727 make it public. Will you oblige me by stating to the best of your recollection what passed with reference to the preparation? I am, dear sir, very truly yours, " F. KIERNAN. To Mr. Hugh Powell." " 24, Clarendon-street, Somers-town, August 6, 1839. Dear Sir :-In answer to your letter re- questing me to state what took place on the evening I met Dr. HAKE at your house, I beg to inform you that I will do so to the best of my recollection, though, not being acquainted with anatomical preparations, I am able to recollect but few of the many ob- servations that were made. "After we had been using the microscope for some time, you produced a preparation which we all examined. During the time (which was about an hour and a half) that Dr. HAKE was examining it with the micro- scope, you pointed out several different parts to him, one of which you said was disease in its most incipient state. Dr. HAKE said he could sit and look at it all night, and wondered you had not published it; he thought, if you did not soon do so, it was likely some one would do it before you, and he added that he would be as silent as the grave. Dr. HAKE observed to me, as we walked home, that he thought you were too careless about it, and that some one would certainly publish an account of the same subject before you. From what you have stated to me in your letter it is evident that Dr. HAKE would not have been long in guessing the person that was likely to at- tempt to anticipate you.-I am, Sir, yours truly. " H. POWELL. « To F. Kiernan, Esq." On quitting Brighton, Dr. HAKE designed to rest in London, but he has changed his mind, and booked himself on Saturday for Coventry. The PharmacopŒia of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. pp. 217. 12mo. Black & Co., Edinburgh. The Pharmacopœia of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. pp. 217. 12mo. Black & Co., Edinburgh. THis is a decided improvement on the Lon. don Pharmacopoeia. Report gives the chief credit of the authorship to Dr. Christison. The choice is praiseworthy, because a work which treats of medicines must be very deficient if the author be ignorant of the science under which they are administered, as in the case of the Pharmacopoeia of Lon- don. Some critics of that work apologised for its defects on this score, and conceived that the reputed collaborateur had only ten- dered his advice in particular instances. They thought that they were doing that gen- tleman a favour. On the contrary, he testily rebutted the charge. « Alone I did it ! " The new Pharmacopoeia brings us nearer to that era in medicine, when physicians shall no longer pride themselves, like the savage priests of Tahiti, in keeping all medical knowledge to themselves, by inditing their prescriptions in a doggrel dead language; but they shall preserve their acquaintance ; with chemistry in the language in which they have been taught that science, and shall no longer incur the risk of destroying their patients, by writing in terms which the druggist only interprets by the aid of a dictionary. The Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia comes be- fore the public in an English dress; the old women in Pall Mall will be shocked at this innovation. That the English public should be allowed to understand the language of the work in which the medicines of which they must partake are described, is a no- velty which the College cannot tolerate. These days, however, are nearly ended, and with the last surviving of the sisters must terminate that system of concealment which is the bane of science. If Dr. Christison had extended the improvement still further, he would have conferred yet greater service on medicine. He should have written the names of the articles of the Pharmacopoeia in English, as well as the description of the nrocesses for their nreoaration. instead (from his disinclination to upset the practice of writing Latin prescriptions) of merely ap- pending the English names. How absurd, for instance, to term charcoal « carbo ligni !" An argument has been offered in favour of a Latin Pharmacopoeia, which, at first sight, seems plausible, but is altogether shallow on examination. Latin, it is said, " is un- derstood throughout the civilised world;" but the English Pharmacopoeia is made for England and its dependencies alone, and ought, therefore, to be written in the lan- guage of the country for which it is intend- ed. With a similar argument the religious despots and inquisitors of a past age enforc. ed a Latin Litany, now consigned to the cloisters of oblivion.
