1394 THE CANADIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION JOURNAL

remedy, which has been christened " Plasmo- carried out successfully in Paris, because the chin," kills them all. It is thus regarded as a high prevalence of the disease in the metropolis complete cure, in contrast to the merely partial constantly gave rise to accidental infection, has effectiveness of the extract of natural cinchona here gone on with great success. Dr. J. Wilbert, bark. Physicians say that there is now hope of on the staff of the Pasteur Institute at Kindia, killing off malaria germs until they are extinct. has found that not only are chimpanzees quite With plasmochin the conquest of malaria should uninjured by Professor Calmette 's anti-tuber- be easier than that of yellow fever, in spite of culosis vaccine but they fail to contract the dis- the wider incidence of the former malady. The ease when placed in isolation with other "pa- new remedy is said to be easier to take than tients" in its advanced stages. quinine because it has no bitter taste. Heavy The immunity conferred by the vaccine lasts doses are sometimes followed by cyanosis or blue- over a year, according to Dr. Wilbert, and can ness of the skin, but this is of brief duration. be renewed by fresh doses. The problem that Upsetting of the stomach rarely occurs, and the naturally presents itself next is the perfection patient's blood cells are not attacked. The dis- of a vaccine that will produce more permanent covery of plasmochin was not a matter of chance, effects. but the result of a deliberately planned cam- The Kindia monkeys will be used in experi- paign of chemical and biological research. Not ments, says Professor Calmette, to determine the one preparation, but several, in a series of in- cause and treatment of all the diseases against creasing potency, were sought. which man is not yet effectively armed. Kindia furnishes unrivaled facilities both for the psy- chologist to observe the family life of chimpan- THE FRENCH GUINEA STATION OF THE zees and for the physiologist to study the mech- PASTEUR INSTITUTE anism of their interior, he declares.-Science Supplement. Professor Albert Calmette, whose tuberculosis experiments have attracted international atten- tion has been instrumental in establishing at THE ALCOHOL CONTENT OF BREAD Kindia in French Guinea a branch of the Professor Nicholas and Pasteur Institute that is devoted exclusively to Knight Miss Violet experimental work with monkeys. Since captive Simpson, chemists at Cornell College, Iowa, re- ported to the American Chemical Society that apes of the higher types nearest man, so neces- they had collected twelve samples of ordinary sary in medical experiments with the major dis- bread from bakeries and housewives' ovens, and eases, succumb with fatal ease to the plagues after chemical the of civilization, this laboratory has been fitted analyses found that alcohol content in this prosaic food varied from .04 to up for work with them under the best conditions 1.9 per cent., the latter quantity being well of their natural environment. above the one-half of one per cent limit set by the Whole families of monkeys are bred and reared well-known prohibition statute. The alcohol under hygienic conditions, in all other respects content of a loaf of bread varies with the kind as much like their native haunts as possible. of yeast used, the time it sets, and the tempera- Medical experts administer vaccines and serums ture of baking.-Science Supplement, Sept. 17, to protect them against pneumonia and the com- 1926. mon diseases that are current among animals in central Africa. Natives collect their customary foods for them from the jungle and scientists A proton, the heart of an atom, would look watch their intellectual development. In short like a porcelain doorknob if we could see it or no effort is spared to keep the ape colony well its sphere of influence, according to Sir Ernest and happy. Rutherford, who showed a model of this tiniest The results have thus far been most gratify- of all objects conceived or known. This bit of ing and few animals have been lost from inter- positive electricity, as minutely small as astro- current infections. The experimental work with nomical distances are large, if measured in monkeys on tuberculosis, which could not be centimeters would have its longest diameter ex- ANNUAL MEETINGS 1395

pressed as the figure eight preceded by twelve champion alchemist, as the result of a report ciphers and a decimal point. Weird things hap- of W. W. Garrett, an Oxford physicist, who pen in these infinitesimal reaches of the universe, repeated the Miethe experiments of transmuting for the law of inverse squares, fundamental to mercury into gold, with conclusively negative our solar system and all astronomy, breaks down. results. Sir Ernest, using alpha particles, the Yet even the proton is probably not simple but world's speediest projectiles, knocked out of a complex structure, not yet reconciled to the sodium other light metals; these results are un- new mechanics of Einstein, Bohr, etc. Sir Ernest questioned. Thus the ancient dream of making Rutherford still retains his title as the world's gold out of baser metals still remains unrealized.

Elnnual (U)eetiwnz THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL MEETING diphtheria, small pox and typhoid fever-the OF THE SASKATCHEWAN MEDI- Seymour plan," by Dr. M. M. Seymour, Deputy CAL ASSOCIATION Minister of Public Health, Regina. Dr. Geo. S. Cameron, The Saskatchewan Medical Association Saskatoon, gave a paper held on researches on a new which he its nineteenth annual meeting in the principle hopes University may prove a heart stimulant. Dr. Cameron is of Saskatchewan, September 20th and 21st. a The graduate of 1916 in arts of the of attendance was University approximately one hundred. Saskatchewan; he graduated in medicine The total membership of from the Association, is ap- McGill University in 1925. After proximately 375. graduation he returned to McGill for Papers and addresses post-graduate study be- given at the meeting ing engaged in research work. For the were of a past two very high order, and where highly or three months he has appreciated those continued his researeh by present. work at the University of Sir Henry Gauvain of Saskatchewan. It is London, England, gave hoped that the new discovery may prove of two addresses: one on " The use of heliotherapy" great benefit in the treatment of heart cases. A and the other on "Some aspects of surgical full report will appear in the Journal tuberculosis. " These were illustrated by lantern shortly. slides. In addition the following papers were At noon on the first day, the members attend- given: ing the meeting had luncheon together at the "Treatment of fractures involving the ankle Hudson's Bay restaurant. At 7 p.m. the same joint," by Dr. Fraser Gurd, Montreal. day a complimentary banquet was given by the "Functional vs. organic disease," and "Neph- medical men of Saskatoon, in the King George ritis from the standpoint of the general practi- Hotel banquet room. tioner," by lr. George C. Hale, London, Ont. There was also a reception for the ladies at " Common nutritional disturbances of in- the home of Mrs. A. F. Malloy on the afternoon fancy, as observed in practice," by Dr. R. R. of the first day and a dinner followed by bridge McGregor, Kingston, Ont. in the evening. On the second day the ladies "Diagnosis of gastric ulcer," by Dr. F. A. had luncheon at the City Golf Club, followed by Corbett, Regina. golf and bridge. "Diabetes," by Dr. Lillian A. Chase, Regina. The officers elected at the annual meeting were "The relationship of electrical energy to the as follows: medical profession," by Dr. E. E. Shepley, Hon. President.-Dr. W. A. Harvie, Regina. Saskatoon. President.-Dr. R. R. Stirrett, Swift Current. 1st Vice-Pres.-Dr. V. E. Black, Moose Jaw. "Some points in padiatrics," by Dr. J. S. 2nd Vice-Pres.-Dr. J. J. llamelin, North Battleford. Brown, Saskatoon. Gen. Sec. Treas.-Dr. A. MacG. Young, Saskatoon. "Cardiac arrhythmias," by Dr. W. R. Coles, The invitation of the Moose Jaw District Regina. Medical Society to hold the annual meeting at "The campaign in North America against Moose Jaw next year was accepted.