sending of delegates to the next International Medical Congress, which is to meet in Geneva, September 1877, with the special commission of pleading there the cause of medical uniformity. Such has been the official progress of this question since your last meeting.

Its technological progress consists (a) in the perfecting and cheapening of the sphygmograph, but not yet to the point of making it as popular as the thermometer. (b) In the reduction of urinometers and microscopes to a uniform standard and to pocket size. (c) In the invention of simple colorimeter and globulimeters, which separately realize the hopes induced fifteen years ago by the brilliant invention of Prof. Mantagazza. (d) The more important conquest of this year has been the acceptance of the metric system by the New York State Medical Society.

It may not be out of place to add that the demand for instruments of positive observation has more than decupled in the last ten years, and that the use of uniform records of medical observation has increased from a few hundreds to thousands annually; a double progress entirely due to the initiative of this great progressive body, the American Medical Associa

tion.

During the same period the pharmacists have made parallel efforts to bring uniformity in the products of their trade, which is an accessory to our art; and we must acknowledge that they are somewhat ahead of us. They will be strongly represented in the International Medical Congress of Geneva, and it would be more creditable for them than for us, were they the first to agree upon the terms of this long longed-for uniformity on our own ground. Pharmacy would gain nothing and physic would lose much by leaving disconnected two movements which tend to establish uniformity in the pharmacopoeia and in the practice of physic; both uniformities being twin sisters from the same spirit, the aspiration of the human mind toward the next synthesis.

Therefore your reporters on this subject propose that the American Medical Association send special delegates to the International Medical Congress at Geneva-as it did so effec

tively to the International Medical Congress of Brussels, in 1875--to advocate the adoption of a progressive uniformity of means of medical observation and records, with the concurrence, if possible, of the members of this Congress who will be found there engaged in advocating the application of uniformity in this and other departments of science."

The Association adopted the conclusions of this report in its last general meeting, and fused the delegation to that effect with the other delegation to the permanent medical societies of Europe for 1877-'78, naming Dr. Edouard Seguin, of New York, President of this mixed delegation.

Dr. J. W. Singleton, of Paducah, Ky., offered the following in behalf of the Kentucky State Medical Society:

WHEREAS, It has come to the knowledge of the members of the American Medical Association that a bill known as the Morrison bill for the discontinuance of the tariff on quinine is, at this time, before the Committee on Ways and Means of the Congress of the United States; and

WHEREAS, The welfare of a large proportion of the people in the Western States and Territories, is concerned in the issue of this bill, as well as any movement which will enable them to obtain quinine at a less cost than the enormous prices now paid by the consumer; and

WHEREAS, The opposition to this bill set forth by the manufacturers and trade, does not represent the desire of those who are engaged in the relief of suffering and want, but ignores entirely the necessities of a large population, many of whom are engaged in cultivating the soil and opening up new resources of wealth to the Government in malarial districts; and

WHEREAS, Principles of justice and humanity alike demand free quinine and an open market for the competition of European manufactures; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the American Medical Association approve the passage of the Morrison bill for the repeal of the tariff on quinine, and respectfully insist that said bill shall become a law.

Resolved, That the Permanent Secretary of this Association be required to transmit the foregoing preamble and resolutions

to the Chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means of the Congress of the United States.

The resolutions were adopted by a unanimous vote amid applause.

A resolution was passed expressive of the satisfaction the association feels at the unanimity fast coming to exist between the profession in the North and South.

Dr. Lewis A. Sayre was appointed a delegate to the British Medical Society.

Thanks were rendered to Francis Gurney Smith, for his efficiency in transacting the duties of Chairman of the Committee of Publication, from which position he has retired, after many years' service,

Dr. Bowditch having temporarily retired from the chair, offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the association recommend to the chairmen of the sections, at any place at which we may hereafter meet, the propriety of obtaining from our ablest associates in various parts of the country, papers to be presented to the sections, and that due notice of the names of the writers be given in the medical journals before the meeting.

He moved also that all papers to be published be submitted to the examination of experts whose names should be unknown, and only the most worthy should be published.

