Dr. A. G. Anthony, of Syracuse, presented an interesting essay upon "Mutual Dependence between Specialists and General Practitioners," in which it was shown beyond argument how helpful one could be to the other and how to-day there is no need of going outside of our own school for special work of any character whatever.

Dr. B. W. Sherwood, of Syracuse, read a practical paper upon "Indications for Operative Interference in Hernia, which was fully dis

cussed by Drs. Sheldon, Sweeting, Kinne, Hallock and Martin.

The committee on Constitution presented a report which was accepted and signed by all those present.

The election for regular officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: President, W. H. Nickelson, of Adams; Vice-Presidents, Drs. E. O. Kinne, Peterson and Duell; Sec'y and Treas. E. Elmer Keeler.

The program for the next meeting to be held the first Tuesday in December was left in the hands of the Secretary and President.

The NORTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HOMEOPATHY was made our official organ.

Two papers were omitted, one by Dr. Follett, of Seneca Falls, and the other by Dr. Hinman, of Oswego, on account of their absence and will be placed on the next program. A paper by Dr. Hartman, of Clyde, upon "Uterine Cancers," in his absence was read by Dr. Candee.

E. ELMER KEELER, M.D., Secretary.

SYRACUSE, N. Y.

SURGICAL AND THERAPEUTICAL POINTS.

Conducted by

JOHN B. GARRISON, M. D.

Mescal Plant is regarded by the Indians as a panacea in medicine, particularly effective in hemorrhage and consumptive diseases. The Indians frequently use the mescal in decoction, for fevers, headaches and breast pains, with marked success It has great tonic properties, without showing any depressing effect after the use of it is stopped,

Bi-Chromate of Potash and Dyspepsia.-The allopaths are out with instructions to use small doses of Kali bichr. in gastric disorders. They say the best plan is to give do-es varying from 1-12 to 1-6 grain, taken three times a day upon an empty stomach an hour or so before meals. It is best administered in pill or solution, but in the latter case they add some flavoring substance to disguise the disagreeable taste of the drug. Fraser claims that pain, nausea, vomiting and gastric tenderness may be speedily removed by it. In acute gastric ulcer with vomiting of blood, however, he did not get good results.

To Control "Bleeders." Wright, of England, says the internal use of Calcium chloride has given promising results and from the fact, as he believes, of its increasing the coagulability of the blood, not only in animals, but also in man. He reports several cases of hemophilia in which good results followed the use of it, even although these cases were hereditary hemophilics.

522

Surgical and Therapeutical Points.

Gonococci in Cervical Secretions. Kopytowski, on the basis of a number of experiments finds that often after the most careful police inspection gonococci are found in the secretion of the cervical canal of women who are pronounced by the police doctors to be absolutely healthy, and that long after the apparent cure of an acute gonorrhoea, gonococci still linger in this region. Hence he argues the futility of an examination as at present conducted, and the absolute impossibility of determining, without elaborate bacteriological investigations, the presence or absence of gonorrheal infection in the case of a woman.

Ether on the Kidneys. Fenter, of Berne, reported conclusions based on one hundred and fifty clinical cases and thirteen experimental observations in animals on ether narcosis. These were:

I. That ether has no perceptible effect upon the healthy kidneys of animals, who, moreover, are more susceptible than mankind to its influences

2.

That it is not dangerous in persons whose kidneys are slightly

diseased.

3. That subsequent disturbances in the circulation of the kidneys when met with are very transitory and quickly disappear.

Plantain Cures Snake Bites according to an article lately appearing in the "Homeopathic Recorder." We know of its efficacy in many kinds of inflammation in the hands of country housewives.

Snake Bite also said by Phisalix and Bertrand to be cured by Calcium chloride. Its therapeutic action is not thought to be due to the formation of some substance neutralizing the poison but simply on its local effect; it destroys the poison locally, causes the tissues to slough and so prevents the absorption of the toxic material.

