Page images
PDF
EPUB

Reports of Societies.

Dr. Alfred K. Hills, chairman of the committee, asked for further time in order to give Dr. Dowling the opportunity he seeks, and for the

HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICAL SOCIETY OF purpose of hearing reports from other institu

THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Proceedings of the Twenty-eighth Annual
Meeting, held in Albany February 11-12, 1879.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS
AND SOCIETIES-ALFRED K. HILLS, M.D.,

CHAIRMAN,

The following letter was read by Dr. H. L.
Waldo, Cor. Sec.

No. 40 Washington Square, N. Y. City,
June 11, 1878.

H. L. WALDO, M.D., Cor. Sec. Hom. Med. Soc.
of the State of New York.

DEAR SIR:

tions, which was granted.

MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS.

Dr. Thomas Wildes: As one who voted against these resolutions passed here one year ago, I rise to move, you, sir, the rescinding and expunging from the records the resolution offered by Dr. Fowler, as follows:

"At a meeting of the N. Y. County Society held on Feb. 8th, the following preambles and resolution reported by Drs. Minor, Lilienthal, Dowling, McMurray and Burdick were adopted.

WHEREAS, there are some physicians who, by injudicious action have bred dissension in our ranks in which the utmost liberty of opinion and action should always prevail, and

WHEREAS, we deprecate such action as neither conducive to professional harmony nor tending to the advancement of medical sciencetherefore,

At a special meeting of the Trustees of the N. Y. Hom. Med. College, held on Saturday evening, June 8, 1878, I was instructed to inform you that all the papers, including the preamble and resolution of the State Society, as also the petition of eminent physicians, suggesting the Resolved, that in common with other existingreappointment of J. A. Carmichael, M.D., to the associations, which have for their object investichair of Anatomy in the N. Y. Hom. Medical Col-gation and other labor which may contribute to lege, were carefully considered and acted upon the promotion of medical science, we hereby dewith respectful reference to the views of the nu- clare that, although firmly believing the princimerous and influential gentlemen who would be ple "similia similibus curantur" to constitutegratified with the reappointment of Dr. Car- the best guide in the selection of remedies michael, as well as to the obligations they are and fully intending to carry out this principle under as trustees, to promote the best interest to the best of our ability, this belief does not deof the College over which they have supervision bar us from recognizing and making use of the and care. And as Secretary of the College, I results of any experience, and we shall exercise am instructed to make answer to your commu- and defend the inviolable right of every edu nications, that while the trustees in no sense cated physician, to make practical use of any question the distinguished abilities claimed for established principle in medical science, of any Dr. Carmichael, it is their judgment that it therapeutical facts founded on experiments and would not now be expedient to make any change, verified by experience, so far, as in his individual as Dr. F. E. Doughty, who occupies the chair judgment, they shall tend to promote the wel of Anatomy in the College, has given entire sat- fare of those under his professional care." isfaction to the Trustees, the Faculty, and the students.

Very Respectfully Yours,

GEO. W. CLARKE,
Secretary.

Dr. J. W. DOWLING :-Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: When the society can grant me the time, I would like the privilege of making a few remarks. At the last annual meeting of the State Society I feel that an injustice was done the New York Hom. Med. College, and I have come to this meeting for the purpose of making an explanation which I think will set the college right in the estimation of our colleagues.

By the President: I understand this expected speech is a part of the report of the committee on societies and institutions, and it is now in order, and unless we prefer to postpone it until another time we must go on with it now. What is your pleasure?

It is that preamble that does the injustice and wrong to every member of our profession who is disposed to think differently from those who support that resolution, and therefore should in. the name of justice, right and reason be taken from the records of this society. Those resolutions have been rescinded by the N. Y. County Society where they originated. Now those resolutions are well known throughout the whole country and are held in such contempt that they should be wiped out.

Dr. Mitchell: Mr. President; Sir, to a certain extent, I agree with the gentleman who has just spoken. The work having been done, rescinding the resolution will not remedy it. I have found a very general dissatisfaction in regard to the action of this society at the last meeting. At all events, it strikes me that this society should put its work thoroughly upon the record so that when we shall meet once more we can settle this difficulty forever.

