good in Homoeopathy, ridicule it. Let us bear this ridicule with fortitude, believing that the principles of Homœopathy will in time be universally adopted by all scientific, thinking people. We see increasing evidence of this in the light of more modern scientific medico-psychical research. The science of Homœopathy is in its incomplete stage, but the principles are in advance of the practice. If we cannot agree in matters pertaining to medicine, religion, politics or what not, let us abide in peaceful disagreement and treat all honorable and honest persons with deference. At all times let us seek for those things that make for peace; and let us be honest with ourselves, having the courage of our convictions. We must have a reason for the faith that is in us, and the consciousness that we know where we stand. He who has reasoned with himself and calmly satisfied himself that he has adopted the policy that to his judgment is most plausible and best, is the man of convictions and truly honest. We are all intensely human, make mistakes, are confronted by disappointments, and often, far too often, fail to make a correct diagnosis, or to effect a cure. But this does not disprove the probability of there being a law of cure or a science of therapeutics. Do not blame nature for our mistakes and errors of judgment. True. there are limitations to human understanding, but those limitations are largely circumscribed by ourselves. Our possibilities are unlimited. "There are more things in heaven and earth than we have yet dreamed of in our philosophy." Our materia medica can never be finished. Provings and verifications by unprejudiced and intelligent physicians should be constantly going on, and there should be some system whereby the work of one may be corrected and verified by another. To the physician with trained reasoning powers, coupled with an honest desire to do his best, there is always a strong probability of accuracy and success. To what extent does a diagnosis assist us in making a proper prescription, or what is the relation of diagnosis to therapeutics? I am sure we all agree that a prescription based upon an incorrect diagnosis will be a very poor one, so we must either be accurate in our diagnosis or else prescribe for the case by symptoms without any attempt at diagnosis and consequently without any idea of the cause of the symptoms. What difference does it make so long as the remedy corresponds to the totality of the symptoms? we often hear. We have before us in our mind's eye three mental pictures, one of a human organism in a state of health or as nature intended it to be, one as we find it after careful examination of all signs, symptoms and their character, or as it is, and, third, a clear drug picture or the effect of a remedial agent upon the healthy organism. Now I contend that the accurate and true totality of the symptoms taken by the intelligent and honest believer in the law of similars is based knowingly or otherwise upon at least a partial diagnosis. The diagnostitian and the pathologist are both needed to demonstrate what is curable in disease. Diagnosis is not merely the giving of a name to a certain group of symptoms, but properly studied gives to us the ability to determine the true totality of the symptoms. To be a true follower of Homœopathy as laid down for us in the Organon and other writings of Hahnemann requires a vast amount of hard and conscientious work. No drones should ever attempt to study, much less practice Homœopathy. In all that I have said I may have failed to establish positively any direct relationship between Diagnosis and Therapeutics, other than that previously given, namely, intelligent thoroughness. We must all admit that a diagnosis is not an entity, and we may administer our therapeutic agents with most telling and gratifying results without any pretense at a diagnosis. The self-made man who has so developed his every God-given faculty,-possibly against great difficulties, so that all who know him respect and admire him, and whose influence is felt throughout the community and even the State in which he lives,-would undoubtedly have been even a more potent force, had he had the opportunity of widening his field of vision and developing more fully his talents by a thorough college training. So the therapeutist and symptomologist may do most admirable and commendable work, without much pretense at diagnosis, but how much better work we could do and how much greater respect we could demand and expect, from the entire medical profession, as well as from the community in which we live, if we added to our knowledge of therapeutics a thorough and accurate knowledge of pathology and diagnosis! The seemingly almost marvellous results obtained from the administration of the carefully selected and well administered homœopathic remedy, is of great value; but how much greater value to all concerned it is, and will be, after an accurate diagnosis has been made! Let us see to it that we keep our poise and do not go to extremes. Symptomatology, diagnosis, pathology and therapeutics should go arm in arm, then we can turn to our records and show to the world that we as homeopathic physicians have ability second to none, are intelligently thorough, and scientific in the fullest sense of the word. The experience of years has proven that the law laid down by Hahnemann and his followers is undoubtedly the most scientific and certain guide for the treatment of the sick; but it has not proven to be the only law of cure, or that therapeutics is the whole of the science and art of medicine. I believe he is the most scientific and successful physician who first makes in all possible cases a thorough diagnosis and who understands all methods of treatment, hygienic, dietetic, psychic, drugs and all other useful agents, and is liberal enough to employ whatever will be of the most benefit in the individual case. Time will not permit of my speaking of the chaotic condition of medical science during Hahnemann's time. He not only exposed and overthrew the errors then existing, but he also founded a system of therapeutics based, at least, upon nature's laws. Modern medical science is still in somewhat of a chaotic condition, save for some few branches, and in so far as they are successful, I feel that their success is based upon the law of similars or the definite principle of Homœopathy. "Similia similibus curantur." In order to practice the art along this definite principle, we must thoroughly master our materia medica and acquire the ability to intelligently use it, as well as all the means at our command