROBERT JONES related a successful case of operation

for Perforated Gastric Ulcer. The patient, a male, had anattack of hsematemesis two and a half years previously. OnDec. 19th, 1900, whilst taking lunch, he was suddenly seizedwith great pain. When seen at 10 P.M. his pulse was rapid,the abdomen was slightly distended, there was an absence ofliver dulness, and the patient was suffering great pain. Hewas removed to hospital and two hours later he was operatedupon, an ulcer being found on the anterior surface of thestomach at the pylorus. The opening was closed withLembert sutures and a piece of omentum was stitched overthe suture line. Mr. Jones stated that this was his thirdcase. In two of the cases the patients had recovered. Theother patient had died on the fifteenth day from the forma-tion of a sub-diaphragmatic abscess due to an infection ofthe lesser omentum, caused probably by irrigation of theabdomen.-Mr. RUSHTON PARKER said that it had happenedto him also to have two early cases operated upon on thesame evening as the accident and resulting in success, whilein another, after three days’ delay, death resulted owing tosuppuration beneath the diaphragm which could not berecognised at the operation.

Mr. CHAUNCY PUZEY showed a man, aged 61 years,whose right superior maxilla he removed in January last for" Malignant Polypus " growing from the Antrum. The line ofincision was Ferguson’s and the result was a good instanceof the very slight disfigurement which that extensive woundoften leaves. Before the operation the origin of the polypoidgrowth, which filled the right nares (anterior and posterior),was doubtful, as there was no alteration in the shape of thejaw either in the cheek or the mouth, but there was obstruc-tion of the lacrymal duct. The principal complaint madeby the patient was that he was suffering from incessant an&often agonising pain shooting up behind the eye and rightforehead to the top of his head. This was readily accounted;for when it was found during the operation that all theposterior wall of the antrum had disappeared, together witha considerable portion of the floor of the orbit and a portionof the ethmoidal cells, this being apparently the result ofpressure (not infiltration) by the growth. The growth wasreported to be " sarcoma, spindle-celled, with a considerableamount of interstitial tissue in parts, not very malignant."

’ Dr. D. SMART related a case of Tetanus, successfullytreated by Hypodermic Injections of Carbolic Acid. Thepatient, a male, aged 33 years, who had been drinkingheavily and lying about a stable, had a chronic ulcer on eachshin which was covered with a filthy dressing. On admis-sion to hospital he had a severe tetanic spasm, the back,the jaws, and the legs being affected, The treatment was-copious liquid nourishment by means of funnel and tube,one third of a grain of morphia, and bromide and chloralevery four hours, the ulcers being scraped and dressed with1 in 40 carbolic lotion. Next day the spasms occurred everyhalf hour, and 10 cubic centimetres of antitoxin were admin-istered. The following day he seemed worse; 10 cubiccentimetres of antitoxin were given again, but later his con-dition was so serious that 20 minims of a 1 in 50 solution ofcarbolic acid were injected and repeated every three hours,after which improvement set in. In five days he was practi-cally well, having had 28 injections in 84 hours (in all 11 1/2grains of pure carbolic acid). The conclusions were: (1)that the filthy dressings of the ulcers illustrated the-anaerobic nature of the tetanus bacillus ; (2) that the dosesof tetanus antitoxin (10 cubic centimetres given twice)-were probably too small; (3) that the hypodermic in-

jections of carbolic lotion produced neither localirritation nor carboluria; and (4) that although chloraland bromide were administered throughout the illness

recovery was attributed to the use of carbolic acid.-Mr. R. W. MURRAY mentioned two cases of tetanus that hadbeen under his care. In one the symptoms commenced 14-days after a burn of the right leg and side, the first indica-tion of the disease being right facial paralysis. Deathoccurred within 48 hours. The other was that of a gardenerwho cut his finger and the symptoms, which were of the sub-acute type, were first noticed nine days later. He was treatedwith anti-tetaniè serum, having in all 50 cubic centimetres,and he recovered.-Dr. T. R. BRADSHAW referred to a casebrought before the society eight years ago in which recoveryhad ensued on the administration of chloral and bromides.He doubted whether the recovery in Dr. Smart’s case couldbe attributed to the therapeutic measures employed. The-case was evidently not a severe one and had lasted some-days before the injections of carbolic acid were used, andwhen a case had lasted a week or 10 days it commonly endedl