After a free expression of the views of the members present, the subject was referred to a committee, consisting of Drs. Wm. Wright, G. F. Foote and T. D. Stow, who were to report suitable resolutions, at the close of Dr. McMurray's address to be delivered in the Assembly chamber, in the evening.

The Society finally took a recess until evening.

EVENING SESSION.

The Society met in the Assembly Chamber in the evening to listen to the annual address, delivered by Robert McMurray, M. D., of New York; subject "Medical Education."

The doctor endeavored to show, by reference to the natural laws of succession, that the mind, like the material body, depends for its characteristics on those of the generation which immediately preceded it. From this the question is raised, what is our duty in reference to the character of those who are to follow us in the medical profession? The doctor answered this question by stating that it is our duty to adopt such measures as will insure their thorough qualification for the duties they assume, and, that one of the most important means for attaining this object would be to so elevate the standard of medical education, as to render it certain that no one could receive a medical diploma until he had gone through such a course of mental training as will enable him to hold a respectable position among educated men. He asserted that education among the mass of the medical profession is at a low standard, and should be improved, by demanding a good scientific and classical training as a preparation for the study of medicine, because it is better calclated to develop the youthful mind than a purely professional course, and teaches the student to observe, compare, and reason correctly. The study of the French and German languages should be encouraged, because they contain the writings of many men eminent in science and medicine.

There were things faulty in the manner in which a purely professional education is conducted, and he suggested improvements; the time required for a medical education is too short, and should be increased; the schools are too numerous, and should be concentrated in localities where opportunities for clinical instruction are easily accessible. The students should be classified and the chairs divided to correspond with the classes, and a student should not be advanced from one class to a higher without being examined in the studies he had gone over.

The incentive to all is, that our school might vindicate itself by inaugurating a great and much needed reform in medical education; and more important still, that the student may be fully prepared to bear the responsibility and perform the duties incident to the life of a medical practitioner, which is important and arduous.

The address was listened to with much attention, by a large audience. After a vote of thanks to the gentleman for his address, the Society adjourned.

Later in the evening, the members of the Society were hospitably entertained at the residence of Dr. James W. Cox, on State street.

SECOND DAY-WEDNESDAY-MORNING SESSION.

The Society reassembled at half-past nine o'clock. Dr. T. F. Smith, the vice-president, in the chair.

The chairman of the committee on the resolutions of Dr. Stow, offered the following as a substitute, which was adopted:

Resolved, That while we cannot too strongly condemn the use of alcoholic drinks as a beverage, as productive of the most unmitigated evils to our physical, mental and moral natures, we hereby declare, as the sense of this New York State Homœopathic Medical Society, that their use as a medicine is rarely, if ever, required; and that when so used, should only be in such cases of disease as are severe and acute, and in such quantities only as shall preclude all reasonable probability that our patients can thereby ever acquire a love or taste for them.

NOTE.-At the adjournment of the afternoon session, Drs. Wright and Foote left the whole matter with me, and I accordingly drafted resolutions substantially the same as the original. At the close of Dr. McMurray's address, I arose to report the resolutions drafted, but was checked by Dr. W. Wright, who said, that as chairman of the committee, he could make his own report. He held in his hand a short resolution, which he had passed to Dr. Foote and myself, but which neither of us indorsed. Just at this juncture, Dr. Watson, of Utica, moved an adjournment to the residence of Dr. Cox and lady, who were awaiting our presence, to offer their respects and a collation.

Dr. Watson's motion included, or provided for, the report of our committee first, in order of business, the following morning. As ten o'clock, A. M., was the hour of adjournment, Dr. Foote and myself agreed to meet at the rooms occupied by the Society at half-past nine o'clock the following morning, which we did, at the very minute; when lo! the meeting had been called to order and Dr. Wright's resolution was called for and adopted. Dr. Wright had not shown the majority of the committee the resolutions offered by him, and we were, to say the least, quite surprised, not only at his course, but at the action of the convention!

Still wishing, as before, to make our record not only consistent, sound and clear on the question of temperance, but as homœopathists, also, at the earliest opportunity I moved a reconsideration of the resolution offered by Dr. Wright, in the morning,

The business committee presented the report of the bureaus of surgery, obstetrics and statistics; also papers classified as miscellaneous. The papers were read by their titles. Such as were called for were read in full. For the list of articles see contents of the different bureaus; for the list of miscellaneous papers see contents of part IV.

Reports were presented by delegates to seventeen State medical societies. The report of the bureau of statistics comprised reports from six hospitals and asylums, twelve dispensaries, one medical college, and thirty-one local and county medical societies.

Dr. Houghton read interesting papers, by Dr. Allen, upon ophthalmic diseases, presenting also several illustrations. He was listened to with much attention.

Dr. Smith read a paper, by Dr. Powell, on "Biliary Calculi," accompanied by specimens of the stones passed by the patient.

The following letter was read, by the secretary, from Dr. A. Wilder, president of the Eclectic Medical Society, wherein he presented an order for copies of the Transactions of the Eclectic Medical Society of the State of New York:

which was granted. I then moved to strike out that clause expressed as follows: "In such severe and acute cases of disease," arguing, that the only inference that practitioners of medicine and the public can draw from that clause is, that in the treatment of severe or acute diseases, we not only may, but do resort to alcoholic drinks, to the neglect or desertion of homœopathic principles! Furthermore, and in view of the appaling results of intemperance throughout the State of New York and the nation, it is the duty of our school as well as the duty of the allopathic school of medicine, to condemn the use of alcohol everywhere outside the arts.

