freely. His pulse was however now reduced to 90, and the fever was almost entirely gone, though the pain at the pit of the stomach continued as intense as ever. He stated that he could

compare it to nothing but a burning furnace within. I recollected that this was a leading symptom of Arsenic, and put ten drops of the 6th dilution of arsenicum into a wineglassful of water, a teaspoonful to be taken every six hours. The first spoonful gave immediate relief; the patient fell into a profound sleep for four hours: the second dose had a similar effect, and the next day the man was quite well, and required no further attendance. Nor, to the best of my knowledge, had he any return of the complaint which had so long affected him.

My next case was that of a lady who was severely attacked with rose on the head and face the day before I was called. I found the patient in bed in a state of high fever; the face and head much swollen, inflamed and glossy; eyes suffused; tongue parched; great thirst; severe pain in the head; pulse 110, full and bounding; great difficulty in articulating correctly. I resolved in this case to abstract blood from the arm, the determination of blood to the head being very alarming. The patient, however, strongly objected to be bled, stating that she had had a similar attack about two years previously in Glasgow, and that a very large quantity of blood had been taken at that time, from the loss of which she had never properly recovered. I immediately ordered Tinct. Aconiti 1st dil. x, Aq. font. 3 vij, a table-spoonful every half-hour, till six doses were taken, and afterwards to be taken alternately with Belladonna at longer intervals. Next day the patient was much better; the pain in the head had been greatly relieved after the second dose. The case went on favourably under a continuance of the medicine; desquamation took place on the 5th day, and no further attendance was necessary.

This was the severest case of erysipelas I had seen for a long time, and had it not been that I was aware of the great value of Aconitum as a powerful and efficacious remedy in all kinds of inflammation, I should have considered myself chargeable with gross mismanagement in this case in not insisting upon taking

16 or 20 ounces of blood from the arm. I have had many such cases since, and never required to bleed one of them, the homœopathic remedies being quite sufficient and most satisfactory.

About this time I was called to visit a girl of about five years of age, who was suffering from aphthous inflammation of the mouth and tongue. The father of the child had been applying a lotion of Bark and Borax as a wash for the mouth, and had given Magnesia and Rhubarb internally without benefit. The girl was restless and feverish; the lips were much swollen; the mouth and tongue covered with aphthous sores; the breath very fetid; the saliva flowing; the chin excoriated; and any attempt to take food was attended with much suffering. A small portion of Mercurius sol., 3rd trit., in a wine-glassful of cold water, was given, to be administered three times a day in teaspoonful doses. In two days the complaint entirely disappeared and the child was quite well.

A mechanic, about 25 years of age, called at my house, who had been long troubled with obstinate constipation, for which he was obliged to take various kinds of strong aperient medicine. The complaint had become so intolerable that he was at times quite unfit for work. I gave nux vomica, 10 drops of the 6th dilution in 3ij of water, a tea-spoonful for a dose, twice a day. When the medicine was finished the young man came back, full of gratitude, to inform me that it had produced the desired effect, and that he had not been so comfortable for a long time. He assured me that if he ever had a return of the complaint, he would immediately let me know. I have never seen him

since.

While speaking of this remedy, I may add that I have repeatedly seen the same result in many similar cases of constipation; and three cases of violent cramps in the stomach were cured by one or two doses of the 6th dilution, a few drops in a wine-glassful of water, a tea-spoonful every half-hour. The following case of decided paralysis, also, was successfully treated with the same medicine. The patient was above 70 years

of age.

When I was first called to Mr. I was informed that, on attempting to get out of bed, he had suddenly lost all power on the left side, and was rendered totally helpless. His face was very much flushed; the pulse 96, full and strong; he complained of a weight and dull pain in the head; the mouth was slightly drawn to one side, and the saliva running down the chin. Aconitum was given every two hours during that day. In the evening the febrile symptoms were much abated. On calling next day I found that the patient had passed a rather restless night: the bowels had acted freely from a dose of Castor Oil taken in the early part of the day. The aconitum being no longer necessary, I prescribed nux vomica, 10 drops of the 6th dilution in 3ij of water, a tea-spoonful three times a day. Under this treatment the old gentleman speedily recovered the use of the affected side, and in three weeks he was quite well, and able to take his usual out-door exercise without even a vestige of weakness in the side. I have seen him for some years since, and he has never had any return of the complaint.

