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1. The Mamma.2. The Vagina.3. The Ovarium.4. The Interior of the Uterus, and apply a douche

of cold water to5. The General Surface. ’,

Let us then observe the effect of irritation of the spinalmarrow, as we proceed to its division or removal, upon thesame instrument, similarly placed.Let us then remove the uterus entirely, place it on the table,

-introduce the dynamometer, and observe the effect of1. Peristaltic Action.2. Various Irritations.3. Galvanism, &c. &c.

I am, Sir. vour obedient servant.MARSHALL HALL.

THE CLERICAL AND MEDICAL LIFE ASSURANCEOFFICE AGAIN.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Not having your journal at hand, I cannot say whetheryou have yet noticed the Clerical, Medical, and General Life

. Assurance Company amongst those societies which refuse topay a medical man his fee. I enclose you a reply to my ap-plication for my fee of one guinea from the above-namedSociety, and hand it to you to use it as you deem right, withthe exception of not mentioning my patient’s name.

I am. Sir- yours respectfullyFRANCIS BENNETT.

" To Francis Bennett, Esq., Surgeon, Gateshead.Clerical, Medical, and General Life Assurance Society,

"90, Great Russell-street, Bloomsbury."SIR,—I beg to inform you that it is contrary to the prac-

tice of this, and of the old established offices, generally, to givefees to the medical referees of parties assuring. As you actfor your patients in all such cases, it is Mr. - ’s duty to payfor answering a reference made by him to you, the same as ifhe had required your medical aid in any other way.

Your obedient servant,G. H. PINCKARD, Secretary.

Medical News.ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONs.—The following gentlemen

having undergone the necessary examinations for the diploma,were admitted members of the college at the meeting of theCourt of Examiners on the 12th inst. :-

BURCH, SAMPSON KINGSFORD, Canterbury.BYL, PHILIP JoHN VANDER, Cape of Good Hope.FRYER, WILLIAM FRANCIS, Kinsale, co. Cork.GROWSE, ROBERT, Bildeston, Suffolk.KNIGHT, GEORGE CAMPBELL, Chaquar Hill, co. Galway.MAYNE, THOMAS HENRY, Templemore, Ireland.SADD, FREDERICK GEORGE, London.TASSELL, ROBERT, Wye, near Ashford, Kent.WALKER, JAMES, Alford, Aberdeenshire.

At the same meeting of the Court, Mr. THOMAS SECCOMBEpassed his examination for naval surgeon; this gentleman hadpreviously been admitted a member of the College, his di-ploma bearing date May 12, 1843.APOTHECARIES’ HALL. - Names of gentlemen who passed

their examination in the science and practice of medicine,and received certificates to practise, on

Thursday, Oct. 11th, 1849.BROwN, SAMUEL, Bradford, Yorkshire.GROWSE, ROBERT, Bildeston, Suffolk.LILLEY, JAMES HARVEY, Wisbeach.PARRY, WILLIAM, Alougomeryshire.SEYMOUR, JOHN, London.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE MEDICAL SOCIETY.-The introductoryaddress at the opening of the present session was delivered byDr. Routh, President of the Society, on Thursday, Oct. llth,at eight o’clock P.M., in the new theatre of physiology in theCollege. Dr. Routh sketched the history of medical and otherscientific associations in modern times, and dwelt on theadvantages accruing to students from belonging to medicalsocieties. He recommended the students who were attendingthe practice of the hospital, to take memoranda of the inter-esting cases they might witness there, and bring them under

notice and discussion at the weekly meetings of the Society-very judicious advice, the objects of which we would willinglyfoster. Our metropolitan hospitals abound with valuable andconstantly recurring means for storing up information, muchof which is, however, lost for want of being recorded and pub-lished. In an art like ours, which is " tota in observatione,"reports of cases form the most useful and sound basis of know-ledge and advancement. Professors Sharpey, Walshe, .andArnott were present at Dr. Routh’s address; they, like theother professors of the College, being honorary members of theSociety. After the address, tea and coffee were served, and weobserved that Dr. Sharpey remained present for a long time,apparently pleased to remain to the last amongst his pupils.This Society, which seems to be thriving, and has a goodlibrary, herbarium, and osteological collection, now comprisesamongst its members many graduates of the University ofLondon, and holders of other diplomas, who were formerlystudents of the College and Hospital.WHOLESALE MURDERS OF INFANTS.—Handsworth, Saturday.

