chief objects to stimulate all those who take an interest in the advance of homœopathy, to furnish the managers of this institution with the means of enlarging it, and of attaining the

above objects.

"The following is a summary of the principal objects which the Review will endeavour to attain.

"A. As regards the propagation of homoeopathy the Homœopathic Review will earnestly

"1st. Endeavour to spread as widely as possible a correct knowledge of the truths upon which homoeopathic practice is founded, and of the advantages of that practice,

"2nd. Advocate the foundation and endowment of a large metropolitan hospital, or the extension of that now existing.

"3rd. Urge upon those interested in the progress of homoeopathy the necessity of the formation of a medical school in connexion with the metropolitan hospital, and to obtain for it a royal charter, entitling it to grant degrees or licences, empowering their holders to practise every branch of medicine in any part of the united kingdom.

"4th. Impress upon the minds of the heads of homœopathic families the propriety of devoting to the medical profession, such of their sons as may be suited to it by their station, their talents, or their tastes, and to educate them accordingly.

"B. As regards the internal development of homoeopathy the Review will

"1st. Earnestly watch every tendency that may manifest itself in the homoeopathic body, with the view of keeping homœopathic practice as near as possible to the requirements of the principles upon which it is founded.

"2nd. Encourage the careful observation of cases, and the extensive experimentation of the different preparations of each medicine, for the purpose of attaining more correct notions of the action of the various attenuations or dynamisations in each given form of disease.

"3rd. Endeavour to give to the Materia Medica pura a more scientific and at the same time a more practical form. To apply to the study of diseases artificially produced, the same means of investigation as have been applied with so much

success to the elucidation and diagnosis of natural forms of disease, in order to enable the practitioner to select medicines more in accordance with the law similia similibus curantur, than heretofore.

"4th. Consider in a philosophical manner the cases in which the so called auxiliaries are used by most homœopathists, and endeavour to define with precision the circumstances in which such means may be permitted, or are to be advised, and to restrict as much as possible the number of cases in which they may be used. It will also be a part of the duty of the Review to examine the foundations upon which such means are advised as exceptional remedies by the dogmatic homœopaths, and the grounds upon which the homoeopathic school, styling itself eclectic, adopts them. It will then be necessary to notice both historically and critically the tenets of the latter school; and this will appear the more urgent if it be considered how great an influence is exercised upon medicine in general, and upon homœopathic medicine in particular, by the chief of that school.

"C. As regards the position of homoeopathy in the field of science, it will be a part of the objects of the Review to examine all the branches of medical science, and more especially physiology, pathology, and animal chemistry in relation to the homœopathic law; not with the view of establishing a rational system of homœopathic medicine, but for the two-fold purpose of showing that there is nothing in the principles of homœopathy to render their applications in practice inconsistent with the indications derived from a correct knowledge of pathology, and of establishing the indications which the homoeopathist must endeavour to carry out in every given case of disease.

"Such are the principal objects which it is the intention of the founders of the Homeopathic Review to accomplish. They may perhaps not be so well traced out, or so clearly expressed as to enable the reader to form a very accurate idea of the precise manner in which the Review will be conductedbut we trust that enough has been said to enable him to judge of the spirit which will direct its pages. We dislike generalities, they are necessarily vague and liable to misconception. We therefore request our friends not to judge of us by our intro

ductory address, but to read carefully through the contents of our three or four first numbers: then they will perceive, that as practitioners, we are sincere admirers of the immortal Hahnemann, and faithful disciples of his: that as professional men we are earnestly desirous of supporting the dignity of the medical profession; and, lastly, that as physicians we are anxious above all to promote whatever is best calculated to prolong life, or relieve the sufferings of humanity."

Homöopathischer Führer für Deutschland und das Ausland. Von Dr. V. Meyer. Leipzig, Reclam, 1856.

Homœopathic Guide for Germany and Foreign Countries. By Dr. V. Meyer. Leipzig, Reclam, 1856.

THE example of Dr. Atkin in this country has been followed by Dr. Meyer in Germany, who has in the above work presented us with a useful little directory of the homeopathic practitioners of Germany, including the Austrian non-Teutonic dominions. Dr. Meyer apologises for the incompleteness of his list of names, which he expects to make ever more complete in subsequent editions. Imperfect as his directory is, it contains however the names of 439 medical men practising homœopathy in Germany. Dr. Meyer has not attempted what has been performed by our painstaking colleague Dr. Atkin, to give a statement of the qualifications, works and appointments of the different medical men. With very few exceptions, merely the surname of the practitioner and the name of the town where he resides are given. The particular address is nowhere given, which we think is a defect, to be remedied we trust in a future edition.

