SOCIETY REPORTS.

BOSTON HOMŒOPATHIC_ MEDICAL SOCIETY.

BUSINESS SESSION.

The regular meeting of the Boston Homœopathic Medical Society was held at the Boston University School of Medicine Thursday evening May 2, 1901, at eight o'clock, the President, T. Morris Strong, M. D., in the chair.

The records of meetings held in April were read and accepted.

Charles W. Bush, M. D., 103 Court St., Newtonville, Mass., was proposed for membership.

Robert W. Southgate, M. D., W. H. Watters, M. D., and Alice H. Bassett, M. D., all of Boston, were elected to membership.

VOTED: To postpone the June meeting one week, because of Commencement.

REPORT OF THE

SECTION OF PATHOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS.

M. W. TURNER, M. D. Chairman.

S. C. FULLER, M. D., Secretary.

ANNA B. DAVIS, M. D., Treasurer.

The President appointed the following committee to nominate sectional officers for the ensuing year: Drs. C. H. Thomas, F. W. Colburn and Ellen H. Gay. The committee reported as follows: Chairman, S. C. Fuller, M. D.; Secretary, Thos. R. Griffith, M. D.; Treasurer, W. B. French, M. D., who were duly elected.

PROGRAMME.

I. "Jamaica as a Health Resort." Anna B. Davis, M. D. Discussion opened by Dr. Frank Albert Davis.

2. "Report of a Case of Small-Pox." Henry H. Amsden, M. D. Discussion opened by Dr. Conrad Wesselhoeft.

3. "Report of Medical Cases Treated at the Massachusetts Homœopathic Hospital from January 1 to April 1, 1901." Services of J. P. Sutherland, M. D., Edward E. Allen, M. D. Discussion opened by F. B. Percy, M. D.

4. "Some Experiences with the Plague." William H. Watters, M. D. Discussion opened by Dr. John P. Sutherland.

Cases

I. Dr. Anna B. Davis gave an attractive description of the Island of Jamaica, and considers it an ideal resort for certain classes of invalids. Exercise should be taken early in the morning and after three o'clock in the afternoon. There is an abundance of fish, vegetables and fruits. The water is efficacious in gout, rheumatism and kidney diseases; also dyspepsia and liver troubles. Visitors should avoid the dew in the morning and sun at noon. One-sixth of the native population die of old age; tuberculosis comes third, and diarrhoeal diseases are not common. Nervous patients derive the most benefit. The cure of insomnia is almost marvellous. of malaria and tuberculosis should remain at home. Dr. Frank A. Davis: There is very little that I can say in discussing this paper that will add interest to it. I can simply say that, from my knowledge in visiting Jamaica, I endorse every word in the paper. It can be well called the garden of the tropics, the land of perpetual summer and eternal beauty, It is 1,600 miles from Boston, and the passage takes about five days. Many people are very sick on the way; and that is not peculiar, because, as has already been said, most of the passengers are those who seek Jamaica for their health. One of the Bahama Islands is passed on the way, and for half a day the steamer runs along the coast of Cuba. On landing, one sees groups of natives, who seem to have nothing to do but to laugh and be happy. The temperature is rarely above 90°, usually from 78° to 81°. The roads, which are kept in repair by the natives, are unsurpassed by any in the world. The hospitals consist of one story, with open doors and windows, and patients can be seen stretched on their cots, mostly old people and paupers. I went to Jamaica myself for my

health. I broke down during my college course, and tried various expedients in Boston, growing worse. I was gone

three or four weeks, and came back well. Twelve invalids were on the same boat. Jamaica is an excellent place for tired business men. Last year I sent a young lady there who had been very sick with insomnia and loss of appetite. She slept most of the time in Jamaica, and came back absolutely well. Another case went to Jamaica under my direction, a man occupying a very prominent position, who was overworked and had been rejected by several insurance companies because of sugar in the urine; he was also troubled with insomnia. The first night out he slept and every night thereafter. In four weeks was entirely recovered. Upon his return one of the insurance companies, who had previously rejected him, gave him a policy for $10,000.

In visiting Jamaica the things to be avoided are: alcohol, wet clothing and the mid-day sun.

