869

fourteen years, and I can assure yon,

that during that period every thinghas been done for the advancement of our

science. Let me entreat you to suspendyour judgment for a while. Our conduct

has been governed by the most honourableand disinterested intentions. We are

preparing an answer to all that has beenadvanced against us, and you shall soonhave an explanation of our motives, (aMember—" State them now:’) This de-

mand at once completely neutralized theaction of the " blue pill," and Johnnystood aghast; at this critical juncture SIRBILLY BLIZARD, observing the dilemma

of his illustrious, honourable, and disin-

terested colleague, instantly advanced tohis assistance, seized his left arm and inthe most benevolent manner pulledpoor Johnny out of the Theatre. From

these proceedings it may be fairly pre-sumed that the " Ruling Powers " are ina funk ! long may they continue so.As it is somewhat connected with this

subject, we will here communicate to the

profession an occurrence that took placeat the Anniversary Dinner of the LondonMedical Society, held last week.-Mr.

TRAVERS, supposing that his health hadbeen drunk, rose to return thanks, andin the course of his address observed-

that 11 attempts were making, by somedisaffected persons, to create a schism

in the profession; but he hoped such at-tempts would be speedily put down, as

disgraceful to the cause of science."

For this insolence the " Hole and Corner

Gentleman " was soundly hissed.—Dis-affected persons ! disaffected to what?-Oneof the most disgraceful institutions existingin this or any other country.-Has not thisman, on more than one occasion, avowedhimself as the advocate of darkness ?-

What said he at the St. Thomas’s and

Guy’s dinner, in January 1824 ? "A

very important reason why Surgery hasadvanced is, that education cannot be had

for nothing in this country, and that theedtication required for our profession Mboth elaborate and expensive." Is know-

ledge power, Travers? if it be, thou hast

ample cause to fear its progress, as but a

very trifling portion of it conld drivethee from thy ill filled station.-Away,bungler, " thy tools are blunt."

"SOUND CHIRURGICAL

KNOWLEDGE."

Aw AY with all your stethoscopes, yourstomach-pumps and tractors;

Away, ye little monntebanks, make roomfor greater actors !

Here come Sir Astley Cooper, Bart.,Bill Buzzard, and Old Luddy,

With bellies big, and purses deep, andbrains cold, soft and muddy,

With seven other learned pigs from Lon-don’s Royal College,—

Who come to tell us when and where topurchase good " sound knowledge;"

To show how learning, like the itch, pre-fers a northern station ;

And how thermometers become, fit testsof education.

Sound Knowledge," say these cunningquacks, dwells only, on permission,

With those to whom we grant a right tosell it by commission.

Like sprat or herring, learning comes inseason in November,

And knowledge gained at other timeswon’t serve to make a member.

- But here they are, these ten " wisemen," let’s listen to their gammon,

Perhaps they’ll tell us why sound sensemay not be had with salmon.

- Who is that red-gill’d big-paunch’dman, and who that little fellow ?

What! don’t you know the lecturer onfseces black and yellow ? .

That is John Ab—rn—thy, mon, frae Scot-land cum to London,

To tell how certain things should look, attimes when breech is undone ;

" Like wetted rhubarb should they be "—but hark, he growls, pray listen,

And, if he’s contradicted aught, mark howhis eyes will glisten.

870

John Ab—rn—thy, loquitur." Ye stupid fools and blundering churls,

who want our leave to practice,Behold, I take the pains to tell what our

new-fangled act is.We have decreed that there shall be in i

England but one station ’

At which young men shall " grind topass" with our approbation.

With Scotland ’tis a different thing, youall know I am Scotch, sirs,

And for my clan I do not mind-to shuffie,cheat and botch, sirs.

In Scotland then raw lads may find threeschools to one elseuhere, sirs,

And those who deem this law unjust mayscout it if they dare, sirs.

Though England have a right no doubt,‘ from size and population,And wealth and rank and consequence,

. to claim a treble ration,There must and shall be three to one in

favour of the Scots, sirs,Or else, I vow, I’ll write no more coarse

chapters on - pots, sirs.

