In speaking of these recent acquisitions I would not disparage those important, in fact essential subjects of longer growth. Modern medicine would be a fragile structure without its basis of comparative anatomy, physiology, materia medica and therapeutics, which have for long years furnished a basis for rational methods in surgery and medication. With all this knowledge at hand it is grievous to observe how general the delusion that disease may be eradicated by some much emblazoned nostrum, that some vile ‘Indian compound’ will be thought to have more virtue than the most accurately proportioned prescription which represents the best that modern science can do in the adaptation of a particular remedy to a particular ailment. That the patent medicine business is a most gigantic fraud and curse will I believe be granted by every scientific man who has made himself acquainted with the subject. Its immense profits are attested by the square miles of advertisements that disgrace the modern newspaper and magazine. Fortunes made from the fortunes spent in such advertising, along with the commissions to the lesser dealers, are drawn from a credulous people who not only receive no value in return, but in most cases doubtless are actually injured as a result. That no student of biology can be deluded by such preposterous claims as characterize these compounds, in fact by any system of cure not based on sound biological principles, seems only a logical result of his training. I do not recall ever seeing the name of a biologist among the host of those who sing the praises of some of these rotten compounds. Mayors, congressmen, professors, clergymen and other presumably educated parties appear along with the host of those who fill this guilty list, a list that should be branded as a roll of dishonor. I believe that educated men owe some measure of effort toward the abatement of this plague. Naturally the medical profession is thought to be the rightful source for action, but among the uninformed any effort there is attributed to selfish motive. Certainly some measure of reform in this direction would be a service to mankind, and while no sensational crusade may be necessary, each one who knows enough of the laws of life to appreciate the monstrous folly of this business has it in his power to discourage it within the sphere of his individual influence at least. Newspapers are mostly choked off by the immense revenue derived from advertising, in fact I have known some which depended upon this as their main source of support, and have heard the candid statement that they could not have existed without it. All the more honor therefore to the few, and there are a few, which absolutely refuse to allow such advertisements in their columns.