461

Medical Appointments.ANDERSON, J. W., M.D., F.F.P.S.G., has been reappointed an Extr!Dispensary Physician to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.BASTABLE, D. H., L.K.Q.C.P.I. & L.M., L.R.C.S.I., has been appointee

Medical Officer and Public Vaccinator for the Lullington District o:the Burton-on-Trent Union, and for the Clifton District of theTamworth Union, vice Woods, resigned.

BLACK, P. F., L.R.C.P.Ed., L.R.C.S.Ed., has been appointed JuniorHouse-Surgeon to the Carlisle Dispensary, vice Newton, resigned.

BROOKING, C. H., M.D., M.R.C.S.E., L.S.A.L., has been appointedMedical Officer for the Stebbing District of the Dunmow Union,Essex, vice Parkinson, resigned.

BRUCE, R., L.R.C.S.Ed., L.S.A.L., has been appointed ResidentMedical Superintendent of the Holborn Union Infirmary, UppeiHolloway, at £300 per annum, furnished residence, &c.

BRUCE, W., M.D., L.R.C.S.Ed., has been appointed Certifying FactorySurgeon for Dingwall, Ross-shire.

CEELY, R. W., M.R.C.S.E., L.S.A.L., has been appointed Medical Officciand Public Vaccinator for the Parishes of Delting and Northmavine,Shetland, vice Mitchell, resigned.

COLLINS, Mr. J. H., F.G.S., has been appointed Public Analyst for theCity of Truro and the Borough of Launceston, at 21s. per analysis,half to be paid by the Town Council and half by the person re-quiring it, and 42s. for each quarterly report when an analysis isembodied in it, or 21s. per analysis when not.

DOBSON, N. C., F.R.C.S., has been appointed Lecturer on Surgery atthe Bristol University College, vice Coe, resigned.

FARR, S. B., L.R.C.P.Ed. & L.M., M.R.C.S.E., L.S.A.L., has been re-appointed Medical Officer of Health for the Andover Urban SanitaryDistrict, at ,1;30 for one year.

GRAMSHAW, F. S., M.D., L.R.C.S.Ed., L.A.H.D., L.M., has beenreappointed Medical Officer and Public Vaccinator for the Stel-lington District of the Easingwold Union, Yorkshire, permanently.

HODGES, T. H., L.R.C.P.Ed., L.F.P.S.G., has been appointed CertifyingFactory Surgeon for Killin, Perthshire, vice Todd.

HOPCROFT, T. F., M.R.C.S.E., L.R.C.P.Ed., has been appointedSurgeon to the Middle District of Dorking Union and to the Work-house, and Public Vaccinator to Dorking, vice Curtis, resigned.

JACKSON, J. B., L.R.C.P.Ed., L.F.P.S.G. & L.M., L.S.A.L., has beenappointed a Medical OfEcer to the Hockley Branch of the Bir-mingham Provident Dispensary.

KELLY, J. E., F.R.C.S.I., has been appointed Lecturer on Surgery atthe Ledwich School of Surgery, Dublin, vice Barton, resigned.

LAwRIE, J., M.D., has been reappointed a Dispensary Physician to theGlasgow Royal Infirmary.

LYLE, T., M.D., has been appointed Physician to the Exeter Dis-pensary, Exeter.

MATHER, G. R., M.D., F.F.P.S.G., has been reappointed a DispensaryPhysician to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

MATORIN, L., L.K.Q.C.P.I. & L.M., L.R.C.S.I., has been appointedMedical Officer, Public Vaccinator, &c., for the Blessington andBallymore Dipensary District of the Naas Union, at £125 per annumand fees, and £15 per annum as Medical Officer of Health, viceGiven, resigned.

PAUL, F. T., F.R.C.S.E., has been appointed Demonstrator of Physiologyand Histology at the Liverpool Royal Infirmary School of Medicine,vice Ashby, resigned.

VIPAN, C., M.R.C.S.E., has been appointed Medical Officer for theHurst-green District of the Ticehurst Union, Sussex, vice Sherrard,resigned.

WEIR, J. W., M.D., F.R.C.S.Ed., has been reappointed an ExtraDispensary Physician to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

WHITE, W. R., M.B., C.M., M.R.C.S., L.S.A.L., has been appointedHouse-Surgeon to the Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton,vice Wade, resigned.

WHITTLE, E. G., M.B., L.R.C.P.L., F.R.C.S.E., has been appointed aPhysician to the Brighton and Hove Dispensary, vice Seymour,

resigned.WILLES, W., M.R.C.S.E., L.R.C.P.Ed., & L.DT., has been appointedHouse-Surgeon to the Royal United Hospital, Bath, vice Moore,whose appointment has expired.

WYLLIE, W., M.D., C.M., has been appointed Certifying Factory Surgeonfor Kirkby-Lonsdale.

Births, Marriages, and Deaths.BIRTHS.

JACOB.-On the 18th inst., at Ely-place, Dublin, the wife of ArchibaldHamilton Jacob, M.D., of a son.

MACCALL.—On the 19th inst., at York-street, Cheetham, Manchester,the wife of William N. Maccall, M.D., of a son.