In addition to the list of German homoeopathists, we find in Dr. Meyer's publication a directory of the homeopathists of other states of Europe and also of America, perhaps not so accurate as the German list, but still useful.

We trust Dr. Meyer's little publication may have frequent re-issues, and we would recommend him, if possible, to follow more the plan of Dr. Atkin, in giving the titles, works, and appointments of the German homœopathists.

664

MISCELLANEOUS.

On Simple Ulcer of the Stomach,

By M. CRUVEILHIER.

M. Cruveilhier has recently presented two papers to the Académie des Sciences upon this subject, and the following are the general conclusions:-1. There exists a disease of the stomach that may be anatomically characterised as simple ulcer of the stomach, usually chronic. 2. This lesion, which is far more common than is usually supposed, differs from cancerous ulcer, with which it is generally confounded, in its curability. 3. It is susceptible of complete cicatrization, this being accomplished by means of very firm fibrous tissue, differing essentially from scirrhus, with which it has been confounded. 4. When the ulcer penetrates through the whole of the coats of the stomach, the loss of substance is repaired by surrounding organs, which also sometimes participate in the ulceration. 5. Danger may continue even after the cure of the ulcer, as the cicatrix often becomes the seat of consecutive ulceration, with all its attendant accidents. 6. It is one of the most frequent causes of blackish vomiting and dejections, and the most frequent one of hæmorrhage of the stomach, whether accompanied by hæmatemesis or not. 7. Simple ulcer is the most frequent cause of perforation of the stomach. 8. The two principal accidents are hæmorrhage and perforation, which take place more commonly consecutively, i.e., by the erosion of the cicatrix, than primarily, or during the period of formation of the ulcer. 9. This ulcer, or ulcerative gastritis, may be always suspected, and almost always positively diagnosed. 10. It is distinguished from idiopathic gastralgia by the permanence of the symptoms it gives rise to, although these have alternations of exasperation and remission. Gastralgia is only temporary, comes and goes suddenly, leaving no traces of its presence, and may be suddenly relieved by opiates. 11. It is distinguished from non-ulcerative gastritis and gastralgia by black vomit and stools. It is very probable, however, that simple ulcer may exist without these discharges, and then its diagnosis from gastritis would be difficult. These black discharges are not characteristic of cancer, and, to some extent, are more inherent to simple ulcer than to it, for they belong to all periods of simple ulcer, of which they constitute the first symptom,

while cancerous ulcer is not attended with them until the last stage, and sometimes not at all. 12. The distinctions between simple and cancerous ulcer are founded on, first, the physical signs, there being no tumour in the former; and, next, on the pain which is often absent in cancer but never in ulcer. The pain in the latter is like that of an open wound or burn, opposite the xyphoid appendix, striking through to the spine. In cancer there are cramps or spasmodic contractions, with induration of the stomach. 13. The true touchstone is the effect of alimentary regimen, which completely fails in cancer, but succeeds surprisingly in ulcer. 14. The great object in treating the disease is to find an aliment that is tolerated by the stomach without pain, for then the cure may soon be effected. In the immense majority of cases, milk diet induces improvement from the very first day, and sometimes operates like magic; but when it ceases to be agreeable to the patient, or fatigues the stomach, we must unite it with other substances, in the choice of which the instincts of the stomach must be consulted. Alimentary regimen, in fact, constitutes the entire treatment, but nothing can be more difficult than the direction of this, according to quantity, quality, repetition, preparation and temperature. 15. Medicinal substances, whether general or topical, are quite secondary in importance. Iron and bitters are quite contra-indicated; and opium only succeeds when gastralgia is associated with the inflammatory action. Gaseous waters, ice, alkalis, and especially phosphate of lime prepared by the calcination of bone, alkaline and gelatinous baths, cold ablution of the entire surface, (in some cases very hot ablutions,) cold baths, and, in some cases, very hot sitting baths, stimulant frictions, with shampooing of the entire surface, derivatives or revulsives applied to the epigastrium-are the means which have seemed to exert most influence on the progress of the disease. 16. It must never be forgotten, that this ulcer is very liable to relapse, such relapse sometimes going on to hæmorrhage or perforation. Such relapse may be certainly prevented by a good alimentary hygiene, and avoiding medicinal stimuli.-Comptes Rendus, tome xlii, pp. 81, 421.

Chloroform in Strangulated Hernia.

M. Malgaigne states he has tried the influence of chloroform in facilitating the reduction of strangulated hernia many times, but has not met with a single satisfactory result.-Rev. Med. Chir.