severely from rachialgia running into what appeared to be incipient paraplegia, which improved (though only slowly), on removal to Brighton, under Homœopathic treatment (it took about a year to subside), and was, I have no doubt, owing to the continual influence of lead in the water, and arsenic in the paper of the dining room (a dark green flock paper, which on analysis was found to contain arsenic in considerable quantity), began to suffer at the end of December last year. (i.e. about six weeks after the return of the family from the Lakes) from a return of rachialgia in an aggravated form, so that she was confined to her bed for about a month on account of the exhaustion produced by want of sleep and almost total anorexia; there was also a good deal of photophobia (without pyrexia). She improved gradually under Cimicifuga 1 and 3, chiefly, so as to be able to take carriage exercise (the water being taken all the time, not having then been suspected). She subsequently went away for a change; first to St. John's Wood and then to Brighton; returning in the beginning of June quite well, sleeping well, eating well, and able to be about all day. This improvement has continued.

3.-The mother of these two young ladies has been suffering almost the whole time since their return from the North from pain in the lumbar region of the spine, as well as in the region of both kidneys, and latterly also from giddiness and anorexia, with nausea and vomiting occasionally, also a good deal of griping pain at times in the abdomen, with tendency to diarrhoea. The urine, which was dark and somewhat turbid, deposited a large sediment, composed of urate of ammonia, with a few crystals of oxalate of lime and a few cells of renal epithelium; at times a pellicle formed on its surface after standing (Carbonate of Zinc ?). A specimen was examined on April 25th; colour rather dark amber, somewhat turbid, but comes clear on boiling; odour after standing from the previous evening (in a corked bottle) sickening and whey-like, causing a suspicion of the presence of sugar; reaction acid, sp. gr. 1023, no albumen; sugar distinctly present, though in small quantity, by Moore's and Trommer's tests; deposit, on standing two hours, about one

fifth; composition on microscopic examination, as above stated.

This lady improved steadily under Lachesis 6 and Nux vom. 3, which relieved the giddiness; and subsequently Phosph. acid 1, five drops four times a day, which removed the anorexia, and greatly diminished the renal distress in about three weeks. She has continued to improve since then, and is only reminded of her former trouble by a tendency to pain in the back.

Remarks. The distinct development of strabismus, in Case 1, is of interest in connexion with the benefit derived from Zinc in infantile convulsions, according to Drs. Teste and Madden (see Hughes' Pharmacodynamics, second edition); and as the strabismus of delicate children, often the only distinct ailment, is one of the bugbears of medical practice, even under Homœopathic treatment, it may be found of value in this affection.

The severe and constant rachialgia of Case 2, so severe as to cause almost total sleeplessness at night, followed by heaviness in the morning, and photophobia (without fever) during the day, and also almost complete anorexia, allies itself to the severe cephalagia, which is a well-known pathogenetic effect of Zinc, and which has been frequently relieved by it. Aching in the spine with sleeplessness is so often a prominent cause of distress in hysterical ailments, that Zinc promises to be of use in this condition.

The presence of sugar in the urine, in Case 3, is of interest, and though at present (at least to my knowledge) a solitary instance of its production by Zinc in small but continued doses, it may add another remedy to our list for treating diabetes.

Dr. Frankland has informed me that the water of Loch Katrine has just been found to act on galvanized iron in the same manner as the water of the well in question.

HAHNEMANN'S PATHOGENESIS OF FERRUM.

[DR. COOPER's paper in our last number has again drawn attention to the dynamic actions of Iron, as distinct from those uses of it which are classed as 66 chalybeate.' For the foundation of the former we should naturally look to Hahnemann's proving; but for English readers this is practically non-existent, having been omitted (we suppose from accident) by Dr. Hempel in his translation. It has therefore been thought well to present the following rendering, which is made from the second volume of the third edition of the Reine Arzneimittellehre.

Hahnemann has been unusually communicative in this instance as to the authors he has cited. To Ritter, to Schmidtmüller, to Zacchiroli, and to Scherer, he has appended notes, on the first appearance of their names, specifying the dose and preparation of Iron with which the symptoms were obtained. The first and last of these we have been able to consult, and have annotated their observations when necessary, embodying the imformation afforded by the originals. Of the other authors cited, we have not been able to obtain the work of Nebel and Wepfer; Harcke's contributions to vol. xxv of Hufeland's Journal have no mention of Iron, and we cannot find Lentin's two symptoms, at p. 75 of his Beiträge, though he is there speaking of the use of chalybeate baths in various diseases.]