MACKAY.—On the 20th inst., at Clarence-street, Edinburgh, the wife ofJohn Sutherland Mackay, M.B., of a daughter.

MORSON.—ON the 21st July, at West Maitland, New South Wales, thewife of Alex. K. Morson, Esq., M.D., of a son.

TATE.-On the 11th ult., at Jhansie, Central India, the wife of RobertTate, M.D., Surgeon-Major, Army, of a son.

WALSH.—On the 16th inst., at Castlebar, co. Mayo, the wife of CharlesJ. Walsh, L.K.Q.C.P.I., of a son.

MARRIAGES.MARTIN—WHITTLE.—On the 19th inst., at St. Mark’s, ’Worsley, by the

Hon. and Rev. the Earl of Mulgrave, Vicar, assisted by the Rev.Charles Heath, B.A., Vicar of Walkden, and the Rev. J. Cater,Curate of Worsley, William Young Martin, F.R.C.S.E. & L.R.C.P.,of The Limes, Walkden, to Sarah Elizabeth, only child of WilliamWhittle, Esq., of Park House, Worsley. No cards.

MOSS—WINNETT.—On the 19th inst., at Charlwood, Surrey, Boyd Moss,F.R.C.S.E., to Caroline, daughter of the late William Winnett, Esq.

DEATHS.ALBURY.-On the 23rd inst., at Lime-place, Higher Broughton, Man-

chester, William John Albury, L.R.C.P.Ed., aged 42.ARTHUR.-On the 10th inst., at Gwennap, Samuel Pellew Arthur,

b M.R.C.S.E., aged 73.BURROUGHS.—On the 16th inst., at Clifton, John Beames Burroughs,

F.R.C.S.E., aged 72.f CLARK.-On the 12th inst., at Birkheads Lodge, Wray-park, Reigate,, Frederick Cheesman Clark, M.R.C.S.E., aged 28.

CLARKE.-On the 24th ult., at Georgetown, Demerara, Thomas McRae- Clarke, M.B., aged 24.HAIGH.—ON the 7th inst., at Scarborough, Henry William Haigh,

F.R.C.P.Ed., aged 44. ’

, LORIMER.—On the l4thinst., at Bromley-road, Lee, Kent, Dr. Alexander

Lorimer, late Deputy Inspector-General, Madras Service, aged 67.; MEREDITH.-On the 19th ult., at Viper Island, the Andamans, India, of

typhoid fever, Edward Bishopp Meredith, L.R.C.S.I. &L.K.Q.C.P.I.,Surgeon, Bengal Medical Department, aged 24.

’ MITCHELL.—On the llth inst., at Kingston, Surrey, Samuel Mitchell,M.R.C.S.E., aged 83.

’ PARKER.—On the 17th inst., at Cavan, William H. Parker, L.K.Q.C.P.I.PINCHING. -- Lost overboard, on the 16th ult., from the steamship

El Dorado, one day’s sail from Colombo, William Wyatt Pinching,, L.R.C.P.

PRIESTLEY.—On the 4th inst., at St. Faith, Norwich, William StantonPriestley, M.R.C.S.E., aged 61.

ROBINSON.-On the llth ult., at Jamaica, Robert Robinson, Surgeon inthe Army.

SHILLETO. - On the 8th inst., at Bootham, York, Robert Shilleto,Surgeon, aged 78.

SMITH.-On the 7th inst., at Brondesbury-road, Kilburn, George RocheSmith, M.R.C.S.E., late Surgeon to the 7th Hussars and 2nd Queen’sRoyals, aged 75.

WILLIS.—On the 21st inst., at Barnes, Surrey, Robert Willis, M.D.,aged 79. ____

[N.B.—A fee of 5s. is charged for the insertion of Notices of Births,Marriages and Deaths.]

Notes, Short Comments, and Answers to

Correspondents.THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC DIARRHŒA BY COLD-WATER

ENEMATA.DR. MESSEMER, of New York, has recently published a paper in theAmerican Journal of the Medical Sciences, recommending cold-waterenemata as a therapeutic agent in cases of chronic diarrheea. He usesinjections per rectum of a quart of cold or iced water after every loosemotion; but only in quantities of half a pint at a time, after each injec-tion the exit of the water being assisted by pressure over the abdomen.Believing that the increased number of stools was due to increasedsensibility and irritability of the rectum, which was kept up by irri-tating material, such as mucus and faeces contained there, it was sug-gested to Dr. Messemer that, by cleansing the rectum of such by injec-tions, the exciting cause might be removed, or at least mitigated. Heconsiders also that the cold water acts by protecting the mucousmembrane of the rectum, and when slowly injected, so as not to exciteperistaltic action, it keeps the rectum distended and its walls apart,thereby preventing them irritating each other.

L.R.C.P.L.—The information asked will be found in the Students’Number of THE LANCET, published on September 14th, 1878.

