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 quarters, as the hospital had become so crowded. He did so, and, notwithstanding 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 further 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 alcohol 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 frequently 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 before 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; besides that, the room smelled strongly of brandy. I did not mention 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 forward 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 succeed in converting a hospital physician to my views—arara avis in terris, I one day undertook to stand in the middle of his
