FOOTNOTES:

[H]Tuberculosis of Birds.Tuberculosis of Mammals.Aspect of cultures.Extreme softness on glycerine jelly or on serum.Human tuberculous growths are adherent, hard and difficult to break up even with a strong platinum wire on glycerine jelly as well as on serum.Medium of cultures.Transferred from a solid to a liquid medium the bacillus grows rapidly, having the appearance of rounded grains.Cultivation more difficult.Temperature.Develops at a temperature of 45° C.Ceases to develop at temperatures under 41° C.Odor.Somewhat sour.More subtle and fresh odor.Duration.Takes longer to develop, and may remain for a year or thereabouts.Is with difficulty generated again at the end of six months. At the end of eight or ten months loses its vegetable character.Seat of the tubercles.In animals usually on the liver, the spleen, the intestines, and the peritoneum.In the lung, generally in men, and in certain animals; in the spleen, the liver, and the glands in rabbits and guinea-pigs.Transmissibility.Only from one bird to another, except in the case of the parrot.Mammals are unaffected by the tuberculosis of birds, andvice versa.

Ever since this variety of tuberculosis has been distinguished, attempts have been made to inoculate or cure human tuberculosis with that of birds. In our school the thing has been attempted at the Hôpital St. Jacques, whereAviairehas been administered in homœopathic dilutions, in potions or through punctures in cases of consumption. As a matter of fact, neither allopaths nor homœopaths have succeeded in obtaining a formula which will cure consumption with the virus of birds. Amelioration has been noted as with other remedies, but never a series of authenticated cures. Nevertheless, in every country experiments are continually being made; we must hope that they will end in a more decisive success than is at present the case.

Hoping to profit by the homœopathicity of an active virus, I was, I think, one of the first who employedAviairein non-tuberculous respiratory affections on the lines ofBacillinum, and I am bound to say that up to the present my faith in the law of similars has not been shaken by my experiments.

InL'Art Médical(August, 1895) I published a number of cases in which I successfully treated localized bronchitis, generally the result of influenza, and reproducing the symptoms of tuberculosis, withAviaire. The most characteristic of all these observations is that of which I have spoken above. The patient was restored to health as if by magic withAviairewithin three weeks. Dr. P. Jousset, anticipating my observations, thus expressed himself in the number ofL'Art Médicalpreceding the one which contained my remarks: "A young woman entered the Hôpital St. Jacques at the end of January, 1895, with feverish influenzal bronchitis. At first the patient was treated with small doses ofSulphate of Quinine, and a little later she tookIpecacandBryoniaalternately. The fever disappeared and the general condition improved considerably, and the sub-crepitant râles became confined to the top of the left lung. The patient continued to expectorate thicknummular and puriform sputa, as in the influenza. After some days the disease resumed its sway, the bodily forces diminished, the emaciation made great progress, and local and general signs indicated rapid consumption. Bacteriological analysis led to the detection of numerous Koch's bacilli. I gave over the case at this time, and some weeks afterwards I learnt with surprise that the patient was well and growing fat, and that the inoculation of the sputa had produced no effects. The cure has been maintained for three months, and the young woman has resumed her employment." I had prescribedAviaire100th, five drops a day, during the whole period of the disease, unaccompanied by any other remedy.

As I have said before, more than a year afterwards the young woman continued in good health.

Following this case, Dr. Jousset quoted two analogous instances in his practice, both of influential bronchitis, in which the sputa contained, for a certain period, Koch's bacillus. One was cured withAviaire6th and strong doses ofSulphate of Quinine, and the other withAviaire6th and twenty drops ofTincture of Drosera, a day.

"What conclusions must I draw from these facts?" says Dr. Jousset. "That the avian tuberculosis cured the consumption? I have failed too often in the treatment of ordinary consumption with this remedy to admit that." That is my opinion also.

Koch's bacillus has been found in the nasal secretions of healthy hospital nurses, and of students of medicine, as noted by Strauss. Would it not be possible to come across it accidentally in certain kinds of expectoration, just as the pneumococcus is found in saliva?

In one of the numbers ofLa Médecine Moderneof last year there appeared a short article on the "Influenzas known as pseudo-phymic." The writer remarked on the strong analogy which certain complications of pulmonary influenza presented to acute tuberculosis. He observed, among other forms: 1st, the influenzal bronchitis which affected one of the summits of the lung, the most difficult form to diagnose from tuberculosis; 2d, the broncho-pneumonic form; 3d, the pleuro-pneumonic form, bearing a close resemblance to tuberculous pleurisy. I might remark that this last form is still little known and ill-defined. The influenza microbe always imitates to a remarkable degree the microbe of tuberculosis in certain instances; and if we wish to effect a cure on the laws laid down by Hahnemann in certain forms of influenzal bronchitis, we must frequently seek for the simillimum in the virus of tuberculosis.

I have mentioned oppression as one of the characteristics ofBacillinum. Now influenzal bronchitis is markedly accompanied by an incessant cough and by grave general symptoms. There is more frequently acute than passive, obstructive and dyspnœic congestion. I am inclined to preferAviairetoBacillinumin such cases, and I should like to briefly touch upon certain cases in my practice.

I have under my care a little girl of twelve years of age who has for two years developed an influenza which rapidly leads to pulmonary symptoms, always distinctly localized in the top of the left lung. The mother is tuberculous, and the child, who was born with forceps, has her left chest less developed than her right. The congestion which accompanies the influenza is sudden and severe; within twenty-four hours the lung is invaded, and fine râles are soon heard. Twice running, at intervals of a year,Aviaire100th has stifled the symptoms in a few days. I have seen an analogous case, only with congestion of the base of the lung.

In my clinical report of the Hôpital St. Jacques (in August, 1895) I note ten cases of acute influenzal bronchitis with incessant cough, fever, and expectoration, rapidly cured withAviaire. This year I have prescribed it with the same success as at the Hôpital St. Jacques in cases of influenzal bronchitis, with active congestion. I will mention two cases of the pulmonary complications of measles which were rapidly dissipated by this remedy; but I must also mention a thirdcase of measles in whichAviairefailed andBryoniaproved successful. The child had an acute rubeolic laryngitis, and few pulmonary symptoms.Bryoniawas in this case more decidedly indicated thanAviaire.

The dilution ofAviairewhich I have always used is the 100th. I give usually five drops a day.

It seems thatAviairedoes not act in diminishing the cough like an anodyne or a narcotic, but braces up the whole organism. The relief of debility and the return of appetite are the phenomena which I have observed in conjunction with the diminution of the cough.