HEMIPLEGIA WITH STARTING OF THE LIMBS.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—May I suggest the following line of treatment (which I havefound useful in somewhat similar cases) for the consideration of yourcorrespondent, "M.B.," with reference to the case he writes of in yourissue of the th inst.In the first place, I should lay aside strychnia and galvanism, as being

likely only to aggravate the symptoms, especially galvanism if appliedso as to produce "reflex" instead of direct muscular contraction. ThenI should prescribe a draught containing full doses of all or some of thefollowing drugs :—Hyoscyamus, bromide of potassium, solution of extractof ergot, cannabis indic:1, and dilute hydrocyanic acid, to be taken eachnight at bed-time, the spine having been well rubbed along its wholelength with a belladonna, chloroform, and soap liniment. The patientshould then lie on the sound side, with the head on a high pillow com-fortably arranged. The diet, of course, should be carefully regulated,and all stimulants avoided. If he suffer from acidity or a gouty tendency,v hich is most likely to be the case, I would give him now and then, justbefore dinner, an aromatic bitter and alkaline draught, with perhaps alittle colchicum. This will also favour digestion, and promote the re-moval of the clot at the same time. The bowels should be strictly keptopen, and for this purpose I would give him an after-dinner pill, con-taining al ittle of the aqueous extract of aloes, or a wineglassful of thecompound decoction of aloes, changing this from time to time for a.

morning draught of some saline aperient, say a wineglassful of theHunyadi Janos water in half a tumblerful of warm water. All eveningreading or excitement should be avoided, and the patient should not goup stairs to bed, but should sleep and live on the same floor. All com-plications should, of course, be treated as they arise on the usual prin-ciples. I am, Sir, yours truly,Brighton, Sept. 9th, 1878. J. M. E. SCATLIFF, M.D.

462

HAY FEVER. WEST LONDON HOSPITAL, HAMMERSMITH.AN amusing little Transatlantic journal, called the White Mountain THE following notice of this institution should have appeared in ourEcho, as yet in its infancy, and dating from Bethlehem, has in Students’ Number :-Beds, 60; in-patients, 509; out-patients, 24,803.its ninth (the 1st September) number some very interesting notes Consulting Physician: Dr. Henry Maudsley. Consulting Physician-on hay fever-a subject which was brought before the United States Accoucheur: Dr. W. 0. Priestley. Consulting Surgeons : Messrs. LaneHay Fever Association on the 2nd inst. It appears that Dr. Wood- and William Bird. Physicians : Drs. Goddard Rogers and Thorowgoodward, of Worcester, Massachusetts, has been making a microscopic Physician for Diseases of Women : Dr. Wiltshire. Surgeons : Messrs.examination of the pollen of a large number of common weeds and Teevan and Alfred Cooper. Surgeon for Diseases of the Eye : Mr. B. J.flowering plants found in gardens and fields, and has come to the con- Vernon. Assistant-Physicians: Drs. Fish, Milner Fothergill, andclusion that the pollen of all plants credited with the production of Vincent Harris. Assistant-Surgeons : Messrs. Butlin, Keetley, andhay fever is invariably globular in form. But no symptoms of hay fever Ottley. Surgeon-Dentist: Mr. Sewell. Administrator of Anaesthetics :were produced by these plants, even when kept in the ordinary living- Mr. T. G. Alderton. Resident Medical Officers : Two House-Surgeonsrooms, until the 20th of August, from which hay-fever patients, at all and an Apothecary. The practice of the hospital is open to all stu-events in America, seem to date the commencement of their attacks. dents and members of the medical profession. Gentlemen desirous ofBethlehem is spoken of as a haven of rest from hay fever and all its acting as Clinical Clerks or Dressers can obtain all information onattendant ills; but a perusal of the proceedings at the meeting only application at the hospital.leads to the practical conclusion that all persons habitually suffering M.B., C.M.-Our correspondent will be his own best adviser. Thefrom hay fever should, if possible, avoid places where globular pollen answer to the question depends on his age, and on the value he sets ongrows, and this, we take it, is a rather difficult thing to do, parti- his time and services, as much as on the wealth of the patient to whomcularly in America. But, as Dr. Woodward believes that pollen does he entirely gives his time.not induce hay fever at all, even this precaution is not necessary. In- Dr. James W. Edgar.-Please repeat the question.deed it does not seem that the speakers at the meeting were enabledto throw much light upon the proximate cause of the disease. But

THE IRISH GRADUATES’ ASSOCIATION.the juvenile periodical from which we quote shows that, whatever THE IRISH GRADUATES ASSOCIATION.

theory be correct, hay fever cannot be either caught or perpetuated at To the Editor of THE LANCET.

Bethlehem, and no sneezes spoil the enjoyment of the White Mountain SIR,-It was with great surprise that I read the letter of "L.R.C.S.I.’Echo and " the musical confusion of sounds" heard there. in your issue of the 21st inst., suggesting that female members of the

B. -R. should apply to a registered medical practitioner, and follow his profession should be excluded from the Irish Graduates’ Association.advice. As from the wording of his letter I fear "L.R.C.S.l." is not fully

"GELSEMINUM" v. "GELSEMIUM." acquainted with the objects for which the Irish Graduates’ Association

To the Editor of THE LANCET. was formed, I write this as an explanation.

