The following were elected members of the association: Drs. V. Corey, West Point, Illinois; D. Wade, Plymouth, Illinois; R. Kirkpatrick, La Harpe, Illinois; D. Steinberg, Keokuk, Illinois.

Dr. D. C. Miller reported a case of phthisis at length, with the peculiar malarial complications so common in this valley. Owing to an unusual amount of sickness, the other essayists were absent.

The Advisory Committee, Drs. Hamblin, Lee and Stevens, reported in favor of Parke, Davis & Co.'s goods; also the Therapeutic Gazette, a monthly journal, devoted to Therapeutics, published by Geo. S. Davis, Detroit, Michigan. They further advise the examination and reading of the Eclectic works used by the New York and other Eclectic schools, as opposed to the domination of the specific school.

By action of the association, the New York Medical Eclectic was unanimously chosen as the journal in which the annual meetings shall be reported.

The president appointed the following members as essayists for next annual meeting: Drs. Lee, Reynolds, Hamlin and Steinberg.

The election resulted as follows, viz.: Dr. D. C. Miller, Hamilton, Illinois, president; Drs. Lee, of Missouri, and Hamlin, of Iowa, vice presidents; H. M. Hamblin, M. D., Hamilton, Illinois, secretary.

Advisory Committee-Drs. Hamblin, of Illinois; Lee, of Missouri; and Nichols, of Iowa.

The society then adjourned to the 27th of December, 1880, at which time the session will be held in Keokuk, Iowa, subject to action of committee.

After adjournment, the society sat down to a most bountiful repast, provided by the president of the association, at which there was a "feast of reason and flow of soul."

H. M. HAMBLIN, M. D., Secretary.

HAMILTON, ILLINOIS, January 17, 1880.

DEAR SIR: That package of journals came to hand in due time, for which a thousand thanks; also, the promise of same for next We have not received the December number as yet; and,

year.

by the way, the society would truly like a full file of the Cancer Journal, and I am sure, through such donations, you will receive patients from our limits. Please to send D. C. Miller, M. D., our president, of this place, copy of journals containing doings of our society.

Some of our members desire to know of "Winterburn's Materia Medica."

I should have sent society report, only for my illness, before this late date.

Fraternally yours,

P. O. Box 238, Illinois St.

H. M. HAMBLIN, M. D.

BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS.

The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal is transformed into a regular newspaper form, double columns, etc.

Dr. Frank P. Foster succeeds Dr. Jas. B. Hunter as editor of the New York Medical Journal.

The first number of the Galveston Medical Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1, edited and published by Greensville Dowell, M. D., at $3 a year, monthly, 32 pages, has been issued.

Vol. 1, No. 1, of the Alienist and Neurologist contains 125 pages; is issued quarterly for $5 a year; edited by Dr. C. H. Hughes, well known for his studies in this direction.

Vol. 2, No. 1, of the Annals of the Anatomical and Surgical Soci ety, is a monthly of forty pages, issued by G. P. Putnam's Sons for $2 a year. Dr. Chas. Jewett, editor.

No. 1., Vol. 1, of The Practitioner, a medical monthly, contains fifty-two pages, edited by Dr. H. L. Byrd and Dr. B. M. Wilkerson, and published at Baltimore, Md. Terms, $2 a year.

No. 1, Vol. 1, of Walsh's Retrospect, a quarterly compendium of American medicine and surgery. Edited by Ralph Walsh, M. D., Washington, D. C. Price, $2 a year.

Indiana Medical Reformer began its career January, 1880, a monthly of forty-eight pages.

Chicago Medical Gazette, a new semi monthly journal, issued at Chicago.

We extend cordial greeting to these fresh aspirants for public favor.

Professor Boll, of Rome, is dead. He will be remembered as the first investigator of the phenomena known as visual purple. The next meeting of the American Medical Association will be held at New York City, commencing Tuesday, June 1, 1880.

Chaille says: "The history of the American State legislation upon the regulation of medical practice, conclusively proves that laws which debar homoeopaths, Eclectics and other practitioners of any special or exclusive system of therapeutics from the practice of medicine, cannot be enforced if enacted."