Moreover, ’tis our royal will-our mostimperial pleasure,

As well to fill our classes out, as swell ourbags with treasure, -

That knowledge henceforth be unsound,to reason quite contrary,

Unless obtained sometime about themonth of January;

No one shall dare to think or say that anyman can truly

Acquire the art of lopping limbs withinthree months of July.

It shall be monstrous and absurd for bratsto leain their letters

In summer time, as if to mock at us, theirRoyal betters;

We will solicit Parliament this Session, ifit pleases,

To pass an act to shut up books, except-ing when it freezes,

To make it felony to teach or learn insummer season ;

Dissecting shall be sacrilege and " grind-ing " shall be treason.

So fare ye well, confound ye all-mayevery ill infest ye,

If ye shall dare to make a stir, and saywe have oppress’d ye.

TROCAR.March 2.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SiR,—I take the earliest opportunity

of noticing two letters, under the signa-tures VFRITAs and J. T., in THE LANCETof this day. My object, in the observa.tions which have called forth the com-ments and corrections of these writers,was to expose the inconsistency of theCollege regulation in admitting certificatesof anatomical studies from quarters inwhich the means of learning anatomypractically cannot be procured, and re-jecting them when proceeding from pri-vate teachers in London, who can affordtheir pupils an ample supply of the ne-cessary materials. I must observe, thatmy remarks included Edinburgh, as wellas Glasgow and Aberdeen, although it isnot so reported. I have often heardstudents mention the impossibility of pro-curing subjects for private dissection inEdinbr.rgh, and the difficulty of gettingwhat are necessary even for the illustra-tion of lectures. I had supposed, and thetwo letters seem to admit, that thesedifficulties still exist. We know, how-ever, that they have not prevented the suc.cessful cultivation of anatomical science.The fame so justly earned in this depart.ment by Monro, J. Thomson, J. and C.Bell, Barclay, Gordon, Wardrop, Knox,and others, shows that superior minds,instead of being discouraged by obsta-cles, are animated to more powerful ex.ertion: they make opportunities for them-selves, if they do not find them. Re-

specting the capabilities of Aberdeen, asa school of anatomy, always understand-ing by that expression a place whereanatomy is to be learned by dissection,I am in complete ignorance, and can onlyobserve, that I have known no one whohas dissected there. I am well awarethat its hospital contains such a numberand description of surgical cases, as torender it not only a sufficient, but veryvaluable school of surgery ; not more va-luable, however, than those of Leeds,Birmingham, Norwich, Exeter, &c. &c.I have great pleasure in finding that myrepresentation was incorrect, so far asGlasgow is concerned, and in learningthat that Uiiivbrsity is not less fortunatein possessing the means of practical ana-tomical study than in the talents andreputation of its able anatomical teachers.I can assure your Correspondents that Ido not yield to them in respect for thenames of J. and A. Burns, of Jtffray,Pattison, Mackenzie, and Monteath.

Nothing could have been further frommy thoughts than the design of elevatingthe London anatomical schools at the

871

expense of their Northern rivals. The jability and nsefulness of a teacher may fybe well estimated bv the zeal and indll"-Itry of his pnpils. Extensive intercourse

Bwith professional students from all quar-ters has taught me, that in the vatuabtequalities I have just mentioned thosefrom the Scotch schools cannot be sur-

passed, and in general are not equalled.I find them invariably assiduous, well in-formed, and anxious to improve everyopportunity of gaining information.—Neither does the important fact escapemy recollection, that the only school inwhich the science of anatomy, as distin-

-guished from the ti-ade of teaching it, hasbeen successfully cultivated in London,was established and has been almost en-tirely upheld by Scotchmen. It is hardlynecessary to particninrise that foundedby Wm. Hunter, and rendered doublycelebrated by his brother. The fame ofthis school, to whi(h we owe Hewson,Cruikshank, Baillie, and Wilson, is stillworthily upheld by its present distin-guished head.

I remain. Sir,Your obedient servant,

18, Whitehall-place, W. LAWRENCE.March 18, 1826.

W. LAWRENCE.

To the Editor of THE LANCET." Grammatice eat ers, necessaria pueris, jucun-

da aenibna, dulcis secretorum comes, et quee velsola omni atudiorum genere plus habet operis quamostentationis. "—QUINTILIAN.