" " .. , , , , , , This Association, Sir, was set on foot, not, as your correspondent seemsSIR,-Your correspondent, "F. P.," in your journal of last week, has to think, for medical and surgical discussions, but for the promotion

referred me to the works of De Candolle and those of Bentham and amongst those members of the profession who hold Irish qualifications,Hooker, " or any other similar work," as controverting in point of and who practise in England, of a special spirit of friendly union, dis-

priority of date my statement in your previous issue in favour of gel- tinct from that bond which of course unites all medical men of what-soever nationality. The annual meeting held in the board-room of the

seminum versus gelsemium. Mineral Water Hospital in Bath took place after the meeting, at whichI will simply say at the outset that Professor A. Eaton assigns to the members of the British Medical Association determined that ladies

Wildenow the authorship of the name ; and I, upon my part, beg to should no more for ever grace their gatherings, so that the minds of therefer " F. P." and thoi1e of your botanical readers who take an interest Irishmen were as fully imbued with the necessity of being down on thein nomenclature for information upon the question at issue to that ladies as were those of their English brethren who were present on thatnoble work of Professor Morison, of Oxford, entitled "Plantarum His- very noisy and disorderly occasion. But, Sir, the Irish graduates havingtoriaoxoniensis Universalis, pars tertia, seu Herbarum Distributio Nova," discussed this subject in that cool and calculating spirit so characteristic&c. &c., fol. 612, published in the year 1699 (the author dyiug in 1683), of the Irish nation, came to the following, as I think wise, conclusion-where, under the heading "Plantarum Anomalarum Pseudo-apocynum," viz., that as the Irish Graduates’ Association was more a social than awill be found the name gelseminum as having been employed by Ray scientific body, the presence of ladies at the annual gatherings wasand Park (sic). It becomes then only necessary to remark that the rather to be desired than otherwise.former of these, an illustrious botanist (Ray), was born in 1628 and died Now, Sir, I hope "L.R.C.S.I." will see that it would not "be pre-in 1705; whereas Jussieu was born in 1686 and died in 1758; and that ferable to exclude females from our meetings," and that though weMorison, referring to the latter (Park) as employing the term gel- might manage to do without the assistance of the gentler sex, still it isseminum, assigns to his work the date 1679, which I believe effectually well sometimes to have their assistance, and I think we may feel con-disposes of the authorship of Jussieu in this matter. fident that the feminine element introduced in this way will prove a

I am not personally acquainted with the work of any botanist bearing source of amalgamation amongst Irishmen.the name of Park during the period referred to by Regius Professor In conclusion, I would express a hope that the Editor of THE LANCETMorison, and am of opinion that John Parkinson, who was born in will not still decline to notice the Association simply because the name1567 and died in 1641, is the author indicated, which, if it be so, carries of a female is retained on the list.the birth of gelseminum far beyond Ray. At all events, whether Park I am, Sir, yours truly,or Parkinson be meant, it does not affect the date assigned to the work, St. Leonard’s-on-Sea, Sept. 23rd, 1878. RICHD. HEATH, M.D.in which the description, according to Morison, stands as follows :-"Pseudo-apocynum Virginian. aliis Gelseminum maximum Amer., flo. To the Editor of THE LANCET.phseniceo Park. 1679."Under all the evidence offered, it would seem most likely that the SIR,—I, too, have received a list of members, copy of annual report,

change of name has resulted from an early typographical error, which &c., from one of the Hon. Secretaries of the Irish Graduates’ Associa-the gentlemen who compiled the American Pharmacopoeia have unwit- tion, and am much surprised to see the name of a medical womantingly followed, to the detriment of their followers also. figuring thereon.Your obedient servant,

SAML. SMITH, time circular calling my attention to the Association, received someBristol, Sept. 23rd, 1878. Surgeon-Major, 1st Ad. Batt. G.E.V. time ago there occurs the following resolution:—"That the member-ship of the Association be limited to medical men holding Irish quali-Mr. James Dougal, (Strathaven. -Our correspondent probably refers to fications wherever resident." And the official receipt for my annuala paper by Dr. Burney Yeo, read before the Clinical Society on March subscription is headed, Association for Qualified Irishmen Practising

9th, 1877, and published in abstract in THE LANCET on the 17th of the Now, it would be interesting to know how Dr. Eliza L. Walker Dunbar,same month. The paper as it appears in the Transactions of the Society of Clifton, has been transformed into an " Irishman practising in Eng-mav contain the references desired. land" ? Or, indeed, how she was admitted at all under the above resolu-

tion ? Till this is explained, I, for one, will withhold support to theMr. Henry Greenway.—The idea of infectious wards for paying patients Association. Your obedient servant,has been carried out in the London Fever Hospital for years. Leicester, Sept. 21st, 1878. ALEX. M’COOK WEIR, M.D., &c.

EXCISION OF BOTH KNEE-JOINTS. ANTIQUARIAN DISCOVERIES IN FERMANAGH.

