Evening star., 1898-12-09
DISEASES AND REMEDIES
Themes Discussed by Homeopathist Medical
Society Of the District.
The Use of Electricity and Serum
Respectively, In the Treatment
of Human Ills.

evening in the banquet room of the Shore
ham Hotel. and the interest displayed in
the discussions, the new plan OF conducting
the annual meeting was a success. No
business was brought to the attention Of
the society, but the entire session was de-
voted to the reading of papers and discus
sions. Another session was held this af-
ternoon beginning at o'clock, and this
evening the closing session will be held.
The president of the society, DIR. F. A.
Gardner, presided last evening and the
secretary, DR.. c. A. Davis, also occupied
a. seat on the platform. At a table near
the platform was seated the treasurer, DR..
VIM. r, King.
In addition to the members of the So
ciety, representatives of the profession from
Baltimore, Atlantic City and Alexandria
were present, and in some instances took
part In the discussions.
The papers read a the session last even
ing We're classified as being in the sections
of surgery, gynecology and electricity and
OF practice.
The First Paper.
DR.. T. L. Macdonald the chairman of
the section of surgery, read the first paper,
which was entitled "Peritoneal Infection;
Peritonitis and Some of the Causitive Le-
sions.' He spoke of the different forms of
peritonitis. the symptoms and some meth
DDS of treatment. lie said that it was a
secondary disease.
DIR. H. H. HavXhurst opened the discus
sion and said that he did not subscribe to
DR.. Macdonald's opinion that peritonitis is
always secondary disease. He added that
cold will produce in the pcritOneum the eff
fec5s it will in other parts of the body. He
had seen what he believed was primary
case. and he thought that in the last stages
OF chronic Bright's disease it occurs. 9th
ers taking part in the discussion were DR..
G. l.. Bliss. DR.. B. f. Gibbs and DIR. G. l..
Rumsey of Baltimore.
Result of observations
Some Observations on the Treatment of
Hip Joint Diseases was the subject of the
next paper, which was read by DR.. Ralph
Jenkins. He illustrated what he had to
say, especially of the mechanical treatment
of the disease, by showing some of the de-
vices employed for the support of limbs
The discussion of this paper was opened
by Dr. Henry krogstad, who spoke of the
importance OF the constitutional treatment
of this disease. which he said was usually
of tuberculosis origin. Others taking part in
the discussion were DIR. c. l.. Rumsey, Dr.
T. L. Macdonald, DIR. w. r. Andrews Of
Rockville and DR.. w. F. Corey.
The president, Dr. Gardner. called DR..
Ralph Jenkins, the vice president, to the
chair, and then read the next paper on the
program, which was entitled Static Elec-
triclty.S He said that electricity was not
a new remedy for disease, but had been
in use for century and half. He gave
an account Of the first machine used and
spoke of the various stages in the develop
ment or such appliances. He said that
static electricity is a regulator of the funC-
tions, and gave an interesting resume Of
its use i'll treating various complaints.
In opening the discussion DR.. Jenkins
called attention to the fact that this was
the first paper on the subject read before
the society. Dr. Z. 3. Babbitt and DR..
Henry Krogstad also spoke the former ex-
pressing the hope that the price of static
machines would soon be so moderate that
every physician may have one.
Use of Serum.
The next paper was read by DR. G. l..
Bliss, on ''Anti-streptococcus serum" who
mentioned the effective use of this serum
in erysipelas, and also in septicemla. IN
opening the discussion DR.. Richard Kings
man mentioned the case of a man suffering
from carbuncle which had yielded TO this
treatment.
In the opinion of DR.. ]. p. G. Custis. ref
eTence to such topics as treated by Dr. Bliss
was out OF place at u meeting OF the
homeopathic Society. He thought that
when homeopathic remedies failed. other
methods could be tried. lie believed, how
ever, in using any means 10 save patients
life
DR. VIM. r. King said that while the
members of the society were homeopaths,
they were also up-to-late physicians, and
If there is anything new that Is of value
they ought to know IT. He was of the opin-
ion that the time was past when schools of
medicine can live to themselves and disre-
gard what others are doing. If anti-toxin
is accomplishing what homeopathic reme-
dies are not that fact should be known.
DR.. Gardner said he saw no reason why
serum should not be employed in cases
where il has been demonstrated to be eff
fectiVe. Others taking part In the discus
sion were Dr. II. II. Hawxhurst, DR.. c. B.
Gilbert, DIR. l. w. Dennison, Dr. Henry
Krogstad. DR.. T. L. Macdonald and Dr. W.
r. Andrews.
Microscope I'm Surgery.
1.-The relation Of the microscope to the
practice Of surgery was the title of
paper by DR.. s. S. Stearns, and proved to
be an interesting account of instances
where microscopic examination of the
sputum and the blood had furnished valu-
able informant, I in the diagnosis of dis
ease. DR., J, 3. c.. Custis, DR.. C. b. Gill
bert and DR.. B. E. Gibbs discussed this
paper.
In the section of practice the first paper
was read by the chairman, Dr. Richard
Kingsman. on "lcterus" he said that
jaundlce was Il symptom and not disease
was of liver origin only. The paper brought
out remarks from DIR. G. b. Gilbert, Dr. w.
r. King, DR.. J. 3. G.. Custis, DR.. Rufus
Choate and DIR. Ralph Jehn-ns
Concluding Discussion.
The concluding paper OF the evening was
presented by DR.. II. II. Hawxhurst, the
title being The relation Of renal function
TO the liver" which was discussed by Dr.
C. 3. Gilbert and DIR. Z. 3. Babbitt.
In addition TO the physicians from this
city in attendance at the session last even
ing, there was present DR.. J. w. Bechtel of
Alexandria Dr. G. l.. Rumsey Of Baltimore
and Dr John X. Fleming Dr A w Bailey
and Dr. NJ. l. MunsOn of Atlantic City
At the session this afternoon papers In
the section Of senito-urinary diseases and
in the secuon Of diseases of children were
read.
]. Jay Gould's Wonders for Children