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367 To Correspondents. An Actuary.-The inquiry is one full of medical and social interest. Well authenticated cases of paternity at very advanced ages are so numerous as to leave it doubtful whether any limit can be assigned to the proereative faculty in man. In women the limitation is much more defined. The capacity for conceiving is closely connected with the duration of the men- strual functions. The period of cessation of this undoubtedly varies in different women. It may be stated that pregnancy become,; very rare after the age of forty-five; but cases are known occurring after the age of fifty. A -Loo7cer-on, (Portsmouth.) -Such squabbles are derogatory to the profession, the members of which are the sufferers. No anonymous communications referring to such matters can be published in THE LANCET. A Subscriber.-The advertisement of Mr. J. A. M’Donagh, of Albert-street, Mornington-road, will not add dignity to the profession. Mr. Buckler, (Baltimore.)-We can supply the volume desired. ylr. C. If. Fountain, (Market-Deeping.)-We shall be happy to publish any practical remarks on the treatment of the disease at present epidemic amongst cattle. THE DIFFERENTIAL S T E T H O S C O P E. To the Editor qfTHE LANCET. SIR,-Will you kindly permit me to make a little addition to the notice of the differential stethoscope which appeared in THE LANCET of March 7th. The sounds of one part of the chest, it is true, may be heard in one ear, say the right, while the sounds of another part are heard in the left. When the sounds in the two parts of the chest are alike in character and intensity, which is seldom the case, the mind of course ’perceives no difference between the im- pressions made upon the two ears; but if the sounds differ in any material de- gree, which they generally do even in health, the mind becomes cognizant of the fact that different impressions are being made upon the two ears, and is capa- ble of assigning to each ear the sounds conveyed to it. Though the differential stethoscope may thus convey at the same moment the sounds of the two diffe- rent parts of the chest, the two limbs may be employed separately or in suc- cession. When one limb, which is really a perfect stethoscope, is applied, the sounds are heard in all their purity, and free from any possible admixture with sounds from other parts, and they may be very clearly compared with the sounds in any other portion of the chest by placing the other limb of the in- strument upon the part now to be auscultated, and by removing the body-piece of the limb which has just been employed. The removal of one body-piece and the application of the other are done in an instant, and in less time than would be occupied by moving the ordinary stethoscope from place to place. So closely do the impressions follow each other, and so completely are the conditions of both patient and puscultator unchanged, that a very accurate comparison is to be made, and a very minute difference detected. Successive observations are made with great rapidity, almost as fast as the instruments can be brought in contact with the chest. The successive application of the two limbs is of material service when the anscultator uses the instrument for the first time, or when the difference in the sounds of the two parts is slight, and is one rather of intensity than of character. The differential stethoscope proves a great aid to me in the auscultation of the heart. I have listened with something like gratification to an aortic mur- mur with one ear, and to a mitral murmur with the other, and marked the course of their extinction or growing intensity. The two limbs of the instrument are acoustically separate, and each is ex- clusively connected with only one car. I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, London, March, 1857. S. SCOTT ALISON. Mr. Ancell Ball.