To the Editor of THE LANCET. Two tumuli were opened last week at Castlearchdale, and various carvingsTo the .Mttot- of THE LANCET, discovered on the walls of the chambers, one of the mounds containing

SIR,—In reply to Mr. Folker’s letter, which appears in your last week’s a skeleton, accompanied by cremated bones. Among the symbols de-issue, I would beg to explain that until Saturday last I had not seen his lineated was that of a hatchet, which it is stated has never before beenpaper on Excision of both Knee-joints. I read my own paper at a meet-ing of the Northumberland and Durham Medical Society about a month, noticed in Ireland, although not unknown in the caves of Brittany.it seems, after the publication of his paper in the British Medical Journal; Justice.-If the duties are faithfully discharged, we apprehend thereand had I seen the latter I would certainly have made some reference to would be no good ground of complaint.it, and acknowledged its priority. I made many inquiries, and in differ- would be no good ground of complains.ent directions, in my endeavour to ascertain whether the double opera-tion had been done previously ; but I failed to receive one reply in the HYPODERMIC INJECTIONS OF ERGOTINE.affirmative. Possibly the only interest attaching to my case was the age To the Editor of THE LANCET.of the patient at the time of the operation-namely, forty-five. Before

-"’ the Editor of THE LANCET.he left the infirmary he was able to walk about without the aid of sticks SIR,-I shall be obliged if any of your readers will give me theiror crutches. experience of hypodermic injections of ergotine in lingering labour from

I hope this letter will be satisfactory to Mr. Folker, to whom I am insufficient uterine contraction the dose employed, the frequency of itsobliged for his directing my attention to his paper. repetition, and the part of the body operated on.

Yours truly, Yours faithfully,Sunderland, Sept. 23rd, 187S. J. BARRON. Sept. 24th, 1878. F. D. L.

463

ELECTRIC LIGHTING. A NOVEL USE FOR APOMORPHIA.

THE September number of the Sanitarian reminds us that lighting our AT the late meeting of the French Association for the Advancement ofrooms and public buildings by electricity has sanitary as well as Science, M. Verger related the case of a child with a plumstone im-luminous aspects. An ordinary gas-burner consumes about forty-five pacted in the gullet. No instruments being at hand for the extractioncubic feet of oxygen per hour, as well as sometimes giving off sul- of the foreign body, recourse was had to emetics. Ipecacuanha failingphurous acid, and now and then carbonic oxide gas. Kerosene oils to induce vomiting, it was decided, after consultation, to inject apo-are said to be equally deleterious. (Is this so ?) Heat, of course, has morphia subcutaneously. Two injections were practised, amountingto be considered, and altogether there can be little doubt that electric in all to two and a half milligrammes of the alkaloid-not a largelighting has for domestic purposes many sanitary advantages over gas, amount. Vomiting was soon excited, and the foreign body expelled.oil, or candles.

Mr. Little.-As the accident was caused by a flaw in the metal, we do TYPHOID FEVER.

not see the need to condemn the instrument generally. To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—In your issue of August 31st appears a short analysis of the

NON-UNITED FRACTURE. above fever by Dr. H. M. Tuckwell, whose experience was sixty cases inTo the Editor of THE LANCET.

nine years. I have seen as many in three months in Whitehaven, Cum-...’. berland, and about half that number in a fortnight at the Uppingham

SiR,-Having recently had a case of this kind, my account of its treat- Grammar Schools with Dr. Bell. With the exception of Dr. I’Anson,ment may interest and be of use to " A Country Surgeon." the other practitioners of Whitehaven and Carlisle, no medical man has.The fracture was a transverse one in the upper third of the femur, and seen so many cases, and had them under his treatment, as myself. Double

did not seem at the time to present any peculiar difficulty in treatment. relapsing typhoid is rare; but what will Dr. Tuckwell say to treble (if IHowever, at the end of six weeks, when I removed the long splint, pre- may so term it) relapsing typhoid? I had two cases under my own treat-paratory to applying a starch bandage, the limb slowly bent in my ment, and both got well. What the medical practitioners and myself in

Whitehaven would have done without ordinary beef-tea (don’t forget thehands, giving the sensation very much as if the thigh were made of stiff isinglass in it), stimulants, and preparations of opium, I do not know-putty; in short, I found the ends of the bone ununited, rounded, and Precisely the same treatment was carried out during the last severeoverriding. I put the limb up again in the long splint, bandaging and epidemic at Uppingham by Dr. Bell. The medicine prescribed by him in

keeping the parts in position as carefully as I could ; but at the end of almost all cases was dilute hydrochloric acid and chlorate of potash ;the second parts in position as had the mortification to at the bone stimulants frequently during the night and day. As to the successthe second period of six weeks I had the mortification to find the bone of the treatment there can be but one opinion. Dr. Tuckwell shouldstill ununited, with greater displacement than before. I discarded the remember that typhoid is like scarlatina. You may have it in a verylong splint then, and I hope for ever, and adopted the following plan mild form or severe ; if the former, the patient requires nothing but awith perfect success :-To reduce the deformity in the first place, I used bucket of cold water to drink, and go to bed; in the severe form, if Dr.continued extension by pulley and weight (the latter a flat iron of six Tuckwell carries on his same mode of treatment in his next sixty cases,,pounds), raising the foot of the bed by bricks. This, and this alone, as I he will lose considerably more than ten out of his sixty patients. Drs.

expected it would do, brought the apparently rounded ends of the bone I’Anson, Bell, and myself have not on an average lost more than five outinto perfect apposition. I then made a Scultetus’ bandage, and applied of sixty, and if we picked our own cases it would not come to that.

