30 cents 8 oz., 5 cents 8 oz., IO cents 8 oz., 3 cents 8 oz., 9 cents I part, 55 cents 3 parts

To make one gallon of finished product. Have the drugs ground to coarse powder, pack in a percolater, pour on menstrum until the top of the drug is evenly covered. When the percolate begins to drop, insert a cork in the percolater, cover the top, and allow the contents to macerate 48 hours. Then proceed to obtain 7%1⁄2 pints of percolate, to which add the glycerine. Flavor with oil of wintergreen.

This makes eight pints of finished product, which, put up in pint bottles, sells for $1.00 a bottle. The bottles cost 28 cents, and the labels and wrappers not to exceed 10 cents, making a total cost of $150 for eight bottles, or $2.25 for a dozen, as against $7.00 to $8.00 for the regular

nostrum.

$3.13 a dozen, as against $7.00 to $8.50 a dozen for the much-vaunted nostrums that are generally only a solution of epsom salts, colored and flavored.

FOR the past few months we have been publishing the composition of the most widely advertised nostrums. Physicians have a right to know what the people are taking; also it is very important that they should know, as then they will know what to do in case of accident from over dose. We began these in the issue for November, 1897. Send subscription for 1898 (we can supply January number), and if you want the issues for last November and December, send 10 cents each extra for them. We aim to publish them according to season—cough remedies, in the winter; liniments, rheumatic remedies, etc., in the spring, etc. Cancer cures, etc., will come later.

Our Monthly Talk.

It is an old saying that "nothing is certain except death and taxes." Whenever death is feared the doctor is called; during such a time he is the most important personage in existence. Then why cannot a doctor say something about death's twin calamity, taxes? They are usually thought of as calamities, but are they? We are all glad that Nero is not still living. Indeed there would be little chance for freedom and progress if the Neros could live forever. Death is beneficent in its way, tho at times it is impossible for us to think it so. Neither is taxation a calamity. It is the best "bargain" that we ever get. The average tax of all kinds per capita is about ten or twelve dollars per year ; and what do we get for it? We get civilization instead of barbarism; we get government, law and order instead of chaos and anarchy; we get our magnificent public buildings, our paved streets and graded roads; our parks, schools, courts of justice, police protection, army and navy, postal service, etc., etc., etc. These are not all perfect, but they are far better than none, and we can make them better still; but as they are, they are worth far more than they cost.

But, as we have before intimated, the burden of taxation is placed very unjustly; it rests far heavier upon the poor than upon the rich. This burden should be placed, not upon people, but upon property; and that kind of property should be chosen, if possible, which the owner did not create. Land, minus the value of the buildings and other improvements, leaving the land value only, is that kind of property. But let us consider first the land itself. I find that if an annual tax of only one cent per acre were levied upon the entire acreage of the United States and its territories, the income would be a little more than $23,000,000-not an insignificant sum. A liberal discount must be made for the mountain and desert areas and the

wastes of Alaska that will never be claimed. To the farmer this would be only a nominal amount-it would take a hunded years to amount to a dollar an acre. The object would be to discourage the holding of large tracts out of use for speculative purposes. To facilitate this, the tax should be increased to two cents per acre on all holdings above one thousand acres. Then, if desirable, a further increase to three cents per acre could be made upon all holdings above, say five thousand acres. Along this line of action it could be made impossible for persons, corporations or syndicates to hold large areas out of use for speculative purposes. Then the people could return to their own inheritance. Such tracts would return to the Government for non-payment of taxes, and the Government could open them to actual settlers.

So much for the land itself; now let us return to land values, for the above scheme would not touch large holdings in cities. We must approach that by a different process. At first blush, the average man will say that the land tax would be a farmer's tax; but not so. I quote the following from Thomas G. Shearman, one of the greatest statistical authorities in this country: "Town lots alone far exceed in value all the farms of the United States."

Taking the land values (omitting the value of buildings and all other improvements) of the United States, I find that an annual tax of only one-tenth of one per cent. would amount to a little more than $27,000,000. We could here apply the same principle of gradation, and make the tax two-tenths of one per cent. on all land value holdings above, say $100,000. This could be still further increased upon still larger holdings.

