SOCIETY MEETINGS.

THE NATIONAL ECLECTIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. The Twelfth Annual Meeting of the National Eclectic Medical Association was held at New Haven, Conn., in Loomis' Temple of Music, June 21, 22 and 23. The Association received an address from ex-Mayor N. D. Sperry and from Dr. B. W. Pease, who, on behalf of the profession in that State, welcomed the assembled members. The attendance was large, especially from the Eastern and Middle States. Five of the State societies were not represented.

The first business was the appointment of the Committee on Credentials, consisting of Drs. Gerald of Massachusetts, Smith of New York, Mullholland of Pennsylvania, Hole of Ohio, O'Neal of Illinois, Gates of Missouri, and Judd of Wisconsin.

The number of new members reported by the Committee, and who signed the Constitution, was 42. The present number of members is 298. Nearly all of the first session was occupied in this work and in the reception of reports from the different State societies. In general the reports indicated progress, and satisfactory advancement in most localities, but few of the reports were ready for the Convention in proper form.

At the evening session Prof. A. J. Howe presented a paper paper on Conservative Surgery. We have hardly ever listened to a more able paper than this, and justifies the good sense of the Association in electing the author as President. The essay elicited the warmest commendation from all the members present. Prof. Younkin read a paper on Antiseptic Surgery, which was well received.

The Treasurer, Dr. Anton, read his report on Thursday morning. The finances of the Association are much improved, the expenses having been reduced, and there is no doubt that the Association will soon be relieved of all financial embarrassment.

The meeting in the afternoon was divided into sections. Section B, on Obstetrics, was presided over by Dr. Milbrey Green of

Massachusetts. A number of papers were received from Drs. Borden, Woodward, Star, Ingraham, Reid, and Tuttle. After discussion of these papers the Section rose.

In Section A, on Surgery, papers were submitted by Drs. Younken, Home, Russell, and others.

Section D, on Practice of Medicine, was presided over by Dr. Merkel of Massachusetts.

The first paper was one by Dr. Linquist on the Mango Plant. Others by title were from Drs. Kunze, Band, Welch, Pruitt, Hargreaves, and others.

In Section C papers were read by Drs. Geddes, Baker, Furber, Hoyder and others, which gave rise to an interesting and animated discussion.

In the evening an excursion was taken to Savin Rock, and was rendered very enjoyable.

The election of officers took place on Friday, and resulted as follows:

For President, Prof. A. J. Howe of Ohio.

1st Vice-President, Dr. A. B. Woodward of Pennsylvania.

2d Vice-President, Dr. H. K. Stratford of Illinois.

3d Vice-President, Dr. M. F. Linquist of Connecticut. Secretary, Alexander Wilder.

Treasurer, James Anton.

Dr. W. R. Hayden offered a resolution of respect to the memory of Dr. R. S. Newton of New York, which was adopted. The next regular meeting of the Association will be held at Topeka, Kansas, commencing Wednesday, June 20, 1883.

The officers were installed, and the routine business of the Association occupied the remainder of the time until adjournment at 3:30.

With reference to the section work of the Association, it is our belief, based upon the experience of this session, that the organization is as yet too few in numbers to carry out the plan in detail to the satisfaction of all the members. In an organization like that of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and others, where there is a membership and attendance of from one to two thousand delegates, it is the only practicable method of dealing with the vast accumulation of business and papers. But

the National, as yet, does not need to be divided into parts for discussion; the interest of the meeting is detracted from by this

course.

ILLINOIS STATE ECLECTIC MEDICAL SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of the Illinois State Society was held on June 8th and 9th. A number of papers were read, and the time of holding the meeting changed to the last Wednesday in May. The following officers were elected :

President, H. K. Stratford, M. D., Chicago.

First Vice-President, W. H. Hobson, M. D., Irving.
Second Vice President, N. M. Carter, M. D., Lincoln.
Treasurer, R. F. Bennett, M. D., Litchfield.

Recording Secretary, W. D. Matney, M. D., Harvel.
Corresponding Secretary, N. H. Paaren, M. D., Chicago.
The next meeting will be held at Decatur, Ill., in May, 1883.

