sectional session is called; nor how many eloquent appeals may be made by the President of the Institute or the Chairman of the Section. The real key to the bothersome question lies in making the sectional work so universally interesting and instructive that the general profession will stay as by first intention. But a specialist enthusiast, around whose specialty the entire medical world revolves, is rarely ever broad enough of vision to make his paper or his section of general interest.

-Dr. Kraft's office hours are in the afternoon from 2 to 6 o'clock.

-Dr. E. P. Swift, formerly of Pleasantville, N. Y., has removed to 170 West 88th Street, New York. His successor at Pleasantville is Dr. E. N. Wilcox.

-If you will address a postal to Charles Marchand, 59 Prince Street, New York, a three-hundred-page book entitled "Rational Treatment of Diseases Caused by Germs" will be sent free.

-In a popular lecture given by a medical man some time ago, he drew attention to an advertisement which at one time appeared on the inner cover of yellow-back railway novels, describing the advertiser's pills as "not fooling round like other pills" but doing their work at once.

-The Automobile in Country Practice is the subject of an article by A. D. Hurd, M. D., M. E., in the Medical News, says the N. Y. Med. Times of current date. Speaking from actual unbiased experience and after several years of close study and observation, he concludes that "the country physician cannot successfully use any antomobile now on the market to make his regular trips over average roads at all times of the year, and an investment made upon different representations will result in disappointment and failure." We would like to meet with a "country" physician in this country, or at least in this neck of the woods, who can afford to pay from seven hundred to twelve hundred dollars for an automobile. In our humble estimation he is

about as rare as that impossible farmer in whom the comic stage and the cartoonist delight. We found that in a 4- to 6-inch yaller mud in winter, and in the summer the same depth of glass-bearing sand, an ordinary Columbus-cart with a hard spring and a soft-pulling horse, was about the proper thing. We counsel such exceptional country physicians" who are able, out of the frugality of their practice, to invest in automobiles, to wait a while longer until it is become more certain that the automobile will not break down even on boulevarded city roads and have to be toted home by a team of sarcastic-looking bob-tailed horses.

-A work on " Mental Diseases and their Modern Treatment," by Dr. Selden H. Talcott, Superintendent of the Middletown (N. Y.) State Homeopathic Hospital for the Insane, has just been issued by Boericke & Runyon. This book will be welcomed by the profession.

-A new text-book is announced on Special Surgery for Practitioners and Students," by Dr. Franz Koenig, translated from the seventh German edition, which has but recently appeared, by Arthur Hosmer, M. D., and edited by Christian Fenger, M. D. Herbert S. Stone & Co. of Chicago are the publishers.

-The following story is taken from the Revue des Traditions Populaires :

"One day, said a dervish, in a Western land I was passing near a physician; patients were before him, and he was prescribing remedies for them. I went to him and said: Treat my ailment, and may God have mercy on you!' He inquired for a minute as to my suffering, and said, Take roots of poverty, leaves of patience with myrobalan of humility; collect all in the vessel of certainty; pour on it the water of the fear of God; kindle underneath the fire of sorrow; filter with the filter of conscience into the cup of satisfaction; mix with the wine of trust in God; take it with the hand of sincerity, and drink with the glass of entreaty. Afterwards rinse thy mouth with the water of abstinence, refrain thyself from concupisence, and the most high God will heal thee-if such be his pleasure.'

"The last five words may be commended as a model of prognostic discretion. As for the prescription itself, though it is already a notable example of polypharmacy, we think it would be improved by the addition of the bark of industry to the leaves of patience and the other simples recommended. Thus amended the prescription would doubtless have a wide range of usefulness, not only therapeutically but prophylactically."

-Dr. Kraft's next European tour will include Queenstown, Cork, Lakes of Killarney, Dublin, Liverpool, Kenilworth, Warwick, Stratford-uponAvon, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Cologne, The Rhine, Heidelberg, Berlin, Vienna, Venice, Rome, Genoa, Lucerne, Strassburg, Metz, Paris, and other intermediate points.

Will sail from Philadelphia, in July. Absent forty-five to fifty-five days. Terms moderate. Apply early.

The American Homeopathist. ISSUED TWICE A MONTH. This journal is published for its subscribers only, and has no free list. Sample copies are never sent. Subscriptions are not discontinued until so ordered. A. L. CHATTERTON & CO., Publishers.

medicine in the past century, does better in the way of diagnosis, because it makes use of modern knowledge and modern instruments and the like.

But we have learned of two instances, recently (and know of others earlier), where the Mohammedan medical priest in charge of the Torquemada medical horror diagnosed, in the one instance, appendicitis, and in the other pelvic tumor: where, singularly enough, in the first instance he failed to find the appendix, but did find a sarcoma of the liver; and in the latter found another dangerous sarcoma, and of the same viscus: and that he cut into both. The wreath of autumn leaves with the purple ribbon told the rest.

Now this wasn't any of your small-fry surgeons or would-be gynecologists. This was one of the first order of eminence and ability.

