suffered from pain in left temple, cardiac and left ovarian region. Patient supposed she had heart disease, but physical examination revealed nothing unusual in the sounds or action of the organ. Had sharp, stabbing pains in cardiac region. Great mental depression; countenance wore an expression of sadness; aversion to talking; indeed, it was almost impossible to induce her to tell me her symptoms. When thus gloomy her heart symptoms, viz. the stabbing pain and sudden irregular action, were greatly aggravated. Had frequent attacks of violent cardiac palpitation, coming on in the night, compelling her to sit by the open window in order to get relief. Pain in left ovary, simultaneous with pain in heart. Sensation as if heart and ovary were drawn up together; a sense of contraction or drawing together between the organs. Numbness of head and back of neck; would sometimes prick herself with pins and pinch her flesh to see if sensation still remained. Momentary vanishing of sight; felt weary.

After trying many remedies, Lachesis particularly, in high and low potencies, without effect, the symptoms mentioned above, especially those italicised, corresponded so closely with those belonging to Naja I concluded to give this remedy, and did so, in the sixth potency.

Complete recovery followed in a short time. I did not see my patient after her improvement until several months had elapsed, when her countenance was cheerful and she was free from all unpleasant symptoms.

September.-Dr. Lougee relates an immediate cure of vaginismus by electricity, the negative pole being in the vagina and the positive applied to the sacrum.

Medical Counselor.-July.-Dr. A. F. Randall contributes some further observations as to the possibility of preventing congenital malformations and diseases by treatment of the mother during pregnancy. Calcarea phosphorica 1 is his chief remedy.

Sept.-Dr. M. E. Douglass communicates a case of ulcer of the rectum cured by Silicea.

Oct. 12th.-(As we mentioned in our last notice the Counselor from October, 1881, became a weekly journal, and continued to appear at these intervals till June, 1882, since which it has been issued fortnightly.) The following case, by the editor, seems worth extracting.

A Lachesis Case. H. R. ARNDT, M.D., Grand Rapids, Mich.

In November, 1880, Dr. P. C. O-, a young homœopathic physician, about twenty-eight years of age, of a nervous temperament, requested my services in his own case. His condition at that time is described as follows in a letter recently received from him:

"Nearly two years ago I was taken with pain in the region of the heart, hacking cough, and spitting of blood. The pain was stitch-like in character, coming on at irregular intervals from one to four times a day, being so very acute I could not take a breath for several seconds, when the pain would cease in an instant and leave nothing to remind me of its presence. The cough was quite constant while about during the day and for some time after retiring, but gave me only little trouble through the night. The quantity of blood which I raised was small, varying from one teaspoonful to four times that amount, but occurred nearly every morning upon rising. The pain about the heart continued to grow worse, until, about one year ago, I was taken with a spasm, in which my jaws were fixed, throat constricted, rendering breathing very difficult, with opisthotonos and over-tension of all muscles; but I never lost consciousness for more than a second or two at a time. These attacks appeared to take the place of the pain in the heart, only that they lasted longer. I tried everything: Belladonna, Cuprum met., Nux vomica, Morphine, Alcohol, Quinine, and others, without getting relief. Chloroform would ward off an attack, but as soon as I came out from under the influence of the drug I went into a spasm."

To the above I may add that the patient, by inheritance, was somewhat predisposed to lung trouble; the cough was accompanied by expectoration of mucus, at times tinged with blood. Upon physical examination I detected no serious organic changes in the lungs, and nothing abnormal about the heart.

The patient used tobacco quite freely, and has taken other stimulants.

The prominent feature of the case as first presented to me consisted of the daily recurring spasms; the patient's description of symptoms, as then given, seemed to point to Strychnia, and since he was anxious to have me prescribe without delay, he received Strychnia 3x, three times, I think, each day. This

remedy was continued for three weeks, but no improvement resulted from its use.

About one month from the time of the first consultation Dr. O called again. He looked worn and haggard, undoubtedly as much from mental suffering, dread of continued ill-health, and the feeling of insecurity which ever accompanies all cases of sudden spasmodic seizures. Upon re-examining the case I was told that the spasms were always preceded by an intense, keen pain darting in a zig-zag course, like chain lightning; from the upper sternum downwards and to the left, accompanied by a feeling of general distress in the chest, until the pain centred in the heart, when the spasm would set in immediately. While talking to me the doctor turned very pale, became restless, and, putting the hand to his throat, remarked that he would soon have a spasm. Empty swallowing commenced, the pulse became full and somewhat irregular, breathing more and more difficult as the chest pain increased, and gradually the body bent backward, resulting in complete opisthotonos. During this time the heart's action was very violent, but now the irregularity of the pulse-beat had become very slight; the face was of a livid colour, but there was no distortion of the features, save an expression of intense physical suffering. Consciousness was perfect. The most prominent feature of the case consisted in convulsive action of the cervical muscles, causing the patient to tear and grasp his throat in a most distressing manner. After about four minutes' excessive suffering the breathing became easier, the body less rigid, the muscles of the throat relaxed, and recovery had taken place.