I may be allowed to express my surprise at the action of the New York State Homœopathic Medical Society, in voting down my amendment to Dr. Wright's resolution, and my original resolutions; but far more surprised at its decided allopathic tendencies, as shown in the resolution of Dr. Wright.

It is high time for those followers of Hahnemann, who believe that he enunciated incontrovertible and eternal therapeutical principles, in erecting the homœopathic temple, to zealously guard against the admission of such grave and miserable errors as those indicated in the resolutions of Dr. Wright; and, still another, which, relating to the subject, intemperance, is to appear in the Transactions for 1870.

Dr. Lippe, of Philadelphia, is quite right in his views, all along, and still later expressed in his valuable paper entitled, "Liberty of Medical Opinion and Action." Above all others should the homœopathic physician constantly and conscientiously guard against an abandonment of his principles of therapeutics, or, fortifying by word or act, so terrible a calamity as intemperance, from the use of alcoholic beverages. T. DWIGHT STOW.

ALBANY, February 14, 1870.

L. B. WELLS, M. D., President of the Homœopathic Medical Society of the State of New York:

DEAR SIR.-I have taken the liberty to offer for your acceptance two hundred copies of the fourth annual volume of the Transactions of the Eclectic Medical Society of the State of New York, for the year 1870.

Our two associations are fellow laborers in the field of reformed scientific medicine, and our labors have been crowned with such success as has already required our rivals of the old school to concede that we have added valuable contributions to the pharmacopoeia and accomplished invaluable amelioratives in the treating of the sick. We have obtained, in a degree, what is essential to our future progress, the appointment of physicians of our respective schools to hon orable places under the general government. Let us persevere a little longer and our own State will not withhold the rightful meed

of honor.

Already, in Massachusetts, the wall of partition is broken down, so that reputable physicians, who once were denominated "irregu lar," are admitted to membership of the State Medical Society and its auxiliaries. It may be that good sense and enlightenment may yet bring a new era into our own State; that the iron rule of medical bigotry may be broken, so that honorable practitioners, though not altogether seeing eye to eye, may yet fraternize, aid one another, and contribute jointly to the one great object. Let us continue to labor and to hope.

The donation was accepted, and a vote of thanks to Dr. Wilder was adopted.

A resolution was adopted expressing the thanks of the Society to the Legislature for the use of the Assembly Chamber.

Dr. Wm. Wright offered the following:

Resolved, That the thanks of the Society are eminently due to Dr. and Mrs. J. W. Cox, of this city, for their courteous and liberal entertainment and reception given to the Society.

Dr. Gray, chairman of the committee on medical education, presented the following report:

"The committee on medical education respectfully report the following form of a law, regarding the examination of candidates for the license and degree, as, in their unanimous judgment, the best means this State Medical Society can adopt, for the advancement of sound practical knowledge among the future members of the profession in the State of New York.

"The committee, assuming authority to add to their number, elected Dr. W. S. Searle, a member, by whom they have been most diligently

aided in their inquiries and deliberations; and they respectfully ask the Society to confirm Dr. Searle's appointment.

"If the accompanying form of a law, be adopted, the committee suggest the early appointment of an efficient committee for presenting it to the Legislature and Governor for enactment."

Memorial Accompanying the Bill.

To the Honorable the Legislature of the State of New York:

The undersigned, in behalf of the Homœopathic Medical Society, and by its direction, beg leave to call the attention of your honorable body, to the annexed project of a law respecting the appointment of one or more boards of examiners in medicine, by the Regents of the University, and to ask that it may become a law, for the following reasons, viz.:

I. The existing colleges of medicine and medical societies, are not directed by law to require of candidates for their diplomas any classical training whatsoever. Nevertheless, it is well known to all physicians, that without considerable knowledge of the Latin language, a thorough acquaintance with arithmetic up to and including decimals of algebra, and enough knowledge of the Greek grammar to render reference to the lexicon of that language an easy and satisfactory process, it is impossible for the student of medicine to read, with clear comprehension, the elementary books of the art of healing, or listen to the oral instructions of lectures, without losing the connection very frequently, for want of a knowledge regarding the technics used, all of which are of Latin or Greek derivation, or through ignorance of the definite relation of quantity, expressed by decimal and algebraic notation. For want of this preliminary instruction, the student of medicine, whatever his industry or force of intellect is, and however, excellent his preceptors may be, must be a confused and inexact scholar, and, therefore, also become and remain, an insecure and uncertain practitioner of his art.

II. The existing colleges of medicine, cannot remedy this difficulty in any one State, if any or all of them desire so to do; for the refusal to receive all students who were deficient in these respects, could only result in turning all such applicants from their doors, and in effect, sending the majority away to other States for instruction.

Reformation of this great and growing evil among existing colleges of medicine in this country, is attainable only through an unanimous compact among them, shutting the doors of all, to illiterate applicants; a result which may safely be considered impossible, since the attempt