p. 475, et seq. "Dr. Beil's Reference to Böcker's Contributions to the Art of Healing," Crefield, 1849. I consider as groundless the objection made in the note 1. c. that Böcker has neglected the subjective symptoms in favour of the objective.

So brilliant an example could not fail to draw after it many followers, from the mass of whom, who carried out, after Böcker's plan, further attempts of the same description, with even not unimportant improvements on his method, it is difficult to say who was the best; the following data therefore are only meant to prove that the work is going on continually and with success, and not to indicate the degree of merit of the authors. Thus, amongst many other works, there are that of Mr. D. D. Münch on Natron bicarb., that of Pokrowsky on the preparations of Iron, of Stadion, Winogradof, and Bähr on Digitalis, Frohnmüller on Fol. coca, Moleschott on Arsenic, and so on; to which may be added the works of Messrs. Schroff, Cl. Bernard, J. Clarus, as well as those of many teachers of Pharmaco-dynamics in Germany, England, France, Russia, and Italy. But we have no work to my knowledge which aims at fundamentally collecting, sifting, and completing all the materials of pharmaco-dynamics, so far as they relate to experiments on healthy human beings (specially, without however excluding experiments on animals), the works to be incorporated being rather scattered through journals, weekly and monthly magazines, and inaugural dissertations, so that it is almost impossible for one person to become master of everything pertaining to the science.

Another step of late years in advance is pathological anatomy, in its application to the Materia Medica. How are the organic structures altered by medicines applied in different modes? That is the all-important question which this science, indispensable to every medical man, endeavours to solve. Through pathological anatomy pharmaco-dynamics receive stability and assurance; it furnishes the objective symptoms of the effects of the medicine which afford the very necessary elucidation and fixedness to the sub

jective, these being by no means valueless, but still often ambiguous, and consequently untrustworthy. The results of pathological anatomy, and those of organic chemistry are, in their united application, the compass which guides the inquirer through the intricacy of subjective symptoms, and preserves him from errors, which, as experience shows, without these two helps, could not be avoided.

We derive the knowledge of changes of structure of bodies, or of individual parts, partly from dissecting otherwise healthy persons, who have fallen victims to poison, administered either through malice or ignorance, and are already indebted to this source of information for much beautiful and diversified instruction; it is only to be wished that all the materials which a tragic occurrence provides us, should be made use of most carefully by good and skilful hands. Other information can be obtained from the results of poisons on animals; it is surely superfluous to remark that the transfer of the results of experiments on animals to man is not admissible in every case; still, it may be added that there would be little cause for fearing the introduction of grave mistakes, were the experiments conducted by experienced hands, and sufficiently increased in number on different kinds and classes of animals (the five higher classes of animals, mammalia, birds, amphibia, fish, and molluscs, may be especially kept in view), with the addition of experiments, not of a deadly or dangerous character, on human beings themselves.

In other cases it is not at all necessary to employ deadly doses, or a great quantity of substances not properly poisonous, in order to discover the sought for effects on organized matter.

We must be well acquainted with the stethoscope and plessimeter, by which many secrets connected with diseases of the thorax are unveiled; the laryngoscope teaches us how to survey the larynx and trachea; the ophthalmoscope reveals a new world to our observation, and distant gencrations will feel thankful to the illustrious German Professor Helmholz, that his genius procured for us this inestimable

means of investigation by intelligent combinations, and not by a happy accident. It only need be hinted here to my learned readers and kind colleagues that to these means of information belong the ear speculum, and the specula for the anus and vagina, and, in fact, all those instruments which are capable of giving information regarding the position, boundaries, size, surface, and, in some instances, the contents of the organs.

These are essentially the aids which are available and should be employed to raise the science of physiological pharmaco-dynamics to the requirements of the present day. On the right use of these depends the weal of this science; superficial observations, frivolous, inexact analyses, ignorance of the microscope, of auscultation and pathological anatomy introduce false, mistaken results, which, at last, do more harm than Fickel's mendacious provings of Osmium and Actœa spicata.