I have givenAviaire100th for weeks, and even for a month, regularly every day, without having observed excitement or aggravation. It would thus appear to be a remedy of long-lasting action, capable in certain cases of modifying the organism, and of bracing a constitution which has become enfeebled from the effects of influenza or of suspicious bronchitis.

In contrast withBacillinumI have noted, in my observations onAviaire, considerable cough and little dyspnœa—an acute inflammatory, extremely irritating cough, such as one meets with in acute diseases or sub-acute affections in young people; a cough which fatigues, and which leads to enfeeblement and loss of appetite—in a word, a suspicious cough. To conclude my remarks, the utility ofAviaireinsuspicious bronchitis—an expression on which I again lay stress—I will recall certain indubitable examples of the cure (at the Hôpital St. Jacques) of bronchitis or of pulmonary congestion at the top of one of the lungs, or of bronchitis on one side only, or of congestion predominating on one side. These localizations on one side are sufficiently grave symptoms to warrant apprehension of the hatching of tuberculosis.

If I were myself attacked, as the result of influenza or measles, or of some weakening malady, with an incessant tickling and stubborn cough, with certain closely localized pulmonary symptoms; if I lost my strength and appetite; if,in a word, I were attacked by bronchitis whose upshot was highly doubtful, and which caused apprehension of tuberculosis, I should not hesitate a single moment, with the examples which I have had before me, to tryAviaire100th upon myself.

Such is the conclusion of my clinical observations made at Hôpital St. Jacques in August, 1895.

What I said last year I can only repeat with renewed confidence in this; and I hope that the years which follow will not cause me to alter my opinion.

FOOTNOTES:[C]L' Union Homéopathique, vol. v, No. 3.[D]Homœopathic World, vol. xxvi, No. 304.[E]"On Tuberculin," an extract from theJournal Belge d' homéopathie, 1895.[F]Pathogenese, sua importancia.[G]Dr. J. Compton Burnett, in his book, "New Cure for Consumption," p. 129, makes this remark: "The best way to get some really goodBacillinumis to take a portion of the lung of an individual who has died of genuine bacillary tuberculosis pulmonum, choosing a good-sized portion from the parietes of the cavity and its circumjacent tissue, as herein will be found everything pertaining to the tuberculous process—bacilla,débris, ptomaines and tubercles in all its stages (such was practically the origin of the matrix of myBacillinum) and preparing by trituration in spirit. In this way nothing is lost."[H]I have tabulated shortly their various characteristics.

[C]L' Union Homéopathique, vol. v, No. 3.

[D]Homœopathic World, vol. xxvi, No. 304.

[E]"On Tuberculin," an extract from theJournal Belge d' homéopathie, 1895.

[F]Pathogenese, sua importancia.

[G]Dr. J. Compton Burnett, in his book, "New Cure for Consumption," p. 129, makes this remark: "The best way to get some really goodBacillinumis to take a portion of the lung of an individual who has died of genuine bacillary tuberculosis pulmonum, choosing a good-sized portion from the parietes of the cavity and its circumjacent tissue, as herein will be found everything pertaining to the tuberculous process—bacilla,débris, ptomaines and tubercles in all its stages (such was practically the origin of the matrix of myBacillinum) and preparing by trituration in spirit. In this way nothing is lost."

[H]I have tabulated shortly their various characteristics.

Nat. Ord., Compositæ.Common Names, English Daisy. Garden Daisy. Hens and Chickens.Preparation.—The fresh plant, in flower, is pounded to a pulp and submitted to pressure. The expressed juice is then mixed with an equal part by weight of alcohol.

(The following is from Thomas'Additions to the Homœopathic Materia Medica, 1858. To it we may add Dr. J. C. Burnett's statement thatBellisis a remedy for all ills that may be traced to a sudden wetting when overheated.)

Bellis perennisor daisy, formerly calledconsolida, on account of its vulnerary properties; the roots and leaves were used in wound drinks, and were considered efficacious in removing extravasated blood from bruises, etc. It is said to be refused by cattle on account of its peculiar taste. Lightfoot, in hisFlora Scotica, says: "In a scarcity of garden-stuff, they (daisies) have, in some countries, been substituted as pot herbs." My first trial with this plant as a curative agent was in the autumn of 1856. While on a visit in the neighborhood of Bangor, a countryman, understanding that I was a "doctor," wished me to prescribe for his foot, which he had sprained very badly. Not having eitherArnicaorRhuswith me, I determined to try the effects of the daisy; so directed him to procure a handful of the leaves and flowers of the plant, chop them up small, boil them for a quarter of an hour in half a pint of water, and apply them in linen as a poultice round the ankle at night. The application was not made until the next morning, but in half an hour's time the ankle admitted of very fair motion. A piece of calico wetted and wrung out of the daisy water was then wrapped round the ankle, and the man put his shoe on and limped about all day, walking not less than five miles. He repeated the poultice at night, and found his ankle so much restored in the morning that he was able to walk four miles to his work without experiencing any difficulty. The success, in this instance, so far exceeded the previous use ofArnicaandRhus, especially in the time gained, that I had a tincture from the whole plant made for such uses, and have used it in sprained ankle from a fall—the ankle was well the second day. A sprain of the wrist, which had been a week ailing, yielded to the daisy in three days. I have also successfully used it in several severe whitlows; in every case the pure tincture was used externally. The only provings I have made with this remedy have been with the pure tincture in ten or twenty drop doses at a time. After taking the medicine for fourteen days without any symptoms, I suspended the use of it—in two weeks after leaving it off, for the first time in my life I had a large boil on the back of my neck (right side), commencing with a dull aching pain; some difficulty and a bruised pain in keeping the head erect; slight nausea, want of appetite, and a little giddiness in the head at times. Pain in middle finger of the left hand, as of a gathering, for a short time only; and at the same time pain in inner side of left forearm, as of a boil developing; two nights before similar pains in corresponding parts of the right arm—query, are these effects ofBellis(this was written December 11, 1856). The boil on the neck came December 7, 1856; began as a slight pimple with burning pain in theskin, increasing until in six days' time it was very large, of a dark fiery purple color, and very sore burning and aching pain in it, accompanied with headache, extending from occiput to sinciput, of a cold aching character; brain as though contracted in frontal region, dizziness, etc. (as before stated). I now set to work to cure myself, which by use of hot fomentations and lint dipped in θ tincture ofBelladonnaexternally, taking at the same time 3d dil.Belladonnainternally, was soon accomplished. Three days after this was cured, another made its appearance, which speedily succumbed to the same remedies. As I had never previously had a boil, and had not made any change in my diet, I suspectedBellistincture to be the cause of the trouble. On the 12th of January, 1857, feeling my left foot somewhat strained after running, I appliedBellisθ to the strain, which for several days aggravated the feeling; and in five hours after the application I had another small boil (three weeks after disappearance of the last), which yielded to same treatment as the others, by January 19, 1857. On March 7, 1857, I chewed some daisy flowers. On the 11th, a small boil appeared at the angle of the inferior maxilla, right side;Belladonnaθ, externally, cured it. The last trial I made with the third centesimal dilution ofBellis, taking three drops on Tuesday, 2d March, 1858, on the following Friday a small pimple appeared a little behind the angle ofleftinferior maxilla; it increased very much in size and pain by Saturday, when I treated it withBelladonnaθ externally, to which it soon yielded. As at no other time in my life have I suffered from boils, I am inclined to think these are due to the use of the daisy.