[ocr errors]

I would offer the following amendment; That our books, and, unfortunately for us, we have a committee of five be appointed to whom shall discovered our style of crew. We are asked to rescind!-for what? Why, to satisfy some

be referred these resolutions.

up

Dr. Carleton: With such resolutions on our notions, as I understand it. It is my impresbooks, we have placed ourselves in such a condi- sion that it is the duty of this association to tion that it seems to be necessary that we should harmonize all of its membership, and before we put ourselves before the people in a far different rescind, let us appoint a committee; take men light from what those resolutions show. We who want to be liberal, men who want to stand have placed ourselves where we have called before the world with consistent declarations on us the ill-will of many members of this socie- and if it is necessary to report a year hence, Í ty. We owe it to ourselves to rescind these reso- am satisfied. It strikes me the way to harmonlutions. They are on record,it is true, because our ize this whole matter is to appoint a committee meetings are held only once a year and we could that will take it into consideration, but let it be not do this before, but it is no reason why we done with deliberation. I am opposed to springshould not do it now, and their expunging oughting any trap of this kind here, and I trust that also to appear in our records that those who may in their deliberations they will be able to harlook at it in after years may know that we have monize other interests, bring us together and tie stricken them from our books. I would say that us fast with cords of steel. The advance of we hardly know into what sea we are drifting; medical science and the good of those entrusted let us first place ourselves squarely before the to our charge will be very much increased by world like men, and take any other action that such an action. seems proper and to the best interest of the society afterwards.

By the President: The time has now arrived for our recess; if there is no objection we shall adjourn until 2 P. M.

AFTERNOON SESSION FIRST DAY.

for

Dr. F. S. Bradford said he was one of the original few called to consider the expediency of framing a "declaration of principles adoption in our County Society, the resolution. in question having originated there. The object of this movement was in the interest of con

President Gulick called the meeting to order sistency, as some were of the opinion that we as

at 2:25 P. M.

[blocks in formation]

Dr. Mitchell: Let us have a committee appointed to consider the subject; it is not fair to the profession throughout the state that we should take up the report of that committee, and act. upon it hastily here now. Let the chair appoint a fair and unbiassed committee, with instructions to make up their report within six months and to have that report mailed to every homeopathic physician in the state and act upon it next year. Dr. Doane: I do really hope, for the good of the medical fraternity of this state, that no hasty action like that intimated by my friend will be taken. I can see nothing wrong in the reading of the resolution as recorded in our transactions. I can see this fact, that that resolution simply makes public announcements which are felt by every physician at the bedside of his patient, that we may avail ourselves of every means for the good of our patients.

Now this resolution simply says that one thing, that we shall avail ourselves of all past. experience. Now, we have this resolution on

Homeopathic physicians had no right to use means outside the domain of “similia similibus curantur."

If there was mischief in the resolution it has

already been done, and we had better now pro-
ceed npon
the matter to a committee for careful consider-
the more cautious plan of referring

ation.

For myself I contend that there should be nothing to prevent a physician from using any means he may think necessary to the relief of his patient.

Dr. Mitchell: We do not stultify ourselves by taking back a wrong. If we wipe out that wrong we are acting like men, but let us act with deliberation.

It was just this debate which I hoped by my resolution to prevent. I have talked with some on both sides upon the passage of these resolutions-the very extremes-and I think they can continue to act upon some common ground together. Now, sir, if it is possible for us to to avoid this debate let us do it. The committee (if you refer it to a committee) is in the power of the society, and then we shall not be fighting ourselves.

Dr. Carleton: No compromise here! Now I maintain that those resolutions are mischevious. The fire-brand was thrown in last year. What shall we do with it? My idea is to take it up and throw it out. What would happen, Mr. President, if these resolutions were not expunged? What do men say throughout the State? Here 'is an example for you (reading from a letter.)