It is evident, if we compare Hahnemann's Pure Materia Medica with these new requirements of the present day, that it can no longer be considered suited to the times we live in it contains a multitude of subjective symptoms, along with relatively few objective; the "Observations of Others" are at least partly untrue, calculated to mislead, and incorrectly extracted, as I have already proved with regard to Opium, Musk, Dulcamara, and Cannabis; and am prepared to prove with regard to Belladonna, and almost every other medicine. The results of physical diagnosis are wanting; no use has been made of the data of pathological anatomy and organic chemistry with regard to the changes in the organic constituents, nor of all the aids above specified, such as the ear and eye specula, &c. All this is no ground for reproaching Hahnemann, because all these aids are only of recent origin; but the present times dare not disregard them, without incurring just blame.

Like a naked block of granite above the surface of the sea, so plainly lies the necessity before us of preparing a work on physiological pharmaco-dynamics, new, suited to the

times, and complete in all respects; assuming that the deficiencies of the works extant have been proved, I know not what will be thought of the sense of duty actuating medical men, if there should be found no hands endeavouring to realise the claims of humanity and honour.

A year-and-a-half have elapsed since my discourse in Mayence on this subject, without anything having been done in this all-important matter; and therefore honour forbids my remaining silent and urges me once more to do what I

can.

All medical men, allopathists, homœopathists, disciples of Rademacher, and so forth, require a work of the kind, compiled diligently, carefully, scientifically, and critically: assuming its soundness, such an undertaking must result in good, just because it shall maintain the truth which unites all parties like a spiritual bond. Then let us willingly put our hands to the work, each one according to his ability; the labour is too great for any one individually. It is true that a professor of Materia Medica, who is not dependent on private practice for his living, who can place himself in communication with the directors of chemical laboratories, who can have the assistance of anatomists, and skilful diagnosers in difficult cases at all times, who finds amongst his pupils persons easily persuaded to submit to experiments; such an one can do much, very much, and much has been done by Professor Schroff and others; but the readers of these leaves are not professors, and the author of these lines is so hampered and harassed in more than one direction, that he must cease to think of such a lofty undertaking.

But that which is too difficult for one can easily be carried out by united efforts; and since I probably may not be able to recur to the subject, I will close with an exposition of my views as to how the work should be set about.

We will suppose that a manipulation of Belladonna in the manner suggested has been taken in hand.

The worker collects all the accounts of poisons which he can procure, as has just been done with remarkable diligence by Dr. K. Hencke; he must be well read in medical

literature; but as no one person can read everything, members of the society should undertake the duty of communicating to the editor those points which he is still unacquainted with, or which have been hitherto out of his reach. Non-members are invited to assist in this. On the part of the editor there now follows a circumspect, humane, but severe and just, criticism of all the cases; those which are incredible, superficially worked out, too defectively related, or may be, fabricated altogether, are rejected; the most instructive are noted down in detail; others less instructive may be noticed in foot-notes. Everywhere let there be the utmost possible completeness. Name of the observer; sex, age, manner of life, temperament, state of health of the poisoned persons, how the poison was administered, and how, and with what its effects were combated; exact necroscopy, chemical verification of the poison in the secretions and organs of the body, the duration up to death or perfect recovery. As exact a description as possible of all appearances, details of their commencement, climax, and disappearance, all in chronological order.

Even with the best intentions, it will not be often practicable to give all these, or even many less important points in cases of poisoning; but they must never be omitted, mutatis mutandis, in intentional provings. Results of dissection, it is to be hoped, will never be available here; but exact information regarding phenomena in the chest, stomach, eyes, female genitals and so on, by the stethoscope and different specula; analyses of the expired breath, of the urine and fæces; daily weighing of the body; exact comparisons of all these data with those of the processes of life in a normal state; exact report of the doses, whether they acted or did not act, &c.

All the results thus obtained will be carefully weighed, as in the cases of poisoning, arranged on the same principle, preserved, or rejected. The symptoms caused by poisoning, and those obtained by provings, will supplement and illustrate each other. Experiments on animals will be often indispensable to elucidate doubtful points; they must be conducted and explained as exactly as those on human beings.