Homœopaths; that we shall no longer be classed with "Hydropathy,* Botanicism, Physio-Medicalism," etc.

As already stated, some advancement has been made, but that we are still under the "thumb screw," with the force applied by the dominant school there can be no denial. It is but a few months since one of our young doctors, after a thorough preparation, and after passing a creditable examination, failed to secure an appointment in the army, evidently because he had to acknowledge his faith by announcing the Hahnemann of Philadelphia as his alma mater. His experience is not an exceptional case.

In refusing to admit surgeons into the army and navy because they profess a belief in Homœopathic therapeutics, is equally as great an injustice both to them, and to those who, during illness and injury, desire Homœopathic treatment, as it would be for the government to decree that an universal religious belief should be acknowledged throughout the department of war.

It is only by constant watchfulness, agitation, and demand for the right, and for what is due us, that we can ever expect to attain that point. We are all too prone to be satisfied with our own assured position, forgetting the necessity for constant work for the general good.

Right here, I would say that the adage, "in union there is strength," is as true in a medical society as it is in any other relation, and I would urge upon our young doctors the duty they owe to the general cause, and to themselves, to join our medical associations in their medical youth, grow up with them, add their strength to each, and assist in whatever work they may find to do. It will never do you harm, but on the contrary, membership in medical associations will help you, while you are helping them. One year ago, in my inaugural address before the County Medical Society, reference was made to the necessity of keeping in view the interests of Homœopathy in public places, then under consideration; namely, by securing a ward in the proposed annex to the Philadelphia Hospital for the reception of epidemic diseases, and the securing of the hospital for the insane then erecting at Wernersville.

*See Transactions, American Institute of Homœopathy, 1892, page 67.

I do not know that the committees having these matters in charge have ever done anything looking to that end; certain it is that the insane asylum in question has been completed, and organized, and Homoeopathy is still without a hospital of that kind in this State.

The State of Pennsylvania, containing as it does about five millions of people, has provided in a fairly liberal manner for about four-fifths of the insane proportion of this population, or, in other words, there are five hospitals now for the treatment of these unfortunate people, all under old-school management, but there are, at least, one million of the population of this State whose proportion of insane are not provided for, because, had they or their friends a choice in the matter, they would prefer the treatment under which they have been accustomed to place themselves, namely, that of Homœopathy; and yet the State of Pennsylvania has denied this right to a portion of her citizens. Is this right! Is this just! Shall we suffer this grievous wrong to continue?

Every physician knows how urgent is the necessity for an institution where insane patients can be treated according to the principles of Homoeopathy. We are obliged to turn our patients over to allopathic institutions because we cannot take the risk of treating them at home. Therefore, we must have such an institution in Pennsylvania under Homœopathic auspices. As we have lost the Wernersville asylum, either another must be built for the use of Homœopaths, or we must secure one of those already in existence. If we cannot secure one of the latter, we should be able to accomplish our object in the way it has been done in the State of New York, if by no other means, namely, by purchasing the necessary land and building upon it, and finally turning it over to the State for support, with the contract understanding that the treatment should always be that of Homoeopathy, and that the institution should always remain under the control of our school. As this is the legislative year, we must begin at once, and enter earnestly upon a plan by which we can secure the desired institution. This can be done, if we but go about it in the right

way.

A legislative committee is essentially a representative part of

a society like ours, and it has done most excellent service in the past; but a small committee cannot always look after interests widely separated.

For the best interests of Homœopathy in this commonwealth, extended as it is over an area so large as Pennsylvania, I suggest a new creation in the way of a large committee, to be called the Representative Committee of our State Society, which committee shall be associate in character. To illustrate: I would suggest a committee of, say fifteen, twenty, or twenty-five, if you please, to be selected from different parts of the State, whose duty shall be to meet once in three months (or oftener, if need be) to take into consideration any and all things pertaining to the welfare of Homœopathy, in any part of the State, and that authority be given to act upon the same. This being a representative committee, with associate privileges, it would be desirable for all county or sectional societies to send delegates to its meetings for conference and mutual aid. This large committee could be constituted a legislative committee, or the legislative committee could, by association, represent the Society in the legislative halls as now, or a legislative committee could be appointed from the representa

tive committee.

