to get some sleep. Caulophyllin rarely disappoints me in such conditions, and I prescribe it with the greatest confidence. I have been in the habit, for some years, of using triturations of the alkaloid, in preference to the tincture or its potentized form, and have fancied at least that I have had better success with it than with alcoholic preparations.

About six weeks after the first attack of flowing I was called to attend Mrs. R- in labor. The history of the case had been such as not to inspire me with confidence that she would have an easy and uncomplicated delivery; consequently I went to her armed with such implements as I had in my possession for the expected emergency.

You may well imagine my delight when I found she was having labor pains with but very little flowing. On examination I found the os uteri dilated, the "bag of water" protruding sufficiently to warrant its speedy evacuation, which was easily accomplished. Some minutes elapsed before a pain followed, and, on making an exploration, no part of the child could be reached, but a portion of the free edge of the placenta could be easily traced. From the position of the placenta I judged the head of the child was resting upon the right section of the superior strait, and during the next pain I placed my left hand on the right side of her abdomen, and, while making firm and steady pressure, had the satisfaction of feeling with the index finger of the right hand the head of the child engage in the partially dilated os uteri. From this time labor progressed regularly and even speedily, without any unusual hemorrhage.

The child was pale and much exhausted. There was but slight pulsation in the cord. When the child was separated, the placenta was found resting in the vagina. The child did well, and the mother had a very good convalescence.

MASSACHUSETTS HOMEOPATHIC MEDICAL SOCIETY.

THE semi-annual meeting of the society was held in Union Hall, Boylston Street, Boston, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 1882.

MORNING SESSION.

Meeting was called to order at 10.30 A. M., by the president, A. M. Cushing, M. D., Boston. Records of annual meeting were read and approved, as were the records of the meetings of the Executive Committe.

The following candidates were admitted to membership: Geo. D. Bliss, M. D., Field's Corner; Lydia R. Clements, M. D., Brookline; N. W. Emerson, M. D., Dorchester; Joseph

F. Lindsay, M. D., Boston; E. H. Packer, M. D., Lowell; Fred. B Percy, M. D., Brookline; John J. Shaw, M. D., Plymouth ; Esther W. Taylor, M. D., Boston; Mary E. Webb, M. D., Dover, N. H.

The president made a few remarks, in the course of which he recommended the appointment of committees to take in hand matters of importance to the profession at large.

Society resolved itself into a committee of the whole for the consideration of the several points mentioned by the president. Appointments were made as follows:

On Vaccination. - Drs. Talbot, Boston; Walker, Chelsea; Harris, Boston; French, Lawrence; Jones, Taunton.

On Education. - Drs. N. R. Morse, Salem; Thayer, Boston; Scales, Newton.

On Legislation. - Drs. Farnsworth, East Cambridge; H. L. Chase, Cambridgeport; O. S. Sanders, Boston.

On motion of Dr. Morse of Salem, it was voted to establish a bureau on electro-therapeutics.

Committee on Surgery reported papers as follows: Antiseptics, Horace Packard, M. D., Boston; Rupture of Urethra with Extravasation of Urine, operated on by Dr. Boothby, reported by A. H. Carvill, M. D., Somerville; Prolapsus Uteri treated by Thomas's Method of Narrowing the Vagina, by W. L. Jackson, M. D., Boston; Modern Lithotrity with Cases, by Alonzo Boothby, M. D., Boston. A free discussion on the various papers was had by the society.

A. H. Allen, M. D., of New London, Conn., was present as a delegate from the Connecticut Homœopathic Medical Society. The president called attention to the fact that Capt. Webb, the swimmer, was going through a test of endurance at the Horticultural Hall, and invited the members to visit him; the invitation was accepted, and it was voted that the afternoon session begin at 2.15 P. M. At I P. M. the society adjourned for lunch.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

Society called to order at 2.15 P. M. Committe on Gynecology presented a paper on Ovaritis, by L. A. Phillips, M. D., Boston. O. G. Ross, of Revere, reported a case of Procidentia Uteri of eight years' standing. The lady had been pregnant once or twice, and had always had abortion performed by advice of her physicians. There was every reason to think that the lady was again pregnant; Dr. Ross determined to allow matters to take their course. At the end of four months the uterus was drawn up into the pelvic cavity. The lady was delivered at term and was also cured of the procidentia.

Dr. Phillips mentioned a case of ovariotomy performed by Dr. J. H. Carmichael of Worcester. The patient was seventy-two years old; the cyst was multilocular, weighed thirty pounds. The operation was performed Sept. 27; the wound is now healed and the patient is doing well.

Committee on Zymotic Diseases, paper by E. B. de Gersdorff, M. D., Boston.

Committee on Materia Medica, paper by C. L. Nichols, M. D., of Worcester, on Provings.

The Bureau of Surgery was reopened and a paper was read by I. T. Talbot, M. D., Boston, on Ovariotomy, a recent case being described, which, in spite of apparently unfavorable sanitary surroundings, has, under strict antiseptic treatment, progressed favorably towards complete recovery.

The Bureau of Ophthalmology made no report.
Adjourned at 4.30 P. M.

HERBERT A. CHASE,

Recording Secretary.

