"When the finger is wounded, the sensor nerves convey to the brain intelligence of the injury, and if these nerves be severed, however serious the hurt may be, no pain is experienced. We have the strongest reason for believing that what the nerves convey to the brain is in all cases Motion. The motion here meant is not, however, that of the nerve as a whole, but of its molecules, or smallest particles. Different nerves are appropriated to the transmission of different kinds of molecular motion. The nerves of taste, for example, are not competent to transmit the tremors of light, nor is the optic nerve competent to transmit sonorous vibrations. For these a special nerve is necessary."

The mechanism of wave-motion is then explained, and the striking phenomenon of interference (by which water-wave meeting water-wave may produce still water, light-wave meeting lightwave may produce darkness, sound-wave added to sound-wave may produce silence, etc.) is referred to as a manifestation of "the same law which so operates in the relations existing between pathological and pathogenetic facts as to give rise to the familiar maxim, 'like cures like.'" Experiments with tuningforks, prisms, magnets, electricity, etc., are described, and the conclusion drawn that as with the molecular motions called light, heat and sound, so with the molecular motions called disease; co-equal waves (molecular motions of disease and of diseaseproducing agents) by interference may, under the correct orthodox coincidence, annul each other.

It can be well imagined that all this, stated confidently and graphically, and re-inforced with many, more or less relevant, illustrations drawn from scientific experiments, makes fascinating reading; and doubtless not a few homœopathists will lay the volume down with exultation that homoeopathy is "explained" at last. But we fear that closer examination of the subject will dissipate this pleasing illusion. For, to our way of thinking, if Mr. Picken's argument proves anything, it proves altogether too much. Its weak points-integrally and fatally weak — are:

I. It is an argument for isopathy, and not at all for homoeopathy.

II. It assumes an hypothesis to be an established and demonstrable scientific certainty.

III. If its assumptions are just, then it logically demonstrates that the simillimum for no known disease has yet been found. Our first proposition proves itself at sight. Mr. Picken's whole series of illustrative examples, on which his theory rests, have to do with force counteracted by identical force. The sound-wave is counteracted by a sound-wave; the light-wave by a light-wave; the mounting ocean billow by a mounting ocean billow. This is not treating similars with similars, but identities with identities. An argument, this, for isopathy, very probably; but for homœopathy it proves nothing whatever. Too many writers, even among homoeopathists, have yet to learn the accurate translation of the motto of our school.

IV. Mr. Picken takes for granted that the homeopathic principle is an established law of science. This is as far as possible from being the case. There is no such thing in medical practice to-day as an infallible law of cure resting on such a basis of test and counter-test as is demanded to establish any accepted law in other branches of science. Homoeopathy is a safe and excellent working hypothesis; the safest and most excellent known. to the medical world to-day, we believe, or we should not be homœopathists. But before we can look upon our rule of practice as a law of nature, we must have explored vast fields through whose gates we have hardly passed; we must know, absolutely and demonstrably, what sick-making power drugs possess, and what part nature, independent of all drugs, always plays in the process of healing the sick from any given disease.

V. If Mr. Picken's theory holds, then we have yet to discover the simillimum for any diseased condition. The most striking feature of his examples of "interference" is their instantaneous action. The second that ocean-wave meets ocean-wave, under the assumed conditions of exact coincidence, there is calm. The second that light-wave so meets light-wave, there is darkness; or sound-wave meets sound-wave, there is silence.

Where in the realm of medicine is there action corresponding to this? Have even the maddest dogmatists in our ranks the daring to say that under any remedy on earth every case of let us say typhoid fever is aborted, normal health being instantly restored? Let us go to the other extreme, and ask, Is

there any known remedy under which typhoid fever will not run a certain course, mitigated — we hope, but have yet to conclusively prove-by homoeopathic treatment; but never once offering the miracle of instant restoration? Until such a miracle can be proven in the case, out of countless hundreds, of one diseased condition and one remedy, Mr. Picken's theory looks in vain for analogies in the realm of medicine, to its "interferences," by which so much is to be explained.

Finally, as is the almost certain case with all those who attempt to "explain" homoeopathy, Mr. Picken confuses homoeopathy with the potentization of drugs. We have protested against this error, lo! these many years; every reasoner, with any pretensions to exactness, must protest against it, world without end. Homœopathy has no more to do with the question of infinitesimals than it has to do with the Westminster Catechism. To ignore this is to indefinitely delay the establishment and recognition of the homoeopathic principle as an accepted fact of science.

