November 7, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



373 



homoeopathic treatment he has been subjected to some little 

 disappointment. I can assure him that if the remedies have 

 been, as he says, " entirely inert," it can only be through their 

 having been incorrectly administered, or through some un- 

 favourable conditions. I regret now that I was not somewhat 

 more explicit in my last letter respecting the administration of 

 the various remedies ; but the fact is, that with a view to econo- 

 mise your valuable space, I left a great deal of useful informa- 

 tion to be gathered from such vade-mecum or guide book as 

 your ornithological correspondents might think fit to purchase 

 ere commencing practice. The only details I furnished in this 

 respect were, I believe, under the heading of " indigestion, 

 rupture or surfeit," as I considered this the fancier's greatest 

 trouble, and moreover it was a disease which had given me my 

 most extensive, and, in every case, satisfactory practice. 



Your correspondent's want of success is doubtless attributable 

 to one or more of the following causes — viz., an incorrect 

 diagnosis of the disease, too frequent changing of the medicines, 

 neglecting to thoroughly cleanse the water-bottle or tin prior to 

 same, the mixing of medi«ines which are antidotal to each 

 other, unsuitable diet, changeable temperature, or other con- 

 ditions prejudicial to the health of an asthmatic patient. 



With regard to mixing medicines, although it has sometimes 

 been done, it is certainly no t in accordance with the Hahnemanian 

 doctrine, for it precludes the possibility of ascertaining the 

 action of any single agent. In acute diseases, when more than 

 one -remedy is indicated, it is usual to give them in alternation, 

 but this also should as much as possible be avoided ; as a rule, 

 therefore, one remedy which is applicable to most or at least the 

 principal symptoms, should be given alone, and if really neces- 

 sary be followed by others alone when indicated. When the 

 effect of a remedy is satisfactory it is, of course, unnecessary to 

 change to another, and all that is required is to dimmish the 

 quantity and frequency of the dose until the patient is con- 

 valescent. 



It will be seen from the foregoing that a careful study of the 

 Materia Medica is of quite as much importance as the study of 

 the disease, for when you have discovered the features of the 

 latter you require to select a remedy with similar ones. 



I have occasionally, as will be seen by my former letters, 

 mixed medicines, but of course always avoided mixing those 

 which were antidotal to each other; but this confusion, as a rule, 

 must be attributed to uncertainty, though in my cases it was 

 prompted by the knowledge of the slight thread by which a 

 Canary's life sometimes hangs, and the sometimes speedy fatal 

 terminations of their ailments. I always hadbeneficialresults, but 

 have no doubt but that I could have obtained the same quicker 

 by giving singly or in judicious alternation. As a list of the 

 remedies and their various antidotes would occupy considerable 

 space, I must refer your correspondent to some homoeopathic 

 work. 



With reference to your correspondent's present patient, if he 

 will give me the following information I will with pleasure pre- 

 scribe to the best of my ability. What is its age ? Has it 

 moulted? Did it contract the disease during the moult? How 

 long has it been bad ? Had it always good health prior to 

 moulting ? Is its abdomen at all distended or inflamed ? Of 

 what consistency are its droppings — are they small and watery, 

 or loose, copious, and slimy? How has it been dieted? At 

 what temperature is it kept, and say if equal ? State its most 

 prominent symptoms ? 



Asthma at best is a very tedious disease, and especially so in 

 birds, and if this really is the little patient's affliction it will 

 require great care over winter, and should be kept at an even 

 temperature of, say, 60°, and be fed principally on white seed, 

 with occasionally a little brown rape or a pinch of linseed. 



As to my remarks respecting nux vomica, they are quite in order, 

 and my letter No. 2 is not, as your correspondent says, " faulty 

 in its pathology," in proof of which I beg to submit the follow- 

 ing quotations from leading practitioners : — "Probably the best 

 anti-asthma remedy. It is homoeopathic to that condition of the 

 digestive system which is the most common cause of the irrita- 

 tion which results in bronchial spasm." — (Ruddock). " After 

 the paroxysm subsides, it leaves a condition of the digestive 

 organs for which nux vomica is the great remedy. There is 

 often flatulence and constipation; breathing seldom quite right; 

 generally there remains a sort of physical memory of the 

 struggle. No liberties must be taken, either of diet or exercise. 

 Out of this secondary state of bondage nothing will liberate so 

 effectually as nux vomica." — (Russell.) 



Your correspondent is apparently unaware of the sympathy 

 existing between the respiratory and digestive organs ; for in- 

 stance, in consumption amongst the chief symptoms are "im- 

 paired digestion," and sometimes " gastralgia," and the influ- 

 ence of the latter organs is so great that an " irritable mucous 

 membrane will hurry tubercular deposit through its stages, 

 while a healthy digestive apparatus may prolong the stages in- 

 definitely." — (Ruddock.) Under the heading of causes of asthma 

 I find the following : — " Irritation of the nerves of respiration, 

 resulting in most cases froni deranged digestion, from the inti- 



mate nervous connection existing between the digestive and the 

 respiratory organs. After it has once occurred, asthma is easily 

 reproduced by indigestion." — (Ruddock.) I therefore infer that 

 the " particular " condition of the digestive organs which is 

 conducive to asthma is an irritable state of the mucous membrane. 

