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INGUINAL HERNIA.

Dr. BROADBENT likewise exhibited a specimen of herniawhich had occurred in a man, and which had been reduced enmasse bsfore admission to the hospital. The symptoms werenot very severe. He died of a low form of pneumonia, andafter death it was found that the sac and the hernia had beenreduced together.

Mr. Hulke, Mr. Nunn, and Dr. Broadbent were associatedto report on the specimen of hernia reduced en masse.

CANCER OF (ESOPHAGUS.

Dr. DICKENSON showed the cesophagus and left subclavianartery from a patient whose first symptom, occurring only fourweeks before admission into St. George’s Hospital, was difficultyin swallowing. Percussion elicited nothing, and the opinionthat the cause was malignant stricture of the eesophagus wasmaintained until his death, which occurred rather suddenlyafter a fainting fit. At the post-mortem examination malig-mant stricture of the cesophagus was found, and below it muchulceration, which opened into the left subclavian artery, andcaused death by loss of blood. It appeared remarkable thatthere were two different occurrences of hasmorrhage at an in-terval of six or eight hours, the first being not considerable,the second fatal.

Mr. NUNN thought it not very unusual that ulcerations intolarge vessels were comparatively slow in causing death.

Dr. DiCKENSON replied that this was the case in aneurism,but he thought it remarkable that it should be so in cancerousulceration opening into so large a vessel.

FATAL PARTURIENT HÆMORRHAGE IN A CAT.

Dr. GRAILY HEWITT exhibited a cat which had,died fromhæmorrhage attendant on parturition. The animal was be-iieved to be old, and one previous labour had been tedious.One kitten was born Feb. 24th, and during the day two more.The cat was found dead the next morning, having during thenight lost a considerable quantity of blood. Three more kit-tens, one partially born, were found in the uterus. There wasmuch engorgement of the uterine vessels on one side; the pla-centæ were partially detached; no blood in the uterus. Thecase was analogous, the author believed, to cases of post-parturient haemorrhage which were observed in the humanfemale, and which were known to be more frequent in oldthan in young subjects. The uterine fibres were free fromfatty transformation, but the walls of the uterus appeared tobe too thin, and there was a large accumulation of fat in the-pelvis and mesentery.

Mr. Canton and Dr. Gibb remarked on this case.

PORTION OF A TUMOUR ATTACHED TO THE RIGHT OVARY.

Mr. SwETE related the case of a woman who had been tappedthree or four times for general dropsy. At the post-mortemexamination a large tumour was found attached to the rightovary, and involving the colon and other intestines, to whichit was so closely adherent that it would have been impossibleto remove it without destructive injury, whether before orafter death.

ULCERATION OF THE LARYNX.

Mr. DURHAM showed this preparation from a child who hadhad scarlet fever a year before. There was considerableenlargement of the glands subsequently. The patient wasadmitted for sudden and dangerous difficulty of breathing,which was greatly relieved by tracheotomy. A week or twoafter this the inner tube was accidentally removed, and suffo-cation took place, the patient being revived only by artificialrespiration. This occurred again some time afterwards, andon this occasion the means used were not successful. The

laryngeal cartilages were found necrosed in part, which is un-usual in a child.

Dr. Hewitt, Mr. Thompson, and Mr. Hulke took part in adiscussion on this case.

WESTERN MEDICAL AND SURGICAL SOCIETY.

FRIDAY, MARCH 1ST, 1861.MR. T. L. CUMBERBATCH, V.P., IN THE CHAIR.

MR. J. LANE exhibited aCYSTIC TUMOUR

which he had removed from the neck of a woman. It hadmade its appearance about eight or ten months previous to

coming under notice, when it was found occupying the wholeside of the neck from the angle of the jaw to the clavicle. Itwas first punctured, and some pus evacuated. Subsequentlythe cavity was emptied by a free incision. A purulent dis-charge afterwards continued for two or three months, when itwas removed. The walls were found much thickened, the in.terior of which presented a granular and secreting surface.Mr. C. HUNTER then related a case of

