friend and teacher. Addresses were made by Professor Rolla L. Thomas, M. D., for the profession and Col. David W. McClung for the community. All too briefly have we sketched the life of John King, scholar and scientist, patriot and humanitarian. Though others were revered and admired, we do not overdraw when we say that Professor King was the best loved man in Eclecticism. He has been justly styled the father of the Eclectic materia medica. His stanch loyalty to the cause of Eclectic medicine never flagged for one moment; his consideration and benevolence for the common people were abiding virtues. Of no man can it be more truthfully said than it has been of him, that he earned the right to hear this criticism of himself made by another: "As I walk the soil that gave me birth, I feel that I am not unworthy to tread upon it. I look upon these beautiful and venerable trees and feel that I do not dishonor them. I think of my sacred rights, and rejoice that I have never deserted them; besides, I look forward to the long ages and generations, and glory in the thought that I am fighting their battles for them." "Interfere with no man's rights; but if in art or science he be in the wrong, prove it, not by legislation, but by overpowering him with superior knowledge, superior skill, and truth. This is the best method to compel him to thoroughly inform himself upon those points in which his deficiency has been proved. But no legislation. Science does not need it, and can much better take care of itself when not attached to statutes per force."-John King, Address on Special Medical Legislation. CANCER REMEDIES (SO-CALLED). CANCER REMEDIES (so-called).-Take extract of arrowwood (viburnum dentatum), extract of marygold flowers and leaves, extract of red clover (trifolium pratense), and extract of wild indigo leaves and bark of root, of each equal parts; mix thoroughly together and form a plaster, which apply on linen to the ulcer, cleansing it daily. Internally, use the following: Take of salt of tartar, one ounce; cream of tartar, four ounces; water, two quarts; mix and dissolve the salts: the dose is a wineglassful, three times a day. This solution alone is said to have removed a scirrhous tumor in six weeks. To an aqueous extract of recent sassafras bark add a few drops of nitric acid, until a froth or foam is formed; spread this on a piece of lint, and apply twice a day. Previous to each application, wash with a mixture of equal parts of brandy and honey. This will not act on the healthy tissue, but only on the cancer, and when this is destroyed, heal the ulcer with-sweet oil, one pint; beeswax, one ounce; melt together and when nearly cold add nitric acid, half an ounce. Apply this once or twice a day, at the same time using the wash of honey and brandy between dressings. Take of marygold flowers and leaves, red clover flowers and leaves, bloodroot, digitalis leaves, of each, recent and coarsely powdered, half an ounce; carbolic acid, four ounces; glycerine, eight ounces; mix the articles together, and allow them to stand fourteen days. Apply some of this to the cancer every day, on some lint. Also said to be useful in lupus and other cutaneous diseases. Take of finely-powdered hardwood root, two ounces; belladonna ointment, two ounces; mix thoroughly together, and then add of finely powdered arsenite of copper, from fifteen to sixty grains. The quantity of copper salt to be added will depend upon the sensibility of the patient, as no pain must be caused by the application; the quantity must also be regulated by the extent of surface of the cancerous ulcer. A portion of this ointment spread upon cotton batting is to be applied to the ulcer, changing it daily. In some cases, as much as one ounce of the arsenite may be added with advantage. At some future time I may add to this list still a few more so-called remedies for cancer. JOHN KING, M. D., Eclectic Medical Journal, 1865. The paper which follows was published by Professor John Uri Lloyd in the Western Druggist in December, 1893, and republished in the Eclectic Medical Journal in 1894. We reproduce it here for its historic bearing upon the history of podophyllin and Professor King's connection therewith. DISCOVERY OF PODOPHYLLIN1 (Resinoid of Podophyllum) the first Eclectic Resinoid.-"As early as 18312 Mr. William Hodgson made a partial analysis of the rhizome of podophyllum, 1 This manuscript was prepared some years ago. If the same was published I have no record of the fact. It very properly follows the biography of Professor King, connecting the most conspicuous Eclectic remedy with his name.