peculiar confidence to be beyond its influence. It is true that CHAP.XVII. acute diseases come frequently under treatment, and peculiarly successful treatment, in private families and at homœopathic dispensaries; but the medical man has not the time, if he had the will or the power, to visit the dispensary patient at his home, and there witness the effects of a new system of cure; and there are other objections which are obvious in connection with such a course. But to patients treated in apublic Hospital these objections do not apply. In entering such an institution the patient knows that his case may be subjected to a public or general examination, and he prepares himself to allow and undergo it.

"The advantages of a public hospital present also this important feature, that an opportunity would thus be afforded to every student of homoeopathy, before settling in medical practice, of becoming fully acquainted with all the symptoms which develop themselves in acute diseases; with all the means best suited to meet these symptoms; and with the mode of treatment generally which so enlarged a system embraces. To create an efficient corps of medical practitioners, it is necessary that a medical school, where all the branches of homoeopathic science can be taught to students, should be established; and as a part of such school, an hospital affords the means of illustrating the powers of the medicines, and of presenting examples of the different diseases to which those powers are applicable. In fact, this part of the medical school is essential to the scientific study of homoeopathy. Other branches of medical science, which are common to the allopathic and homoeopathic systems, may be learned elsewhere, but the virtues of homoeopathic medicines and the homoeopathic treatment of diseases are matters which can be efficiently only taught in connexion with a homoeopathic hospital.

"It is important to bear in mind that an hospital would help to diffuse more widely amongst all classes the truths of homœopathy; that it would give the means of comparing the results of public homœopathic treatment with other treatment; and the relative superiority of homeopathy once established in this country, (as it has been by the homœopathic hospitals in many

CHAP.XVII. places abroad), the success of the institution and its consequent advantage would be secured.

It is hoped, therefore, that the friends of homoeopathy in the metropolis will concur in this endeavour to supply to others, and to the poor especially, the benefits which they themselves may have experienced from homœopathic treatment. And the committee would also venture to appeal to the advocates of homoeopathy throughout the country, to contribute to an undertaking calculated to afford the completest test and to secure the widest diffusion of the results of homœopathic treatment, and to train up a body of scientifically educated and efficient homœopathic medical practitioners, for the service of the public.*

* At a Meeting of the Committee of the Association, the following Rules were proposed to be adopted in reference to the Homoeopathic Hospital :

:

RULE I.-That a Donor to the amount of Fifty Pounds and upwards, be termed a Benefactor and Life Governor.

RULE II.-A Donation of Ten Pounds shall constitute the Donor a Life Gover

nor.

RULE III.-An Annual Subscriber to the amount of One Pound, shall be considered a Governor so long as he continues his Subscription.

RULE IV.-The Governors shall possess the privilege of electing the Medical Officers, and of determining rules for the admission of Patients.

RULE V.-The Votes of the Electors may be given by proxy.

RULE VI.-The Governors, at a General Meeting, shall form Rules for regulating the affairs of the Institution, and for electing the Hospital Committee.

Trustees for the Fund, THOMAS H. JOHNSTON, Esq., 16, Cecil Street, Strand, JAMES STANSFELD, Esq., Inner Temple; and JOHN EPPS, Esq., M. D., 89, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury.

Subscriptions received by the Trustees; and at Messrs. HANKEY & Co.'s, Bankers, Fenchurch Street; at the London and Westminster Bank; and at the Union Bank of London.

N. B. The Committee further have the pleasure of adding, that a Ladies' Committee has been formed to aid in collecting the funds for the Hospital, and any communications for the Ladies' Committee can be addressed to the Honorary Secretary, Mrs. WILKINSON, 31, St. George's Road, Southwark.

Note.-The Committee of the English Homœopathic Association, propose that the Hospital shall be commenced as soon as the sum of £1000. by Annual Subscriptions, has been obtained.

APPENDIX.

SECTION I.-TREATMENT OF CATTLE.

When it is asserted that homoeopathic practitioners cure their SECT. I. patients by means of the imagination, the answer at once presents itself, How then can cattle be cured?

Few have the slightest conception how extensively and how beneficially homoeopathy has been applied to the treatment of the diseases of the lower animals.