The acreage and valuation taxes should be combined in all cases. The valuation tax would be very little in sparsely settled parts, and the acreage tax would be very small in cities; but they would both apply with propriety in intermediate cases.

As the home, particularly the modest home, is the bulwark of our Nation, I would exempt from this and all other kinds of taxation, all homes occupied as such by the owner, up to an area of, say twenty acres, and up to a valuation of, say $1,500. This would exempt the smaller farms and the homes of mechanics, and thus encourage their multiplication, and increase the happiness in them -being free from the visitations of the taxgatherer. At present, the homes of the poor bear the brunt of taxation, while the large estates, the palatial mansions and magnificent business buildings bear a much less proportionate share. I would reverse this. Taxation to the mansion and freedom to the cottage.

While I propose this as a scheme of National taxation, I am aware that it would be impossible as our constitution now stands. Concerning this point, which was also touched upon in my "Talk" last month, the following letter from the treasurer of a great manufacturing firm in New York, will be of interest:

Dr. C. F. Taylor, 1520 Chestnut street, Philadelphia, Pa.

Dear Doctor:-I was reading your column in THE MEDICAL WORLD with a great deal of interest, as I always do, but think that you are incorrect in stating that The constitution requires that all revenues for national uses shall be raised by indirect taxation."

If my memory serves me correctly, the constitution recognizes the possibility of direct taxation, and requires that any such taxation shall be upon the basis of population in the different states.

I am quite positive that a direct tax was laid upon the different states during the civil war, and the amount re' funded subsequently. Yours truly.

G. W. HOPPING.

59-61 Maiden Lane, New York, Jan. 7, 1898. The colonies were jealous of one another, and for this reason the "basis of population provision referred to above was inserted in the constitution. To lay taxation on this basis among the states has never been possible, and by the constantly increasing intertwining of our various interests, this is growing more and more impossible. So practically my statement stands. I had in mind the actual facts rather than the phraseology of the constitution, but I thank Mr. Hopping for his letter.

It is the old theory of taxing the people (on the "basis of population," whatever their possessions may be) instead of taxing property. Let the people be as free as possible, and let their homes and means of living be free; and let the taxation fall upon greed. Neither the tariff nor the internal revenue imposes a tax "upon the basis of population in the different states." Such a tax is impossible, and this provision should be taken out of the constitution. Amending the constitution is a tremendous task, but we cannot get along very well until some of the stumbling blocks in that instrument are removed.

Taxes laid upon goods, by tariff or internal revenue, are finally collected from the people in the enhanced price of the goods. Thus, formerly the cost of our tea, coffee, matches, etc., (and in many other instances where "protection" was no feature) was increased by these charges. This is called indirect taxation. Indirect because the tax is not paid as a tax, but as increased cost of goods. It is argued in favor of this system of taxation that the people do not feel it as a tax-they pay it unconsciously. In my opinion, this feature is very objectionable. If a man's pocket is picked, or if blood is taken from him during anesthesia, he may not at the time be conscious of the loss, but he sustains the loss just the same. Paying taxes is a thing that people should be conscious of. Paying taxes consciously and willingly is a discipline in patriotism. The more taxation is felt, the greater will be the interest of the citizen in

seeing that his money is put to the best uses, in the most economical manner. Indirect taxation is an encouragement to official extravagance. If I could determine the time of paying taxes, I would make it immediately before voting. Then the vote would be cast with thought and care. For these and many other reasons, direct taxation for National purposes would be very desirable, and for the same reasons, the old slogan, "a tariff for revenue only," should not be followed.

Charges levied by means of public necessities are a concealed tax. It has been conclusively shown that Philadelphia or any other large city can construct and conduct its streetcar service at the rate of two cents per fare, and then make a profit. We allow private companies the privilege of occupying our streets and allow them to charge us five cent fares. Three cents of every such fare is a concealed tax, levied by a private company, for private profit. We pay it little by little, day after day, without thinking. If we ride only twice a day the tax is six cents per day. For the 300 working days per year, this would amount to $18 per year. But most persons ride oftener than twice a day, and when we add evening trips, Sunday trips, and add the cost of traveling of the various members of the average family, the $18 is increased to somewhere between $50 and $100 per family per year. If this tax were paid direct, in a single sum, just before voting, there would be some earnest thinking as to how it might be saved. This indirect, or unconscious, taxation is going on all the time in municipalities thru profits on gas, water, electric lighting of streets and other public necessities, except in those progressive cities and towns that own and conduct these public utilities for the service of all (at cost) and not for the private profit of a few. In a general way this same principle is true of railroad fares and charges for freight, express and telegraph service. Don't think that you escape taxation by not using any of these services. You pay it in the increased cost of everything that these things enter into. And, worse than all, this is not only indirect taxation, but it is private taxation-taxation thru public necessities for the profit of a few. Let us have direct, rather than indirect taxation, and no more private taxation at all.

