I hope and trust that the good example set in this case by Dr. Mercer, may be boldly, resolutely and intelligently followed by others. They may fine us, they may cast us into prison, still unterrified and unshaken we will labor and suffer until the profession we cherish, and to which we dedicate our lives, shall be elevated to that proud and lofty eminence, demanded alike by its dignity and importance.

GEO. TILDEN, M. D.

HOMEOPATHIC SCHISM.-The "specious delusion," whose star has been so rapidly declining with the past few years, under the withering influences of investigation and trial, seems likely to accomplish its own ultimate disintegration through discord and incompatibility of its elements. The contest waxes warm on the question of high and low dilutions, and the world is being treated to some refreshing criminations, by which it appears that in the eyes of the pot, the kettle looms up with intense blackness.

The latest samples of the sort of warfare alluded to-being waged with those deadly missiles, sugar pills-is to be found in a book recently published by a very giant in the army, a Dr. Bellows, of Boston; which book is figure-headed with the very taking but negative title of "How not to be Sick." The great body of the work is a mere compilation of the results of the laborious investigations of Liebig and other physiological chemists in relation to the composing elements of different articles of food, and their adaptability to different systems and conditions. The illuminations in regard to Homœopathy, are rich but insructive. We have only room for the following extract as illustrative of the "unimportant differences" now existing among the fraternity. The italics are our own.

"In acute diseases, when an immediate effect is desired, I no more depend on high dilutions than I depend on the matter from the invisible point of a needle in a child exposed to small-pox. And my observation certainly corroborates the theory thus explained. I have seen some splendid cures with high dilutions in chronic cases, where we could afford to wait; and in such cases they are better than low, because their influence is more

permanent; but on the other hand, I am very sure that my highpotency neighbor, who never gives medicine lower than the thirtieth dilution, and claims to be the only pure homoeopathist in Boston, makes many more visits and much larger bills for attendance in the same class of diseases, than the rest of us, who give lower dilutions. His patients are, however, generally satisfied, for he does no harm, and he certainly gives them all the advantages of the expectant treatment, and in chronic cases makes good cures (?).

"But I saw a case of colic which had been treated all night with his high dilutions, being as long as the patient was willing to wait for relief; (unreasonable patient-EDS. HERALD) and she was effectually cured in fifteen minutes by a single dose of medicine of the first dilution. (A half grain of morphia in a tablespoonful of water?-EDs).

"One shrewd business man, whose wife was induced to try high dilutions, from extravagant promises of cure for some painful pleuritic affection, said on changing his physician after a long attendance, he thought high dilutions were well adapted 'to relieve plethoric pockets, but not to relieve pleurisy'. (Shrewd but ungrateful business man.-EDS).

*

*

* "To use high dilutions in acute diseases seems to me like vaccinating with a cambric needle, and charging for visits until it succeeds, when vaccinating with a hundred times as much matter could in no possible way do harm, while it would be sure to take in the first operation." Pages 300-301.

Have our readers ever figured for themselves the thirtieth dilution, which Dr. Bellows says is the strongest medicine given by "the only pure homoeopathist in Boston," and who attended a lady all night for colic? Well we can illustrate it by figures, and from these they can form some idea of the extreme danger of an overdose of homoeopathic medicine. If the "high-potency neighbor," when called to his case of colic, had determined to give morphia for its relief, according to his method of the thirtieth dilution, he would have given the one nonillionth part of a grain at a dose. Now suppose that it had required only one half of a grain of morphia to have relieved the pain, and "cured the colic, and that the doctor had given his dose of the thirtieth dilution every ten minutes. If the patient had not grown so unreasonable, but had permitted the doctor to go on, he would certainly have cured the pain in thirty thousand years, that being about the time required to give half a grain of morphia in such doses.

The author of the book before us, however, repudiates the 'only pure homoeopathist," and trusts to low dilutions, generally about the first. What these may be, can be gathered from the statement of a Dr. Wilson at the meeting of the Cleveland Homoeopathic Medical Society, that "late clinical reports had shown in bad cases of epilepsy, it was safe to give as high as sixty grains of bromide of potassium three times daily." This reminds us of a story told of a homoeopathist who used to practice in Leavenworth, and who having salivated a patient most profusely, and been detected in giving quinine, excused his course< by giving it as the result of his experience, that any man was a great fool who attempted to practice medicine in the West without calomel and quinine.

The impending struggle between sugar and gunpowder will be witnessed with the utmost indifference by the profession, knowing, as its members do, that the demolition of one humbug is but the signal for the inauguration of another.

AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.-We give the following official notification of the next meeting of this body, with the list of Committees :

The Twentieth Annual Session will be held in New Orleans, La., May 4, 1869, at 11 A. M.

