BY L. E. WHITNEY, M. D., CARTHAGE, Mo.

Members of the Missouri Institute of Homeopathy.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:-Twenty-six busy and eventful years have made their mark upon the world's history and hurried on to augment the ever increasing and yet receding past, since a morning in the year 1876, when a little body of perhaps a dozen zealous representatives of the Homeopathic medical profession of the state of Missouri, met, for the purpose of attending the birth of the Society, whose twenty-seventh annual meeting we are here today to enjoy.

Though numerically inconsiderable, and representative of a school of medicine apparently hopelessly in the minority, as compared with its senior and more corpulent relative, it was no mean gathering that did the neighboring city of Sedalia the honor of choosing her as the meeting place for that initial assembly, for among those present and participating in the pleasant duties of that occasion, were men whose names were already well and favorably known, over land and sea, and others whose lives and work were yet to shed a beneficent influence wherever Homeopathy, through her worthy disciples, lends her manifold blessings.

Hoary-headed and battle scarred, the sturdy veteran of innumerable conflicts for the cause he so proudly championed, and the wearer of as many trophies of victory fairly won, sat E. C. Franklin, of St. Louis, already world-known and honored for the matchless courage and skill with which he represented, defended, and won respect for our school during the late Civil war; author of the best and almost the only book of his day on surgery from the pen of a Homeopathist, a teacher of recognized merit, and an operator of acknowledged skill.

From the same city, another surgeon equally as courageous as an ex

* President's address, Missouri Institute of Homeopathy. Kansas City, Mo., April 21, 1903.

ponent of his medical faith, and fearless as an operator-the restless and resistless S. B. Parsons.

With them was the genial P. G. Valentine, for years a popular teacher in the Pioneer Homeopathic College of the Mississippi Valley, and always the student's advocate and friend.

The dignified Miles and his co-laborer, Berger, from Boonville, Hedges from Warrensburg, Abell of Sedalia, J. L. Whitney, from Windsor, one or two others whose names are past recall, and both last and least, the speaker, then an under-graduate, and one of four such, who were present from neighboring towns for the purpose of watching the proceedings, rubbing up against the men of experience and learning, and catching such crumbs of information and encouragement as might be permitted to fall to them upon the lower seats, which they, with becoming modesty occupied.

It was a happy little band, the members of which felicitated each other on that occasion-happy in the enjoyment of the then rare privilege of fraternal meeting-happy in the consciousness to this day unappreciated by many, that by thus uniting to help each other, they were strengthening themselves; happy because a glimpse into the future revealed to them the child of that day's borning, a well nourished, full statured, honorable member of the body politic, an ever fruitful source of help and growth to every one who is so wise as to accept the advantages it freely offers.

Of these zealous charter members who enjoyed the benefits of that first meeting, the majority have retired from professional duties, bade adieu to their patients, and transferred their Society membership to that larger assembly on the other side; few yet remain, but to the fact that the speaker is the only one who retains an active membership in, or ever returns to enjoy the privileges or claim the benefits of the society he in a small way helped to organize, he depends for your pardon for thus presenting this brief reminiscence.

These twenty-six years have wrought many wonders in the world, and the work and methods thereof; and in nothing is this fact more patent than with the medical profession. Then, to be a Homeopathic physician, meant to be the object of ceaseless contumely and persecution, to have ones principles of practice denied his remedies and method of dispensing them scorned; to be denied recognition and the benefits of the council of his self-styled "regular" brother. If granted his notice at all, it was to be addressed as "Mister," if you please, and in every possible manner and on every occasion, to be subjected by him to contempt, humiliation and ridicule.

Then disease was known by them, (and they claimed to hold a monopoly upon all scientific medical knowledge,) to be a monster of such gigantic strength and dimensions, that to combat it they found it necessary to employ weapons of a corresponding magnitude, and of a character that would compare favorably in deadliness with those now used on a modern naval battleship. They knew to a certainty, therefore. that the infinitesimal Homeopathic attenuation was inert and worthless, hence it was a part

of their professional duty, of which they were never derelict, to denounce it and its advocates. To meet the rational requirements of the situation, their remedies were measured by the bolus or the tablespoonful and prepared with an unerring care, to preserve intact all of the repulsiveness of character and atrocious taste. Now they have learned that disease is an essence so diminutive that the germ thereof is discoverable only by the most powerful microscope-so small indeed, that compared with it, a number six Homeopathic pellet would look like the dome of the Capitol at Washington, and the universal order all along the line is that the dose shall be made as minute as possible; and it is no longer regarded as good form even in Allopathic pharmacy, to dispense a remedy that is not made at least reasonably palatable.

No longer do they refuse to meet us in consultation, especially if there is a fee forthcoming, as there usually is, for they have learned that of such as have money, is the sum total of our patronage. Our title to be addressed as "Doctor" no longer called in question. The Allopathic palm is usually extended when we meet, and finally they have come acourting us, the bearers of an alluring invitation to join their societies, attend their meetings and be members together with them, of one united medical brotherhood-in other words to be their guests in a grand pyrotechnic pow wow, the most prominent numbers on the program of which are the interring of the professional tomahawk, and smoking the "pipe of peace."

This manifestation of a change of heart is very beautiful, and to those of us who still hold memories of the earlier days, it is provocative of a very satisfying, howbeit, a most wary smile.

While we are duly appreciative of the honor bestowed by this invitation, we are inclined to question if it were not the part of wisdom to withhold our acceptance of it until we have had time to make a little investigation to ascertain if it is genuine, fast color, and alike all the way through; it is "so sudden" you know, and some way it brings to mind a certain narrative that we used to peruse with great interest from the old Third Reader, under the caption of "The Spider and the Fly."

