natural and of usual size; the labia minora were traceable: but, in the folds of the left labium there appeared a large pendant tumor, resembling the left testicle of a man, with a well developed scrotum of usual size, of some four inches in length, resembling in every respect the scrotum of a man. Tracing up what appeared to be the cord, I found it made its exit from the external abdominal ring and had every indication of a spermatic cord; the epididymis appeared to be natural; in fact, everything resembled the testicle.

She stated that she felt some sexual desire, and that every morning for the past six years she had noticed a small quantity of blood in the mucus she was in the habit of coughing up.

To my question, as to how long the tumor had existed, she stated that she had noticed nothing of it until she was ten years of age. Being placed in a somewhat embarrassing position, in discovering so much more than I expected to find, I resolved to call a consultation, to ascertain if my diagnosis of a testicle would be confirmed. Accordingly Drs. I. S. P. Lord, E. H. Parker, and my brother Dr. E. W. Avery, all of this city, were called in, when they all agreed that it resembled in every respect a testicle; but, the case being so extraordinary they could not form any diagnosis, although they advised an operation.

With the assistance of Drs. Lord and E. W. Avery, I proceeded to perform the operation of removing the tumor, by the usual process for castration, i. e., by making an incision of some five inches in length, so as to expose the cord, when three arteries, a nerve, and veins, were found. On severing the cord, the retraction was the same as is usual in performing the operation upon a man. The tumor was then dissected out, the wound partially closed, and the patient placed in bed. Dressings of diluted carbolic acid were used, and in the course of ten days, the ligatures having come away, the wound was found nearly closed. Sixteen days after the operation the patient was able to walk about.

After removal, the tumor was examined by Drs. Lord, E. W. Avery, and several others, with a microscope of high magnifying power, when cellular structure and convoluted tubes were visible, with rudimentary spermatozoa; in fact, everything indicated a testicle. Mounted specimens of the tubes, for the microscope, have been prepared for reference; and photographs of the person are preserved.

Subsequent examinations have proven the nature of the tumor; it has been declared beyond any doubt to be a testicle.

ARTICLE XXXVI.

Case of Abscess of the Neck and Throat. By HENRY N. AVERY, A. M., M. D., Poughkeepsie.

I was called, May 2d, 1868, to see Wm. N-, son of Capt. N, U. S. A., aged seventeen, cadet at Poughkeepsie Military Academy.

He was attending his school duties, and enjoying, comparatively, a good degree of health, although possessed of a strumous diathesis. Three years ago, while in Virginia with his father, he had an attack of bilious remittent fever, and since then he had not been as well. At that time he received allopathic treatment.

Last December I attended him in an attack of measles, from which he recovered satisfactorily.

At my visit, May 2d, I found an enlargement, commencing at the mastoid process on the right side, extending three inches down and a little to the front, with a slight degree of tenderness. Mercurius sol.3 and lachesis10 were given.

The third day found him much as before; treatment continued. Fifth day, a slight improvement; treatment continued.

On the seventh day, the tumor appeared to be larger and more diffused, with thickening of the tissue around, and a tendency to assume an erysipelatous appearance. The pulse was 98, thick and compressible.

Eighth day. The symptoms were all aggravated, with the addition of a sore throat; the fauces appeared to be inflamed, and he complained of a feeling of fullness in his throat, and pain in swallowing.

Ninth day. About the same, with the addition of two chills; calearea3 and sulphur10 were given.

Tenth day.-Symptoms continued to increase; what appeared to be a tumor had assumed the form of an abscess, extending to the median line of the throat.

Eleventh day. The surrounding tissue assumed an indurated condition, extending backwards and downwards. He complained of much pain in his right ear. I discovered fluctuation below the mastoid process.

Twelfth day.-About eight o'clock A. M., nature found an opening into the meatus auditorius externus, and two-thirds of a pint of offensive pus was discharged. This day, one hour later, I found him complaining of chilliness, with great prostration and much emaciation.

Thirteenth day.-Found him about the same as on the day previous; the ear continued to discharge freely. At a point below the mastoid process, fluctuation was so evident that I resolved to make a free exit for the matter. Accordingly, in consultation with Dr. A. Hall, of this city, I made a deep incision between the jugular vein and the carotid artery, through the platysma myoides muscle, when, to our surprise, nearly a pint of pus was discharged. This escape of matter did not appear to reduce the size of the enlargement, owing to the great thickening of the surrounding tissue, but the difficulty of swallowing was greatly relieved. A probe could be introduced posteriorily and anteriorily some five inches; also in the direction of the fauces.

Fourteenth day.-Found the opposite side of the neck partaking of the general appearance of the right side, except that pus was not found in sufficient quantity to warrant the introduction of anything but an exploring needle. The difficulty of swallowing continued, and, at intervals, mucus and pus were coughed up, with traces of blood. It was considered probable that the original abcess had made an opening into the fauces.