Vick's Illustrated Floral Guide, a beautiful work of 100 pages, one colored flower plate, and 500 illustrations, with descriptions of the best flowers and vegetables, with price of seeds and how to grow them. them. All for a five cent stamp. In English or German. Vick's seeds are the best in the world. Five cents for postage will buy the Floral Guide, telling how to get them.

The Flower and Vegetable Garden, 175 pages, six colored plates, and many hundred engravings. For 50 cents in paper covers; $1 in elegant cloth. In German or English.

Vick's Illustrated Monthly Magazine, 32 pages, a colored plate in every number and many fine engravings. Price, $1.25 a year; five copies for $5.00. Specimen numbers sent for 10 cents; three trial copies for 25 cents. Address, James Vick, Rochester, N. Y.

OBITUARY.

Died in this city, January 17, 1880, of disease of the heart, Prof. Paul M. Allen, M. D. Dr. Allen was one of the oldest practitioners of the Eclectic school of medicine. He had filled many official positions connected with his profession. A ripe scholar, a good practitioner, a fine writer and teacher. Our system of medicine has lost a strong and useful member.

THE MEDICAL ECLECTIC,

DEVOTED TO

Reformed Medicine,

GENERAL SCIENCE AND LITERATURE.

Editors:

ROBERT S. NEWTON, M. D., LL. D.,

Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine in the Eclectic Medical College, of New York. ROBERT S. NEWTON, JR., M. D., L. R. C. S.,

Professor of Surgery and Ophthalmology in the Eclectic Medical College, of New York. Published every month, by THE ECLECTIC MEDICAL COLLEGE, of the City of New York.

Professor of Medical Literature and Forensic Medicine in the Eclectic Medical College, of the City of New York.

INFANTICIDE.

(Continued from page 24, January, 1880.)

The horrible and unnatural crime of child murder has been shockingly prevalent in all ages and among all nations, civilized and uncivilized, Christian and heathen. Infanticide, in its medicolegal aspects, has occasioned a large amount of controversy. On the part of the profession, great attention has been bestowed on the evidence presented in the form of violent death, and the means placed within the reach of the medical examiner for the satisfactory reconciliation of apparently contradictory facts, by examining into their collateral circumstances, or rendering these nugatory by

showing how they may be foreseen and avoided, or allowance made for them.

This satisfactory result has not yet been accompanied by corresponding success on the part of legislators and administrators of law, and strenuous efforts have been made, from time to time, to secure the efficiency of legal proofs as to child murder in all cases, and to decide as to the proper punishment which should follow conviction for the crime. Since secrecy is an essential element of the crime, in almost all instances of its perpetration, the proof is necessarily of a purely circumstantial character.

The ordinary charge of infanticide is restricted to cases where the mother is supposed to be guilty of the murder of the child after it is born, as previous to this, it would be foeticide. On the discovery of the body of the infant, the prosecution is bound to prove that the child had survived its birthy and was actually living when violence had been dott. The charge of murder holds equally good in the case of exposure or wilful neglect. The following fundamental questions may be laid down to govern the medical witness in his decision of the case: First. Has the woman suspected been recently delivered? Second. Was the child mature? Third. Was it the child of the prisoner? Fourth. Was it dead or alive at birth? Fifth. If alive, what was the cause of its death? The above are the essential points to which the attention of the medical jurist should be directed.

The first question has already been considered under the head of pregnancy and signs of delivery, and the second, also, under the head of age and immature births. The third, whether the child found really belongs to the prisoner, is of greater importance than medical witnesses generally imagine.

Though the element of secrecy, in every instance, enters into the perpetration of the crime, yet, to counteract this chance of her escaping observation at the time of the commission of the criminal act, she can rarely escape the notice of others subsequently. The act of parturition produces changes in her appearance and conduct which readily attract attention from those of her own sex. Beside, if living in society, it is next to impossible for her to conceal or put away the fluid and other discharges attendant on her delivery. Still, it may be more difficult to connect her subsequently with the