MR. EDITOR,—It has often been re-

marked, that the sons of Esctilapius sel-dom agree, that they are extremely di-verse and mutable in their opinions, andthat the fane of an anemoscope variesless, and is more stable than they. Butthis disagreement among the doctorsinter se, I think is not altogether to belamented ; it gives rise to controversy,which sometimes elicits truth. It is pro-fitable for diversion, for the printers, forthe paper manufacturers, pro foco et joco,and the chandler’s shop ; yea, more,though last not least, it advantageth thecritic. How long will the world be blindto its own interest, and intolerantly de-mand accordance? Will it still persecutewith more tllan Neronian cruelty, andCaligulæan follv, her who (did it but knowthe day of its visitation) is the ’.upporterof iUijoliity, vivacity and good linmottr ?What gives zest to our convpr’ation? sWhat exciter our laughter and mirth, oursatire, and the poignancy of wit ? Reader!thou wouldst, train a coup d’œil at the sub-ject, perhaps, condemn me of insanity, ofottering a paradox, were I to assert that

discord causes all these things; yet I doassert it. Why it is so, either rack thineown brains and find oat, or follow me,and I will show you what marvels she cancompass.

Unjust was the sentence decreed t ,-Jove against this goddess; far from beint fthe daughter of Nox, sister to the Parcaand Death, she is the vivaciotia off-ipringof Dies, the gay ister to Uncertainty xudLife. As soon might stern Caminus havebalanced Rome on the point of a needle,as have made the love and worship ofConcordia universal. When driven fromthe celestial abode of the gods, she longwandered through the world unable tofind where to rest her foot, till being atlast petitioned by the discordant wor-shippers of the deified Æscutapins, sheyielded to their solicitations, on conditionthat they would erect a temple to her ho-

nour, to which they unanimously agreed,(which unanimity amounts merely to anagrevment to diner,) and she has tor agespresided over their public councils, theirprivate consultations and individual opi-nions.Thus much have I presumed, Mr. Edi-

tor, by way of preface, or by whateverterm else you may designate it. 1 wouldnow to the point: When I first imbibedwhat was then considered grammaticaltrnth, under the vigilant direction andadmirable tuition of the renowned Dr.Birch, I was taught that words in sen-tences have a twofold relation to one

another, namely, that of concord andagreement; and that of government orinfluence ; that the general principles ofgrammar were the same in all languages ;that words by apposition were put in thesame case, &c. But alas! when I thoughtI had made some little progress in theLatin language, I find that that veritableDr. Birch has instilled false principlesinto my abused brains and has made me

as great a fool as himsetf. " Gramma-tice est ars, necessaria pueris, jucundasenibus." Alas I now find that it is anars necessaria mihi ; I did hope that Imight have said it its an ars jucundissimamihi, but no high authority bid-) n’c iuobeisauce bow my head and f;o to school

again. But now, Mr. Editor, as I beforeobserved, let ns to the point. One day,not knowing how else to employ myself,(being sometirues subject to a fit of idle-ness, as which of us is not,) I set to andbegan to arrange a posse of old books,heaped up iu chaotic ct)nfti-ion in 4 so i,tar3- and tieglecte4-4 emuer of rny study ;I opened them successively, read theirtitle pages, mechanically closed and dust-ed them, and finally deposited them in

regular phalanx on the shelf appropriated

872

to their reception. I had not done thismore than a quarter of an hour, when myattention was suddenly and immovablyrivetted on a little book of very respect-able appearance, whose leaves were o.

snowy hue, and its covers decorated withexquisite art. I turned it over and over

again in astonishment and admiration,wondering how, in the name of fortune,such a pretty and so fair a thing could