Nat. Ord., BerberidaceæCommon Names, Oregon grape. Mountain grape.Preparation.—The fresh root and stem is pounded to a pulp and macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.

(This unintentional proving was published in August, 1896, under the signature J. d. W. C. The paper referred to by J. d. W. C. was a clipping from theEclectic Medical Journal.)

In theHomœopathic Recorderfor March, 1896, p. 133, there appears an interesting article on the virtues of the plant named above—it starts out with: "From the fact that it will make a 'new' man of an old one in a short time it is an excellent remedy."

As I am now over sixty years old, it seemed high time to cast about for something possessing the virtue specified, viz., making "a 'new' man out of an old one"—and to my knowledge, as I have never had five days' illness confining me to bed, or even to my room, during the said sixty years, I considered myself an easy subject for the contemplated rejuvenation; besides all this, I am what some would call a homœopathic "crank;" and believed, and yet believe, if there be anything that can effect such a transformation it is to be found only within the lines of Homœopathy, I immediately ordered quantum suf. of the article in question from the celebrated firm of Boericke & Tafel, and started out on the trip to the "Fountain of Youth" in full confidence thatsomethingwould come of it.

The first day I took two doses mother tincture 10-15 drops each; no special effect noticed—no youthfulness either! Second day, ditto; third day, one dose in morning; after bank hours went to friend's sanctum and engaged in a game of chess, and while so engaged felt a growing sense of nausea and thick-headedness—so much so, that I was obliged to excuse myself and hurry to my own quarters.Berberis, however, did not once occur to me—I had scarce reached my room when the sense of nausea (seven minutes' lively walk, since it became really oppressive) hadfull sway, and having eaten nothing whatever since the previous evening (as I do not eat unless I am hungry) the straining was rather severe, but exactly similar to some previous attacks of "biliousness"—in feeling, and color and taste of discharges—and stillBerberisdid not occur to me; as soon as the strain was overI was seized with a remarkable and peculiar headache; a thing of which I have no recollection whatever to have previously experienced in any shape—the sensation was that of a strong, well-defined, compressive band of iron (or some unyielding substance), about two inches wide, passingentirely round the head, just above the ears—it kept on growing tighter and tighter; I jumped from the reclined position on a couch, wet a folded towel in cold water, and passed it round my head so as to cover the "band;" but it gave little relief; about 10 o'clock I began to think over what I might have eaten to disagree with me so, and at lastBerberiscame plump into sight; I at once prepared a cup of strong, strong coffee (Hahnemann's antidote, and for which I had to send to a neighbor), believing it would antidote theBerberis(or rather hoping it might), and about 12 o'clock there was a slight diminution of pressure; then more coffee, black and strong, two or three mouthfuls, and again laid down; by morning the serious phase of the headache had disappeared, but I was exceedingly tremulous in nerves and unsteady in gait up to noon, when I ventured on some oatmeal and syrup—habitually, I do not eat meat, or drink tea or coffee, nor spirituous liquors, nor use tobacco, and have not for over thirty years.

Finally, I "made a good recovery," and now whenever I have a sensation of biliousness I touch my tongue to my finger after touching the cork of the mother tincture bottle ofBerberis aqui.; with laid finger—and have no trouble compared to what I have usually had—I believe I may say, I am subject to bilousness by heredity, but it has removed much thereof, and this remedy, I think, is good enough for the remainder.

Synonym, Indian cockroach.Class, Insecta.Order, Orthoptera.Common Name(Indian), Talápoka.Preparation.—Triturate in the usual way.

(These two papers are by Dr. D. N. Ray, of Calcutta, India, and were originally published in theHomœopathic Recorderin the years 1890 and 1891. A number of papers from American physicians could be added confirming what Dr. Ray says of the drug.)

TheBlatta orientalisis a common insect in India, where it is found abundantly in the dwelling houses. It has rather a flat body, from an inch to a couple of inches in length; deep brown color. It can fly a short distance. The wings reach beyond the body and cover it completely; the feet have several segments and are provided with prickles.

Preparation.—The live animal is crushed and triturated as under class IX of American Homœopathic Pharmacopœia, a tincture can be prepared as under class IV of the same Pharmacopœia.

This new unknown remedy has a curious anecdote connected with it. I call it new because it has not been mentioned in any of our medical works, although the use ofBlatta Americana(American cockroach) as a remedy for dropsy has been mentioned in journals. The Indian cockroach is used not in cases of dropsy but in cases ofAsthma, a most obstinate disease to deal with. In asthma it acts almost specifically. Before I further proceed to give an account of this new, invaluable drug I shall narrate here a short story how it came into use.

Some years ago an elderly gentleman had long been suffering from asthma; for over twenty years. He took all measures and tried different methods of both recognized and unrecognized medical treatments, but unfortunately all proved invain. At last he gave up all treatment and was getting fits daily. He was brought to such a deplorable condition that he was left to suffer. He was in the habit of taking tea. One afternoon as usual he drank his cup of tea—afterwards he noticed that his oppression in the chest was much less and that he was feeling unusually better, so much so that he felt himself a different being. This led him and his friends to inquire into the cause of it. He immediately inferred that the relief was due to the drinking of thetea, although he habitually drank the same tea but never before had experienced any such changes. So this change he attributed to something in the tea. The servant who prepared the tea was sent for and questioned. His reply was that he made the tea as usual and there was nothing new in it. The residue of the teacup was carefully examined, nothing was found there, but on examining the tea-pot a dead cockroach was discovered. So it was concluded that thisinfusionof cockroach did the gentleman a world of good. The very day he drank thatcup of teahe had hardly any fit of asthma at night, and in a few days he got entirely well to his and his friends' surprise.

