Anguilla, Miss., June 17, 1907.
To the Editor:
—In the June 15 issue of The Journal, page 2032, in your splendid editorial notice of that distinguished surgeon and educator, Dr. Herbert L. Burrell, President-elect of the American Medical Association, you say among other things: "He was probably the first to make a successful ligation of the innominate artery."With no wish to pluck a single arrow from Dr. Burrell's quiver, but, on the contrary, to accord him every honor his talent and matchless will power have won for him, it may be asked: Is this statement historically correct? Both Valentine Mott and von Graefe nearly succeeded in carrying their cases to a successful termination. The patient of the former survived nearly four weeks, while Graefe's gave promise of complete success, only to succumb after a lapse of more than two months. Forty years or more ago the world accorded credit