WE call attention to a paper in this issue from the pen of Dr. J. E. MacNeill, of Denver, Col., upon "The Necessity for Reformation in the Practice of Medicine."

The impartial reader will see both in the matter and manner of the Doctor that his ancient Scotch blood is warm in the cause he has so ably espoused, and that he is in favor of reformation, if not revolution, in the practice of a profession that more nearly than any other concerns the well-being of the human family.

Allusion is made to the clan of MacNeill, as the source of the Doctor's lineage, which he is able to trace backward to the Clan-war-days of Scotland. We are told that the MacNeills are one of the most ancient cepts of the West Highlands, and at a very early period were divided into two great families, one in county Argyle and the other in Inverness. The old crest was an arm in armor holding in the hand a dagger.

In these piping times of peace the scalpel has usurped the place of the dagger in the hand, and a MacNeill -the profession of arms supple

mented by another whose victories may be none the less renowned because they are achieved in intellectual tournaments. Thus Dr. MacNeill is bending his great energies-energies that in the old times in the old world justified his his clan's motto,

Vincere vel vori.

He was born February 2d, 1837, in Andover, Vermont. His father removed to Wisconsin when the son was one year old, being one of the early settlers of the now famous summer resort, Waukesha. I am indebted to the pen of a prominent. journalist for these facts: As a boy he had the advantage of a free openair life with such healthful occupation as was afforded by the active agricultural, manufacturing and mercantile enterprises of his father. He showed great mental activity, and, after a preliminary period of schooling, was finally sent to Lawrence University, at Appleton, Wis. After leaving the university he took up the study of law. But this did not furnish the kind of field best suited to his ambition, so, in the year 1860, we find him in Chicago in its largest

banking house, that of Solomon Sturgis & Sons, where he remained until entering the army as acting paymaster, some two years later. Returning to Chicago after the war, he again took up mercantile pursuits and had some years of active business life upon the Board of Trade in that city.

Following the great fire of 1871, he united with some of the prominent business men of that city in the construction of the "Chicago Silver Smelting and Refining Works," for the reduction of silver and lead ore from Colorado, Utah, etc., which enterprise was abandoned in 1874, the times and place being unfavorable to its successful prosecution.

In 1875 occurred one of those deplorably sad domestic afflictions-as unaccountable as unexpected-that was destined to change the whole course of his subsequent career. Summoned home after a few days absence in an adjoining State, he reached there only to find it a place of desolation and sorrow from the sudden and appalling death of an idolized wife and her infant child.

Tracing her death unmistakably to the incompetence of her, attending physician, called in the emergency, with a heroism born of despair, and under the greatest discouragements, the decision was soon made to carry out the expressed wish of his sainted wife that he should become a physician in the event of her death,

which she foretold with prophetic clearness.

The following three years he devoted day and night to the study of that profession, taking his first diploma from the Chicago Medical College in 1878.

He practiced his profession the two years following in Manston, Wis., returning to Chicago in 1880, where he remained until 1885, when failing health necessitated a change of climate. Colorado was decided upon,

and in roughing it at the mines, in which himself and friends were interested, health was fully regained. Four years ago he decided to come to Denver and again take up professional work. Here his practice has steadily increased, fully keeping pace with his increasing fame as a remarkably successful physician and surgeon.

That which has brought to Dr. MacNeill his more extended fame is his able championship of the new method of practice known as the "Dosimetric" method, which he will more fully explain to the readers of this magazine in our next issue.

After careful study and investigation of that subject he decided some few years ago to adopt it, since when he has continued to practice and advocate the method with great success and zeal, and is recognized as the ablest and most conspicuous champion of that method of practice in the United States.

The appearance in the New York Dosimetric Medical Review in July, 1890, of Dr. MacNeill's famous article "Reformation in the Practice of Medicine," and its re-publication in various medical journals in this and foreign countries, and also in pamphlet form, called forth a surprising amount of intelligent comment, and was wonderfully effective

in

widely extending Dosimetry throughout the United States and Canada.

For this and further contributions to the literature of Dosimetry, Dr. MacNeill received the thanks of Dr. Burggraeve, of Ghent, the great author and founder of the method, and the diploma of the "Institut Dosimetrique," of Paris.

Dr. MacNeill's career excited early attention in England, and at the personal solicitation of Sir Henry V. Goold, Baronet, the president, he became a member of the "Society of Science, Letters and Art," London, receiving its diploma. He was also elected a member of the London Dosimetric Society.

We are sure still further honors as the reward of exceptional success await one whose knowledge of his profession keeps pace with his extraordinary zeal.

