ciation; and appeared, by keeping up the tone of the system, to arrest the further deposition of tubercular matter. Some thought that any oily substance, as butter or almond oil, would have the same effect; others considered the cod-liver oil to have some specific influence. One gentleman had found it rather injurious than otherwise in some cases of phthisis, from its tendency to disorder the digestive organs. Altogether, however, the opinion generally was decidedly in its favor as a palliative agent in consumption. London Lancet.

MATICO.

MATICO AS A STYPTIC.-A great deal of testimony has accumulated now, on the character of the Matico as an agent for controlling hemorrhages, and, as it has not found a place in the systematic treatises on materia medica, we shall supply the deficiency by bringing forward the history of the use of the Matico.

In 1839, at a meeting of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association of York, Dr. Jeffreys of Liverpool, introduced the Matico as a styptic. The botanical name of the plant is Piper Angustifolium, and it is a native of Peru. Soon after Dr. Jef freys called attention to it, the Matico, as an external application, was used with success in the Dundee Infirmary, by Dr. Munro. It exerted a happy influence over a hemorrhage from "a considerable branch of the temporal artery." Compression and cold applications failed to give any relief, but the application of the leaf, not the powder, arrested the hemorrhage. A hemorrhage from a wound of a branch of the palmar artery was treated in the same way with equal success.

The

The external use of the leaf having proved highly successful, a resort was made to its internal use. Dr. Jeffreys reports the case of a patient "who had been subject for two months to excessive discharge of pure blood and coagula from the vagina, amounting to nearly a quart in a few days, occurring every ten days or a fortnight, and followed by a serous and muco-purulent discharge." usual treatment failed, and health was restored in a few days, by the use of a wineglass full of the infusion of Matico four times daily. In another case, a hemorrhage from the bowels, an infusion of Matico, in the proportion of half an ounce to the pint, of which thee table-spoonfuls were taken every four or six hours, cured the patient by the use of three doses.

In hemorrhage of the bowels, during fever, Dr. Watmough states, in the Provincial Medical Journal, that the infusion of senna leaves and the Matico, two drachms of each in a pint of boiling water, and taken frequently in doses of a wineglass measure, is very successful, particularly in the melana of typhus fever.

Dr. Horne, of London, thus speaks of Matico, as an anti-he morrhagic medicine: "A patient suffered from an alarming epistaxis, occurring spontaneously, in October last. All remedies of the usual character failed; the case was considered beyond the reach of relief, and the brothers of the patient were sent for. One of the brothers commenced the use of the Matico, and in six hours the hemorrhage ceased, after having continued for days. There is. a hemorrhagic diathesis in the family, and it has descended to the children of one of the brothers."

A relative of the family was rapidly sinking towards the grave, from disease and uterine hemorrhage, the latter of which baffled the ordinary remedies. Under the use of the Matico, the bleeding ceased, and the patient recovered.

These are the testimonials to the value of Matico, as a styptic, which we have gleaned from the European medical journals. We are far from supposing that this Peruvian plant will displace all other means for arresting hemorrhage; the utmost that we hope for it is, that it is really useful, and may take its place confidently among the means for controlling dangerous bleeding.-West. Jour, Med.

CROUP.-Dr. Horace Green of New York, has recently published a work "On the Pathology of Croup, with remarks on its treatment by topical medications," which should command the confidence of the profession. In this new work, Dr. Green enforces with ability, the novel treatment which he had previously recommended for laryngeal inflammations, in a treatise on "The Diseases of the Air Passages." The new work on croup has received a very flattering reception in England. The British and Foreign Review speaks of it in terms of warm commendation, and the Dublin Quarterly Journal of Medical Science, with some little disparagement, speaks favorably of the book.

The fundamental principles of Dr. Green's pathology of croup are, that it is essentially an "inflammation of the secreting sur faces of the fauces, larynx and trachea, which is always produc tive of membranaceous or an albuminous exudation," and that this "invariably commences in the superior portion of the respiratory passages, and extends from above downwards,-never in the opposite direction."

We shall not pause to call in question the universality of the truth of these propositions. Our particular object is to direct attention to Dr. Green's novel treatment. He recommends a solution of the crystals of the nitrate of silver, from two to four scruples to the ounce of distilled water, as the topical application. The instrument with which this is to be applied, is "a slender piece of whalebone, about ten inches long, slightly curved at one

end, to which curved extremity is securely attached a small round piece of soft sponge, with a diameter of not more than half an inch." We would suggest the propriety of a very thorough examination of the sponge, to see that it is free from sand and grit. Dr. Green says:

"The instrument being prepared, by suitably saturating the sponge with the solution to be applied, and the head of the child being firmly held by an assistant, and the base of the tongue depressed by a spoon, or any other suitable instrument, the operator carries the wet sponge quickly over the top of the epiglottis, and on the laryngeal face of the cartilage; then passing it suddenly downwards and forwards, passes it through the opening of the glottis into the laryngeal cavity."

There may be a fear among those inexperienced in this topical application, arising from the strength of this solution. The fear is, however, groundless. The mucous membrane bears this solution remarkably well. Some time ago, Mr. Guthrie, the English surgeon, denied very indignantly that he had recommended an injection of a solution of nitrate of silver, twelve grains to the ounce of water, in gonorrhoea, and utterly condemned the practice. But we heve repeatedly seen a solution of twenty grains of nitrate of silver to the ounce of water, used in the early stages of gonorrhoea, with great benefit to the patient.

