A. M. A.

At Atlantic City, the American Medical Association held, last week, their convention. In 16 sections, scientific papers were read. The House of Delegates held debate-filled sessions to determine the policies of ethical medicine.

Liquor. Whisky, gin, beer and other alcoholic liquors are drugs--this is the decision contained in the resolution passed by the doctors, effectively reversing the stand of the Association taken in 1917, when the doctors said that liquor was not needed in the treatment of disease. "Repeal the provisions in the Volstead Act that limit the doctor to prescribing not more than a pint to a patient every ten days," the doctors demanded. The liquor resolution contained a complaint on the quality of the liquor now obtained on prescription. In a scientific paper, Dr. Roger I. Lee of Boston said that, although no value was found in the use of alcohol in acute infections or as a stimulant, its psychic effect in making the sick "feel good" and "causing the convalescent to eat" justified its use in small quantities.

Middle Medical Man. Corporations practicing medicine (such as the Life Extension Institute) were prodded deeply when the House of Delegates adopted resolutions condemning the practice of medicine by such bodies. This action was frankly aimed at the commercial organizations making a specialty of periodic physical examinations. Although the "middle man" in medicine was outlawed, the idea of yearly inspections to insure the health of the human body was strongly commended. "Let the family physician carry on this work."

Evolution. Attempts to hamper or prohibit the teaching of evolution were condemned in a resolution. "Any restriction on the proper study of scientific fact in regularly established scientific institutions is inimical to the progress of science and the public welfare. . . . A study of the development of mankind, ethnologically, embryologically and anthropologically, is fundamental to the proper comprehension of scientific medicine."

Long Distance Clinic. Heart in New York. Dr. James A. Greer, heart specialist, in Chicago. Dr. Samuel W. Lambert* and 1,500 physicians on the Steel Pier, Atlantic City. Six thousand miles of telephone and telegraph wires. The new method of telephotographing. The electrical stethoscope arid recording device for heart beats, perfected by Dr. H. B. Williams of Columbia University. Loud speakers. Stereopticon.

All these factors combined made the A. M. A. long-distance heart clinic. Dr. Greer, looking at the wavy line of heart-beat record sent from New York to Chicago in seven minutes, in the form of a telephoned photograph, diagnosed: "Systolic murmur." Dr. Lambert, hearing over long-distance telephone, agreed; and the whole conversation was heard by all the physicians, who could check up the diagnosis themselves through the chart flashed on the screen.

Sex. One of the most powerful glandular secretions of the human body--that which causes the sexual desire in woman--has been discovered and isolated by Dr. Edgar Allen of University of Missouri.

The powerful substance that Dr. Allen described to the doctors might be called the "essence of the eternal feminine." It is the product of the normal sex glands, the ovaries, and is poured into the blood in varying quantities during the monthly period of the sexual life of the woman.

This basic substance of feminine sexuality is not the sole property of the human species, for Dr. Allen presented evidence demonstrating that exactly the same hormone is present in the hen, pig, sheep, cow and rat as well as woman. In fact, just as is the case in thyroid, adrenal, pituitary and other glandular products, it seems assured that the animal hormone will substitute completely for the natural secretion of the human gland.

Although extensive experiments with the new hormone have been limited to rats, cows and monkeys, promising results in human cases are expected in the future.

The ovarian follicular hormone, as it is called, is not effective when administered by mouth. Dr. Allen was emphatic in asking doctors not to confuse this new substance with glandular extracts now on the market, none of which, he declared, contain the active principle of his material--now in laboratory use only.

More Sex. So secret and hidden is nearly everything pertaining to sex that even the physician does not know what normal sex practices and conduct really are. Dr. Robert L. Dickinson of New York City asked the cooperation of the doctors in establishing criteria of sex habits.

Said he: "Beliefs concerning normal sex life and average sex experience and practice have the status of surmises standing on foundations no more secure than general impressions and scattering personal histories."

As an example, he pointed out that a recent survey of sex habits of over 2,000 women showed that two-thirds of them indulged in autoerotic practices--a condition contrary to the general idea. The same sex survey showed that 87% of all marriages are happy. Dr. Dickinson continued:

"Our vigorous protest against sensual details of pornographic pseudo- science loses force unless we ourselves issue succinct statistics and physiological summaries of what we find to be average and believe to be normal; and unless we offer, in place of the prolix mush of much sex literature, the few pages necessary for a standard of instruction covering sex education."