- For the last four or five years, this town and neighbourhoodhave obtained an unenviable notoriety for the number ofnewly-born children, bearing marks of their having been de-prived of life by violent means soon after being brought intothe world, that have been found in the by-lanes and other re-mote places. During the past week, a farmer’s labourer,named Ellis, was proceeding along Cramp-lane, near theBirmingham-road, when he observed a brown-paper parcel ina holly-bush in the hedgerow. On opening it, the contentswere discovered to be the bodies of two newly-born children.The coroner of the district, Mr. Hinchliffe, held an inquiryupon them, and Mr. Hammond, a surgeon, who had carefullyexamined them, expressed an opinion that they were bornalive, and that strangulation was evidently the mode by whichthey had come by their deaths. Other facts showed that theinnocents had been murdered as soon as they were born, andthe coroner’s jury found as their verdict-" Wilful murderagainst some person or persons unknown." The coroner, how-ever, with a view of doing all he could in the matter, waitedupon the Hon. F. Gough and Mr. Piercy, county magistrates,and was at length determined to. seek the aid of the Secretaryof State. The result has been, that Sir G. Grey has autho-rized a reward of £50 being offered for the capture of theperpetrators of this atrocious crime, and a free pardon to anyone giving information, provided they be not the actualoffenders.-Globe.CURIOUS AFFAIR. DEATH AND EXPERIMENT.--A case sup-

posed to be one of catalepsy has, it is stated, recently occurredat Bristol. A young man seized with cholera on Friday, the12th inst., died, as was believed, at half-past two on the nextmorning; but on Sunday morning, the 14th, the body remainedstill warm, and Dr. Green, (who had attended the patient,)Dr. Wallis, Mr. Kelson, and Dr. Gillow, of Clifton, met at thehouse. Mr. Gore, the galvanist, was likewise present. " Thebody was still warm, and they accordingly resolved to makesome experiments upon it. They first injected the veins withwarm salt-and-water, but without producing any effect. Theythen subjected the body to powerful galvanic shocks, whichhad the effect of changing the colour, and rendering the handsmore supple. It likewise produced a frothing at the mouth,but there were no other perceptible signs of life. The bodywas then ordered to be laid out in the usual manner, out of acoffin. After lying the whole of the night, up to five P.M. onMonday, the extraordinary appearance of warmth still re-mained, and, contrary to the ordinary appearance of a bodydeceased of cholera, there are-not, as yet, any signs of decom-position:’-Times, Oct. 16. (Of course the body is now decom-posing.)DEATH OF A SURGEON IN THE ATTEMPT TO RESCUE PERSONS IN

A SEwER.-A lamentable occurrence took place last week inPimlico, and Mr. Wells, surgeon, of Warwick-street, in thatsuburb of’ the metropolis, fell a victim, with four other per-sons, to his endeavours to rescue three of them from a foulsewer, where they had been suffocated by mephitic vapours.The inquest was held on Monday last, and the circumstancesare narrated in the daily papers of Tuesday, the 16th instant.The Times of the 17th properly characterizes the lamenteddeceased as 11 a member of that profession which is alwaysforemost when dangers are to be encountered." Yet theinterests of this profession are wholly neglected by the state !We shall probably soon comment on this unfortunate event.CHAIR OF MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ST. ANDREW’S.—

At a meeting of the senatus of the University of St. Andrew’s,held on the 9th inst., Dr. George E. Day was unanimouslyelected to the Chandos professorship of medicine, vacant bythe death of the distinguished physiologist, Dr. John Reid.

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SOCIETY FOR RELIEF OF WIDOWS AND ORPHANS OF MEDICALMEN IN LONDON AND ITS VICINITY.—A half-yearly generalicourt of the members of this Society was held at the Gray’sInn Coffee House, Holborn, on Wednesday evening, the 17thinst. Martin Ware, Esq., V.P., in the chair.-A ballot tookplace for the election of officers and directors for the ensuingyear, vacancies having occurred in the list of vice-presidents,by the death of R. R. Pennington, Esq., V.P.; and in the listof directors, by the death of Dr. Burton; and by the retire-ment, in rotation, of the other five senior directors. Thefollowing gentlemen were elected-viz., as Vice-President,Thomas A. Stone, Esq., late Treasurer; as Treasurer, RichardBlagden, Esq.; and as Directors, Dr. Nairne, Dr. JeafFreson,Mr. Hancock, Mr. Charles Hawkins, Mr. Iliff, and Mr. Ancell.Applications for relief had been received from the widows ofthree members who had fallen victims to the cholera.

