lows: Arsenic produces by large or toxic doses the group of symptoms known as eczema ; in small doses produces as the result of its action on living tissues an antidotal substance or action which remaining in the diseased individual antagonizes or cures eczema. Toxin diphtheria produces when absorbed from the tonsil the group of symptoms known as diphtheria. And when injected in the horse produces a substance known as antitoxin, which removed and introduced into a diseased child antagonizes or cures diphtheria. As Mr. Johnson says, it is easy to see a parallelism in this presentation; but it is obvious that antitoxin cannot be compared to a drug used homoeopathically, but to something which is produced in the tissues of the body as a result of drug action. But the two series are homologous, and the toxin series is evidently homoeopathic in principle.

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THE BLOOD-COUNT OF PHTHISIS.

HE blood-count as a diagnostic and prognostic symptom in disease is taking its place with the record of pulse and temperature, as a feature of clinical records. It is evident, however, that we are not all familiar with the deductions that are to be drawn from the blood-counts and percentages of hæmoglobin that are scattered so freely through our literature and distorted into convincing arguments by the wide-awake advertiser of this or that nostrum for the "enriching of the blood." Not every patient with pallid skin and mucous membranes, can be demonstrated to be truly anemic by an exact estimation of the hæmoglobin and the corpuscles. It is well known amongst students of hæmatology that patients suffering from obstructive diseases of the heart, in whose skin the rosy hue of health has been replaced by a yellowish pallor, are apt to give abnormally high counts of corpuscles and more than the normal richness of hæmoglobin. This phenomenon has been explained, though it seems to us rather lamely, by the fact that in obstructive heart disease, the capillaries are turgid with the sluggishly flowing blood, and that there is probably a blood condensation so that each cubic

millimeter of blood would contain more than the usual amount of corpuscles and hæmoglobin.

It is not so well recognized that the blood of patients suffering from tubercular phthisis frequently presents a similar over-richness of the vital elements. We are familiar with the pallid, white-lipped, quick-pulsed, short-breathed consumptive, presenting a classic picture of anemia, and it is astonishing, on testing the blood of such a patient, to find the corpuscles and hæmoglobin to be up to and even above the normal. This phenomenon has, as yet, received no adequate explanation.

To the homœopath, it is interesting to note that acute phosphorus poisoning presents this same peculiar quality of blood. To our friends of the old school who record these facts, as does Cabot in his "Clinical Examination of the Blood," this resemblance between the phenomena of poison and those of disease carries no lesson; but, to the homoeopath, there is demonstrated the exquisite applicability of phosphorus to the blood condition of early phthisis. To the homœopath, too, the juxtaposition of these two facts, constitutes a warning against the excessive use of the salts of phosphorus in the treatment of consumption. A remedy that is capable of producing a blood state resembling that of tuberculosis, must be used in small doses if we would avoid aggravation of the symptoms. Any one who has treated tubercular phthisis, knows what a delicate matter it is to use just enough medication to assist the organism in its struggle to re-establish that balance of the constructive with the destructive forces that is essential to the continuance of life. Such a one knows how easily the faintly stirring impulses of vitality may be crushed by misdirected or over-zealous therapeutics. This lesson was learned and taught thirty years ago by Dr. Churchill, who, in the old school, was the first to employ the salts of phosphorus for the treatment of consumption, in the forms of hypophosphites of lime and soda. His teachings have been little regarded by the profession at large or the compounders of drugs. With the keen eye of a Hahnemann, Churchill recognized the medicinal aggravation, discriminated drug symptoms from the symptoms of the disease and, with a good sense which unhappily is rare amongst

discoverers, reduced the size and frequency of his doses to the point of safe therapeutics. In his published works, Churchill repeatedly cautions the reader against mixtures, recommending the single hypophosphite of lime or of soda on definite indication, and in doses. no larger than one to three grains three times daily; he recommends. the cessation of the hypophosphite every third week or whenever symptoms of aggravation appear, these symptoms being head congestion, vertigo, nose-bleed, spitting of blood, oppressed breathing and subjective or objective fever. We homoeopaths can follow with sympathy, understanding and advantage, the teaching of this observer. When we consider the fact that polycythæmia is an effect of acute phosphorus poisoning, but that the continued influence of phosphorus is to produce anemia, we can understand the importance of long intermissions in the treatment at short intervals, thus securing a repetition of the fresh action of phosphorus, which is homœopathic to the disease, and avoiding the anemia that follows the continued use of the drug.

