*[Reported to the American Institute of Homoeopathy, at its Seventeenth Annual Meeting, in Philadelphia; June 2, 1860.]

BY CONSTANTINE HERING, M.D., PHILADELPHIA.

The epidemic diphtheria commenced in Philadelphia, December last, and increased slowly in number and violence during the following three months, and I have not seen any more during the last six weeks.

All my patients, except cases where I was the consulting physician, belonged to families I had been attending for years, nearly all very intelligent families which I consider a great advantage in treatment. I have had during this time about 50 to 60 cases with marked symptoms of diphtheria, in one case I succeeded in obtaining the membrane for microscopic examination, which I add herewith. I had about the same number of light cases'. All recovered within seven, days, except a very few of so called scrofulous diathesis, which required more time. The time it took to effect a cure, I consider one of the most important items in statistic tables, as I remember that since I have learned to give the doses higher and higher, the duration of acute cases has been shortened.

The medicine given has been mostly at first Belladonna. In some cases Bryonia or Antimonium crudum, which last one corresponded to the genus epidemicus particularly well.

After the first medicine, Lachesis was indicated by the great sensibility to the touch on the throat, with or without a swelling. In a few cases Iodine or Bromine, the first in persons with dark hair and black eyes, the latter with blue eyes and blonde hair, was given with good effect. Mercury I gave only once without benefit to the patient. No other medicine seemed to me to be indicated, and least of all the Iodide of Mercury. Every single dose of any of the medicines, even in the worst cases, I allowed about 24 hours to act before I decided to make a change. The lowest potence given was the 200 of Jenichen, generally I used them higher, giving always in every repetition a higher degree.

Dr. LIPPE has had about a like number of cases, and as far as I recollect, has given nearly the same medicines in the same potencies with like success. Dr. Reichhelm had had 6 or 8 weeks ago, about 80 cases, has given the 30th potence and lost none.