it with starch from below the knee right up on to the pelvis, at least as September, Yours respectfully, C. DAVIDSON.far as I could, so as to command both joints. Over this first bandage I Heckington, September, 1878. C. DAVIDSON.moulded a poroplastic splint, carrying it well up over the pelvic bones,and over all another Scultetus’ bandage, well starched like the other. To the Editor of THE LANCET.In two days this bandage was quite dry and as hard as a board; indeed SIR,-If "An Enquirer" will refer to the following treatises, I think hethe man said his leg felt as if it was in a drain-tile. During the applica-tion of these these bandages the limb was kept on the stretch by the assistant, will obtain the information he seeks upon the age of typhoid patients :

Lombard et Fauconnet : Etudes Clin. sur les Fièvres Typhoïdes (Gaz.and then transferred as before to the weight and pulley. I gave my Méd., 1843, p. 592). Griesinger: Infections-krankeiten zweite Auflagepatient porter, chemical food, and cheered his drooping spirits with the (Erlangen, 1864, p. 154). Gaultier de Claubry: Rap. sur les Epidemicspromise of a good result. At the end of three weeks I removed theweight, and at the end of the sixth week he got up with the bandage qui ont régne en France de 1841 a 1846 Pathological 1 Acad de Trans-still on. I found perfect union had taken place, and that without the tom. xiv., 1849, p. 30). In vol. xiii. of the Pathological Society’s Transleast deformity or shortening, and, though still somewhat stiff and lame, actions, p. 68, Dr. Wilks records a case of a woman aged seventy. Themy patient has gone to work, and is gradually recovering the use of his oldest in which enteric fever has occurred, and with which I am con-long imprisoned joints. versant, is the one recorded by Hamernyk, aged ninety.The question naturally arises, Whose fault was it that the bone did Dilrham c; tember 1878.

Yours truly, FERErrs OLIVER M.D.not unite ? I think in my case the blame must be equally distributed Durham, September, 1878. J. FERENS OLIVER, M.D.between doctor and patient. I blame myself in not (as is my almost in- To the Editor of THE LANCEx.variable custom) starching the bandage of the first long splint, the con- To the Editor of THE LANCET.sequence being that it was constantly getting loose, and requiring SIR,—In Murchison’s Treatise on Continued Fevers there is given a listreadjustment. To my mind this same long splint is a barbarous, useless, of 1772 cases of typhoid fever admitted into the London Fever Hospitaland inefficient invention, and not worthy the surgery of the day. It is during ten years, classed according to ages, and only one case, and thatmost difficult of application, and, when applied, perfectly useless as a marked as doubtful (thus 1 ?) appears to have occurred between the agesmeans of sustained extension. Yours truly, of seventy and eighty. It is stated by the same author that the charac-

JAMES MORE, M.D. teristic abdominal lesions have been found by Lombard in a womanRothwell, Northamptonshire, Sept. 21st, 1878. aged seventy-two ; and by M. D’Arcy in a woman aged eighty-six.

Liebermeister gives a tabulated list of 1714 cases admitted into the hos-Dum Spiro Spero.—We cannot answer the question. Much depends on pital at Basle from 1865 to 1870; but there is only one case said to havethe terms usual in the neighbourhood, of which the highest should be occurred at an age exceeding seventy years (Ziemssen’s Cyclopædia ofMedicine, vol. i., p. 73). Yours faithfully,taken as a guide. Penzance, Sept. 22nd, 1878. A. B. BERRY.

X. 0.-Surgeons of repute, in whom the public may have confidence, donot make a specialty of the class of cases referred to. Consult a qua- To the Editor of THE LANCET.lified practitioner. SIR,—In answer to " An Enquirer" as to "the latest period of life at

r m- d. might address his inquiry to Sir Joseph Fayrer, which cases of typhoid fever have been met with," I desire to state thatL. W. A. might address his inquiry to Sir Joseph Fayrer. I have seen one well-marked case at the age of seventy-two. Knowingthat it is extremely doubtful whether typhoid ever occurs-most authors

CARBOLIC ACID IN SMALL-POX. ’

declare it never does-after the age of forty or forty-five, I watched the

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

.

case closely and with more than usual interest, and as it ran its course Ifound all the symptoms well-developed and unmistakable. The man

SIR,-In reply to Mr. Lawson’s question in your issue of to-day, I have died on the twenty-third day. I certified the death as typhoid fever.

no hesitation in expressing a strong conviction that the effects he refers Southport, Sept. 23rd, 1878. Yours truly,

