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yellow vapour of sodium; the two similars in colour, the yellow of the sun's rays, and the yellow of the sun's vapour, through which it must pass, neutralise each other, causing darkness. And so of many other metals, &c. Hence, the very phrase, 'spectrum analysis,' for thus, by the homoeopathic principle, we analyse even the constitution of the sun itself!

"Indeed, so absolute is the demonstration of this principle in all departments of dynamics, so well understood is it by all scientists, that to deny it in medicine, to decry, ignore, or neglect a system of cure, a science of therapeutics based upon it; or, worse than this, to persecute or denounce such a system, seems like sheer infatuation. That some time it must triumph, is just as evident as the march of the physical sciences, to which it thus appeals for illustration and demonstration. Even the doses of homœopathy are detectable more and more by the delicate instruments which science furnishes to supplement and assist our dull senses; but what can these avail to correct the dulness of the mind which refuses evidence against a darling prejudice, which ever maintains the wheel and the rack, and feeds the fires of the Medical Inquisition, crushing, tearing, and burning the independent man who, forswearing authority in favour of science, and accepting the law of similars in medical practice, happens to be found in its merciless clutches; and which, in regular routine, inflicts on new generations of men the old, old empiricism, or the far-fetched and complicated new philosophy of allopathic therapeutics.

"Meeting such men, however, you may compel respect, by your thorough familiarity with infinitesimalism and similarity of force-waves, as effective in physical phenomena generally; with the universality of molecular power, versus the powers of any mass of matter in Nature; and more than all, by such familiarity with the forces of your remedies which can neutralise similar forces in disease, that the maladies which they fail to cure shall, at your bidding, depart."

The April number, the last which has come to hand, contains nothing calling for special notice.

We have now, as it were, reintroduced to our readers the American journals, and shall for the future treat them

every quarter as old acquaintances, noting whatever of new and true they bring to our hand.

BELGIUM.

Revue Homœopathique Belge.We have received the second number (May, 1874) of this new journal, and are glad to welcome it. It is published at Brussels under the editorship of Dr. Martiny, of that city. The number before us contains several articles of interest to homœopathic readers. Among them is a report of a meeting of the "Société de Médecine de Gand," from which we gather that physicians practising homœopathically are not forbidden to enjoy the membership and share the discussions of medical societies in Belgium. May it soon be so here.

CLINICAL RECORD.

Veratrum Viride in Menstrual Colic.

MBS. W is a picture of health and beauty, only thirty-eight years of age, quite corpulent, nervo-sanguineous temperament, black hair, black sparkling eyes. She is a widow for now three years; never had children, nor was she ever pregnant; was reared and lived all her life in luxury and wealth; was never an hour sick until she married. Her husband was a healthy, powerful man, addicted to high living and drinking. Her trouble is this. Her menses, which are regular with regard to time, quantity, and character, are preceded for three days by the most terrible menstrual colic, which to describe she has no words for; the pain extends all over the body; head and face look bloodshot to bursting; the pain runs into the head from the neck; pulsation in head, neck, and carotids; sight disappears at times, and at times, again, everything is moving in confusion before her eyes; tongue feels heavy, but is clean and looks natural; great thirst; pulse full and bounding.

This case has puzzled for the last five years the master-minds of our school, as well in America as in Europe; perhaps there are some of my readers who may remember the case. Nothing will give relief except leeches on the cervix and electricity, and this was only temporarily, and, having been used so frequently, they are fast losing their beneficial influence. Physicians of such undoubted ability and skill had prescribed for her that I thought it almost laughable to try my hand on it, and still the urgent demand was there to do something. That remedies like Acon., Bell., &c., had been faithfully, though in vain, used, she

told me frankly. But when she insisted on knowing the remedy I would prescribe, I positively declined to do so, knowing that it is better to keep it to myself. I gave her, almost empirically, Veratrum viride, 1st dec., five or six drops to be taken once every half hour during six hours. At the end of this time I saw her again, and found that the remedy had undoubtedly exerted some beneficial influence; she was calmer, and the pains became somewhat less until the flow commenced, when she felt quite well again. After its cessation I made an examination per speculum, which revealed but little; the vaginal walls, as well as the cervix, were somewhat congested and puffy, no indurations; otherwise everything had a natural appearance. I now gave her for two weeks, every other night, a dose of Veratr. viride 200, anxiously awaiting the next term; and on it came, and as bad as ever, too. I at once fell back upon Veratr. vir. 1, with the same apparently good result as formerly. After cessation I ordered her to take the same remedy in the same form during the whole time intervening, five to six drops every morning and night. At the following term the good effects of this remedy became so apparent that I concluded to try it for another month, but here it seemed improvement ceased. I still persevered with the remedy, but six days ahead of the next term I ordered, twice a day, a warm bath, to which I added two ounces of Veratr. vir. During the bath I made her insert a speculum, so that the water might freely enter into the vagina. The result proved to be beyond expectation, and the continuance of this treatment during the next four months restored my patient to perfect and normal health. I may mention here that warm baths, as she had used them formerly, never exerted any influence whatever. (Dr. Eggert, in North American Journal of Homœopathy, November, 1873.)

MISCELLANEOUS.

British Homœopathic Congress.

THE Congress this year was held in London on the 4th of June. The large Board Room of the London Homœopathic Hospital was placed at the service of the Congress by the Council of the Hospital. The proceedings commenced at 11 o'clock with an address by the President, Dr. Dudgeon, "On the Influence of Homœopathy in General Medicine since the Death of Hahnemann,” after which Dr. Dyce Brown read a paper" On the Action of Nitric acid in certain forms of Cough," on which there was a lively discussion. After this the Congress adjourned for an hour for luncheon, which was served in the Physician's Room of the Hospital. On reassembling, the report of the Hahnemann Publishing Society was read, and then Dr. R. D. Hale read a paper " On the Action, Selection, and Administration of Drugs," which excited a long and animated discussion. He was followed by Dr. Edward Blake with a paper "On Malignant Growths." The discussion of this paper occupied the Congress until half-past five o'clock, and no time remained for the reading of three other papers that had been sent in, viz. a paper " On Aloes," by Dr. W. B. Scott ; one "On the State of Homoeopathy in Brazil," by Dr. Camara, of Rio de Janeiro; and one "On the Treatment of the Fever of Bengal," by Dr. M. Lál Sircar, of Calcutta. These papers accordingly were taken as read and ordered to be published in the Transactions of the Congress, which will appear in the Monthly Homœopathic Review.

At half-past six o'clock the members of the Congress and their friends, to the number of upwards of one hundred, sat down to an excellent dinner at the Pall Mall Restaurant in Regent Street, Dr. Dudgeon in the chair. Numerous toasts were proposed, and a number of concerted pieces, glees, &c., sung by a chorus com

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