Dr. Allaben, of Delaware county, read a report of a case of compound fracture of the leg, which had occurred in that county, and for the treatment of which he had been sued in the sum of $500 for mal-practice, in causing mortification, as was claimed, by tight bandaging. The facts of the case, as they appeared in the report, were adverse to such a decision. His object in presenting the case to the Society was to obtain some expression of opinion,

not only upon this case, but upon similar ones. The report was

referred to the Committee on Publication.

On motion of Dr. Lee, of Peekskill, the whole matter was referred to the following committee of three: Drs. Armsby, Hutchinson, and Wolcott.

Anastomosing Aneurism of the Orbit.—Dr. Armsby introduced the Rev. Dr. Hartwell, who, a year before, had been seized with an inflammation of the left eye, terminating in a slight protrusion of the eye-ball, which had gradually been increasing until the present. The tumor was strongly pulsating in character, and could be diminished somewhat by pressure upon the carotid of that side. The diagnosis had been that of ophthalmic aneurism. The question as to an operation of ligation of the carotid came up, and would in all probability have been performed, had not an aneurismal varix suddenly made its appearance upon the prominence of the left shoulder. The patient's health was beginning to break down, and the expression of opinion on the part of the members was solicited as to the propriety of any operative interference.

Dr. March gave it as his opinion that the disease was an aneurism by anastomosis, and believed with others present that the case was a hopeless one for surgical benefit.

Dr. Quackenbush read the Treasurer's Report, showing a balance of over one hundred dollars to the credit of the Society.

Holt's Instrument in Stricture Dr. Hutchison, of Brooklyn, read a paper on the uses of Holt's instrument in the treatment of stricture, and cited some illustrative cases. As this paper will be presented to our readers at some future time, we shall not here make an abstract of it.

Dr. March related a case of cancer of the rectum, for which he had removed two inches of the gut. This case will also probably be published in extenso at a future time.

Report of Committee on President's Inaugural.-Dr. Brinsmade, as Chairman of the Committee on the President's Inaugural, offered the following, which were unanimously adopted:

The committee to whom so much of the President's address was referred as pertains to legislative action, respectfully report:

First-That in their judgment, laws should be enacted, if possible, to secure proper qualifications and restrictions, on the part of those to whom the preparation, compounding, and sale of drugs and medicines is entrusted.

Second-That criminal abortion is of such frequent occurrence, and is so lightly regarded by the community in general, that its wickedness and enormity, and destructiveness to health, can only be made apparent by the united expression of the medical profession; and that it is the sense of the Medical Society of the State of New York, that the words "with a quick child," in chapter 22, § 1, quoted in the address, should be stricken out, and the statute thus amended made to cover the whole period of gestation.

Third―That the remarks on the preliminary education of students, and on their proper medico-collegiate course, are most fully and thoroughly endorsed, and that all legitimate action to secure the same is most earnestly commended.

Fourth-Without further specification, the committee advise the publication and wide dissemination of the address, as presenting the sentiments of the Society and of the profession at large; and lastly, they recommend the appointment of a local committee to present, if practicable, the necessary documents to the present Legislature of the State of New York, to procure such legal enactments as shall accomplish the end desired—and if that cannot be done, to present the same to the next Legislature at the commencement of its session.

THOS. C. BRINSMADE,
James F. Banks,
THOS. F. ROCHESTER.

Dr. Corliss offered his report, as delegate to the Rhode Island and Vermont Medical Societies.

The following committee on the above resolutions of Dr. Brinsmade, as Chairman of the Committee on President's Inaugural, was announced: Drs. Brinsmade, Banks, and Rochester.

Microscopical Examination of Damaged and Valuable Papers.— Dr. E. H. Parker, of Poughkeepsie, remarked on the use of the microscope in detecting alterations in valuable papers. The remarks were based upon two very interesting cases of forgery, to which the doctor had been called as an expert.

The first was one in which it was an alleged promissory note, signed by a blind man who had deceased. The gentleman in question had become blind by cataract, but was nevertheless in the habit of signing all important papers. The body of this note was written by a different hand, in blue ink, and the name in black ink. The question came up as to whether the body of the said note was written before that of the signature or not.

The paper folded end to end across the middle.

Prints of black

ink were transferred from the black signature, and were found on the opposite side. In several places the blue and black ink of the dots were in conjunction. It was impossible to tell which was put on last, till a place was found where the bottom of a letter y and tip of a letter h came together over a dot, and showed the blue ink on top.

The same paper read, "one day after my death I promise to pay," etc. It showed clearly under the microscope that it had been written "one year," an erasure having been made and day written in.