Transcript
727
make it public. Will you oblige me bystating to the best of your recollection whatpassed with reference to the preparation?I am, dear sir, very truly yours,
questing me to state what took place onthe evening I met Dr. HAKE at your house,I beg to inform you that I will do so to thebest of my recollection, though, not beingacquainted with anatomical preparations, Iam able to recollect but few of the many ob-servations that were made."After we had been using the microscope
for some time, you produced a preparationwhich we all examined. During the time(which was about an hour and a half) thatDr. HAKE was examining it with the micro-scope, you pointed out several different
parts to him, one of which you said wasdisease in its most incipient state. Dr. HAKEsaid he could sit and look at it all night, andwondered you had not published it; he
thought, if you did not soon do so, it waslikely some one would do it before you, andhe added that he would be as silent as the
grave. Dr. HAKE observed to me, as wewalked home, that he thought you were toocareless about it, and that some one wouldcertainly publish an account of the samesubject before you. From what you havestated to me in your letter it is evident thatDr. HAKE would not have been long in
guessing the person that was likely to at-tempt to anticipate you.-I am, Sir, yourstruly.
" H. POWELL.« To F. Kiernan, Esq."On quitting Brighton, Dr. HAKE designed
to rest in London, but he has changedhis mind, and booked himself on Saturdayfor Coventry.
The PharmacopŒia of the Royal College ofPhysicians of Edinburgh. pp. 217. 12mo.Black & Co., Edinburgh.
The Pharmacopœia of the Royal College ofPhysicians of Edinburgh. pp. 217. 12mo.
Black & Co., Edinburgh.THis is a decided improvement on the Lon.don Pharmacopoeia. Report gives the chiefcredit of the authorship to Dr. Christison.The choice is praiseworthy, because a workwhich treats of medicines must be verydeficient if the author be ignorant of the
science under which they are administered,as in the case of the Pharmacopoeia of Lon-don. Some critics of that work apologisedfor its defects on this score, and conceivedthat the reputed collaborateur had only ten-dered his advice in particular instances.
They thought that they were doing that gen-tleman a favour. On the contrary, he testilyrebutted the charge. « Alone I did it ! "The new Pharmacopoeia brings us nearer
to that era in medicine, when physicians shallno longer pride themselves, like the savagepriests of Tahiti, in keeping all medical
knowledge to themselves, by inditing theirprescriptions in a doggrel dead language;but they shall preserve their acquaintance; with chemistry in the language in whichthey have been taught that science, andshall no longer incur the risk of destroyingtheir patients, by writing in terms whichthe druggist only interprets by the aid of adictionary.The Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia comes be-
fore the public in an English dress; the oldwomen in Pall Mall will be shocked at thisinnovation. That the English public shouldbe allowed to understand the language ofthe work in which the medicines of which
they must partake are described, is a no-
velty which the College cannot tolerate.These days, however, are nearly ended, andwith the last surviving of the sisters mustterminate that system of concealment whichis the bane of science. If Dr. Christisonhad extended the improvement still further,he would have conferred yet greater serviceon medicine. He should have written thenames of the articles of the Pharmacopoeiain English, as well as the description of thenrocesses for their nreoaration. instead (from
his disinclination to upset the practice ofwriting Latin prescriptions) of merely ap-pending the English names. How absurd,for instance, to term charcoal « carbo ligni !"An argument has been offered in favour ofa Latin Pharmacopoeia, which, at first sight,seems plausible, but is altogether shallowon examination. Latin, it is said, " is un-derstood throughout the civilised world;"but the English Pharmacopoeia is made forEngland and its dependencies alone, andought, therefore, to be written in the lan-guage of the country for which it is intend-ed. With a similar argument the religiousdespots and inquisitors of a past age enforc.ed a Latin Litany, now consigned to thecloisters of oblivion.
728We shall divide a few observations on the
work before us into those upon nomencla-
ture, and those upon the processes.Nomeuclature.-The necessity of employ-
ing a physician who is deeply versed in
chemistry for the production of a Pharma-copoeia, is rendered obvious by a compari-son of the nomenclature of the London and
Edinburgh works. A prescribing physi-cian is acquainted practically with the di.f-ficulties that attend the employment of newnames, and the continued changes whichmust necessarily ensue if the theoreticalterms appended to substances, with the viewof explaining the progress of the science, areto be continually introduced. How incon-venient would it be if a man’s house must
always change with any increase or diminu-tion of his weight or bulk.