APPOINTMENT.—Mr. Purnell, of Charter House-square, has ’,been appointed surgeon to the Royal General Dispensary,Aldersgate-street, in the room of Mr. Solly, resigned. ;THE CHOLERA IN PARIS.—The hospitals continue to present

a few cases, but the mortality in town amounted, on the 1st ’,of October, to three persons only. As to the cases in hos-pitals, it is to be noticed that most patients were already inthe wards for other diseases. For instance, there were 22new cases on the 3rd and 4th of October, and out of these 16were already inmates of the hospital. It would seem as ifthe atmosphere of nosocomial establishments had been so

saturated with the pestilential miasmata (fungi?) that its puri-fication proceeds at a slower pace than in town. We takefrom L’Union Médicale a table of returns for September,principally in order to facilitate comparisons with the Regis-trar General’s returns in London, for the same month.

- tUJL

MEDICAL EDUCATION IN SPAIN.—We learn from an officialreturn, that there are in Spain 290 professors belonging to theuniversities. Out of these, 86 give lectures on medicine andon pharmacy. The number of medical professors is 75. Thereare, namely, 19 in Madrid, 14 in Barcelona, 14 at Valencia, 13at Santiago, and 15 in Seville. Of the 11 pharmaceutical pro-fessors, there are 6 in Madrid, and 5 in Barcelona. The 290professors of the various universities of Spain cost the govern-ment 4,860,000 reals (.652,488.) The medical professors havesalaries varying from X130 t.o X220 a year, and the whole of themedical and pharmaceutical professors, taken together, costthe state about £17,971. A glance at the profession in actualpractice shows that there are in Spain 5500 physicians andmedico-surgeons, more than 7000 surgeons, and 3300 phar-maciens. It will therefore not appear surprising that the ma-jority of practitioners are in great distress.

INTRA-UTERINE CRYING.-It is still a question among accou-cheurs whether the feetus can or cannot utter a cry within theuterus, though we suspect that very few practitioners in thiscountry would lean to the affirmative. Professor Vannoni,however, has just published in a Florence paper, two caseswhich would tend to establish the possibility of fœtal intra-uterine crying. The professor explains the phenomenon by thepenetration of some of the air accumulated in the ovum intothe trachea of the fœtus.THE CHOLERA ON THE CONTINENT.-At Toulon, in the South

of France, the cholera is raging so fearfully that half the inha-bitants in easy circumstances have left the city. On the 6thof October 16 deaths took place in hospitals, and 18 in town.471 persons have perished since the 12th of September. AtBologna, in the Papal States, there were on the 30th Septem-ber 19 cases and 14 deaths. The panic was very great, andmost of the wealthier families had fled. The French papers Imention that the cholera is reigning at Algiers, where up tothe 24th of September 362 deaths had occurred. Later ’i:accounts state that the disease had broken out in other parts ’’,of Algeria—viz, in Oran and Tlemcen. The epidemic has ’,been so severe at Toulon that the examination of navy sur-.geons was postponed to November. Several cases of cholerahave occurred on board some ships lying in the Bay of Lisbon.

CoazMissIONERS OF SEWERS.—(From the Morning Chronicleof Friday, the 5th of October). Permission was given toMr, Nunn, the superintendent of Hvde-nark. 11 two sink. at his

own expense, a well, to receive a portion of the sewage fromthe river running through Hyde-park, for the purpose ofpumping and using it for manuring Hyde-park.’ -Since the5th of October, the aforesaid commissioners of sewers havebeen superseded, and it is to be hoped that the new commis-sioners will carefully revise the extraordinary enactments oftheir predecessors. We should suggest that the permissiongranted to Mr. Nunn to perfume the parks by spreading overthem the concentrated corruption which comes from Tyburma,will at once be withdrawn, even if Mr. Nunn be so philan-thropic as to undertake to poison the neighbourhood at hisown expense. How useless, to effect the partial cleansing ofthe Serpentine, and more effectually to divert the sewerageof Bayswater from this ornamental water, if those who seekpure air in the parks are again obliged to imbibe it taintedwith the same filth ! Unless Mr. Nunn can prove that hisplan will purify the atmosphere of the places of public re-sort he superintends, the public will no doubt feel a disposi-tion (if this absurdly pernicious plan be carried out) to way-lay the philanthropic superintendent, and administer to him adose of his own physic by gently ducking him in his scientifichorse-pond.