The accounts of his Providential recovery were communicated to some of his friends—one of them, not a medical man, but quite an enterprising gentleman, took this into his head and resolved to try whether cockroach does any good to other asthmatic patients. For this purpose he got a lot of cockroaches, put them alive into a quantity of boiling water and mixed it after filtering the water when cool with almost the same quantity of the rectified spirit of wine, so that it might last for some time without getting soured. This new mixture (or tincture) he began to try in each and every case of asthma that he came across. The dose was a drop each time, 3 or 4 doses daily, and more frequently during the fits of asthma. Within a short time he made some such wonderful cures that people began to flock from different parts of the country to his door. Soon the number of attendants was so great that he had to manufacture the medicineby pounds and all this medicine he distributed to patients without any charge. He has records of some of the cases.

Some two years ago a patient of mine asked me whether we make any use ofTalápoka(cockroach) in our Pharmacopœia. My reply was that we use many loathsome insects as our remedial agents. I told him also thatBlatta Americana(American cockroach), I had heard, had been used in cases of dropsy, but I had no practical experience with it. He then said the Indian cockroach is used in cases of asthma and he knew several cases had been cured with it. This struck me and I determined to try this in cases of asthma whenever next opportunity occurred. For this purpose I got a lot of live cockroaches, killed them and pounded to a fine pulp and triturated according to class IX of American Homœopathic Pharmacopœia, that is, two parts by weight of the substance and nine parts by weight of sugar of milk, giving 1x trituration. Thus I prepare up to 3x trituration and I also make an alcoholic solution—a few live cockroaches were crushed and five parts by weight of alcohol poured over them—it was allowed to remain eight days in a dark, cool place, being shaken twice daily. After the expiration of that period the alcoholic solution was poured off, strained and filtered, when it was ready for use.

I began to try both the preparations—drop doses of the tincture and grain doses of 1x, 2x and sometimes 3x, 3 or 4 times daily when there was no fit and almost every fifteen minutes or half hourly during the severity of a fit. Both preparations began to answer well and I was getting daily more and more encouraged about the efficacy of this new drug. I had the opportunity of trying quite a number of cases of asthma within this short time, the reports of which I wish to publish in the future, but for the present I am glad to say in many cases it acted almost specifically, that is, the whole trouble cleared away within a fortnight or so without recurrence. In some cases the severity of the paroxysm was lessened and the recurrence of the fits took place at a longerinterval; in others again only temporary benefit was observed. This failure to benefit all cases alike I attribute to many circumstances. Some people did not, rather could not, take the medicine regularly according to my directions owing to their untoward circumstances; some persons were suffering from other complications along with asthma; some again got temporary relief and in the meantime discontinued the medicine and came back again when there was a recurrence of the fits, that is, they did not continue the drug for sufficient length of time. Some cases again, not having derived immediate benefit, got impatient and discontinued the medicine without proper trial.

Besides all these, I think individual idiosyncrasy has a great deal to do. The season of the year has some influence. It is usually observed in this country that those who are subject to periodical attacks of asthmatic fits are more prone to an attack either during the full or the new moon, or at both the times. I believe if it is properly watched this fact will be evident all over the world. Same is true of some other diseases, as chronic cough, chronic fevers, rheumatism, either acute or chronic, gout, elephantiasis, other glandular enlargements, etc., get aggravated or are prone to aggravation during such changes of the moon. Then some people get more severe and frequent fits during the winter than the summer and the others more during the summer than the winter. Let me here tell you that the Indian summer is very different from either the English or the American. Some part of the Indian summer season is quite rainy and the atmosphere is saturated with moisture and other irritating ingredients, consequently a class of asthmatic people suffer more during this season. I noticed to this class of casesBlatta orientaliswill prove most efficacious. I have used it in bronchial and nervous asthma with better success than the stomachæ.

Second Paper.

I have of late triedBlatta orientalisindiscriminately in almost all cases of asthma that have come under my treatment, and I am glad to say I have received good results in most cases, as the reports of some of the clinical cases will show. I have not come to any definite use of this drug yet, but I shall only mention a few facts that I have observed during its use. It acts better in low potency and repeated doses during an attack of asthma; when the spasm subsides, the terminal asthmatic cough with wheezing and slight dyspnœa, etc., is better relieved with higher potencies; the low potency, if continued after the spasmodic period is over, will make the cough more troublesome and harassing to the patient and the expectoration tenacious, thick and very difficult to raise, but this will not be the case if the potency is changed. I had this difficulty in a few cases when I was less acquainted with the action of the drug, but now I manage my cases better. In four patients who continued the drug for some time in the low potency, during the paroxysm and after it was over, the cough became dry and hacking with little or no expectoration, the streaks of blood appeared in the sputa, which the patients had never observed in the course of their long illness. This appearance of blood in their sputa was the cause of a great anxiety to them and made them hurry over to my office. On inquiry I learned from two of them—one a lady and the other a young man—that while taking this remedy they felt a sensation all over the body, for four or five days previous to the appearance of the blood, as if heat were radiating from the ears, eyes, nose, top of the head, palms of the hands and soles of the feet. They attributed this sensation of heat all over the body and the appearance of the blood in the expectoration to the drug. I directed them to stop the medicine at once; this they did, and with the discontinuance of it the blood disappeared from the sputa as well as the sensation of heat, but to me it was an open question whether this appearance of blood in the expectoration was due to overdrugging, although I must say that the presence of the streaks of blood in the sputa of asthmatic patients is not an uncommon phenomenon. I resolved to give the samepotency to the same patients after the lapse of some days. I did so, and to my surprise the blood-streaked sputa again appeared after they had taken the remedy ix, one grain four times daily. From this the patients understood it was the same medicine that had been given to them on the last occasion and begged me not to give it again, as the appearance of blood in the sputum frightened them, in spite of all my assurance. No more strong doses of the drug were given to them and they did not notice any more blood in the sputum. I have heard other patients complain of this peculiar sensation of heat whenever strong doses were given to them for some time. It acts better on stout and corpulent than on thin and emaciated persons. The asthmatic patients subject to repeated attacks of malaria derive less permanent benefit from the use of the drug. So, it seems to me, that in hæmic asthma, which is due to the abnormal condition of the blood, it is efficacious. I have also used this drug in troublesome cough with dyspnœa of phthisical patients with good result.

Clinical Cases.

