short time. More deaths occurred in these two months than in all the rest of the year. "The death rate of my cases for the year past has been a fraction over two per cent." Dr. E. H. MASON, of Towanda, says that there has been "less than the usual amount of sickness to treat in this locality the past year, and that which has fallen under my notice has been of an unusually mild type. But few deaths have occurred here the past year. I lost one case of phthisis in the above-mentioned period. Diseases have been of the usual type; pneumonia prevailed during the spring months, as usual, but was of a mild character generally." Dr. C. K. LADD, of Towanda, reports the case of a man who had taken opium for upwards of fifty years, and during the last years of his life consumed 3iij each week. I would also state that a similar case has lately fallen under my own observation. The man died at the advanced age of eighty years. The two last weeks of his life he ate four ounces of the best article of opium; the last few years of his life his ordinary dose, several times a day, was a piece as large as an ordinary nutgall. Dr. E. P. ALLEN, of Athens, says: "The past year has been free from epidemics of every kind in this section; hence a very healthy season, for which reason I have little of interest to report. I reported last year a case of stricture of the rectum, then under treatment. I am happy to say now that the treatment then being used was continued, and the patient is now enjoying health. My surgical business has been comparatively light. I have used carbolic acid to wounds after operations for necrosis, whitlows, and indolent ulcers, with the best results. During the months of January, February, March, and April, I treated a good many cases of neuralgia; more than one-half were supra-orbital and periodic in. their character. Hypodermic injections of morphia always gave relief in a few moments. In some instances a single injection was sufficient to effect a cure. In the most severe, an injection once a day was necessary to be repeated four or five days. Full doses of quinine were generally taken in the interval. I have been using Dr. E. P. Banning's instruments for displacements of the uterus, for a short time, and am prepared to say, from a small experience,. that they work better than any kind of support I have ever used, especially the intra-pelvic apparatus." EAST SMITHFIELD, June 8, 1869. FIFTH SERIES.-PART II. 28 H. MONT MOODY, Chairman. NECROLOGICAL NOTICE OF DANIEL HOLMES, M. D., 1818-1869. THE subject of this sketch, Dr. DANIEL HOLMES, was born in Oxford Township, Chenango County, State of New York, on the 28th day of April, A. D. 1818. His father died when he was a small boy, leaving his mother with a family of small children depending on her for support. Her means were very limited, which made it necessary for her children at an early age to rely upon their own exertions for their maintenance and education. Under these trying circumstances, Daniel, when a young boy, struggled on to maintain himself, and did a good deal in assisting his mother to rear her younger children. His taste for books, and strong desire for a liberal education, were developed very early. After completing his primary studies at common schools, he entered the Oxford Academy, then taught by Merit McCoon, a distinguished and successful teacher. While at Oxford Academy he labored very hard, and was first in his classes. He remained in the academy from three to four years, and left a fine scholar; he did not, however, abandon, nor even relax his literary labors, but continued his classical studies under competent teachers. He had determined for a long time to study medicine, but was under the necessity of teaching school for a couple of years to obtain means for its prosecution. As a teacher he was very successful, and many who were then young are ready to acknowledge their indebtedness to him for inspiring them with zeal and enthusiasm to obtain an education. He commenced his medical reading during the year 1842, under the instruction of Dr. Theodore Wilder, of Springfield, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, and attended his first course of lectures at Geneva Medical College, A. D. 1843. After the close of lectures he placed himself under the instructions of Dr. Barnes, of Leraysville, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, and aided him in his extensive practice. In A. D. 1849 he attended another course of lectures at the University of Pennsylvania, and took a degree. The reason he did not graduate sooner was, that he was under the necessity of going into business to maintain himself, and obtain means for attending another course of lectures; and, after entering into practice, he found it difficult to get away from business long enough to attend lectures. On the 25th of August, A. D. 1842, Dr. Holmes married Miss Louisa Wood, eldest daughter of Moses Wood, of Smithfield, Bradford County, Pa. To the judicious selection of his wife may be attributed much of his success in business pecuniarily in after life. Few young ladies have been better educated in