to

That

"I have not had, nor do I want, any of the consideration. They hope it may be received Trans., as long as your homeopathy seeks such by the society, ordered to be printed, and sent society; it has been given over into the hands to every homeopathic physician of the State. of the eclectics; we have no flesh nor money for They suggest that the committee or their it. We must withhold our money." It is the successors be continued during the year. muttering of the storm that is coming if you the chairman be the medium of correspondence do not return to the old land-marks! So much with any member of the profession who may for flesh. desire so to do, and that their final report be But I object to it on principle. Why, what made the society at the afternoon would be said, Mr. President, of a man who had session of the first day of the meeting of 1880. enlisted, and just as he was going into battle WHEREAS the resolution passed by this should say to his commander, "Well, I am a lit-society at its last annual meeting does not justly tle lame, and I think I will drop out. I've been express the views of our school, and is cal serving a long time under the stars and stripes, culated to place us in a false position before the and I guess I'll try the stars and bars. I am not sure but the stars and bars are right after all?” What would be done with that man? He would be shot on the spot. Let us stand by the old flag, and there can be no peace until this is done. You see just how the discussion widens. It is "similia similibus curantur," as enunciating an impossibility for me to rest satisfied until we the great therapeutic law for the treatment of return to the ground we have vacated. The disease. Evolved by induction, formulated by N. Y. County Society has seen the evil of them. They have expunged these resolutions, and now they have peace. Let us expunge them here,

and let that end the matter.

world,

Therefore we, the members of said society, deem it expedient to put upon record the fol lowing avowal of our position: formula

1st. That we adhere to the

the venerated Hahnemann, tested and approved by thousands of physicians during scores of years, we are assured that, with our increased knowledge of the Materia Medica, we shall be able to demonstrate more fully its universality as a therapeutic law, and show in a more perfect manner its harmony with other and cognate natural laws.

Dr. Couch: I favor this resolution because it takes it all out of this discussion and gives it to men who are competent, I believe, to do with those resolutions as should be, and the views 2d. That we clearly and emphatically distinwhich they shall adopt can be presented here to us; then it is before the society in a proper us; then it is before the society in a proper guish between a "therapeutic law" and the laws form for its action. It saves time. I believe of chemistry, physics, and hygiene; and while in that every member of this society has the good the treatment of disease, their formula, " of the society at heart. In order that we may act carefully in a matter as great as this, I think we had better appoint the committee, because it

will save time.

Dr. Brown: If there is a "Fowler" fly in the porridge, had we not better dip it out? If there is a wrong, why not vote it out now? Half of the Society are not here to-day; they tried to get me to stay away also, but I was

curious to see how matters would turn. We are perfectly willing that any should go to the Eclectic school who want to. How much can they laugh if we take out this resolution? Is it going to help us to keep it in? We were doing well before, and I can name you fifty men who have retrograded since.

Dr. Mitchell: I think it is a matter of too great importance to waste time on in this way. I renew my call for the previous question.

The result of the vote was as follows:Affirmative, 17; negative. 15. And Drs. Mitchell, Couch, Holden, Carleton and Doane were appointed as the Committee. The following is their report as adopted:

Your committee, representing the extremes of our school, both in practice and views, have unanimously agreed to present the following paper. They ask for its careful and liberal

causa

sublata tollitur effectus" is often to be remembered
and used with advantage, yet such laws and such
action in no way infringe upon or invalidate the
therapeutic law "similia similibus curantur."
3d. That we have not in the past, nor do we
now, yield one tittle of our rights as physicians,
profession to aid in the treatment of our pa-
to use any means or appliances of the general
tients, (under the homœopathic law), or in the
palliation of their suffering through the applica-
tion of any physical, surgical, chemical or hy-
gienic law,leaving the question of such use to the
individual judgment of the practitioner, assured
that they will be the least used by those who are
the best acquainted with our Materia Medica,
and best able to wield its immense armamentar-

ium.

4th. That,contrary to the opinion held by some, we most thoroughly endorse, and would most earnestly enforce, the study of pathology and pathological anatomy in our schools and by our students, as determinating in the direction of a broader medical culture.

5th. That the great work of our school in the advancing of medical science, is the proving of drugs, and the enlarging, purifying and verifying of our Materia Medica.

We point with just pride to the work we have already accomplished, and though we may

lament that it has not been more thorough, and less open to criticism, yet we hail the continued appropriation by other schools of the medicines and methods of using them that we have introduced to the profession, in those diseases where their usefulness has been indicated to us by their pathogenesis, as a virtual endorsement of our labor and to a certain extent vouching for their substantial accuracy.

"Degenerative Homœopathy." By Dr. T. D. Williams, Chicago.

"Tarantula Cubensis." By Dr. J. J. Navarro, of Santiago, Cuba.