Case I.Baln R. M., aged fifty-five, thin, emaciated and irritable temperament, has been suffering from hereditary asthma for the last twenty-five years. For the last six or seven years he suffered from asthmatic fits almost nightly and a troublesome cough with a good deal of frothy expectoration. He said he had not known what sleep was for the last six or seven years, in fact, he could not lie down in bed, as that would immediately bring on a violent fit of coughing which would not cease until he sat up, so the recumbent posture for him was almost impracticable, and he used to sit up during the night and doze on a pile of pillows. He passed his days comparatively better, but the approach of the night was a horror to him, his struggle, commencing at 9 or 10p.m., would last till the morning. He was the father of many children and was well taken care of, but his suffering was so great that he had no ambition to live any longer. He triedalmost all systems of medicine without much good. For the last ten years he took opium, which afforded him slight relief at the beginning, using as high as forty-eight grains of opium in twenty-four hours. Owing to the constant sitting posture he became stooped, and the back of his neck stiff and painful. In April, 1889, he was suddenly taken ill with fever. The fever became protracted. After an illness of over a month his condition became so bad that all hope of his recovery was given up. During this illness he was treated by an old school physician of some repute, but his condition daily grew worse, the asthmatic attacks became very violent and almost incessant, and the difficulty of breathing very great. He became so feeble that he had not strength enough to enable him to bring up the expectoration; his chest was full of it; fever was less; there was general anasarca. He was sitting with head bent forward, almost touching the bed, as that was the only position possible to him day and night. He had become almost speechless, when I was sent for, at about 3p.m.on the 23d of May, 1889. When I was entering the patient's room a medical man came out and hinted that there was no use of my going in as the patient was just expiring. I found the patient breathing hard; unconscious; jaws were locked and saliva dribbling from the corners of his mouth; body cold; cold, clammy perspiration on forehead; eyes partially opened; in fact, to all appearance, he looked as if he were dead, except for the respiratory movements. I felt his pulse and found it was not so bad as the patient was looking. I examined the back of his chest, as that was the only portion easily accessible, and noticed that the bronchial spasms were going on with loud mucous râle. From the character of his pulse I thought that the present state of the patient wasprobablydue to the continued violent struggle and not deep coma, and that he had become so exhausted that he was motionless, speechless and completely unconscious. His bed was surrounded by many friends and relations, who had come to bid him a last farewell; and it was with surprise that theyall looked at me when I proposed to administer medicine to a patient whose death was expected every minute and for whose cremation preparations were being made.

I got a big phial full of water and put in itBlatta orientalis1x trit. a few grains and tried two or three times to give him a spoonful of it, but in vain; the jaws were locked and I could not make him swallow any of that medicine; then I put some powder dry in the hollow of his lips and asked the attendants to try to give him the medicine I left in the bottle. I was asked whether there was any hope of his recovery, of course my answer was "no," and I also said he could only live a few hours. I left the patient's house with the idea of not visiting it again, but at 9p.m.a messenger came with the report that the patient was slightly better, he could swallow medicine and two doses of it had been given. I was asked to see the patient again. I could hardly believe what he said, however, I went to see the patient again. I noticed there was a slight change for the better, the pulse was steady, the jaws were unlocked, there was mobility of the limbs, he could swallow liquid with ease and was expectorating freely, the breathing though still difficult was slightly improved. There was the winking of the eyelids. On the whole he was looking less lifeless, but still I entertained no hope of his recovery. I left instructions to repeat the same medicine once or twice during the night, if required, at the same time to give milk repeatedly, one or two spoonfuls at a time, and to inform me next morning if he had survived the night. Next morning I really grew anxious to know what had become of my patient who had shown symptoms slightly better with this new remedy. A messenger came with the report that the patient passed a good night. I was requested to see him again. When I arrived at his place at 8a.m.I was surprised to see him so much better, he had not only regained his consciousness, but was sitting quietly in his bed, could speak slowly, the difficulty of breathing was completely gone, but the cough occasionally troubled him and a good deal ofexpectoration of frothy white or sometimes of big yellowish lumps of mucus came up. He was given three doses of the same medicine 2x trit. during the day. He passed a fair day, but at night his difficulty of breathing again appeared in somewhat milder form. He had to take two doses of the medicine. Thus the medicine was continued for a week and his trouble daily became less and less until after the expiration of a week he was able to sleep at night for the first time in the last six or seven years. I treated him over a month, and his health improved so rapidly that he not only got rid of the asthmatic trouble, but was soon able to go out and even attend his business. The stooped condition of his neck with slight pain and slight chronic bronchitis did not leave him altogether. BesidesBlatta orientalis, I also prescribed for himArsenicum alb. 6and12,Naja tri. 6,Ipecac 3, andAntim. tart. 3, as they were indicated. He continued well for over a year, but in August, 1890, he had slight reappearance of the asthmatic trouble. He again tookBlatta orientalisand got well.

Case II.Mrs. Nundy, a thin lady, aged twenty-three, mother of three children, came from a village for the treatment of asthma, from which she had been suffering for the last eight years. For the first two or three years she used to get two or three attacks in the year, but gradually they were repeated more frequently, though the character of the attack remained the same throughout. It would last two days and two nights, whether any medicine was given to her or not. Nothing would alleviate her suffering during an attack—too much interference would increase her sufferings and prolong the duration of the attack, so, practically speaking, almost nothing was given to her during an attack. The great oppression of breathing, restlessness, profuse perspiration, inability to move or lie down and loud wheezing would be the most prominent symptoms in each attack. These would remain almost with equal violence for nearly forty hours, when the spasms would cease with slight cough and expectoration,and she would be perfectly at ease as ever, and there would be no trace of disease left, except slight wheezing sound on auscultation. But latterly these attacks were very frequent, almost every week or ten days. In August, 1890, she was brought here for treatment. It is worth while to mention that she took both allopathic and native drugs during the interval of attacks to prevent their recurrence, but without any effect. I saw her first on the morning of the 5th of August, during an attack. I prescribedBlatta OrientalisIXtrit., one grain every two hours. It was to their surprise that this attack subsided unlike all others by the evening; that is, it disappeared within twenty hours. This encouraged the lady and her husband so much that she wanted to have regular course of treatment under me. I put her under tincture ofBlatta OrientalisIX, one drop per dose, twice daily. She continued this medicine till the time of the next attack was over; that is, for ten days. After the expiration of this period she began to complain of a sensation of heat all over her body, so I changed it to 3x, one drop morning and evening. She kept well, and after a month she went home thinking she got well. A month after her going home she had an attack of asthma at night and tookBlatta OrientalisIXas before, and by the next morning she was well. This was in October, and after two months of the last attack. She had another attack in winter and none since.