G. B. BARRON, M.D.to are due to primary vaccination rather than to carbolic acid. I derive

my opinion from numerous observations made at the London Small-pox To the Editor of THE LANCET.Hospital by the late J. F. Marson, who was for more than forty years its SIR,—I am able to supply "Enquirer" with one case of typhoid feverresident medical officer. Having during nearly the whole of that period in a subject above seventy years of age. During an epidemic of typhoidenjoyed an intimate acquaintance with Mr. Marson, I have repeatedly two years ago I had a case of a labourer in his seventy-fourth year, whobeen invited by him to watch the trials of many among the various recovered after a very tedious convalescence.means that at different times have been brought forward for the pre- Yours truly,vention of "pitting." It is almost superfluous to state that in all these Kibworth, September, 1878. THOMAS MACAULAY.instances comparative experiment was instituted. Mr. Marson’s logicalmind was satisfied with nothing short of the most exact reasoning, and To the Editor of THE LANCET.he therefore rejected all conclusions based upon experiments on vac- SIR -In answer to "Enquirer," I beg to state that I have at presentcinated individuals. The result was that we arrived at the opinion an unmistakable case of typhoid fever in a patient aged seventy-three,which he held very strongly—viz., that the only prevention of pitting this being the fourth case occurring in the same family lately.was to be found in the abortmg power of vaccination. I remain, Sir, yours truly,All practitioners who have had the charge of small-pox patients will Middlesborough, Sept. 24th, 1878. A. H. NORMAN, L.R.C.P.be ready to endorse the observation of Dr. Taylor, that small-pox aftervaccination and small-pox in unvaccinated persons are two different dis- m the Editor of THE LANCET.eases. It will be to them a thing not altogether rare to have seen thedisease cut short in all its stages where vaccination has been effected; SIR,-I have during the past two months attended, in a well-markedwhile, on the contrary, such an occurrence is unheard of in the unpro- and rather severe attack of typhoid fever, a woman aged seventy-six.tected. I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, She has made a good recovery. Yours truly,Holloway, Sept. 21st, 1878. W. B. KESTEVEN, M.D. Burton-on-Trent, Sept. 25th, 1878. HENRY E. BRIDGMAN.

464

ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL.

iN the Students’ Number the total perpetual fee at St. Bartholomew’!Hospital was-erroneously stated, to be £140 12s. It should have beeiZ138 12s, or a single payment of Z131 5s.

Mr. Pike.—The question is not one of law, but custom. The protesimust be made just before being sworn, and it must take the form of asimple refusal to answer questions which aim to elicit the opinion o:witness as a medical expert. The evidence to facts is compulsory. Foexample, the witness must describe post-mortem appearances; bulhe may refuse to state what, in his opinion,, was the cause of deathThe limit must, however, be defined by the protest before beinsworn.

CONTAGIOUS PNEUMONIA.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—I have noticed the letters &c. in THE LANCET on Pythogeni(13neurmDnia,. and also Dr. Wm, Squire’s paper, read before the Epidemiological.Society in March last, on Epidemic Pneumonia. As a smallcontribution, to the subject, I may. add that sorters of raw alpaca,mohair (goat’s-hair), camel’s-hair, &c. &c., are often attacked by a

rapidly fatal disease of this kind. It is sometimes fatal from collapse infrom fifteen to twenty-four hours : more frequently reaction comes on,and, if followed by pulmonary congestion, pleural and pericardial san-guinolent exudations, and death about the fourth day. If it goes on fora week, recovery generally takes place. These effects are only the localmanifestations of a specific septiceemia, caused by the inhalation of aseptic poison, developed by bacteria from decomposing animal matterwithin hard-pressed bales. Exposure to air for a few hours dissipatesthe poison, or renders it perfectly innocuous. It is closely allied tomany other bacterial products from the putrid decomposition of differentsubstances, which, introduced in various ways into the blood, producedifferent kinds of septicaemic diseases, such as surgical and puerperalsepticaemia, typhoid fever, splenic fever (malignant pustule), infectivepneumo-ententis (typhoid) of the pig, typhus of the horse, &c. &c., inall-of which the blood abounds with very similar but different animalorganisms. Yours &c.,Bradford, Sept. 21st, 1878. J. H. BELL, M.D.

ERRATUM.-In Dr. Dunlop’s article on Yellow Fever, in THE LANCET ofSept. 7th, page 323, sixth line from bottom of second column, for" through," read things.

COMMUNICATIONS not noticed in the current number shall receive atten-tion in our issue of the ensuing week.

COMMUNICATIONS, LETTERS, &c., have been received from-Mr. Callender,London; Dr. Sedgwick Saunders, London; Dr. John Williams, Lon-don ; [Dr. Goodhart, London; Dr. R. Heath, St. Leonard’s-on-Sea;Mr. Greenway, Plymouth; Dr. R. Campbell, Lewisham; Dr. R. Neale,London; Dr. Barron, Southport; Dr. Weir, Leicester; Dr. Allshorn,London; Dr. Napier, Dunbar; Dr. Eade, Norwich ; Dr. Dougal,Strathaven ; Mr. Barron, Sunderland ; Dr. Hull, New York ; Dr. Ray ;Dr. Cavafy, London ; Mr. Wright, Cranbrook; Mr. Holt, Glasgow;Mr. Ormond, Wantage; Mr. Drew, Beckenham ; Mr. Lee, Heckmond-wike Dr. Kesteven, Holloway ; Mr. Berry, Penzance; Mr. Fisher,London; Mr. Cocks, Barnsley; Dr. Haysted, Worcester; Mr. Pollard,Shaw; Dr. More, Rothwell; Dr. Bell, Bradford; Dr. J. F. Oliver,Durham ; Mr. Dobson, Clifton; Mr. Hoperoft, Dorking ; Dr. Paulson,Loughborough; Surgeon-Major Smith, Bristol; Dr. Lee, Cyprus ;Dr. Bridgman, Burton-upon-Trent; Dr. Dale ; Dr. Pirrie, Port Rolloth ;Dr. Johnston, Sheffield ; Dr. Merryweather; Messrs. Browne and Co. ;Dr. Gramshaw; Mr. Frost, Hartshill; Mr. T. Macaulay, Kibworth;llii. Kearney ; Mr. Jackson; Mr. Jones; Dr. Norman, Middles-borough ; Messrs. Wyman and Co.; Mr. Marstten; Dr. Chartres,Arcachon ; Mr. Farren; The Registrar-General of Edinburgh; E. G. ;H. M. S. ;, M.B., C.M. ; E. G. ; L.R.C.P.L.; C. M. ; A. G. L. ; Tint;3E, H. ; G. F. W. ; Medicus, Weymouth ; R. L. ; F. D. L. ; S. W. A. ;Justice; Z.; The Registrar-General of Births &e. ; M. A. ; X. Y. Z. ;M.R.C.S.E. ; Dum Spiro Spero ; &c. &c.

