coveries
of his own instead of giving his fellow-practitioners the benefit of his
knowledge. Selma was prompt to detect in this hostility an envious
disposition on the part of the regular physicians to appropriate the
fruits of individual cleverness and to repress youthful revolt against
conventional methods. Dr. Ashmun regarded his selection as the
professional chief of this new institution as a most auspicious
occurrence from the standpoint of his personal fortunes. He was
ambitious, ardent, and keen to attract attention, with an abundant fund
of energy and a nervous, driving manner. He was, besides, good looking
and fluent, and he quickly perceived the drift of Selma's intentions in
regard to the hospital, and accommodated himself to them with
enthusiasm. They afforded him the very opportunity which he most
desired--the chance to assert himself against his critics, and to obtain
public notice. The watchword of liberty and distrust of professional
canons suited his purposes and his mood, and he threw himself eagerly
into the work of carrying out Selma's projects.

As a result of the selection of Dr. Ashmun and of the other members of
the administrative board, who were chosen with a view to their
availability as sympathetic colleagues, letters of protest from several
physicians appeared in the newspapers complaining that the new hospital
was being conducted on unscientific and shallow principles, disapproved
of by the leading men of the profession. Selma was indignant yet
thrilled. She promptly took steps to refute the charge, and explained
that the hostility of these correspondents proceeded from envy and
hide-bound reluctance to adopt new and revolutionizing expedients.
Through the aid of Mrs. Earle and Miss Luella Bailey a double-leaded
column in the Benham _Sentinel_ set forth the merits of the new
departure in medicine, which was cleverly described as the revolt of the
talented young men of the profession from the tyranny of their
conservative elders. Benham became divided in opinion as to the merits
of this controversy, and Selma received a number of anonymous letters
through the post approving her stand in behalf of advanced, independent
thought. Among the physicians who were opposed to her administration of
the hospital she recognized with satisfaction the name of a Dr. Paget,
who, as she happened to know, was Mrs. Hallett Taylor's medical adviser.

Another matter in which Selma became interested was the case