NEW YORK STATE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICAL SOCIETY. The thirty-sixth annual session of the Homœopathic Medical Society of the State of New York was held in Albany, February 9th and 10th, 1887. The session opened with Dr. Henry C. Houghton in the chair, who presented, as the conclusion of his address, the following suggestions for consideration : First. The most attractive feature of the society's life has been the fraternity, the cordial fellow feeling. I am compelled to say that during the last half year we have been threatened with a cloud, no bigger than a man's hand, it is true, but one that has in it the possibilities of an unhappy future. I counsel the calm, brief statement of difficulties, short discussions, a cheerful acceptance of the will of the majority, joined with a respectful attention to the desires and hopes of the minority. Secondly, regarding the financial condition of the society. The president called attention to the indebtedness of the society. Its present sources of income are from permanent members, county society delegates and from the sale of transactions. The disbursements are for expenses of the treasurer's and secretary's offices, the secretary's salary and the issue of transactions. The only way to free ourselves from debt is to increase the receipts or to deprive the secretary of his hardearned salary. Every member of our school who has been in practice ten years should be induced to become a permanent member. The transactions should be issued in two parts semi-annually, one part immediately after the session, and this would increase the demand for and receipts from the transactions. The committee on legislation reported at length and submitted the following resolutions : Resolved, That in the opinion of this society it is desirable that the provisions of the law of 1872 whereby the different schools of medicine in this state are provided with separate examining boards should be preserved and perpetuated. Resolved, That whenever the provisions of this law are changed they should be so amended as to confer upon the boards appointed thereunder both examining and licensing powers. Resolved, That we approve the enactment of the present bill known as the senate bill 45, the purposes of which are the codification of the present laws relating to medical practice and the better regulation thereof. Resolved, That the committee on medical legislation be instructed to endeavor to carry out and render effective the purposes and recommendations herein set forth. All of which is respectfully submitted. H. M. PAINE, M. D. Dr. Terry of Utica, then read the reports on medical societies and institutions, Dr. Lewis of Buffalo, made report and the committee on president's address reported and recommended that for the present the office of secretary be not a salaried one. A long discussion followed on the bi-annual publication of transactions and the financial condition of the society. A motion to reduce the salary of the secretary to $200, including clerical work, was lost. The recommendation that the secretary's salary be discontinued prevailed. The committee on necrology reported the death of Dr. Pettit of Fort Plain, Dr. Lawrence of Port Jervis, Dr. Ormes of Jamestown and Dr. Leibold of New York. The evening session opened with discussions in the bureau of obstetrics, Dr. T. F. Allan chairman. In this discussion Drs. Brown, Coburn, Graham, Fulton and others presented questions for consideration. Dr. Brown opened the discussion in the bureau of clinical medicine. Dr. H. L. Waldo read a paper on drinking water as a vehicle for conveying the germs of disease, which was discussed by Drs. Gorham and Hunting. A paper of Dr. D. B. Whittier of Fitchburg, on "Is belladonna a prophylactic in scarlet fever?" was presented with the conclusion that the cause of scarlet fever is unknown, and that the epidermis exfoliated is no cause for the spread of germs of the disease. Dr. Houghton of New York related interesting experiences with the disease in the Five Points House of Industry and cited successful attempts to prevent the spread of the disease. The work of the session was resumed February 10th, when Dr. F. P. Lewis read a paper by Dr. Colvin on foreign bodies in the eye. A paper on the practical treatment of the insane by S. H. Talcott, M. D., of Middletown, N. Y., was read. He reviewed the history of the care of the insane and paid high tribute to Christian teaching and its influence in that work. He reviewed the work at Middletown and claimed excellent results at that institution. No medical treatment was used there except homoeopathic remedies. He said: "The remedies used by homoeopaths and most frequently applied for the cure of the insane are: Aconite, arsenicum, belladonna, hyoscyamus, stramonium, veratrum album and veratrum viride. A second group of