The formative period of Eclecticism began with the chartering of the Eclectic Medical In stitute in 1845 and ended with the introduction of specific medication in 1869. During this period large classes .attended the Institute. The Western Medical Reformer, begun in Worth ington in 1836 and suspended in 1838, was now revived and published as the Eclectic Medical Journal. Barring a brief half year suspension this periodical has continued to be published to the present time. In this period, Dr. John King, justly styled the father of modern materia med ics, began the publication of his numerous text books, among which the 'American Dispensa tory) gave the school an enduring and monu mental work on materia medica. The pharmacy of the school advanced from crude drugs in powder, infusion and decoction past the resinoid and alkaloid distraction to improved galenicals. In this connection be it recorded that Professor King discovered and introduced the resins of podophyllum and macrotys, which together with the alkaloids of hydrastis and sanguinaria, were afterwardprepared by Dr. William Stanley Merrell. These valuable agents together with the oleoresins of iris and capsicum attracted the attention of pharmacists. A host of indefinite compounds was added by others and the market was flooded with what purported to be Eclectic resinoids or concentrations. This heterogeneous class of pharmacals was denounced by Professor King and others whit had sought to introduce only elegant and definite compounds. This much abused class of resinoids served, however, a temporarily useful purpose in the evolution of a more perfect materia medica. Of these prepa rations, only those made after, the methods of Dr. King,. and the alkaloids of hydrastis and sanguinaria have survived and singularly are now mostly employed by practitioners of the dominant school. During this period Eclectic colleges were established at Rochester and Syra cuse, Louisville, Philadelphia, New York and Cincinnati. The majority of these were short lived and some of them had a strong lean ing toward the system of botanic medicine now represented by the physio-medicatist. The Eclectic Medical College of Pennsylvania for many years in good repute, finally drifted away and during the later years (since 1871) was neither recognized by Eclecticism nor others. In 1856, a portion of the faculty of the Eclectic Medical Institute formed a rival college in Cin cinnati which had a large following. This school was absorbed by the Institute in 1859. The Civil War seriously threatened the educa tional progress of the cause and the withdrawal of a large quota of Southern students caused a marked shrinkage in the attendance at the Northern schools. Times were hard and the outlook gloomy. Dr. Johns Milton Scudder, a graduate of the Eclectic Medical Institute in 1856, now became the head of that institution. By strict business management he inaugurated a period of renaissance and Eclecticism soon be came a recognized force in medicine in America. Specific medication, introduced by Dr. John M. Scudder in 1869, though at first vigorously opposed, is at present the basis of practice of fully three-fourths of the Eclectic physicians and is the leading therapeutic doc trine taught in all the Eclectic colleges. In fact modern Eclecticism is the practice of specific medication. Its theory is as follows :— Disease is a wrong or impairment of life. It is mani fested clinically by certain well-defined symp toms. The totality of symptoms express a condition, to which, in the usual classification, a special name is given. This disease name is of value only in the study of the natural history of diseases, for statistical data, for the purpose of recognizing contagious and infectious diseases, and for establishing a prognosis, certain necessarily fatal diseases al lowing only of palliative treatment. The specific medicationist, like practitioners of other schools, pursues such a method of nosological diagnosis for the purposes named, but not as a guide to treatment, in which to him it is of little or no value. For therapeutic purposes he reverses this process and studies his case by analysis, not by synthesis, to discover, if possible, the varying conditions which make up the disease, as evidenced by specific and well-defined symp toms revealing disease expressions. Remedies have a certain force, and are definite in action. Like effects follow like causes. Hence, having found, by repeated experimentation, the oppos ing action of a drug in a certain condition of disease, as expressed by certain specific symp toms, objective or subjective, the same remedy will always relieve or cure like abnormal condi tions. The believer in specific medication holds that there is a fixed relationship between drug force and disease expression.
The Eclectic has no specifics for diseases but specific remedies for specific conditions of such i diseases. Specific diagnosis implies diagnosis to discover the condition curable by a certain rem edy, as established by previous exnerimentation, and specific medication means the application of the known remedy for the pathological condi tion so found. Specific diagnosis is therapeutic, not nosological diagnosis. In practice the spe cific medicationist is guided in the selection of his remedy by °specific indications,)) as illus trated by the few following examples: The strong,. excited, hounding pulse indicates vera trum wide; sharp, cutting or lancinating pain in serous tissues. bryonia; the full, oppressed pulse with a sensation of prwcordial fulness and dyspncea, lobelia ; marked periodicity, with moist tongue, open pulse and freedom from nervous excitement, quinine; cadaverous odor of the secretions, potassium chlorate, etc.
