g2 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



and was slowly improving. I gave it no drugs, as it had no 

 symptoms. At the end of this time I told my assistant, whose 

 patient it had nominally remained, to take it again to the quar- 

 ters, as the hospital had become so crowded. He did so, and, not- 

 withstanding all he had seen of my practice, he put the child at 

 once on brandy, and it died in a few hours. I will make no fur- 

 ther comment on these occurrences except to say that perhaps a 

 more crucial experiment could not be devised. 



I reached Portsmouth in April, and expected to find the alco- 

 hol question a matter of keen debate in England. I need not say 

 I was in this disappointed. I found matters running in the old 

 groove. This is several years ago. We know matters are now 

 righting themselves. To continue. During three years' tour of 

 duty at home I avoided discussion, and, as far as possible, all 

 consultations. I have, however, one instructive instance to bring 

 forward from that period. In the family of a sergeant of the 

 commissariat two well-grown lads, the eldest about ten years old, 

 had caught measles and were very ailing. The mother fre- 

 quently suggested that the boys should have stimulants, which I 

 refrained from. Now it happened that this sergeant was married 

 without leave, and his wife and family were not recognized. My 

 attendance on them was therefore voluntary ; not only so, but 

 her acceptance of my attendance was voluntary, and I found be- 

 fore many days that the children were taking stimulants under 

 the direction of some private practitioner, and I ceased attending. 

 The father, however, was displeased at this, and in a day or two 

 begged of me to call. I did so, and found a great change for the 

 worse, in the eldest especially. To me the cause was patent ; be- 

 sides that, the room smelled strongly of brandy. I did not men- 

 tion this, but said to the mother, as kindly as I could, that the 

 boy had no more chance of dying than she or I had if she would 

 follow my directions. She was obdurate, however, and I did not 

 call again. In a day or two afterward the father came and told 

 me the boy had died. This is the last instance I will bring for- 

 ward from my military service. 



I may mention a case which occurred since my coming to 

 North London, a case of unusually large pleuritic effusion. In 

 consultation with a physician, a specialist in chest disease, the 

 fluid was evacuated, and the patient made a rapid recovery. This 

 physician some time afterward remarked to me what an excellent 

 case it was what a remarkably rapid convalescence. I did not 

 emphasize in my reply, as you may suppose, that which it is my 

 duty now to do, that I had carefully omitted the six ounces of 

 port wine daily he had prescribed for my patient. I did once suc- 

 ceed in converting a hospital physician to my views a rara avis 

 in terris, I one day undertook to stand in the middle of his 



