batter like sputum has been given to lycopodium, and hence the mistake made by some of the homeopathic prescribers. Gentry made a mistake in copy. That character of sputum belongs to phosphorus alone. But even with this unfortunate circumstance against us, we have made a showing that I defy the old school, or any other school, to parallel. The reason that we have practically agreed upon the remedy is because we have one of God's most beneficent and infallible laws to guide us in the selection of the drug.

I did not take into consideration the season when I selected this case, because in California pneumonia occurs at any time of the year, and for that reason I overlookt that point.

Now in conclusion I have this to say: I take it for granted that we all desire the truth, the whole truth, etc. If the Editor of this journal and its readers desire another test case, I have one for them which I can abundantly substantiate by the evidence of numerous credible witnesses. I have no desire to obtrude myself upon the profession, but I do desire with all my soul to do what I can to bring about an investigation of the peculiar tenets of homeopathy. The case I wish to report cannot fail to excite the most profound interest and wonder in every reader who is ignorant of the possibilities of our potentized drugs. Upon its face, homeopathy is the most tremendous humbug ever perpetrated upon suffering humanity All we ask for it is a fair test, and we will discuss the humbug proposition afterward.

3838 Vincennes Ave., S. E. CHAPMAN, M.D. Chicago, Ill. [The "test case 99 idea is a happy thought. This method of exchange of ideas and comparison of methods among the "schools" might be continued indefinitely, to the great advantage of all seekers after truth. However, one test case (one subject) is enuf to consider in this way at one time. Let us dispose of Dr. Kendrick's test (malaria) before taking up another subject.-ED.]

From a Physio Medicalist.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Believing, as I do, that neither the homeopathic nor regular lines of medication are in harmony with nature, and that the physio-medicalists have, like Martha of old, chosen the better way, I venture to briefly outline a course

of treatment from that standpoint for Chapman's case.

We

If the patient had soakt his feet for one half hour the first day in hot mustard water, and drank copiously of an infusion of plurisy root and ginger, and then gone to bed between woolen blankets with plenty of comforts over him, there would have been no necessity for treating him any further. It seems, however, that he neglected this old fashioned treatment, and on the seventh day we have a "beautiful" case to contend with. The first question that presents itself to a physio-medicalist is not what "drug will produce a set of symptoms similar to these if given to a person in health," neither is it what particular poison will so paralyze the heart muscles. that that organ can no longer force the blood so rapidly, and so allow the temperature to run down; but rather, how can we best assist nature to remove this accumulation in the lung which must be accomplisht before the patient can recover. must think, too, of the condition of the skin, the most important organ (if I may be allowed to use the word in this connection) of elimination of the waste of the body. We find the skin hot and dry except the extremities, which may be, and frequently are, cold. To restore the skin to its normal condition is then of first importance, and to accomplish this I would give the patient plurisy root in the fluid extract, 15 gtts. in cup of hot water every hour until skin is soft and moist. To keep up the circulation full and strong, which must be done, I should give a capsule containing four grains each of capsicum and berberin sulf. every two hours. Should the heart show any signs of weakness, give 5 gtts. fluid extract of cactus g. every hour. The above will sustain the circulation, and with a steadiness and regularity of heart action unknown when strychnin or digitalis is relied upon. Should the patient's feet, one or both, be cold, as would be likely to be the case, I should administer a pint of infusion of Thompson's composition powder as an introduction.

Dr. Chapman doesn't mention it, but in all probability the patient is having more or less trouble with his bowels. In fact he very likely hasn't had a good free passage since he "caught cold." I don't see that this feature of the case has been toucht upon. As the proper remedies will suggest themselves to our minds, I will

euggest nothing except that under no circumstances should the use of mercurials be resorted to.

In closing, let me say as has been suggested by others, that as the climax is bound to come in the next twenty-four or forty eight hours, it is difficult to decide how much credit should be given to treatment, and how much to the vital force of the patient. This doubt can only exist in case the patient "pulls thru." If he dies it is a simple case of heart failure.

F. A. STARBUCK, M.D.

Kansas City, Kansas.

School Uncertain.