Fifteenth day. Very restless the night previous. For the last five days he had been sustained by beef-tea, milk, eggs, and a little stimulus. In order to quiet the pain and procure sleep, it was fonnd necessary to employ morphia.

From the thirteenth day to his decease on the eighteenth, the chills increased in intensity, and a fever set in daily about two o'clock P. M., and continued until ten or eleven, when sleep, pro duced by morphia, usually restored his failing strength.

The seventeenth day found the enlargement of his neck steadily increasing, and on the eighteenth, death closed the scene.

It is rarely the case that the matter from an abscess formed on the neck is so freely discharged through the ear.

ARTICLE XXXVII.

Generalization in Medicine. By EDWARD W. AVERY, A. M., M. D., Poughkeepsie.

We look in vain, through homoeopathic literature, for original and systematic investigation in many branches connected with the practice of medicine. Anatomy and physiology are seldom mentioned. Chemistry receives little attention, and pathology is utterly ignored.

The immediate requirements of our profession yield to the theoretical and speculative. Theories unsubstantiated have been advanced ab libitum. Polemics occupy a large share of our periodicals. We require more of the posteriori and less of the priori. Principles spring naturally from the manifestations of nature, rightfully interpreted. Close observers and comprehensive thinkers are few. To advance theories, and substantiate them by facts, as the architect constructs an edifice, will not promote the cause of science, or advance the interests of the profession. Facts interpreted by enthusiasts frequently conform to hypotheses.

Generalization is the cause of this excessive theorizing. The minds of the homeopathic profession have too large a field wherein to operate. Physicians in extensive practice seldom investigate closely. Faithful observations, extending through terms of years, form the only source of nature's laws as applied to the healing art. A few isolated cases rightfully interpreted, or a multitude incompletely observed, may suggest probabilities but cannot reveal principles.

Hahnemann's transcendent genius, it is true, like the lightning flash, beheld a glorious truth. Such intellect, however, is seldom Vouchsafed to mortals.

In order to reach definite results we must focalize our thoughts. This can only be accomplished by persistent labor in separate directions. Specialists should spring up. The brain, heart, lungs, urinary organs, each awaits trustworthy scrutinizers. The regulars claimed Galen, Hippocrates, Harvey and Sydenham before the dawn of the nineteenth century, but these were lights which rendered the surrounding darkness apparent.

Not until the last few years has there been a uniform advance. Specialists have given to the school this remarkable impetus. We find in cities the most skillful representatives of the profession, from the fact that certain individuals apply themselves exclusively to the examination of distinct diseases. Political economy and our own experience teach us that perfection must be attained, if at all, through division of labor.

While most of the profession admit the advisability of separate fields of labor, the disciples of the pioneers of the new school ignore the claims of nosology and pathology. They consider themselves the antipodes of the regulars, and consequently discard everything pertaining to the old régime.

Prejudice should not blind the judgment. Classifications of

diseases have been disregarded to our detriment. The remark of Hufeland, that the success of homoeopathy would be the grave of medical science, was elicited, doubtless, from the unsystematic proceedings of its followers. Members of the profession claim that names of diseases lead to empiricism in prescribing; that, for instance, pneumonia would be treated as such, not according to its symptoms.

The very process necessary to diagnosticate a disease enables us to closely differentiate its varieties. It may be claimed that allopathists have failed in this particular. True, but they do not consider minor symptoms of any value in the selection of remedies. Again, it is claimed that confusion would result; on the contrary, we think that order would spring from chaos.

Does the classification of the geologist or botanist prove cumbersome? Because botany speaks of roses as a genus, it does not preclude the idea of distinct species. Order, "nature's first law," facilitates analysis. No one will deny that such a malady as typhoid fever exists; as diagnosticians, we recognize it; as prescribers we, inspect the aggregate of symptoms and pathognomonic signs.

Classification of disease allows us to group remedies, and thus better enable us to memorize them. For instance, cholera suggests cuprum, camphor and veratrum; intermittent fever, china, arsenic, eupatorium, natrum muriaticum. The analysis, carried farther, will indicate the remedy for the particular set of symptoms with which we have to deal.

Pathology must receive a share of attention. Cui bono? cry some. In selecting our remedies, objective as well as subjective signs should be taken into account. The provings of drugs do not cause lesions, because they cannot be carried sufficiently far without endangering life. Because Hahnemann cured, to the surprise of Hartmann, condyloma with chamomile, it is not proved that the remedy will not produce the same excrescence when administered to certain individuals in given quantities.

Our provings are not thorough. I would rather think, with Bonninghausen, that a drug, to cure a symptom, must produce it. If disease is not an entity, but an impression made upon the system, producing certain distinct phenomena, then abnormal condi tions are known only by the totality of symptoms. The lesion, however, is the least important in selecting remedies, because it is