Iron, Ferrum.

We take soft iron filings, reduce them to a powder by triturating them sufficiently in a cast-iron mortar, sift through linen, and of the dust-like powder so obtained (called in the Pharmacopoeias Ferrum pulveratum) we take one grain, which, as directed in the case of Arsenic, we bring by means of trituration for three hours with milksugar to the millionth or third potency, and then by means of 27 dilution bottles to the thirtieth potency.

Although most of the following medicinal symptoms were observed from the employment of a solution of acetate of iron, there is no doubt that they will as surely correspond essentially with those of metallic iron as do the symptoms of dry carbonate of lime with those of acetate of lime.

By ordinary physicians this metal is held to be an intrinsically strengthening drug and not only innocuous, but completely and absolutely wholesome.

How far from true is this allegation, made originally without consideration and without experimental proof, and repeated by teachers to their disciples likewise without consideration and proof, is shown by the observation that, if Iron possesses medicinal power, it must effect an alteration in the health of man, consequently also of the healthy man and make him ill; and the more ill, the more curative it is found to be in diseases.

Nil prodest, quod non laedere possit idem.

The very condition of health in persons living beside ferruginous waters might have taught them what powerful disease-producing properties this metal possesses. The residents in the neighbourhood of ferruginous baths, where all the waters of the vicinity usually contain some of this metal, display palpable signs of its morbific influence on themselves.

In such places there are few persons who from their peculiar nature can resist the injurious effects of the continued use of such water and remain in health. We find there more than almost anywhere else chronic diseases of great importance and peculiar description, even among those whose mode of life is otherwise unexceptionable. Debility of the whole body and of particular parts amounting almost

*It is pure charlatanry to call iron solutions steel drops, and ferruginous mineral waters steel waters and steel baths. These waters are said to exercise indubitably an absolute high degree of strengthening power; for to steel is a metaphorical expression for to strengthen. But iron is only converted into steel when its peculiar elasticity and hardness are developed. When dissolved in acids the steel disappears; the solution then contains merely a substratum of iron, and the oxide (iron ochre) when melted produces nothing but ordinary iron.

to paralysis, certain kinds of violent articular pains, abdominal ailments of various sorts, vomiting of food by day and by night, phthisical pulmonary affections often with hæmoptysis, defective vital heat, suppressed catamenia, premature births, impotence of both sexes, sterility, jaundices, and many other rare cachexias are common occurrences in such situations.

Where then is the pretended complete innocuousness or even the absolute wholesomeness of this metal? Most of those who drink constantly the ferruginous springs, called health springs, and other iron-impregnated waters of the neighbourhood are unhealthy!

What prejudice, what inattention, has hitherto prevented our medical practitioners noticing these striking facts and referring them to their cause, the morbific properties of Iron?

Without knowing the effects of Iron and its solutions, how can they determine in what cases ferruginous baths can be of use? Which among their patients will they send to be treated there? Which advise not to go? When they know nothing accurately of the peculiar effects of this metal on the human body, what have they to guide them in prescribing iron waters for their patients? Blind caprice? Guessing? Fashion? Do not many of their patients return from the baths in a much worse state of health,* proving that for them Iron was the wrong medicine? God pre

serve all patients from a doctor who knows not why he prescribes this or that medicine, who has not convincing reasons for his prescription, who does not know beforehand what medicine will do good, what will do harm to the patient !

* To attempt to strengthen simply, as is done in ordinary practice, is a great mistake. Why is the patient so weak? Evidently because he is ill! The weakness is a simple consequence and a mere symptom of his illness. What sensible person would think of strengthening a patient without having first removed his disease? But if his disease be removed he has always, even during the disappearance of the disease, been recovering his strength of himself by means of the energy of the organism when free from its malady. There is not and there cannot be a strengthening remedy while the disease lasts. The Homœopathic physician only knows how to cure, and while being cured the convalescent regains his strength.