CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the Medical Times. Some readers of THE TIMES have access also to Scudder's Journal, and such may wonder at his attacks upon Bennett Medical College, in the August number. The animus of these attacks, however, is plain enough to those who understand the relative positions of the two schools of medicine. Bennett Medical College has taken an advanced stand in favor of a higher medical education, has abolished the two-term system, and taken every possible step to make its course of study more thorough and more complete. Consequently, its diplomas are received everywhere without question. The Eclectic Medical Institute, of Cincinnati, on the other hand, persists in continuing the two-term fraud, and, consequently, its diplomas are looked upon with suspicion. The State Board of Illinois has already refused to pass them, and other State Boards will follow suit. This, of course, is mortifying to the proprietor of the E. M. Institute, and he vents his spleen through his journal upon his superiors. His graduates are rejected by the Illinois State Board, and straightway appears an article upon "Incompetent Teachers and Imperfect Medical Teaching.' A State tribunal by its acts declares the Eclectic Medical Institute to be an inferior college, and a bitter personal attack upon Prof. Clark follows. Such exhibitions of puerile malignity are not surprising, perhaps, when we consider their source, but they are nevertheless a disgrace and a blot upon a profession which should be the embodiment of genuine courtesy, and beyond the influence of mercenary motives. WAUCONDA, Ill., August 20, 1879. F. B. H. NEW YORK THERAPEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. Pursuant to call, the Association met July 14, 1879, 8 o'clock P. M., at the rooms of the United States Medical College, No. 114 East Thirteenth street, Paul W. Allen, M. D., in the chair. After reading of minutes, an interesting paper was read by Thomas A. Granger, M. D., on Pruritus Ani, which called out considerable discussion on the therapeutics of this annoying complaint. The essayist had found most relief from an ointment containing a small quantity of sulphate of zinc, after most all other remedies, usually recommended, had been ineffectually used. The concurring testimony of nearly all the members present was in favor of the zinc, although some had found a good remedy in borate of soda. Another paper was then read by Richard E. Kunze, M. D., on the "Properties and Uses of Monarda Punctata, or horsemint." With this old but little understood, remedy, the Doctor has had great success in the cure of chills and fever. Several cases of malarial fever were cited, which were treated exclusively with monarda punctata. His mode of administering is in the form of a saturated tincture, giving from one to four teaspoonfuls in a little hot water every half hour during the stage of the chill and until the fever passed off. Diaphoraeis would ensue, and at every repetition of an attack, a less quantity of the medicine would accomplish the antagonistic effect of the drug. The action of Monarda would seem to be by sustaining the vitality of the patient. A bottle of the tincture exhibited was pleasant and agreeably aromatic in taste and smell, and thought to be a desirable medicine for children. The subject for the evening, "Cholera Infantum,' was opened for discussion by W. L. Tuttle, M. D., who, in a very clear and comprehensive manner, set forth the cause of this disease and various modes of treatment advanced by learned practitioners throughout the land. The best treatment he knew was as little medicine as possible, plenty of pure air and careful nursing. Keep the feet warm. Flannel bandage around bowels. Alkaline and astringent medicine, sufficient to correct the too frequent discharges of the bowels. As a tonic, he knew none better than from to drop of tinct. nux vomica. Dr. Kunze stated, that the syrup of the flowers of Nymphaea Odorata, had long been used as a remedy in cholera infantum. Dr. A. B. Whitney, who of late had used much of the sirup of white pond-lily, informed the Doctor that it worked like a charm. The sirup is mucilaginous, anodyne, and scarcely at all astringent. It used to be a favorite prescription with Samuel Thomson. Some of the sirup was here exhibited, and Dr. Kunze said the universal testimony of those having tasted it, was that it resembled honey more than medicine. Just the remedy for children. All the members who tasted of this sirup, declared it to be a pleasant preparation. The subject was further discussed by Drs. M. Nivison, James E. Briggs, P. W. Allen and Thomas A. Granger. The essayists for the next meeting were Drs. Mark Nivison and William L. Tuttle. The Association adjourned to the second Monday of August next. JOHN R. NICKLES, Ph. D., Secretary, WE were considerably surprised at an article which appeared in the last number of Scudder's Journal, of Cincinnati, entitled "Incompetent Teachers and Imperfect Medical Teaching." The article was simply an attack on