CARE OF THE THROAT AND EAR. -91 



of minks. Since then, however, I have kept my eyes open for 

 any hint that might have the slightest bearing on the subject, and 

 to my surprise have found many things that would seem to point to 

 the correctness of the old hunter's theory. To begin with, he said 

 that late in the winter he had repeatedly known female minks to 

 make their appearance from beneath snow that had lain undisturbed 

 for days or even weeks, the tracks apparently beginning where he 

 first observed them, the difference in size between the two sexes be- 

 ing sufficient to make it easy to distinguish between their tracks at a 

 glance; and, moreover, since he first began trapping he had noticed 

 that while the sexes were about equally abundant in the autumn, the 

 females always became very scarce at the approach of winter and 

 remained so until spring, when they suddenly increased in numbers 

 and became much the more abundant of the two. 



This is also the experience of trappers in general, and may be 

 verified by any one who cares to take the trouble to look into the 

 matter. Evidently no one has ever discovered a mink in a state of 

 hibernation; at any rate, no such case appears ever to have been re- 

 ported; but this does not necessarily prove that it is not a regular habit 

 among them. 



The cry of the mink is seldom heard, even in places where they 

 are fairly abundant, as they have evidently learned that the greatest 

 safety lies in silence. It is a peculiarly shrill, rattling, whistlelike 

 scream, that can be heard at a considerable distance. 



CAKE OF THE THROAT AND EAR. 



By W. SCHEPPEGEELL, A. M., M. D., 



PRESIDENT WESTERN OPHTHALMOLOGIC AND OTO-LARVNGOLOGIC ASSOCI ATK >X, 



NEW ORLEANS, LA. 



HYGIEXE is that branch of medical science which relates to 

 the preservation and improvement of the health. As the pre- 

 vention of disease is more important than its cure — in fact, superior 

 to all methods for its cure — this is a subject which demands our most 

 earnest attention. Hygiene is not limited to the preservation and im- 

 provement of the health of the individual, but includes that of whole 

 communities. As, however, the health of a community depends upon 

 the state of the health of the various families composing it, and this 

 again of its members, the proper understanding of the hygienic laws 

 by each individual is of the utmost importance. 



For some reason, however, the subject of hygiene or the preven- 

 tion of disease does not create the enthusiasm caused by methods advo- 

 cated for its cure. A Koch, who publishes to the world a suppo-nl 