FEMORAL HERNIA IN A FEMALE,which had been strangulated three times. The last occasionwas on the 16th ult., when she came under the observation ofthe author with all the usual symptoms of strangulated intes-tine, vomiting of a greenish fluid, pulse 120, tongue dry, andmuch tenderness of the abdomen and pain. There was a largefemoral hernia of the right side, which was tense, without im-pulse, and tender to the touch. The bowels had been openseveral times. The taxis with the pelvis elevated was tried,with the effect of materially diminishing the tumour in size.One grain of opium was ordered to be taken and ice to beapplied, which relieved all the symptoms. On the followingmorning the vomiting and the pain in the abdomen returned,rendering an operation imperative. A part of the bowel wasfound down, congested, and covered with dark spots at variousplaces; some fluid was in the sac, and a doubtful-looking por-tion of what seemed to be condensed omentum. Contrary toexpectation, she recovered without a bad symptom. The chiefinterest of the case, Mr. Hunter observed, was that this wasthe third time the patient had been under his care with symp-toms of strangulated hernia. The first time was in April, 1858,when she was admitted into St. George’s Hospital, the authorthen being house-surgeon. She had then similar symptomsto those already related. The taxis failed after severalattempts, but the application of ice for some days relieved theurgent symptoms, and in part diminished the size of thetumour. It was about the size of a walnut when she left thehospital. On the following September she was again admittedwith the same symptoms as before. The tumour was of largesize, tense, and without impulse; the bowels were open as onthe other occasions, and there was the same pain in the abdo-men. The hot bath reduced the hernia in part. Ice wasapplied to the tumour, and calomel and opium were given.Later in the day the taxis was employed, to the complete re-duction of the hernia; so that, as the author remarked, theportion of the bowel previously irreducible was now completelyreturned. From that time to the present (two years and ahalf) she had gone on till the third attack, which was alsoremarkable for the urgency of the symptoms, the sudden wayin which they commenced with vomiting and purging, the re-duction of a part of the hernia, the symptoms still continuing,and the rapid recovery of the patient, who it was thoughtwould die because of the accompanying peritonitis.

Reviews and Notices of Books.Essays and Observations on Natural History, Anatomy, Physio-

logy, Psychology, and Geology. By JOHN HUNTER, F.R.S.Being Posthumous Papers, edited and arranged, with Notes,by RICHARD OWEN, F.R.S., D.C.L., &c. Two Vols. 8vo.London : Van Voorst.

IN these remarkable volumes Professor Owen has gifted theprofession with a valuable and unlooked-for legacy from thatgreat surgeon and physiologist, John Hunter.The writings left unpublished by John Hunter, which are

edited in the present work, are those of which Mr. WilliamClift, F.R.S., Hunter’s last pupil, made transcripts during theperiod when the museum and manuscripts were under hischarge-viz., from the decease of Hunter, in 1793, to the pur-chase of the collections by Parliament and their transfer to theCorporation of Surgeons in 1800. The Parliamentary Com-mittee on Medical Education in 1834 was a result of the

exposure by THE LANCET of the abuses that had long pre-vailed in the administration of the affairs of the College ofSurgeons by its self-elected Council. Mr. Clift, at his ex-amination before the Medical Committee, stated, in reply toQuestion No. 5389-" Had you made any extracts from themanuscripts ?"-" I made large extracts from some of them."

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Q. 5390 (Mr. Warburton).—What proportion of the papers " woman-tyger," Bailey’s monkey, " Banks’ sine cseoo," thehave you been instrumental in preserving by means of these " scea gosh," &o., are examples of the names of creatures, ofextracts ?-A. I hope nearly half. which the anatomy is recorded with characteristic exactitudeMr. Clift then gave the Committee a list of the Hunterian and a rare physiological insight. Yet the whole value of the

MSS., which were under his care until 1800, when they were record depended upon the discovery of the species of animal onremoved by the acting executor of Hunter, Sir E. Home, to his which Hunter had been at work. To obtain this essential

his own house. About one-half of the manuscripts were " pro- knowledge appears to have been the next task to which Pro-fessional ;" they consisted of the lectures on the Principles of fessor Owen bent himself. No one, of course, could have united

Surgery, " which Hunter used to read annually to his class;" so many rare qualifications for the labour. As the describer of

of numerous " Cases, with post-mortem examinations;" of the preparations of Comparative Anatomy, Physiology, andCases where no post-mortem examinations were obtained;" Natural History in the magnificent quarto catalogues of theof " Cases, in two Islanders, written out separately and Hunterian Museum, he was most familiar with the materialfairly;" of " Observations on Surgery," and of " Observations evidences of the dissections, of which the records had thus beenon Scrofula and Cancer." These MSS. were not destroyed, so singularly preserved. In the preface to the Osteologicalbut were transmitted by Home, after some correspondence, as Catalogue, 4to, two vols., 1853, Professor Owen states thatwe learn from the "Blue book" above quoted, to the College many of the Hunterian specimens were derived from the storesof Surgeons. The "Lectures on Surgery" are published in of the original collection, which contained the disarticulatedPalmer’s edition o" Hunter’s works. skeletons of animals dissected by Hunter. Let us show howThe Hunterian MS. " On Extraneous Fossils," and that " On this fact was turned to account in tracing out the species of