Some idea may be gained from the following communications, the first by Dr. Luther,* the second and third by Peter Stuart, Esq., and the fourth by Dr. Epps.‡

58, Stephen's Green, August 12th, 1845. MY DEAR NEWTON-I most willingly comply with your request, to give you some information on the homœopathic treatment of the present distemper among cattle. However, I shall shortly prepare a paper for the Irish Homœopathic Society on the subject, in which you will find full information on the several points connected with it. This disorder has been treated with very marked success, in and near Dublin, by myself and several friends.

As you have had an opportunity of seeing a great number of cases, I need not describe the symptoms of the disorder, which, in the actual beginning of it, are exceedingly obscure, but cannot be mistaken in the latter stages. They vary in

* The Journal of Health and Disease, vol. I., 99–101. ↑ Ibid., vol. III, 179–184, and vol. IV., 311, 312.

A A

Ibid., vol. III. 366, 367.

SECT. I. almost every case, and it is only by collecting the symptoms of a great number, that a complete knowledge of the disease can be obtained. The disorder itself is evidently pleuropneumonia of a malignant character. The result of my observations, as far as they go at present, is, by proper homoeopathic treatment, six out of ten head of cattle, attacked by the disorder, can be saved and radically cured. Strictly speaking, each case requires an individual treatment, according to its peculiar manifestation in the diseased animal. This makes the correct homœopathic treatment very difficult, and supposes an intimate acquaintance with our materia medica. However, in a case like this, where everything has decidedly failed, I think I may be justified in giving you at least some general advice, which, imperfect as it must necessarily be, when put to the test of strict homoeopathic rules, will lead you to much better success than anything that has hitherto been recommended. The principal remedies from which I have seen good effects in the different cases, when properly applied, according to the symptoms of each, are:bryonia, arsenic, senega, squills, tartar emetic, bark, rhus toxicodendron, sulphuric acid, vegetable charcoal, lachesis, and sulphur.

I would advise you to confine yourself for the present to the use of bryonia and arsenic, as most likely to prove beneficial. [Use the third trituration of arsenic, and third dilution of the tincture of bryonia, which can be obtained at any homoeopathic chemist's.]

[Now to the treatment.] 1. It is of very great importance in this distemper to recognize it and treat it in its first stage, which, however, is very obscure and insidious, and scarcely shows itself in any other way than by a slight cough; in all other respects the animal appears as usual. Whenever distemper is in the neighbourhood, a slight cough ought to be at once attended to. The best medicine to check the progress of the disease is bryonia. Take from 10 to 20 drops of your tincture, mix them with a pint of cold water in a new bottle with a glass stopper, shake it well, and keep it in a cool place. Give four times a day, at equal intervals, about a table-spoonful, after shaking the bottle well each time. The animal may

be allowed to feed as usual.

2. When the disease enters the second stage, (frequently SECT. I. taken by the dairyman for the beginning of the disorder), which generally shows itself by difficult breathing, accompanied by a grunt, and short painful cough, loss of appetite, running from the mouth and nostrils, cessation or considerable diminution of the secretion of milk, the cow standing gathered up, not chewing the cud, &c., arsenic is the best medicine to be given. You may then give [one] grain of the powder three or four times a day. I have frequently seen excellent effects from giving arsenic and bryonia alternately, changing the medicine every four days. The animal should be kept under a dry airy shed, its bed be very clean, and frequently renewed.

3. In this stage the animal has little or no appetite, and all food should be rigorously kept from her; she does not digest it, and it lies in the stomach like a foreign body, and only increases and protracts the disorder. I look upon the observance of this rule as a material point for final success. It is a radical, and frequently fatal mistake, to force nourishment down the animal's throat. A pail of fresh water should be kept within its reach; [and if not drank, changed twice a day.]

4. Once the disorder has reached the second stage, it is seldom perfectly cured under three or four weeks: the surest signs of returning health are, return of the secretion of milk, of appetite, and rumination.

5. Bleeding and purging ought to be looked upon as highly injurious in this disorder, as they weaken the animal dreadfully, and favour the exudation of lymph and water, the consolidation and mortification of the lungs.

6. It is of great importance to be exceedingly cautious in giving food, particularly solid food, when the appetite returns : the stomach not having performed its habitual functions for weeks, the appetite exceeds the digestive powers; and if the animal be allowed to feed as it lists, it is very apt to have a relapse, which is difficult to master.

These are the few general rules I can give you for the present. It is a rough homoeopathic treatment, but will, even as such, be comparatively very successful.

Yours, &c.

CHARLES W. LUTHER.