Upon another point, Dr. Green thus speaks:

"Ordinarily, I have applied in croup, a solution composed of from two scruples to a drachm of the salt, dissolved in one ounce of distilled water. A remedy of this strength I have freely applied to the fauces, pharynx, and into the larynx of young children, in a large number of cases during the last eight years, and in no single instance have I observed any indications of the dangers of suffocation from its employment. On the contrary, I have repeatedly observed, and have once before remarked, that much less bronchial irritation is produced by the application of the nitrate of silver into the larynges of young children who are suffering from croup, than where it is introduced into those of adults who are affected by chronic disease of the larynx." The views of Dr. Green, though novel, are perfectly rational and deserve confidence.---Ibid.

OBSTETRICAL INSTRUMENTS.-When Dr. Haighton, of London, was seventy years of age, he declared that he had delivered thirty thousand women, and amidst the multitudinous instances of deformed pelvis and depraved constitutions to be found in the population of London, he said he had used instruments in but three cases, and he solemnly declared, that he believed his right arm should be taken off as the penalty for their use in at least two of these cases. "Experience," he said "had satisfied him that if nature had been left to herself, she would have accomplished the labors without his assistance."-West. Jour. Med.

THE PRACTICAL ADVANTAGES OF HOMOEOPATHY.

BY HARRIS DUNSFORD, M. D.

(Continued.)

"The sincere inquirer into truth will be swayed by no prejudice, -he will stand on his guard against the unsupported dictates of authority, and the imposing front of original discovery, he will listen and judge with the constant apprehension of the frailty of mankind, assured that the wisest may err, and that the weakest may yield instruction."

One of the most striking advantages of homœopathy is, that the remedies employed are directed, not merely to the diseases of the body, but also to the state of the mind; and this distinguishes it from every other system of medicine hitherto practiced. By this remark, I do not intend to affirm that physicians neglect to inquire into the state of the mind and feelings of their patients; but that they have not, in their works on materia medica, any distinct statements of symptoms by which a remedy can be selected, from a knowledge of its specific influence upon the mental state and feelings. Medical men have, no doubt, in all ages, formed accurate prognoses by observing the temper and disposition of their patients, of which numerous instances might be cited,

Most medicines influence, in some degree, the "moral;" and, in order that a remedy may be perfectly homoeopathic to the case, the symptoms relating to the mind equally with those referring to the body, should correspond with the symptoms produced in a healthy person, by the medicine employed as the remedy.

By including the "moral" in every portrait of a case, we reach disease in its in most recesses; and obtain a power over it not pos sessed by the allopathists, who can only combat symptoms that are evident to the bodily senses.

In

When we reflect on the immense power the mind exerts over the body, we cannot but perceive the extraordinary advantage which the observation of its morbid phenomena must have on the suc cessful treatment of a case, with a view to their removal. mental affections, independent of organic disease in the brain, the knowledge we possess of the morbid states of the mind produced by certain medicines, has been, in a very great number of instances, successfully tested.

In the treatment of diseases incident to FEMALES, the symptoms relating to the mind should be especially noticed; for in these patients, the moral feelings are in the highest degree sensitive and influential. In homeopathy, therefore, the symptoms produced by mental disturbance form one of the main points of inquiry; by a strict attention to which, many diseases, only partially benefited under the usual treatment, find permanent relief when treated by homœopathic remedies.

In the disease of females, homoeopathy is often pre-eminently successful; formed by nature of a more delicate constitution, they are easily affected by medicinal agents, although given in doses extremely minute. Experience, also, has proved, that in the treatment of neuralgia, the nervous system, through which, unquestionably, all remedies exert a considerable influence, is in so morbidly excited a state, that, in either sex, the most attenuated doses produce very powerful and beneficial effects.

Affections of the uterine system are so much more under the control of homœopathic treatment than under that of the old school, that it has not escaped the observation of those who differ from us in practice; and it has been, invidiously, remarked, that we have acquired for our system in this particular, a predominating influWe are not insensible to the truth of this observation. We gratefully acknowledge the distinguished patronage bestowed upon us in this enlightened country; and we should indeed be unworthy such support, did we not, strenuously and perseveringly, exert our utmost efforts to extend and perpetuate the homoeopathic practice.

ence.

SICKNESS arising from pregnancy may in general be very speedily relieved, by a remedy corresponding with the prominent symptoms attending it. The cause, however, being permanent, the effect is often only temporary. In sea-sickness, the effect of a homœopathic remedy is often complete, relieving entirely the disposition to sickness: but here, as in the former case, the cause remaining constantly in action, the effect of the medicine is sometimes not permanent. This occasional failure may be attributed to the selection of a remedy not homoeopathic to the totality of the symptoms.

The grand feature in Hahnemann's system, next to the principle on which it is founded, is his THEORY OF CHRONIC DISEASES. The fact, that numerous affections arise from eruptions imperfectly cured, or unfortunately repelled, has long been familiar to every one in practice. This circumstance induced Hahner.ann to inquire, whether the virus repelled, or latent in the system, might not be the cause of the majority of the chronic affections; and the trials made, in pursuance of this inquiry, have incontestably proved the truth of his conjectures. Hence we observe, that eruptive diseases, when treated by the use of ointments or lotions, are often followed by internal maladies infinitely more serious than the eruption itself;