In the London Pharmacopoeia the ammo-niacal salt of commerce is termed sesquicai--bonate. Now, the experiments of Daltonand Scanlan lead to the inference that it is amixture of carbonate and bicarbonate, whichmay be separated from each other by theaction of water; the old name, therefore, ofcarbonate of (imiizonia was preferable to theinnovation, and is used in the Edinburghwork.The golden sulphuret of antimony, whose
composition, as a mixture or compound, isnot determined, is styled, in the London
work, oxysulphuretum, a term which has nomeaning whatever, and may lead the pupilto entertain a false theory of the substance.In the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia the primi-tive term is retained, as above.
Taotur emetic is known to the most learn-ed and the most vulgar, equally, under thisdesignation. No chemist has hitherto ex-
plained the actual mode in which the ele-ments of this compound are united, and,therefore, the term tat-tarised antimony, em-ployed in the Edinburgh work, is greatlypreferable to that of the potash tartrate of
antimony, although the latter term may becorrectly employed in a scientific treatise.
White arsenic is another poisonous anduseful matter, which acts the part equally ofan oxide and of an acid. In London it is
termed arsenious acid ; but we think that,for officinal purposes, the common name bywhich every one knows it is greatly to bepreferred.
In the London work we find Fowler’sauseniad solution called liquor’ arsenitis po-
tassce, thus leading to the inference that thispreparation is merely a solution of the arse-nite of potash, whereas it contains some
arsenite of potash and some arsenious acid, orwhite arsenic,jumbled up together, in water.The Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia very pro-
perly retains the applicable term of solutioarsenicalis, and thus avoids the danger whichmust occur if the nomenclature of the Lon-don Pharmacopoeia is to be considered ascorrect.
In a former review we endeavoured toshow that the primitive name was the mostcorrect, because it was not influenced byany change in theory. The term Glaubersalt is superior to that of sulphate of soda,because probability seems to be in favour ofthe idea that this compound is not a combi-nation of sulphuric acid and soda, but ofsulphatoxygen and sodium. Hence the ab-
surdity of changing the nomenclature to suitevery change of idea.
Oil of vitriol is used to denote the sul-
phuric acid of commerce, which consists ofone atom acid and one atom water, and isa fluid, while sulphuric acid is a solid body;it would, therefore, be as improper to termthe common oil of vitriol sulphuric acid, asto call sulphate of lime sulhlluric acid, be-cause both substances consist of sulphuricacid united to a base, that base being in theone case lime and in the other water.
In the London Pharmacopoeia the redoxide of mercury is termed binoxide. Hadit been called deutoxide it might have passedmuster, but as the first designation refers tothe number of atoms of oxygen which the
compound contains, the nomenclature is
highly objectionable; since, according to
the best authorities, the substance is com-
posed of 1 atom mercury + 1 atom oxygen.The Edinburgh work has, therefore, judici-ously retained the unobjectionable designa-tion of red oxide of mercury, that descriptiout
being strictly applicable to the prepara-tion.
In the London work the impure carbonateof zinc, instead of having its compositionpointed out by its title, is, in order we sup.pose to form the exception, called by theprimitive term of calamina. And in the
Edinburgh, where, under its common de-signation, it correctly appears, the descrip-tive appellative preparata is added, indi-cating its preparation, or levigation. In
short, the London doggrel recals continually
729
to the reader’s mind Butler’s description of the-
The following table presents a compara-tive view of some unnecessary changes in
the London Pharmacopoeia :-" Babylonish dialect
Of patch’d and pyebald languages,Of English cut on Greek anel Latin,Like fustian heretofore on satin."
London Pharmacopoeia, which are most un-questionably better given in the Edinburghwork. Next week we shall notice the most
important of the novelties in the processes.
