still further. Of course Baptisia is no panacea or Elixir vitæ, but its merits are not half learned, and the search will repay a careful exploration.

New York, December, 1868.

PERISCOPE.

Treatment of Hemoptysis by Ergot of Rye.

THERE is scarcely any complaint that gives such serious alarm to the friends of a patient as profuse hæmoptysis; and there are few occasions on which a consultation is so urgently requested, and so readily granted by the family doctor, as when a patient appears to be "bleeding to death." But every medical man of experience considers himself perfectly qualified to treat hæmoptysis; and it is almost the rule, therefore, that when called to these cases in consultation, one of the first remarks of the doctor in attendance is, that " every thing possible has been done, and every remedy tried, but in vain." It is assumed, in fact, that the only object of the consultation is to sanction the inevitable death of the patient. Yet according to my experience, it is exceedingly rare for a patient to die of hæmoptysis. In these remarks, I confine myself to cases of pulmonary hæmorrhage due to tuberculous disease of the lungs, which make up the large majority of all cases of severe hæmoptysis.

I attribute the success of my practice in this respect mainly to the use of ergot of rye; because it is quite true, as already suggested, that, in nearly every consultation-case of appalling hæmoptysis that I have seen, "every thing has been done, and every remedy tried," with the one exception of ergot of rye; and the use of this remedy has generally turned the fate of the patient. It has always struck me as a singular fact, that general practitioners, who are so well acquainted with the effects of ergot in uterine hæmorrhage -who use it more frequently than any other class of practitioners with whom, in fact, it is almost a "pocket companion "-never seem to think of using it in pulmonary hæmorrhage. I find, from frequent inquiry of my medical friends, that this is explained by the prevalence of the idea that ergot only acts by inducing contractions of the muscular tissue of the uterus; its remarkable power of in

ducing contraction of the blood-vessels being lost sight of.

But I have said that, in the appalling cases to which I have referred, "every thing else has been done, and every remedy tried," before I ordered the ergot; and I desire to attach the greatest importance to this fact. Ergot is only competent to do one of the many things necessary to stop a severe pulmonary hæmorrhage; viz., to contract the vessels. It is necessary to do much more than this.

1. The vital power must be supported by brandy, iced milk, and beef-tea, if indicated by the general symptoms. 2. The heart must be kept steady by digitalis.

3. Congestions must be relieved by saline purging.

4. Clotting of the blocd must be promoted by styptics, and by the free admission of cold air.

5. The bleeding part must be kept at rest by position, by enforced silence, and soothing the cough.

In spite, therefore, of the fashionable outcry against complicated prescriptions, I venture to give the following as the most efficacious, and, as it seems to me, the most rational combination of remedies for a case of tubercular pulmonary hæmorrhage. It has served me many a good turn, and I hope it may do the same for my professional brethren.

Ext. ergota liq. 3ij (to contract the vessels); tincturæ digitalis 3ij (to steady the heart); acidi gallici 3j (to clot the blood); magn. sulphatis 3 vj (to relieve congestion); acidi sulphurici diluti 3j (to assist the rest); infusi rosæ acidi ad viij (to make a mixture). A sixth part every three hours till hæmorrhage is arrested.

In any given case, either of the ingredients may be omitted, if the symptoms indicate that it is not required, or that it has already done its duty.-British Med. Journal.

Action of Mercury.

Ar the recent meeting of the British edical Association in Oxford, Professor Hughes Bennett. ad an abstract of the results which had been arrived at by the Edinburgh Committee. The committee, after a laborious investigation on the action of mercurials on dogs, arrived at the conclusion, that whether administered in large or small doses, the preparations of mercury exert no cholagogue action upon that animal-in fact, that they always diminish the flow of bile. How far this report can serve to throw light upon the action

of mercurials on man, is, however, a matter upon which more than one opinion can be held. In the course of their investigations the committee have found that mercurials, when administered in large doses to dogs, purge them; and, when in smaller and frequently repeated doses, induce the same group of phenomena which are observed in men under the same circumstances, viz.: fetor of the breath, salivation, and ulcerations of the gums. Having accurately ascertained these facts, the committee appear to consider that the fact that mercurials fail to increase the flow of bile in the dog, affords an almost positive proof that these drugs do not exert a cholagogue action in the case of man. The experiments supported the modern view that the diversion of the bile through a fistulous opening out of the body does not materially interfere with the intestinal functions, but leads to exhaustion of the body altogether.-Med. News and Library. E

EDITORIAL.

The Eclectic Medical Profession, and Eclectic Medical Journals.

