14 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [January, 



ducing suppuration in man also. Full reference to the literature of the 

 subject is appended to Dr. Holmes' paper. 



The Emperor's Cancer. — Sir Morell Mackenzie has given to the 

 public his version of the Emperor Frederick's case. The microscopy 

 of it is interesting. A small tumour develops upon a vocal cord. A 

 most eminent laryngologist excises a section of the tumour and submits 

 the specimen to microscopic analysis by the most eminent pathologist 

 in the world. He (Virchow) opines that the tumour is not a cancer, but 

 a wart. The progress of the case proves that die tumour was a cancer. 



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Bacillus of Diphtheria. — D'Espine of Geneva confirms Loftier' s 

 claim that a certain bacillus discovered bv him in diphtheritic false 

 membranes is the causal agent of diphtheria. He never failed to find 

 Loffler's bacillus in cases of true diphtheria or diphtheritic croup ; and 

 he has often reproduced the disease in hares and guinea pigs by inocu- 

 lating the products of a series of pure cultures ; bacilli from a 25th cul- 

 ture were proved to have the same pathogenic properties, and speedily 

 produced the disease. — Lyon Medical. 



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Transmission of Tuberculosis. — It is coming to be believed that 

 tuberculosis in man is caused largely by eating the meat and drinking 

 the milk of animals so infected. The bacilli are believed to be trans- 

 mitted from animal to animal by the habit of licking each others noses, 

 the discharges being doubtless heavily loaded with the germs. This 

 suggests a useful field for microscopists in examining the excretions from 

 the nostrils of animals. It is also thought that vaccine virus may con- 

 tain the bacilli. The Belgium government has ordered that calves from 

 which virus is taken shall be killed and carefully examined for bacilli. 



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A Prize Essay. — -The American Association for the Study and 

 Cure of Inebriety offers the sum of one hundred dollars to be paid by 

 Dr. L. D. Mason, Vice-President of the Society, for the best original 

 essay on ^The Pathological Lesions of Chronic Alcoholism Capable 

 of Microscopic Demo7istration.'''' The object of the essav will be to 

 demonstrate : — (1) Are there pathological lesions due to chronic alcohol- 

 ism ? (2) Are these lesions peculiar or not to chronic alcoholism ? The 

 essay is to be accompanied by carefully prepared mici - oscopic slides, 

 which are to demonstrate clearly and satisfactorily the pathological con- 

 ditions which the essay considers. Accurate drawings or micro-pho- 

 tographs of the slides are desired. The microscopic specimens should 

 be accompanied by an authentic alcoholic history, and other complica- 

 tions, as syphilis, should be excluded. 



Conclusions resulting from experiments on animals will be admissible. 

 The essay, microscopic slides, drawings, or micro-photographs are to be 

 marked with a private motto or legend and sent to the Chairman of the 

 Committee on or before October 1, 1S90. The successful author will 

 be asked to read and demonstrate his essay before the " Medical Micro- 

 scopical Society " of Brooklyn. The essay will then be published. 



The following gentlemen have consented to act as a Committee :— 

 Chairman, W. H. Bates, M. D., F. R. M. S., Lond., Eng. (Presi- 

 dent of the Medical Microscopical Society of Brooklyn), 175 Remsen 



