Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-08-09
DIR. FREDERICK HUMPHREYS
Upward Trend of a Great HOmoe-
pathist.

DR.. Frederick Humphreys, for many
years a resident of New York city,
and the manufacturer Of Humphreys
specifics, died recently in his eighty
fifth year, says the New York Tribune.
DR.. Humphreys was born in Marcel
lus, n. Y. March II, 1916. He re-
ceived an education in the public
schools and at Auburn academy. For
two years he was a clerk in store
in Auburn, and then, at the age of 16,
went south with his brother, Julius,
and an uncle to engage in the clock
business, which he followed for three
years. In 1887 he married Miss Cor
nelia Palmer, of Auburn, who died
June 4, 1910, leaving one son. After
teaching school at Chillicothe, Ohio,
for three years, he studied for the
ministry of the Methodist church.
and for five years was an itinerant
minister, serving g year successfully
in WorthingtOn, Ohio, and at Cayuga,
Cortlandville, New Hartford and
Utica. In 1916 he was ordained an
elder. In 1S43 he married Frances
Maria Sperry of Ludlowville, n. Y.
In 1874 he settled in Utica and united
with his father, DR.. Erastus Hum
phreys, in the practice of medicine.
The winters of 1848, 1849 and 1850
were passed at the homeopathic
Medical college in Philadelphia. From
1913 to 1852 DR.. Humphreys made a
careful investigation, the results Of
which he published in the Proving, Of
the Apis Melliffica; or, Poison of the
Honey Bee. He employed his office
assistant, George Washburn, in catch
ing these insects alive, and he eX-
tracted their poison from them by in
closing them in large-mouthed bot
tie, shaking them until they were
enraged, and pouring alcohol over
them, thus securing the mother tine
ture Of the virus. Armed with this
novel infusion he began a series OF
experiments by administering the
medicine to himself, his wife, his
students, patrons and friends, and for
two years devoted himself to careful
observation of the results. Then, at a
meeting of the Central New York
Homeopathic Medical society, he pre-
sented his discoveries in an address
of great interest. The tincture was
distributed among the physicians
present, and they co-operated with
Dr.. Humphreys by sending him their
reports of symptoms and cures. In
1852 he issued the monograph above
referred to, and is credited with hay-
ing made therein one Of the important
contributions TO the nateria medica
Of the homeopathic school. DR..
| Constantine Herring, his instructor in
the college in Philadelphia, enlarged
The work by adding the recorded re-
suits of Bee Stings, and published the
whole as an important addition to
Amerikanische Arzneiprurungen.
DR.. Humphreys original proving
afterward gave the profession one Of
its most valuable remedies fro dropsy,
diphtheria, angina, malignant scarlet
fever, kidney diseases, ophthalmia and
| cerebral and pulmonary congestion.
He also brought to the attention OF
his profession a preparation Of "nux
cum sale" as a valuable remedy in
intermittents. Three years later, with
the aid of his medical class in Phila-
delpha, he proved the "plantago ma
jor," thus adding another proved
remedy to the materia medica. This
| was The period OF the formation Of