LXXVI. Report of the Albany County Medical Society. Organized 1860. Embraces the counties of Albany and Schenectady. Annual meeting, second Tuesday in January; regular meetings, second Tuesday in each month. OFFICERS AND MEMBERS, 1871. Officers. President.-Dr. S. H. Carroll. Vice-President.-Dr. H. G. Preston. Secretary and Treasurer.-Dr. E. A. Carpenter. Censors. Drs. J. F. McKown, G. A. Cox, N. Hunting. Delegates to the State Medical Society.-Drs. S. H. Carroll, H. G. Preston, W. H. Randel, G. A. Cox. Delegate to the American Institute of Homeopathy.—Dr. S. H. Carroll. Honorary Members. Drs. Henry D. Paine, J. H. A. Graham, William H. Watson, W. S. Searle. Members. Drs. Henry D. Paine,* 227 Fifth avenue, New York Horace M. Paine, 104 State street, Albany 1860 1860 1860 1860 1860 1860 1865 Nelson D. Hunting, 84 Grand street, Albany. James F. McKown, 297 Hamilton street, Albany 1868 1868 1869 George A. Cox, corner of State and Swan streets, Albany, 1869 1869 Herman B. Horton,* Huntington, Suffolk county. Edward A. Carpenter,* Plattsburgh, Clinton county..... 1870 Henry G. Preston, 61 Eagle street, Albany.. * Removed. 1870 1871 Drs. Philip I. Cromwell, Cleveland, Oswego county E. C. Howe, New Baltimore, Greene county J. H. Fitch, 73 Lancaster street, Albany F. W. Thomas,* Philadelphia, Pa.... 1871 1871 1871 1871 1871. 1872 .. 1872 G. H. Billings, Cohoes, Albany county.. Frederick W. Halsey, 7 Plain street, Albany PROCEEDINGS OF MEETINGS. Annual Meeting. The eleventh annual meeting of the Albany County Homœopathic Medical Society, was held January 3, 1871, at the city dispensary. The officers for the succeeding year were elected. The president was authorized to appoint delegates to neighboring county medical societies; also medical committees in sufficient numbers to include the name of every member of the society. Drs. H. G. Preston, P. I. Cromwell and E. C. Howe were elected members of the society. A communication from Dr. W. H. Watson, of Utica, was read, regarding the recent removal of Dr. S. Spooner, of Oneida, Madison county, from the office of pension surgeon, on account of his adherence to the homoeopathic system of medical practice. An extended discussion followed; after which appropriate resolutions were unanimously adopted. The resolutions may be found in article entitled "Medical Intolerance." The secretary read a circular issued under the auspices of the Washington Homœopathic Medical Society, calling attention to the movement just inaugurated for the establishment of a national university, in connection with which the interests of the homeopathic profession in this country are jeopardized, whereupon the following resolutions were adopted: Whereas, A movement is on foot to establish a National University of Medicine in the capital of the United States, an association having been formed and a board of corporators having been selected for the purpose of carrying out the enterprise, a memorial having already been referred to a congressional committee. Whereas, The evident necessity for such an institution will probably secure the success of this enterprise, bidding fair to rival the universities of Paris, Vienna and Leipsic. Whereas, Past experience proves that when such institutions are under allopathic control, the centralized power thus obtained is used chiefly to monopolize all places of trust and profit, to which the medical profession is eligible as physicians for the special benefit of their own sect, rather than the advancement of science. Whereas, The homoeopathic school of medicine seeing in this enterprise as at present projected a design to exclude them as a body from participation in the benefits which a national university offers; therefore, * Removed. Resolved, That the homoeopathic school of medicine is entitled to equal rights with the allopathic school, and also to a chair of homoeopathy in the proposed university. Resolved, That the homoeopathic profession hereby petition the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives, in Congress assembled, that they make the establishment of a chair of homœopathy in said university a prerequisite for the granting of a charter, and thereby prevent a sectarian monopoly. Quarterly Meeting. A quarterly meeting of the society was held April 11, 1871, Dr. Jas. F. McKown in the chair. Dr. Paine moved that Dr. Carpenter be appointed a delegate to the New York State Homoeopathic Medical Society in place of Dr. Smithwick, removed from the county. Dr. Paine presented a report from the committee appointed to prepare a fee-bill. The report was accepted and the committee discharged. Dr. Paine called attention to the recent action of the Albany County Allopathic Medical Society, expressed in a series of resolutions having reference to the removal of Dr. Van Arnum, commissioner of pensions, which were grossly discourteous and illiberal toward the members of this society, and were filled with misrepre sentations, evidently for the purpose of deceiving the public. He urged the appointment of a committee to take such action as might be required. The chair accordingly appointed Drs. Paine, Pratt and McKown said committee. The committee subsequently