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The only attempt at justification for the introduction into practice of these anti-Hahnemannic novelties we have hitherto seen is the assertion: “We have tested their power and have seen them act, cure serious diseases in fact." But it is no justification for using secret remedies that they sometimes seem to cure, and some, if not all of the new preparations, are secret remedies, that is, we know not what they are nor how they are made. Besides, we would ask, were the ordinary Hahnemannic preparations tried and found wanting? If a man tells us he has cured a toothache or a sorethroat with a medicine labelled "cm. Fincke," we would merely ask: Did he try the medicine in a Hahnemannic form and did it fail? If he cannot answer this affirmatively then we may say that all he has proved is that a medicine labelled as above was given and the disease was removed; but the same might have happened had he given a Hahnemannic preparation, or some other medicine, or nothing at all. Probably had he prescribed his medicine in the usual form and the disease had disappeared he would have thought no more about it, but as the disease went after a "cm. Fincke" he cannot help cackling over it.

It is high time that those who venerate the name of Hahnemann and respect his teachings should join in a protest against these unwarranted, unauthorised and unnecessary departures from his pharmaceutic method. And more especially is this the case when an air of mystery and secrecy is given to the novel departures from the authorised method, or some complicated machine is employed for the new preparations which must necessarily remain the exclusive property of its inventor; for it is not to be expected that the ordinary practitioner will purchase one, have it fitted up in his house and superintend its working. This mystery and this intricacy attached to the preparation of the novel potencies, must have the effect of compelling all who would try them to apply to the inventor for the remedies that go by his name. As it is improbable that the inventor would give the fruits of his labour for nothing, this implies that he sells them for money down,

and perhaps this accounts for the peans of praise that each inventor bestows on his own preparations. It is the old story: "Buy Warren's blacking, none else is genuine not a very honourable occupation for a member of the "Legion of Honour."

But even were the new preparations to be given away for nothing to all who applied for them, we would still object to them utterly, as they introduce into our orderly and precise therapeutics an element of confusion and disorder from which, as Hahnemann left it to us, it was quite free.

We would, therefore, appeal to all those who respect the name of Hahnemann-and more particularly to those who delight to call themselves Hahnemannists, but who are the greatest offenders in this matter, as when not the inventors of some pharmaceutic innovation, they patronise the innovations of others-we would appeal to all to discourage the multiplication of un-Hahnemannic attenuations which have already wrought more evil in our small body, caused more wranglings, given occasion to more bad language, produced more splits amongst us, and retarded to a greater degree the spread of therapeutic truth among the profession at large than any other point of doctrine or practice connected with homoeopathy.

SCARLATINA INFECTION: INCIDENTS OF AN EPIDEMIC.

By JOHN H. CLARKE, M.D.

In the early months of the year 1879, an epidemic of scarlatina visited the village of N-, situated on exposed heath land, about nine miles from the Suffolk coast. Very few houses in the village were spared. How the epidemic originated I did not ascertain, but the village school seemed to be a potent factor in spreading it. The chief point of

interest to me was the behaviour of the scarlatina-poison in those who had been affected by it before-having had a previous attack of the disease. The cases are, however, individually not without interest, in point both of the disease and of the treatment, and I shall therefore relate them at length.

On the 24th of February, 1879, I was called to the house of a shepherd situated in the middle of a heath, half a mile distant from the village in question. The winter had been unusually severe, and the weather at the time was still very cold. The house was one of a pair of cottages built back to back, and there was no other house within half a mile of them in any direction. The family consisted of father, mother, several elder children, and the patient I was called to attend, a fair-haired boy of six. This was the only member of the family who had not had scarlatina previously. I found him covered from head to foot with a smooth scarlet rash. The history I received was as follows:

Scarlet fever was rife in the village of N-. The heads of the patient's family were not on the most neighbourly terms with the occupants of the adjoining house, but the patient had been to play with the children there about three weeks previously to my seeing him. Those children were then suffering from what their parents called "nettle springes," which was probably a light attack of scarlatina. Since then three of the elder members of my patient's family had had sorethroats, very like, I was told, that from which my patient was suffering, but without any rash.

Three days previously to my seeing him, the boy complained of sorethroat and seemed ill. Two days after-the day before I saw him—a rash appeared after a very restless night, during which he was in high fever.

