(Dr. Joseph Adolphus in Medical Gleaner):
I have seen its very beneficial action in two epidemics of smallpox. The remedy did certainly modify the severity of the disease, restrain suppuration, check the severity of the symptoms, and promote convalescence. I knew of several very desperate cases, which I think would have terminated fatally but for the timely use of Echinacea. I frequently saw cases of severe confluent type, wherein the symptoms were of a very serious kind, high fever, delirium; some with coma, abominably offensive odor of body and breath, urine nearly suppressed, eruption confluent, exceedingly abundant pus, steadily improve under Echinacea tea taken internally and used locally over the entire body. One of the very striking effects of the Echinacea was to abate the dreadfully offensive odor of the body and breath and modify the acute severity of the eruption.
(The following proving of Echinacea, conducted by Dr. J. C. Fahnestock, of Piqua, Ohio, was read before the American Institute of Homœopathy, at Atlantic City, 1899):
It becomes my pleasant duty to place before the American Institute of Homœopathy a collection of provings of Echinacea angustifolia.
Four species of this genus are recognized. Two of them, E. Dicksoni and E. dubia, are native in Mexico.
There are two native in this country, E. purpurea, Mœnch. Leaves rough, often serrate; the lowest ovate, five nerved, veiny, long petioled; the other ovate-lanceolate; involucre imbricated in three to five rows; stem smooth, or in one form rough, bristly, as well as the leaves. Prairies and banks, from western Pennsylvania and Virginia to Iowa, and southward; occasionally advancing eastward. July—Rays fifteen to twenty, dull purple (rarely whitish), one to two feet long or more. Root thick, black, very pungent to the taste, used in popular medicine under the name of Black Sampson. Very variable, and probably connects with E. angustifolia, described as follows: Leaves, as well as the slender, simple stem, bristly, hairy, lanceolate and linear lanceolate, attenuate at base, three nerved, entire; involucre less imbricated and heads often smaller; rays twelve to fifteen inches, (2) long, rose color or red. Plains from Illinois and Wisconsin southward—June to August. This is a brief description of the botany of the plant under consideration.
Your chairman, T. L. Hazard, in his usual characteristic manner, went vigorously to work and secured all the provers possible. I was also fortunate enough to secure a number of provers, besides proving and reproving it myself. The results of all these provings were handed over to me to present to you in such form as seemed best.
I must tarry just long enough to preface this collection and tell you that explicit printed directions were sent to all the superintendents of these provings. This being of too great length, I will give you the most important points in these directions, viz.: Let each prover be furnished with a small blank book, in which shall be written date, name, sex, residence, height, weight, temperament, color of eyes, color of hair, complexion; describe former ailments and present physical condition. In concluding give pulse in different positions, respiration, temperature, function of digestion, analysis of excretions, especially the urine; analysis of the blood, family history, habits, idiosyncrasy, etc.
The different colleges and universities were called upon to assist on these provings. The following institutions responded to the call: Cleveland, St. Louis, Minneapolis, the Chicago, Iowa City, and Ann Arbor. None of the eastern institutions responded; don't know whether dead or just hibernating.
I wish to publicly express my thanks to all who have taken part in these provings. I think it but just to state that the University of Michigan furnished the best provings. Thanks also are extended to Boericke & Tafel for remedy furnished in the θ, 3x, 30x, which were also used in the provings. One lady, who commenced the proving and had begun to develop valuable provings, contracted a severe cold and stopped, for which I am very sorry. All the rest of the provers were males; medical students or physicians. Only a very few symptoms were produced by the use of the 30x attenuation, a greater number of provers not recording any at all.