 For further information respecting the uses of nux vomica I 

 must refer " Tai-koong-soo " to his Materia Medica; I trust, 

 however, that the foregoing is sufficiently explanatory. As to 

 Ms little patient, until I hear further I would recommend the 

 following treatment if yet ill — viz., one drop of aconite in its water, 

 for, say, one or two days, or aconite and ipecacuanha on alter- 

 nate days, and after missing a day give nux vomica for a couple of 

 days, and then a single dose of sulphur after missing a day. 

 After it is relieved, it is only necessary, in a chronic disease like 

 this, to give a single dose of a suitable remedy when there is a 

 slight return of the symptoms. I think this course, unless the 

 bird is too far gone, should with care and attention keep it right 

 over winter, after which the slight remaining symptoms will 

 probably cease entirely. 



I had a slight case in January last, but got the bird, a hen, 

 tolerably well by breeding time, when unfortunately she had a 

 severe inflammation of the intestines, with a return of her old 

 symptoms, which caused me some trouble for a few weeks, but 

 after a course of medicine which included mercurius and arseni- 

 cum she came round sufficiently to breed, and reared me eight 

 young birds, with one of which I recently secured a prize. She 

 has now moulted clean, and is as healthy a bird as one could 

 wish to see. The same bird, when about two months old, had 

 a severe attack of inflammation which, thanks to the old system, 

 lasted six or seven weeks : she was so bad, indeed, that a friend 

 estimated her worth at 2d. I trust, therefore, that " Tai-koong- 

 soo " will persevere not only in practice but in theory, for I can 

 assure him if he do that, ultimately, in spite of disappointments 

 like the present, he will succeed, as I and several others have 

 done. I may tell him that I am not at all singular in my 

 opinions, for they are shared by several fanciers in my neigh- 

 bourhood; indeed, I know one in particular who has recently 

 secured prizes for a very fine Marked Jonque Mule, which, but 

 for my homoeopathic treatment would, at the early age of five 

 weeks, have been rendered, by a very severe form of inflamma- 

 tion, a thing of the past. — Fbingilla Canabia. 



BEES AND HONEYCOMB AT AGEICULTUEAL 

 SHOWS. 



As exhibitions of hives and supers are becoming more common 

 and likely to become pretty general at our agricultural shows, 

 it appears desirable for bee-keepers of intelligence to suggest 

 and discuss the points of excellence which should guide the 

 judges in awarding prizes. In this, as in most other things, 

 wisdom will come out of a multitude of counsel. If opinions 

 be calmly and publicly given by honest and competent persons, 

 we may soon arrive at and stand on a platform of rules and 

 regulations which may do much to extend and advance bee- 

 culture in England. 



In this neighbourhood prizes are offered for the best collec- 

 tions of bees, and for honeycomb, but the whole thing is so in- 

 definite, and the judging so uncertain, that I question if auy good 

 results can come out of such exhibitions and competitions as 

 are seen in the neighbourhood of Manchester. My object in 

 this paper is to stimulate attention and discussion on this sub- 

 ject, and to offer a few suggestions. Suppose we make four 

 classes, and three prizes in each class. 



1. For the best, second best, and third best hive, with or with- 

 out bees, £3, £2, £1. 



2. For best, second best, and third best swarm of the current 

 year, £2, £1, and 10s. 



3. Prizes of 30s. 20s., and 10s. to be given for supers of honey- 

 comb of current year's build. 



4. Prizes of £3, £2, and .£1 to be offered for ornamental hives 

 of wood and glass. 



In judging fruit, say grapes, the flavour, colour, size of bunch 

 and berry, bloom and finish, have to be examined and considered : 

 so in judging hives, many points should be considered — viz., 

 the weight and value of the contents, youngness, or virginity of 

 combs, cheapness and materials of hives, simplicity and neat- 

 ness of appearance. 



For the weight or value of the contents of hives competing in 

 the first class I would give three marks, for virginity of combs 

 two marks, for cheapness of hives one, and for simplicity and 

 appearance one mark. 



In the second class, swarms of the current year, the combs 

 would be of course all young, and therefore the value of the con- 

 tents and the cheapness and neatness of the hives only would 

 have to be considered. In both the first and second classes the 

 excellence and value of the contents, not the cost and appear- 

 ance of the hives, would command the prizes . Thus the tax so 

 often put on poverty would be removed, and cottagers, whom we 

 wish to encourage and elevate, would frequently come to the 

 front and carry off the honours. 