the Natural History of Vegetables,’’ were discovered by Capt. animals that had fallen into the hands of Hunter.Sir Everard Home, Bart., R.N., after his father’s decease, The box containing one of these collections of bones wasamongst his papers, and the Captain transmitted the original labeled " Skeleton of Moses." A dissection, with a record ofof the first and a copy of the second to the Royal College of some of the living habits of an animal in the Hunterian MS.Surgeons in 1839. was headed " Moses." The skull and teeth of the skeleton re-The remaining half of John Hunter’s MSS., containing his vealed the generic and specific characters of the beast, and

"Notes of the Dissections of Animals," and his " Observations showed it to be the ratel, (Ratelus mellivorus, Storr,) underon Physiology, Psychology, and Natural History," were de- which head the record by Hunter is now published in vol. ii.,stroyed by Sir Everard Home under the circumstances narrated p. 77, of the present edition of his posthumous writings. Butin his letter to the Secretary of the College of Surgeons of Hunter adds, after "Moses:" "This animal is called in India,March 9th, 1S24, and in Mr. Clift’s evidence before the Com- Scea-Gosh-i. e., ’black ears."’ Professor Owen’s notes givemittee on Medical Education in 1834. Now this was precisely evidence that he has gone largely into contemporary literaturethe portion of Hunter’s manuscripts which supplied the in- in quest of matter elucidatory of the subjects and individualsformation the young Curator of the Museum most needed alluded to in Hunter’s Manuscripts. Apropos to the " Scea-during the seven years of his solitary watch over the colleo- Gosh," he quotes the following from a letter of Horace Walpoletions in Leicester-fields, when, "having, as he might say, no to Sir Horace Mann, dated March 4th, 1760:—" P.S. Thereother books to read at that time," he availed himself of the are some big news from the East Indies. I don’t know what,opportunity to copy them. It has proved a most fortunate, except that the hero Clive has taken Mazulipatam and theand we may truly call it, providential circumstance; the desire Great Mogul’s grandmother. I suppose she will be broughtand opportunity concurring to enable a youth, eager for know- over and put into the Tower with the Shahgoest, the strangeledge, to acquire it by an act of industry which has proved Indian beast that Mr. Pitt gave to the King this winter." Thethe antidote to the most baneful act of destruction recorded in ratel is an Indian species.the annals of literature and science. Hunter appears to have studied the habits of the animalMr. Clift could have had no idea of the peculiar value of closely before he had the opportunity of the dissection, and the

these transcripts, before his cognizance of the conflagration of following affords a. good example of his powers as a descriptivetheir originals in 1823. A friendship of upwards of thirty naturalist :-

years, not unmingled with feelings of devotion, transferredfrom a revered master to an unworthy relative and representa- "

’Moses’ is about the size of a badger, and so much of thetive, general shape, that he was always taken for a badger of a par-tive, was suadenly annihilated. The snook produced a severe ticular kind; but was of stronger make, and more compactand dangerous attack of fever, from which Mr. Clift with in all his parts. but was of a stronger make, and more compaot’difficulty recovered. He then appears to have contemplated "He had most of the manners of a ferret in his walk, thoughthe publication of his transcripts of the " Hunterian Manu- few of the dispositions : he had uncommon latitude in the mo-

scripts." He drew up an able and conclusive statement in tion of all his joints, being able to turn himself into any posi-

refutation of Home’s allegation of Huuter’s injunction for their tion, and could climb very dexterously. The skin was veryallegation for their loose on him, so that he could turn himself almost round in it.destruction, which statement is published, in accordance with The fore-feet are armed with four long sharp claws, with a,Mr. Clift’s request, in the Appendix to the present edition smaller side one, and they are much longer than [the claws of](vol. ii., p. 497;) and this gentleman had added a few Notes the hind feet. They seemed to be for burrowing, for which heto some of the subjects of the Hunterian MSS. which the pre- showed a strong disposition.sent editor has incorporated in the body of the work. But" Contrary to many animals of this make, he was awake inincreasing years, with failure of strengtli and health, left the

the day and asleep at night, though his eyes were constructedincreasing years, with failure of strength and health, left the for seeing in the dark, like those of the cat tribe. He waswork unaccomplished in Mr. Clift’s hands, until, shortly before extremely tame and sociable, so that he chose always to behis demise, he confided the sacred duty to Hunter’s memory with people; he was extremely lively and full of play, andto the care of his illustrious son-in-law and successor. This when he had nobody to play with would play with himself, aslegacy Professor Owen has enriched by the most devoted and with his feet, or would play with the straw by hugging bundlesminute illustration of its treasures.