At another time a tumor was diagnosed. (We beg our readers to forgive us for referring to a bit of triteness which is currently accepted as a standing medical jokes always happening in the life of an ordinary, high-potency general practitioner-because these latter gentry know nothing of diagnosis.) This eminent surgical scientific scimetar-wielder, after, pow-wowing and paw-pawing for a costly space of time, in the presence of the patient and her husband, delivered himself of the oracular opinion that the protuberant something was a tumor of a certain grade and degree of malignancy and danger. On the morning of the fourth ensuing day, all other things being in readiness, and the surgeon's mind at ease, the tumor would be

night and day. It gives relief at once and kills the worms that are burrowed in the skin.

Aspidospermine In Bronchial Asthma.

The following case is recorded by Dr. Jos. P. Cobb3:

Mr. H., age twenty-four, suffered with a functional heart disease for some time. There was considerable dyspnoea, some cardiac enlargement, particularly of the right side, and a slight mitral murmur. Following this he gave evidence of emphysema and severe attacks of asthma. This, I fully believe, came as a result of the cardiac complications.

The physical examination revealed something of the barrel-shaped thorax, slight movements of the diaphragm, and prolonged expiration. Various râles were heard at different times, and the sputum had the characteristic "pearls" or rounded gelatinous masses.

The treatment of this case has been very unsatisfactory, and I have followed indications of all kinds, but could get no marked relief. Recently I have given aspidospermine 3x, I must admit from no definite indication, but, notwithstanding, there has been much relief.

I quote this case hoping thereby to get someone else interested in the study of this remedy in cases of asthma, and at the same time to watch it myself.

There are many remedies which we may consider with interest in cases of this kind. Valerinate of ammonia is very useful in conditions of neurotic irritation; under such conditions it readily overcomes the spasmodic contractions of the bronchioles. Hyoscyamus and hydrobromate of hyoscine act more on the cerebro-spinal system; hence, the brain and nervous symptoms are particularly pronounced. The functional symptoms are mild, but not persistent; with these remedies circulatory disturbances rarely go on to inflammatory conditions. With belladonna and stramonium we get decided cerebral excitement, even to maniacal extremes in the latter.

Lobelia is no doubt the most typical asthmatic remedy, but nausea and vomiting always attend the cardinal symptoms. Grindelia robusta is also a valuable remedy, but there is always great cardiac weakness, with extreme sense of constriction when lying on the back.

Crataegus Oxycantha.

Dr. W. E. Reilly 12 believes that the symptoms calling for cratægus are, as well as his observation can estimate, as follows:

Mental. Apprehension, despondency, and general mental depression.

Chest.-Oppression of the breathing. Ex

By T. G. STONHAM, M. D. Lond., M. R. C. S., Assistant Physician London Homeopathic Hospital. Barium belongs to the group of alkaline earths, viz., barium, strontium, and calcium. It is the most poisonous of the three, though it is with difficulty that it penetrates the epithelium of the intestinal canal, and is therefore absorbed very slowly. It is stored up in the bones, and is excreted partly by the urine and, probably, partly by the bowel.

Salts of barium, when locally applied to a muscle, cause it, when electrically stimulated, to contract, to describe a curve very like that caused by veratrine. The rapidity of onset and the height of the curve remain normal, but the duration of the curve is enormously prolonged. This effect is diminished by heat, cold, and by potash. Thus the contratile power of muscle is increased by barium, and the prolongation of the contraction favors the production of tonic. contraction, when stimuli rapidly succeed each other. So that, when intravenous injections of barium are given, its action on the central nervous system sets up violent tonic and clonic spasms.

The action of barium on unstriped muscular fiber is even more marked. Very small quantities increase the force of the heart, and at the same time cause the muscle walls of the arteries to contract and so increase the blood-pressure enormously. The unstriped muscle of the stomach and intestines is thrown into violent contractions, causing vomiting and purging accompanied by active peristalsis.

In its action on the heart barium is in the group comprising digitalis, caffeine, and, in small doses, potassium and cuprum, in which there is stimulation, as shown by increased energy of contraction, the rate of pulsation remaining the same or becoming slower; while with a larger dose the stage of stimulation is followed by one of peristaltic action and final arrest in systole.

It is a curious fact that potassium has a considerable antidotal effect on barium. Brunton and Cash have found that by feeding an animal withpotash for some time before administering barium, though unable to prevent the fatal action of a lethal dose, they were able to modify and diminish its action and prolong life.

A similar result takes place with regard to rubidium, which produces a muscle curve almost exactly like that of barium; yet, when the two are given together, they completely antagonise one another, and the characteristic curve longer occurs.

no

Barium is found in some mineral springs. It can only occur in waters which contain no soluble sulphates, as these at once precipitate it; and as most mineral springs contain these, the presence of barium is somewhat rare. It is, however, found as chloride in the waters of Llangammarch Wells in Brecknockshire, in association with the chlorides of calcium, sodium, and magnesium, and also in the strongly muriated waters at Kreuznach, in the chloride of iron spring at Harrogate, and combined with sulphur in the old sulphur well at Harrogate. Our knowledge of the pharmacodynamics of barium is obtained from records of poisonings and provings by three of its saltsthe carbonate, acetate, and chloride-recorded in the "Chronic Diseases" and in the "Cyclopedia of Drug Pathogenesy." No marked difference has been observed between the three salts, and they have been used interchangeably; but perhaps the chloride has a more marked effect on the arterial system than the other two.