The Dibcovery of the Vital Principle, or Phy-siolob of Man. Starling, Leicester-square.pp. 566, 8vo.
A Popular Treatise on the Kidney, its hithertoUnknown Functions and Diseases, in con-’1!ection with the Circulating Animal Oils,c. By GEORGE CORFE. Baisler, London.pp. 304, 8vo.
THESE works, altogether so dissimilar intheir titles and the subjects of which theytreat, have. nevertheless, in many respects,such a mutual similarity, that they may withpropriety be classed and reviewed together.They both profess to treat of most importantdiscoveries relating to the physiology of
man; they are both written in a peculiarstyle, and both end in announcing the disco-very of the vital principle; one author, how-ever, considering that this subtle agent isentirely dependent upon dew, that being, ashe considers, " the primary cause of animaland vegetable organisation;" whilst theother has made the first principle of life tobe dependent upon the—fat!The amount of " information," then, con-
veyed in these volumes amounts simply tothese discoveries ; in what way, however,these original thinkers prove their positionswe are at a loss to discover, for if ever therewere exemplifications of the truth of the
remark, that
" True, no meaning puzzles more than wit,"they;are to be found in the volumes before us.We cannot do the authors better service
than by quoting a few of their more strikingobservations. Thus, in the " Vital Prin-
ciple," we find a new theory of the cause ofCOMPRESSION OF THE BRAIN.
cc Compression of the brain is not caused,as is generally supposed, by too copious acirculation of the blood, but by air ascendinginto the cranium, and extending the bone orskull until the very sinuses are opened ; ifevaporation does not take place in an equalproportion to the air absorbed in the cra-nium, compression of the brain is the con-
sequence ; an obstruction of the circulationbetween the arteries and veins succeeds,whence nervous irritation must necessarilyensue. The brain may be compressed untilits essence evaporates, and the charcoal onlyremains. The uterus of the perfect life isan elastic membrane or web, which is ex-tended throughout every living particle ofman. When the brain contracts the uterusexpands, and the plastic diamond loses itselastic form. Thus man dies, and his ma-chine is resolved into dust; but the tripleelementary seed remains unchanged : mindbeing the unity of parts of real substance,cannot be annihilated ; for, whether animalmatter be in the solid, fluid, or aeriformstate, it is still the same, and will reproducein another state of existence, according tothe degree of condensation exercised uponit."
WHAT IS MAN?’,The elastic web that incloses every parq
ticle of matter belonging to the machine-Man, is pure diamond in a solid state : eachparticle being cemented together by diamondin its fluid state, in the same manner thatbricks are cemented together by mortar andplaster, until the dwelling or machine iscompletely formed. Death is the separation
330
of these particles, owing to the dissolutionof the elastic properties of the fluid whichcemented them together; and as this fluidloses its elasticity or heat, will the mind ofman or animal become collapsed, until death finally takes place, when every particle ofthese solid diamond atoms will gravitate totheir receptacle, the uterus. The germ ofall animal seed, being pure crystal, can neverbe dissolved away: but when decompositionof the living membrane takes place, by theprinciple of gravitation, all and every par-ticle composing this membrane is attracted
by the veins, and through them falls to theuterus, the general reservoir for decomposedmatter. (It is not unusual for the uterus,when its elastic power is gone, to beat andpulsate like the pendulum of a clock.) Inthis state man retains his mind or intellectualfaculties until the last moment of his exist-ence."
ORIGINAL IDEAS.
" The volcanic process which occasionedthe deluge is still kept up in the two venousand arterial cavities of the heart. Intothese two internal cavities the waters re-treated after the flood, and hence we havethe Atlantic and Pacific Oceans."
’
"The human mind, by this time, willcomprehend, from the perusal of the pre-ceding pages, how a remnant of the virtuousportion of mankind may be saved alive inthe last day by the very powerful invention of balloons. Ere the awful termination ofthe present abode of man, let us hope wemay see the surrounding atmosphere spotted and illumined by moving vessels of everydescription, as we now behold them on thewaters. Here, then, is excitement forgenius and talent to unite in every possibleway : not a moment should be lost in de-vising the means of preservation from theimpending danger."
