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more frequently they can only be attributed to some hiddenconstitutional peculiarity.We will preface the few words we can devote to their con-

sideration, by distinctly disclaiming all intention of consider-ing amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, sterility, and hysteria, asbeing always produced by subacute ovaritis. They are notits necessary, but its possible terminations. AmenorrhoBais generally produced by impoverished blood, combined withthe anatomical or physiological atrophy of the ovaries. It maydepend on uterine disease, but in some instances it is accom-panied by the symptoms of, and can only be attributed to,subacute ovaritis. This is most frequently the case in delicategirls of a lymphatic temperament, and in them decided benefithas often resulted from the application of those remedieswhich are employed to subdue inflammation of the ovaria.Of similar cases, I suppose, Dr. Copland has said, "The ovariamay be so changed by inflammation as to be incapable of ex-citing the vascular activity of the uterus, so as to produce themenstrual discharge; but these changes are rather inferredfrom the history of former disorders than manifested by existingphenomena."—(p. 841, Cop. Diet.) Dysmenorrhaea may some-times be entirely nervous in its origin, and can only be ac-counted for by a vicious state of the generative nervous power.It may, in rare instances, be the result of a diptheritic inflam-mation of the mucous membrane of the womb, ejecting withthe menstrual discharge shreds of false membrane, or pseudo-decidual bodies. It may be the natural consequence ofchronic inflammation of the neck of the womb, and the pro-tracted ulceration of its internal cavity-a fact which has beenparticularly established by my friend, Dr. Henry Bennet. Itmay also depend on the mechanical occlusion or the spasmodicconstriction of the neck of the womb; but it is often met withwhen none of these conditions can be found to exist, and when itcan be alone explained by the presence of subacute ovaritis.In addition to the symptoms here described, the intensity ofthe pains then becomes most distressing, and they frequentlycommence several days before the impeded menstrual flow,showing that the pain does not depend on its arrest, but onthe effect of ovulation supervening upon a morbid processgoing on in the ovaries. This assertion is confirmed by Dr.Ashwell, who says, " Dull and lieavy pains in the region of theovaries, lasting for months, are the consequence of their chronic(subacute) inflammation. I mention the circumstance, be-cause they are too often regarded as neuralgic, and treatedaccordingly, painful menstruation and sterility being theirresults. If any constitution is more liable than another tothis termination, it is also the lymphatic, or that which coin-cides with a marked predisposition to scrofula :’

Sterility may be also accounted for by numerous meciianicalcauses. It may, again, be derived from certain pathologicalconditions of the organs of generation, and, amongst these,subacute ovaritis is one of considerable importance, though ithas been scarcely glanced at by writers. The coincidence andconnexion of dysmenorrhoaa and sterility has, however, beenlong admitted by the best authors, and if we have proof that

, subacute inflammation is the frequent cause of dysmenorrhcea,we may infer that it is one of the causes of sterility, withoutbringing forward the cases on record, which confirm the cor-rectness of the assertion. It produces sterility either byblighting the ovule, and favouring their change into thevarious contents of the small follicles, which we find men-tioned in the pathological anatomy of diseases, or by thicken-ing the membrane of the vesicle so as not to allow of itsbursting. Sterility may be also caused by local peritonitis,and subsequent deposit of false membranes on the ovarianperitonaeum, or by the Fallopian tubes being so bound downby bands, as not to allow of their embracing the burstingvesicle, and receiving the ovules on their escape. This formof sterility generally obtains in females of a lymphatic andstrumous disposition.

Hysteria.Though most women are liable to hysteria at the beginning,

and during the active period of ovarian excitement, the irri-t.able and highly nervous are the most affected by it. Hysteriawas thought by Hippocrates to originate in certain anomaliesof the generative system of women. A more perfect know-ledge of the physiology of generation has shown that thesesymptoms were erroneously attributed to the uterus, andtends to confirm us in the belief that hysteria originates inovarian irritation. Allowing the nervous, irritable disposi-tion alluded to, and the laborious elaboration and eliminationof the first ovule, or the monthly repetition of the same func-tion, the delay or the denial of the proper ovarian stimulus;and sometimes even its enjoyment. Whether we considexthe causes of hysteria, its symptoms, and the only lesions

which are found when (as in some rare cases) the patientis carried off during its occurrence,we shall find that hysteriais always connected with ovarian irritation, and often dependson subacute ovaritis.The older writers, Vesalius, Riolan, J. N. Binniger, Riviere,

Bonnet, and Lieutand, have noticed morbid lesions of theovaria in those who were much afflicted with hysteria, or who

