the tongue is dry and brown down the center, while the pulse is full and rapid, but soft and easily compressed. With such symptoms present, baptisia may be perscribed with the utmost confidence. In fevers, as elsewhere, it must be remembered that the totality of symptoms form the sole basis of prescription. Let the materia medica, then, be your guide; study it faithfully, and you will be rewarded, for it will certainly prove a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. Trans. Hah. Med. Ass of Iowa.

THE MISSION OF HOMOEOPATHY.

Editor Clinical Review:

DEAR SIR.-I was surprised to see in the March number of your journal, an article entitled, "The Mission of Homœopathy." I take the liberty of saying that every real homœopath throughout the land, knows from the results observed in his daily practice, that the main statements of that article are utterly false and untrue. The earnest, conscientious homœopathic doctor proves every day that he lives, that the application of drugs according to the law of similia cures his patients. He knows that the law discovered by Hahnemann lived before the time of that great man, that it lives now, and that it always will live. He knows too, that the application of a drug according to the law oflike cures like," makes it homoeopathic, and not the administration of the medicine by a member of any particular school, and hence, it has happened, that un-homœopathic doctors have, sometimes stumbled across the law and cured sick people. It is possible that some believers in homœopathy know as much of the physiological action of drugs as our author, and hence know how to use properly prepared medicines in the curing of those placed under their care, and this, too, according to the law of similars. I am satisfied from the reading of his article that the author

knows little or nothing of Homœopathy. The entire article shows how utterly ignorant he is of the practice of our school, and it shows, too, that he is not a successful physician. No successful doctor would write an article of that kind. Knowledge of our simple law and its application gave to Hering, Dunham and Hughes, name and reputation, and these were accorded them before they understood the Mission of Homœopathy. Our author certainly never did understand it, and in his ignorance, blames the school for his own want of discernment. A little "capacity" as the countryman called it, would, I think, be of service to our friend; and a little backing of energy and diligence would help matters somewhat. I fear, too, that the doctor has been in the habit of gnashing his teeth when aconite has failed to help him, not because the aconite was wrong, but because he was. He has perhaps, occasionally gotten off a few subdued little quotations from Shakespeare or other good book with the object of increasing the intensity of action of the drug applied. It is altogether probable that a little help of this kind makes the drug get right up and act. Now there are those who believe that, although quotations are good things in their way, and a little grinding of two rows of sound teeth may come in pretty well sometimes, yet hard, earnest work on the materia medica will greatly tend to improve the medical qualities of our doctor friend, and at the same time keep articles on the Mission of Homœopathy out of the journals. J. M. K.

AN INSTANTANEOUS LIGHT.-Such in a word is the unique apparatus on exhibition at the rooms of the Portable Electric Light Co., 22 Water Street, Boston. It occupies the space of only five square inches and weighs but five pounds, and can be carried with ease. The light, or more properly lighter, requires no extra power, wires or connections, and is so constructed that any part can be replaced at small cost. The chemicals are placed in a glass retort; a carbon and zinc apparatus, with a spiral platinum attachment, is then adjusted so as to form a battery, and the light is ready. The pressure on a little knob produces an electric current, by which the spiral of platinum is heated to incandescence. The Portable Electric Light Company was recently incorporated, with a capital of $100,000, under the laws of Massachusetts. The usefulness of the apparatus and the low price ($5) will no doubt result in its general adoption. Some of the prominent business men of the State are identified with this enterprise. In addition to its use as a lighter, the apparatus can also be used in connection with a burglar-alarm and galvanic battery.-Boston Transcript, Dec. 30.

WOMEN IN MEDICAL COLLEGES.

It was a custom among the old Romans to deck their victims with garlands, ere they led him to the sacrifice; in like manner Dr. Edmonds profusely scatters the flowers of rhetoric before the introduction that leads to the condemnation of the "Education of Women in Medical Colleges with male students."