OBITUARY.—DR. NICOL.—Dr. John Nicol, of Inverness, diedof cholera on the 26th of September, to the great regret of allhis fellow-citizens, as the respect paid to his remains suffi-ciently attested. We extract the tollowing paragraphs fromthe Inverness Courier of Sept. 27, 1849:----’The heaviest lossand severest affliction caused by the prevalence of cliolera inthis town has been the death of our leading medical practi-tioner, Dr. John Inglis Nicol-the most meritorious of ourcitizens—a, man whose whole energies were bound up in the im-provement and prosperity of Inverness-whose inquiring mindleft no subject untouched-and whose ceaseless activity sparedno exertion. In a small community the loss of such a man isan irreparable calamity. During the short period of his con-finement his house was besieged by anxious inquirers, and hisillness formed almost the only topic of conversation. Up tothe hour of midnight parties hovered about his door to learnthe progress of the disease and to catch at any hope of re-covery ; and when, at length, in the early morning, it wasfound that life had ned, the blow was felt by all classes of ourtownsmen as a personal bereavement and misfortune. Dr.Nicol was born at Teawig, near Beauly, on the 22nd of June,1788. He was apprenticed to the late Dr. Kennedy, andfinished his professional education in London. He commencedpractice in Inverness in the summer of 1812. Several yearssince, the degree of M.D. was conferred on him by the Uni-versity of Tubingen. He studied chemistry with ardour, andhe became a zealous scientific agriculturist. His farm atCampfield was the scene of many experiments for improvingcultivation and testing the value of manures and differentspecies of crops. In the municipal affairs of the burgh hetook a lively interest. He had served as provost for someyears, and during his period of office carried out various mea-sures for the improvement of the town. He was particularlyattentive to its sewerage and cleanliness, and was indefatigablein his efforts to effect these beneficial reforms. ’A moreefficient chief magistrate never existed; and if the burghfunds had corresponded with his taste and zeal, our Highlandcapital would have received such improvement and embellish-ment as would have been worthy its beautiful natural situa-tion.’ Dr. Nicol was also a considerable woollen manufacturer.Early in life, a small factory or mill, situated on the banks ofthe Ness, devolved upon him by the death of some relatives.It was heavily burdened and imperfectly managed, but Dr.Nicol, with characteristic enthusiasm, set about improving theestablishment. His knowledge of chemistry and mechanicsdid him good service in this undertaking, and he graduallyextended the operations-adding new buildings, new ma-chinery, and superior workmen-till the mill grew into anextensive manufactory, employing numerous hands, producingthe finest woollen fabrics, and, by the exemplary neatness andcleanliness of the buildings, and the admirable arrangementsof the whole interior, adding a new and peculiar beauty evento the picturesque banks of that river which set all its wheelsin motion. Occasionally, Dr. Nicol gave a sort of rustic feteat this mill, and many will remember with a sigh the cordialhappiness that marked these friendly gatherings, in whichmaster and workmen, the rich and the poor, the town and thecountry, mingled as members of one household. The remainsof the deceased were interred on the 27th of September last.The shops were all closed; the provost, magistrates, and towncouncil walked in procession, preceding the hearse; then fol-lowed the mourning relatives and friends, the whole of the

medical practitioners in town, the workpeople of the deceased,

441

and a vast body of the inhabitants, with the carriages of someof the neighbouring gentlemen. The funeral was the most

numerously attended that has been witnessed here for manyyears. Early interment in such cases is deemed necessary;but had the usual time been given there is scarcely a pro-prietor or gentleman within a wide circle of the town thatwould not have joined the inhabitants of Inverness in this lasttribute to the memory of him who was so anxious to serve andto benefit all.MORTALITY OF THE METROPOLIS.—Deaths registered in the