’’

come among such rascally society as Ifound it. The elegance of the type, thebeauty of the paper, its capacious margin,and, in fact, its tout ensemble, did infinitecredit to the arts, and I consequently in-ferred that there must be invaluable mat-ter preserved within such beautiful adorn -ments, and that the ideas (of which Idid not doubt but that there was a great,number) it contained were destined to betransmitted to the latest posterity. " Nolonger shalt thou here remain, fair speci-men of the arts that adorned thee," saidI, " claim henceforth precedence amongthe fairest and choicest of my books ; resthere, my fair one, I wilt confer with theeanon." My task being completed, I re-sumed the book, when, upon opening it,and turning to its title page, over whichI glanced my eyes, and read as follows :"A compendious and easy grammar ofthe Latin language, on original princi-ples, deduced from high authority, de-signed to facilitate medical students inthe study and speedy and perfect acqui-sition of that useful and highly expressivetongue; the examples for the exempli-fication of the rules are taken from thefirst authorities. The first edition, by aSociety of original Medical Geniuses ofthe United Kingdom. Omniajam finntnova."’ My curiosity was intensely ex-cited ; I detel mined on as speedy an investigation of its contents as possible, theresult of which, Mr. Editor, I now for-ward to vou.And now, reader, I am about to redeem

my pledge with thee; " egli è molto utilelo studiar le lingue," it is my delight, andso it appears, from the profound philolo-gical remarks one meets with, in the littlework under consideration, to have beenthat of the associated composers of thistruly original production. They com-

mence with the sweeping declaration, that" all principles of grammar broached fromthe earliest to the latest treatise on thatbranch of science, are all equally errone-ous, and equally unworthy the regard ofenlightened men-that those they fear-

lessly venture to send forth to publicscrutiny, are alone the true-alone deserv-ing of implicit credence." Lector, uteretuo judicio, tis thy birthright, and mine,let as not forego it in the present instance;

so much for their preface; now let us tothe principles themselves.Having divided syntax into discord and

government, the former of which theysubdivide into 1, the disagreement of asubstantive from a substantive; 2, of anadjective from a substantive ; 3, of a verbfrom its nominative; they go on to ob-

serve, page 6, Rule 2, de discordia, " thatadjectives and participles differ fromtheir substantives in gender, number, andcase, as, pilula sumendus,’ mistura re-petandus,’ dua cochlearia,’ ’pilulæ duo,’ "Proceeding onward, a short space, we

find, p. 9, de regimine, Rule 1, the follow-ing profound axiom : " One noun con-trols another in the dative case, as, piiutaopio ; unguentum hydrargyro; ceratumplumbo." My faith ! thought I, when Ihad proceeded thus far, what profoundphilologicians! I have indeed, been mis-taught, misled, and completely fooledby that non compos, Dr. Birch! Con-vinced that comparative dissection is amost excellent means of acquiring ac.

curacy in medical science, especiallywhen we discover either a remarkablesimilarity or dissimilarity from what wehave been wont to believe, I thought thatif I, in like manner, compared this as-

tonishing production with that book Ihad always been taught to respect as thestandard of grammatical truth, my mindwould be much advantaged, and betterinitiated in that truth than were I to runcursorily through it; I, therefore, de-termined closely to examine it, and thoughassuredly I have felt myself much mor-tified, 1 hope the result hath been put tomy better account. Do not be alarmed,and think I am about to transciibe thebook itself; no, I will only give you suchextracts as shall present to your readersits spirit, and by bringing it into notice,rescue it from the unmerited neglect ithas so long experienced, and above all,render science an incalculable benefit.Well, then, my readers, follow me to p. 116,de verborum regimine, and let us see whatthe " society " says with respect to verbsgoverning the dative, "It hath been said,that any verbs may govern the dative inLatin, which have the signs to or for, af.ter them in English ;" but this is a gram-matical absurdity, altogether incompati-ble with the modern principles of univer-sal grammar, for so far are they fromdoing so, that they not only do not

govern the dative, but are even not re-quired to govern any particular case,they may govern all indiscriminately, orbe placed absolutely, the noun being con-trolled by some preposition expressed orunderstood, as, ‘ lotio ad cruris appli-cetur, " " pone aure dextra applicetur, "