-L. 2 American Journal of Pharmacy, January, 1832, page 273. but overlooked the resin. In 1846 Dr. John King described a resinous substance that he then employed in his practice, identifying it as a resin and calling it a resin, as follows: 'I obtain only the resin, by extracting all that alcohol will take up [by tincturing the drug-Lloyd], then filter the alcoholic tincture, to which add an equal quantity of water, and separate the alcohol by distillationthe resin sinks in the water." In 18475 Mr. J. R. Lewis made a good analysis of the drug, describing the resins, and stating that six or eight grains had been taken experimentally, operating as a drastic cathartic, accompanied by vomiting. Thus it is evident that King (1844) and Lewis (1847) independently wrote upon the subject; both referred to the substance under consideration, which King had used for some time preceding his published paper, and both of them called the substance a resin. King, however, preceded Lewis two years. If Lewis was acquainted with the recorded statements of Professor King, he neglected to refer to them. From that early day Professor King energetically and continuously held this resin before his classes, and in his writings advocated the use of resin of podophyllum as the Eclectic substitute for calomel. It became thereby firmly identified as an Eclectic remedy long before the regular section recognized its value. In connection with this phase of the subject we find that the United States Dispensatory, the standard authority in regular medicine at that period, preceding its tenth (1854) edition (and indeed thereafter) ignored King as a discoverer, and referred only to Mr. Lewis. In that edition (1854) brief mention is made of the notice Dr. Manlius Smith gave the resin in the American Journal of Pharmacy, 1852. In the eleventh edition (1858) the first reference is made to its then common name (derived from Eclecticism) in commerce as follows: 'It is called podophyllin.' But it was not commended as a therapeutical agent. In the twelfth edition (1865), the resin having become officinal in 1860, a creditable notice is given the substance. In contradistinction, the first edition of the Eclectic Dispensatory, King and Newton, 1852, devotes seven pages to this drug, which establishes its paternity. 3 Western Medical Reformer, April, 1846, page 176. 4 Preceding this, Professor King referred to the resin in the Philosophical Medical Journal of New York, 1844, Vol, I, page 160.-L. 5 American Journal of Pharmacy, August, 1847, page 169. 6 I use this term as applied to the dominant section of American physicians, because, as a rule, the gentlemen seem to prefer it to Allopathic. The term "irregular" I do not consider opprobious, as it is used to apply to the minority.J. U. L. JOHN KING, M. D. "In an early publication Professor King stated that My duction to its therapeutical action having been of a serious acter,' and at the solicitation of the writer, who desired info tion concerning the subject, contributed the following interes communication. This letter also bears testimony concerning discovery and introduction of this important drug: ““PROF. J. U. LLOYD-Dear Sir: In answer to your requ I will state that my discovery of podophyllin was by no means pleasant incident, and I will relate it to you as briefly as possib In the fall of 1835, desiring to make an hydro-alcoholic extract mandrake root (with the aid of potassa during evaporation) t tincture of the root, and its subsequently made infusion, were mixe together. In order to save as much of the alcohol as possible, thi mixture was placed in a distilling apparatus, and when about one third of the alcohol had been collected by the distillation, the opera tion was discontinued on account of approaching night. Upon opening the kettle the next morning, and stirring up the now cold' mixture, previous to a reapplication of heat and continuation of the distillation, a peculiar substance was found deposited in it, which I at first thought from its appearance was some foreign material that had found its way into the liquid and become burnt or injured by the heat during the distillation of the previous day. While pondering over the matter, and still undetermined as to the nature of this deposit, I decided to investigate its action as a purgative, and accordingly administered about twelve grains to a patient, not supposing it to have much, if any, medicinal action. But I was soon brought to know the reverse. taken it the lady was attacked with hyper-catharsis and excessive vomiting, which continued for two or three hours before I was notiIn an hour or two after having fied. I was truly alarmed at her condition, fully recognized the nature and power of the resin, as well as my responsibility in having permitted her to take a substance concerning the action of which I knew nothing. It was a serious lesson to me which I have never forgotten. I found her in extreme pain and distress, cramps in the stomach and extremities, with coldness and slight lividity of the surface, pulse small and weak, almost incessant vomiting and purging, her condition greatly resembling that of one in the latter state of Asiatic cholera; she was apparently sinking rapidly. It is un 7 The College Journal of Medical Science, Cincinnati, 1857, page 557. 8 Italicised by the biographer. 16 |