Case III.A young man, aged thirty-four, had been suffering from asthma for some years. He was invariably worse during the rains and the winter, and a chronic bronchitis was almost a constant accompaniment. He tried allopathic and lots of patent drugs, with only temporary amelioration of the trouble. At last, in November, 1888, he came to my office. On examination of his chest I found there was a chronic bronchitis. He said that slight difficulty of breathing with hacking cough used to trouble him every night, besides a cold would be followed by a severe attack of asthma, so its periodicity of recurrence was irregular. I treated him withIpecac,Arsenicum alb., etc. The first-named medicine did him the most good, but he never got entirely well. So in July, 1889, I put him under tinctureBlatta orientalis3x, drop doses, three or four times daily. Under its use he began to improve steadily, and had only two or three attacks of asthmatic fits since he used this drug, which were promptly relieved by the same drug in 1x potency.Euphrasia off.was prescribed for his cold whenever he had it. He is free from all trouble for the last year and a half. His general condition is so much changed that there is no apprehension of the recurrence of his former illness.

Case IV.Baln Bose, an old, corpulent gentleman, aged sixty-two, has been suffering from asthmatic attacks for some years. He never took any allopathic medicine, but had always been under treatment of native kabiraj (medical men), under whose treatment he was sometimes better and worse at others. Latterly he became very bad and passed several sleepless nights. He used to pass his days comparatively better, and it was at night and in the morning he used to be worse. On the 24th of July, 1890, at 9a.m.I saw him first—there was a slight touch of asthma even then. I made him try to lie down in bed; this he could not do, owing to the coughing fit it excited while in that posture. On examination the chest revealed chronic bronchial catarrh, and there was also a harassing cough, with very little expectoration after repeated exertion. I prescribedBlatta orientalisIXtrit., one grain every two hours. He passed the night without an attack, and the next morning when I saw him he complained that only the cough was troublesome last night and no fit of asthma. The cough was somewhat troublesome even when I saw him in the morning. I gave him tinctureBlatta ori.3x, one drop dose every two hours. He passed the day and night well. He continued the treatment for a fortnight and then went home, where he has been keeping good health, with the exception of an occasional bronchial catarrh.

Case V.A shoemaker, aged forty-two, robust constitution,has been suffering with asthma for three or four years. He came to my office on the 6th of November, 1890. He had been getting asthmatic fits almost every night since October last. During the day troublesome cough, with slight expectoration and hurried breathing made him unable to attend his business. TinctureBlatta orientalisIX, one drop doses, six times daily, was given. The very first day he perceived the good effect of the medicine and continued the same for a month, when he got well and discontinued the medicine. He has been keeping well ever since.

Case VI.Mr. G., aged forty, healthy constitution, had an asthmatic fit on the 4th of August, 1890, preceded by a violent attack of cold, from which he frequently used to suffer. He had this severe cold in the morning, and in the afternoon he began to experience a great difficulty of breathing and slight oppression and lightness of the chest—this, by 9p.m., developed into a regular fit of asthma. I was sent for. On my arrival, at 10p.m., I found he was sitting before a pile of pillows with elbows supported on them, and struggling for breath. There was also a great tightness in the chest, occasional cough, and inability to speak. I at once put him underBlatta orientalisIXtrit., one grain every fifteen minutes, and less frequently afterwards if he felt better. On my visit next morning I found him much better, but he said his trouble at night continued, more or less, till 2a.m., after which he got some rest. Now, there was a troublesome cough, slight oppression of the chest and great apprehension of a second attack in the night. The same medicine, 3x trit., was given to him during the day, and a few powders of 1x were left with him in case he was to get an attack at night. There was a slight aggravation of those symptoms at night, and he had occasion to take only two powders of 1x. The next morning he was every way better, except the cough, for which four powders of 3x were given daily. In four or five days he got entirely well and had no relapse.

Case VII.Mrs. D., aged twenty, a healthy, stout lady,mother of one child, had been always enjoying good health, was suddenly attacked with a violent fit of asthma on the 8th of August, 1890. This was the first occasion she had a fit of asthma, the result of a severe cold. At about 2a.m.she was suddenly seized with difficulty of breathing and a great oppression in the chest. She could not lie down any longer in bed and had to sit up, being supported on a pile of pillows. In the morning at 8a.m.I saw her first. I noticed she was in great agony and almost speechless. On examination I could not detect much loud wheezing—the characteristic of an asthmatic attack—though the rapid movements of the walls of the chest were even quite visible to the bystanders. The patient was feeling almost choked up, and could not express what was going on. She only pointed out a point, a little over the pit of the stomach most painful. There was no cough—perspiration was pouring over her body. I could not at once make out whether it was a case of pure asthma, especially as she never had it before. However, I made up my mind to give herBlatta orientalisIXtrit., a grain dose every fifteen minutes, and watch the effect myself. Three doses of it were given without much change for the better. I left a few more doses to be repeated half hourly and promised to see her again within a couple of hours. On my return I found her in a much better condition, and she had taken only one of those powders I had left, and they were not repeated, as she felt better. Now I thought it must have been an attack of asthma, and I continued the medicine unhesitatingly. There was no aggravation at night, but on the next morning she was better, and the usual asthmatic cough began with slight expectoration. There was pain in the chest and head with each coughing fit.Blatta orientalis3x trit., four to six doses, was continued for a few days, when she got well. Again in November she had a slight tendency to an asthmatic fit, took two or three doses of the same medicine and got well. Since then she had not been troubled again.

Case VIII.A gentleman, the keeper of a common shop,aged forty-four, belonging to a village, had been suffering from asthma for the last eight years and had always been under treatment of native kabiraj (medical men). In June, he came to the city, and I was called to see him on the 14th of June, to treat him for his asthma. The day previous he had an attack, for which he took no medicine. Each of his attacks usually lasted four or five days. I gave himBlatta orientalisIXtrit., one grain every two hours, and left him six such powders to be taken during the day. He took them and felt better the next day. He stayed here two or three days more, and when well he wanted to proceed home, which was some couple of hundred miles. He took with him two two-drachm phials ofBlatta orientalis, one ofIXand the other of 3x trit. He continued the 3x, one grain doses, two or three times daily, for a month, and discontinued afterward. He had no more asthmatic fits. In January last, 1891, I had a letter from him, thanking me for his recovery and asking for some of the same medicine for a friend of his, who had been suffering from asthma. The friend of his who used the same drug,Blatta orientalis, was equally benefited.

Case IX.Mrs. Dalta, a thin lady, aged thirty-eight, mother of several children, had been exposed to cold, which brought on an attack of bronchitis with fever. This, in the course of a fortnight, developed into a regular fit of asthma. She was all this time treated by an old-school physician, but when the husband of the lady saw that she was daily getting worse, and a new disease crept in, he made up his mind to change the treatment. I was called to see her in the morning of the 8th of June, 1890. She became very much emaciated, could not take any food, had fever with acute bronchitis, hurried respiration, difficulty of breathing; this she was complaining of bitterly, owing to which she could not lie down in bed, but had to sit up day and night. There was a prolonged fit of spasmodic cough at short intervals, with slight expectoration, but these coughing fits would make her almost breathless. This was the first time I prescribedBlatta orientalisIXin a case of asthma with fever and acute bronchitis. It answered my purpose well. She had only ten powders during the day and passed a comparatively better night. Next morning when I saw her she was better, except the coughing fits, which were continuing as before. The same medicine was repeated. On the 10th of June she had no asthmatic trouble at night, but there was not much improvement in her cough—Anti. tart.andBryoniawere needed to complete the cure.