Epilepsy. A simple diet high in fat has been found to bring relief to the unfortunate child suffering from epilepsy. This hopeful news was brought to the convention by Dr. M. G. Peterson of the Mayo Clinic. His new treatment for fits and convulsions has been in use for intervals of from two and a half years to three months; and, of the 37 children treated, more than half have not been troubled with convulsions since they started on the diet.

The diet used by Dr. Peterson is not unusual except in the large amount of fat and the small amount of carbohydrates included. As much as six-sevenths of the total food is made up of such fats as cream, butter, olive oil, codliver oil and any other fatty food that children will take. Sugars and starches arc cut to a minimum and protein sufficient to maintain bodily growth is carefully added. Dr. Peterson reported that, in addition to the cessation of all epileptic symptoms, the youngsters slept sounder, minded their parents better.

Epilepsy is on the increase, according to the general impression of medical men; about one-tenth of 1% of the total population suffers from the trouble.

Whooping Cough. The uses of X-rays are becoming nearly as various as the uses of iron. The latest disease to pay tribute to them is whooping cough. Dr. Lawrence N. Smith of Boston reported to the doctors that, in 750 cases, he found that roentgen ray treatment reduced the severity of the paroxyms and shortened the course of the disease.

Hardening cf the Arteries. Our ancestors have much to do with our physical and mental future; and now, when the circulatory system of the human body develops arteriosclerosis, the trouble can be blamed on heredity. Dr. M. A. Mortensen of Battle Creek, Mich., reported 300 cases of the disease to the A. M. A. He found that two-thirds of that number showed the disease in the history of their families. He declared a diet low in protein arrests the progress of the disease.

Congressional Medical Adviser. Whether or not there is to be a physician to advise Congress on medical legislation in the person of a paid representative of the American Medical Association is problematical. The House of Delegates authorized its board of trustees to consider what might be called a "medical lobby" in Washington. But, after a speech by Dr. Hubert Work, Secretary of the Interior and onetime President of the A. M. A., it seems that the idea will experience a stillbirth.

Glands. The glandular equipment that everyone carries about with him continued to attract attention. Dr. J. B. Collip, one of the group of Canadians who gave insulin to the world, reported the extraction of the hormone of the parathyroid glands. This substance from oxen glands will cure the serious condition known as parathyroid tetany, which is due to an insufficiency of the parathyroid internal secretion. The new extract regulates the calcium of the blood in the same way that insulin regulates blood sugar.

Discovery that the secretion of the adrenal gland, located above the right kidney, is basic in the breathing or respiration of bodily tissue was announced by Dr. C. E. de M. Sejours of Philadelphia.

Cancer. Medical science need expect little or no aid from the human body in its fight against cancer, for neither X-ray nor radium seems to be able to induce human tissues to develop cancer immunity and thus join the war against malignant growth. Tins was the pessimistic communique delivered by Dr. Francis Carter Wood of Columbia University who for 25 years has studied thousands of animals and hundreds of human cases.

Moreover, there exists today no effective cancer cure. Yet there is decided hope for the sufferer, since there are many cases on record in which heavy doses of radium or X-rays have delayed the serious complications for from 6 to 20 years. Most of those who develop cancer are well along in years and therefore such an extension in life is--nearly equivalent to a cure.

Susceptibility to cancer is undoubtedly hereditary in many cases, Dr. Wood declared, basing his statement on both animal experiments and data gathered on human cases.

New Disease. A new disease, brought into existence by the application of radium to industry, was announced to the doctors by Dr. F. L. Hoffman of Newark, N. J. Women employed in painting the dials of watches with a radium preparation to make them shine in the dark absorbed enough of the powerful and constantly disintegrating element to cause bone decay, resulting in illness and, in some cases, death.

Dogs. The "love me love my dog" attitude toward house dogs that are treated like human being was deplored by Dr. Minas Joannides of Minneapolis, who charged this intimate companion of man with spreading tuberculosis, diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles and smallpox; fleas, lice, ticks, worms and many another danger to man.

New President. Dr. Wendel C. Phillips, aural surgeon of the Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital, was elected President of the A. M. A. for the year 1926-7. He will take office at the meeting next year at Dallas.

* Dr. Samuel Waldron Lambert, 66, born in Manhattan, educated at Yale, onetime (1904-09) Dean of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, holds innumerable honorary degrees, is a famed authority on hospitals, on medical education. His hobby is Charles Dickens. In 1924, despite many professional urgencies, he published a book entitled, When Mr. Pickwick Went Fishing.