pungent inflammable vapor, which has been successfully applied to the nostrils of syncopated persons. It burns with a blue flame.

The acid is miscible with water in all proportion ; forming an ether in Alcoholic solution. The salts (acetates) are all soluble except those with silver and suboxide of Mercury, which dissolves with difficulty. It dissolves camphor resins and many etherial oils. Has a strong attraction for water.

GENERAL MEDICAL PROPERTIES.-Dilute Acetic Acid is refrigerant, diaphoretic and diuretic, and also when stronger is a stimulant and tonic. The strong acid is used as an escharotic to venereal sores.

Vinegar is used externally for many purposes. It is employed as a refrigerant for sponging the body in moist febrile diseases, in which, however, its advantage over cold water is doubtful. Its vapor inspired with that of hot water from a proper inhaler, is of decided service in most varieties of laryngeal inflammations, hoarseness, relaxed sore throat, and ulceration of the fauces, especially if aphthous in its character. It is a useful constituent of gargles in various forms of sore throat, and of some collyria for ophthalmia. It further forms a part of many lotions for external inflammations, ulcers, and chronic eruptions. It has not, like the mineral acids, the property of destroying animal matters, so that infectious effluvia may escape its action unaltered; and besides, its overwhelming odor may render the attendants insensible to the necessity of ventilation. Its current employment in the form of vapor for disinfecting litters, and other articles, from countries infected with plague, is a relic of ignorance unworthy of the present state of chemical science. In large quantities it interrupts digestion; and has been used, to reduce corpulency. It is said, by virtue of its acidity, to be a certain safeguard against pregnancy. It is said to be used for this purpose largely diluted with water, in the form of a vaginal injection, immediately after coit. The acidity of the mixture neutral izing the semen, and destroying at once, the spermatozoon.*

HOMEOPATHIC PREPARATION.-The first six attenuations are prepared with distilled water. The 7th attenuation is prepared with one part of alcohol, to four parts of water. The 8th potency is prepared with equal parts of water, and alcohol, and pure alcohol is used for the 9th, and all subsequent attenuations which it may

*Peterson.

be desirable to preserve. The lower attenuations should only be dispensed in distilled water. It should be kept in glass stoppered vials.

It has received no homœopathic provings. It is an antidote to small doses of Aconite.

THERAPEUTICS.-The only provings we have of this agent are those obtained by instances of poisoning. Some cases have been reported in Frank's Magazine. The symptoms of active poisoning were great pain and anguish in the thorax, stomach and bowels, with disposition to vomit, great agony, almost frenzied with pain. First dry and then moist cough, terminating in fever, and fatal diarrhoea have been the results of slow poisoning by drinking copiously of vinegar.* A case of poisoning is recorded in the Lancet in which was collapse and laryngeal obstruction which made tracheotomy necessary; inability to swallow; salivation. From such clinical information as has been obtained it is recommended in gastralgia, cardialgia, acidity of the stomach dropsy, spermatorrhea; and quite recently it has been highly lauded in cancerous diseases. In the latter complaint it appears to have been highly successful in the hands of Dr. Hastings, of England, who reports many cases cured with it, in the lower dilutions. Reports of several cases cured by the injection of the acid into the substance of the tumor, Allopathic authority, is given by Prof. Buntzen.t

E. W. F

ALKALOIDS are so named from resemblance to inorganic Alkalies in uniting with acids to form salts. They change red litmus to blue. Their salts are crystalizable; generally virulent poisons; they are in both the solid and liquid form; generally composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen and Oxgen only. In the plants themselves they rarely exist, except in combination. Sparingly soluble in water, more soluble in water, readily soluble in acid, ether and chloroform. Precipitated from solutions generally by Tannic acid.

*Medical Record Vol. 2, p. 442.

+ Half Yearly Abstract, 2, '68 p. 133,

E. W. F.

Observations by Heneral Editor.

66

ANOTHER CONVERT FROM ALLOPATHY.-P. G. Valentine, M. D. writes: "Henderson, Kentucky, June 7, 1869. Dr. E. A. Lodge, Dear Sir.-After practicing under the Old School System since March 1861, (at which time I graduated in the University of Louisiana,) I became a convert to Homœopathy in September last. For several years I had been studying and investigating the actions of drugs prepared for homoeopathic physicians and had procured a quantity of books and medicines. And although I came by degrees to believe in the truth of the law of Similia Similibus " I did not have the moral courage to withdraw from my old attachments and professional brethren and announce myself a homoeopathist, until death carried away my little darling boy, despite the combined wisdom of all the physicians in the city. I then solemnly vowed that from that time forward, I would never give another dose of medicine except as a homœopathist, and began to get ready for the new practice. The first step was to resign from the Medical Club. This created a sensation and profound astonishment among the members. "Had I become a fool, or knave, or crazy?" "Homœopathy was the most transparent of humbugs and I was disgraced and ruined and ostracized from good society forever." I thought differently, yet it required a good deal of hardihood, in a place of 6,000 inhabitants, the practice all controlled by twelve allopathic physicians, many of whom were men of cultivation and influence, to declare myself in opposition to their practice and hang up my new sign. But to make a long story short, I have now practiced homoeopathy eight months; did a good practice from the first; carried all my patients with me; and have surprised everybody by my good success, and have got patients from all the other physicians and much to their mortification have relieved them. I have a great field and a good one to operate in, and I have to study hard to meet the expectations of the public in regard to a new system. I am more and more pleased every day with my change, and being by nature and habit a hard student, I look for success and intend to make homœopathy respectable in Henderson.

