CENTRAL NEW YORK ECLECTIC MEDICAL SOCIETY.

The ninth annual meeting of Central New York Eclectic Medical Society, was held in the court-house in the city of Syracuse, January 10, 1877.

The meeting was called to order at two P. M. President of the society in the chair.

Dr. H. A. Bolles,

In response to roll-call the following answered to their names: J. N. Betts, H. A. Bolles, C. F. Lownsbury, J. Arnold, C. Von Spiegel, C. S. Huntington, L. J. Phelps, E. L. Baker, W. W. Nims, C. E. Hill, J. D. Kellner, T. H. Kemter, S. D. Hanchett, C. S. Totman.

In consequence of the inclemency of the weather and the fact that many of the railroads were blocked with snow, very few of the members were present.

A case of tumor of the abdomen, which resulted in death, was reported by Dr. Hill. The tumor was cartilaginous and weighed about twenty pounds.

Dr. Hill also reported a case of scirrhus of the pyloric orifice of the stomach.

An interesting case of metritis was reported by Dr. Nims.

Dr. Betts reported the successful removal of an osseous tumor from the center of a scirrhus of the breast, and also one of osseo-cartilaginous tumor of the knee-joint.

Dr. Baker read an able article on diphtheria, which elicited a discussion on the nature of the disease and the different methods of treatment, participated in by all present.

A telegram was received from Dr. Harris, Secretary of the society, regretting his inability to be present in consequence of the snow blockade.

Dr. F. C. Watrous was proposed for membership.

As it was impossible for most of the members to be present on account of the storm, it was thought best to postpone the election of officers, and, on motion, the meeting adjourned to meet on the call of the President and Secretary.

T. L. HARRIS, M. D., Secretary. C. F. LOWNSBURY, M. D., Secretary pro tem.

THE PHYSICIAN IN THE PAST AND PRESENT.

BY A. J. BUTTERFIELD, M. D., of Hartford Mills, N. Y.

In endeavoring to lay down some of the principles which form a basis of medicine, I cannot refrain from stating what I conceive to be true relative to the present condition of the healing art. First, that a large majority of cases treated by all classes of physicians, are cured by nature, and not by medicine. Second, that the empirical practice of treating cases by mercury, blisters, antimony, blood-letting, etc., are so far from saving life, as to be absolutely a prolific source of disease and death. This class of practitioners, to shield their ignorance, attack any improvement in the profession which conflicts with their narrow and illiberal views. It is this class of the profession who persecute every attempt at improvement in practice, and unfortunately they have always been numerous enough to control, in a great measure, its destiny. Every discovery that has been made. since the days of Hippocrates has been met with scorn and derision. Harvey, who discovered the circulation of the blood, was called a "circulator" in derision, deprived of the right to practice medicine in his own country, and threatened with banishment, and finally was compelled to leave his native land. In 1522 Ambrose Paré first introduced the ligature, and tied the artery, instead of plunging the limb into boiling tar, as was practiced in those days. He was denounced with violence for daring to suspend the life of man on a mere thread. Lady Wortley Montague, while in Turkey, observed the wonderful effects of inoculation for small-pox, and determined to introduce the practice into her native land. But no sooner did she make known her purpose than the medical profession arose at once and predicted the most disastrous results. The clergy descanted from the pulpit on the seeking to take events from the hands of Providence. Every one is acquainted with Dr. Jenner's discovery of vaccination in 1790, so I will not take the time to repeat it here. The natives of Brazil first taught the medical properties of Ipecac. But owing to the opposition with which it was met by the medical profession, it was more than a quarter of a century before its virtues were appreciated. A Mexican soldier, more than half a century ago, discovered the properties of Matico, and its entire control over the bleeding vessels of the body. But such is the tendency to oppose every new discovery, that it was years before physicians would dare to use it. Dr. Samuel Thomson discovered the valuable properties of Lobelia, but on making known this discovery to the profession it was not only denounced, but he was persecuted and imprisoned. Now we find medical men using it, and at the same time denouncing its discovery. Thus we see that what advancement the medical profession has made, has been made by men who have become profes

sional martyrs in order to bring about reform. In 1823 an association of medical men from different parts of the country met in New York city and made preparations for organizing a reformed medical college, when, by the indomitable courage of Dr. Beach, the first reformed medical college was organized.

The object of this organization was to break the shackles of oppression and bondage. The medical fraternity had been within the traces of ignorant, bigoted men, since the days of Hippocrates, and the man that dare express an original thought was called a quack and kicked out of the profession. But we thank God that the day has arrived when men dare think for themselves instead of being confined to thoughts that originated a century ago even before the art of medicine was called a science. Dr. Beach, the founder of this institution although a man of learning and a graduate of one of the first allopathic colleges in the country, was assailed with terms of insolence and reproach, and all those that dared to participate in his work shared the same fate.

The principles which in my mind ought to guide the movement of reform in the medical profession in America are: To continue our researches in the vegetable, animal and mineral kingdom, for the purpose of developing resources for the removal of disease; to introduce into the profession a spirit of liberality and progression; to dispense with all creeds and cliques, and to overcome all party prejudice among the different members of the profession.