Ligation of the Vas deferens causes atrophy of the prostate gland equally as well as castration it is said, and will be more popular, probably, than the latter method.

Vaginal Hysterectomy by Galvano-Cautery is said by Byne to be entirely practicable and gynecologists who fail to take advantage of a method so safe and yet so promising assume the grave responsibility of withholding from the afflicted the most reliable means through which cure may be expected.

Conjunctivitis if worse in the morning with agglutination of the lids and photophobia in the morning, will be cured by Nux vomica. Gelsemium has dullness of all the mental faculties.

Sanguinaria Can. has confused mind relieved by eructations.

Xanthoxylum frax. has great despondency, with irritability. Anguish about the chest.

Conducted by

DEPARTMENT OF PAEDIATRY.

MARTIN DESCHERE, M. D.

CONSTIPATION IN CHILDREN.

I have selected this subject firstly, because it is frequently traceable to carelessness of the parents early in the child's life; and, secondly, because homeopathic physicians differ so widely as.to its treatment, and the remedies.

There is no question but that the treatment of constipation varies with the age of the patient, especially as regards diet; at the same time, the various causes of constipation form a great part in the consideration of its treatment. Among the causes may be noted:

First: At birth, conditions of atresia of the large or small intestines, or absence of an anus and obstructions caused by malformation requiring surgical interference.

Second: Unsuitable diet, referring back often to the diet of the mother while pregnant or nursing, or chronic constipation of the mother and inheritance of the same condition in the child.

Third: Dryness of the mucous membrane. This is often caused by not taking sufficient fluid. Or, again, constipation may be caused by taking starchy food. This particular variety of constipation is produced not so much by a dryness of the bowel, as by causing a hypersecretion of the mucous membrane whereby the fæcal masses become so slippery that the normal peristalsis is insufficient to grasp and carry them on. Thus the ineffectual effort of the intestine causes accumulation and delay.

Fourth: Atony of the bowels, not only of the rectum but also of other parts, as found in wasting diseases. Especially is this seen in rickets.

Fifth: An abnormal length of the descending colon. Since the large intestine in children is longer in proportion than in adults, this increased length is often found especially marked in the descending colon; it then forms various convolutions, which frequently extend to the median line, and sometimes over to the right side.

Sixth: The abuse of preparations of opium in infants, especially the use of home remedies in colicky and fretful children who are dosed with preparations like "soothing syrups," etc., all of which contain drugs which tend toward constipation. Opium is the basis of nearly all these nostrums. Another abuse is that of purgatives, and their repeated use is often the cause of prolonged and persistent constipation.

Seventh: The habitual neglect of regularity. Especially is this found in older children, who are in school and permission is not granted them to leave the room at once when the inclination for a movement comes.

Eighth: Overcrowding children with studies. This is found especially in young girls who, to attain various accomplishments, sit long after school hours.

All of these causes must be considered and corrected in our treatment. First, the diet must be regulated, depending upon the age of the patient. If at the breast, the child lives by the same physiological processes as does the mother, suffering as she does, and, hence, we must regulate the mother's diet and treat her, as well as the infant.

In bottle-fed children beware of starchy food.

In atony, it is urwise to use purgatives, because the weakness is only increased by forcible efforts, and the secondary action of such drugs is that of aggravated sluggishness of the bowe!.

The use of mixtures containing Opium or purgatives, therefore, must be discontinued at once.

We must establish regular habits as early in life as possible. Outdoor exercise and recreation are essential.

Of the remedies, there are a large number. Bernhardt, in his little work on "Constipation, ''mentions ninety-two, and Lilienthal even more. I will mention only a few so commonly used which have given excellent results:

Aesc. hipp., is an excellent drug where Nux vom. has been indicated but fails. It corresponds to the dryness of the mucous membrane and the sluggishness of the rectum, but not to the irregular peristalsis. The stools are in dark, hard balls.

