which not the least unworthy was the bust of Stifft, the inveterate foe of homœopathy, through whose instrumentality all the repressive laws against our system, which once disgraced the Austrian statutebook, were passed.

The first meeting took place on the evening of the 9th of August, when the old hall was brilliantly illuminated for the occasion. The orthodox room was soon filled with the heretical members and their friends, and its venerable echoes were speedily woke up by unwonted laudations of a system of medicine which many of the prototypes of the grim effigies around had done their best to suppress.

The president opened the congress by welcoming the members in a lively speech. The enrolment of new members who came forward in great numbers now took place. Next the question originally raised by Dr. Trinks, relative to an alteration in the constitution of the Society, was taken up, and after some discussion was referred to a committee to report upon. Among other things the point mooted by Dr. Trinks, that the society should take upon itself the defence of homœopathy against attacks from without was discussed, and it was finally resolved that the Central Society should not take upon itself the defence of homoeopathy against such attacks, but that it should be left to individuals who had leisure and inclination for it.

The president brought forward a motion, having for its object an arrangement for the continuation of the Austrian Homœopathic Journal, which to the sorrow of all well-wishers to scientific homœopathy, has been dormant these five or six years. The president's allusion to the subject, however, was the signal for an outbreak of clamour on the part of some of the Vienna members, which could only be subdued by the withdrawal of the motion. It is sad to reflect that the continuation of this journal, which during its brief career did so much for homeopathy, should be stopped by mere personal squabbles. We heartily wish our Vienna colleagues would act up to the moral of the refrain to one of their convivial songs we have often heard them sing:

"Ecce quam bonum et jucundum

Habitare fratres in unun."

Perhaps if they tried hard they might practise equal harmony in intercourse to what they so well display in song.

The business of the evening concluded by the selection of Dresden as the place of meeting for 1856, with Dr. Wolf as president. VOL. XIV, NO. LV.-JANUARY, 1856.

M

The following morning at ten o'clock the society again met. There were also many besides members present, upwards of 100, among whom was a gentleman with the very imposing title of Rector magnificus, who we are informed paid the most marked attention to the proceedings from first to last. None of the professors or notabilities

of the Vienna medical school were present.

The president made an excellent introductory oration, in which he gave a review of the events bearing on homœopathy that had occurred during the past year.

Dr. Meyer, read a report of the Leipzic Dispensary, with a statistical account of the cases treated there, and the results of treatment. He also read a paper on the homeopathic treatment of hoopingcough.

Dr. Buchner laid on the table a long and elaborate essay entitled Biochemistry and Homœopathy, which however, he did not offer to read, as it would have occupied too much of the Society's time.

Dr. Fleischmann gave an account of the hospital with which he has been so long and honourably connected.

Dr. Clotar Müller gave a short exposition of the relation of homœopathy to general medicine, and more expressly to what is termed the physiological school.

Dr. J. O. Müller related the history of a case of poisoning by Phosphorus of a very serious character, cured by homœopathy alone. His communication was enriched by statistical proofs, and by the opinions of some of the authorities in the old school, relating to the mortality in cases of far advanced Phosphorus poisoning.

Dr. Wurmb made a communication respecting the results of his treatment in the hospital under his care.* It was stated that he now employed exclusively the 6th dilution. (In the cases related in his Studien as our readers will remember, he employed exclusively the 30th dilution.)

Dr. Attomyr read a very interesting essay on the group of symptoms in its relation to the simile, wherein he drew a parallel betwixt Hahnemann and Moos.

The secretary, Dr. Gerstel, read a paper sent by Dr. Hartlaub on

The reporter says, "his division of the hospital in the Wieden." Has then Dr. Wurmb been transferred to the Wieden? His hospital, as our readers are aware, used formerly to be in the Leopoldstadt.

the proving of colchicum. The author took occasion to mention that in consequence of the persecutions to which he was subjected from dispensing his own medicines, he was forced to change his abode and seek some other field for practice.

The Secretary also read an article by Dr. Athschul, on the scientific character of homœopathy.

Dr. Buchan expressed the thanks of the homœopathists not resident in Vienna, to the Imperial Government for the protection it afforded homœopathy, and for its hospitality in granting the University Hall for their use. He gave expression to his hopes for the progress and prosperity of homœopathy.

The business of the Congress being concluded, the members adjourned to a house of entertainment, (well-known to all who have resided in Vienna) the "Speal in Saale, where they partook of a magnificent dinner, which was enlivened by the genial wit and humour for which the Viennese are celebrated.