The other paper was an alleged receipt for $2,000, paid on May 11th. That amount had been paid May 1st, and this alleged payment was denied to have been made. Examination by microscope showed that the first figure 1 of the date was in brown-black ink, while the second and the rest of the paper were in blue-black ink. Transfer had been made of the brown-black ink to the other end of the paper by folding, showing that it was put on last. The two shades of black show only under the microscope; to the naked eye they are alike.

Dr. Squibb, in this connection, referred to the following case: A number of U. S. bonds were stolen some time since from a party, and their payment stopped. For a long period nothing could be discovered in relation to them. Finally, however, two bonds with the same numbers were fouud in Wall street, and it occurred to the parties concerned that one of these must be of the lot that had been stolen. The difficulty was to decide which was VOL. 7, NO. 7-35

the genuine, and it was cleared up by a microscopical examination of the ruled lines upon which the figures were written in red ink. The magnifying glass showed the tracings of the old figures underneath the new, the red ink of the former having been previously removed by a chemical process.

Dr. R. H. Ward, of Troy, next read a very lengthy paper with the following title: "Allopathy; an Inquiry into the Relation of Sects in Medicine."

Dr. Corliss related a case of ovarian dropsy which he had tapped through the vagina.

Dr. Squibb, in behalf of the Business Committee, stated that information had been received from Dr. Ives, of New Haven, that Elial T. Foote, a permanent member of the Society, had been a declared charlatan for many years. The said party was a resident of New Haven, and had done much, with such influence as he possessed, to damage the interests of the profession at that place. A motion was accordingly made to drop the said name from the roll, which, after much discussion, was carried.

The Society then adjourned until 3 P. M.

SECOND DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION.

The Society met at 31 P. M., agreeably to adjournment. The meeting was called to order by the President.

Dr. Cobb moved that the Society request the Nominating Committee to present the name of Dr. Corliss for our next President. This was lost.

Dr. W. White made his report as delegate to the Maine Medical Society, which was referred.

Dr. Squibb presented the report of Dr. A. N. Bell, from Committee on Hygiene. Referred.

A Worm in the Aorta. (?)-Dr. Coates, of Batavia, presented a portion of the arch of the aorta containing a lumbricoid which was discovered in that artery during a post-mortem examination of a soldier in the Ladies' Home Hospital, of New York city. The patient had died in 1864 of pneumonia, following an attack of measles. On attempting to remove the lungs by severing the vessels at their roots, the worm referred to was found alive in the cavity of the aorta. It was preserved in situ. The gentleman' Dr. Tozier, who forwarded the specimen, not having sent a com

plete history of the case, Dr. C. was unable to give any further particulars.

Dr. Squibb pertinently remarked at this juncture, that in all probability the worm had accidentally found its way into the interior of the vessel after the death of the patient.

The Business Committee read by title a paper entitled, "Removal of Encephaloid Testicle," by Dr. Ferris Jacobs, and one on "Cæcal Inflammation and Ulceration complicated with Diseased Appendix," which were referred.

Case of Inverted Action of Uterus.-Dr. P. P. Staats, of Albany, reported a case of foot presentation, which was accompanied with repeated and forcible recession of the parts. The feet were finally delivered, when a large retained placenta was found at the fundus.

Dr. Squibb suggested that the placenta in that situation, acting as a splint, so to speak, interfered with the action of the uterine fibres, and gave a chance for those below to press the lower parts of the child upward.

Dr. Wm. B. Bibbins offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That a physician of this State will not be received by this Society as an invited guest, unless he is either a member of a county medical society, or a member of the New York Academy of Medicine, or a member of the faculty of a medical college, or a member of the legislature.

Adopted.

Dr. White, of Buffalo, offered the following, which was adopted: Whereas, Observations have been made, during an informal discussion yesterday in this Society, questioning the propriety of continuing the publication of the essay of Dr. G. J. Fisher on "Compound Monsters;" and whereas, Dr. Fisher in his remarks intimated that he should "feel delicate about offering to the Society anything further on the subject."

Therefore Resolved, That this Society recognizes the scientific value of this essay, and earnestly requests Dr. Fisher to continue his monograph, and furnish it to the Committee of Publication.

Dr. Beadle moved the following: That the Committee on Pharmacology be directed to report to this Society the name of a member to supply the place in that Committee of Dr. Townsend, deceased. Adopted.

Dr. Squibb moved that the Society meet Thursday morning, at 91 A. M.

On motion, the Society adjourned, to meet in the Assembly Chamber at 8 o'clock, to hear the President's Address.