The influence of barium is greatest on the nervous system and the circulatory system, and we will consider these first.

(A.) The Nervous System. The mental symptoms are anxiety, dread of men, cowardice, forgetfulness, loss of power of attention, loss of wish to play. These latter symptoms have been

used as indications for the use of barium in backward or stunted children. But the mind remains quite clear, and there are no delusions or hallucinations, and there is full consciousness almost up to the moment of death.

The force of the poison seems to fall on the upper motor neuron, from its origin in the cortex to its termination in the motor cells of the spinal cord. There is no loss of sensation, and reflex excitability is increased, so that the lower neural arc is unaffected, as is also the sensory tract in the cord.

There are painless twitchings of muscles, cramps in calves, legs, and toes; sometimes violent convulsions which terminate life-symptoms due to irritation of the upper motor neuron; but more generally the symptoms are those of its paralysis, viz., great general weakness and prostration of all voluntary muscles, going on to absolute paralysis; eyes become stiff, ptosis, double vision, etc., occur. Thus in a proving recorded in the "Cyclopedia," which illustrates this, Dr. Lugarde "soon became so weak he had to go to bed. After three hours he could no longer move his arm; after eight 'hours both upper and lower extremities were almost paralyzed. Paralysis increased and spread first to abdomen, then to chest and neck, and last to sphincters of bladder and rectum. Coughing, spitting, and even utterances of polysyllables became difficult, respirations were labored, and urine and fæces were evacuated involuntarily. No pain was felt, but the experimenter, with full consciousness and unimpaired sensation, experienced all the sensations of impending death." Baryta should therefore be useful in sclerosis of the lateral tract of the cord and in insular sclerosis, in so far as that is the part of the nervous system affected, though, as is the case with any remedy, it would need to be given in the early stages before the nerves have been destroyed or irrevocably damaged. It should also be useful in cases of cerebral hemorrhage in assisting the restoration of motor strands connected with cells which have been injured but not destroyed. In the same way it is said to be a valuable remedy for premature senility.

The loss of control of the sphincters, which is so characteristic a symptom of the provings and poisonings, is due to the same weakening influence which baryta has on the motor tract. The centers for the control of the sphincters, being under the influence of impulses descending by centrifugal tracts from the higher centers, react more readily to reflex stimuli when this influence is weakened by any disease of these tracts; and the tendency to incontinence so resulting is re-enforced in the case of baryta by its action in stimulating unstriped muscular fiber and pro

ducing peristalsis. For both these reasons barium is a good remedy for enuresis occurring in stunted, unhealthy children, and also for the escape of urine and uncertainty with regard to the sphincters which sometimes occurs in old

men.

In the same way barium is a capital remedy for nocturnal emissions in somewhat debilitated subjects. The lessened inhibiting powers, always present during sleep, being re-enforced by the weakness produced by anæmia or want of nutrition of the centripetal fibers, allows any slight stimulus from the gastro-intestinal system or elsewhere to set up a reflex discharge in the center in the cord, and an emission results. Dr. Percy Wilde relates a case in the "Monthly Homeopathic Review" for June, 1892: Á young man, with intellectual abilities and of good moral tone, suffered from nocturnal emissions, which were followed by much exhaustion. There was flatulence, slow digestion, distressing palpitation, inability to study; dull aching in back, diminished by lying down. Baryta carb. 6 was given, and in three weeks all the symptoms were gone.

I have myself lately had a similar case. H. G., single, aged twenty-six, a clerk, had lately run down in health; he complained of seminal emissions. There was some enlargement of the thyroid, the bowels were constipated, and he had a dull occipital headache. He was given baryta carb. 6x, 2 tablets, ter die. The constipation and headache disappeared and the nocturnal emissions ceased. He remained quite well for some months, when the debilitating influence of an attack of influenza caused a return of his symptoms. They were again soon cured by the baryta carb. 6x.

In the provings, ptosis and drooping of the upper eyelids are mentioned more than once, as also are twitchings of the facial muscles and of the orbicularis palpebrarum, so that barium seems to have a special affinity for the muscles thrown into action by the facial nerve.

In accordance with this, it has been used in facial paralysis with success. Dr. Bayes records a good case: A woman who had been treated for a long time without success at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, was unable to close one eye, and suffered much inconvenience from this as well as from the facial paralysis. Baryta completely cured this case" ("Applied Homeopathy ").

Autopsies have shown congestion of the brain and its membranes, and a remarkably dark color of the gray substance of the brain. There is no record among the autopsies of any microscopic examination of nervous system.

(B.) The Vascular System.-Barium in small doses stimulates the heart, increasing the force