’ of it; and in this way he would go on for hours: but when atminute illustration of its treasures. -

his victuals he would be very jealous, and would bite anybodyProfessor Owen states in his preface that his first task on that came near; and so strongly had he the disposition of pro-

receiving this precious deposit was to classify the subjects of curing food, that he was unwearied in any method to get it ifthe manuscripts: he then copied them for the press. Most of near it, or if it were within his sense of smell: this was verythe dissections recorded by Hunter were of animals to which acute, so that he could smell at some distance.

reference was made in the MSS. only under vernacular names, " , Moses’ was very cowardly in disposition : anything that

. showed the least resistance frightened him, so that he neveror such as had been received from the menagerie-keeper of attacked anything but by stratagem; and if the animal-as,whom the bodies had been bought. The " alimaski," the e. g., a cat, small dog, or rat-made any defence, he would

321

uddenly start back, or put his head between his legs to secure other Hunterian MS. It seemed in vain, therefore, for Pro-his- throat, of which he was always very careful. At times, fessor Owen to hope to complete his work by the record ofwhen he durst not face, he would present his back and thrust Hunter’s observations and experiments on Vegetables. For-his antagonist into a corner, and would with great circumspec- tunately, in reference to the peculiarly original and striking-tion get his mouth to the back part of the animal’s head, and tunately, in reference two the peculiarly original and striking.gently get his jaws open and over the back part of the skull, views of Hunter on Geological Phenomena and Fossil Organicand, when he thought he had a proper hold, would at once Remains, Professor Owen had made them the subject of threebite suddenly with all his strength. If he did not seem to lectures, introductory to the last course which he delivered inhave- hurt the animal materially, and it made any resistance, the theatre of the Royal College of Surgeons as their Hunterianhe would abandon it with great precipitation, and wouldiagain Professor, in March, 1855. He has printed these eloquent andattack it as before with all the cunning imaginable."—VoL ii., philosophical commentaries on the views of Hunter in the first

,.p.78. philosophical commentaries on the views of Hunter in the firstThis is highly picturesque, natural, and vivid. In reading it,

volume of the present work; and, with or without the abortiveThis is highly picturesque, natural, and vivid. In reading it, . - . forth i the Council i . December, 1859, thequarto hurried forth by the Council in December, 1859, theOne may imagine Hunter hurrying to the Tower to have a view true position of John Hunter in the history of Palæontologicalof the strange beast sent home by Clive, and keenly intent on01 the strange beast sent home by Clive, and keenly intent on Science can now be thoroughly comprehended.all its peculiarities. But of what value would have been the Science greatly to the credit of Mr. Rushworth, the nephewrecord of all his observations on the living t i animal, so

It is greatly to the credit of Mr. Rushworth, tne nephewand executor of the late Capt. Sir Everard Home, that, whenlong, as. the precise kind of animal remained unknown? By informed of the labour which Professor Owen had in hand, he

one or other .- the modes of comparison open to solve these one or other of the modes of comparison open to solve these appears most promptly and generously to have transmitted toproblems, Professor Owen -has determined the species of notproblems, Professor Owen has determined the species of not pe original manuscript of his" Observations andnim Hunters original manuscript of his "Observations andless than 127 mammalia, 80 birds, 30 reptiles, 20 fishes, and Experiments upon Vegetables," from which the subject ofupwards of 20 insects and other invertebrate animals, including the fac-simile of Hunter’s handwriting, given in the secondthe fac-simile of Hunter handwriting, given in the second- entozoa and polypes, of which Hunter has left notes of his volume of the present edition, has been taken. The MS. in.observations when living and dissections when dead. Theseobservations when living and dissections when dead. These question contained an autograph letter from Solander, the com-of 490 pages of close but clear question contained an autograph letter from Solander, the com-

notes occupy most of the volume which pages of close this clear ion, of Banks, in the famous circumnavigation voyage ofprint. Like most of the works which are issued by this pub’ Pan The lovers of botany will feel obliged to thelisher, the print, type, and general execution of these volumes Capt. Cook.editor for adding a specimen of Solander’s handwriting to thatdeserve much praise. of his friend and contemporary.The first volume, of 400 pages, contains the " Obervations of his friend and contemporary.Natural History;" t) " Physiology;" t! " Monsters;" on The portrait of Hunter, which forms the frontispiece of the