It will be perceived by these extracts thatthe author of the "Vital Principle," is apoet as well as a philosopher, but so also isthe Apothecary to the Middlesex Hospital.His imagination, however, has taken rathera different turn; he appears to have writtenhis book for no other purpose than to showwith what dexterity he can find biblicalsimiles for every point in anatomy, phy-siology, or disease, of which he treats ; andfor the attainment of this purpose it appearsthat his text-book in the dissecting-room,the dead-house, and the wards of the hos-pital, has been the bible. However out of
place the similes to which we allude maybe, the ingenuity displayed in their adapta-tion will not be disputed : the followingextract is a fair specimen of the poeticalpowers of the author:-
"The ALMIGHTY CREATOR of man has, inmy mind, bestowed great honour on thatinward part, the kidney, in selecting it tobe cut out of brutes, and offered up on Hisown holy altar with the kindred fat andcaul, or midriff, as a typical sacrifice. Mostimportant must that organ be in animal life,which is SO PICKED OUT BY THE DIVINEMAKER, who wound its every thread fromHis own finger, and spread out His ownrich embroidery over every bone, with allits undulations, and convexities, of sinew,muscle, nerve, and vessel ! i"To my imagination, the kidneys, or I
shall say the kidney, sits a sovereign inanimal life, in the very centre of its kindredbody. With one arm, as it were, she re-
ceives the oil, with the other she rejects itsrefuse. One power she attracts with, andwith the other propels. Eight seconds afteran article is taken by her from the mouth ofthe body, whether masticated by the teeth,or simply swallowed, or whether receivedinto the body as an immaterial principle, asthe effluvia of turpentine,* violets, coffee,&c., it is lodged in its invisible quintessencein her bosom, and is from thence cast forth,according to the pure and sanctified lan.
guage of Holy Writ, that " Whatsoever en-tereth in at the mouth, goeth into the belly,and is cast out into the draught," thesedefile not a man; but the pourings out of acorrupt heart are the things which defile a
man." The kidney sits with her back against
the reins, or loins, and hence she derives herstrength ; so in CHRIST all men have life,whether carnal or spiritual; " in Him welive, and move, and have our being."CHRIST is, indeed, the unknown GoD tosome men, but to all is He the sustainingPower, by whom all things consist, and ofwhom all things, in heaven or in earth, are.The nature of the kidney is to be utterlyincapable of generating the least atom of fat;yet is she imbedded or inthroned in fat, andso is moistened, enriched, and kept supple.Thus, as she derives her stability and powerof performing her functions from her posi.tion, leaning against the reins, or loins, soshe derives her moisture, not so much fromthe multitude of oily channels within her-self, as from the gracious and copious in.sinuating anointings of the fine unctuousmatter all around and about her. Have wenot here some shadowings of the naturalman? He has not by nature one atom ofgrace, yet that oil of rich mercy is copiouslyshed, inasmuch as he is loaded with benefits,and is moreover invited to come to CHRISTthe LORD for salvation; nevertheless, by his
* Hay, turpentine, coffee, violets, &c.,when presented to the nerves of smell, maybe detected by their peculiar effluviae in theurine in an incredibly short space of time,some seconds even.
731
fondly-loved sins is he withheld, and so
rejects eternal life. Much more is theChristian enriched by, and embedded in, therich unction and oil of GOD’S grace."This oil of grace, by the wonderful and
secret operation of GOD the HOLY GHOST, inthe work of regeneration, is put by his
Almighty hand into a fleshy tabernacle, aweak and carnal vessel, that the excellencyand the power may be of GOD, and not ofman. In like manner the kidney receivesher oil and rich unction into a fleshy body,a space that is surrounded with corruptibleflesh. Without this oil she would be fit fornothing in the economy ; she would soon I
decay and wither, and then must follow dis-ease, confusion, and death.