It may not be regarded as exactly Christ like to question the sincerity. of a new convert, but it is sometimes a mighty saving to do so. After a century of unmitigating effort to choke us to death, this sudden burst of kindness causes an unavoidable suspicion that its ulterior object is now to smother us a suspicion which is strengthened by the fact that accompanying the invitation there is the suggestion that when we come, that we lay aside the habiliments of Homeopathy; and to the end that there may be perfect harmony, and the delicate nerves of our hosts be not irritated, that we array ourselves in the regular livery of those with whom we are asked to associate. Ostensibly, their design is to give to the world a practical exhibition of the beautiful figure of the lion and the lamb lying down together; but as someone has already aptly remarked, they have unquestionably a covert understanding among themselves that it shall be according to the modern version, which locates the lamb's position inside of the lion.

Unless we are willing to accept the invitation subject to these conditions, it certainly behooves us to send our regrets.

Let us not permit ourselves to be deceived by this apparent reversal of position; it is but the shifting of forces to occupy a more strategic position, and not a retreat. It indicates that they have experienced the birth of a new idea rather than a change of heart.

After a century of labor they have brought forth, and the product thereof is a discovery, which, while to others appearing worn and wrinkled with age, in their joy at the suddenness of its advent, (for new ideas do not usually come to them so speedily) they are ready to adopt it as brilliant, new, never-been-used, and as the legitimate offspring of their own thought and experience. They have discovered that their policy toward us has been a failure, and they have learned that love, even though simply assumed, is stronger than hate; that the sympathy of the public is with the "under dog" in the fight, and consequently that their century of hatred and persecution, instead of crushing us as they had fondly hoped, has but advertised us, given us popular favor and added to our strength; and therefore, having failed in their effort at destroying us by cutting off nutrition, they propose experimenting with the theory of elimination by absorbtion. But we must acknowledge that this is unquestionably a mark of wisdom on their part, and it behooves us now to be on our guard lest they succeed, for the schools are, without doubt, drawing nearer to a common ground, and the bait is to many exceedingly tempting, for already there are to be found within the borders of our state, a number of physicians, who while graduates of Homeopathic colleges, have permitted themselves, for some reason supposedly satisfactory to them, to be classed in the directories as "Regulars."

I would not be understood as opposing the obliteration of the lines which divide and classify the various schools of medicine. On the contrary, I am firmly intrenched in the belief that an ultimate union is not only inevitable and not very far distant, but to be desired. But while laying no obstacle in the way of such a movement, I would most strenuously urge that the ground of such meeting must be of our own choosing, rather than that to be designated by our opponents.

The solid and impregnable foundation upon which the grand superstructure of Homeopathy is erected, the law of cure which was discovered, promulgated, and bequeathed to posterity by the immortal Hahnemann must not be sacrificed, compromised or jeopardized in the least.

Recently a talented, but imaginative Chicago writer pictured the beauties of a medical university, the teaching force of which was composed entirly of recognized and renouned specialists, selected from all schools of medical practice, the object of which would be to teach in its broadest and most comprehensive sense, and regardless of the difference of creeds or denominations, the art of healing the sick. A beautiful ideal indeed, and an institution most earnestly to be desired, and ultimately, no doubt, to be realized, but until the law of Homeopathy is openly and universally recog

nized, as impossible as the blending of fire and water. And when it is developed, be that time near or far, the initial movement must come from Homeopathy, and with its basic principle as the chief corner stone.

But other changes have been wrought in the last few years, which are making a marked impression upon the medical profession, without regard to special sect, school or system. There is a distinctly discernable tendency with a large number of people to discount medicines entirely, and the world is being stocked with methods of healing, in which the drug agent is entirely eliminated from consideration. It is beyond my province to discuss at length the cause of this apparent innovation, nor does it dispose of the subject to say that they present nothing that is new, for we have it on pretty good authority that "there is nothing new under the sun” and the fact that mental and manual therapeutics in one form or another was understood and employed as far back as the ages of Herodatus, Galen and Hippocrates, has not prevented their recent revivification, and while masquerading under various and peculiar names, their suddenly forcing their way into a degree of favor, sufficient to warrant the opinion that they have come to stay. That there exists a popular demand for drugless remedies, is in evidence, in the profession equally as well as among the laity. In the former the proof is found in the rapidly broadening field of the surgeon, where there has been practically a reversal of the order of a few decades ago, which classified operative surgery as the means of last resort; also in the increasing favor in which is held the use of electricity, light, heat, hypnotism, massage, gymnastics, etc. The laiety, not satisfied with the progress made by the profession toward supplying this demand, has entered, and is leading the race, and the year is now indeed a fruitless one, which does not offer some one or more new drugless cure, to vaunt itself as the long prayed for magic power, that is to put to flight all pain and physical

woe.

It matters not what may be our individual opinion of the hypotheses or principles upon which these are founded. We are not compelled to indorse them, but we are compelled to recognize the fact that they are here, that they are in the race with the profession for popular favor, and that many people are leaving their former physicians, and are by some of these various forms of treatment, receiving that which banishes their ailments, restores them to health, and satisfies them. This being true, a question of paramount importance is what should be our attitude toward them; what is our duty to ourselves and our patrons, with reference to them? Refusing to take notice of them, or treating them with contempt or disapproval, based upon ignorance, will neither benefit us, nor injure them.

If drugless methods of cure are unworthy of confidence, and their claims deceptive, they will not long survive honest investigation or the test of practical experience. If, on the other hand, there are among them any that are based upon ideas which we have overlooked, or hold a title to merits of which we have hitherto been unaware, we should be willing to recognize them, and quick to claim any benefits that may be derived from their assimulation.