The following Committees are expected to report:

On Diseases of the Cornea, Dr. Jos. S. Hildreth, Illinois, Chairman; Cultivation of the Cinchona Tree, Dr. Lemuel J. Deal, Pennsylvania, Chairman; Excision of Joints for Injuries, Dr. J. B. Reed, Georgia, Chairman; Alcohol and its Relations to Medicine, Dr John Bell, Pennsylvania, Chairman; Cryptogamic Origin of Disease, with special reference to recent microscopic investigations on that subject, Dr. Edward Curtis, U. S. A., Chairman; Operations for Hare-lip, Dr. A. Hammer, Missouri, Chairman; Clinical Thermometry in Diphtheria, Dr. Jos. G. Richardson, New York, Chairman; Prophylactics in Zymotic Diseases, Dr. N. L. North, N. Y., Chairman; Inebriate Asylums, Dr. C. H. Nichols, D. C., Chairman; Influence of the Pneumogastric Nerve on Spasmodic and Rythmical Movements of the Lungs, Dr. Thomas Antisell, D. C., Chairman; to Examine into the Present Plan of Organization and Management of the United

States Marine Hospitals, Dr. D. W. Bliss, D. C., Chairman; Utilization of Sewerage, Dr. Stephen Smith, New York, Chairman; Influence of Quarantine in Preventing the Introduction of Disease into the Ports of the United States, Dr. Elisha Harris, New York, Chairman; Nurse Training Institutions, Dr. Samuel D. Gross, Pennsylvania, Chairman; Commissioners to aid in Trials involving Scientific Testimony, Dr. John Ordronaux, N. Y., Chairman; Annual Medical Register, Dr. John H. Packard, Pennsylvania, Chairman; Devising a Plan for the Relief of Widows and Orphans of Medical Men, Dr. John H. Griscom, N. Y., Chairman; Veterinary Colleges, Dr. Thomas Antisell, D. C., Chairman; Specialities in Medicine, and the Propriety of Specialists Advertising, Dr. E. Lloyd Howard, Maryland, Chairman; Library of American Medical Works, Dr. J. M. Toner, D. C., Chairman; Vaccination, Dr. Henry A. Martin, Massachusetts, Chairman; the Decomposition of Urea in Uræmic Poisoning, Dr. J. R. Whitehead, N. Y., Chairman; Rank of Medical Men in the Navy, Dr. N. S. Davis, Illinois, Chairman; Medical Ethics, Dr. Francis Condie, Pennsylvania, Chairman; American Medical Necrology, Dr. C. C. Cox, Maryland, Chairman; Medical Education, Dr. J. C. Reeve, Ohio, Chairman; Medical Literature, Dr. E. Warren, Maryland, Chairman; Prize Essays, Dr. S. M. Bemiss, Louisana, Chairman; Climatology and Epidemics.

Secretaries of all medical organizations are requested to forward lists of their Delegates as soon as elected, to the Permamanent Secretary.

Any respectable physician who may desire to attend, but cannot do so as a Delegate, may be made a member by invitation, upon the recommendation of the Committee of Arrangements. W. B. ATKINSON, Permanent Secretary.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR DELEGATES TO NEW ORLEANS.-We have received a circular letter from Dr. J. F. Hibberd, to whose activity we consider the profession greatly indebted, in reference to the arrangements made for carrying delegates and their wives to the approaching session of this body at New Orleans. Passengers will be taken on the splendid boats of the Atlantic and Mississippi Steamship Company, from St. Louis to New Orleans, at $20 per passage, and will be returned for the same price.

The steamer which will take down the larger number of Delegates, will leave St. Louis at five o'clock P. M., on Wednesday the 28th of April, and all persons going from the Missouri Valley would do well to be there at that time.

We have no doubt that this voyage down and up the river at that season of the year will be delightful, and we greatly regret that we cannot be of the number who make it. But the meeting of our State Society was unfortunately set for the 10th of May, and to attend to the meeting at New Orleans would compel us to be absent from Topeka. This circumstance alone will prevent our attending the session of the National body, as we have no doubt it will prevent the attendance of others from our State. We must arrange a better time for our State meeting in the future. We suggest the second Tuesday in June. What say our readers?

PUBLISHING HOUSE OF WM. WOOD & Co.-In our last number, when remarking on the Code of Ethics as published by us, we incidently alluded to the reported circumstance of the Code having been published in pamplet form by Wm. Wood & Co., of 61 Walker Street, New York; and stated that as we had had no communication with the house, we could not inform our readers as to its truth. Since then we have received a letter from the firm in reference to it, with an inclosed catalogue of their late publications. Among these appears the Code, printed in 18 mo., and furnished at the price of forty cents per copy. We do not know of a better investment for local societies, than the spending of a few dollars in the purchase of a number requisite to furnish each member of the society with a copy gratis. The Code as heretofore existing has been entirely inaccessible to the great body of medical practitioners, and we think a substantial good has been rendered the profession by its publication in manual form.

AN IRATE MICROSCOPE VENDER.-In answer to our item of last month in relation to that infinitessimal humbug, the Craig