week ending October 13th, 1075; weekly average from deathsin the autumnal quarter of five previous years, 1162; theweekly return, therefore, now exhibits a decrease on theaverage. Deaths from cholera in the last week were 110; inave previous weeks they were 2026, (the highest numberwhich, exclusive of those from diarrhoea, the epidemicattained,) 1682, 839, 434, 288. In last week the deaths fromdiarrhoea and dysentery were 105, almost as numerous asdeaths from cholera. The aggregate deaths from these threekindred diseases were, therefore, 215 ; whilst the weeklyaverage is only 35. All other epidemics are at present underthe average; small-pox and measles remarkably low, (six and.eight respectively;) but scarlatina becomes more fatal, thedeaths having risen from 39 in the previous week to 56 in thelast. Typhus was fatal in 47 cases. Mean height of thebarometer, 29.540 inches. Mean temperature, 4607, a decreasean the mean of the previous week of five degrees.

BOOKS RECEIVED FOR REVIEW.

Cholera; its Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Consideredand Explained. By J. P. Batchelder, M.D. New York:Dewitt & Davenport. 1849. Pamphlet.

Manual for the Poor-law Medical Officer. By William ’,Golden Lumley, Esq. London: C. Knight. :* This is one of a series of treatises, others of which relate

to the duties &c. of the master and matron of the workhouse,the relieving officer, and treasurer, of the parish or union. Itrelates to the mode of appointment, qualification, remunera-tion, functions, liabilities &c. of the medical officer, as derivedfrom the Orders of the Poor-law; and attached to it is an

appendix of tables, and of the statistical nosology adopted inthe Registrar-general’s reports, and adapted to facilitate thefillingup of certificates of death. The book cannot fail to beuseful, and every union surgeon ought to possess himself of acopy.The First Principles of Artificial Manuring. A Lecture.By John Ryan, LL.D., M.D. London, Simpkin & Co.; Win-chester, Wooldridge.

x,,,* Dr. Ryan is well known as the able lecturer on che-mistry at the Royal Naval College at Portsmouth, and also atthe Royal Polytechnic Institution in London. The present is- an interesting lecture, enriched with many useful tables; andif Dr. Ryan can indoctrinate the agricultural mind with thescience of the subject he here treats of, he will reap the success.of having broken down much stolid prejudice and obstinacy.The Physiology of Digestion considered with Relation to

the Principles of Dietetics. By Andrew Combe, M.D. NinthEdition. Edited by James Coxe, M.D. Edinburgh: Mac-lachlan & Stewart. London: Simpkin & Marshall. Dublin:M’Glashan. 1849. Small 8vo, pp. 188.

Report of the General Board of Health on the Measuresadopted for the Execution of the Nuisances Removal andDiseases Prevention Act, and the Public Health Act, up to.July, 1849. London: Clowes. 8vo, pp. 135.

The Beauties of the Boyne and its Tributary, the Black-water. By William R. Wilde. Dublin: M’Glashan. 1849.Small 8vo, pp. 264, cloth-bound and gilt.

Healthy Homes: A Guide to the Proper Regulation ofBuildings, Streets, Drains, and Sewers. With a Postscript,

especially addressed to Surveyors and Commissioners ofSewers. By William Hosking, Architect & C.E. London:Murray. 1849. 8vo, pp. 295.** We agree with the able author of this work that a

,proper understanding by the public of the principles laid downtherein would materially tend to check the continuance, andprevent the recurrence, of many wrong practices in relationto building, drainage, and ventilation, at present so seriouslyaffecting health and life in this country. A more competent" guide to the proper regulation, buildings, streets, drains, andsewers, is not to be found in England, than the author of thistimely work."The Cholera considered Psychologically. By Forbes Win-

slow, M.D. London: J. Churchill. Pamphlet, pp. 15.

Cholera : an Inquiry, ’Physiological and Pathological, intoits Proximate Cause. By Protheroe Smith, M.D. SecondEdition. London: Bailliere. 1849. Pamphlet, pp. 40.

