tion the homoeopathic school would not occupy the proud position it does to-day. It is a debt of honor to help maintain the Institute.

Let us then determine to make the Detroit meeting notable for numbers, for new members, for scientific work, for impartial investigation. And, if this be done, as it may be, the spirit of the meeting, living long afterwards, shall inspire to greater efforts and enthusiasm sessions yet to come.

TH

AN ACADEMY OF MEDICINE.

HE homoeopathic profession of New York and vicinity are arousing to the consciousness that the time has arrived for united and harmonious action; that indifference and indolence have prevailed too long, and that, if public respect is to be retained, a decided advance must be made. Homoeopathic institutions in the past in this city have not all been organized wisely; many have been tottering upon unstable foundations, and others have suffered because of inadequate provision for unexpected changes. The cause of homoeopathy has been markedly checked by this lack of judicious organization, and much valuable time wasted. In this great imperial city of the Western Continent, where the homoeopathic profession is the strongest in numbers and in influence, a great work is waiting accomplishment. At the meeting of the Hahnemann Association, on the evening of April 11th, at Carnegie Music Hall, it was proposed that the Association devote its energies and influence to the erection of an Academy of Medicine. This splendid plan, presented in full explanation and embodied in fitting resolutions, was unanimously and enthusiastically adopted by the society. was felt that the present could not live in or on the past; that a visible and tangible sign of the strength and energy and harmony of the school was demanded by both public and profession; that obligations to the community, now as always, must be recognized and that the Academy must be erected.

It

Such an institution collecting under its hospitable roof all homœopathic societies and organizations, centralizing and harmonizing the best thought and purpose of the profession, would in turn exert a powerful influence for good upon public opinion and senti

ment, and so guard and benefit homoeopathic institutions, educational or charitable. Scientific questions could secure greater and more extended consideration, and the hygienic and sanitary interests of the public be more carefully and thoughtfully studied. The resolutions as adopted, in part, were as follows:

Resolved: That it is eminently proper that the Hahnemann Association, founded to do honor to the memory of its renowned namesake and to emphasize its profound appreciation of a great epoch in medicine, should re-dedicate its purpose, influence and continued efforts to the establishment in this great medical centre, destined at no remote period to be the peer of all cities, of all lands and climes, of an institution around which may cluster all the single and collective interests of the school, and which in turn may give support to all our educational and public organizations.

Resolved: That the requisites for the success of such an undertaking are a large professional and lay membership, incorporation as a permanent society, ownership of a suitable building, containing a library, reading and assembly rooms, to be forever free to the members and under proper regulations to the general public.

Resolved: That the foundation of an institution which may be called the Hahnemann Academy of Medicine, would not only accomplish the original objects of the Hahnemann Association and be more enduring than annual banquets, or monuments of brass or stone, but would also tend to further perfect the science and art of liberal medicine, redowned to the honor of the profession and the beneficence of mankind.

As the resolutions state, one of the prime requisites for success is a large professional and lay membership in the Association. This was provided for by the adoption of a resolution which makes it the pressing duty of every present member to obtain new members at once. If this is done, and that it can be done no one questions, the success of the movement will be very nearly assured. And it may be said that to a very great degree the success or failure of this plan will indicate the future strength or weakness of the school.

This proposed Academy is for the benefit of all; it should receive the cordial support of all. The laity urged by the profession will contribute liberally. It is asking little in return for what the medical profession gives in turn each year. To guard the public health is the duty of the profession-to furnish suitable appliances and fitting quarters should be the pleasure and privilege of the people. Homœopathy expects this time each man to do his duty, and if each member of the Association will send in but ten new names the 1st of June will see a roll of over three thousand.

Boston Felicity. The deed from the city of Boston for the valuable piece of land donated to the Homœopathic Hospital has been received by the Trustees of that Institution. But besides this good fortune a will just probated makes the Hospital residuary legatee in equal portion, with two other institutions, to an estate exceeding $400,000.

The Ohio Medical Board. The appointments to the new medical board of Ohio do not seem to give much satisfaction to the homœopathic profession of that State. It was expected that the board would consist of three allopaths, two homeopaths and two eclectics; but as organized it is made up of three allopaths, two eclectics, one homoeopath and one physio-medicalist. The homœopathic member is Dr. H. E. Beebe, of Sidney, Ohio.

It Died Young.-The Commissioners of the District of Columbia, after a full hearing and careful consideration of the matter, decided not to grant a charter to the proposed new Homœopathic Medical College. The Washington Homoeopathic Medical Society has opposed the scheme from the start. The so-called college never represented the homoeopathic school and was not in good standing among medical men. The action of the Commissioners has settled the matter. There will be no new college in Washington to disgrace the homoeopathic school.

Some Results of Antitoxin.-In Wheelersburg, Ohio, last month, a practitioner of experience in the use of serum injected the usual prophylactic dose over the scapula of a sleeping child five years of age. An hour before he was known to be in perfect health; in less than five minutes the doctor summoned from an adjoining room found the child dead. In Berlin, the celebrated Professor Langerhaus, Medical Director of a large hospital, caused the following announcement to be published in the newspapers: "Our darling Ernest, aged twenty-one months, died suddenly in perfect health, in consequence of an injection of Dr. Behring's diphtheria serum." The Professor states that his son was in strong health and was inoculated with the serum merely as a precaution. Such cases are becoming numerous and the ardor of sanguine enthusiasts is cooling.