Dr. Chapman's man

Sig. Two teaspoonfuls alternately, every half hour until better, which will probably be in three or four hours.

Also apply to the chest a flannel wet in tincture arnica 3ij, hot water 3iv to 3vi. Keep the arnica mixture standing on the stove, and re-wet the flannel every half hour.

The aconite and gelsemium will reduce the temperature, and the two drugs together will not have the depressing effect on the heart that the aconite would alone. The phos. and bryonia will take care of the cough. The bryonia especially will act as a proplylactic on the serous membranes and ward off pleurisy, endocarditis etc. The arnica to the chest will relieve the dyspnea and opprest breathing, and need not be kept up more than five or six hours.

As soon as the temperature is down to 99°, stop the aconite and gelsem, and go on with the phos. and bryonia. Look out for the heart when the fever leaves, and be ready with powders of carbonate of ammonia, or what is full as good, Potter's powders, made with powdered gum camphor, carbonate of ammonia and prepared chalk, equal quantities.

Above all things, don't give any coal tar derivativs, unless you want to see your man go off with heart failure just when you think he is out of danger.

I suppose Dr. Chapman will call the above treatment "shot gun" and "mongrel," but I can't help that. The patients ecover every time, or at least they

not know what "school" I belong in. I am not an "allopath," nor a "homeopath," nor an "eclectic;" but just a plain M.D. Webster says a physician is "one skilled in physic, or the art of healing." That is good enuf for me. Salem, Conn.

C. F. CONGDON.

As Mr. Dooley Would See It. Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-"'Oi say,” said Mr. Hennessey, "hev ye heerd of th' case of noomoney all th' doctors b' tellin about in th' MEDICAL WORRULD?"

"Oi hev," says Mr. Dooley, "an' mind ye besides th' noomoney he had th’ Statues Presents, whativer that is, with 'is spootum all flyin t'paces like batter. They do tell me, Hennessey, th' whole homypathy medicin chist ther's only wan drug what'll cure th' same, that wan bein fosforus. You see, Hennessey, th' thrick was t' get all th' homypaths t' trate th' poor man alike. Then comes wan man Lawshe an' tells th' thrap, an would ye belave it, even with th' handle on't so they'd all git hold alike, 'tis a toss up twixt matches an' liky podium.

"Accordin t' wan man 'Oi must be a dead wan Hennessey," says he, forcible like, 'tis th' only thing t' kape wan in that condition alive. Perhaps ye mind Hennessey, when 'Oi had th' noomoney so bad last winter they'd prop me up in bed to breathe, me chist as tight as a dhrum, a coffin turrible, an' raisin' the dirtiest lookin spootum, me hearrt a goin boomptyboomp an' me a breathin like the piston on th' Empire State Express.

"Thin in comes me old doc. an' fixes me up some digy talus an' a pull at th' bottle th' old woman kapes 'n th' cupboard, thin he phlastered me chist with

some quare lookin putty called Aunty Flogistin, an' tho 'Oi never knew befor 'Oi had such a relation, she pulled the ache all out of me side; an' thin he fixt up the d'rndst mess of tartarie meltic an' surrup of pin feathers, squills or some sich thing, an' Hennessey, ye should hev seen th' chist full of spootum 'Oi spooted.

"Whin th' praste cum th' next day he was tellin me they'd cheated him out ov a job by poompin me full ov oxy gin. W'u'd ye belave it, Hennessey, 'Oi never remimber drinkin th' stuff at all, an' thry as 'Oi w'u'd 'Oi couldn't git th' taist ov it in me mouth. 'Oi'll never forgiv them for not wakin me up befor 'Oi took it.

"Divil a drop ov fosforus or liky podium did 'Oi git, an' yet 'Oi'm a well man today.

"Oi reckon th' old doc. tho't a good sthrong dose an' some good harrud worruk would do more f'r me thin an infiny tessymal dose an' waitin an' watchin as did me friend Cohen, ov Tixas."