"Trigonocephalus Lachesis-an Acrostic." By Dr. H. Minton.

Microscopic investigations, &c. By Dr. T. C. Fanning.

Dr. H. M. Paine read his paper entitled, "An We do not look upon this action on the part Examination of the Doctrine of the Minimum of our quondam opponents with jealousy, but Dose and the Theory of Dynamization promulwelcome it cordially, when credited, as the dawn-gated by Dr. Samuel Hahmemann.” ing of a better era. We freely yield our labors Dr. H. Amelia Wright said: It seems for the use of others, as only a just contribution to me that the author has made a misto the general profession from which we have received so much.

6th. In relation to the dose of the similimum

take in presenting his paper here. I should think that it properly belonged in the Society that met here about a week ago. The Dr. evidently must have been behind time.

Upon motion the order of business was sus

proper to be exhibited, we discover that the most brilliant triumphs of homeopathy have been achieved by the use of attenuated medi-pended in order to give the floor to Dr. Dowling.

cines; yet, as a matter of fact, we find that even the crude drug in minute doses will exhibit power to become a remedy under our therapeutic law.

But, as we as yet have not been able to deduce a law to guide us in determining the amount of a drug to be used, or the attenuation to be exhibited, in order to meet the demand of any case most accurately, this society, while on the one hand it refuses to join with those

[blocks in formation]

who decry attenuated medicines, on the other Medical Items and News.

will not refuse to recognize as brethren those, who, governed by their honest convictions, can only exhibit crude medicines or the lowest attenuation in the treatment of the sick.

7th. In conclusion, we would most frankly and fully join in the motto of one whom this society loved to honor, when in life he so often and so wisely directed its councils:

OHIO STATE SOCIETY meets at Cleveland May 13th and 14th.

DR. A. O. H. HARDENSTEIN of Vicksburg has issued a history of the yellow fever epidemic of 1878, and its homœopathic treatment.

DR. F. H. ORME of Atlanta, a member of the Yellow "In certis unitus, in dubiis libertas, in omni- Fever Commission, has been interviewed at considerable bus charitas."

JOHN J. MITCHELL, Newburgh,

A. S. COUCH, Fredonia,

A. W. HOLDEN, Glens Falls,

E. CARLETON, Jr., New York,

W. C. DOANE, Syracuse.

length by the local press.

THE HOMOEOPATHIC RELIEF ASSOCIATION of New Orleans reports the whole number of cases treated under Committee. its auspices as 5,640, with a mortality of 5.2 per cent. The book which the secretary of the association, Major C. G. Fisher, has so well collated, should be examined by all residents of the fever district.

The report was accepted and ordered to be printed.

BUREAU OF MATERIA MEDICA.

Dr. J. J. Mithell, Chairman, reported the following papers:

"Ammonia." By Dr. L. B. Couch, "Hydrastis;" its use in diseases of women. "Retrospect" of the year's doings in Material Medica. By Dr. Mitchell.

[ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]

"It certainly combines more extensive and specific information upon the subject of yellow fever than any other document of the sort yet published, and on this account is valuable, and deserves a place in the library of every thinking man."

THE INDIANA INSTITUTE of Homœopathy will hold its thirteenth annual session at Indianapolis on the 30th of April.

A MIDDLE-AGED physician of four years' experience would like to form some sort of an alliance with a

[ocr errors]

Brooklyn or New York physician. Best of references. Address Medicus," care George H. Spring, Bedford avenue, Brooklyn.

N. Y. OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.-Month ending March 31st, 1879. Prescriptions, 4230; new patients, 540; resident, 38; average daily, 163; largest, 222. J. H. BUFFUM, M.D., Resident Surgeon.

THE

HOMEOPATHIC TIMES.

A MONTHLY JOURNAL

Of Medicine, Surgery, and the Collateral Sciences.

Vol. VII.

NEW YORK, MAY, 1879.

Original Articles.

THE SIZE OF THE DOSE IN MEDICINE.

BY HENRY A. MOTT, JR., PH. D., E. M.

Probably few subjects have attracted so much attention as the "Size of the Dose in Medicine"-not so much between certain limits-which, by the majority of thinkers, is considered reasonable, but beyond these limits, where the detection by chemical analysis, the microscope or the spectroscope of an infinitesimal trace of the medicine becomes an impossibility. The object of this article, then, is not the consideration of such small quantities of medicine as will be admitted by everyone to demonstrate their action on the human system, but of such infinitesimal quantities as, in my opinion, place medicine on the basis of ridicule.

