this purpose. One of my American friends bruised a few leaves of the Rhus Venen., and put them inside his sock, as an application to his corn, which they speedily removed, but left in place a great itching and burning, and a vesicular eruption. Some days this eruption would disappear, and as often as it did so, my friend felt alarmingly ill, so that he had to betake himself to bed. Observing that Teste in his Materia Medica, used Ledum as an antidote to the Rhus tox., my friend used it to antidote the Rhus Ven. He possessed only some globules of the 15th dilution of Ledum. Their internal administration was unsuccessful; but one application of a lotion, composed of 12 globules of the 15th dilution, added to half-a-pint of water, entirely cured the erysipelatous rash, and its corresponding malaise. From the provings already adduced, I have been led to use it for lymphatic abscesses, ulcers of the legs and arms having a dark red (syphilitic or scrophulous) blush, phagedenic ulcers of a similar or darker appearance, ulcerations of the lymphatic glands, and in typhus and typhoid fevers. Windgalls on horses are quite under the control of this remedy. "A synovial swelling on the wrist joint, nine months growth, large as a walnut, dark coloured, so as to look like a suppurating tumour. On holding to the light it appeared translucent: it had never excited much pain. Rhus Vernix, dil. 3, one drop in a mixture of 1 drachm of alcohol, and 1 drachm of water, was used as a daily wash; and Rhus Venen., 15 dil., three globules, once a day internally, reduced it two-thirds in one week, and eventually cured it. The patient was a female." E. W., æt. 33, married, had an ulcer on the right internal malleolus, which was healed by plaster; after which, pus formed under the arch of the foot, and was absorbed by the superficial and deep lymphatics of the thigh, which finally suppurated. During the process of suppuration the man passed very restless nights, scarcely sleeping night or day, and at last became so emaciated, that it was difficult to say whether he would survive or not. The greater difficulty appeared to be the possibility of his recovery. During this time, Hepar sulph., Lach., Calcarea, Arsen., Merc., &c., had been exhibited, without relief to the patient, who complained of burning tingling pain in the abscess, for which at first Rhus tox. was given, but without benefit. Almost immediately after the use of Rhus Venenata (12 and 30 potencies were exclusively used in this case, except at the end, when the 200 made by Mr. Berry was used), he was very much relieved, and continued to improve until the abscess broke, which was about five days after his taking the Rhus Venenata. The pus was very grumous looking, and of a very fœtid odour. Two quarts discharged the first day. From the opening of the abscess to its healing, at least three gallons of pus was lost. After he had used the Rhus Ven. for a week, he complained very much of an intense itching along the spine, from cervical to sacral regions; also in the thighs. The itching was instantly cured on his taking a powder containing two globules of Ledum 12, in sugar of milk. The itching occasionally returned, but he was always able to subdue it by having recourse to the Ledum powders, which he kept by him. He is now quite well, and has recovered the use of his limb, managing to walk very quickly, and as well as ever. He considers the injured limb to be quite as strong as the other. W. C., aged 16, had been under homœopathic treatment for two years, and had derived much benefit, but was not improving so rapidly as was desirous. He had ulceration of the cervical glands, which discharged a very offensive pus of a dark colour. The areola around the ulcers was of a dark red colour. He was entirely and speedily cured by Rhus Venenata, and has had no return of the ulceration. His general health is much better than it ever has been. J. P., æt. 48, complains of lassitude, legs ache. He has a blister on index finger of right hand. It began as a black spot, but has spread very much, and is very dark looking. Pain in it was very intense; burning, aching. On opening it with a lancet, the pus that came out was of a blackish colour, and the edges of the ulcer were very ragged. There is swelling of the glands in axillæ, and near the elbow, with inflammation of these glands. Rhus Ven., 3 and 12 dilution, entirely cured in one week. Ledum palustre antidotes the Rhus Venenata; and had it been tried in the early stages of the first proving here recorded, it is more than probable we should not have had it. Case of Suicidal Poisoning by Nux vomica. About Elizabeth Sims, aged 16, had only been a few days in her situation, and was observed to be low spirited and her appetite bad. half-past ten in the morning of the 25th of January 1856, she left her mistress's house, and about noon on the same day she reached her grandmother's abode, in a street near Southwark Bridge-road, a 'distance of about two miles; she was then in a state of great mental excitement; she is described by an aunt, who was present at the time, "as rushing into the room, exclaiming that her mother had been murdered, seating herself suddenly on a chair, and being seized with a frightful fit. Mr. Sleeman was sent for, and he describes her condition; two fits passed away before his arrival, and during the intervals she was perfectly sensible. Symptoms described by Mr. Sleeman. Half-past 12. On his arrival, he found the patient lying down, dressed, under the influence. of violent tetanic spasms. Her head was drawn backwards, the arms extended; the fingers flexed to the palms, the jaws firmly contracted, the countenance somewhat livid, the eyes open, fixed, and somewhat protruding; the trunk stiff, the legs extended, the feet turned outwards, and the toes flexed to the plantar surface, the skin dry and warm; the respiration loud, almost amounting to stertor; no alvine evacuations took place during the paroxysms or intermissions; the pulse during the paroxysms could not be counted; this paroxysm lasted about two minutes; an interval of perfect sensibility ensued, during which she admitted that she had taken the poison, and expressed her sorrow for having done so, and said that during the fits she suffered much pain. A full dose of Sulphate of copper was administered as an emetic, but did not produce vomiting. Mr. Sleeman was now