’

died after unsatisfied desires, (passions conb"ariées,) whoseovaria were found more voluminous, and infiltrated with asero-Tiscous matter, termed by them spermatic, on account ofthe physiological opinions, then current, respecting the testesmuliebrum, as they were then called. Morgagni, (" Epis.Anat.," 46,) Rullier, (" Diss. Inaug.,") and Mr. Whitehead,(Lond. Med. Gaz., April 2,1847,) have each of them particu-larly described the swollen, congested state of the ovaries, incases wherein patients were rapidly carried off by violenthysterical fits; and lately, Negrier has told us, that evidenthysterical symptoms have been observed in all whose ovaries,on post-mortem examination, were found distended and in-jected. He even supposes that the over-distention of themembranous envelop of the ovaria, and the compression oftheir nerves, might, by reacting on the adjoining nervousplexus, produce the symptoms of hysteria. This is perhapstaking too mechanical a view of the disease, but we cannothelp remarking that something analogous has been observed,in man, by Lallemand, Ricord, and Deville, in those cases ofinflamed testicle, (orchitis,) wherein the rupture of the seminalvessels, by tubercles or pus, gave rise to delirium. We areable to support these views on hysteria, by appealing to theauthority of Frank, Copland, Columbat, and others, whoadmit, in their monumental works, that there is a relation ofcause and effect between certain mild forms of ovaritis andhysteria; and we are so fully convinced of this, that we cannotagree with Dr. Copland, when he states, in another part ofhis work, that hysteria may also give rise to congestion andinflammation of the uterus and ovaries.We are not called upon to explain how the subacute in-

flammation of such diminutive organs can produce such fatalresults. At present it is an ultimate fact, and must thereforebe admitted as such. Probably the subacute ovaritis is onlythe point of departure of such fatal symptoms. Does it de-termine a morbid exaltation of the ganglionic nervous system? 1Does it, by reversing the centrifugal currents of the nervousinfluence, and by the condensation of these in the centre ofthe ganglionic system, the solar plexus, and semilunar ganglia,produce the habitual symptoms of hysteria-such as suffoca-tion, and oppression of the thorax 1 Do these currents, bythe rapidity of their passage, or the peculiarity of their nature,re-act on the cerebro-spinal system, so as to determine thosephenomena of reflex action, delirium, convulsion, &c. ? 1 Arenot these currents (supposing them to exist) sometimes suffi-ciently powerful to act, by their shock, on the cerebro-spinalsystem, and thus produce sudden death, unexplained by post-mortem examination Let those who speculate on the myste-rious probabilities of pathological phenomena ponder overthese questions, and solve them to their heart’s content. We,on the other hand, having shown what are the anatomicallesions of subacute ovaritis, its causes, symptoms, and its ter-minations, must now turn to the treatment of the disease-amore grateful task, as we shall be able to show that there isno difficulty in applying effectual remedial measures.

To be continued,)

Reviews.

A Complete Practical Work on the Nature and Treatment o,lVenereal Diseases, and other Affections of the Genito- Urinary’Organs of the Male and Fentale. By ROJBIER BOSTWICK, M.D.New York: 1848. pp. 348.

WE doubt, brother Jonathan, if it was asmart trick in you tosend us this book for review. So long as it occupied theshelves of your publisher, in Broadway, or was read in therepudiating States, the deception might have been undis-covered, or the appropriation of other men’s property beenconsidered " lawful stealings" by those who, in the words ofSydney Smith, " pride themselves on having tricked andpillaged Europe;" but with us your fine plumage cannot con-ceal your daw’s carcass, for your book contains nothing goodbut what you have pillaged from this side of the Atlantic;and to suppose that you possess one particle of shame, or

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could feel regret for the authors that you have plundered,would suppose a share of credulity in us that we are notanxious of having credit for.

In looking over the American annals of literature, wemust all be painfully struck with the injustice of United-States men in seizing our best surgical works, and reprintingthem, as soon as published, with what are called Notes byDr. This, or Observations by Mr. That. In the absence of in-ternational copyright,we could not suppose but that this mustoccur amongst the "smartest nation of all," &c. -Doubtlessit is easier to steal a book than to write one, even though itcontain trash; but we very much question if this dishonestsystem is likely to protect or foster native talent, any morethan it will improve national morals, or promote internationalrespect and brotherly feeling.

It was, however, left for Dr. Bostwick to outvie any of hiscountrymen in injustice to authors on this side of the Atlantic.In a large, handsome quarto, with coloured plates, woodcuts,and bold type, lie has, under his own name, published a bookon venereal diseases, which, almost from beginning to end, hasbeen plundered from the works of M. Ricord and Mr. Acton.This wholesale pirate, in his preface, has the audacity to state,that he has made " this the most elegant and accurate medicalpublication that has ever been issued from the American press;and that the plates will bear a favourable comparison with thefinest artistical productions of London or Paris,"-thus leadingthe profession to believe that what is here given to the publicis the result of his own labours. And so it is-but only inthe sense of the Newgate sharper, who declaims that theproperty found on him is his own, and asks the magistrateto return it to him. So brother Homer has effrontery enoughto say,"Some of the drawings I have borrowed from the great

work of Ricord, others from Acton, and some I have hadtaken directly from life."Whatever his "returns" may be, his "borrowings" have

been pretty considerable. We have looked into the works inquestion, and believe we can trace every coloured plate orwood-cut, except one, to English or French treatises, and ifwe are to judge by that one of American science or art, weshould say that both are about on a par with the "morallubricities" of the author.But our transatlantic daw, not content with this wholesale

"borrowing," as he calls it, has so maimed the descriptivehistory of the plates, that it would be difficult for even theauthor-the real Simon Pure-to recognise the productionof his own pen. Ah, Homer ! you are not so clever asthat " down east" horse-dealer, who stole a nag, cut off theanimals’ ears, docked his tail, and sold the poor beast to itslate master without detection ! The following expose gives agood sample of the explanations of the plates :-

ACTON. BOSTWICK.

