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Homœopathist were very fatal. In the month of December, diphtheria assumed a milder form, and has now disappeared.

Scarlatina also followed or accompanied the diphtheria, but was not very severe excepting in a few cases where diphtheria was associated with it.

Strong proof of the contagious character of diphtheria was afforded in the late epidemic. In every case, when it first made its appearance, Dr. Allen traced the exposure to visiting a campmeeting in a neighboring township where it prevailed, and none but friends and nurses of the families where it existed had the disease. The fatality that followed the disease at first would lead us to infer that there was some peculiar atmospheric poison that rendered it more malignant; but there is but one proof of such a state of the atmosphere, and that the fact that scarlatina immediately followed and accompanied it through the winter, the nature of which disease is very like diphtheria; but other diseases did not assume a low type and take a diphtheritic form as they did in the spring of 1863, and in other epidemics, when in certain locations wounds would not unfrequently be covered with the membrane, and erysipelas would follow trivial irritation, such as vaccination. In those cases the integument would slough in a very short time, leav ing the muscles covered with a diphtheritic membrane.

Measles have prevailed to some extent in Athens and Litchfield, and some of the neighboring townships.

Bronchial inflammation and pneumonia have been quite frequent during the winter and spring. Dr. Allen is, well satisfied with treating pneumonia on the restorative plan, and keeping the chest warm with hot fomentations while the acute pain lasts, followed with a thick jacket of cotton batting. He gives alcoholic stimulants freely if the case assumes a typhoid character, but this will not be often necessary if the patient is sustained early with proper food.

Dr. VOLNEY HOMET, whose field of practice has been the township of Wyalusing, and part of Herrick, Pike, Tuscarora, and Standing Stone townships, reported the fore part of the year as unusually healthy, with no prevailing diseases. During the early part of the winter there were a few cases of scarlet fever; and in the latter part of the winter and spring, inflammation of the lungs prevailed to some extent. Measles, whooping-cough, and mumps during the spring. The whooping-cough has been unusually severe, and a few cases were complicated with intermittent fever, which aggravated it very much.

REPORT OF THE CHESTER COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY.

THE report from the Chester County Medical Society must necessarily be brief. The entire absence of diseases of an epidemic character, and the unusual exemption from all forms of disease during the year, joined with the well-known indisposition of physi cians, especially those engaged in country practice, to record and report their cases, have furnished little material with which to make up a report that would be either interesting or valuable.

The Society holds biennial meetings, at which, besides the stated business, discussions are made upon subjects of professional interest, and efforts are being made to induce a more general attendance upon the part of its members.

It has had the misfortune to lose, during the year, one of its most useful members-Dr. Wilmer Worthington. At the meeting held October 28, 1873, the following resolutions were adopted :-—

WHEREAS, Since our last meeting it has pleased God to remove from a life of usefulness and honor our esteemed colleague, Dr. Wilmer Worthington, and whilst we bow in humility to the dispensation, we cannot avoid upon this occasion giving expression to the sorrow his death has caused in the heart of every member; therefore,

Resolved, That this Society has heard with deep regret of the death of Dr. Worthington, one of its founders, and through his long life one of its most faithful and useful members.

Resolved, That in this event our Society has sustained a loss that cannot be easily replaced, and that the remembrance of his earnest and self-sacrificing devotion to the interests of science, of the medical profession, and of humanity, should stimulate us to increased energy in the discharge of the duties that rest upon us as physicians and citizens.

Resolved, That the Society sympathize deeply with the family of the deceased in this their great bereavement.

Resolved, that a committee be appointed to prepare a biography of the deceased, to be embodied in the Transactions of the Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania.

In compliance with the foregoing resolution, Drs. Jacob Price,

John B. Brinton, and Isaac Massey were appointed. At the meeting held April 28, 1874, this committee made the following report, which was adopted and directed to be forwarded to the State Society.

WILMER WORTHINGTON M.D., 1804-1873.

The Chester County Medical Society has to make record of the death, during the past year, of one of its founders-Dr. WILMER WORTHINGTON, whose name as physician and philanthropist is familiar to every member of the State Society.

He was born, January 22, 1804, in West Goshen Township, Chester County. His paternal ancestors were from Lancashire, England, and were among the early settlers of Pennsylvania, having come with William Penn about the year 1700, and with whom they were associated in religious fellowship.

His father, Amos Worthington, was born in Bucks County, Pa. When quite a young man he removed to Chester County, and soon after married Jane Taylor, whose parents resided in West Goshen Township, near the borough of West Chester. She died September 20, 1873, at the advanced age of ninety-six years, having survived all her children. The young people settled upon a farm in the vicinity where the subject of this memoir was born, and where he resided until he began the practice of his profession in the spring of 1825. His primary education was received at a neighboring country school; he was afterwards one of the pupils at the opening of the West Chester Academy, at which institute he completed his academical course. He began the study of medicine under the care of Dr. William Darlington, of West Chester, and attended lectures at the University of Pennsylvania, from which institution he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine in March, 1825. His thesis was upon intermittent fever.

Soon after graduation he located for practice in Byberry, Philadelphia County, where he had relatives, but, at the end of six months, he removed to West Chester, at which place he continued to reside to the end of his life, a period of nearly fifty years, and, except during a few intervals, was steadfastly devoted to the arduous work of his profession.

On the 28th of September, 1826, he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of William Hemphill, Esq. They had eight children, of whom five are living.

