Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-07-21
VERMONT MEDICAL SOCIETY.

Z VI tut OEetu mOunihlnss some ten ullles ul
stage from the railroad station at Waterbury.
At the appointed hour fair, though not large,
representation from the medical profession Of
the State assembled in one Of the spacious
apartments Of the Mount Mansfield Hotel
and the Society was called to order by Or. o.
+. Fasset, Of Berkshire. President. Rev. Mr.
Ford, Of Stowe, was invited to offer prayer,
in accordance with resolution passed at the
Annual Meeting. The minutes Of the Annu-
al Session we're read by DR.. ]. S. Richmond
Of Woodstock, Secretary.
The President made brief congretuatoty
opening address, suggesting that suitable
tribute Of respect to the medical staff OF Yer
mont who have so noby done their duty in
the army during the rebellion, should be made
and directing The attention Of the Society to
the inefiicency Of the present registration law
Of the state; both of which subjects we're re-
ierred to committee, consisting Of Drs. Bat
Ter, kubee and Sutton, to report at the An
nual Meeting.
Drs. Edwin Porter Of Mortified, Noah
Litemoie Of Lowell. A. j. Hyde Of Hard
! wick, r. Sherwood of Hydepsrk, o. l.. Wat
son of Middlesex, and I j. Holbrook Of
Wo'cott, were severaly proposed for member
ship, and on reference to the committee on
admission of members, who reported favora-
bly,, we're duly elected Dr. j. Il. Gibson Of
Durham, G. f., was invited TO seat as an
honorary member, and to take part in the de-
lberations of the Society. A copy Of the
first volume Of the transactions Of the Society
was directed to be sent to the several news
papers in the State, and to sundry medical so
cieties, colleges and presses.
During the afternoon session DR.. Sutton
Of Stowe, presented an interesting case Of dis
ease of the eye before the society for exsmi-
nation and comment.
DR.. Champion Of Fairfield, presented reso-
utions on the death of Dr.. Nelson w Fair
child OF Milton, late member Of this Soeie
lty,) which took place April h, 1865, while
, in the active discharge Of his professional du-
ties, which were severally adopted. and Dr..
II. +. Stevens Of st. Adams was requested
to prepare biographical sketch of the de-
: ceased, to b read at the Annual Meeting m
October next
Dr.. l. c. Butler Of Essex, presented pa
per on The Hysioi gicut Properties mud Their
Gpusticdt Action # Vrrltrum Vride, ia winch
he commsuted on is peculiar properties as an
artefial and nervous sedatlte, aud gu It's wide
range of therapuetical application, and dem
onstrated it to be valuable and safe remedy
, in the treatment Of large class Of diseases.
: The paper elected an animated discussion,
! which was participated in by Ds. Stevens,
! Chandler, CLARK, Jones, Hathaway, Gibson.
4 Powers and others.
DR.. II. f Stevens, Of st. Albans, present
ed an elaborate paper embOdying interesting
statistical information in regard to the wide
spread prevalence and mortality of diphthe-
riai and particularly in certain portions o.
tie state. These statistics ne gathered from
s the Vermont registration reports. Ia 1858,
, the disease was first classed among the
J zymotics, and deuominated diphtheria Four
. teen death we're reported. In 1853, 79
}. deaths, the greatest number being in Ofang,
h county, midway of the eastern margin
It the state. In 1860, 2l2; Washington, Wind
n sor Rutland and Orange suffering most, form
d ing a belt the middle portion. La
e Sol, AL /; Rutland, Windsor, Orange and
i Addison giving the greatest mortality. la
i 1862, 8lS we're reported, the belt extending
i north into Caledonia, Washington, Chlttenden
and lamoiIle. Thus showing a steady IL
k crease in the mortality from this terrible dis
!, ease, eliminating, probably, in 1868, which
It will doubtless exhibit still greater mortali-
!. ty than any preceding year. The paper was
II referred to the committee on publication.
t The presentation of this paper elected an
e interesting discussion upon the whole suffice
/, Of diphtheria, in which toe members general.
a y participated.
J. DR.. Hyde had seen two or three humid ed
cases, Is or 20 per cent. OF which hao
Il proved fatal. He had pursued one plan Q
a treatment at one time, and laid it aside foi
"a another, with about the same dlsheartening
Il result. be adopted Greenhow's pathology
a that 1t is constitutional disease with lucal
exudation, which, breaking down and being
. absorbed into the system, produces poison
Il Gus condition of the blood. Local treatment
e may prevent this absorption, and cannot be
q dispensed with Ii is not throat disease
exclusively. He had seen cases where the
!, peculiar emulation was upon the foot, on the
" mucuous membrane of the stomach, on the
y fingers and the toes, followed by the seque &C
. of the disease. lie uses local applications,
and. in com junction with them, tonic course
u In mild easss. In msl,y maui cases, wnere int
:, emulation resembles gangrene, he had used
, bromine MS a local application, in connection
with qunine and the vapor bath, and had
saved a larger proportion OF his patients than
! formerly. O. iuine should he used in hetoic
doses. Two grains every four hoar, will kun
+ the patient, while ten to fifteen grains wall
j. kill he disease aud save life.
. r.
his locality, and had been quite successful IN
its treatment, save 10 one school district,
where he had eleven cases, nine of which
proved fatal. These cases were furiousIy de-
liriou., almost mauiacal these symptoms soon
being followed by prostration and death His
treatment was rhubarb and soda to obvlate
the costiveness which he sometimes found
present, quinine, car onate of ammonia, pot
ash and iron. with polk and onions for an ex-
ternal application. He did not think the dis
e ease any more contagious than typhoid fever.
DR.. Richmond referred to the division into
J true and false d.phtheria, proposed by the
q London Lancet. He had found the peculiar
d membranous exudstion in both forms, but
{ thought it not 30 thick and tenacious in the
y false as in the true. The latter he readily
recognized by the smell. it being much like
that OF rotten apples in a close room. The
one form was constitutional, the other local.
He used saturated solution OF muriae II
/ ammonia and French (that being the purest)
Q chlola,e of potash, with view TO prevent
the decomposition of the membrane, with