One great omission in the proceedings of the congress seems to have been that no notice whatever was taken of Dr. Eigenbrod's attack upon Drs. Wurmb and Caspar's Clinical Studies. These gentlemen seem to be unconscious that the homeopathic world has been long anxiously looking forward to a reply by them to the allegations of that self-constituted censor of their treatment in the Leopoldstadt Hospital. We observe it stated in a recent number of Hirschel's Journal that Dr. Casper is about to publish the long promised reply.

Poisoning by Tincture of Aconite.

The following symptoms were observed in a young woman who had swallowed about two drachms of the Tincture of Aconite for the purpose of destroying her life. She was seen about four hours after the ingestion of the poison.

At the time of her admission she was in a state of great prostration; the pulse was imperceptible at the wrist, the action of the heart scarcely audible, the skin cold and clammy, the eyes staring. She was, however, conscious, and appeared distressed, and as if she did not wish to be interfered with. She was placed in bed, hot bottles were applied to the feet, mustard cataplasms to the calves, &c. We tried to give her Ammonia and brandy, but she took very

little, the jaws remaining so closely fixed together (apparently from a voluntary determination of the patient to admit of no assistance) that the attendants were obliged to force them apart in order that the stimulants might be administered. [As trismus is a marked symptom of Aconite-poisoning we are disposed to think the clenching of the jaws in this case was involuntary]. At this time the pupils were dilated, the right one being nearly oval, and the left irregularly polygonal. She remained quite conscious till her death, which occurred about five hours after the poison had been swallowed, and took place in the following manner :-Having resisted for a while the attempts to give her medicine, she suddenly sat up in bed and said, “I will take more, if you won't force me." Having then tried to swallow a little, she sank back again; the heart's action was no longer perceptible by the aid of the stethoscope, and after this she gave but one inspiratory heave. The post mortem examination revealed nothing noteworthy. (Lancet, May 5th, 1855.)

Hahnemann's Correspondence.

The following letters of Hahnemann to Dr. Billig, have recently appeared in Dr. Herschel's Zeitung für hom. Klinik :

Leipzic, 5th February, 1821.

Most worshipful Obr,* esteemed friend!

By the public proceedings directed against me by the Saxon medical men, you will have learned (I am sure, with grief) how bitterly my method of treatment and its author are persecuted in this country.

This persecution has now reached its climax, and I should be doing an injury to the beneficent art, and imperiling my own life, were I to remain longer here, and not seek protection in some foreign country.

Some propositions of this sort have been made to me from Prussia, but I should much prefer to find the protection I desire for the few remaining days I have to live (I am an old man of 66) in the Alten

These mysterious letters, which are repeated more than once, seem to indicate some title or office in Freemasonry.

burg country. In a country that is so mildly governed as Altenburg is, and where, moreover, I can still meet with true masons, I think I may be most comfortably settled, especially as four and twenty years ago I enjoyed great distinction as physician to the dear old duke Ernest, in Gotha and Georgenthal.

I do not wish to go to the town of Altenburg itself, to be in the way of you, dearest friend, and of your colleagues. I only wish to be able to settle in some country town or market village, where the post may facilitate my connexion with distant parts, and where I may not be annoyed by the pretensions of any apothecary, because, as you know, the pure practice of this art can only employ such minute weapons, such small doses of medicine, that no apothecary could supply them profitably, and owing to the mode in which he has learnt and has always carried on his business, he could not help viewing the whole affair as something ludicrous, and consequently turning the public and the patients into ridicule. For these and other reasons it would be impossible to derive any assistance from an apothecary in the practice of homœopathy.

I take this opportunity, my honoured friend, of praying for such a reception in your country, and under your amiable protection, and I should do all in my power to prove to you my gratitude and esteem. I beg you to remember me most kindly to our worthy Obr. Hofrath Dr. Pierer.

You will oblige me greatly if you will be so good as speak of this matter to the president of government Von Trütschler, to whom I have also applied.

In the mean time accept a triple kiss from my esteem and love, as from your true friend and Obr.

DR. S. HAHNEMANN.

Coethen, 4th July, 1823.

Dearest Colleague,

I thank you for the confidence you display in sending me the Secretary of Woods and Forests, Sommer. The false Carlsbad waters of Struve have done him great injury, and I shall have great difficulty in doing him any good. I wish I could feel confident of his firmness to follow implicitly my directions: to take a walk twice a day, to lessen the amount of coffee he takes, and to avoid seasoning with his food. If you can do anything to enforce his obedience, I would beg you to do so.