1 6  Second  Pan-American  Medical  Co?igress.  {A  janwyX™' 
The  sections  embraced  the  following:  General  Medicine, Pathology 
and  Therapeutics,  89  papers  ;  General  Surgery,  45  papers;  Military 
and  Naval  Surgery,  4  papers ;  Obstetrics,  Gynaecology  and  Abdom- 
inal Surgery,  41  papers;  Anatomy  and  Physiology,  7  papers; 
Diseases  of  Children,  16  papers  ;  Ophthalmology,  15  papers  ;  Laryn- 
gology, Rhinology  and  Otology,  3  papers  ;  Dermatology  and  Syph- 
ilography,  3  papers ;  General  Hygiene,  Demography,  Marine 
Hygiene  and  Quarantine,  25  papers;  Diseases  of  the  Mind  and 
Nervous  System  and  Medical  Jurisprudence,  17  papers;  Dentistry, 
6  papers ;  Medical  Pedagogics,  7  papers.  In  addition  to  these,  a 
large  number  of  volunteer  papers  were  presented.  The  sections 
met  in  different  localities,  and  the  discussions  which  took  place 
added  largely  to  the  interest  of  the  reading. 
The  general  sessions  of  the  Congress  were  held  in  the  National 
Theatre  and  Chamber  of  Deputies.  A  marked  feature  of  the  work 
of  the  Congress  was  the  extraordinary  interest  manifested  by  Presi- 
dent Diaz,  of  the  Republic,  the  members  of  his  Cabinet,  and,  in 
fact,  all  of  the  officials  of  the  Government.  Their  attentions  were 
not  only  directed  to  extending  hospitality,  but  public  and  private 
mubeums  and  collections  were  freely  accessible,  official  statistics 
were  furnished,  and  every  possible  facility  afforded  for  acquiring  in- 
formation upon  any  subject.  The  surgeons  were  given  every  oppor- 
tunity to  visit  hospitals  and  chemists,  botanists,  mineralogists,  arch- 
aeologists, paleontologists,  geologists  and  students  in  any  of  the  re- 
lated sciences  were  furnished  with  special  guides  to  the  valuable 
collections.  The  public  and  private  social  entertainments  were  on  a 
scale  of  magnificence  rarely  approached.  The  subjects  of  permanent 
interest  to  pharmacists  centre  in  the  permanent  commissions. 
These  will  be  charged  with  the  duty  of  investigating  the  Western 
Continent,  especially  the  unknown  South  American  plants,  and  the 
formulation  of  a  plan  for  a  Pan-American  Pharmacopoeia.  This 
will  not  supersede  the  special  Pharmacopaeias  of  each  country,  but 
will  collect  the  valuable  features  of  each  and  endeavor  to  unify  the 
strength  of  the  powerful  preparations,  so  that  danger  to  life  may  be 
reduced  to  a  minimum. 
The  richest  collection  of  palms  in  the  world  is  said  to  be  in  the  Botanic 
Garden  at  Buitenzorg,  Java.  It  contains  300  species  that  are  determined,  ico 
probably  new  and  still  undescribed,  and  100  varieties  of  known  species. — 
Garden  and  Forest. 