This is my first communication with the homoeopathic world, and I desire it to be known who I am, and what I am, and that the good cause is spreading here.”

ANECDOTES OF ABERNETHY.-A female, who consulted Dr. A. for an ulcer she had on her arm, was particularly asked: "What is the matter with you?" The patient immediately held up her arm but did not utter a word. "Oh! oh! poultice it, and take five grains of blue pill every night that's all. Come again in a week." The fee was presented, but refused. At the end of the week the patient presented herself again, and the same pantomime took place and the fee again refused. After a few more visits, Mr. A., on looking at the arm, pronounced it well, when the patient again offered a fee. "No," said Abernethy, "from you nothing will I receive; for you are the most sensible woman I ever saw. don't talk!"

You

Mr. T., a young gentleman with a broken limb, which refused to heal after the fracture, went to consult Mr. A., and, as usual, was entering into all the details of his complaint when he was stopped almost in limine-"Pray Sir, do you come here to talk, or to hear me? If you want my advice, it is so and so I wish you good morning."

A scene of greater length, and still greater interest and enter tainment, took place between our eminent surgeon and the famous John Philpot Curran. Mr. Curran, it seems, being personally unknown to him, had visited Mr. Abernethy several times, without having had an opportunity of fully explaining, as he thought, the nature of his malady; at last determined to have a hearing; when, interrupted in his story, he fixed his dark bright eyes upon the doctor, and said, "Mr. Abernethy, I have been here on eight different days, and I have paid you eight different guineas; but you have never yet listened to the symptoms of my complaint. I am resolved, Sir, not to leave this room until you satisfy me by so doing." Struck by his manners, Mr. Abernethy threw himself back into his chair, and assuming the posture of a most indefatigble listener, exclaimed in a tone of half surprise, half humor: "Well, Sir, I am ready to hear you out. Go on, give me the wholeyour birth, parentage, and education. I wait your pleasure; go on." Upon which Curran, not a whit disconcerted, gravely began "My name is John Philpot Curran. My parents were poor, but I believe honest people, of the province of Munster, where also I was born, being a native of New Market, County of Cork;" and so he continued for several minutes, giving his astonished hearer a true but irresistibly laughable account of his birth, parentage and education as desired, until he come to his illness and sufferings, the detail of which was not again interrupted. It is hardly necessary to add, that Abernethy's attention to the gifted patient was, from that hour to the close of his life, assiduous, unremitting, and devoted.

Mrs J consulted him respecting a nervous disorder the minutiæ of which appeared to be so fantastical, that Mr. A. interrupted their frivolous detail by holding out his hand for the fee. A one pound note and a shilling were placed into it

upon which he returned the latter to his fair patient, with the angry exclamation: "There, Ma'am ! go buy a skipping rope; that is all you want."

GALEN. Much has been said of the influence which the study of anatomy had on his mind. After contemplating the structure of the bones of a skeleton, and their adaptation to their different functions, he breaks out into an apostrophe, which has been much admired, and in. which he is said to have exceeded any other ancient in pointing out the nature, attributes, and proper worship of the Deity. "In explaining these things," he says, "I esteem myself as composing a solemn hymn to the Author of our bodily frame; and in this, I think, there is more true piety than in sacrificing to Him hecatombs of oxen, or burnt-offerings of the most costly perfumes; for I must endeavor to know Him myself, and afterwards to show him to others, to inform them how great is His wisdom, His virtue, and His goodness."

THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH. -I swear by Apollo the physician, and Esculapius, and Health, and All - Heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this oath and this stipulation to reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring on the same footing as my own brother, and to teach them this Art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart the knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according to the laws of Medicine, but to none others. I will follow that system of regimen, which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from what is deleterious and mischievous. I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion. With purity and with holiness I will pass my life and practice my Art. I will not cut persons laboring under a stone, but will leave this to be done by men who are practitioners of this work. Into whatever houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption; and further from the seduction of females or males, of freemen and slaves. Whatever, in connection with my professional practice, or in connection with it, I see or hear, in the life of men which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret.

While I continue to keep this oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the Art, respected by men in all times! But should I trepass and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot!