CONTENTS. I. Proceedings of Twentieth Annual Meeting, held in Albany, February 14th and 15th, 1871. II. Proceedings of the Twentieth Semi-Annual Meeting, held at Saratoga Springs, August 10, 1871. III. Annual Address. By Robert McMurray, M. D., of New York, February 14th, 1871. IV. Address before the Semi-Annual Meeting. By A. W. Holden, M. D., of Glen's Falls, August 10, 1871. V. Address before the Homœopathic Medical Society of Northern New York. By T. J. Pettit, M. D., of Fort Plain, N. Y., July 11, 1871. VI. Address before the Medical Societies of the counties of Ontario and Yates. By T. D. Prichard, M. D. VII. Address before the Homœopathic Medical Society of New York. By B. F. Bowers, M. D. VIII. Valedictory Address. By F. W. Hunt, M. D. NOV 4 1890 RAR I. New York State Homœopathic Medical Society. Proceedings of the Twentieth Annual Meeting. FIRST DAY-TUESDAY-MORNING SESSION. The twentieth annual meeting was held, pursuant to statute, in the city of Albany, Tuesday and Wednesday, February 14th and 15th, 1871. The sessions of the Society were held in the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association. The president, Dr. L. B. Wells, of Utica, called the meeting to order at ten o'clock, and requested Rev. Dr. A. J. Upson to offer prayer. The president delivered the following inaugural address: Gentlemen of the Homœopathic Medical Society of the State of New York. While I tender to you my grateful acknowledgments for your partiality in selecting me as your presiding officer, I will claim your indulgence and request your cordial co-operation in making this session harmonious and profitable. At this time it is well to briefly review the history of our organization. It is but a short time, comparatively, since a few of us assembled in this city to reorganize our State Society, in conformity to the statutes of the State in relation to medical societies. During this period our Society has grown to its present proportions, embracing county societies in nearly all the counties of the State. The immense number of charitable institutions for the treatment. of the sick, the increased facilities for a thorough medical education and the patronage of a large proportion of the most intelligent of our population, indicate a healthy growth of the system of practice which recognizes the law “similia similibus curantur" as the polar star in therapeutics. While we have every encouragement from the progress of events in the past, the future prosperity of our cause will depend upon the fidelity to its principles of those who, by their profession, are its representatives. One of the most important instrumentalities for the successful advancement of this cause, is our State and local organizations, and a debt of gratitude, at least, is due to those who, by their untiring industry, have maintained them in their present prosperous condi tion. The efficient labor of the chairmen of the different bureaus and their colleagues, demand suitable recognition, and it is desirable that they should have the cordial co-operation of every member of our Society. At the present period of our history, to complete the superstructure of this temple of medical science, a materia medica as near perfection as possible, is a desideratum. This can be secured by diligence on the part of every practitioner. Let each one, from this time henceforth, constitute himself a committee for this object, and, as far as can be done consistently, institute provings under the direction of the chairman of that special branch, also making a special note of symptoms proved characteristic, which have not been recognized as such. Thus, in a brief period, we can secure material for a complete materia medica, even if Dr. Hering's safe should remain forever locked. The importance of a correct history of homoeopathy in our State, no one will question; and it is desirable that every member of our Society, should promptly render the necessary aid to the chairman of the bureau of statistics and registration, that this may be secured while its early pioneers are living. The necessity for an institution where the insane can have the benefit of homoeopathic treatment, is so urgent, that we hope every suitable effort will be made to fill up the subscriptions necessary to secure the State appropriation for that object. I will suggest, for your consideration, a change to an earlier day, of the time for holding our annual meeting. We will cherish the hope that all our efforts, here and elsewhere, will result in the advancement of medical science, and relief to suffering humanity. The president then declared the sessions of the Society open for the reception of business. On motion of Dr. William Wright, the secretary read a synopsis of the minutes of the last annual and semi-annual meetings. |