If it should be a part of the duties of this representative committee to meet at stated periods, there can be no question in my mind that many affairs necessary to the growth of Homœopathy would receive attention which, otherwise, are often overlooked or neglected. This committee could either be appointed by the president or it could be made elective; in either case, an addition to our by-laws would be required for its creation, and for defining its duties.

Apropos to the subject of legislation, and to the best advantage of Homœopathy, the question is suggested to my mind, that if the State of Pennsylvania should provide a Board of Medical Education, whose duty it should be, first, to examine all candidates not possessing a standard voucher of preliminary education, and to inspect the curriculum of each medical college from time to time, during each session, and report the same each year to the State Educational Bureau, would it not go a long way toward breaking down the barrier set up against us, for the reason that

such report must, necessarily, be truthful, and therefore no cause for discrimination could exist, because official reports would be to the contrary.

Another point is here suggested, that, as the discrimination against us rests partly upon the ground that we exclude the dominant idea in teaching materia medica and therapeutics, if these branches were taught in such a way as to include the classification given them by the old school, finishing, as now, with the perfection of materia medica and its counterpart, Homœopathic therapeutics, not only would this discrimination be demolished as a fact, but the vast superiority of Homœopathy could be demonstrated to the classes.

Instead of this course injuring Homoeopathy, I believe it would add to the student's admiration of, and enthusiasm for, our system. It is with pleasure that we can announce a very satisfactory progress of the Hahnemann Statue Fund, considering the financial depression which has settled like a pall over the land. This object should receive substantial aid from every devotee of Homœopathy. While it is true that the grandest monument that can be erected to our illustrious teacher is that which is being demonstrated every hour of the day, in almost every land, by the relief and cure of suffering humanity, in the most benign manner, yet, a monument such as is contemplated, will show to thousands now, and to (C millions yet unborn," that the law of Homoeopathy is a living, growing fact, and that Hahnemann lives in the hearts of his admirers-not only with lustre undimmed as years roll on-but that the star of his fame which illuminates the medical world will grow brighter with age, until this system of therapeutics shall eventually become universally acknowledged.

My predecessor having made inquiry of Miss Clara Barton last year, as to whether Homœopathic physicians and surgeons would be admitted to the Red Cross Society Medical and Surgical Corps, without eliciting in reply a definite position from her, a courteous note was sent to Miss Barton on the subject, July 10, 1894. the 14th of September the following encouraging letter was received, and from its scope one can form an idea of the vast amount of good work accomplished by this Society. We also learn that we have a friend at headquarters who should be of service to our

cause.

THE AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS,

HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON, D. C.

ALEXANDRIA BAY, NEW YORK, September 12, 1894.

C. S. MIDDLETON, M.D.,

President Homoeopathic Medical Society, Philadelphia, Pa.: MY DEAR DOCTOR :-Your kind favor to our President was received just after our return from the great and difficult relief field of the Sea Islands of South Carolina, a ten-month field, where for months we were obliged to work on an average of nineteen hours a day. Hundreds of unanswered letters accumulated, as all of our force had to confine their labors to actual field work.

On our return home Miss Barton dismissed her tired assistants to their homes, there to enjoy a well earned rest, and she came to this place to recuperate and try and answer the multitude of letters.

Miss Barton desires me to say that the Homoeopathic School of Physicians and Surgeons are certainly eligible to enrollment—our General Field Agent, Dr. J. B. Hubbell, is of that school.

It is, however, inexpedient to enlarge our corps of physicians and surgeons, though after the favorable passage of certain Congressional measures now pending, we will be happy to communicate with you further upon the subject.

Cordially yours,

GEO. H. PULLMAN,

Private Secretary.

From this communication it would appear probable that in the near future conditions will be such that our school will be accorded the privilege of administering Homœopathy to those who may, by disastrous circumstances, be compelled to seek temporary relief through this beneficent organization.

The latest developments in bacteriology, by Professor Behrens, in the cultivation of antitoxine, for the cure of diphtheria, is a most important discovery; and, like the discoveries of Pasteur and Jenner, exemplifies the law of Homœopathy, even if it does so through isopathic methods.

The inauguration of the provisions of the medical examining board (the first examination of which took place on the fourteenth,