"Pspchology" (eminently characteristic is this section of Hun- first volume, is an engraving from a medallion taken the yearthis section of Hun- before his death, and appears to be a characteristic and faithfulter’s peculiarity and pawer= of thought); on " Geology and before his death, and appears to bo a characteristic and faithful

on Geology and likeness.Fossils;" and on the " Veaetable 0 Economy." There is also the Had we space we could give no better evidence of -the value’outline of the beginning of a great work 11 On the Structure of the present work, and of its indispensability to the librarythe present work, and of its indispensabmty to the libraryand Composition of Animal Bodies in which Hunter appears of the physiologist, anatomist, naturalist, and medical prac-not to have advanced beyond a general sketch of the skeletonand joints; and the volume concludes with a most instructive titioner, than a simple transcript of the systematized Contents

of the two volumes. The collection of the works of Hunter isseries of notes on " Practical i . , replete with evidences of the two volumes. Thecollectionof the works of Hunter isnot only incomplete without them, but lacks the main evidence

of daily and successful application of the highest anatomical given for.forming an adequate estimate of the intellect of this truly a

Of ’the Hunterian Manuscripts now, for the first time, given remarkable man.world, all, save those the Vegetable Economy" remarkable man.to the world, all, -save those "On the Vegetable Economy" By the care, the skill, and extensive knowledge ,which Pro-and I I On Geology and Fossils, are from the transcripts made, fessor Owen has applied to the task of editing them, he hasprior’ to the year 1800, by Mr. Clift. greatly enhanced their intrinsic value. Not only has he care-Of the.above two exceptions, the original MS. of the one on fully traced every paragraph and every line to the particularFossils, and a copy of the MS. on Plants, were transmitted to preparation which Hunter was making at the moment that hethe Royal College of Surgeons, upwards of twenty years ago, wrote, so that the foot-notes are enriched with many hundred

by Capt. Sir Everard Home, Bart., R.N. references to preparations in the Hunterian Museum, which theIt was open to the Council of the College of Surgeons to text illustrates; but he has compressed within the most modesthave purchased his valuable and unique transcripts from Mr. limits innumerable references and hints which show how theClift; to have placed them, with the two MSS. subsequently ideas of Hunter have been developed since his time, and howobtained, in competent hands; and to have made some small far he had anticipated subsequent labours. The text is care-return for the advantages derived from their connexion with fully corrected, and obscure passages here and there are madethe Museum of Hunter, by deducting from the enormous pro- clear by the intercalation of a few necessary words which thefits of the examiners, from the tavern bills for quarterly dinners, ordinary reader might fail to supply. There is hardly, perhaps,and the half-quarterly dinners of examiners, or from the fees an example-we cannot recall any-in which so much real toilto Council, of so much as might have been needed to secure for has been bestowed upon the editing of any posthumous papers,the profession and the public such an edition as the one for and in which that toil has been so modestly disguised. Thesewhich the public and the profession are now indebted to Pro- volumes honour almost equally the two great names whichfessor Owen.

The editor might naturally look for sympathy and aid from adorn the title-page.

the College in this work. He appears, indeed, to have had On Memory, and the Rational Means of Improving it. By Dr.such expectations. With that feeling, after having completed EDWARD PICK. pp. 128. London: Triibner.his press copies of Mr. Clift’s manuscripts, he presented the THE author of this broc7tu?-e is already well and favourablyoriginals to the library of the College; and having made con- known for his lectures on Memory, delivered at various placessiderable progress with the most difficult of the exigencies of in this metropolis, and at Oxford and other parts of the coun-the work, especially in the determination of the species re- try. His little work will be hailed with satisfaction by aferred to by Hunter, Professor Owen wrote,-as appears in the large number of persons with both good and bad memories.Appendix of the Second Volume,-on the 25th of October, Dr. Pick shows what has been done hitherto in mnemonics,1859, to the President and Council, requesting to be allowed and suggests new means for improving the memory. His me-to copy the Hunterian MS. on Geology and Fossils. This re- thod of teaching offers remarkable facilities for the acquirementquest was refused, with an intimation that the College had of all kinds of knowledge, as must be apparent to anyone onunder their consideration the publication of both that and the going through the book.