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'Griping in the abdomen especially about the umbilicus, like a cutting or squeezing; worse on moving.

"Pain in the bowels like a colic, with some distension and emission of flatus.

“At each access of pain in the bowels, agitation all over the body.

66

Gradually increasing constriction in the intestines, every 10 or 20 minutes.

66

'Bruised feeling in the bowels, with distension and tenderness. "Feeling in the whole abdomen at intervals, as if the intestines were being squeezed between stones."

The following was the prescription, namely: Two drops of Colocynth 3rd dilution, in half a glass of water. One teaspoonful to be given after each paroxysm, until they ceased to return.

About half an hour after I left, the paroxysms of pain returned with increased violence, and with only one or two minutes' interval. The medicine was then given as directed. In an hour the intervals between the pains were longer, and in three hours the little patient was asleep! At 8 o'clock the next morning she awoke, without pain.

It may be asked are there no remedies which might have been substituted for the Colocynth? Chamomilla and Dioscorea are the only near analogues of Colocynth. Either of them might have proved curative, and I should have given one or the other had Colocynth not been in my pocket-case.

I neglected to say that I ordered the immediate discontinuance of the gum-water, and prescribed instead a weak essence of beef, and rice-water. This diet was continued for several days with decided benefit. For three or four days slight paroxysms of pain would occur about once in three or four hours, and the Colocynth was therefore given as usual, after each pain. As is usual with cases taken off from allopathic hands, more trouble is experienced in removing the drug-symptoms, than the original malady. In this case I had to combat the gastric disorder, the canine hunger, furred tongue, indigestion, and flatulence caused by the Mercury, Quinine, and Turpentine; and the inflammation of the bladder and congestion of the kidneys caused by the latter drug, and also by the absorption of Cantharides from the blister.

To complete the cure I was obliged to use Nux Vomicu, Pulsatilla, and Cannabis.

A good nutritious diet was continued from the commencement of my treatment.—Med. Investigator, October, 1865.

342

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Late Dr. Conolly. By Dr. RUSSELL.

In the Times of Friday, the 15th of March, there appeared a brief but just tribute of respect to the high intellectual, and moral qualities which have won for Dr. Conolly the confidence and esteem of the public. A similar testimony to his worth was borne in the recognised organs of medical opinion by those who were in the habit of continually acting with him in a professional capacity. There is one feature of his character, however, which was not made manifest in either of these obituary notices. Besides being a man of great intellectual attainment and culture, and of high moral elevation and refinement of sentiment, he was remarkable for unusual liberality in his bearing towards those who had adopted the heresy of homœopathy. At a time when the attention of the profession is again being directed to the subject of homoeopathy by the Lancet, and by an able lecturer in Edinburgh, it may be of use to let the voice of the departed wise man be heard before he fades from public memory. About three years ago I was consulted in a case of insanity; the patient was a member of a family part of whom were firm adherents of homoeopathy. The patient was brought to London and put under Dr. Conolly's care. As after some weeks there was no improvement, I was asked whether I would undertake the case. I replied that I should be too happy to contribute, if I could, to the treatment of the case in conjunction with Dr. Conolly, if he had no objection; but that I should be sorry to displace one who was well known to be so excellent an adviser in all that related to the general management of the insane.

The family communicated this to Dr. Conolly, and asked him if he had any objection to associate me with himself in the management of the case. To this request Dr. Conolly replied as follows:

LAWN HOUSE, HANWELL; Monday Evening, Feb. 9th, 1863. "MY DEAR SIR,-I never object to anything that can by possibility be useful to any patient under my direction unless I

think it sure to be mischievous; and in a case such as this the importance of what is done for the satisfaction of those dear to her cannot be overlooked. Instead, therefore, of troubling the patient with a call to-morrow, I would propose that Dr. Russell should see her quietly, and, if it seems desirable, more than once, and that, afterwards, I should have the pleasure of conferring with him anywhere and at any time that can be arranged. I am sure that this will be the best plan to pursue.' This plan was accordingly adopted, and the patient remained under our joint care until the termination of her illness, certainly without any disadvantage to her, and with unshakable comfort to her family.

Feelings experienced while under the influence of a dose of Veratrum Viride. By Mr. P. M. RICE, Galway.

