MASSACHUSETTS HOMEOPATHIC HOSPITAL. THE annual meeting of the corporators of this hospital was held on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1879. A very large proportion of members was present. Owing to the unavoidable absence of the president, Hon. Rufus S. Frost, the vice-president, Hon. Otis Clapp, presided. The treasurer, Isaac Fenno, Esq., reported as follows: The amount of cash on hand Jan. 1, 1878, was $1,014.48 The chairman of the Executive Committee, Mr. Chester Guild, presented the report of this committee. The past year has been one of unexampled prosperity. The hospital, with the large tract of land on which it stands, is unencumbered with debt, having been fully paid for, at a cost of about $100,000. All the expenses of conducting the hospital have likewise been paid, and upwards of $40,000 has been invested in a permanent fund. Of this $20,000 is in first-class securities, such as government bonds, which, though paying a small rate of interest, are deemed secure. The remaining funds, though invested in what were at the time considered perfectly secure bonds, have suffered some depreciation, but it is hoped they will yet prove valuable. The number of patients has been larger than ever before, having increased more than forty per cent over any previous year. The receipts from paying patients have also been larger than ever before. The great care and economy which have been exercised in carrying on the hospital show a gratifying result; for while fifty-one more patients than last year have been provided for, the actual cost has been $475.55 less, while the weekly expenses of each patient have been $7.21 this year, as against $8.89 last year. This is a very gratifying result, since it has been attained without diminishing the comforts, and even luxuries, granted to patients, and compares favorably with even larger hospitals, where the weekly expenses of patients range from $9 to $12 per week. Dr. C. Wesselhoeft presented the report of the Medical Board. The number of patients treated was 173; discharged cured, 69; improved, 47; not improved, 26; not treated, 5; died, 7; remaining, 19. Many severe chronic cases have been sent to the hospital as a forlorn hope. Of these several have been improved, and some entirely cured, while others have swelled the list of "not improved." Of the seven deaths which have occurred, about four per cent of the number treated, with one exception, a case of typhoid fever received for shelter in the hospital in the last stage of the disease, all the cases were chronic, and were received with the expectation that they would terminate fatally. The efforts of the Medical Board have been to treat the patients on homœopathic principles, and in such a manner as the friends and supporters of the hospital, and the homœopathic physicians have a right to expect. The greatest harmony and unanimity have prevailed in the Medical Board, and especially on this point. The liberal policy has been pursued of allowing any physician in good standing to place paying patients in the hospital, and have the professional care of them while there. This has been often done. Dr. O. S. Sanders presented to the presiding officer a paper, which proved to be a petition signed by several physicians, himself among the number, suggesting "that the incorporators should appoint a Board of Trustees composed entirely of non-medical men, who should be instructed to appoint a medical board composed of such men as shall command the confidence and respect of the whole medical profession.” The petition was read and referred to the next Board of Trustees. Some amendments were made in the by-laws of the corporation. The president, Hon. Rufus S. Frost, who has served for four years with great benefit to the hospital, tendered his resignation, which was accepted with regret, and a vote of thanks tendered him for his very valuable services. Accompanying this, mention was made of the deep interest and important aid given to the hospital by the late Mrs. Rufus S. Frost, and the deep grief and loss experienced by her death. Dr. D. G. Woodvine also declined to serve longer as secretary, and a vote of thanks was likewise tendered to him for his services. The following were then elected officers for the ensuing year: President, Charles R. Codman. Vice-Presidents, Rufus S. Frost, Henry S. Russell, Liverus Hull, Otis Clapp. Trustees, William Pope, David L. Webster, Wm. B. Merrill, Joel Goldthwait, R. H. Stearns, Chester Guild, Joseph Story, Mrs. A. Hemenway, Mrs. Isaac Fenno, Mrs. Oliver Ditson, Mrs. Geo. R. Russell, Mrs. M. P. Kennard, Mrs. W. H. Kennard, Mrs. Frank R. Allen, Mrs. H. B. Stanwood, D. G. Woodvine, Thos. B. Ticknor, Wm. I. Bowditch, David Thayer, C. Wesselhoeft, E. B. de Gersdorff, H. C. Ahlborn, H. C. Angell, S. Whitney, I. T. Talbot, Miss Helen Colla more. Secretary, Miss Ellen Frothingham, 9 Exeter Street. REVIEWS AND NOTICES OF BOOKS. BOOKS RECEIVED. THE HOMEOPATHIC THERAPEUTICS OF UTERINE AND VAGINAL DISCHARGES. By W. Eggert, M. D., of Indianapolis. Boericke & Tafel. 