873

· pars affecta appticetur." Again, de

prepositionum constructione, page 190,the follovting remarks occur: " The ab-surd opinions held by grammarians fromthe time of the indefatigable Romanrhetorician Quintilian, down to the con-temporaries of our own day, concerningthe construction of prepositions are, wethink, too preposterous to merit our con-futation, suffice it to say, that their ar-rangement is mere confusion, and thecases over which they are said to exerta specific influence altogether incorrect ;for instead of the preposition ad govern-ing exclusively the accusative, it governsthe genitive, the dative, and the ablative ;concerning the rest of the prepositions,we would say, ab uno exemplo disce om-nia ; or see the examples, a few of whichI have extracted for the information ofmy readers ; " ad pede," " ad cruris,"" pone aure dextro," " sine nummi,"" ad abscessus, " " pro cruris ! " " cumcausticum, " " cum lintei, " " ad brachiœ, "" pone auris, " " pro odontalgiœ, " " cum

causticus, " " post liquidus, " " adversumsterno." I will present my readers withone rule more, the exemplification ofwhich is so felicitous, and so happily con-ceived, that to pass it over, would be in-justice to the society," and a seriousloss to them. Time, who is always onthe wing and tarries for none-againstwhom nothing can prevail, and beforewhom all things are as chaff, hath beenheretofore egregiously trifled with. Isit not absurd to endeavour to makestationary that, which never yet stopped,nor ever will, so long as it shall exist?"

" tempus cito fugit," says a learned

author, and how true ! Shall we thenassign to him one spot when spoken of, iand shall we fix him ? It cannot be,wherefore it is more natural to let himhave free course among the genders,numbers and cases of nouns, than to ap-propriate to him any particular case,as some have done, absurdly enough;therefore, we would slay, 11 trews diebus,"" horas duabus," 11 pro nocte," " paucoshoras."And now, reader, I have brought thee

to a pass—I leave thee here-coiisider,if indeed consideration it require, whetherI was insanus animi, when I assertedthat discord excites our laughter andmirth, our satire, and all the rest of it.Of the merits of this singular little work,compared with those of other authors, Iwould just observe, " palmam qui meruitferat." Craving your pardon, Mr. Edi-tor, for so long detaining you, permit menow to withdraw, and subscribe myself,

Your humble servant,PHILOGRAMMATIKES.

HOSPITAL REPORTS.

GUY’S HOSPITAL.

Gangrene of the Foot, following exposureto cold.

Thomas Gribble, a spare young man,of temperate habits, was admitted intothis hospital on the eighth of February,under the care of Mr. Morgan. He states,that he had been afflicted with chilblainsthe greater part of the winter season, andthat, eventually, he became confined tohis bed, a week previous to his admission.When he came in, two large sloughs oc-cupied the upper part of the foot, aroundwhich were large flakes of cuticle, re-cently detached. The foot and leg, as

high as the knee, were hot and painful tothe touch ; they were also of a deep red,and in some parts of a purple colour andin a high state of tnrgescence. The fol-

lowing medicines were ordered :-ex-tract of opium, 1 grain; decoction ofcinchona ziss ; tincture of the same zss,three times a-day ; and the spirit wash tobe applied to the leg.

11. Continue the mixture of bark withthe addition of a small quantity of dilutedsulphuric acid. The inflammation in theleg, considerably abated ; apply the nitricacid lotion and linseed-meal poultices tothe sloughing ulcer.

12. Has wine allowed, which he doesnot seem to relish.

13. Loss of appetite; tongne dry andred at the tip, and the papillæ are ele-vated ; motions natural ; pulse 25, ratherfull; occasional pain in the leg; thighvery hot last night; erysipetatous intiam-mation occupying the outer part of it ashigh as the hip joint; sloughs beginningo separate; spirit wash to the inflamedparts.

14. No change in the constitutional

symptoms; sloughing going on favour-

ably ; the erysipelatous inflammation hasproceeded to the loins.’

15. Diarrhoea one grain of the sul-

phate of quinine, and one ounce and ahalf of the following mixture to be takenthree times a day :Pulveris cretœ compositi cum pioo

drachmas tres ;Julepi menthœ fluiduncias novem.M. fiat mist.

16. Sloughs are completely removed,and the surfaces of the sores are granu-lating. Tongue dry and red ; appetitecontinues imperfect; did not sleep quite