perhaps a little less importance are: Baptisia, bryonia, cantharis, chamomilla, cimicifuga, ignatia, natrum mur., pulsatilla and sulphur. These are some of the most common remedies; but we seek to find that remedy which covers the totality of symptoms. Acting upon this plan we feel encouraged to keep on with our investigations and our experiments in the future until we have found better and surer means for the care of the insane." Balloting for officers followed. For president, Dr. H. M. Paine of Albany, was elected. Dr. Paine responded with appropriate remarks and pertinent illustrations. The secretary was instructed to cast a ballot for Dr. William Tod Helmuth, New York, for first vice-president and for Dr. J. M. Lee, Rochester, for second vice-president, which was done. Balloting for third vice-president resulted in the election of Dr. Gorham, Albany. Dr. Coburn was then re-elected as treasurer. The censors were re-elected, except that the name of Dr. C. E. Jones succeeds that of Dr. G. E. Gorham. THE NEXT MEETING. The time and place of the semi-annual meeting were decided and New York, September 20 and 21, chosen. Under the bureau of surgery four papers were presented, one by Dr. M. O. Terry of Utica, on An old author on the symptoms produced by spinal irritation, with treatment." Dr. Ostrom's paper on the treatment of the sac in the radical operation for hernia, was read by title. A paper by Dr. L. L. Brainard of Little Falls, was read on the diagnosis and treatment of wounds of the femoral artery, and also one by Dr. J. M. Lee on ovariotomy, reciting clinical experience. A motion to rescind the motion depriving members of the privilege of publishing their papers before their appearance in the transactions, was lost, seven to nine. Drs. Helmuth, Beebe and Houghton were made a committee on arrangements for the semiannual meeting. The committee on legislation are Drs. George E. Gorham, A. S. Couch, A. R. Wright, L. M. Pratt, J. J. Mitchell, S. H. Talcott, E. C. Coburn, H. M. Paine, E. Hasbrouck, George M. Dillow. The committee on regents' degree nominated Drs. Houghton and Helmuth of New York, as candidates for the regents' degree. ABSTRACTS. THE Dietetics of Pulmonary Phthisis.-DR. Alfred L. Loomis, thus formulates the most important rules which govern the dietetics of phthisis : 1. Every phthisical patient should take food not less than six times. in the twenty-four hours. The three full meals may be at intervals of six hours, with light luncheon between. 2. No more food should be taken at any one time than can be digested easily and fully in the time allowed. 3. Food should never be taken when the patient is suffering from bodily fatigue, mental worry or nervous excitement. For this reason, midday naps should be taken before, not after, eating. Twenty to thirty minutes' rest in a recumbent posture, even if sleep is not obtained, will often prove of more value as an adjunct to digestion than pharmaceutical preparations. 4. So far as possible, each meal should consist of such articles as require about the same time for digestion, or, better still, of a single article. 5. Within reasonable limits, the articles of any one meal should be such as are digested in either the stomach or intestine alone, i. e., the fats, starches and sugars should not be mixed with the albuminoids, and the meals should alternate in this respect. 6. In the earlier stages the amount of food taken with the meals should be small, and later the use of some solid food is to be continued as long as possible. 7. When the pressure of food in the stomach excites cough, or when paroxysms of coughing have induced vomiting, the ingestion of food must be delayed until the cough ceases, or an appropriate sedative may be employed. In those extreme cases where every attempt at eating excites nausea, vomiting or spasmodic cough, excellent results are attained by artificial feeding through the soft rubber stomach tube. 8. So long as the strength will permit, assimilation and excretion must be stimulated by systematic exercise, and when this is no longer possible, the nutritive processes may be materially assisted by passive exercise at regular intervals. The following may serve as a sample menu for a day in the earlier stage. The meat soup is made by digesting finely chopped beef (1lb.) in water (Oj) and hydrochloric acid (5m) and straining through cheese cloth. MENU. On waking-One-half pint equal parts of hot milk and Vichy, taken at intervals through half an hour. 8 A. M.-Oatmeal with abundance of cream, little sugar; rare steak or loin chops with fat, cream potatoes; soft boiled eggs, cream toast; small cup of coffee, two glasses of milk. 9 A. M.-Half-ounce cod liver oil, or one ounce peptonized cod liver oil in milk. 10 A. M.-Half-pint raw meat soup; thin sliced stale bread. 11-12.-Sleep. 12. 30 P. M.