Dr. Woodward, of Washington, then offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That from this meeting and hereafter, the practice of printing in the transactions of this association the so-called verbatim reports of the debates in the sections, be limited to the papers presented and recommended by the sections for publication, and such as may be actually read and offered by each section during the session of the convention.

On motion of Dr. James P. White, of Buffalo, the entire matter was referred to a committee of five to report at the next annual meeting, of which committee Dr. Bowditch and Dr. N. S. Davis were to constitute two members.

Dr. Bodie, of Michigan, submitted a series of resolutions thanking the committee of arrangements for their liberal deal

ings with visiting doctors, and for their excellent programme; the people of Chicago at large for their hospitality, especially those who gave receptions to the delegates; the Northwestern and other railroads for their many courtesies, and so forth. They were adopted.

Dr. Squibb asked leave to withdraw his report on the pharmacopoeia, which was allowed.

President Bowditch then invited the President-elect, T. G. Richardson, of Louisiana, to ascend the platform, and delivered his retiring address. He thanked the association for the distinction it had conferred upon him the past year. He closed his remarks by congratulating the society upon its new President, and extending, as he said, the hand of Massachusetts to Louisiana, thus signifying the obliteration of all sectional ill feelings.

The act was greeted with a burst of applause, and Dr. Richardson responded in becoming terms, frequently interrupted by applause. As he observed that God was to be thanked that we had now become a national family of States, the expression of concurrence by the delegates was earnest and protracted. Though he could not hope to fill the place of his worthy predecessor, yet he hoped that from the shreds of his incapability a cloak of charity might be woven to cover his faults. He thanked the association for the distinction he had received.

The association then adjourned to meet in Buffalo, N. Y., the first Tuesday in June, 1878.

REPORTS OF THE SECTIONS.

SECTION I. PRACTICAL MEDICINE, MATERIA MEDICA AND PHYSIOLOGY.

(Reported by WM. J. MAYNARD, A., M. M. D.)

FIRST DAY, JUNE 5TH.

TREATMENT OF CROUPOUS PNEUMONIA. BY A. B. PALMER, OF MICHIGAN. In the absence of Dr. Palmer the paper was read by Dr. N. S. Davis. He recognized three forms of this disease, croupous, catarrhal and interstitial. He regarded it as a specific

inflammation, a peculiar exudation and a self limited disease. The percentage was 6 1-10 of all diseases, and by far the largest number ran a mild course and recovered in about 10 days, but he thought the lungs never fully recovered their original healthy condition. He said there was no lack of discussion among those advocating the heroic, stimulant and expectant treatments. He regarded the heroic plan of managing these cases, especially among the poor, as worse than useless. He had formerly thought that opiates would cut short the disease in the outset quicker than anything else, and always used them; after their effect, giving a few grains of blue mass, followed by a saline cathartic, and then the eliminating treatment by acetate of potash, etc. He used to resort also to bleeding in plethoric subjects, but this would never cut short the disease. Since 1865, he had used quinine in every case treated, and with great effect; had seen many cases with no malarial poisoning, and with full symptoms of the disease, cut short very speedily by full doses of this drug. He agreed with Juergensen, that "pneumonia was a general and specific disease, not dependent upon a local cause, but belonged to the infectious diseases, that nature cured, and all that was necessary for the physician to do, was to sustain the patient and to prevent the failure of the heart's action, which the fever had a tendency to do." J. relied upon the cold bath and large doses of quinine in his treatment. He took issue with Juergensen that the disease always ran a regular course, but thought that he had been able to abort it in many instances by large doses of quinine, and the reports of others had shown the same results. He thought the cases shown by J., were mostly in hospital and in consultation, and therefore seen too late to abort. He contended that pneumonia was not an obstinate type of disease; that opium would sometimes arrest it early in the attack; so would alcohol or veratrum viride. These agents, however, would depress the heart's action secondarily, and this must be guarded against. Quinia does not have this action, but more speedily relieves internal congestion, induces perspiration, diminishes exudation, and acts through the nervous system. A good deal depended upon the