Sketches of the Medical Topography and Native Diseasesof the Gulf of Guinea, Western Africa. By William F.Daniell, M.D., Assistant-Surgeon to the Forces, &c. London:Highley. 1849. 8vo, pp. 200.The Post Magazine. September 15th, 1849.A Successful Case of Caesarian Section; with remarks. By

Thomas Radford, M.D., &c. Worcester: Deighton & Co.1849. Pamphlet, pp. 20.The Veterinary Record and Transactions of the Veterinary

Medical Association. Vol. V. No 21. October, 1849.Observations on Cholera, together with References and

Quotations from several of the Best Authorities of the time.By George Gwynne, M.D., Physician to Swansea Infirmary.Swansea: Davies. London: Wood, Tavistock-street. Small8vo, pp. 104.

Cholera in the City of London Union. Pamphlet, pp. 16.Treatment of Cholera in the Royal Hospital, Haslar, in

July and August, 1849. By John Wilson, M.D., F.R.S., In-spector of Naval Hospitals and Fleets. London: Simpkin &Co. Gosport: Legg.The Charleston Medical Journal and Review. Edited by

P. C. Gaillard, M.D., & H. W. De Saussure, M.D. March,1849. Charleston (United States): Burgess.

Cholera: an Analysis of its Epidemic, Endemic, and Con-tagious Character; its Mode of Propagation, and the Meansof Counteracting it, &c. By Henry Stephens. London: Ren-shaw. 1849. Pamphlet, pp. 47.A Catalogue of English, French, German, and American

works, in Anatomy, Medicine, &c. London: Bailliere. 1849.Cholera and its Treatment. A short essay, by Dr. Auzias

Turenne, of Paris. Translated by F. Bateman, M.R.C.S.London: Simpkin, Marshall, & Co. Pamphlet, pp. 12.The Chemist. New Series. No. 1, for October, 1849.

Edited by John and Charles Watt. London: Riche, Surrey-street, Strand; Simpkin & Marshall, &c.A Letter to the Right Hon. Lord Ashley, relative to the

case of Nottidge v. Ripley. By T. Wingett, M.D. Dundee:J. Chalmers. 1849. Pamphlet, pp. 16.

Fasciculus, including a letter to the Right Hon. the LordsCommissioners of the Admiralty, on the Assimilation of theMedical Departments of the Army and Navy, &c. By JamesYeitch, M.D. London: Wright. 1847. pp. 35.A Practical Treatise on the Diseases of Children. By J.

Forsyth Meigs, M.D., forming No. 3 of the Medical Practi-tioners’ and Students’ Library. Philadelphia: Lindsay &Blakiston. 1849. 8vo, pp. 574.The Cyclopsedia of Anatomy and Physiology. Edited by

R. B. Todd, M.D., F.R.S. Part XXXVII (Spleen to Teeth.)London: Longmans & Co.

Bibliotheca, Medico-Chirurgica et Pharmacutico-Chemica;a Classified Catalogue of all books published in Germany, andof the best published in foreign countries, on Medicine, Sur-gery, &c. 1849. Jan. to June. London: Williams & Nor-gate, 8vo, pp. 40.

Demonstrations of Anatomy. By G. V. Ellis, Junior Pro-fessor of Anatomy in University College. London: Taylor& Walton. Conclusion. 8vo, pp. 308.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

WE object to reply, in THE LANCET, to such questions as those proposed tous by A Subscriber. By stating that certain works are the best on parti-cular subjects, an undeserved injury may be inflicted on the authors ofother publications of great merit. If our correspondent will send us hisaddress, we will endeavour to forward to him a satisfactory reply to hisquestions.

Mr. Thi-eadgate. -There is no law to prevent persons from assuming sucha title.

Mr. Robert Hayes.-We find that the lectures delivered at the Qneen’sColleges in Ireland are not yet recognised by the Colleges of Surgeons ofLondon and Edinburgh, but the subject is now before their councils.

IF A Resident of M- will send us the exact age of the party in question,we shall be enabled to answer his inquiry.

R. T. W.—Small doses of alum, and the application of leeches to thetemples. The paper is left for him at our office.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Will you oblige me by answering the following question?-Is thepotato, botanically speaking, indigenous to England? or has it, from longcultivation, become botanically indigenous?-I am, Sir, your obedientservant, PLOUGHBOY.

,* It is not indigenous to England.