presented an extended and carefully prepared report, which is published in the article entitled "Medical Intolerance." On motion of Dr. Cromwell, the committee was requested to publish the report in the daily papers. August Meeting. A regular meeting of the society was held at the office of Drs. Pratt and Delavan, Thursday evening, August 17, 1871. The hospital committee reported progress regarding the petition presented to the board of governors of the Albany City Hospital, relative to the establishment of a homœopathic department. The report was accepted and the committee continued. A paper on "Intermittent Fever," by H. E. Powell, M. D., was presented and read. Dr. Delavan called attention to the remedial effect of capsicum in two cases of intermittent fever. Considerable discussion ensued regarding the treatment of intermittent fever. Quinine, with sulphate of zinc, was considered a useful remedy for that disease. Dr. Carroll had received a letter from a class-mate in New Jersey giving him a recipe for intermittent fever, viz., sub-carbonate of iron, Dover's powder and quinine. Dr. Fitch, of Gallupville, was proposed, by Dr. Preston, for membership, and elected. Dr. Paine presented for examination a new form of an intra-uterine suppository syringe, and several new forms of uterine supporters. Dr. Paine presented the following resolution protesting against the publication of Dr. Swan's proving. Resolved, That we view with distrust the proving of non-medicinal and inert substances, and hereby protest against the publication in the transactions of the American Institute of Homœopathy of the paper of Dr. Swan, presented at its late meeting in Philadelphia. The resolution was adopted. Dr. Carroll related an interesting case of lead colic. The meeting adjourned to the second Tuesday in September. September Meeting. The regular monthly meeting of the society was held September 13, 1871, at the office of Dr. Paine; the president, Dr. Carrol in chair. Present. Drs. Cox, Pratt, Springsteed, Reynolds, White, Hunting, Carroll, Preston, Paine, Bellan, Thomas and Carpenter; as guests, Dr. Fuller, of Lansingburgh; Dr. C. P. Cook, of Hudson; Drs. Carpenter, Campbell, McCort and Vincent, of Troy. Dr. Thomas, of Albany, resident physician of the Albany City Dispensary, and Dr. G. H. Billings, of Cohoes, were unanimously elected members of the society. The hospital committee reported that public opinion seemed to favor the establishment of a department in the Albany City Hospital for the treatment of diseases homoeopathically. Dr. J. N. White, of Amsterdam, presented for examination, a little boy, six years of age, having a large tumor on the superior maxillary bone. About eighteen months before, a small tumor was noticed; some time after a tooth was extracted because of pain. A probe could then be passed into the tumor, one and a half inches. The tumor was lanced, but no discharge followed. Dr. White had seen a similar case in Amsterdam, which was successfully operated upon by Dr. Kingsley, of Rome. An operation was suggested by several physicians; others recommended that internal treatment be first tried. The latter plan was adopted, and promised well, but the patient unfortunately received several severe blows, at one time being knocked down and the tumor caused to bleed, since which time it had grown rapidly. In the treatment several remedies were used, but the most reliable were silicea and trifolium. Dr. Carpenter, of Troy, stated that he had treated a similar case, a lady fifty-five years of age. The tumor was so great as to close the eye. A cure was effected in from four to six months, by the administration of hecla lava. Dr. H. G. Preston read a report giving a minute description of a case presented for treatment at the dispensary. The patient came from Johnstown, Montgomery county. The disease consisted of a large tumor located on the back of the left hand. The history of the 'disease and of the operation of its removal were given in full, and were accompanied by a drawing accurately delineating the morbid growth. (See page 349.) Dr. Paine related the history of a similar case. The patient was of a scrofulous diathesis; the tumor the size of a small hazel nut, located on the ring finger of the left hand. A surgeon was consulted, but could not operate upon it, because of the difficulty in securing a flap. Nitrate of silver in small pieces was again and again applied. with complete success. A paper on "Spermatorrhoea," by Dr. Dayfoot, was presented and read. Dr. Paine called the attention of the society to the ratio of spermatorrhoea among the causes of insanity. The following extract from the report of the Ohio State Lunatic Asylum, as published in the University Journal, indicates that in nine hundred and fifty-two cases of insanity, one hundred and five were caused by this disease: "Adding masturbation to the diseases of the generative system; intemperance, opium eating, tobacco and dissipation to that of the digestive system, and the four next to that of the nervous, where they all severally belong, we shall have, as the prominent pathologi cal causes of insanity, the following tabular results: |