If any physician is tired out and wants to rest, there is no better place than Jamaica. If he has any patients with nervous troubles he should send them to Jamaica.

Dr. J. T. Sherman: I quite agree with all that has been said about that beautiful place, Jamaica. I had, on one occasion of my visit, a long talk with an English naval captain, who had been all over the world, and he knew of no more beautiful place than this.

One point I would call attention to. I would advise invalids visiting the Island not to go during the rainy season, Late in November or last of January is the best time. Dr. Davis spoke of abstaining from alcohol while there. I saw more cases of delirium tremens than ever before. All use of alcohol should be avoided. Some people seem to think they must take alcohol upon arrival, but it is a great mistake. Cases of alcoholism would lie in a comatose condition a day or more before the excited stage came on. One of the physicians there said it was very dangerous to take the vile stuff. I think the voyage has a great deal to do with the benefit derived. From July to October you are liable to strike a

hurricane, but from the first of November to the first of July there is absolutely no danger, and the only thing encountered will be an occasional shower. I should certainly recommend it for neurasthenics. The climate far surpasses that of Florida, which is so humid it is oppressive, and the air from the Everglades is malarial. On the north side of the Island you get the north-east trade winds in summer, and in December the sun. At Kingston, the last time I was there, the thermometer was 100°, and suffering more from heat than before, I returned to Port Antonio, where the nights are usually cool, and no particular change in the temperature at any time. The Island itself is beautiful; flowers and maiden-hair ferns grow in profusion; one mountain is covered with the fern. I think fruits should be avoided. If a patient will be careful and keep out of the sun during the middle of the day and the dew in the morning, taking off clothing as soon as damp, no harm will result.

Dr. H. H. Amsden's paper reporting a case of smallpox cured with tartar emetic, was listened to with marked attention; and the discussion which followed was full of profit, especially to the younger members present.

Dr. Conrad Wesselhoeft: In discussing this paper it is not my object to criticize it, but, if possible, to add some experiences of my own. I have not read up much upon it for some time. I ought, perhaps, to have done so, but will give you some of my own limited experience A physician may go through several epidemical attacks of small-pox and see several cases without getting much real experience of the disease. This has been my case. I can remember four distinct epidemics. My first experience was in the '50s, when I saw two or three cases, which I remember very distinctly. One case was in a family in Dorchester, a young lady. The eruption was slight, and certainly had not arrived at the point of pustulation when I left the case one day, and the next day the patient died. It was quite a shock, as there was every sign of early recovery. That is all I can say about that case. Very soon after that I saw another case, a child about four

years old, in an Irish tenement, who had the disease very marked. It had passed from the vesicular stage to that of pustulation; but in none did I discover umbilication. I know that point was impressed upon my mind. The child recovered in a short time. The vesicles dried and the child was well. I do not remember how long the convalescence lasted, but it recovered very soon. During the Civil War, some time in the '60s, I saw several cases; I do not know how many-not a great many. One was extremely severe. It was termed confluent small-pox where the vesicles came out first very close together, and the pustules were as close together as cells in honeycomb. Another case was that of a woman about fifty years old, who was fleshy, which made the case all the worse. I went two or three times a day to dress the case. Once the pustules broke, and the pus went all over everything,-over the bed, over my hands, and I expected in fourteen days to have the disease, but did not. The patient went out of my hands, and died about a week later.

In '72-73, when we had quite a flurry of small-pox cases, I had several cases (ten or twelve) which were all mild and distinctly diarrhoeal. Now about the distinction between the cases of varioloid. There may be cases of varioloid which are really small-pox, but much milder than cases of chicken pox. The child with the marked vesicles, without pustulation, was a violent case of chicken pox.

Another case that of a young lady. She had some fever. I advised her to stay at home, as she had a pimple on her forehead, though I was not sure it was small-pox. She went to a dancing party, and my first observation was the pimple; it had developed into an umbilicated vesicle. I took her aside and advised her to go home. The distinction is that in varioloid very few of the vesicles reach the stage of umbilication, while in the genuine, or more violent, the umbilicated vesicles are always in the majority This is the distinction between the two diseases as far as I am able to make it. The distinction between the different forms of this disease and scarlet fever is very easy, but not so with measles. When