-Some white fish; very little rice; boiled or stewed chicken; cauliflower; stale bread and plenty of butter; baked apples and cream; milk, Kumyss or Matzoon, two glasses. 2 P. M.-Half-ounce cod liver oil, or one ounce peptonized cod liver oil and milk. 4 P. M.-Bottle Kumyss or Matzoon; raw scraped beef sandwich. 5. 30-6 P. M.-Rest or sleep. 6 P. M.-Some thick meat or fish soup; rare roast beef or mutton; spinach sliced stale bread; custard pudding; ice cream. 8 P. M.-Half-ounce cod liver oil, or one ounce peptonized cod liver oil and milk. 9-10 P. M.-Pint iced milk; cup meat soup. 1-2 A. M.-Glass of milk, if awake.-Med. Digest. REMOTE Sympathies-Their Aid in Diagnosis.-The successful practice of medicine must depend largely upon the almost instantaneous perception of those seeming trifles, which are generally unobserved by the young or ignorant physician. There is no such thing as "intuitive knowledge" or "inspiration." The faculty of correct diagnosis is one acquired only by the most careful observation, aided by a retentive memory. Apart from those appearances, the recognition of which, depend upon educated visual faculties, or the sensitiveness of tactile organs, there are many things which may be of service in the daily life of a physician, perhaps not generally taken note of, We give a brief summary of such as occur to us at the moment, which each of our brethren can add to, from their own experience. Swelling under the eyes, grayish, white or waxy color of the skin, denotes granular disease of kidney. Swelling of the labia, on one or both sides, will accompany inflammation of kidney. Carbuncles on the shoulders, or scapular region, are frequently accompaniments of diabetes. Pain, referred to the meatus urinarius, is sure to be the result of cystitis, prostatitis or nephritis. Pruritus of the anus will be the evidence, often, of disease of prostate. Pain or numbness in the outer part of the thigh, denotes some disturbance of the sexual organs, in both male and female. Sciatic neuralgia often depends, in females, on inflammation of the ovary. In men, irritation of lumbar or sacral nerves. Pain in the heels (in females), may be the only evidence of ovarian abscesses, while pain and swelling in the mammæ will evince some trouble in the same side of uterus, or fallopian tube. That shortness of breath, or asthmatic breathing, may indicate valvular disease, or aneurism of the aorta, is probably as well known as that discoloration of the skin, may be due to cirrosis of the liver or to disease of the suprarenal capsule. (Addison's Disease): Sharp outlines of the facial muscles, a peculiar, querulous look, surely define a dyspeptic; and it is not to be mistaken, even as the expression of a temporary pain. A dull, aching pain in the right shoulder, will arise from congestion of the right lobe of the liver, while disturbance in the left lobe, as well as gastric ulcer, will give ache, or pain, in the left. Some heart diseases, notably dilatation of the left ventricle, will give pain in the coracoid process, radiating into the left arm; but this pain will stop at a point half way to the elbow. Swollen feet should warn us of some organic disease of heart, kidney or liver. Hot feet and hands accompany dyspepsia, while a red nose will be an indication of gastric irritation, either from indigestion, or whiskey. But the appearance of the hands is by far the best evidence we possess for instantaneous diagnosis. Not always to be depended on, it is true, as an entity, but corroborated by other symptoms, it will hardly fail. Dr. Watson first noticed a club shaped form of the ends of the second and third digits, as pathognomic of tuberculosis. Finger-nails white at the point, and purple at the base, always accompanies the chills of malarial fever. A white appearance of the fingers in contrast with the back of the hand, will denote a very torpid condition of the bowels. A yellow tinge in the palm, or under the finger-nails produced by pressure, will indicate torpidity of liver. We must notice the peculiarities of cough that are the consequences of irritation of the different branches of the pneumogastric. The short, quick jerk of the cardiac irritation, the dull, heavy bark of bronchial dryness, the wheezy, asthmatic sibillation of bronchial constriction, stand in opposition to the full, sonorous rale of tuberculosis, or the tiresome effort of hepatic congestion, or of gastric disturbance. These different modifications of sound, though they all arise from a common centre, the pharyngeal, yet convey to the educated ear, the history of their origin. No one can mistake the sound of whooping-cough, and a "stomach cough" is proverbial. We must say a few words about the most common ailment of humanity, headache; and yet how few there are who can, in a moment determine the origin, and consequently the remedy. That they are sympto |