I believe in spelling Nation with a capital N. While I believe in the rights of states and cities to manage their local affairs, many things considered local are not local. For example, I believe in a National law concerning the practice of medicine. Science is not local; the public health is not merely a local consideration. I believe in a National law concerning marriage and divorce. Morality is not local; happiness is not a local consideration. I believe in direct National taxation. National land taxation, as above suggested, would yield excellent

results; a National inheritance tax we should certainly have. We are much behind other countries in this. Concerning an income tax, I cannot enthuse very much. If a doctor, lawyer or merchant makes a good income, he should have it. I would be willing to give him every advantage of it, but at his death I would tax the succession of the accumulated fortune to others (this is frequently spoken of as a succession tax rather than an inheritance tax). I would not wish to discourage industry or thrift; the inheriting of large fortunes does this very thing. I would not favor a tax on ordinary inheritances, but only upon abnormally large fortunes. Let us get rid of the millionaire disease, and then the tramp disease will disappear too.

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There are many letters at hand that I would like to publish, and there is much that I wish to say concerning these letters, questions and inquiries, but if I begin on them it will be hard to stop, and I must not encroach too much on our space, so I must let them go over till next month, and then I can only hope to mention a few of them. However, continue writing to me as much as you wish: but I would rather that you would write to your local papers. Don't you think it would be well for the sick Nation to be turned over to the doctors? or do you prefer the politicians?

Pamphlets.

WE are in receipt of the initial number of Current Thought in the form of a quarterly journal. Heretofore the publication has been issued as paper covered books, called Current Thought Library. Mr. C. Elton Blanchard, the editor of this journal, was formerly publisher of the Cleveland Medical Gazette, and is an active student of anthropological questions, being a lecturer and director of the American Institute of Anthro

pology. The medical profession will find much of interest in Current Thought, as will any thinking man or woman. Sample copies will be sent to physicians upon request. Address C. Elton Blanchard, 802 Ansel avenue, Cleveland, O.

APENTA is a natural aperient water which comes from Hungary. This water, being under official scientific control, is always uniform and up to standard. It is vouched for by such men as Liebrech of Berlin, Pauchet, of Paris, etc. A pamphlet telling all about it will be sent you if you send a postal card to the United Agency Company, 503 Fifth avenue, New York, requesting same.

THE Chloride of Silver Dry Cell Battery Company, of Baltimore, Md., have excelled even themselves in their new catalog, No. 8, just issued. It is beautiful and complete. If you are at all interested in batteries, you should certainly have this catalog. It is the handsomest one we ever saw, consisting of 72 pages, beautifully illustrated. requires 5 cents postage and in requesting it it would be appropriate to inclose the postage; but if that is not convenient they will send it to you if you will send request on a postal card saying that you are interested.

It

Practical Points.

DISPENSING physicians can save money by dealing direct with the manufacturers. Why don't you make the profit now paid the middle men? Try us once and see what you save. We are the basis of supply. We not only sell, but manufacture ourselves everything in the pharmaceutical line. We give physicians forty per cent. discount from the usual list. Other houses give you twentyfive per cent. We deliver freight orders for pharmaceuticals free of charge. Goods guaranteed. Catalogue on request. The Mercer Chemical Company, Omaha, Neb.

RESINOL is by far the best application I have ever used in a practice of 48 years for the diseases recommended. A case of Eczema commencing on the scalp and extending over the entire face, and which had been under the treatment of various physicians with no apparent benefit, was completely cured by it in less than two weeks. J. J. Worthy, M. D., Lavalle, Wis.

DON'T fail to see the page of I. O. Woodruff & Co., and send for samples for trial.

THERE is always interesting matter on Schieffelin's page-page v.

