There is unquestionably a large amount of worldly wisdom in all this. We trust, however, that Dr. Smith has not only endeavoured to satisfy the prejudices of his medical neighbours, but that he has taken steps to prevent those who have hitherto been his patients from supposing that he is now a homoeopathist, and that he has instructed his pharmaceutical neighbour never again to mention his name to anyone enquiring for the address of a homoopathic physician. When Dr. Wilberforce Smith has given evidence of an intelligent acquaintance with homoeopathy, his opinion regarding it may possibly be worth having. At present it is valueless, and we are surprised at the assurance with which he has ventured to express one. Since the foregoing was in type, we have received for publication some correspondence which has passed between Dr. Cooper and Dr. Smith on this matter. This we had intended to publish, but finding that there was another letter from Dr. Smith, which he had taken some pains to write, and to which we must therefore assume that he attaches a certain degree of importance, but one too lengthy to appear this month, we have postponed the publication of the correspondence until we can give it in its entirety. SOCIETY FOR IMPROVEMENT OF THE PHYSIQUE OF THE BLIND. THIS Society has been formed for the purpose of giving the blind better health, independent power of using their bodily faculties, in order to enable them to be less dependent upon others, and in so doing to contribute to the general welfare of 35,000 to 40,000 blind in Great Britain. The first object is to improve the physique of the adult blind of both sexes; the second, to assist the physical education of blind children; and the third, to prevent blindness as far as possible by removing ignorance regarding the hygiene of the eyes, which is probably-besides accidents and disease-the most fertile cause of blindness. The means to be applied are : 1. To train a few blind and seeing teachers in the elements of hygiene and physical development; these teachers to be employed in the various centres where blind congregate, for the purpose of giving the adult the necessary instruction in health and in the mode of systematically exercising all parts of the body; models and raised drawings of the various positions and exercises will assist the oral instruction. 2. To induce the principals of blind institutions to introduce the free exercises as an obligatory part of the education of the blind of both sexes. young 3. To collect information about the origin of blindness, and the means of preventing it in the various injurious trades and occupations. Those who wish to assist this Society are requested to send their names and subscriptions to Mr. John Jervis Beresford, B.A., Cambridge, pro tem. treasurer, 4, Gloucester Crescent, Hyde Park, London, W.; or to Dr. Roth, 48, Wimpole Street, London, W.; or to the National Bank, Oxford Street Branch, Old Cavendish Street, London, W. LONDON SCHOOL OF HOMEOPATHY. THE Introductory Address at the opening of the School was delivered on the 2nd October by Dr. BLACKLEY, the Librarian and Curator of the Museum. The board room of the hospital was fairly filled on this occasion. Among those present we noticed Dr. Bayes, Dr. Yeldham, Dr. Dunn, Dr. Hughes, Dr. Dyce Brown, Mr. Engall, Mr. Chambre, Dr. Sandberg, Dr. A. C. Clifton, Dr. Dixon, Dr. Pullar, Dr. Whitmarsh, Dr. White, Dr. F. H. Williams, Dr. Everritt, Dr. Ricketts (Boston, U.S.), and a number of gentlemen of the old-school. Dr. Blackley's address, which we hope to have the opportunity of publishing next month, dwelt upon some of the difficulties which encompass the study and practice of homoeopathy. We understand that twelve gentlemen have up to the present time entered their names as students of the School. STATISTICAL SOCIETY.-" HOWARD MEDAL." THE following is the title of the essay to which the medal will be awarded in November, 1880. The essays to be sent in on or before June 30, 1880: "The Oriental Plague in its Social, Economical, Political, and International Relations: special reference being made to the labours of Howard on the subject." The Council have decided to grant the sum of £20 to the writer who may gain the "Howard Medal" in November, 1880. Further particulars or explanations may be obtained from the assistant secretary, at the office of the society, King's College Entrance, Strand, London, W.C. Review, Nov. 1, 1879. LONDON HOMEOPATHIC HOSPITAL. The Return of Patients admitted during the sixteen weeks ending October 23rd, 1879, gives the following statistics :Remaining in Hospital July 3rd, 1879 Admitted between that date and October 23rd... 145 ... Discharged between July 3rd and October 23rd The number of New Out-Patients during the above time ... ... 38 183 140 43 ... ... 2,059 6,197 The total number of Out-Patients' attendances for the same period has been... ... BRITISH HOMEOPATHIC SOCIETY. THE first meeting of this Society for the session 1879-80 was held on Thursday, the 2nd ult., when the chair was occupied by Dr. DUDGEON, who was elected President of the Society vice Dr. QUIN, deceased, at the annual assembly in June last. Dr. HUGHES, who on the same occasion was elected secretary in the room of Dr. DRURY, who resigned on his retirement from London, read a very interesting historical sketch of the Society, and made several suggestions for further developing its work, some of which are well worthy of consideration. The next meeting will be held on 6th November, when a paper will be read by Dr. E. T. BLAKE, of Reigate, on "Colic, and the conditions which simulate it." OBITUARY. C. J. HEMPEL, M.D. WE have heard withmuch regret that Dr. C. J. HEMPEL, the indefatigable translator of German homoeopathic literature, died at his residence, Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the United States of