that essential department which combines neatness, urbanity, cheerfulness, and economy, than Mrs. Holmes. On the 24th of December, A. D., 1861, Dr. Holmes entered the volunteer service of the United States as surgeon, and commenced his duties in Church Hospital, Harrisburg. In February, A. D. 1862, he was transferred to the 46th regiment Pennsylvania volunteers, stationed at Hancock, Md., as surgeon of that regiment. In April, A. D. 1862, he was promoted to a Brigade Surgeon, and assigned to Gen. Doubleday's Brigade, stationed at Washington, D. C. In May following, the brigade was ordered to Fredericksburg, Virginia, when he was put in charge of the general hospital of that place. In July, when our forces retreated, he had charge of the removal of one thousand sick and wounded from Falmouth to Washington. This severe labor overtaxed him, and in a few days he was confined to his bed with typhoid fever, from which he did not recover until September. When he was able to ride, he obtained leave of absence and went home. This sickness broke him down, and his health was so poor that he was compelled to resign his commission in December, A. D. 1862. From that time he was unable to practise his profession till September, 1863. He was then anxious to review and increase his medical knowledge, and went to Philadelphia, where he remained closely applying himself to study till April, 1866, when he had a severe attack of hemorrhage of the lungs, which kept him from business nearly all summer. Being advised by Drs. Stillé, Pancoast, and Da Costa, he removed, in September, 1866, to Elmira, N. Y., and settled there. His health improved, so that he was able to do a moderate business till September, A. D. 1868, when he took a severe cold and was forced to take his bed, which he never left, and died February 15th, 1869. Dr. Holmes for many years had premonitions of disease of the lungs, and had used prophylactics against phthisis pulmonalis. We think there is no doubt that he had tubercles of the lungs, and there is, perhaps, less doubt that the lower and middle lobes of his right lung were completely hepatized by the sudden cold he took, which was the immediate cause of his death. Dr. Holmes was one of the most laborious students we ever knew, and a strenuous cultivator of his profession. His fine library contained nearly all the standard works on medical subjects of our day, and were thoroughly read. His habits of study were severe and trying to his constitution. He arose early in the morning, and read until it was time to commence business, and, it mattered not how hard had been his labors through the day, he seldom went to bed without reading an hour or two. He was determined to avail himself of all and every means of knowledge known to the profession. He was fond of surgery, and his operations were neatly and skilfully performed. He had been a member of the Bradford County Medical Society nearly twenty years, during which time he had contributed and read many interesting papers on medical subjects. Among the best articles was one on Acute Rheumatism and one on Cholesterine. After moving to Elmira, he became a member of the Chemung County Medical Society and Academy of Medicine of Elmira. He was also a member of the American Medical Association. During the last few years of his life he devoted a good deal of time in studying the microscopic appearance of cancer, and read an able and interesting paper on that subject before the Academy of Medicine of Elmira. The doctor left but one child, a son, who is in the Senior Class of Lafayette College. In the death of Dr. Holmes, the profession has lost a great laborer, its members a gentlemanly and genial companion, his wife a kind and affectionate husband, and the community a skilful physician. It may be truly said he fell a martyr to his profession, for there is little doubt if he had given himself more time to rest, that was devoted to hard study, he might now have been living in the enjoyment of comfortable health. His name will long be remembered by his friends. E. P. ALLEN, Chairman of Committee on Necrology. OFFICERS AND MEMBERS. President.-Dr. E. G. TRACY. Vice-Presidents.-Drs. H. MONT MOODY, GEO. P. TRACY, REES DAVIS. Corresponding Secretary.-Dr. E. P. ALLEN. Secretary.-Dr. L. D. MONTANYE. Censors. Drs. R. C. ROCKWELL, E. A. EVERETT, GUST. CONKLIN, REPORT OF THE BUCKS COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY. THE medical history of our county for the past year is a very uneventful one. There have been no epidemics, and the more common contagious diseases, such as measles, scarlatina, and smallpox have been very light in their visitation. Our County Society, though small, seems to be increasing in interest and vivacity; particularly at its last meeting, in May, the discussion of medical topics was animated and general. OFFICERS AND MEMBERS. President.-Dr. JOHN DYER. Vice-Presidents.—Drs. O. P. JAMES, FRANK SwartzLANDER. Drs. B. M. COLLINS, JOHN DYER, JOSEPH FOULKE, R. C. FOULKE, WM. S. HENDRIE, O. P. JAMES, MEMBERS. Drs. A. S. JORDAN, R. J. LINDERMAN, JAMES G. MENSCH, FRANK SWARTZLANDER, KIMBLE WILEY. |