THE NEXT "NATIONAL" AT TOPEKA.

[American Medical Journal, St. Louis.]

Members of the National Electic Medical Association and physicians proposing to become members next year, will, if they desire to appear in person, or in written communications, please inform President, A. J. Howe, M. D., Cincinnati, O., naming topics chosen. This should be done at an early day in order that Convention-week at Topeka may be forecast.

A. J. HOWE, M. D., President.

MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE.

[From the N. Y. Sun.]

THE STORY OF A LONG LAWSUIT THAT GREW OUT OF AN ELEVATED

RAILROAD ACCIDENT.

The verdict for $30,000 obtained by Mr. John T. Harrold against the New York Elevated Railway Company for personal injuries suffered in the collision at Forty-second street on March 25, 1879, which has just been affirmed by the Court of Appeals, is the largest verdict for personal injuries ever obtained in this

State, and the litigation thus concluded has been most remarkable. Although Major Harrold has survived the protracted lawsuits, his condition is yet very critical, and physicians agree in the opinion that his injuries must ultimately cause his death. He was bruised, two of his ribs were broken, one rib penetrated his lungs, and his spine was injured so as to produce spinal meningitis.

About a week after the accident Mr. Harrold's family engaged Chauncey Shaffer to sue the New York Elevated Railroad Company. Mr. Shaffer notified the company that compensation for the injuries would be expected when the extent of the injuries should be sufficiently ascrtained in case he lived through them' The physician of the company examined Mr. Harrold, but no attention was paid to Mr. Shaffer's notice. Suit was thereupon begun in the Supreme Court in Kings County, on June 1, 1879.

In January, 1880, the company applied for an order to examine Mr. Harrold before trial as to the nature of his injuries. This was opposed, and Justice Gilbert was satisfied that it would be unsafe to have Mr. Harrold transported from his residence to the court room to endure examination. He therefore ordered a referee to examine Mr. Harrold at his house, and Dr. Daniel Ayres, President of the County Medical Society, was directed to be present at such examination and see that Mr. Harrold was not taxed beyond his strength. The ground of this application was that the defendant might be informed of the nature and extent of the injuries. Mr. Harrold's counsel characterized the proceeding as calculated to accelerate Mr. Harrold's death, and thus reduce the company's liability to $5,000. They claimed that if the application had been made in good faith the testimony of physicians would have been deemed quite sufficient without annoying Mr. Harrold or endangering his life.

The defendants did not examine Mr. Harrold under this order, but appealed from it to the General Term, where it was modified in some unimportant particulars.

When the cause was on the calendar for trial in May, 1880, just before the trial, the defendants obtained an order from Justice Pratt for the examination of Mr. Harrold as a witness before trial, and Justice Pratt appointed a referee and directed that two witnesses should be present. The defendant's counsel attended

at the time and place designated, with two doctors, who entered the sick room by themselves, and spent about half an hour there. One of the plaintiff's physicians was also permitted to be present, although taking no part in the examination. After the doctors had sufficiently investigated Mr. Harrold's case, the company's attorney announced that he did not wish to examine him. He put the order for the examination in his pocket and walked off with his doctors. This proceeding was severely commented upon in the trial of the case.

The case went to trial before Justice Pratt, in the Kings County Supreme Court, Circuit, on May 17, 1880, and continued until the morning of Saturday, May 22, when a verdict for $30,000 was rendered in favor of Mr. Harrold. On the trial the defendant was represented by Dorsheimer, Bacon & Deyo and John H. Bergen, and Mr. Harrold was represented by James H. Daily. The principal question of the trial was whether, in addition to his other injuries, Mr. Harrold had injuries of the spine, and whether such injuries were permanent or not. On that question Dr. Joseph F. Deyo, Dr. Charles E. Gilbert, Dr. J. H. Ward, Dr. Robert S. Newton, Sr., and Dr. Robert S. Newton, Jr., were examined on the part of the plaintiff. Their concurrent opinion was that Mr. Harrold's spine was permanently injured, and that the inevitable result of this injury must be death.

THE JOURNAL.

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