LETTERS, each with enclosure, are also acknowledged from - Mr. Sawyer,Darlington; Mr. Thompson, Hastings ; Messrs. Ladd and Son, Can-terbury ; Dr. Shapter, Exeter; Mr. Cressey, Hertford ; Mr. D. Moses,Market-Drayton; Mr. Wayte, Hanley; Dr. Taylor, Cardiff ; Mr. Key-worth, Lincoln; Mr. Pothecary, Jersey; Mr. Wood; Mr. Jenkinson;Mr. Browu ; Messrs. Wyld and Wilson ; Mr. Parry; Dr. Prior,St. Albans ; Mr. Wraith ; Mr. Wilson, Derby; Mr. Howard; Mr.Roberts, Alfreton; Mr. Turner; Mr. Kenyon; Dr. Martin; Mr. Day;Mr. Gardiner; Mr. Hillman; Mr. Sandell ; Mr. Thompson, Clon-dalkin ; Dr. Brady, Derby ; Mr. Mason ; Mr. Rowley; Mr. Campbell;Messrs. Gilder and Co., Barnsley; Dr. Wicks, Bicester; Dr. Worger ;Dr. James; F. R. ; M.R.C.S., London; X. L. ; M.D., Edinburgh;E. C., Poplar; Medicus, Acerington ; Delta; H. F. E.; L.R.C.P.;M.D., L.R.C.P. ; J. D. C. ; W. H. 1.; A. C. J. S. ; Medicus, Tam-worth ; M.R.C.S., Ventnor; T. L. ; M.D., Norwich ; C. A. B. ; M.D.,Acton; X. Y. Z, Syston; M.D., Liverpool; Doctor; Bang; Surgeon,Devonport; 87; Medico ; A. L., Barnsbury; A. H. H. ; Medicus ;Student, Paddington ; L. Di. ; A. B. ; A. M. X., York; Beta; H. N.,Winchester; A. G. H.

-Madras Mail, White Mountain Echo, Colonies and India, BanffshireJournal, Guy’s Hospital Gazette, Derby Mercury, Birmingham DailyPost, Night and Day, Macclesfield Courier, &c., have been received.

METEOROLOGICAL READINGS.

(Taken daily at 8 a.m. by Steward’s Instruments.)THE LANCET OFFICE, SEPT. 26TH, 1878.

Medical Diary for the ensuing Week.’

Monday, Sept.. 30.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL, MOORFIELDS. - Operationsy,

101/2 A.M. each day, and at the same hour.ROYAL WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 11/2 P.M. each

day, and at the same hour.ST. MARK’S HOSPITAL.—Operations, 9 A.M. and 2 P.M.METROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M.ROYAL ORTHOPÆDIC HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M.

Tuesday, Oct. 1.GUY’S HOSPITAL.—Operations, 11/2 P.M., and on Friday at the same hour.WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.NATIONAL ORTHOPEDIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.WEST LONDON HOSPITAL.-Operations, 3 P.M.

Wednesday, Oct. 2.MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1 P.M.ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL. - Operations, 11/2 P.M., and on Saturday

at the same hour.ST. THOMAS’S HOSPITAL. - Operations, 1 P.M., and on Saturday at the

same hour.KING’S COLLEGE HOSPITAL. - Operations, 2 P.M., and on Saturday at

1 P.M.LONDON HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M., and on Thursday and Saturday

at the same hour.GREAT NORTHERN HOSPITAL.-Operations. 2 P.M. -UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL. -Operations, 2 P.M., and on Saturday

at the same hour.SAMARITAN FREE HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN. - Operations,

2 P.M.OBSTETRICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.-8 P.M. Specimen : Fleshy Mole, by

Dr. Godson.-Paper : Dr. Herman, "Remarks on the Treatment ofPregnancy complicated with Cancer of the Genital Canal."

Thursday, Oct. 3.ST. GEORGE’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL.-1! P.M. Surgical Consultations.CHARING-CROSS HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.CENTRAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL. - Operations, 2 P.M., and on

Friday at the same hour.Friday, Oct. 4.

ST. GEORGE’S HOSPITAL.-Ophthalmic Operations, 11/4 P.M.ST. THOMAS’S HOSPITAL.-Ophthalmic Operations, 2 P.M.ROYAL SOUTH LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.

Saturday, Oct. 5.ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.

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