in diagnosis and pathology. If lacking in knowledge and ability to intelligently use either of these very important branches, especially that of our materia medica, we are almost certain of being disappointed in the application of the art and science of Homeopathy and so drift into the use of all sorts of palliatives. Another necessary adjunct to the successful application of our art is the preparation and proper method of applying drugs. We have all had experience confirming Hahnemann's theory that triturating and diluting greatly increase the medicinal quality of drugs. Modern science is daily verifying this in the ion theory, the revival of the tuberculin theory and its modern application, also the grand work being done by such men as Prof. E. S. Bailey of Chicago with the use of the radio active minerals, having by these lights already proven conclusively and scientifically the power of dynamics. Thus the potency of the imponderables is revealed and confirmed. How infinitesimals act, has been, and is still, a bone of contention. Because I firmly believe that every homoeopathic physician should so qualify himself that he will be the best and most thoroughly accurate diagnostitian and pathologist possible and also believe in the potency of infinitesimals, it does not follow that you must so believe, but I simply bespeak a wider charity for all aids and supplements which the honest physician and surgeon is daily using as well as a more intelligent thoroughness in their As science opens up new avenues to our vision, she reveals new and useful additions to our armamentarium. Homœopathy is a system of rational therapeutics. Its cardinal principles have been, in the light of modern research, entirely vindicated and it has stood the test of a century, and it has a right to survive and will survive and unless we are alert, work hard and study, intelligently, thoroughly, diligently and loyally, we may some day awake to a realization of the fact that modern science has literally swallowed our golden egg and left us stranded far behind. Let us ever see to it that we are close students of "all that pertains to the great field of medical science," which is ours, as well as close and thorough students of the laws, as laid down by Hahnemann, and verified by his faithful followers.-and then with our beloved Helmuth we may sing use. "Look down, O spirit, from thine unknown sphere. See this assemblage of thy followers here, Proclaim the triumph of the truth at last. Of Therapeutics breaking on the rocks. And, taught by thee, with thankfulness of heart. Who stamp their impress on the fleeting years Among the epoch-making men, whose thought Bearing thy mottoed banner in thy hand; DISCUSSION. Dr. Shaw:-I am sure that the most conscientious, the most liberalminded physician will be the one who will criticise himself most harshly for his failures in diagnosis. In regard to the second half of the paper,-therapeutics-many points were made, and perhaps as much as any the lack of knowledge we, many of us, have of methods in pharmacology and therapeutics in the regular school when we first begin our practice. If we have courageous and scientific instructors, we are turned out to believe in the principles of homœopathy. We want to defend it, we want to believe that it is based on scientific principles, and we are at a loss if we do not know all that anyone else has to offer as a therapeutic agent. The methods of teaching pharmacology I am sure are the best in our own school. It is a matter of immense encouragement to me to know that each year something new is added and the students are turned out better equipped than they were when I left school. It is a matter of real rejoicing that we shall know everything that the regular schools do besides what we do ourselves, and shall be able to meet them in discussion and hold our own in consultation. Just how that shall be brought about must be left to the medical faculty of our school. One suggestion brought out by the criticism of the preceding paper that perhaps the regular schools might help us out, is a golden idea, and I certainly do hope that homeopathy will finally swallow up everything, and will prove to be the system of therapeutics that is a law. The U. S. Civil Service Commission announces an examination on January 18, 1911, of candidates for the position of anatomist (male) at $1,600 per annum, in the Army Medical Museum, office of the Surgeon General. Applicants should write at once to the U. S. Civil Service Commission, Washington, D. C., for application and examination form 1312. THE DIET OF CHILDREN AS INFLUENCED BY FECAL EXAMINATION.* BY J. ARNOLD ROCKWELL, JR., M. D, CAMBRIDGE, MASS. No clinical diagnosis is today complete without due consideration of the dejecta; in fact, several diseases, notably pancreatic conditions, are intelligently understood and recognized only through fecal examination. The scope of this rather recent addition to our clinical resources is constantly broadening, embracing dietetic studies, and making it necessary to practise this recently acquired knowledge, if we hope to meet the many complex phenomena incident to the intelligent feeding of our growing young America, as well in health as in disease. To have uniform material for examination from known foodintake, the "test diet" has been inaugurated, much as the "test meal" has been used in stomach work. The numerous diets worked out by different investigators vary in their detail but have one end in view, viz., supplying the individual with the three essential food stuffs, proteins, carbohydrates and fats, in easily digested forms and in sufficient quantity to total 2,250 calories for the 24-hour intake, the amount necessary for an adult at rest. The Schmidt diet, perhaps the best known and most generally accepted, calls for the following materials: Detailed Test-Diet. (For Clinical Purposes and Quantitative Analyses.) In the morning: 0.5 liter milk, or if milk does not agree, 0.5 liter cocoa prepared from 20 Gm. cocoa-powder, 10 Gm. sugar, 400 Gm. water, and 100 Gm. milk], with 50 Gm. zweiback. In the forenoon: 0.5 liter oatmeal-gruel [prepared from 40 Gm. oatmeal, 10 Gm. butter, 200 Gm. milk, 300 Gm. water, I egg (strained), and some salt]. At noon: 125 Gm. chopped beef (raw weight), broiled rare with 20 Gm. of butter, so that the interior still remains raw, to this 250 Gm. potato-broth (made of 190 Gm. mashed potatoes, ICO Gm. milk, and 10 Gm. butter and some salt). In the afternoon: as in the morning. In the evening: as in the forenoon. *Read before the Boston Homoeopath'e Medical Society, Nove xber 3, 1910. |