Nat. Ord., Fungi.Common Names, Larch Agaric, Larch Boletus, Purging Agaric, White Agaric.Preparation.—The dried fungus is macerated in five parts by weight of alcohol.

(Here are two typical cases out of thirteen by Dr. W. H. Burt, which we find in theNorth American Journal of Homœopathy, 1866, quoted from thMedical Investigatorfrom a volume not attainable.)

Case 1.Intermittent fever: Type Quotidiana Duplex. In a large lymphatic woman; weight about 180 lbs.; aged thirty-nine. November 4th. For the last five weeks has had the ague. At first it was a simple quotidian. Took Quinine, which broke it for four days, when it returned; took Quinine in massive doses, which checked it for one week. It returned two weeks since, in the form of a double quotidian. The chill comes on every day at 10a.m.and 5p.m.

The chill lasts from one to two hours each time; hands and feet get icy cold, chills run up and down the spine, with severe pains in the head, back and limbs; followed by high fever for three hours, and then profuse sweat. Tongue furred whitish-yellow, with large fissures in the tongue; flat, bitter taste; has had no appetite for five weeks; craves cold water all the time; bowels rather costive; has nausea during everychill, but no vomiting; very weak, can only sit up about one hour in the morning; great depression of spirits, cries during the whole examination; face very much jaundiced. Treatment:Ars. 2, every two hours, for three days. It produced constant nausea and lessened the chills, but aggravated the fever. I then determined to try theBoletus1st, two grs. every two hours. Took two doses when the chills came on, she then ceased to take the medicine until 5p.m.Took three doses, and then fell asleep. 8th. Says she is feeling a little better, continued treatment; 10a.m., commenced to have a severe diarrhœa, an effect of the medicine; discontinued the powders until 5p.m.The fever did not come on until 3p.m.; had no chill; fever lasted three hours; perspired profusely all night; slept well for the first time in a number of weeks. 9th. Feeling much better. Fever came on at 4p.m., had no chill; fever lasted four hours; nausea all the evening; sweat all night. 10th. Feeling quite well. Had no more fever, but had night sweats for a week after. Convalescence was very slow; notwithstanding she had no more fever it was three weeks before she felt perfectly well.

This case demonstrates the fact to us that theBoletusis superior to ourgreatest remedialagents in the case of intermittents. I believe if I had not been acquainted with the therapeutic properties of theBoletusI would have been compelled to treat this lady every few weeks for two or three months with our usual remedies.

Case 2.Intermittent fever: Type quotidian. November 1st, Mrs. B., aged fifty-six. Temperament, nervous. Three weeks since had an abscess in left ear, which made her quite sick for a week. Since then has had a fever every afternoon and night; feels chilly whenever she moves; walking produces nausea; does not perspire any; tongue coated white; loss of appetite; bowels loose; very restless at night, cannot sleep any; getting very weak, keeps her bed most of the time. GaveBoletus laricis. Had the fever but one day after.

Preparation.—There are two kinds of renal calculi, the phosphatic and the uric, which should be triturated as separate preparations.

(TheHomœopathric Examiner, 1846, contained the following paper, by Dr. Bredenoll. We may add that the remedy is reported to be peculiarly beneficial in Rigg's disease of the teeth.)

My professional engagements do not permit me to spend much time in writing; the following case, however, I deem worthy of note.

Born of healthy parents, I remained quite healthy until my twenty-third year. I had no trouble in getting over the diseases to which children are generally liable. Some of them, scarlet fever and measles, attacked me when I was already engaged in my professional career. I am now fifty-seven years old.

In the year 1808, while vaccinating children, I caught the itch from one of them. Although I washed myself with soap water immediately, yet a pustule made its appearance in about eight days, between the little finger and ring finger of the left hand; afterwards a few more came on at the same place and some others between the ring and middle finger. I hastened to repel this eruption as fast as possible, which I unfortunately succeeded in doing within the period of eight days.

This suppression of the eruption was followed by a host of diseases: Liability to catching cold; frequent catarrh; rheumatic complaints; toothache; attacks of hemicrania, with vomiting; continual heartburn; hæmorrhoidal complaints, at times tumors, at times fluent; excessive emaciation; afterwards a pustulous eruption over the whole body; painful swelling of the joints, arthritic nodosities in different places; a copper-colored eruption in the face, especially on and about the nose, which made me look like a confirmed drunkard, etc., etc.

These affections tormented me more or less, until in the year 1833 I visited Hahnemann at Coethen, for the purpose of studying homœopathia with him. Hahnemann treated me for three weeks, and I continued the treatment at my native place. My health improved steadily, and at the end of a year I considered myself cured. This lasted until October, 1836, when I was attacked with violent colic in one night. The pain was felt in the region of the left kidney, lancinating, pinching, sore; retching ensued, resulting in vomiting of mucus, and lastly bile. I took a few pellets ofNux v.x; after this the pain disappeared gradually, and the vomiting ceased. Next day I was well again. Two days afterwards I discovered gravel in the urine, and my sufferings had vanished.

One year elapsed in this way; however, I occasionally experienced an uncomfortable sensation in the region of the left kidney, especially when riding on horseback, driving in a carriage, or walking fast; I took at timesLycopod., at timesNux v., in proportion as one or the other of these two remedies appeared indicated.

In November, 1837, I was suddenly attacked with vomiting, accompanied with violent lancinating, sore or pinching pains in the region of the left kidney. The horrible anguish and pain which I experienced extorted from me involuntary screams; I was writhing like a worm in the dust. A calculus had descended into the ureter and had become incarcerated in it. Repeated doses ofNuxrelieved the incarceration, and I distinctly felt that the calculus was descending towards the bladder. After twenty-four hours of horrible suffering the vomiting ceased, the pain became duller and was felt in the region where the ureter dips into and becomes interwoven with the tissue of the bladder: it continued for three days and then disappeared all of a sudden (the stone had not got into the bladder). Thirty-six hours afterwards the calculus entered the bulb of the urethra. I felt a frequent desire to urinate; the urine was turbid and bloody, until at last a calculus offour grains made its appearance in the urine. After this I frequently passed gravel and calculi, at times with slight, at times violent pains, sometimes accompanied with vomiting; I kept the larger calculi, with a view of using them hereafter as a curative agent.

