and because some physicians had also mentioned it. Ordered her to continue the same medicine.

September 14. Progressing nicely concerning the ague. There still seems to be a little fever. Quite a disagreeable sensation again in stomach, spleen and intestines, feeling as if the latter were tied up in knots. Weak feeling in epigastrium. Ordered:

Ꭱ

Sat. Green Tinct. Eucalyptus globulus, 3 iv.

Sig. Take it in doses of a teaspoonful as previously.

September 20. Returned improved in every way. From the fact of not having seen her since this date, believe that a good recovery was made.

Case V.

Malarial Remittent Fever. Mr. J. D. S., thirty-two years an Irish mechanic, sent for me September 29, 1876.

of age,

This patient, of the bilious-encephalic temperament, was confined to his room and had been attended by the physician of a mutual benevolent society, of which he was a member. Had taken quinine till cinchonism was as bad as the disease. He gave the following account of his case: For many years he had been employed in the machine shop of the New York and Harlem railroad of this city, which occupied the site of a former swamp. A miasmatic effluvia was constantly escaping from the flooring of the building. Locomotives discharged their water directly into the cellar, through the ground of which it found its way to the nearest sewer. Musty odors were pervading the atmosphere, and in cold weather white vapors were seen to issue through the crevices of the floor like a thick, foggy atmosphere. A great many of the hands were seized with malarial fevers. On September the twenty-second he was taken rather suddenly with a severe headache, followed by fever. By the third day it had assumed the type of asthenic remittent fever, almost delirious. Headache, intense. The doctor gave him large doses of quinine which lessened the fever but increased the headache. Attacks came on in the afternoon of every day. Later, racking pains in the back and other bones preceded each attack. Skin cold. A creeping, chilly feeling passing over his whole body, but never amounting to a regular chill, was followed by a high fever and profuse sweating. Very weak, no desire for food. Tongue ccated a dirty yellow color. Bowels constipated. Incessant nauseous feeling. Had not slept a night in a week. Pulse, 114. Prescribed:

B Sat. Green Tinct. Eucalyptus globulus, 3 viii.

Sig. Take two teaspoonfuls in half a wineglassful of hot water, sweetened, every half hour, till the fever passes off. Commence using medicine two hours previous to an attack.

September 30. Patient reports that he used only four doses of Eucalyptus the day previous, which lessened the headache and reduced the fever. The paroxysm made its appearance about four P. M., and when it had passed off the pain had left the head and settled in his back and shoulders. Altogether, he felt much more comfortable. Ordered Eucalyptus to be used regularly at two P. M., every day.

October 1.Stated that the chilly stage and subsequent fever had almost left him. In fact, the back-bone of the disease was broken, although there was a bad feeling, in general, still existing. An indescribable sick 'state of the entire body. Headache is more intensified. Could sleep a little better of late. Had previously subsisted on a milk diet, but could now take some solid food with a relish. No more nausea. Looks much better generally. Patient remarked, that from the very first of taking this medicine the masked chilly stage had entirely disappeared, and that the fever, which was taking the asthenic type, was more readily controlled. The pain in back and limbs yielded in a similar manner. Pulse, ninety-six.

October 4. The patient was able to take a walk-the first since sick. The headache, about the only objectionable symptom, remaining. It is more of a congestive character--not distressing. The extreme debility manifested in this case, when we first saw the patient, is gradually yielding to the invigorating effect of the Eucalyptus. Recovery, though slow, is permanently established. Tongue cleaning splendidly. Taste improving, and appetite returning. Bowels quite regular. The skin is cool, but not cold, with a decided improvement in its function. Pulse, seventy-two; flabby and indicative of prolonged prostration. The stomach getting accustomed to a stronger diet, we substituted plenty of beef and fowl, in place of the milk diet. The impoverished state of the blood required such a change. The medicine had been used faithfully at every anticipating period of the cold stage until now, the same as though the disease was at its zenith.