Bennett Medical College, and, of course, the statements there made must be true, as they come from such a disinterested (?) source. It appeared as a communication to the editor, and the writer, no doubt, must be wholly disconnected (?) with Scudder's College, as none of his professors would be so immodest or impolitic as to try to advertise themselves by injury to others. We might find fault with Dr. Scudder for allowing such a communication to appear, but probably he was asleep, or gone on a journey; or possibly his mind has become clouded by age and overwork. It may be, however, that down there, in Cincinnati, they are so behindhand in civilization as to think that sparring with words is the height of scientific discussion. If so, we leave them to their own happy amusement, and simply protect ourselves in self-defense. The article itself is highly entertaining and enormously instructive. It either evinces a foresight of several hundred years, at least, when all the affairs of the present day will have been forgotten, or was written from a standpoint of thirty or forty years ago. Among other points it refers to an address delivered by Prof. Reading, at the commencement exercises of Bennett Medical College, wherein it was stated that formerly the facial nerve was cut for tic douloureux. It flatly denies this fact, and says, "This ignorance of both anatomy and physiology would be inexcusable in a physician, much more in a teacher of medicine." We would simply refer the writer to Dalton's Physiology, a text-book with which the merest tyros of medicine in Chicago are familiar, but of which they probably have not heard in Cincinnati. Under the head of the facial nerve, Dalton says, "The facial, therefore, does not transmit sensation from these parts; and its division, which was formerly resorted to in tic douloureux, is accordingly altogether incapable of relieving neuralgic pains." If more proofs were necessary, an abundance of them is furnished in the works of Sir Charles Bell himself, who did more to establish the functions of the nervous system than any one else. We repeat, and this time without quotation marks, this ignorance of both anatomy and physiology would be inexcusable in a physican, much more in a teacher of medicine. Other flaws equally correct and interesting, are found in the address above referred to, but we assure the writer that the statements there made were by the authority of such men as Dalton, Flint, Hammond, etc., which are universally received up our way, but whose works have probably not yet penetrated to the inland town on the creek. The article again takes issue with Prof. Whitford's treatment of whooping-cough, and we can but conclude that the disease must be different in the two different places. We know that this method of treatment works well here, and it can't be that they don't know how to treat whoopingcough in Cincinnati. We assure you, gentlemen of Cincinnati, if you really do not, you had better leave the patients to themselves, for they will nearly always recover sooner or later. The weakest point in the whole article was the writer's attack on Prof. Clark. Here we descend from the sublime to the ridiculous. The idea of Scudder pitching into such a man as Prof. Clark reminds us of the fable of the frog and the ox. A man who runs a college simply for money, who edits a journal simply for money, who writes books simply for money, who pretends to invent a peculiar system of medication simply for money, must be satisfied with the attainment of his object, but must not aspire to the position of true science occupied by Prof. Clark; much less should he assume to dictate what is right and what is wrong. The article ends with a few unimportant slurs on Prof. Davis, which are as ridiculous as they are far-fetched. In truth, the whole article, in unfair dealing and petty meanness, caps the climax of contemptibility. When a man, who is at the head of an institution which pretends to teach the noblest profession, is obliged to edit a journal and prostitute its pages to the personal abuse of teachers of another institution, it is about time that he shuts the slanderous doors of his whole concern, and allows his disciples and friends to leave such an atmosphere of miserly plotting and selfish scheming for some place where there is true refinement and real culture. E. M. R. A CLINICAL TREATISE ON DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. By M. ROSENTHAL, Professor of Diseases of the Nervous System, at Vienna; with a Preface by Prof. CHARCOT. Translated from the author's revised and enlarged edition by L. PUTZEL, M. D. New York: William Wood & Co. 1879. This work is a valuable addition to Wood's Library of Standard Medical Authors. Dr. Rosenthal, a distinguished practical observer and teacher of the Vienna school, first published his work in 1870, since when it has passed through two large editions. Prof. Charcot translated it into French, in 1878, and it now appears for the first time in English dress. It was worthy of an earlier introduction, and is especially |