SEE page facing third cover page and you will see "What the doctor sees. ""

hypodermic syringe, and any other instruments, at a reasonable price, always send to M. V. Willis & Co. See new adv. this month.

DO YOUR gonorrhea cases perplex and annoy you? See adv. of Standard Chem. Co., and send for information.

SEE Dr. Abbott's new adv. of nuclein this month.

H. C. REEMSNYDER, A. M., M.D., of Philadelphia, in a recent article says that whenever there is unnecessary pain in labor he administers ten grains of antikamnia, repeated in two hours, if necessary. In this way the pain which annoys the woman without helping her is relieved, while the uterine contractions become more firm and labor is acclerated.

Catalogue CASE No. 13. Catarrhal PneuMONIA. John Hayes, Bridgepori, Conn., American, age 32; first seen November 3, 1897; a well defined case of catarrhal pneumonia. Was put on bovinine diet exclusively, thirty drops in old port wine hourly, for five days; then a teaspoonful every two hours to the 23d; then a tablespoonful every three hours. After the 12th, he was allowed in addition to the bovinine a light general diet. Medication consisted in 3 drops tinct aconite every three hours; 1-100th grain of glonoine, and I 30th grain nitrate of strychnine, every four hours; and a tablespoonful of bronchine every three hours.

Altho the case had been well defined in first

WHEN you use whiskey, use good-Runnymede Club.

CALIFORNIA fig syrup is a pleasant and efficient household remedy.

DON'T let your pile patients suffer; see Stewart's adv. and send for a box of his ointment-the first box free; after that you will be a purchaser.

SEE adv. of Sharp & Dahme.

ISAAC PHILLIPS is with us again this month. See his page, and you will be sure to see something that you want.

HAVE you sent for a sample of Wampole's antiseptic yet? See adv.

FOR a good and reliable quality of thermometer,

tization, it was. nevertheless, cut short by this course of treatment, and the patient was put on the road to recovery, and under continuance of the (Continued over next leaf.)

Inquiries have been received as to whether we could supply Dr. Waugh's book, "The Treatment of the Sick," in connection with WORLD. As you know, we have discontinued clubbing arrangements with other publications; we found that it consumed much time in correspondence just at our busiest time, and giving it up is a great relief, without loss of subscribers, for doctors will have THE WORLD, and are content to send direct to us for it, and not burden us with ordering a lot of other publications for them. But perhaps Dr. Waugh's book should be an exception. Our readers are familiar with the Doctor's writings and naturally want his book. So we have arranged to supply book with WORLD for one year for price of book-$5. Those who have already subscribed for '98 can have WORLD sent to a friend for '98, or have their own subscription credited for 1899. For our review of book, see WORLD for Oct., 1897, page 439. Remit by P.O. money order or registered letter, and give your nearest express office.

This is still one of the enigmas of medicine. During all these years we have learned enough about rheumatism to know that it is not a disease of the

joints, and that is about all. While the joints are the parts chiefly involved, they are only the innocent sufferers. The cause -the real difficulty-still lies hidden. Nourishment is absorbed from the digestive tract, and is discharged in the urine in crystalloid condition. Between these two points many changes occura chain of events having many links: many of the steps in this complicated

is doubtful if we really understand any of them. Here is where the cause of rheumatism lies hidden. Some one or more of these processes are imperfectly accomplished, giving rise to an irritant in the blood that causes a peculiar and distinctive inflammation of white fibrous tissue. It is only in this indefinite way that we can define the cause of rheumatism.

As to treatment, look in the index of any work on therapeutics or practice and notice the columns of remedies recommended. Whenever you see so many remedies for a disease you may know that its treatment has not been satisfactory. This is eminently true of rheumatism. It has recently been claimed that intestinal antisepsis has a marked influence over rheumatism. This is not strange. Attention to the digestive tract is the easiest and should be the first thing to do. Elimination, by the bowels, kidneys and skin, should receive immediate attention. By opening all the emunctories, thus securing free elimination, and by rendering the intestinal tract antiseptic, you have made a good start. The use of colchicum, the salicylates and other remedies we will not discuss here.

We will leave that for you to do in our communication columns.

April Sun-shine and Showers. What does this month of daily and hourly changes-of alternate smiles and tears-bring you in the way of practice? Look up your case records during April for a number of years past, and note what