The Same Old Folly.--St. John's Hospital at Fort Smith, Arkansas, is now in the hands of the homoeopathic profession. When, after many years of allopathic treatment, the board of managers proposed to grant to the homoeopathic school representatives on the hospital staff, the gentle allopaths called an indignation meeting to protest against the outrage. The board of managers very justly paid no attention to the unreasonable demands of the allopaths and so, protesting still, they all resigned. The narrow and bigoted action of the old school doctors has served to unite the people and press in support of the homœopaths and managers. This is another instance of the unchanged attitude of the allopathic school so far as homoeopathy is concerned. Whatever broad minded and

liberal sentiments may be uttered by individual members of the old school, it is, so far as its organized action is concerned, as bitterly partisan as it was twenty years ago.

Chicago, with its smoke-laden atmosphere and dirty streets, is not an inviting city to those who are accustomed to the clear air, and clean pavements of New York and Boston, not to name any other eastern cities, but there is one thing of which the Phoenix city is fond of boasting, and that is of its water supply. This is more abundant and pure than that of any other great city in the world. Four miles from shore the water it drawn from the clear, cold depths of Lake Michigan. This water is pure and uncontaminated, and is delivered in quantity of seventy-five gallons daily to every man, woman and child in the city. The effect of this is very pronounced. Since the extension of the four mile tunnel there has been a marked decrease in diarrhoeal diseases and in typhoid fever. In 1895, there was a decrease in such diseases to the number of 2,153. When Chicago's great drainage canal is done, the effect will be still more marked.

The Case of Playfair.-The case of Kitson vs. Playfair is not yet ended. An appeal has been arranged for and it is probable that the appeal court will grant a reduction in the amount of damages given.

The public and professional interest in this now celebrated case was most intense. The points outlined were two. First, a violation by Dr. Playfair of a recognized rule of medical ethics by communicating to third parties matters that came to his knowledge in the course of his professional attendance on a married lady. Second, the strictly medical point as to whether the substance removed from the uterus was as Dr. Playfair claimed, a portion of recent placenta or some other product. The second point, however, was not gone into on its merits by the court. The facts of this most remarkable case remarkable because of the prominence of the participants and the gravity of the interests involved, are in brief as follows:-A Mrs. Kitson, sister-in-law to Mrs. Playfair came to England over a . year ago. Sixteen months after her arrival, her husband being still in Australia where she left him, she was affected with metrorrhagia. A month later, Dr. Playfair was called in-made an examination under an anææsthetic and removed from the uterus a substance which he claimed was a part of a recent placenta. He subsequently told Mrs. Playfair and Sir J. Kitson of his conclusions. Social intercourse ceased and Mr. and Mrs. Kitson sued Dr. Playfair for slander and obtained a verdict for $60,000.

By his violation of professional confidence Dr. Playfair stands condemned not alone by the jury but by the profession and the public. Nothing can justify the divulging of the secrets of patients unless it be the direct order of a court and even then there may be exceptions. Professional confidences should be held inviolate and by his ruthless disregard of this sacred duty Dr. Playfair was at one blow stripped of money, reputation and honor.

BRITISH HOMOEOPATHIC NOTES.

TO THE EDITOR NORTH AMERICAN :

The past winter session of the British Homoeopathic Society has been prolific in interesting clinical cases and in good papers, many of them displaying originality, and all of them careful research. The Section arrangement seems to work well; the Gynæcological and Spinal Disease specialists being especially prominent. The Presidential Address delivered at the first meeting of the session of 1895-6 by Dr. Giles F. Goldsbrough, entitled "Some Prolegomena to a Philosophy of Medicine" was one of the profoundest and broadest in scope that has ever been given from the chair. It extends in print to sixty-six pages of the B. H. S. Journal for January, and demands close attention in reading to grasp its points. Among other important deductions Dr. Goldsbrough makes is that "the law of life (or Bio-Dynamic law) teaches us that the action of the drug cannot be discovered from any inherent dynamic effect that it has. This action may be either chemical or physical, but whatever the effects may be, they are the effects of a reaction of life upon the action of the drug." There is much food for thought here. New members continue to come into the Society, and the new antihomœopath movement of the British Gynæcological Society of London will simply enrich the Journal of the British Homœopathic Society with papers on that specialty which might have been contributed to the former.

meeting at the Hahnemann Perhaps the most suggestive

The Liverpool Branch of the B. H. S., Hospital has sustained its meetings well. subject taken up was that by Dr. C. T. Green, namely: "Psycho-Therapeutics, "dealing especially with the "Cures "at Holywell in North Wales, where the long deceased Saint Winifride works, by means of a spring sacred to her memory. Miraculous recoveries. As this Holy Well has been operating since the seventh century, A.D., Notre Dame de Lourdes is "not in it" with Saint Winifride in point of antiquity. Dr. Green had investigated several cases reported “cured” and found that only some superficial or concomitant symptoms had been removed by the cold bathing and prayers. The temperature is from 54° to 58° Fahr. Dr. Green concludes that all the cases cured or relieved-and that there are hundreds on record-can be accounted for without supernatural agency, such as the Roman Catholic custodians of the Holy Well claim for them. Of Lourdes, Dr. Green could not speak from experience, but a colleague, who had visited that famous shrine, in August 1895, wrote stating some particulars of three notable cures communicated to him by the Resident Physician of the Hospice, Dr. Cox. These comprised white swelling of the knee-joint, chronic mortus conce and lupus exedens. Dr. Cox assured the writer that no external or internal medication