as having been prescribed by different Homœopathic physicians; but I shall only give his own experience in this disease.

Belladonna and Apis Mellifica, at the commencement. He recommends Belladonna and Apis mellifica, as useful at the beginning of the disease, and in the slighter cases.

Mercur. s. H. beneficial in all fully developed cases, but not in the Croupy form.

Mercurius sol. H., in the first or second trituration, is beneficial when the formation of the membrane has commenced, and is visible on the tonsils, soft palate and throat, and even if the mucous membrane of the larynx, trachea and bronchia is affected. No good effect will be obtained from Mercury if the disease has increased to a violent croupy cough.

Merc. Corros. Subl.

According to Dr. Trinks, Merc. corrosiv. sublim. has been used with success in St. Petersburg, by Homoeopathic physicians.

Cyanuretum Mercurii-very favorable results.

The Cyanuretum mercurii was used with very favorable results by a very talented Homœopathic physician, Dr. Berk, in St. Petersburg. This knowledge was derived from its toxicological properties.

Acid. Nitric. highly spoken of.

Dr. Trinks speaks very highly of Ac. nitric. in the most malignant cases.

Also, Kali Bichrom.

Dr. T. avers that Spongia, Iodine and Bromium are of no use in the croupy form, but considers Kali bichrom. of great importance. When the diphtheritic process penetrates the bronchia, Mercurius sol. Hahnem., Lobelia and Senega are to be thought of.

A necrotic state of the local disease is to be met by China, Arsenic, Carbo vegetabilis, Kreasote. Phosphorus is to be employed in the paralysis of the heart which suddenly appears. Wine, Camphor, etc., absolutely necessary in the state of Collapse.

After the removal of the local disease, in case of collapse, coldness of extremities, with sudden sinking of the vital powers, the pulse, etc., Camphor, Moschus, Wine must be employed. I have used these agents with the greatest benefit in similar cases; particularly the wine. Some cases cannot be saved without them.

In the sequelae of the disease, Dr. Trinks has found Cocculus, Argentum nitric. and Nux vomica useful in paralysis. He also refers to Anacardium, Arnica, Baryta muriatica, Phosphor., Plumb. ac., Rhus, Secale cornut., Stann., Sulph., Zinc., and Electricity.

Dr. T. is in favor of large doses, by which alone this malignant disease can be destroyed. During the period of convalescence, a nourishing diet is of great importance; also, a sojourn in mountainous regions free from malarious influences.

During the meeting of the "Central Union of the Homœopathic Physicians of Germany," held in August, 1864, at Brunswick, diphtheria was the subject of discussion. Dr. Goldman opened the discussion by the relation of a case cured by Iodium, which Dr. Baehr (the author of the new Homœopathic Therapeutics) did not consider diphtheria at all, but simply croup.

The different physicians, Weber, Baehr, Elwert, and Bonhoff, seemed unable to unite on the differences between croup and diphtheria. Some thought it could not be diphtheria, unless there was an absolute dissolution of the blood, a gangrenous destruction of the mucous membrane; whilst others, like Elwert, of Hanover, alleged that destruction was not necessary to constitute the disease diphtheria.

Merc. Iod. and Ac. Muriat. successful. Cuprum.

With regard to the application of different remedies, Dr.

Baehr found Merc. iod. and Ac. muriat. of benefit. The subsequent paralysis was cured by Cuprum. Elwert gave in most cases Belladonna, Hepar and Spongia, with good results.

Dr. Fisher treated twenty-two cases, some of them of a malignant form, with Apis mellifica 200, without losing a single

case.

(It seems that in Germany, as well as in this country, all cases of diphtheria were invariably cured by the high dilutions, no matter what was the remedy used. It must be, therefore, sheer obstinate blindness on the part of the other physicians to shut their eyes against these facts, and not also employ them when they thus would be enabled to cure all their cases.)

Dr. Schneider treated a case, which at first appeared very slight, with Arsenic. Without his being aware of it, it soon assumed a very dangerous form, and the patient died. Some other cases which he treated more carefully, he succeeded in arresting by Bromine and Arsenic.