-We regret to differ from our esteemed correspondent. Cod- liver oil is ordered as a medicine in disease, to be taken in medicinal doses, and is thus by worldly usage, removed from the catalogue of articles of diet. The scientific definitions of its employment scarcely apply to a matter which simply turns on the meaning usually assigned to the words diet or medicine. Inquirer.-1. Yes.-2. No. Fiat Justitia and a Subscriber since 1835.-It would not produce any good result to publish our correspondent’s letter. Iota.-Consult Mr. Erasmus Wilson’s work on Skin Diseases. JE. -E., (Islington.) -Our advertising columns will afford K. E. the information he requires. SANITARY versus SANATORY. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-It may be a question whether a difference of meaning between sanatory and sanitm’y was intended when the word first began to be used; but as we find these two words in the domain of literature, they may be accepted, and the meaning defined. One seems to be prospective, the other retrospective. Sanatory, as derived from sano, to heal, should be applied to measures in- tended to cure an evil; whilst sanitary, as derived fcorn sanus, healthy, should be applied to measures intended to maintain in health a person or community already sound. The correspondents in Latin would be sanatorius and sani- tarius; the one would be from sa2uztoi-, one who cures, like amatorius; whilst the other would be from sanitas, soundness. There is no such word in Latin that I ever met with as sanator ; whilst sanitas occurs often in writers of the Augustan era, as Cicero, Celsus, and others. I therefore cannot but think that whilst sanitary has better authority in antiquity than sanatory, we may, nevertheless, accept sanatory, not as a rival, but as another word of equal rank, which adds to the wealth of our language, has a different signification, and which might be inserted in future dictionaries thus-.sanatory, adj., healing, curing; sanitary, adj., health preserving. Yours respectfully, March, 1857. Yours respectfully, B. C. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-The answer requested by a "Non-Medical Subscriber" is very simple. Sanitary is derived from sanitas, and means "having relation to health;" sanatory is from sanatio and means " healing:’ For instance, a man in per- fect health would drain his house before entering it, as a sanitary precaution; or if not, he would probably be compelled as a sanatory measure to call in the nearest physician. I am, Sir, yours, &c., March, 1857. L. Chirurgus has entirely mistaken the purport of the article to which his note refers. The allusion to the use of an inhaler was only accidental. We do not deem its employment essential to the successful administration of chlo- roform. The dilution of this powerful anesthetic before its use was the point to which we especially directed attention, and we stated our belief that no accident had arisen from it when thus diluted, in whatever way administered, whether by handkerchief or inhaler. Vicq d’ Azyr,-1. Anatomy, Physiology, Surgery, Chemistry, Midwifery, and Dissections.-2. When quite qualified to attend patients. M.R.C.S. and L.S.A.-The step proposed is not the most respectable; but, under the circumstances, we do not think our correspondent could lSe blamed. Tria E FIR S T TOBACCO CONTROVERSY. To the Editor of THE LANCET, SIR,-Will your correspondent, "H. N.," be kind enough to inform your readers where an account of the first Tobacco Controversy, about 150 years ago, is to be met with? Your obedient servant, March, 1857. A. S. B. H’.—1. We cannot find the individual’s name in the "Medical Directory," nor do we know anything of him.-2. It was stated to be the case. Mr. d, Guerriton,-Such announcements are advertisements ; but the medi- cine bemg a secret one, we could not even advertise it in our pages. Medicus.-Reported in this journal about a month since. A Medical Elector.