Found

I was called to visit a lady about 10 o'clock, A. M. her in a state of high fever and great excitement. She stated that she had been seized with vomiting in the early part of the day, accompanied by a violent pain in the head, which greatly increased during the evening. The face was much flushed; pulse 110; thirst intense; skin hot and burning, except on the forearms, both of which were cold, rigid and benumbed. She could not move a finger. Two gentlemen who resided in the house had been engaged for more than half an hour in rubbing the arms: indeed so zealous were they that the skin was in several places rubbed off. I put 10 drops of aconitum into a tumbler of cold water: a table-spoonful to be given every 10 minutes, and waited to see the result. Only four spoonfuls were required, when the pain in the head went off as if by magic, and the spasm in the arms subsided. I ordered the medicine to be continued at intervals of 2 or 3 hours while the patient was awake. On calling next day I found her quite free from all the distressing symptoms of the former evening. Nux vomica and pulsatilla soon corrected the deranged state

of the digestive organs, and in a few days she was quite well, and required no further attendance.

I might enumerate many cases of acute inflammation and various other diseases successfully treated with homœopathic remedies for a number of years past; but this would swell out my statement to a greater length than is at present necessary. I trust that the experience I have detailed will be amply sufficient to show that my conversion to homoeopathy was a natural and necessary result of the clear evidence incidentally brought before me of the truth of that system: and as there was nothing, in the majority of these cases, out of the common routine of professional practice, there can be nothing to hinder any of my brethren in the profession from obtaining the same kind of practical evidence of the comparative efficacy and certainty of the two systems of therapeutics. I would earnestly invite all who are not shut up against conviction by prejudice to submit the homœopathic principle to the test of experiment in some well marked cases; and so, at least, earn the right to speak upon the subject, and command attentive hearing whether as friends or foes. Medical men seem to entertain the idea that they are qualified by previous education to pronounce judgment on homœopathy at first sight and without experience; but this is a fallacy. Homœopathy does not stand upon a theoretical and debatable, but upon a practical proposition; and as I said at the commencement of this paper-Practical truths can only be tested by experiment. To this kind of test and evidence I fearlessly commit homœopathy. How lamentable is the fact that, notwithstanding the great amount of well authenticated evidence that has been before the world for years, medical men have too generally contented themselves with ridiculing the pretensions of homœopathy and scouting the idea of its efficacy in contempt, without examination, and without even condescending to give its alleged specific principle an honest trial, which as conservators of the public health they were bound to do. With all deference to the learning and acknowledged talent of my allopathic brethren, I cannot help expressing my regret for the honour of the profession at the unseemly vituperation which

has mingled so largely in their discussions, as if party opposition were more precious than truth, and as if they would rather waste their lives in useless contention than patiently devote a short time to acquire that practical information which might convince them of their error. I am happy to be able to say, however, from my own observation, that the late proceedings: have not been sympathized with to any great extent among the profession. On the contrary, I have heard them denounced as: unwarrantable and unjust by many eminent practitioners whom I cannot suspect of any friendly leaning towards homoeopathy, but who, simply as honest men and lovers of fair play, are constrained to brand these persecutions as infamous.

Happily the cause of truth and humanity has not suffered in the severe ordeal to which it has been subjected. It has stood firm as a rock-a rock of truth-in the lashing sea of interest and prejudice, error and malignity.

Judging from what it has already done, the doctrine of "similia similibus curantur" is doubtless destined to effect a mighty revolution in medical science; and those who have vainly set themselves to thwart its influence and impede its progress, by unworthy quibbling, personal hostilities, and selfish, obstinate, and unreasoning resistance, will inevitably be forced into the unenviable position of those who played a similar part in reference to the great discoveries of Harvey and of Jenner. Let not our would-be wise men repeat the follies of their fathers; but let them learn from the past the lesson to "be wise in time."

CASES OF ACUTE DYSPEPSIA

WITH SYMPATHETIC HEAD AFECTION.

BY W. HERING, L.A. C.

(Read before the Hahnemann Medical Society, January 20, 1852.) GENTLEMEN,

Under the circumstance that two or three members, who were the next in rotation to read papers, have been prevented from fulfilling that condition, I was reminded by our worthy Secretary that it became my lot to fill up the gap, I must