Dr. Waldron, the able and accomplished editor of the New York Dosimetric Medical Review, says of Dr. MacNeill, that in Medical Polemics, Dosimetry has not his equal-a writer of great force, clearness and pungency; his articles attract attention and carry conviction by their boldness and sincerity. Many of his colleagues in the old school applaud his exposition of the radical defects in the old methods of practice, which those less fearless of criticism dare not openly assail, and encouraged by his able leadership, are adopting "Dosimetry" in large numbers.

Dr. MacNeill has a large and increasing clientage among the most wealthy and influential people in the State, many of whom come to him from long distances. He is one of the Board of Pension Examining Surgeons for this section.

HENRY DUDLEY TEETOR.

OUR ride from Bouveret, at the head of the lake, so early in the morning was a delight. We take cars for Martigny, where the carriages go over the "Tete de Noire" for Chamouny and Mont Blanc, and up the Rhone valley to Visp, where we take horses for a ride of four hours to St. Nicholas, and four hours by wagons. to Zermatt. We follow the Visp valley. The river, which comes from the numerous glaciers, is a rapid, roaring glacier stream, which attracts our attention continually, as do the numerous waterfalls running down the mountain sides. It is very interesting to see the little patches of ground which the peasants have devoted to the culture of grapes, with here and there little patches of potatoes and barley; their chalets are built on high mountain sides; one wonders how the people who inhabit these ever reach them without being pulled up with ropes. Two or three Catholic churches painted white stand out on the high mountain side as a beacon of worship to the peasants, and look, from the valley below, as if it would be impossible to reach them; but the peasants are very de

After riding four hours on horseback we stop over night at Saint Nicholas, and in the morning take wagons for Zermatt, and soon reach the snow-capped Weisshorn and the glacier, which we can hardly see for the clouds which overspread it; but the clouds break away for a little while and we get a view of the first glacier of the Alps. We stop at the Weisshorn Hotel long enough to pick a few wild strawberries, and pass on through the thrifty-looking Swiss villages with chalets built of logs, until we come in view of the little Matterhorn. Very little seems to grow here; it is amusing to see with what affection and interest the good housewife watches the cow, the few sheep and goats, and their products, as this seems to be all they have to live upon. Cheese, milk and potatoes are their main support. The cow is one of the family, and is cared for with great affection. The stables, or rather the places for storing provisions, are built on poles or four wooden posts, and are covered with large stone slabs, upon which the building rests.

This is to secure what is stored inside from mice or rats, as they can only get up to the flat stone. The roofs of all the houses are covered with flat stones to keep out the rain and snow, and, sometimes under the houses are the barns for the cattle.

The road leads through the villages in a narrow path, so narrow that only one one-horse wagon can pass. A little narrow railroad is being built along the winding stream, which will take away a good deal of the picturesqueness of the ride and I am glad I came before it is finished and in operation. The little Swiss mill, run by water from the glacier stream which comes down the mountain sides, is picturesque, and I wish I was an amateur photographer so that I could take it and many others of beauty and grandeur.

Our eight hours' ride is refreshing after so many thousand miles of railroad travel. The freshness of the mountain air as it comes through the pines, and the swift running streams, and the sun as it comes through the clouds shining on the hillsides, is a delight to one loving nature. One wants to be alone to muse over it, to think of God and His glorious provision for all our longings and love of the beautiful in nature.

When we returned the Weisshorn was in full view, and the high mountains of white snow and ice was a delight as we take a last look at this lovely region. It is about 1,500 feet high.

We come in sight of Zermatt, about the only spot in Switzerland of special interest that we have not visited. The village and scenery were disappointing, only the Matterhorn, with its horn reaching heavenwards, was especially interesting. The village with a few houses and narrow streets is not worth noticing. Two or three hotels are here to accomodate the numerous visitors.

We soon got our breakfast and start off for a four hours' walk up to the top of the Corner Grat, about 10,000 feet high. We have tried almost all ways of travel since we left home, and now we come to a very independent way, and taking our alpine stock, we start off rather too briskly to come out well on the "home stretch." We are glad enough to get to the hotel on the Riffel Alps-over 7,000 feet high-where our view of the snow mountains is very fine. A Frenchman points out to me the Weisshorn and a half dozen other mountains and glaciers. Farther on there is another hotel, about 8,500 feet high, the Riffelberg. We pass on to Corner Grat; all the way looking back at the glorious scenery.

I choose to leave "Will” and go off alone around the Corner Grat, passing near the Corner Glacier with the snowy peaks almost within a stone's throw. The snow is white and glistening, and the scene enchanting. I almost crawl along over the rocky precipices, until I catch a splendid view of Monte Rosa, which rises al