It is the duty of every physician to investigate every system of medicine and make its valuable resources available for the relief of the sick. But it is better to leave the disease to the unaided efforts of nature than attempt to remove it with medicine, unless its indications are demonstrated by observations and science.

The practice of physicians of spending their time in idle conversation electioneering and otherwise, in pursuits foreign to the profession, disqualifies them for practice; and to be a skillful physician the whole energies of body and mind should be devoted to the profession. Avoid any set of dogmas in medicine as right, bearing in mind that a constant change of opinion relative to the principles of art shows that what men suppose at one time to be right has been proved to be entirely wrong at others, and that the only means of advancing medicine to its highest rank, is by the rejection of old errors and reception of new and attested truths. In fact, to be model physicians we must be model men. For, who among you wants to trust all you hold most dear, your life and health, and the life and health of your wife and children, in the hands of a man who is dissipating his time in frivolous pleasure and is addicted to debauchery.

To live for others and not for himself is a physician's avocation. He must be ready to counsel for right, for he is brought constantly in contact with people in their most intimate relations of life, and must exercise a marked influence either for good or evil. Many times he is placed in positions in which a word of advice coming from a pure and truthful heart will change the course of an individual's life and prevent much misery and suffering. The truly good physician will, therefore, prove a moral blessing to a neighborhood and the immoral one will constantly be an evil example and a dangerous pest.

SCARLATINA MALIGNA,

FOLLOWED BY

TWO SUCCESSIVE CASES OF VACCINATION OR POISONING.

BY E. T. CHANEY, M. D., of Liverpool, N. Y.

The subject was a boy about four years old. The disease was putrid from the start. It is hardly necessary here to detail the symptoms as I found them. Physicians composing this convention are familiar with the putrid odor that arises from the body, and especially from the putrid and ulcerated throat. When we take into consideration the constant delirium and involuntary discharges from the bowels, we consider any attempt at medication comparatively useless.

A young lady in the neighborhood came in a few hours before the death of this child, and assisted in taking care of it, and in preparing it for burial. In six or eight hours she complained of pain in the back and head, sore throat, chills, succeeded by fever. She felt pain shooting up from the hand to the elbow. The hand and arın soon became inflamed and painful, the inflammation commencing around the scratch, which was not more than a quarter of an inch long. I commenced treatment on the day following with an emetic, as the best means to relax and give aid to the secretions. She was then put upon nervine, stimulant and sudorific treatment. The next day, Sunday, she expressed herself as feeling much better, sat up in bed and conversed with friends, and took but little medicine. Sunday night, relapse followed, and, with counsel, our best efforts were unavailing. She expired on Monday evening.

Tuesday, as I was going to visit a patient in the neighborhood, I met her brother on the road; he called my attention to a scratch on his finger, which had an inflamed surface around it the size of a gold dollar when he first discovered it, but now had extended nearly to the elbow. When he returned home I was sent for; the inflammation by this time had nearly reached the arm-pit. I was impressed with the importance of prompt and energetic treatment, and thought it a good opportunity to test the power of medicine. No time was to be lost. The patient complained of pain in the head and soreness and swelling in the throat. I first ordered his hand and arm packed in smart weed to the shoulder, and confined with a bandage. We kept this pack constantly wet with a decoction of lobelia herb. We then put jugs of hot water, wrapped in wet cloths and covered with flannel, on opposite sides of his knees, and to his feet. These were to moisten and heat the air in the bed, relax the skin and open the pores.

The next step was to put in a cup a teaspoonful each of pulv. lobelia seed, composition, and nerve powder, and a half teaspoonful of Blood Root. This was mixed well with sugar and the cup filled with boiling water. We commence with teaspoonful doses of the emetic in a cup of composition tea, to be repeated in five or ten inutes till the skin became moist. We then directed the patient to take a large swallow of the prescription, repeating every fifteen or twenty minutes until he vomited freely. The pain in the back and head, and soreness of the throat being sensibly relieved, we now administered a decoction of White Root, Skunk Cabbage and Lobelia. This opened the pores and stimulated the emunctories, and as rapidly as possible eliminated the poison from the system. I now left while the funeral of his sister was attended; I returned towards evening, and found my patient much improved. Continued the treatment till the next day. Tuesday found him perfectly free from every symptom of disease, and his arm perfectly restored. He asked the privilege to sit up, I advised him to keep his bed till the next morning. Prescribed broth, with the free use of composition, well seasoned with sugar and cream. It will be observed that in these cases nothing poisonous had been given.

Permit me here to say, that with the above treatment, I relieved a patient from the dangerous effects of poisoning by swallowing a solution of Corrosive Sublimate, supposing it to be whisky. The mouth and throat were badly skinned, and the oesophagus and stomach so seriously involved that there was no perceptible difference between the sputa and fæces, both being very offensive.

Two cases of poisoning by Opium, with intent to commit suicide. Were supposed to be beyond help. The muscles were rigid, and both were insensible. The above remedies could not be made to pass into the stomach. We resorted to the use of Thomson's AntiSpasmodic Tincture, which passed immediately into the stomach. Then it required a man at each limb and one to hold the nose, while I administered enough of the mixture to cause free emesis. When we had succeeded in inducing free perspiration we considered recovery possible. The more copious the perspiration and rapid the elimination, the better.