-Mr. Walley declined to allow his name to be placed in the list of the noble lord’s committee. Studens, (Derby.) -Application should be made to Mr. D. H. Weir, University of Glasgow. VACCINATION versus MURRAIN, To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,- It is at least possible that the operation of vaccination duly peribrinect upon cattle might render them proof against the contagion of murrain, and consequently the experiment might be fairly put to the test without delay. To which end I would suggest that of a certain number of healthy cattle, one-half only should be vaccinated from the human vesicle, and after due maturation both the vaccinated and unvaccinated cattle should be exposed to the action of the contagion from diseased cattle, and the result would prove if the vaccinated animals could resist the contagion, while the unvaccinated yielded to it. Your very obedient servant, March, 1857. H. L. S. Mr. Crreatrez.-Two letters on the same subject were in type when our corre> spondent’s arrived at the Office. Mr. E. -Z?. M-1. A donation often guineas.-2. 2-1, Soho-square, London. Solon.-The ulceration could not be produced in the manner described. Pathologicus should attach his name to the interesting communication. Observer, M. B., &c.-We are not responsible for the paraoraphs in question. Studens.-Application should be made to Dr. R. Medicus Rusticus.-If the book be sent to us, we shall be able to give a more decided answer. CIGARS versus PIPES. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-I know a gentleman who can smoke his three ci,gars every evening, and enjoy them; but who if he takes half a dozen whiffs only of a pipe, smoked from the mildest Turkey tobacco, is made so sick that he is obliged to retire immediately to his bed. Can the profession explain this singular phenomenon P I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Albert-street, Regent’s Park, March, 1857. D. A. Y. ERRATA in Dr. Duncan’s paper " On Ovariotomy and Ovarian Tapping" in our last number.-At the foot of column i. p. 312, and at the top of column ii. in the same page, " sixteen" should always be substituted for "fifteen," and "four" for "five." COMMUNICATIONS, LETTERS, &c., have been received from - Dr. Basham; Mr. White Cooper; Mr. Benjamin Travers, jun.; Mr. Gamgee; Mr. Moullin; Mr. Weeden Cooke; Dr. D. Nelson, Birmingham; Dr- Garrett, Hastings; Dr. IVI’William; Mr. W. S. Baker, Lymington; Mr. C. R. Fillertou, Birming- ham ; Mr. Howell; Mr. J. S. Smith; Dr. Matthew Corner; Dr. Thos. Peete; Mr. Wm. Cowen; Mr. Joseph Lock; Mr. Chas. Harper; Mr. J. Fothergill, Selley; Mr. Cox; Dr. Robinson; Mr. Bruce Neil; Mr. Hansard; Mr. E.H May, Chichester ; Dr. J. W. Tripe, Hackney; Mr. Walter Sumpter, Horn* castle; Mr. R. B. Newhouse, Coleshill; Mr. Owen Fox, Broughton; Mr. D. A. Young ; Mr. J. Edwards ; Mr. Fountain, Market-Deeping ; Mr. E. Moore, Plymouth; Dr. George Corpe ; Mr. Germain, Hackney; Mr. Gorst, Prescot; Dr. Farrar, Chatteris; Dr. Marris Wilson; Mr. Cavanagh, Limerick; Mr. Hall, Henfield; Mr. Lovell, Compton Martin, (with enclosure;) Mr. Blake, Salisbury; Mr. Dallamyne, Leith; Mr. Parsons, Leicester, (with enclosure ) Mr. Browne, Briton Ferry; Mr. Hawkes, Devizes; Mr. Duke, S*. Leonard’s; Mr. Irving, Blackburn, (with enclosure;) Mr. Skidmore, Ashover; Mr. Siddall, Alfreton ; Messrs. Sutherland and Knox, Edinburgh; Mr. Notting- ham, Liverpool; Messrs. Edwards and Nicholls, Wiveliscombe; Mr. Dawson, Tolleshunt D’Arcy; Mr. Butler, Baltimore ; Mr. King, Chester; Mr. Vale, Liverpool; Dr. Frazer, Douglas; Mr. Storrow, Fence Houses, (with enclo- sure ;) Mr. Warburton, Pateley Bridge, (with enclosure;) Mr. Greenwood, Liverpool; Mr. Slater, Landare, (with enclosure ;) Mr. Kempson, Rother- ham, (with enclosure;) Mr. Atwood, Knayton; Mr. Bailey, Coleshill; Mr. Cockcroft, Catterick; Mr. Siddall, Morton, (with enclosure;) Mr. Jeffreys; Mr. Gill, Ilkeston; Mr. Sinclair, Halstead; Mr. Greatrex: Mr. Ancell 13all; Dr. S. Scott Alison; Dr. Davis; Mr. A. Guerriton; M.D., (with enclosure;) B. C.; M.R.C.S, and L.S.A.; B. H. ; A Subscriber ; L. ; Facta non Verba; M.D. ; Fiat Justitia and a Subscriber since 1835; Pathologious; A Constant but occasionally Impatient Reader of THE LANCET; A Looker-on, Ports- mouth ; M.R.C.S.; Solon; Mr. E. H. M.; K. E., Islington ; Vicqd’Azyr; Chirurgus ; Medicus; Studens; Inquirer; A Medical Elector ; &c. &c.