Upon recovering his seat, the doctor remarked that the pain in the chest and heart had not quite left him, and that he would probably have a second attack. He was quite correct. The expected attack came on in about fifteen minutes, continuing as long as the first; the symptoms were an exact repetition of the former, and equalled it in severity.

After recovery from the second attack the chest-pain still persisted, and a third seizure, again a repetition of all the painful details of previous seizures, followed within a little more than an hour from the first paroxysm. The chest-pain then disappeared, and the doctor left my office after an hour's rest.

I was not able to find a remedy with the chest-pain just as

described by the patient; the convulsive action of the muscles of the neck, the terrible choking resulting from it, and the whole picture of the man as he lay before me, reminded me of serpentpoisons. He received Lachesis.

During the month following its selection, the patient, in due season, reported that two or three night attacks had come on, one or all of which he had warded off by the inhalation of small doses of Chloroform. There was a marked improvement in his general condition; the pain in the heart had nearly wholly disappeared, and there had been no bleeding. On July 14th, 1881, he writes: "The spasms became less severe, and finally disappeared altogether, so that now, with the exception of a very light pain about the heart, I am entirely free from my old trouble."

It may be of interest to state that Lachesis 30 acted promptly, but the remedy seemed to afford less relief when taken in the 200th (Dunham) as advised by me.

It is but fair to state that the patient is very excitable; excitement had repeatedly brought on the attacks described. He is also somewhat careless and has a slight tendency to irregularity in his habits. During May and June, 1881, he travelled about a good deal, taking no medicine, eating irregularly, sleeping at odd hours, and often going without the necessary amount of sleep. He has also, since coming under my observation, used freely, at times, both tobacco and other stimulants, without having had a recurrence of the old trouble. His appearance, when I saw him last, a few months ago, was that of a hale, hearty young man, the measure of whose health would depend almost entirely upon the measure of wisdom displayed in taking care of himself.

Oct. 19th.-Dr. C. Demuth gives the following summary of his experience in the intermittents of a season :

"The number of cases, remedies, and potencies, and the number of paroxysms following the first administration of the selected remedy were as follows:

"Ars. alb. 4x tr., 5 cases, no paroxysm; Cina 2x tr., 1 case, no paroxysm; China 1x tr., 3 cases, no paroxysm, 1 case, 1 paroxysm; China 3x tr., 1 case, no paroxysm; Eupat. per. 1x, 5 cases, no paroxysm, 3 cases, 1 paroxysm; Natr. mur. 3x, 1 case, no paroxysm; Natr. mur. 30, 2 VOL. XLI, NO. CLXIII.-JANUARY, 1883.

G

cases, no paroxysm, 1 case, 1 paroxysm; Chinin. sulph., 2 cases, no paroxysm; Eup. per. 1x, and Merc. bin. 1, in alternation, 4 cases, no paroxysm, 3 cases, 1 paroxysm."

Nov. 16th.-A case of neuro-retinitis is here given by Dr. Vilas, recovering under Merc. vivus 3x.

Nov. 23. This number contains an interesting paper by the editor, entitled "The Duration of Dose viewed in the Light of Clinical Evidence." He goes through Rückert (1822-1858), Raue (1870-5), and a recent file of American journals, and arrived at the following conclusions: "1. The great bulk of homoeopathic practice, from the time of Hahnemann to the present day, has been done with low attenuations.

"2. The prescriptions of low-dilutionists show at least as much skill in prescribing correctly and individualising closely as do the prescriptions of high-dilutionists.

"3. It is a fallacy to presume that the present position of homœopathy is due to the labour of men who advocate the exclusive use of high potencies in the treatment of the sick.

"4. High-dilutionism, as such, is not gaining in the number of its converts in the ratio with which the membership of the homoeopathic school is increasing. An examination of the cases reported as cured by high dilutions shows that a comparatively small number of men furnish an unusually large number of clinical verifications and reports, and that high-dilutionism is kept prominent before the profession by the organised and persistent labours of a small but determined minority."

Dec. 7.-The following case, by Dr. F. H. Foster, is a pendant to that published by Dr. E. Blake in the Practitioner (Sept., 1877).

Mrs. B, a middle-aged lady, consulted me with reference to what could be done for the appearance of her eyes. For two years she had noticed an increasing prominence in her right eye, and about fifteen months later the left began to protrude in the

same manner.

At the time of my first examination the right eye was very prominent and staring, the showing of the sclerotic between the