America, during the last week of September. We hope in an early number to be able to give some account of the career of this most industrious worker-one to whom all English speaking homœopaths are deeply indebted. CORRESPONDENCE. DR. HUGHES ON THE WYLD-RICHARDSON LETTER. To the Editors of the Monthly Homeopathic Review. Gentlemen, I have read Dr. Hughes' address to the Congress with great interest and pleasure. Like all that emanates from his pen, it is a thoughtful and refined expression of opinion, but there are a few sentences on the last page which compel me to make some reply. He says: "One caution only I must add, and that is, that it is not for us to take any steps towards the reconciliation (with the profession) we nevertheless so devoutly desire. We cannot do so without misunderstanding. There must be no excuse for saying we have hauled down our flag.' When we evacuate the fort we have so long held, it must be with all the honours of war, without the surrender of a weapon, with drums beating and colours flying. It was the failure to recognise this necessity, even more than the unguarded language employed, which rendered so injurious the action taken by our well-meaning colleague, Dr. Wyld, two years ago. Happily no voice was raised from our ranks, except to repudiate his motion, and it fell to the ground for the want of a seconder. We can now, without danger, sympathise with its object, but let us be warned against its way of compassing the same. The true note was struck by Dr. Hayle in 1876, when he compared our position to that of St. Paul in the dungeon at Philippi: Let them come them. selves and fetch us out.' These sentences, with the flourish of trumpets and beating of drums, appear to me more like the utterances of a youthful convert, than the mature words of a thoughtful and learned president addressing a congress of medical men. The Wyld-Richardson letter can be read in this journal, July 1877. I have just re-read it, and I fail to discover one word in my letter which is not strictly true, and therefore cannot help thinking that Dr. Hughes must be repeating the memory of opinions he held then more than those he would express now if he re-read and thought over my letter. I can find no " unguarded language." I re-wrote the letter several times, and then submitted it for revision to the three members of our body, who are by mutual consent admitted to stand at the very head, and to be men not only of rigid truthfulness, but hard-headed, cautious, and logical men; and, if these men passed my letter with approval, it is certainly unlikely that it contains "unguarded language." I cannot help feeling extremely surprised when Dr. Hughes says, "It is not for us to take any steps towards reconciliation." Surely it always requires two parties to make a quarrel, and if so, how is it possible to make up the quarrel unless one side make the first movement? Dr. Hughes will admit, when in the Pauline spirit, that to be "reconciled to our brother" is a duty, and that the privilege is with him who should first respond to the call. Still more am I surprised when Dr. Hughes, who is so constant a student of St. Paul, quotes that apostle in justification of our refusing to make the first move. St. Paul, as a Roman citizen, was illegally cast into prison, and in such an instance he could justly stand on his legal rights; but the ostracising of homeopathy by the profession was not an illegal act, although I admit it was an erroneous one, although done in self-defence against a form of homœopathy which noisily proclaimed its exclusive healing powers through the voices of various stump orators who at that date perambulated the country. Dr. Hughes should remember that, although St. Paul on the above occasion stood on his legal rights, he yet most preeminently preached a different doctrine when he said, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good," and "If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink, for in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head." If Dr. Hughes will attempt this method, he will only be obedient to the highest morality, and he will quickly find that the reconciliation he "so devoutly desires," will be at once accomplished. I have a right to speak on this subject, for I speak from experience. When I am brought face to face with the profession, and am asked if I am not a homoeopathist, I reply, "I am so far a homoeopathist inasmuch as I believe there exists a similarity between the symptoms of drug action and disease action, suggesting a law of cure of the greatest importance; but I believe, with Hippocrates, that some diseases are best cured by similars, and some by contraries, and I employ hydropathy, occasional aperients, electricity, medical rubbing, Turkish baths, German waters, and all other means known to me." I do not surrender one atom of principle, and yet I am, on giving this answer, at once admitted to all medical rights and privileges. I am therefore at a loss to conceive what Dr. Hughes means when he says the action I took was so injurious." 66 I do not believe it injured any human being except, perhaps, myself, and that only in the eyes of a few bigoted patients, who may have desired to have an out-and-out "homeopathic doctor," rather than a free-minded physician. Dr. Ross, in the Practitioner, vol. xx., p. 431, says :"I regarded Dr. Wyld's letter to Dr. Richardson as peculiarly valuable. It was a model of conciliation in word and spirit, and while he declared that he still adhered to the fundamental principles of Hahnemann, he endeavoured to smooth over the nonessential differences." This verdict in the eyes of the profession shows that my letter was in their estimation neither "unguarded" or "injurious." I am, Gentlemen, yours sincerely, GEORGE WYLD, M.D. [Dr. Wyld must surely have very brief memory. It is certainly |