" This wonderful gland has seven mainoil tubes, to convey this life-giving fluid intothe bosom of the organ ; of these, the centraltube is the largest. I recognise in this mar-vellous conformation a striking similitudeto the golden candlestick that was to bealways lighted in the temple at Jerusalem.(Exod. xxv.) The type of the new man inChrist, or the light in the lantern and lamp,to the otherwise dark and benighted soul ofthe old man.
« Again ; the Christian can look up toHim who is GOD in the eternal FATHER’Snature, and man in His own nature, andwith humble confidence exclaim, " I am cru-cified with CHRIST:’ - « They that are
CHRIST’s have crucified the flesh with theaffections and lusts:’-« The world is cru-cified unto me, and I unto the world ; know-ing this that our old man is crucified withHim, that the body of sin might be destroyed.that henceforth we should not serve sin."The wonderful organs which an InfiniteMind commanded to be laid upon His altar,have a power of crucifying, destroying, ren-dering inert, and casting away the useless,unprofitable principles, which are engen-dered in the system, and are carried intotheir bosoms."The world, the flesh, and the devil, are
the tri-une enemies of the "new man;"doubtless, also, there are many enemies tothe maintenance and progress of healthystructure, and organisation, in the 11 oldman," which the kidneys have the power toeradicate and reject from the system. Theold man must be crucified daily, as his anti-type, these choice selections of the lamb,were sacrificed morning and evening. Inthis organ, set apart by the Creator for adaily sacrifice, type, and remembrance, ofthe sins of the old man, and his dependenceon "the MAN," the CHRIST of GOD, therewas a shadow of good things to come, andnot the very image of the things, for (’HRISTJESUS is the brightness of the FATHER’Sglory, and the express image of His person;as it is written, " who is the image of theinvisible GOD, the first-born from the dead."But in those sacrifices there is a remem-
brance again made of sins every year, butnow our Passover and our Sacrifice hathbeen once offered to bear the sins of many,and by that one offering hath for ever per-fected them that are sanctified, so that thereremains no more sacrifice for sin. Hencewe have put away all these types andshadows, this blood-sprinkling and burningof offerings, because this MAN, after He hadoffered one sacrifice for sins, for ever satdown at the right hand of GOD."The manner in which he introduces " the
fat" to the reader will probably remindsome of the cry of the fruit-dealers in Con-
stantinople,-" In the name of the prophet-figs!" ""As we view these wonderful types
which GOD ordered to be selected for His ownaltar and sacrifices, we must be struck withthat remarkable one,-the fat. ’ All the fatthat is upon the inwards ;" the richest, thebest, and the most valuable of man’s estate,whilst on earth, are thus to be dedicatedand given up to the LORD his GOD."Had these volumes been published in
Laputa they would there have been re-
markably popular, as the philosophers ofthat justly-celebrated island could have
fully appreciated their merits. The authorof the " Vital Principle," indeed, we stronglysuspect to be a native of Laputa, or at allevents to have been educated in that country.We recommend him to return and settle
there. ,
STATEMENT OF MR. MACKENZIE,CANDIDATE FOR THE DEGREE OF
BACHELOR IN MEDICINEIN THE
UNIVERSITY OF LONDON,RESPECTING THE CONDUCT OF HIS EXAMINERS.
Memorial of FREDERICK WM. MACKENZIE.To the Chancellor and Senate of the Univer-
sity of London.My LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,-
With very great respect I submit to youthe following statement, and pray that it
may be taken into your consideration at thesame time with the Report of the Examinersfor the degree of M.B.
I have submitted myself to the examina-tions for the degree of M.B., and I am in-formed that after the second examination Ihave been placed by the examiners in thesecond class. Before I proceed I wish tostate most distinctly that I do not complainof the mode in which the examination was
conducted, nor do I presume to question, inany way, the judgment of the examiners,