THE intellectual activity of every age seeks some special form of expression. There are certain laws that influence and control its manifestations, as completely as physiological laws govern the processes of physical growth. This is essentially an age of journalism. New inventions and discoveries follow each other too rapidly to be promptly and adequately chronicled in books. The extent and variety of scientific investigations demand a ready and immediate means for their record and communication. Medical science is no exception to this rule. Valuable and interesting inventions in medicine and surgery are being almostly and hourly made. New theories are advanced; valuable suggestion. interesting speculations, all tending to eliminate new truths, usefu.ike to the profession and to the afflicted, are being put forth, seeking for criticism and confirmation. The medical periodical becomes the essential and admirably adapted medium for submitting these topics generally to the profession and the public. Medical journals bear much the same relation to the cultivation and advancement of medical science, as do newspapers and scientific periodicals to the spread of general knowledge. They have now almost entirely supplanted medical text-books. Before an au

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thor can mature his observations, and set them forth in a carefully prepared volume, some special research or investigation may have exploded his elaborate theories, and consigned his work to a speedy oblivion. Especially is this so since the mechanical and physical means of examining into nature have been carried to such a high degree of perfection. Medical men thoroughly acquainted with the text-books of a few years ago will find themselves, at the present day, sadly behind the times, unless they have kept pace with the advance of medical science through the medium of its periodical literature.

As the Eclectic school of medicine is more in harmony with the progressive tendencies of the age, therefore the importance and value of Eclectic medical journals is in the ratio of this more advanced spirit of inquiry and development which characterizes the profession, and we would naturally expect of them a higher appreciation, and a more liberal support of this kind of literature. This can, perhaps, be no better determined than by a comparison of the relative number of physicians of the different schools in this country, and the number of medical journals they respectively support.

As far as we can gather from the most reliable sources, there are about 40,000 physicians in the United States. Of these, 30,000 belong to the Allopathic school, 4,000 to the Homœopathic, and 6,000 to the Eclectic school. Exclusive of dental journals, and others devoted to chemical and physical science, 30 periodicals emanate from the Allopathic school, 8 from the Homoeopathic, while the Eclectic supports only 3. An examination into these figures discloses the fact, that the number of Eclectic medical journals is but one to every 2,000 of its practitioners throughout the United States. The Homœopathic school have a journal to every 500 of its practitioners; while the Allopathic school furnishes a periodical for every 1,000 of its practitioners. Although the above exhibit cannot be regarded as an absolute test of the relative appreciation and support of medical periodical literature among the different branches of the profession, yet it is sufficiently so to be anything but flattering to the Eclectic school. The facts here presented will place before the Eclectic medical profession a clear view of their duty to aid in the support of existing periodicals, and suggests the propriety of extending the number. We recognize in our periodical literature the most efficient means for the cultivation of medical science, and the most powerful instrumentalities for maintaining our existence as a distinctive school. We should give them a most generous and liberal support. They

should not only have a large circulation, but they should be distinctive Eclectic journals, not drawing their life and sustenance from the currents of old school literature, but should mirror the most advanced ideas and principles of our peculiar system of practice.

There will probably be no single day. in the experience of any Eclectic physician in established practice, in which the Eclectic Medical Review will not be worth more than its subscription price. We therefore feel justified in urging upon Eclectics generally, the duty of promptly subscribing for the Review, and using their efforts to extend its circulation.

Eclectic Medical Bispensary of the City of New York.

THE recent annual report of the Trustees of the Eclectic Medical Dispensary shows this institution to be in a very flourishing condition. A brief summary of its operations gives the number of persons receiving medical and surgical treatment 9,364; females (adult), 4,624; males (adult), 1827; females (children), 1685; males (children), 1218. Considering the comparative short time which has elapsed since the establishment of this charity, and the difficulties. which have embarrassed its operations in the shape of insufficient accommodations and limited pecuniary means, no institution of a similar kind in the city can show a better record. The success which has attended the treatment at this Dispensary, and its growing popu larity with the poorer classes, fully demonstrate the superior excellence of the Eclectic system of medication.

From an elaborate article on the "Dispensaries of New York," recently published in the New York Herald, we extract the following:

"ECLECTIC DISPENSARY.

"Three years of philanthropic effort still keeps this institution in the occupancy, as headquarters, of a building in East Twenty-sixth street, near Third Avenue. Last year they had 9,300 patients, and this year will have had double that number. There are two resident doctors and seven consulting physicians connected with the institution. It is under excellent management and growing in popular favor."

The following is the appointment of the medical and surgical staff for the ensuing year by the Board of Trustees, having this institution under charge.