It is good and helpful and interesting to speculate in all these directions; but it is not good to confuse speculation with fact or with experiment, either in premise or imagined result.

EDITORIAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

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ADMIRABLE CANDOR. And as exceptional as admirable is shown by Dr. B. T. Watkins - may his tribe increase! house surgeon of the Natchez Charity Hospital, in a paper recently read before a local medical society, and published in the February issue of the New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal. Dr. Watkins begins by admitting the inefficiency of old school treatment in croupous conditions, and urges upon his confrères experiments, in these conditions, with tincture of iodine. Continuing thus:

"The agent was brought to mind in this way. Time and time again had I heard patrons of the Homœopathic practice, in the course of ordinary conversation, say: 'I was waked last night by one of the children having the croup; got up,

and gave two or three doses of Spongia, and the child was relieved.' So often did I hear such statements, that conviction came, in spite of opposition, that Spongia must of a necessity be an agent in the treatment of croup, more valuable than any of which I had a knowledge. This being the case, the sooner I added it, or its more scientific equal, to my materia medica the better for my patients. Spongia is made by taking an ordinary sponge, cutting it into small pieces and roasting it to a rich brown, as we roast coffees. A certain amount of this is mixed with a proportionate amount of alcohol, and when filtered the Spongia is completed. Knowing that the essential ingredient of the sponge was iodine, and Spongia only a very mild tincture, with probably other impurities, the conclusion was reached that the compound tincture of iodine would be of equal value as regards efficiency, and at the same time prove more scientifically exact."

"Having on hand about this time a little case (a girl of 2} years, who had been having these attacks of spasmodic croup for eighteen months, and at intervals of three or four weeks, and upon whom I had about exhausted all the measures I could derive from text-books on the subject), it occurred to me to try the iodine; so a small bottle of the compound tincture, it being mixable with water, was secured, and her next paroxysm rather impatiently waited for. It arrived at 1 o'clock A. M., and the remedy was commenced, giving one-fifth drop dose in water every fifteen minutes. In an hour almost all evidences of the trouble had disappeared, and the same dose was directed to be given at two-hour intervals. When morning came there was not an evidence of croup. In all her other paroxysms some evidences had remained for forty-eight or more hours."

"The same dose of the medicine was continued at fourhour intervals, through the day only, for four days. There was not a sign of an attack for thirteen months. When another paroxysm put in an appearance it was treated in the same way, and eighteen months have since gone by and still no croup." "This treatment has, since that time, been tried and verified n various instances. It possesses untold advantages over the

old method, and will be found worthy of extended and impartial trial."

It is, perhaps, too much to hope, this side of the millenium, that Dr. Watkins, or any of his fellow-practitioners, would give "extended and impartial" trial to any drug employed in a given condition by homoeopathists without first "rationalizing the process to a greater or less extent. But to admit that homœopathy has in any sense acted as a lamp to his feet and a light to his path is a magnificently daring bit of candor on the part of one of our friends, the enemy. We hail it with hearty approval and good will.

A VERY ODD REPORT WAS MADE at the last session of a certain widely-known society, not unconnected with homoeopathy, by its corresponding secretary. The report concerned itself with the state of homœopathy in Germany and Italy, where the abovementioned secretary interviewed six homoeopathic physicians, ignoring all the rest, for the frankly-avowed reason that they did not use high potencies. Those who did use high potencies were subsequently awarded a copy of the Transactions of the society in question, while those who were "low" were not accorded this final mark of distinction. Dr. Lorbacher, in Leipsic, one of the favored few who are quoted in this odd report as standing for German homoeopathy, exhibited the new hospital to the corresponding secretary, who severely berated the young assistant for the crime, which he did not commit, of making an injection of Koch's lymph in the case of a patient, and "I think," continues the reporter, "that they were all terrifically ashamed of it;" in other words, Germany trembled when the American eagle screamed. Not finding Dr. Koch (?) in Munich, the traveller was equally unfortunate in finding Dr. Pompili at Verona absent; and more than that, "he could find nobody in Italy who knew anything about homoeopathy." Wending his way to Frankfort, he saw Dr. Simrock, who received him with the words, "Oho, you are one of those fellows, are you? You must go to see Dr. Saegert." The latter qualifying as "high" received his reward in a copy of the Transactions; but Dr. Simrock had to get along without one as