With due apologies to Peter Finley Dunne, and the readers of THE MEDICAL WORLD, I am, Very truly yours,

Beloit, Wis. IRA F. THOMPSON, M.D.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-I may be a little too late in this case to save the patient, but I have become interested from reading the various replies given to Dr. Chapman's pneumonia case. The homeopaths, in general, have reacht a cure in this case by the use of phosphorus ; while the regulars have not been so uniform in the treatment of this particular case. I suppose this case has about reacht the crisis without having had any treatment at all; and the Doctor wants to know how the different schools will treat such a case at such a stage of the disease. The prognosis of this case is sure death without medical interference: if not, how may we know what treatment brought about a favorable termination? To infer that this case might get well without any line of treatment would leave us at sea, and we cannot tell whether it was homeopathic or allopathic remedies that sought the mark in this particular stage of this disease. The question is, treatment.

If I were called to this case at this time of the disease my line of treatment would be depletion; and as bleeding has past away, I would rely upon aconite in the following formula:

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-I have been somewhat entertained in reading the homeopaths' visionary methods in treating Dr. Chapman's test case of pneumonia. Why? It must be remembered the patient is taking into his system, with his daily food, more phosphorus than they are giving him.

Dr. A. R. Gonce (page 388), in the last six or seven lines of his communication, should be carefully considered and heeded; it's about the truth. The lancet should be used in well selected cases, always; at the same time about 8 or 10 grains of calomel, combined with ipecac and soda, should be given at the first visit to the patient. A fly blister should be applied early. Under this treatment we would hear of but few deaths from this disease. I speak from an experience of nearly forty-nine years.

Dr. Hiram Corson, late of Conshohocken, Pa., near Norristown, some years ago, thru the Medical and Surgical Reporter, gave the medical men of Philadelphia, some plain talk in reference to the high rate of deaths from this disease under the modern mode of treatment.

Rancocas, N. J. W. L. MARTIN, M.D.

Homeopathically.

Or suppose this pneumonia patient to be a druggist, and thru the open door from his shop there should be wafted in a dust raised by a careless office boy, composed of high potencies of camphor, rhus, nux, phos. and forty other drugs, including oyster shells and lycopodium; would he recover at once? or would the high potencies prove too much for him?

This sounds fanciful, but is it not quite possible that such a case might occur? and the patient take into his system as much (or as little) as a 200x of forty medicins.

In other words, if the homeopaths are right, would it be possible to be certain that the patient was getting only the high potency of one proper medicin, and not the highest and therefore most powerful attenuation of forty contradictory medicins?

We of the regular profession are puzzling our brains over how to protect patients (and well people) from mosquitos, flies, etc.; but we have an easy job compared with that of the homeopaths, who ought, if their theory is true, to protect patients from the chance absorption of a thousand medicins that float in the air, or are absorbed in our food and drink in sufficient quantity to make a 2x or a 2000x.

I would suggest that the next man who proposes to step into the shoes of Hahnemann take his patient to a high mountain, where he would be free from the possible influence of high potencies of lycopodium, arsenic, oyster shells and other powerful medicins that might interfere with his provings. Here in Monterey we have quite an appreciable amount of arsenic in the atmosphere, especially when the wind is in the right quarter, from the smelters. Would this fact modify treatment by homeopaths if the pneumonia case were here. THOS. J. TURPIN, M.D.

Monterey, Mexico.

Editor MEDICAL WORLD:-Dr. Chapman's case certainly was a test in some particulars, tho it may have failed to prove that phosphorus, or any other remedy, was curativ in this case of self-limited disease, or one which nature very frequently "pulls thru." The answers to this given case are certainly a test of uniform prescribing on the part of the homeopathic system. More than thirty homeopathic prescriptions were made for this case, with a variation of but two remedies, over twenty-five agreeing upon the same remedy. There were seven prescriptions made by the regulars, none of whom offered the same treatment. [Calculation based on September WORLD, as October WORLD was not out when this article was written.-ED.] This is good evidence that the old school cannot base the selection of remedies according to scientific exactness. This school is admirably scientific in the collateral medical branches, but drops into a confusion equal to that of the doctor of last month's (September) WORLD, who dropt into "Allen's yards of encyclopedia.”