AMERICAN PÆDOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

THE fourth annual session of the American Pædological Society will be held next year at Niagara Falls, commencing on the day previous to the assembling of the American Institute of Homœopathy, which date has not yet been definitely fixed.

The special subject for discussion will be: The Diseases Incident to the "Second Summer.”

This subject will necessarily include:

First. Difficult dentition, its causes, prevention, and treat

ment.

Second. Alimentary complications.

Third. Special hygiene of the second summer, diet, etc.
Fourth. Reflex cerebral disturbances.

Fifth. Complication of the respiratory system.

Sixth. Comparative mortuary statistics under different systems of treatment and management.

This announcement is made thus early in the hope that observations made during the past summer may be more surely and fully utilized by preservation and presentation to the next meeting of the society, which is expected to be of unusual interest.

R. N. TOOKER, 'M. D., President,

237 Dearborn Ave., Chicago, Ill.

L. C. GROSVENOR, M. D., Secretary,
185 Lincoln Ave., Chicago, Ill.

REVIEWS AND NOTICES OF BOOKS.

THE INTERNATIONAL ENYCLOPEDIA OF SURGERY (Ashhurst). Vol. II. New York: Wm. Wood & Co. 1882. Royal octavo. pp. 754.

The second volume of this really valuable work merits a renewal of our previous commendation. It opens with articles upon those affections, such as wounds, burns, abcesses, and gangrene, which, though local in themselves, may be met with in any region of the body. Then follow elaborate articles upon the various venereal diseases, gonorrhoea, the simple venereal ulcer or chancroid, syphilis, vegetations, etc., and in the latter part of the volume is begun the consideration of injuries and diseases of the various tissues of the body.

In view of the present tendency to decry the antiseptic method, it is interesting to read the article by W. Watson Cheyne, M. B., F. R. C. S., on "The Antiseptic Method of Treating Wounds," in which he says, "In speaking and thinking on this subject, great care must be taken to distinguish between asepticism and the aseptic method. Asepticism is synonymous with Listerism; it is the great principle, first enunciated by Mr. Lister, that the causes of fermentation in wounds are particles from the outer world, and that in order to abolish the risks due to fermentation in wounds, the proper method of treatment is to prevent the entrance of the living causes of fermentation into them. The aseptic method is synonymous with Listerian method. It is the best way at present known of securing this result. When, as of late has happened, Mr Lister gives expression to the view that perhaps the time is not far distant when some of the means at present employed in his method may be abandoned, the cry is raised that Listerism is dead.' Such an idea rests on misappreciation of what Listerism is. Listerism or asepticism is a great principle which has triumphantly withstood the most searching test, and which is now a law of the first importance to the practical surgeon. The Listerian or aseptic method is the best means at present known of carrying out that law in surgical practice; but the means have always been improving, and must always continue to improve. The time may indeed come when the method shall have undergone an entire alteration, but, nevertheless, the principle underlying it will always remain the same. Whatever change may occur in the present Listerian method, Listerism will always remain the most fundamental principle of wound treatment, and the surgeon when he makes a wound will lister'

·

it in the fullest sense of that term. The same thing has occurred with all natural laws; when once discovered and firmly established, they remain immutable, but the practical applications of them are constantly widening and improving." Besides the many wood-cuts, this volume contains twelve superb plates which show finely the various appearances of gangrene and venereal lesion. ||

AMERICAN MEDICINAL PLANTS: An Illustrative and Descriptive Guide to the American Plants used as Homoeopathic Remedies, etc. By Charles F. Millspaugh, M. D.

This work is to be published as a subscription book, to be issued in about thirty parts, each part containing six lithographic engravings. We rejoice to see the announcement of a work of this character, and hope the publishers will meet with sufficient encouragement to warrant its completion, as we understand its publication is dependent upon the receipt of a certain number of subscriptions. This work is intended to be, as its title reads, “an illustrative and descriptive guide to the American plants used as homœopathic remedies," giving briefly "their history, preparation, chemistry, and physiological effects." The botanical description is taken largely from Gray's " Manual of Botany"; their history, chemistry, etc, from the "National," also King's 'Dispensatories," Hale's "New Remedies," Hollernback's "Eclectic Materia Medica," and the preparations of the homoeopathic tinctures from Boericke & Tafel's "American Homœopathic Pharmacopoeia." It is quite brief in its description, two pages or less in large type being devoted to each remedy; with this exception it is not unlike Hamilton's "Flora Homoeopathica," published by Leath & Ross, of London, in 1852, which gave in two volumes a full and complete sketch, with illustrations, of some sixty-six medicinal plants. We think the book would prove of much greater value if it were less condensed, as a work of this class would seem to demand an extended description and history of the subject treated. Judging from the six plates examined, we think Dr. Millspaugh has succeeded admirably in a portion of his illustrations, with the flowers better than the leaves. The spathe of the Pothos fætida is made remarkably true to nature, while the leaves of this plant and those of Iris versicolor are much less perfect representations.

The publishers inform us in their announcement that they' "have engaged the highest order of typographic and lithographic skill" in its execution. We therefore regret to find the quality of paper and typography of the sample number somewhat below the standard of Messrs. Boericke & Tafel's publications.

The work, however, is a valuable one, and will prove a useful addition to a physician's library.

£