1878. CLINICAL RECORD BLANKS. Third Edition. Prepared by Bushrod W. James, M. D, of Philadelphia. Boericke & Tafel. 1878. Price 40 cents for fifty, 75 cents per hundred. Of course no one system of recording cases will suit every practitioner. Dr. James's blanks come as near the ideal as anything we have seen. They are three and one half by seven inches in size, ruled with fine lines on both sides, and have spaces for case, number, name, address, age, temperament, diagnosis, main symptoms, date and hour, temperature, pulse, respiration, remedy and remarks. TRANSACTIONS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HOMEOPATHIC MEDICAL SOCIETY. Vol. IV. 1878. Otis Clapp & Son. TRANSACTIONS OF THE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICAL SOCIETY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK FOR THE YEAR 1878. Vol. XIV. New Style, No. IV. Albany, N. Y. : Charles Van Benthuysen & Sons. TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN HOMEOPATHIC OPHTHALMOLOGICAL AND OTOLOGICAL SOCIETY FOR 1878. Copies may be had of the president, T. P. Wilson, M. D., Cincinnati. Price 50 cents. This society, which is an outgrowth of the corresponding bureau of the American Institute of Homœopathy, now publishes a series of interesting papers presented at its session last June at Put-In Bay. Following the address of the President, T. P. Wilson, M. D., are papers especially interesting to homœopathic oculists, and probably also to many general practitioners, written by Drs. Norton, Wanstell, Phillips, Lewis, Woodyat, Wilson, Campbell, and Vilas. Quite interesting to general readers is Dr. Park Lewis's "Hygiene of the Eyes, with Report of Examination of Refraction of Public School Children of Buffalo." A TABULAR HANDBOOK OF AUSCULTATION AND PERCUSSION. For Students and Physicians. By Herbert C. Clapp, A. M., M. D. Boston: Houghton, Osgood & Co. LECTURES ON MATERIA MEDICA. By Carroll Dunham, M. D. PERSONAL. JOHN A. ROCKWELL, M. D., has removed from Jewett City to Stamford, Conn. W. G. HANSON, M. D., class of 1878, Boston University, School of Medicine, has located in Everett, Mass. JULIA A. MARSHALL, M. D., has removed from Dover Street in Boston, to No. II Summer Street, Haverhill, Mass. C. S. HOAG, M. D., of the class of 1877, Philadelphia, has located at Waterbury, Vt., succeeding Dr. M. W. Hill, who has gone West. THE NEW ENGLAND MEDICAL GAZETTE. No. 2. FEBRUARY, 1879. VOL. XIV. A CASE OF PERITONITIS GREATLY RELIEVED BY TAPPING INTESTINE AND DISCHARGING ITS GASEOUS CONTENTS. H. B. CLARKE, M. D., NEW BEDFORD, MASS. J. R., farmer, æt. twenty-four, tall and spare, living about seven miles from N. B., sent for me on the morning of Sept. 10, 1878. The following account of his case was given: eight days previously he had got into a tree to reach some honey which he had discovered; leaning heavily across a branch of the tree, whence he supported by his hands another long branch which he was obliged to lower slowly to the ground, his position caused a severe pain at the epigastrium, followed for a short time by an agonizing loss of breath. He soon recovered, however, and the next morning felt quite well. That night (Sept. 3) he was taken with colic, attended by vomiting and purging. A neighboring physician was called, who injected Morphia subcutaneously, which gave him relief. Cathartic pills were then given, but as they did not act promptly, an infusion of Senna was afterwards freely drank. Three loose dejections followed. The next night (Sept. 4), the colic returned with great severity, attended by a chill. No vomiting or purging. Morphia was again injected as before, with temporary relief. The abdomen now became inflated and tender to the touch, with flatulent rumbling in the bowels. Morphia injections were repeated a few times, when pills (of Opium, doubtless) were given regularly at intervals of three hours. For the six days during which this treatment had continued, there had been no stool, no discharge of flatus, nor had there been any vomiting. Meanwhile the patient had become very prostrate, lying stupid, except |