Having taken twenty minims of the Tincture of Veratrum in an ounce of water, nothing unusual occurred until about three hours after, when I went out to walk. I had not gone far when I experienced a sense of weariness in all the muscles of progression-this feeling particularly referrible to the gastrocnemius.

However, I can't altogether attribute this muscular soreness to Veratrum, inasmuch as I had taken some active exercise on gymnastics the day before. I remained out for about an hour, and was scarcely able to get home from muscular weakness. At this time I was in a profuse perspiration, and in a few minutes I was obliged to lie down. Pulse at this time slow (thirty per minute) and not perceptible at the wrist. I remained in this way for a quarter of an hour, and the cold perspiration pouring off, when my stomach got a little sick. Retching continued for three quarters of an hour, vomiting food, mucus, &c., not getting any relief until I threw off some bitter stuff with the characteristic taste of the Veratrum. My mind was perfectly calm all the time, and although I thought it probable I should die, I did not feel alarmed. The excruciating pain described by Dr. Edwards and referrible to the pit of the stomach, I must confess I did not feel; but an unmistakable tendency to cramp existed in my legs when touched or moved.

During all this time, if I assumed the erect position even for a minute dimness of sight and partial syncope supervened, which

obliged me to resume the recumbent posture again, showing the weakened heart's action and its inability to supply the brain with blood, and hence the above symptoms.

This inability to assume the erect position continued for an hour and a half; the extremities being quite cold, and the clammy perspiration gradually wearing off, after which I slowly recovered-a cup of hot strong coffee doing more good than anything else.

A synopsis of the effects of the dose on me would run thus:muscular and nervous prostration, weakened and retarded heart's action, cold extremities, clammy perspiration, sick stomach, an unmistakeable tendency to cramp in the legs, perfect calmness of mind, unconsciousness not having occurred for a single instant, with gradual and perfect recovery.

GALWAY; March 16th, 1866.

(Signed)

P. M. RICE.

On the Treatmeut of Gonorrhoea.

GENTLEMEN,-Like your correspondent Nemo I also have been disappointed with the action of Merc., Canth., Cannabis, &c., in gonorrhoea, as compared with the old treatment by Copaiba and Cubebs.

I believe it is generally acknowledged that these latter drugs are really more homoeopathic to the disease than the former; the objection to their use being their nauseous taste, the gastric derangement they are apt to give rise to, and the large doses it is necessary to administer them in to obtain their remedial action.

During the last few years I have been in the habit of using Copaiba topically in the form of an injection with most satisfactory results. In the acute stage, when there is ardor urinæ and chordee, I give Acon. 3rd dec. dil. frequently in alternation with the same dilution of Canth., and as soon as these symptoms have abated, prescribe the injection of Copaiba, consisting of— Tr. Copaib. O, or what I think is better,

to be used three times daily. The discharge soon becomes less in quantity and thinner.

After using the injection at this strength for a week, one half of the Copaiba should be withdrawn, and as the disease declines, it should be used less frequently. With this treatment I seldom find a case of gonorrhoea last more than a month. It is of the utmost importance that the quantity of Copaiba in the injection be lessened as soon as the patient improves, as in two cases where this was neglected it gave rise to very disagreeable symptoms.

In both cases the patients left town while using the stronger injection, and finding benefit from it, had it made up again. In a few days more the discharge had entirely disappeared, but when Mr. P was beginning to congratulate himself on his speedy cure, hæmorrhage came on suddenly from the urethra, and after it had subsided, a thin gleety discharge remained, with scalding during micturition. In the second case also, the discharge ceased gradually, but the improvement was suddenly succeeded by such violent dysuria, that the patient alarmed ran off to the first surgeon he could find.

Mr. Wallis, house surgeon to the Homœopathic Hospital here, has, on my recommendation, used the lotion in three cases. Unfortunately, through some misunderstanding, Merc. viv. 3, gr. 1 night and morning was prescribed at the same time, which robs them of some of their value; still I think they are worth mentioning. The first was of four months' standing, and had been under allopathic treatment previously. The second discharge had continued three weeks and had also been treated allopathically. The third was a case of two or three weeks' duration, but had not been treated before. Each case was cured within a month. I do not claim to have made any new discovery in medicine, as Pereira states that Velpeau used lavements of Copaiba. All I wish is to recommend this treatment to Nemo and other members of the profession as worthy of trial.

Yours obediently,

HENRY R. IRVINE.

BIRMINGHAM.