'j']6 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



ant to the laws in force at the time of his authorization, or is hereaf- 

 ter authorized so to do," either by a license from the regents of the 

 University of the State of New York, a diploma of an incorporated 

 medical college within the State, or a diploma of a similar institution 

 without the State, provided it be endorsed as approved by some proper 

 medical faculty of the State. But every physician and surgeon, with 

 the exception of practitioners of ten years' standing and a few others, 

 must register in the office of the clerk of the county where he is prac- 

 ticing, or, if hereafter authorized, intends to practice, his name, resi- 

 dence, and place of birth, together with his authority to practice, to 

 all of which he must subscribe. He must also make affidavit as to the 

 manner of his license or authority, the date of the same and by whom 

 granted, which, if willfully false, shall subject the affiant to conviction 

 and punishment for perjury. Any one who violates either of these 

 provisions or the one in regard to practicing, or who shall practice 

 under cover of a diploma illegally obtained, shall be deemed to be guilty 

 of a misdemeanor, and on conviction shall be punished in a similar man- 

 ner to that provided in 1874. 



Such is the law at present in New York State. Much has been 

 accomi^lished, but something yet remains to be done. There are weak 

 points in the laws, noticeably the exemption from the operations of 

 the act of 1880 of ten-year practitioners. While this may have been 

 inserted to save reputable men from unnecessary trouble, does it not 

 also leave a foothold for a disreputable class of an equally long stand- 

 ing ? It is true, the law of 1874 is in force, declaring unlicensed prac- 

 tice to be a misdemeanor ; but its inefficiency in meeting the evil neces- 

 sitated the move of 1880. 



The profession, however, is in a fair way to be purged of most that 

 is foul in it. Perfection is not a mortal attainment. Let the commu- 

 nity, then, be thankful for its present measure of protection. Against 

 " quacks " our Legislatui*es are working. For malpractice the courts 

 furnish redress. 



ORIGIN AND STRUCTURE OF YOLCANIC CONES. 



By II. J. JOHNSTON-LA VIS, F. G. S. 



OUR general ideas of its appearance, if we have never seen a 

 volcano, differ considerably from what we find when actually 

 brought in contact with one. 



We always have the tendency to associate a mountain as the site 

 of volcanic outbursts. Such is the case in general rule, though with 

 many exceptions. In fact, the variations are so great that in many 

 cases we should be inclined to attribute the extreme forms to totally 