October 6. Head quite free from pain. Appetite more normal. Convalescing finely. Prescribed:

R. Sat. Green Tinct. Eucalyptus globulus, 3 viii. Sig. Take one teaspooful in hot water four times a day.

The patient informed us that it was very good but strongly tasting medicine, and he did not relish it very much.

October 10. Up to present time, no return of paroxysm. Gaining strength very fast. Talks of resuming work in a few days.

P. S. November 1.- Cure is completed. No sign of a relapse. The disease in this case took on a quotidian type from the time when we first took it in hand until discharged cured.

It will be noticed, in the above case, that the disease was just developing itself into a typhoid form, which, by the timely use of Eucalyptus globulus, was, fortunately, averted. Whether this result was due to the anti-septic properties of the drug, or possibly to the vitalizing and buoyant effects of its diffusible stimulus, we leave to the careful and observing reader to decide.

It is highly necessary, in treating such cases, to build up the system that has been lowered by malarial fever, but because we have removed the symptoms, it is by no means proof positive that we have also overcome the cause. Continuing the medicine, therefore, in smaller doses, a week after the paroxysms were broken up, we secured an excellent tonic effect.

THE ORIGIN OF THE AMERICAN ECLECTIC PRACTICE OF MEDICINE, AND ITS EARLY HISTORY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

BY H. E. FIRTH, M. D.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Eclectic Medical Society of the State of New York.-I have been requested by the president of this society to furnish a paper to be read before this honorable body upon a subject of my own selection.

It has occurred to me that in this centennial year of American independence, and over a half century since the first introduction of "American eclecticism," that it would be wise and proper that I should devote a few thoughts to the subject of the early history of eclecticism in the State of New York.

I propose to confine my remarks (in the main) to its history in New York State, as the history of eclecticism in the States is a subject of such magnitude that it could not be encompassed in one paper, if indeed I had the time and ability to make the attempt.

It would be of great interest, and worthy the ambition of any eclectic physician to write a correct history of eclecticism in the United States, and I hope that at no distant day, some one who may be qualified to do the subject justice, may furnish us with a full and impartial history.

The history that I shall attempt to give of eclecticism in the State of New York, although imperfect, nevertheless contains much that has never been written. In preparing this history I find it a difficult matter to fully write the chain of events that have transpired since the early days of Thomson and Beach, and in attempting to do so there will necessarily occur now and then a missing link. The difficulty in writing this history is much greater than it otherwise would have been, if the records of medical societies which formerly existed could be found.

If, therefore, I only succeed in adding something to what has already been written upon the subject, I may enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that this paper is not entirely without its utility.

ORIGIN OF MEDICAL ECLECTICISM.

Eclecticism in medicine (at least what we call "American Eclecticism"), had its origin in the State of New York, from the writings and labors of Dr. Wooster Beach, who is fully deserving of the title of the "Father of Eclecticism."

Dr. Samuel Thomson, a cotemporary of Dr. Beach, doubtless, antedated him in the reform movement, and to him belongs the credit of introducing many valuable medicines and modes of cure.

DR. SAMUEL THOMSON'S SYSTEM OF PRACTICE.

Whatever may have been his defect in education, Dr Samuel Thomson was a man of strong character, and an original thinker. To him belongs the credit of discovering and putting into practical use some of the best articles in our materia medica.

Dr. Thomson discovered the therapeutical properties of lobelia, as early as 1793, and about the year 1798 commenced, in a domestic way, to practice medicine.

In 1805 he introduced capsicum into practice, and soon after added a number of other valuable remedies to his Materia Medica. In 1812 he published the first outlines of his Guide to Health. In 1813 he compiled his "New Materia Medica," which embraces sixty native vegetable remedies. His first work on practice was published soon after.

The system of Thomson took its rise about this time and gradually spread throughout the United States, and also through a portion of Europe. Thousands of men (who were medically uneducated) purchased Thomson's book, and with it the right to practice medicine. From this cause, probably more than from any other the system of Thomson was eventually brought into disrepute.