In 1839, he was appointed by Governor Porter, physician at the Lazaretto, which office he held for three years, having discharged the arduous and responsible duties attached to it, with great fidelity, and to the entire satisfaction of those whose interests were entrusted to his care. Whilst occupying this post, he had a severe attack of typhus fever, which for a time placed his life in extreme jeopardy. Upon leaving West Chester to enter upon his duties at the Lazaretto, he formed a partnership with Dr. Conner, which, however, at the end of one year was terminated. The duties

of the office permitted his return to West Chester during the cooler months of the year, so that his private practice was not wholly given up. After 1842, he gave his undivided attention to his professional work until his election to the Senate in 1863. Of this work it gives us great pleasure to speak, for it was that of a skilful, benevolent, and dignified physician. To his patients he was faithful, kind, and untiringly devoted. Unmindful of self, of exposure, or sacrifice, he responded with equal alacrity to the calls of the rich and the poor. He enjoyed largely the confidence of the people, who rewarded his devotion to their welfare with an extensive and lucrative practice.

To his professional brethren he was uniformly kind and courteous, and received in return their highest consideration; being extensively called by them in consultation.

In the work of medical organization, Dr. Worthington was a pioneer. The first Society formed in the State, looking to a general organization of the profession, was the "Chester County Medical Society." This was organized February 5th, 1828; at which time, and until his retirement from practice, he was one of its most zealous and efficient members, seldom being absent from its meetings, and always, when present, taking a leading part in any measure calculated to advance the welfare of the profession. He was frequently called upon to preside over its deliberations, and, upon several occasions, delivered before it addresses replete with instruction.

At the meeting of the County Society held at West Chester, December 1st, 1847, upon his motion, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted :

WHEREAS, No State Medical Society exists in Pennsylvania, and believing that such an institution would greatly contribute to the advancement of medical knowledge; therefore,

Resolved, That it is expedient to hold a convention at such time and place as may be hereafter agreed upon, to take this subject into consideration, and effect such a permanent organization as may be deemed best suited to accomplish the object in view.

Resolved, That the Corresponding Secretary be directed to forward a copy of these resolutions to the different Medical Schools and Associations in the Commonwealth, and solicit their early cooperation.

Thus it appears that to Dr. Worthington belongs the honor of originating the movement which led to the formation of the "Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania." He also assisted in the work of organizing the "American Medical Association," and was chosen a delegate to its first meeting in 1847, at Baltimore. To both of these Societies he was frequently a delegate, and always took a prominent part in their proceedings. Of the State Society he was in 1850 chosen President, and, upon retiring from the position the following year, he delivered an interesting and able address, which is published in Vol. I. of the "Transactions." In this he pleaded earnestly and eloquently for a systematic and thorough organization of the profession; for a higher culture upon the part of those seeking to enter it; an extension of the term of study; and a higher standard of requirement for graduation. He took an

active part in the efforts of our County Society to secure a better system of medical attendance at the Almshouse. This most humane measure was, however, defeated by the prejudice awakened in the Board of Directors, by men calling themselves physicians, but who were totally unworthy of that honorable title. The earnest effort of Dr. Worthington, in conjunction with other members of the Society, to secure the adoption of this system, was but the cropping out of that spirit of tender regard for the comfort and welfare of the suffering poor, which, in later years, culminated in that noble Institution that now does honor to our State-" The Board of Public Charities"-in the organization of which he took a prominent part; and in its ardous work, in spite of the infirmities of advancing age, he labored with so much zeal and fidelity.

The publication of the "Medical Reporter," a quarterly journal issued by the Medical Societies of Chester and Delaware Counties, was begun in 1863, and continued for three years. Dr. Worthington acted as one of its editors, and contributed largely to its pages.

In the work of preparing Biographical notices of deceased physicians who had practised in Chester County he took great interest, and was very successful. These were published either in the "Reporter" or in the "Transactions" of the State Society. It is believed that in no other county has this work been so thoroughly accomplished, very few having escaped his research.

After his election to the Senate, in 1863, he was forced by the duties this position entailed upon him, and the disabilities of advanced life, to give up very much of his practice, and about 1865 he wholly withdrew from it.

Dr. Worthington throughout his whole life was honored with positions of trust and responsibility by his fellow citizens. He was early appointed a trustee of the West Chester Academy, in which he had received most of his school training. He participated in the organization of the Chester County Academy of Natural Science, and was during its whole existence one of its trustees. He took part in a course of lectures delivered under its auspices during the winters of 1835, '36, and '37, delivering the course on Chemistry. He was director in the Bank of Chester County, and in the West Chester and Phila. R. R. Company; also President of the Board of Managers of the Oakland Cemetery. In 1833 he was elected a member of the House of Representatives, serving one term. He took an earnest stand in advocacy of the Common School Law of the State, then under discussion, and was influential in securing the adoption of that measure which has done so much to secure the benefits of education to all classes. He was also prominent in advocacy of the act authorizing a geological survey of the State, which was afterwards executed by Prof. Rogers.

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The breaking out of the Rebellion found him of course thoroughly upon the side of the Government and the cause of his country. life-long Democrat, and an ardent supporter of those more advanced views of the party which found their representative man in Stephen A. Douglas, he viewed with intense anxiety the struggle in the Charleston Convention, and deplored most keenly the disruption of the party and its consequent defeat. He regarded rebellion as

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