I found him, as I said, covered from head to foot with a smooth scarlet rash. The tongue was red, with part of a white coat remaining. The palate was covered with a red rash. The fauces were much congested, swollen, and covered with dirty secretion. The glands of the neck externally were a little swollen. The bowels had moved three times in the twenty-four hours. Pulse 152, temp. 103.6°.

I gave him Bellad. 1, gtt. j, and Merc. biniod. lx, gr. in water, every hour in turns.

February 26th.-Has had a quieter night. The rash seems to be dying. Throat still inflamed. No appetite. Pulse 132, temp. 102.2°. Rep.

28th. Is more like himself. Throat much less inflamed. Appetite no better. Bowels not moved. Pulse 134, temp. 103.5°. Rep.

March 3rd.-Is very much better; he seems well and lively. Appetite good. Throat nearly well. Pulse 108, temp. 99.2°. Arsen. 2, gtt. j, 3 h.

At this time the mother became affected. She had badlyinflamed and ulcerated sorethroat, fever, and general illness, but no rash. She had nursed the patient throughout, and in spite of her own illness continued to do so.

7th.-Doing well. Rep.

Yester

10th. Not so well. On the 8th he became ill. day he was in high fever, and a lump formed on the right side of his neck. The throat internally is dirty-looking but not inflamed. There is a lymphatic gland on the right side of the neck as large as a pigeon's egg. The fingers are peeling. The skin is of natural colour and not very dry. Pulse 136, temp. 104°. Tongue white at the sides, with a red central stripe, as in typhoid. Bowels have been moved. Urine scanty and cloudy on boiling. Acon. 1, gtt. j, Bell. 1, gtt. j, 1 h. alt.

12th. The swelling in the neck has gone down considerably, but he has been and still is very ill. On the nights of the 10th and 11th he perspired excessively. Pulse 136, temp. 103-4°. Skin very dry, dirty yellow colour; there are a few linseed-like spots on the thighs. Tongue red, dry, and baked. Bowels have been moved slightly. Abdomen large. Liver dulness extends to navel. Abdomen tender all over, especially over the region of the liver. Tremor of the limbs. Urine strong-smelling. He had an attack of jaundice at Christmas (1878). Arsen. 3x, gtt. j, Baptis. p, gtt. ss, gr. 6, 1 h. alt.

14th.-Good deal better. Pulse 104, temp. 101°. Tongue red. Bowels have not been moved; urine very scanty, no

albumen. Has not been delirious since 12th. Has slept well. He complains of pains in the joints, especially the knees and wrists; has had them since the 11th. Abdomen not so tender. Liver dulness normal. Skin dry and desquamating freely. Rep. 2 h. alt.

Bowels moved; urine Tongue dry and parched,

17th.-Pulse 116, temp. 100.5°. very scanty, a cloud of albumen. red centre, feels sore. Craving for solid food. Has slept well, no delirium. On the 15th he had an eruption of minute red spots on the legs and shoulders. Is desquamating freely. Canth. 3x, gtt. j, 3 h. to-day, then resume Arsen. and Baptis. as before.

20th.-Pulse 94, temp. 99.2. Tongue moist but dirty at the sides. Has passed urine freely, pale, no albumen. Skin dry. Has slept well. Craves for food. No more pain in joints. A little pain in the region of the cæcum. Rep. Bapt. and Arsen.

24th.-Pulse and temperature normal. Tongue clean. Bowels confined. In other respects well. Nux vomica 1 gtt. j, quarter die.

On the 16th of April following, I was called to a house in the village itself, occupied by the village wheelwright. The household consisted of the father and mother, a daughter, æt. 17, one son, æt. 30, and one or two younger children. I was sent for specially to see the daughter. The whole family had had scarlatina many years before.

I found the daughter suffering from sorethroat. The day on which I saw her first was the Thursday, April 16th. She had returned from London, where she had been in service at a very hard place, on the previous Saturday, 11th. She was then well, but had a cold journey, and felt that very much. On the Monday she felt ill, and her throat was very sore. On the Tuesday the throat was so bad that she could not swallow, and continued in that state till I saw her.

A few weeks before, one of the younger children had a sorethroat. On the Sunday (12th) the mother noticed her own throat sore. She had backache, and was very ill for a few days, but is better now. The fauces are still much congested, and the left tonsil has a large hole in it showing

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