The incident connected with this certificate was as follows: At a town meeting of the citizens of Milton, (Mass.) July 8, 1809, a committee was chosen to take into consideration any measures for inoculating with kine pock, such individuals as had never had small-pox. On August 26, 1809, this committee, reported that they had procured certificates from respectable physicians which were calculated to remove all doubt that the kine pock is a perfect preventive of small-pox, and they had inoculated 337 persons. The committee feeling that their trust would not be faithfully performed until they had made some decisive test, set about to find some who after having been inoculated with the kine pock would submit to an inoculation with small-pox. They succeeded in finding twelve children whose parents consented to having them inoculated. A house was provided for their treatment and, on the 10th of October they were inoculated, in the presence of "respectable witnesses," with small-pox virus obtained from Dr. Welch, of Boston, who testified to having furnished pure small-pox material for the vaccination. The children were kept under surveillance until the 25th when there had not been a single instance where there had been any indication of the disease, and were then discharged. The names of the children written on the back of the certificates, and each of whom received a copy of the certificate were Joshua Briggs, Thomas Street Briggs, Martin Briggs, Catharine Bent, Ruth C. Horton, Samuel Alden, Benj. Church Briggs, George Briggs, John Smith, Susanna Bent, Mary Ann Belcher. When we remember that the public mind of that time was not as thoroughly satisfied in regard to the immunity furnished by vaccination, we cannot fail to wonder that parents could be found who were willing to submit their children to the test. What would our latter day anti-vivisectionists say? Our wonder may be somewhat modified by noticing that of the twelve children, six bore the name of Briggs, and probably Massachusetts did not, at that time, have a law pensioning the parents of large families. Be that as it may, the test was made and the immunizing power of vaccination proven. Hypnotism. And its application to pratical medicine. By Otto George Wetterstand, M. D,, member of the Society of Sweedish Physicians at Stockholm, etc., etc. Authorized translation (from the German edition) by Henrick G. Petersen, M. D., together with medical letters on Hypno-Suggestion, etc., by Henriok G. Petersen, M, D. Cloth, royaloctavo, one hundred and sixty-six pages. Price $2.00. G. P. Putman's Sons, New York, 1897. The true physician seeking to possess himself of all such knowledge as will the better enable him to cope with disease and mitigate the sufferings of his fellow men, will not fail to read this volume because it deals with methods against which he may be prejudiced. The physician should be broad minded enough to approach any theory, trusting to his own intelligence to keep him from those methods which are illigitimate. That there is a place for the practice of suggestive therapeutics cannot be denied by those who believe in the existence of hysteria. As suggestion may lead to suffering, it may, in the same way, relieve from suffering. Dr. Wetterstand has given here his experience in this method. of treatment in insomnia, neuralgia, chorea, hysteria, and various other conditions. One will naturally hesitate to accept the assertion that hypnotic suggestion will stop the hemorrhage from a cancerous uterus, or restore the usefulness of paralyzed limbs, but in those cases of functional nervous derangement, where the remedies of the pharmacopoeia have been tried in vain, there is reason to believe that relief may be obtained through the influence of suggestion. Numerous cases are cited in which the method is claimed to have effected a cure. Transactions. Of the New York State Medical Association, year 1896. Vol. XIII. Edited for the Association: 64 Madison Avenue, New York. This volume of over six hundred pages contains the excellent papers read at the last meeting of the Association. Conspicuous among these is a contribution by Dr. E. H. Squibb on the materia medica, pharmacy and therapeutics of the year ending ctober 1, 1896. He says "it is agreeable to report that in a general way the craze for novelties has somewhat subsided during the past year, although there are abundant evidences that the mill is still grinding, especially in that ever fertile source of supply-Germany." In support of this assertion he presents a paper covering 145 pages of the transactions, in which he gives brief notes of the more interesting preparations brought out during the year. Correspondence. STUDY OF THE AMERICAN MEDICINAL FLORA. The Sub-Commision of the Pan-American Medical Congress appointed to study the medicinal plants of the United States has entered into an association with the Smithsonian Institution for that purpose. The attention of our readers is called to the respective circulars issued by these organizations, which we print below. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, Washington, D. C., DEAR SIR:-The Smithsonian Institution has undertaken to bring together all possible material bearing on the medicinal uses of plants in the United States. Arrangements have been made with a body representing the Pan-American Medical Congress, the Sub-Commision on Medicinal Flora of the United States, to elaborate a report on this subject, and the material when received will be turned over to them for investigation. The accompanying detailed instructions relative to specimens and notes have been prepared by the Sub Commission. All packages and correspondence should be addressed to the SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, Washington, D. C., and marked on the outside Medicinal Plants for the U. S. National Museum. Franks which will carry specimens, when of suitable size, together with description and notes, free of postage, through the mails, will be forwarded upon application. Should an object be too large for transmission by mail the sender is requested, before shipping it, to notify the Institution, in order that a proper authorization for its shipment may be made out. (Signed) Respectfully, INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO MEDICINAL PLANTS. The principal points of study are as follows: 1. Local names. 2. Local uses, together with historical facts. 3. Geographical distribution and degree of abundance in the wild state. 4. Is the plant collected for market, and if so, (a) At what season of the year? (b) To how great an extent? (d) What is the effect of such collection upon the wild supply? (f) Is the industry profitable? 5. Is the plant, or has it ever been, cultivated and if so give all information on the subject, particularly as to whether such supplies are of superior quality, and whether the industry has proved profitable. 6. If not cultivated, present facts concerning the life history of the plant which might aid in determining methods of culti vation. 7. Is the drug subjected to substitution or adulteration, and if so, give information as to the plants used for this purpose. While it is not expected that many persons will be able to contribute information on all these points concerning any plant, it is hoped that a large number of persons will be willing to communicate such partial knowledge as they possess. It is not the important or standard drugs alone concerning which information is sought. The Sub-Commission desires to compile a complete list of the plants which have been used medicinally, however trivial such use may be. It also desires to collect all obtainable information, historical, scientific, and economic, concerning our native and naturalized plants of this class, and, so to that end, invites the co-operation of all persons interested. Poisonous plants of all kinds come within the scope of our inquiry, whether producing dangerous symptoms in man, or simply skin inflammation, or, as "loco-weeds," deleterious to horses, cattle and sheep. In this respect, the general reputation of a plant is not so much desired as the particulars of cases of poisoning actually seen, or heard from reliable observers. In order to assist in the study of the habits, properties and uses of medicinal plants, the Sub-Commission undertakes to furnish the name of any plant-specimen received, together with any desired information available. Owing to the diversity in the common names of many plants it will be necessary for reports, when not furnished by botanists or others qualified to state the botanical names with certainty, to accompauy the same with some specimen of the plant sufficient for its identification. While the Sub-Commission will en deavor to determine the plant from any portion of it which may be sent, it should be appreciated that the labor of identification is very greatly decreased, and its usefulness increased, by the possession of complete material, that is, leaf, flower and fruit, and in the case of small plamts, the underground portion also. It is best to dry such specimen thoroughly, in a flat condition under pressure, before mailing. While any convenient means for accomplishing this result may be employed, the following procedure is recommended: Select a flowering or fruiting branch, as the case may be, which when pressed shall not exceed 16 inches in length by 10 inches in width. If the plant be a herb 2 or 3 feet high, it may be doubled to bring it within these measurements. If it possess root leaves, some of these should be included. Lay the specimen flat in a fold of newspaper and place this in a pile of newspapers, carpet felting, or some other form of paper which readily absorbs moisture, and place the pile in a dry place under a pressure of about 20 to 30 pounds, sufficient to keep the leaves from wrinkling as they dry. If a number of specimens are pressed at the same time, each is to be separated from the others by 3 or 4 folded newspapers or an equivalent in other kinds of paper. In 12 to 24 hours these papers will be found to be saturated with the absorbed moisture and the fold containing the specimen should be transferred to dry ones. This change should be repeated from a to 5 days according to the state of the weather, the place where the drying is done, the fleshiness of the specimens, etc. The best way to secure the required pressure is by means of a pair of strong straps, though weights will do. The best place for drying is beside a hot kitchen range. When dry the specimens should be mailed between cardboards or some other light but stiff materials which will not bend in transit. It is a most important matter that the name and address of the sender should be attached to the package and that the specimens, if more than one, should be numbered, the sender retaining also specimens bearing the same number, to facilitate any correspondence which may follow. The Sub-Commission requests that, so far as practicable, all plants sent be represented by at least four specimens. (SONED) H. H. RUSBY, M. D., Chairman of the General Commission, New York College of Pharmacy. VALERY HARVARD, M. D., Chairman of the Sub-Commision. Fort Slocum, Davids Island, New York. |