This affection occurred in a This affection occurred in ayoung girl, a Belgian by birth, young girl, seventeen years ofseventeen years of age, who age, who presented a lympha-presented a lymphatic tem- tic temperament. She statedperament. She had been that she had formerly muchplaced as servant to wait upon used to exercise in the openan old lady in Paris, &c. air, but during the last few

months she had hardly everleft the house, &c.

Now the object is evident why the words "Belgian" andParis" are left out-viz., that the reader might suppose thatthis drawing is made by the author, and that the case hap-pened in his practice : the swindle is made still more co’ni-plete by neither artist’s nor author’s name being men-tioned.In our critical capacity, we felt it a duty to read through

these 300 pages, not doubting that we should find at least afew hints, or at any rate some observations, which might en-lighten the English reader on the present state of venerealdiseases in America, but we are unable to put our finger on

one single passage which even so much as hints at anythingof the kind.We were about to state, that we had met with nothing

throughout but barefaced plagiarism, when we happened tolight on the following passage, which we offer gratuitously tothe collectors of " Curiosities of Scientific Literature."

I 111 have known gentlemen, performing the duties of nurses

for their sick friends, who had absorbed enough of the virusto produce well-marked tertiary symptoms, from continuedand frequent frictions with the hands, not mercurial, of course,but used to alleviate pain from exostosis and osteosis."We can now no longer maintain that there is no original

observation in Dr. Bostwick’s book. We must plead guiltyto having overlooked this great fact; and we only regret thatone of Dr. Bostwick’s original drawings had not depicted themale friend in the Samaritan act of imbibing his friend’s nodes.On such an undoubted authority, Ricord will doubtless quoteDr. Bostwick in his next clinical lecture.Did our limits admit our registering other great physiolo-

gical and anatomical facts, of similar importance, we shouldfind no lack of them; but we must direct our readers’ atten-tion to the talents of Dr. Bostwick as an operator. Heseems to scorn the modern treatment of cauterizing a chancre,but prefers raising it with apai2- of delicate four-prongedforeeps,and cut it completely away, cauterizing the Zaouncl afterwardswith caustic potash. In the next page he says,

" to clip out apiece of the prepuce, even if it be a pretty large one, is ofvery little consequence,"-little consequence, probably, inthose animals, called, in America, " slaves !"

Lallemand, stand forth You have been convicted by thiscelebrated surgeon and humane operator as an inventor ofdangerous instruments. Dr. Bostwick asserts that, in his

hands, one of your cauterizing instruments broke, and wasleft in a man’s urethra, but, mirabile dictu, it came out of itsown accord! The moral of the tale is, that you, Lallemand,are an impostor, furnishing ill-made instruments for theAmerican market, and that, in consequence, Dr. Bostwickprefers one made on his own principles. Do you plead guilty,professor of Montpellier? or has not some pirate instrument-maker in New York, or elsewhere, been supplying the Ame-ricans with cheap imitations, palming them off as yours?Such an author and such an instrument-maker are fit com-

pany-Arcades ambo. ’

We must conclude this notice, and we do so, urging HomerBostwick to remember these words of the deceased SydneySmith, iudignantly addressed to his countrymen: It is notfor gin>sling and sherry-cobbler alone that man is to live, butfor those great principles against which no argument can belistened to-principles which give to every power a doublepower above their functions and their offices, which are.thebooks, the arts, the academies that teach, lift up, and nourishthe world-principles (I am quite serious in what I say)above cash, superior to cotton, higher than currency—prm- . ’

‘

ciples without which it is better to die than to live, whichevery servant of God, over every sea and in all lands, shouldcherish, usque ad abdita spiramenta aninxce:’

Medical Societies.

WESTMINSTER MEDICAL SOCIETY.SATURDAY. MARCH 31. 1849.—MR. HIRD. PRESIDENT.

PERFORATION OF THE STOMACH.

Mr. ABRAM briefly detailed some particulars of a case ofperforation of the stomach, occurring in a young woman intolerable good health, and not chlorotive, aged twenty-two.She had suffered from dyspepsia for some time. The attackwas sudden, and fatal in about twelve hours. The stomachexhibited an ulcer, the opening being as if it had been" punched out." ,

Mr. H. SMITH exhibited a preparation of part of the small