While the medical art is made up of several important branches of science, no one of them is so important and vital as the selection of the remedy, unless hygiene and sanitary science, or surgery, dispute this claim. There is an abundance of reliable literature at hand to show that disease, not nature-cured nor self-limited, has been cured without any consideration of the collateral sciences. This is not said to minify the important scientific subjects of medicin, but to declare the importance of finding the proper remedy, by use of a sure and scientific method, with which to heal the sick. The most important branch in old school treatment is without scientific standing, and herein lies their failure. 'Tis true, this system has sufficient knowledge of the physiological action of drugs, but is it not the rule rather than the exception that the human system, when afflicted with disease, refuses to accept an artificial physiology? If physiology is to be a guide in the selection of a drug, can we cure our cases of constipation with purgatives? All sorts of physiological stimulants fail in like manmer and almost to the same extent.

A literary writer of national reputation recently said to his physicians: "You

It is in this vital part of the medical art where homeopathy claims superiority; here we claim law, order and precision in the application of the drug, and find satisfying results. If drugs, properly prepared, are selected for a diseased condition, similar to conditions produced on the healthy by these same drugs, health will be restored, unless organic changes have developt beyond restitution.

While the homeopathic materia medica may be called "chaotic, unauthentic, paralyzing," those who prescribe by it have no larger brains than those of the old school, and select their remedies with fair uniformity, compared to old school "eraticism."

Homeopathy wants everything good in the allopathic school; it has taken possession of all the wealth of the collateral sciences belonging to the latter's system, and is using this material to good effect. As homeos, we ought to know of their materia medica, how to use it, and what results may be derived from old school methods of treatment. Dr. Pyle gave us an able article in September WORLD (pages 373 to 375), and we deserve some of his criticism; yet he forgets the age and especially the smaller size of this new school, and does not realize that we have splendid teachers on all the scientific subjects necessary in the healing art, some of whom are authors of books which are adopted by our colleges, but of course receive no recognition from those of the other faith.

The brilliant discoveries made amid the vast army of old school teachers have been quickly adopted by the new school, but as long as we obtain better results by prescribing according to the law of similars, we will hold fast to that which is good, and thank the old school system for all the good we can get from it.

Of the doctor who made the statements that homeopathy has "no remedy so valuable as the salines in the toxemias," nothing as good as the coal tar derivatives, "no potassium iodid for syphilitic discrasia, absolutely nothing for iritis," I venture to say he has not tried our remedies to find out. I wish to record a case of

iritis cured by a homeopathic remedy after potassium iodid, etc., had failed.

June 9, 1900, W. H. W-, age 45, single, formerly a painter, dark complexion, heavy weight. History of syphilis not clear; had gonorrhea, rheumatism, recurrent skin eruption, has chronic constipation. Has been under old school treatment for iritis for five years, the last two of which were spent at the North Western University, Chicago, and Post Graduate Medical School, Chicago. During these five years patient has had potassium iodid, mercury, atropin, zinc sulf. and perhaps other drugs unknown to him. The last two named drugs were thought to be helpful during acute attacks, but no benefit had been derived from other treatment. The left eye was first affected five years ago, exciting cause being a drop of turpentine. Recurrent attacks followed from time to time, tho patient was all the while under the care of an ophthalmologist, old school, but finally came to Chicago where the eye was operated upon at three different times. Final result was total blindness in his left eye. About two years ago iritis attackt the remaining good eye, and acute attacks would recur at intervals of two to four months and would last from two to four weeks. Vision was quite impaired, and very much impaired during an acute attack. The patient came to me during an acute attack, despondent because his former doctor could promise no hope to save his eye, and did not seem to have advised any further surgical work. The usual symptoms of iritis were present, with burning pain in eye so severe that at times the patient lost sleep; a friend could not be recognized half way across the street. A few doses of sulfur 200th were given; and four days later nitric acid 200th; one dose each day was administered. June 16th : Pericorneal injection and pain gone, pupil irregular in reaction to light. Nitric acid was continued and atropin given to dilate pupil. From this date vision gradually cleared, and at the end of three months was better than it had been for over a year.

About six months after first prescription was made, patient suffered a very light recurrent attack with severe "cold in head." No recurrent attack has happened up to date, tho the patient has had a few attacks of coryza, which used to excite acute attacks of iritis. This man