The decision of the college was favorable to Dr. Smith; his name was not erased from the roll.
SUET BANDAGES.
"These are admirable for dressing. You can make them by melting mutton tallow over a slow fire. Have your bandages of close cloth, ready cut the proper length and breadth, dip them into the suet; when saturated, hold them so as to let them drip off, or the grease may be spread upon the cloth. Hang them over a line where they may be protected from dust; let them cool, fold them, put away for use. These bandages are especially adapted to dress old ulcers and wounds. They are smooth and adapt themselves perfectly to the surface; are agreeable to the patient, and can be medicated with any therapeutical agent you wish."—American Medical Digest, quoting Dr. Edwin Brock in New England Medical Monthly.
A disadvantage of the tallow bandage is its becoming rancid. Vaseline, not becoming rancid, has been tried, but melts too easily. For most purposes the wax bandage is as good as the tallow, perfectly smooth and does not become rancid, but cannot very well be medicated. A useful material for a bandage of this kind is the paraffine, as recommended by Tait.
The tallow bandage can be put to another use by those who do not live convenient to an instrument dealer. When made wide the tallow bandage can be rolled into a very good rectal bougie, large or smaller as you wish by a few more or less thicknesses of the cloth. By the same means a very good vaginal dilator can be extemporized for cases of stricture or vaginismus. But where it is to remain long in situ for these cases beeswax or a mixture of beeswax and tallow, which are generally available in the country, make a better substitute. "Cere cloth" was formerly much used by gynecologists.
We observe that Dr. Piffard has retired from his editorial connection with the Journal of Cutaneous and Venereal Diseases. The Journal will be continued under the sole editorial charge of Dr. P. A. Morrow. We may remind our readers that this is the only publication in the English language devoted to Skin and Venereal Diseases, and during the three years of its existence it has won for itself a high reputation for scientific excellence as well as practical utility. In addition to presenting all that is new and valuable in these special departments, the colored lithographs and wood engravings with which the original articles are illustrated are worth more than the price of subscriptions. Judging from the handsome appearance of the January number, which is enriched by an admirable chromo-lithograph and a number of well-executed woodcuts, and the eminently practical character of its contents, this high standard will be maintained in the future.
SOCIETY PROCEEDINGS.