In his "Clinical Materia Medica," Farrington sounds the same note, but more crudely, in warning his pupils against the too frequent repetition of the dose of phosphorus in phthisis.

In relation to the beneficial effects on cases of early phthisis, of removal to a higher altitude, it is interesting to note that the same blood changes occur as are found in acute phosphorus poisoning. The increase in corpuscles and hæmoglobin occurs promptly, continues as long as the altitude is maintained—and decreases to normal on returning to the sea level. It is curious to note that the first effects of phosphorus and of high altitude are interchangeable as far as the blood quality is concerned, and it is certain that the beneficial effects of high altitudes on cases of early phthisis can be obtained, in some cases at least, by the judicious use of phosphorus and its salts.

The conclusions which the homœopath may draw from the foregoing facts are, first, that the early blood stage of phthisis is not an anemia but often a polycythæmia; second, that the first effect of the drug, phosphorus, is homoeopathic to this blood condition, but the continuous use of the drug is to be avoided; third, that

change to a high altitude acts on the lines of the homopathic remedy, in that it produces symptoms resembling those of the disease which it cures.

D

SOME BOSTON FIGURES.

URING the year 1897, there were treated at the Massachusetts Homœopathic Hospital, Boston, 1566 patients, with 54 deaths. This gives a mortality of 3.44 per cent. During the same year there were treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital (allopathic), 4312 patients, with 361 deaths. This gives a mortality of 8.37 per cent. or more than twice that at the homœopathic institution. At the homoeopathic hospital, the death rate on the medical service was 4.40 per cent., on the surgical service, 3.12 per cent. For a general hospital these figures are remarkably low, being approached only by a very few private hospitals having a picked clientelage. At the allopathic, institution, the death rate on the medical service was 10.06 per cent., on the surgical service 7.33 per cent. As might be expected the greatest difference is found in the medical figures. The general run of patients at the two institutions is the same. Both are private corporations.

There is one other great hospital in Boston, the Boston City Hospital. The last printed report at hand is for the year ending January 31, 1897. During that year the report shows that of the 8393 patients treated, 835 died. This gives a mortality of 9.94 per cent. Of the two hospitals under old school control, one, the Massachusetts General, is owned and controlled as a private corporation; the other is a city charity. To those familiar with hospital ethics this will at once explain the difference in mortality between the two. Eleemosynary institutions supported solely from the public funds are obliged to receive all comers. Hospitals owned and controlled by corporations can make their own rules and regulations. In consequence the public hospitals are invariably the recipients of patients rejected by the others.

The overwhelming difference between the homoeopathic and the

allopathic death rates, can be explained only by the difference in the treatment employed.

The Boston City Hospital also has a department for acute infectious diseases, the figures of which were not included above. During the year ending January 31, 1897, there were 1889 cases of diphtheria treated, with 267 deaths, a mortality of 14.13 per cent. Antitoxin is used. The report states that from 1876 to 1894, the mortality in the Boston City Hospital for diphtheria was 46 per cent. The present comparatively low death rate is placed to the credit of the antitoxin. The only homoeopathic figures at hand are those of Tooker, published in a Western journal in 1896. These gave a mortality of 7.30 per cent. in diphtheria treated by homœopathic medication alone.

Should the above figures fall under the eye of some good oldschool brother, he probably will tell you that statistics are unreliable and mean nothing. With the next breath he will very likely point to the great efficacy of diphtheria antitoxin by quoting mortalities before and after its use. The study of comparative statistics, is the only way he has of finding the comparative value of different methods of treatment within his own school, yet he pooh-poohs figures comparing the results of homoeopathic and allopathic treatment. Nevertheless such figures should be promulgated. The public will learn the truth if the hide-bound old school brother will not.

Notes and Comments.

Health of Havana. Fevers are still on the increase in Havana. Yellow fever is there, notwithstanding denials of its presence. Deaths from it were 18 in July, 20 in August, 23 in September, and 17 in the first thirteen days of October. The increase of typhoid fever is startling. Fifty-seven deaths in June, 87 in July, 127 in August, 136 in September, and 69 in the first thirteen days of October. Besides this, pernicious fever killed 59 in these same first thirteen October days. Evidently Colonel Waring is much needed in Havana.

Southern Homoeopathic Medica Association. The "Southern" holds its annual meeting November 8, 9 and 10, at Bir