No. 2.

retical fancies held by speculative physicians. Common sense would dictate a small dose (in most cases) in preference to a large one, but common sense at the same time would dictate that it was necessary to use an appreciable quantity, instead of a theoretical one. I say theoretical at present, but even this may prove rather too liberal before we get through with the discussion of this subject. Let us turn our attention now to the divisibility of matter, and see how far it is possible to divide a substance so that it will still possess the properties peculiar to it.

we

All matter is composed of molecules, and a molecule means the smallest particle of a substance which can exist and still retain the properties peculiar to the substances. We have, then, in the size of a molecule, the limit to the divisibility of a substance, the properties of which we are desirous to retain. If a molecule is split, that minute it is decomposed, and its parts become molecules of different substances, or substances possesThere are within the human body forces which en-sing entirely different properties from the original deavor to adapt the system to the surrounding circum- molecule. We have, then, in the size of a molecule, stances of life, and to keep it in a healthy, normal con- the limit to the size of a dose in medicine, beyond this dition-once abuse, or over-ride the forces, and the re-limit it is not possible to go. The question naturally sult is an abnormal condition-it is in this state that the arises, then, what is the size of the molecule ? medical skill is called upon for help, to restore the ab- Numerous experiments have been conducted to ob normal again to the normal. How is this to be accomp-tain the dimensions of this small particle of matter and lished? Theoretically, the answer is simple. Restore by many different processes, and the results agree very these hidden forces to a healthy action, invigorate them, closely, even with the imperfect scientific means strengthen them, but not overpower them, or the patient have at present to deal with such small particles. It is will be made worse. well established though, says Maxwell, that the determFew persons will hesitate to admit that when the hu-ination of the mass of a molecule is a legitimate object man system is in an abnormal condition the nerves are of scientific research, and this mass is by no means immore acute, more sensitive, so that things which were measurably small. From elaborate experiment and calmost agreeable in health become the source of intense culation, it has been ascertained that if 2,000,000 molesuffering, and are often actually intolerable. The sys-cules of hydrogen were placed in a row, they would tem becomes sensible to impressions of all kinds, which in health would go by unnoticed. It is for this reason that the size of the dose in medicine should depend, to a very great extent, upon the condition of the system to receive infinitesimal impressions. It is, therefore, allimportant that only just so much of a medicine should be given as will invigorate the forces within the body to a healthy action, and this can only be accomplished by the action of the forces of an appropriate medicine. The question naturally arises, then, how far is it possible to subdivide a medicine so that it will still have sufficient force power to produce the required effect? I suppose the answer will come back-Try it and see. This is, in my opinion, (in this case) the poorest possible answer, for when a medicine is so diluted that some of the best homœopathic physicians question its utility, the surrounding conditions, proper nursing, fresh air, quiet, food, etc., etc., have so powerful an action, that it is questionable, if the patient recovers, whether the cure has not been accomplished by such means, rather than by the force-power of the infinitesimal dose of medicine given. This is, in my opinion, too serious a subject to trifle with for the satisfaction of some theo

occupy a millimeter, and about two hundred million, million, million of them would weigh a milligram.

Dupré, in 1870, deduced from the theory of contact attractions, the conclusion that a milligram of water contained more than 225 million, million, million molecules, while Lorensy, of Copenhagen, arguing from the electric work, necessary to decompose a milligram of water in connection with a quantity of electricity which may be distributed on a sphere, finds that a milligram of water contains more than 1360 million, million, million molecules. The distance apart of such molecules would be less than a ten millionth of a millimeter.*

Loschmidt illustrates molecular measurements by a comparison with the smallest magnitudes visible by means of a microscope. Nobert, he tells us, can draw 4000 lines in the breadth of one millimeter.

The intervals between these lines can be observed with a good microscope-a cube whose sides is the 4000th of a millimeter, may be taken as the minimum visible for observers of the present day.

Such a cube would contain from 60 to 100 million molecules of oxygen or nitrogen, but since the mole

* Moniteur Scientifique, No. 353, 1871.

« PreviousContinue »