A 50-year-old man with documented multiple myeloma of two years duration was admitted to a psychiatric ward with the complaint of “being dead.” Discussion of the development of his complaints illustrates important issues, an understanding of which may be helpful in providing optimal care of any patient with a life-threatening illness. “Being dead” had significant individual symbolic meanings which developed from the patient's past and current conflicts and from his perceptions of changes in his body image resulting from the disease process. “Being dead” furthermore was a statement of the reflected appraisal of environmental neglect and in this context was closely related to “voodoo death.” Psychological “self-destruction” through “being dead” served to communicate anger and evoke guilt in the interpersonal environment while at the same time adaptively evoking reassurance, increased interpersonal contact, concern and amelioration of loneliness and alienation. Psychological “death” and “rebirth” also represented a quest for immortality; and complaints, through their potential to evoke humor, seemed an ironic mockery of death. In the context of a life-threatening illness, recognition and appreciation of many psychological phenomena as adaptive are necessary in order to aid both the patient and the care-giving environment to achieve a reasonable level of adaptation in the face of death.

The color and spectroscopic appearance of this mixture are quite distinct from those of ordinary methemo¬ globin. Amyl nitrite in excess causes further changes, a body apparently identical with photohemoglobin be¬ ing formed."10 The similarity of the action of the nitrites and the fumes of smokeless powders is graphically shown in the appended tracings, Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 7. These rep-Tracing 4.-Normal rate, 70. Tracing 5.-Amyl nitrite. Rate, 115. Tracing 6.-Powder fumes. Rate, 112. Tracing 7.-Nitroglycerin, gr. 1/100 hypodermically. Rate, 110.

In the practical working of commissions charged with regulating the operations of corporations engaged in selling service to the public, commonly known as public service corporations, scientific accounting is indispensable, and is the substantial foundation upon which the whole structure of regulation must be based. This fundamental truth is not thoroughly appreciated by either the public or the corporations interested, but a careful analysis of the practical working of regulation will demonstrate the undeniable correctness of the assertion.Public service regulation as it now exists in the large part of the states covers the three great subjects of capitalization, rates and service. The term capitalization embraces the authorization by the commission to issue stocks, bonds, or other long time securities for the purpose of obtaining money for proper capital purposes. In case the application is for leave to issue such securities for the purpose of obtaining money for construction yet to be performed, the amount required is necessarily the subject of estimate. No method can be devised for determining in advance the precise cost of any physical work. The amount authorized by the commission, therefore, is necessarily approximate only to the real cost; it may be greater or less than such cost. The important point in this class of applications is to know, when the work is performed, how much has been really expended thereon and whether such expenditures have been made in a proper manner. If the cost proves to be greater than the estimate, additional funds must be supplied and if the cost proves less than the estimate, it then becomes necessary to determine what use or application should be made of the excess amount. In this class of applications nothing is easier than for the corporation if it be so minded to obtain authorization to procure money for one purpose and, when so procured, to use the money for other purposes than those specified in the authorization. Not all corporations would be guilty of this conduct, but some have been and doubtless others will be. This