The modern Eclectic recognizes no law of cure, and does not accept a remedy as a specific until the extended successful employment of it in some particular condition has given it the right to be so called. Empiricism and experi mentation are the foundations of knowledge concerning each remedy denominated a specific medicine. The havoc wrought Eclectic phar macy at the close of the formative period had now to be remedied. The school had been nearly shipwrecked on the shoals of commercial selfishness, as seen in the instance of the resin oids. Calamities often bring about future good. so in this instance the commercial mistakes of a few gave a renewed impetus to better the condi tions of Eclectic pharmacy. Uncertain prepara tions were supplanted by definite medicines_ As a result the school has now a materia media and system of therapeutics much sought by the descendants of those who endeavored to block the efforts of the pioneer Eclectic, in his zealous contention for pure and representative medi cines. Dr. Scudder, supported by Dr. King and others, advocated officepharmacy as a step toward a better knowledge of drugs and to secure definite remedies. pecial attention was given green and freshly dried products. Formulas were published for the preparation of specific medicines. Finally, in order to secure the integrity of these medicines and pro tect them from conscienceless manufacturers_ Dr. Scudder copyrighted the labels. These bore the title °Specific and gave the specific indications for their use. The manufac ture of medicines bearing these labels was en trusted to competent pharmacists and from that time the school has been free from objectionable pharmacy. Dr. Scudder advocated the use of specific medicines in the study of the relation ship of medicine to disease expressions_ The Eclectic of the formative period selected from other schools, but endeavored to improve_ He substituted milder for harsher methods; he opposed the use of the lancet and blister, and the abuse of mercury and antimony salts. The modern American Eclectic advocates the use of kindly curative remedies, and the avoidance of depressing or depletive medication. He has been the pioneer in the study of the indigenous materia medico, with special reference to specific indications and specific uses of medi cines employed. He contends for the best pos sible pharmacy so that the minimum amount of medicine may accomplish maximum Harmful medication as exemplified in excessive drugging he has consistently opposed, heroic over-drugging having been one of the most potent causes leading to the necessity for the establishment of an Eclectic sthool. He ad vocates liberality of thought, the highest medical education, the cultivation of professional dignity, and the ethics that govern gentlemen.
The position of the Eclectic school of medi cine is now well established, and the attitude of malice and persecution formerly shown it by rival schools is fast becoming a memory. The school numbers upwards of 8,000 Eclectic pInci. clans. For a period of about 10 years this numerical relation has remained nearly station ary, but because of better facilities for teaching. enlarged literature, and harmony in the ranks of the school it has never occupied so favorable a position nor had a better outlook for the future than it has to-day. Never before in its history has it been so free from internecine bickerinzs, attacks by rival schools, and unpleasant entangle meats and alliances. It challenges all ages in the wealth and completeness of its materia med ica. Recognizing the merit of the work accom plished the regular profession in many localities now invites Eclectics to join its associations providing they drop their distinctive title. This the Eclectic is unwilling to do, believing that the school has earned the right to be regarded and recognized as a distinct sect in medicine. Its work in the special fields of materia medics and specific diagnosis and specific medication entitle it to this right. The Eclectic school has a strong national organization and numerous State and local societies. A national reform as sociation was founded in 1829, and a second at Worthington, Ohio, in 1836. In 1848 the first National Eclectic Medical Association was or ganized in Cincinnati, Ohio, with Dr. T. V. Morrow as president, and it held annual ses sions until 1858. The present National Eclectic Medical Association was organized at Chicago, Ill., in 1870, with Dr. John W. Johnson, of Connecticut, as president. It holds annual ses sions, meeting in various cities throughout the United States. Eclectic practitioners now hold positions as examiners in the more important life insurance companies, and are not now de barred from the army and navy medical service as in the earlier days of medical ostracism. No discrimination is now made against them as surgeons for the great railway systems. These recognitions have been earned in the face of vigorous medical opposition, by the consistent and honorable course pursued by the Eclectic school as a whole. The Eclectic Medical Col lege of Cincinnati, Ohio, the parent school of medical Eclecticism, chartered in 1845 as the Eclectic Medical Institute, is the leading college of this American system of medicine.