Apis Mellifica successful.

Dr. Kallenbach also speaks favorably of the action of Apis mellif. in diphtheria.

Arsenic and Mercury unsuccessful. Ac. Muriat.-favorable

account.

Dr. Borchers, of Bremen, saw no good results from Arsenic and Mercury, but speaks very highly of Ac. muriaticum.1

Ice.

Dr. Bonhoff speaks favorably of the employment of ice in diphtheria. (I have used it in many cases with great benefit.) Dr. Kunkel, of Kiel, has treated the disease successfully with Kali bichrom. and Mercury in the second and third triturations. He was not able to give distinct indications for these remedies. (No doubt of it. The characteristic symptoms of this blood

1 This corresponds with my own experience. Next to Calc. chlor. and Kali bichrom., I have seen more beneficial effects from Ac. muriat. dil. than from any other remedy.

poison are the same in all cases, only modified by constitutional idiosyncrasies, which require special treatment.)

Dr. Kafka, of Prague, in his "Practice of Medicine," speaks of Chin. arsenic. 3 as having been of extraordinary service to him in scarlatina sore throat, and suggests that it might be equally beneficial in epidemic diphtheritis.

From the account which I have given of the treatment of diphtheria in Germany, it may be presumed that that country has by no means been visited by the most malignant form of this disorder. Very few or none of the cases described seemed to possess the extremely dangerous character of the cases prevalent in this country.

SECTION IV.-AMERICAN PHYSICIANS.

J. P. Dake, M. D., of Pittsburg.

Dr. J. P. Dake, of Pittsburg, classifies diphtheria according to the following groups of symptoms, and varies his treatment accordingly.

1. Sensation of soreness of the throat, heat and dark redness of the tonsils, uvula or contiguous parts, and difficult deglutition, preceded by more or less chilliness, and accompanied with fever, and often with headache also. (This, of course, is the disease in its undeveloped state, as he himself mentions.)

Belladonna and Capsicum.

Remedies employed in this form: Belladonna, Capsicum, (with a combination of 1st, 7th, 14th and 31st dilutions.)

2. In addition to the symptoms enumerated above, considerable swelling of the tonsils, submaxillary and parotid glands, nasal obstruction, or fluent coryza, with a general feeling of soreness and languor, and sometimes, also, stiffness of the neck. Remedies: Mercurius iod. 3d dec. trit., in alternation one day with Belladonna, and the following with Capsicum, giving one dose of the Mercurius iod. to two of the other remedies, and at intervals, between doses, of two hours.

Borax, Capsicum, and Belladonna.

3. Disordered stomach, loss of appetite, aphthous (?) ulcers on the tongue, in the buccal cavity, or on the tonsils and palate; soreness and pains in the epigastrium, occasionally with diarrhoea; the pulse generally rapid and small, with moisture of surface, and general debility. Remedies: in third or aphthous form, Borax, second trituration, in alternation with Capsicum and Belladonna. When there is much feverishness, he prefers Belladonna, with the Borax; when there is great burning in the mouth and throat, Capsicum is better.

Malignant Form.

4. In addition to the symptoms in groups 1 and 2, and sometimes succeeding those of 3, white elevated spots on the tonsils, uvula, arches of the palate or posterior wall of the pharynx, appearing like the mucous membrane raised, thickened, hardened and whitened, in patches varying in size from the smallest fish-scale to that of a piece of white kid sufficient to cover the entire throat and half the buccal cavity. These patches have a border of deep red, and when removed leave a raw, rough, and bleeding surface. They sometimes form and spread very rapidly. Under successful treatment, they loosen, break, and are thrown off in fragments, with a sanious and bloody discharge. The breath is very offensive, the pulse small and generally rapid, with copious perspiration, and in the later stages there is extreme debility. (This is diphtheria in its fully developed state.)

Nitric Acid, Belladonna, and Capsicum.

Remedies: Nitric Acid 1, in alternation with Belladonna and Capsicum.

Croupoid Form.

5. Constant dry cough provoked by swallowing, and worse when lying; hoarseness and rasping respiration, such as characterize membranous croup.