He states that it is justly the proud boast of an advanced civilization, that woman has been elevated from the degradation of barbaric times, to her true and just position in the social scale, recognizes and appreciates her many beautiful graces, congratulates her upon her elevation from servitude and degradation to one of true nobility and domestic

sweetness.

In the next breath he gives the warning that the aforesaid elevation is jeopardized by women "attempting things of a questionable nature," and explains that she virtually does this, when she steps into a college with male associates.

A rather sweeping and uncomplimentary assertion regarding her devotees of the opposite sex" from so courteous a gentleman as Dr. Edmonds.

In the begining of his article, the Dean congratulates woman upon the position she has attained in "Hunanities Destiny," yet before he closes, illogically congratulates the college upon the step (backward) it has taken in denying her matriculation.

He admits, because women has proven its truth, "that there is a certain sphere of duties in the profession that she may safely perform," acknowledges that she is therefore justly entitled to a comprehensive course of educational preperation, but insists that it should be obtained in an institution exclusively for women.

If economy, time and distance, were trifling things of no moment that were never forced upon the consideration of the student, or if our city limits contained such Female Colleges as those of New York or Boston, the doctor's suggestion were a "consumation devoutly to be wished for." But, according to the existing condition of affairs, woman has been obliged to attend the college or relinquish all thoughts of entering the profession.

Though a true woman may suffer anguish and distress in the lecture room, the clinic, and the disecting room, it does not necessarily follow that she should lose modesty or any womanly trait of character-rather, she will add to these, endurance, self-control, usefulness and independence

As male students are serving a probation which shall fit them to enter the portals of a profession that has so much to do with the sanctity of individual and domestic life upon which hinges the welfare of society," should they not for the sake of that grand profession which demands so much self-renunciation, and has for its aim, the relief of suffering humanity, without regard to sex, color, race or previous condition of servitude," respect, nay, reverence the woman that with martyr-like spirit stands the disagreeable ordeal, though it wounds her sensibilities, that she may thereby spare others of her sex a similar pain. She considers the feelings of many before her own.

Think of the thousands of women and maidens that have been compelled to suffer from diseases peculiar to their sex, or exchange physical pains for the keener mental anguish, consequent upon examination and discussion of subjects of the most sacred character with a male physician.

A woman of delicacy and refinement shrinks from disclosing even the poverty and hardships of life. How much greater must be the mental suffering when physical examination must be undergone in the presence of a male physician. We maintain that no true, pure woman, can pass such an ordeal without "wounded sensibilities." Think of this

humiliation having to be consecutively repeated by perhaps a dozen male physicians, as is often the case, and then consider the condition of woman's sensibilities. If women, under such circumstances keenly suffers in spirit, though the attendant physician is a compound of all the truly noble qualities that belong to mankind, how much must that suffering be augmented when she realizes that the physician is one unworthy of the name; that he has entered the profession, bears the semblance and wears the garb merely for selfish pecuniary benefit.

We have often heard it stated that woman's advancement and progress in the various professions, arts and sciences, were impeded by her lack of mental and physical strength, endurance, study and ability. It remains for a Dean, who, "recognizes and appreciates most heartily her many beautiful graces," to insinuate that male students are not fit associates.

In this age of co-education, it were a pity that one winter's brief association with a few lady students, should so demoralize male students as to lessen their "elevated appreciation of womanly charms." Perhaps, had they thought less of the "charms" and more of her character, it were a more honorable course; we would not have had the termity to accuse the Lords of the Creation" of being thus weak, although I always believed the poet should have omitted a syllable when he wrote:

66

Fraility thy name is wo-man ! ''

Should a woman so depraved, so lost to self-respect and virtue, as to encourage, or countenance equivacal relationship whilst pretending to acquire an education that shall fit her for the duties of a ministering angel; then the sooner she is expelled, the better, although the ruin she is capable of inflicting upon society in the future, is immeasurably less that that which may be wrought by the licentious male physician; her mission being almost entirely among her own sex. On the other hand, if there is danger to a woman in col