about to use the stomach pump, but a fresh paroxysm prevented it. During the interval between the paroxysms, all the limbs were perfectly relaxed, the body pliant—and she was much exhausted; and, occasionally, after a paroxysm of more than usual severity, there was a slight tendency to coma. The countenance pallid, eyes natural; respiration natural; pulse about 80, moderately full, skin warm and dry. The paroxysms lasted about two minutes, the intermissions about five minutes when first seen; the paroxysms generally increased in severity, the intermissions became shorter, but when complete, consciousness remained perfect, even to the intermission before the last paroxysm, which terminated the severe sufferings of the poor girl, which took place at a few minutes before two; during the last halfhour the slightest movement caused a paroxysm, sometimes even an attempt to speak or drink would cause one; she begged to be left alone because of the pain she suffered, as she herself expressed it "when in a fit." The treatment consisted in an endeavour to produce an evacuation of the contents of the stomach by one of the quickest emetics (cupri sulphas). The use of the stomach pump was altogether impossible, owing to the severity and frequency of the tetanic paroxysms. Tannin was given with a view to form an insoluble substance with the strychnia. Cold affusion was freely tried. By this time any attempt to give relief brought on tetanic spasms. The post mortem examination very carefully conducted, presents no feature of any interest.-Med. Times and Gaz., Feb. 9th, 1856. A Commination, or Denouncing of Wakley's anger and judgments against homeopathic sinners. What a pity Wakley is not Pope of Rome-he exhibits such a talent for cursing his enemies. His denunciations against us poor heretics, which are merely ludicrous coming from the dingy Lancet office in the Strand, smelling of tobacco and small beer, would appear quite grand and imposing if fulminated from the Vatican, and redolent of frankincense and myrrh. Poor Wakley! Having exhausted all his stock of abusive language against homœopathy and its practitioners, and having found that this has had no more effect in retarding the onward rush of the homoeopathic tide, than the foam on the surface of a stream, though like that it has served to show the force of the current, our infuriated allopathic contemporary, called after an almost obsolete instrument, has betaken himself to cursing our patients in such a horrible style, that we begin to fear the poor creature must be in a very bad way. We subjoin the following extract from his impression of the 2nd of February last, to show the dreadful state to which the once sharp and brilliant Lancet is reduced by his spite and vexation. "Our wishes for the patients of homoeopathic physicians," he exclaims, "are not so seemingly merciful, and we are prone to utter such impreca"tions on them as would make the shade of Ernulphus walk disturbed: May your vigour of mind and body fail, your bones decay, your limbs be eaten by disease, your joints stiffen, and be everlastingly immoveable.'” And the readers of the Lancet shall answer and say, Amen. 6 BOOKS RECEIVED. Yellow Fever and its Homœopathic Treatment, by W. H. HOLCOMBE, M.D. New York, Radde, 1856. A Treatise on Internal Diseases of the Eyes, by JOHN C. PETERS, M.D.: New York, Radde, 1856. Observations on Painless Tooth Extraction by Congelation, by J. RICHARD QUINTON: London, Cox, 1856. Lettre sur le Progrès en Homœopathie, par le Dr. J. PERRY: Paris, Baillière, 1855. Journal de la Société Gallicane. Medical Reform, &c., by SAMUEL COCKBURN, M.D.: London, Theobald, 1856. Notes of a New Truth, Nos. 1 and 2. Handbook of the Movement Cure, by M. RотH, M.D. London, Groombridge & Sons, 1856. [This is an excellent and systematic account of Ling's Swedish Gymnastics, illustrated by many well executed wood cuts, and containing numerous cases of disease successfully treated by the kinesipathic method, by different practitioners at home and abroad.] Hering's Domestic Homœopathic Physician, with Alterations and Additions, adapting it to the use of the English public, by a London Homœopathic Practitioner. London, J. Walker, 1856. [Dr. Hering's Guide we have always considered the best and most original of the domestic works, although hitherto it has had the defect of not indicating the appropriate doses and dilutions of the medicines, and has contained some things we could not entirely subscribe to. The present edition, of which we have seen the sheets as they were passing through the press, seems to have been very carefully and thoroughly revised by an experienced homoeopathist, and is free from the faults of the original work, besides containing much additional useful matter. We should have every confidence in placing it in the hands of those who are unable to obtain the advice of a homoeopathic practitioner. Indeed we think that many practitioners might themselves derive much useful information from its pages.] W. Davy & Son, Gilbert Street, Oxford Street. London. THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF HOMEOPATHY. INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS, BY DR. GEDDES SCOTT, (Read before the Congress of British Homeopathic Practitioners held in London on the 30th May, 1856.) THE subject which forms the bond of union connecting the members of the present meeting having been for many years investigated in every aspect, and by almost every variety of mind, it is scarcely possible at the present day to offer any new or original view, or even any real and valuable instruction, in aid to advancement. With no such expectation, certainly, have I consented to read the introductory address to an assembly of gentlemen, all of whom, I am justly entitled to take for granted, are as well instructed in the matter, and as familiar with its every form as myself. I know no point, theoretical or practical, which has not already been handled, certainly none on which I am conscious of being able to throw further light, though I may, in the sequel, ask the present state of opinion on some questions frequently discussed but not yet satisfactorily settled. In reviewing the records of homoeopathy, I find myself like an amateur at an exhibition who sees every attractive picture ticketed as already "sold," and I can only turn away with the VOL. XIV, NO. LVII.-JULY, 1856. 2 A |