The success which attended Dr. Thomson's practice soon attracted the attention of such men as Howard, Hance, Smith, and still later, Matson, Curtis, Comfort, Cook, Comming and many others, and they entered the Thomsonian field of labor.

These men being educated, and indeed some of them, scientific physicians, soon gave more polish to the Thomsonian practice and at the same time paved the way to a more liberal habit and system of reasoning. These reformers, in many instances, styled themselves "physopaths" or "reform or botanic physicians.'

Several schools of medicine in the interest of this sect were organized east, west and south, and various periodicals were published throughout the country. Three or more of these schools still exist, one of which is located in Cincinnati, one in Georgia and one in Indianapolis.

The earlier followers of Thomson regarded him as the "alpha " and "omega" of medical science, and conformed their practice to his system of teaching.

In evidence of the above statement I will quote a resolution passed at the second annual meeting of the "Thomsonian Medical Society," held at Geddes, Onondaga County, in 1836:

Resolved, "That our object is not to effect an improvement either in the theory or practice of the system of medicine discovered by Samuel Thomson; nor is it to secure a monopoly of practice among the few to the exclusion of the many; but our object is to exhibit this system of Samuel Thomson to the world in such a light that all may appreciate its blessings and adopt it as their only safe and sure method of treating disease."

I have no doubt that in the early days of medical reform, in too many instances personal and sectional feelings arose between individuals, who, in their ambition to forward the principles

they espoused, and, desirous to make history for themselves, failed to acknowledge the part performed by their cotemporaries in acquiring knowledge, and building up the great system of medical practice, which we, as eclectics, to-day recognize and enjoy.

These pioneers of medical reform were but human, and it is not strange that selfish motives should sometimes have influenced them in their acts.

Dr. Thomson, we all know, had suffered and endured much in consequence of his medical faith and his determination to make his system of practice popular. He had borne persecution, hardships and imprisonment. He had labored through summer's heat and winter's storm, and now, after long years of suffering, it was but reasonable to expect that he should desire to reap some fruit for all his mental and physical endurance. He was also a man of strong passions and of a determined will, and when once fully settled upon a point he was neither slow to act or easily subdued.

Dr. Thomson, in casting about to find men of ability to assist him in the republication of his work, found Dr. Matson, a physician of culture and also a convert to his faith, whom he employed to rewrite his book. Dr. Matson engaged in the undertaking, but before the book was completed Drs. Thomson and Matson quarreled, and Dr. Matson gave up the undertaking and at once proceeded to write a book for himself.

Dr. Matson's motives in writing this book may have been purely to advance the interests of medical reform, or they may have been selfish. It is not for me to divine as to Dr. Matson's motive in publishing his book, but certain it is, that he produced a work which was well received and which added to the literature of medical reform.

In 1832, as Dr. Thomson was extending his business throughout the States, selling his books and establishing agencies for his medicines, he fell in with Dr. Horton Howard, who had become a convert to the Thomsonian system of practice, and who had manifested much zeal in the cause. Howard accepted an agency from Thomson, but soon he and Thomson disagreed. Dr. Howard, though a practical man was not gifted in book making, but feeling (as he says) that there was a defect in Thomson's book he employed Dr. Hance (a physician of some literary ability) to write a book for him. Dr. Horton Howard's book contained much that was valuable, and was alike creditable to both Dr. Howard and Dr. Hance. The book was republished in 1850, by Professor J. Kost, of Cincinnati.

Whatever may have been the ambition, fault, or shortcomings of Dr. Samuel Thomson, he, no doubt, was a man of sincerity and honesty; and although ofttimes crude in his ideas, he nevertheless was of a philosophic turn of mind, and by his inductive process of reasoning he was enabled to set in motion an influence, that had for its basis the fundamental principles of truth.

It may be truly said of Dr. Samuel Thomson, that he sowed the first" germ seeds" of reform, and his name should be "handed down to posterity" as a benefactor of his race.