Professor Nasse, of Bonn, where my son studied medicine at the time, has analyzed the calculi, and has found them to be urate of lime. He advised me to takeMerc. dulcisand theSulphate of Sodafor some time; it is scarcely necessary for me to say that I did not follow his advice.

On the fifteenth of February, 1839, I felt the precursory symptoms of a new attack, which really did break out in all its fury on the 16th, and continued on the 17th and 18th. I now caused 5 grains of my calculi to be triturated in my presence with 95 grains of sugar of milk, according to the fashion of Hahnemann, and took 1/2 grain in the evening of the 17th, another 1/2 grain in the morning of the 18th. On this day I passed very turbid urine with a considerable quantity of gravel; however, in the region where the ureter dips into the bladder, I experienced an uncomfortable sensation, but was well otherwise. On the 19th I was obliged to visit a patient at the distance of two miles; on my journey I felt that the calculus was descending into the bladder; the urine which I emitted shortly afterwards was very turbid and bloody. That same evening, after returning home, I felt the stone in the bulb of the urethra, and on the morning of the 20th it came off during stool, but unfortunately got lost among the excrement. To judge from my feeling it must have been larger than any of the preceding calculi, and also rougher, for its passage through the urethra was very painful and followed by an oozing out of blood.

The uncomfortable feeling in the region of the left kidney never disappeared completely; it became especially painful when pressing upon that place, when riding on horseback or in a carriage, when taking exercise or turning the body. It seems to me that the whole pelvis of the kidneys must havebeen full of gravel and calculi. I now took 1/2 grain at intervals of eight days; the result was that I passed gravel and small calculi at every micturition. On the 30th of November my condition got worse, and I continued to take 1/2 grain ofCalc. ren. præp., at longer or shorter intervals, until October 18th, 1840. After this period I ceased to pass any gravel, and I felt entirely well. On the 3d of February I passed some more gravel. Another dose of 1/2 grain ofLapis renalis; another dose on June 3d. On June 17th precursors of another attack; on the 18th vomiting accompanied by all the frightful circumstances which I have detailed above; the vomiting of mucus, bile, ingesta, continued at short intervals until the 26th; my tongue was coated with yellow mucus, and my appetite had completely disappeared.Bryon., Nux v.andPulsat.relieved the gastric symptom; on the 26th, in the afternoon, I passed a calculus of the size of a pea. I now resume the use ofCalc. ren. præp.in 1/2 grain doses, at irregular intervals. On the 23d of October I passed a calculus of the size of a pea, without vomiting; there were no other precursory symptoms except the uncomfortable feeling in the region of the kidney a few days previous. I have felt well ever since and free from all complaint, although I continue the occasional use of 1/2 a grain ofCalc. ren. præp., lest I should have a relapse.

Every time I took a dose ofCalc. ren. pr.I found that the so-called tartar on the teeth became detached a few days afterwards. A short while ago a nodosity, hard as a stone, which had appeared on the extensor tendon of the right middle finger, about nine months ago, and which threatened to increase more and more, disappeared. I consider the tartar on the teeth, calculi renales and arthritic nodosities very similar morbid products.

In conclusion I beg leave to offer the following remarks:

1. Hahnemann's theory of psora is no chimera, as many theoreticians would have us believe. I was perfectly healthy previous to my being infected with itch. What a host of sufferings have I been obliged to endure after the suppression of the itch!

2. Isopathy deserves especial notice.

It is true, the most suitable homœopathic remedies afforded me relief; the incarceration of calculi in the ureter especially was relieved byNux; but they were unable to put a stop to the formation of calculi; this result was only attained by the preparation ofCalc. ren.

Nat. Ord., Rhamnaceæ.Common Names, New Jersey Tea. Red Root. Wild Snowball.Preparation.—The fresh leaves are pounded to a pulp and macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.

(The following by Dr. Majumdar inIndian Homœpathic Review, 1897, illustrates the chief use of this "organ remedy.")

Recently I had a wonderful case of supposed heart disease cured byCeanothus. I am indebted to my friend, Dr. Burnett, for the suggestion of usingCeanothus.

A thin and haggard looking young man presented himself to my office on the 26th of July, 1896. He told me he had some disease of the heart and had been under the treatment of several eminent allopathic physicians of this city; some declared it to be a case of hypertrophy of the heart and some of valvular disease.

Without asking him further, I examined his heart thoroughly, but with no particular results. The rhythm and sounds were all normal only there was a degree of weakness in these sounds. Dulness on percussion was not extended beyond its usual limit. So I could not make out any heart disease in this man.

On further inquiry, I learned that the man remained in a most malarious place for five years, during which he had beensuffering off and on from intermittent fever. I percussed the abdomen and found an enormously enlarged and indurated spleen, reaching beyond the navel and pushing up the thoracic viscera.

The patient complained of palpitation of heart, dyspnœa, especially on ascending steps and walking fast. I thought from these symptoms his former medical advisers concluded heart disease. In my mind they seemed to be resulted from enlarged spleen.

On that very day I gave him six powders ofCeonothus Amer.3x, one dose morning and evening. I asked him to see me when his medicine finished. He did not make his appearance, however, on the appointed day. I thought the result of my prescription was not promising. After a week he came and reported unusually good results.

His dyspnœa was gone, palpitation troubled him now and then, but much less than before. He wanted me to give him the same powders. I gave himSac. lac., six doses, in the usual way.

Reported further improvement; the same powders ofSac. lac.twice. To my astonishment I found the spleen much reduced in size and softened than before; I knew nothing about this patient for some time. Only recently I saw him, a perfect picture of sound health. He informed me that the same powders were sufficient to set him right. He gained health; no sign of enlarged spleen left.

Nat. Ord., Rubiaceæ.Common Names, Button Bush, Crane Willow.Preparation.—The fresh bark of branches and roots is pounded to a pulp and macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.

(The item given below was contributed to theAmerican Observer, 1875, by Dr. E. D. Wright.)

Proving—one-half ounce in a day.

First day—raw, sore throat; nervous, excited; felt light and easy, happy; bowels constipated.

Second day—the same dose. Hard dreams about fighting, quarreling; restless and tossing over; joints of the fingers lame; griping pains in the lungs(?); in body and limbs, especially in the joints; toothache; bowels loose, stool offensive; almost affected by the piles.

Cures.—Intermittent fever, quotidian and tertian fever; sore throat, quinsy—had very good effect.

Rheumatic fevers, with soreness of the flesh.

A teamster fell in the river. Cold, and inflammatory fever was cured quickly.

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