I use Nux vom. at the beginning of the treatment, especially after the child has been subjected to "dosing'' with large quantities of opium and other allopathic drugs. I find it relieves these patients for a time, but if continued, a few weeks later the trouble returns and Nux vom. will not relieve the condition, no matter in what potency or however persistently it is used, then Aesc. hipp. will frequently clear up the case.

Alumina is probably used more frequently in the constipation of children, especially of infants than any other drug. It is a valuable remedy where atony is present and there is absolutely no inclination for a movement. The stools are not the dark balls found in Aesc. hipp. but are much lighter in color and so seem to indicate an improper action of the liver.

Chamomilla is the remedy-especially in cases where "soothing syrups" have been used to a considerable extent-in peevish and fretful children, who cannot be pacified except by being carried. They have had pains with the movements of the bowels and are afraid to have a movement.

In cases where the accumulation in the rectum is so large that a movement causes fissures and these are so sensitive and painful that the child holds back the contents of the rectum. Natrum mur. has often been of very great service, but, at the same time, lubricating the fæcal mass with sweet oil by small injections permits a painless movement, and the child is willing to allow a daily operation to occur. Nitric acid is valuable for fissures, especially where a hacking cough is present, this being the result of nervous conditions, which is the key-note of the drug. Ignatia and Sulphur ate valuable where there is prolapsus of the rectum with large masses of fæces

Podophyllum also has this prolapsus of the rectum but it is due to a sluggish mucous membrane and found more with diarrhoea. When used on its secondary symptoms in constipation, it becomes a palliative. In Lycopod. the accumulation is never fully expelled; a few little pieces pass but nothing more and these with great effort, and flatulence results on account of the presence of the accumulated mass.

Platinum stands between Plumbum and Silica. The stool seems to cling to the anus and is not perfectly expelled.

Paraffine is recommended, but I have never seen a case where it has been indicated.

MARTIN DEschere, M.D

CONDUCTED BY

CURRENT EVENTS.

H. WORTHINGTON PAIGE, M.D.

ALL NEWS or other matter relating to this department should be addressed to The Rutland, 256 West Fifty-seventh Street, New York City.

DR. A. E. CHAPMAN is enjoying a trip abroad this summer.

DR. W.C. DAKE, of Nashville, Tenn., will spend his summer vacation in England.

DR. H. WORTHINGTON PAIGE will sojourn at Whitney's Point, New York, during August.

DR. BUKK G. CARLETON will spend August and part of September in the White Mountains.

DR. ABBIE H. McIVOR is School Inspector of her district, recently appointed by the Mayor.

DR. D. J ROBERTS of New Rochelle, sailed for Europe on June 20th to be gone until August 16th.

DR. EUGENE H. PORTER is getting his well earned summer recreation at Upper Lisle, New York.

DR CORDELIA CAMPBELL has returned to New York and opened an office at 411 West 57th Street.

THE NEW MEDICAL HOSPITAL will be opened with appropriate ceremonies on the afternoon of October 6th.

EDWIN DEBAUN, M. D., of Passaic, N. J., sailed for Europe on the Normannia, July 9th, for a two months trip.

Dr. George G. SHELTON sailed on July 7th, for an extended European vacation. He will return September 16th.

DR. CHAS. TOWNSEND will spend the summer in New Rochelle attending the practice of Dr. Roberts, while the latter is abroad.

DOCTOR AND MRS. A. B. NORTON AND DOCTOR AND MRS. WM. H. KING, sailed July 7th for an extended visit in England and Scotland.

DRS. GEORGE W. ROBERTS and EDWARD G. TUTTLE will spend August in a hunting and fishing trip in the forest wilds of Northern Maine.

THE MISSOURI VALLEY HOMEOPATHIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Will hold its third annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, on September 1st, 2d and 3d.

AT A RECENT MEETING of the staff of the Laura Franklin Hospital, Dr. J. B. Garrison was appointed laryngologist, Dr. Geo. G. Shelton having resigned.