TO CORRESPONDENTS
2
711 CHLORIDE OF PODIUM IN ’SCROFULA. M. A. Latour speaks highly of the utility of this remedy in scrofula or pulmonary consumption. The following case is illus- trative of its effects :- A girl, 13 years of age, of lymphatic tem- perament, suffered, for more than a year, under scrofulous symptoms; the sub-maxil- lary ganglia were greatly enlarged, and the upper lip was the seat of an extensive scro- fulous ulceration, for which a variety of remedies had been tried during eleven months without benefit. On the 9th of April a drachm of sea-salt was given in soup, and ordered to be con- tinued daily. The sore was washed with I salt-water, and the diet was confined en- tirely to animal food. The re-action pro- duced by the salt was so great that the dose was diminished by one half, and then con- tinued at that dose. The child took fre- quent exercise in the open air. Towards the middle of May the ulcer was healed, and in fifty days a complete cure was ob- tained. M. Latour recommends that the salt should be given in flour, made up in the form of a little French roll. Thus a drachm of salt, dissolved in a small quantity of water, may be mixed with four ounces of flour. Children will readily eat one or two of these rolls in the day.-L’Experince, Jan. 9, 1840. STATISTICAL RESEARCHES ON PNEUMONIA. M. Pelletan, chef de clinique of M. Bouil- laud, has carefully analysed 75 cases of pneumonia which he observed in the hospi- tal of La Charité during the years 1834, 1835, and 1836. The following deductions may be drawn from these cases :- Single pneumonia (i. e. afrecting one side of the chest only) is more frequent than double pneumonia, in the proportion of 7 to 2. In the 75 cases the right lung was more frequently attacked than the left one, in the proportion of 2g to 1. The base of the lung was more frequently attacked than the apex, in the proportion of 3 to 2. Men were more frequently attacked than women, I in the proportion of 10 to 1. The influence of exposure to cold, as an exciting cause, was found to exist in 7-9th’s of the cases. The frequency of the pulse gave no exact indication of the progress"of the disease ; on the contrary, the frequency of the respira- tion seemed to measure exactly the degree and danger of the malady. Prostration of strength and delirium more frequently existed with pneumonia of the apex, than of the base. As for the treat. ment the greatest benefit was derived from bleeding coup sur coup. Only two deaths occurred in 55 cases of simple pneumonia, and the duration of the disease was mani- festly abridged. Blisters were of little service in adults; sometimes useful in chil- dren, but of very great benefit in old people. -Gaz. Med. Jan. 11, 1840. NEW JOURNAL. M. Jules Guerin, the talented editor of the French 11 Medical Gazette is about to establish ajournal, to be specially dedicated to deformities. M. Guerin has been re- cently added to the staff of the Childrens’ Hospital, where he delivers a series of clinical lectures on deformities of the osse- ous and muscular systems. An anonymous correspondent has for- warded to us some printed documents from Edinburgh, in eulogy of Dr. E. KENNEDY, as a Teacher of Midwifery. The election for the Professorship of Midwifery takes place on Tuesday next. We learn that Mr. J. Y. SIMPSON is likely to receive a majority of the suffrages of the electors. The Petition of the BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION on Parliamentary Reform, having recently appeared in our columns, before its revision, we this week give a cor- rect copy of that document, at page 707. TO CORRESPONDENTS. To several Dublin Correspondents we must reply, generally, that we are perfectly convervant with the medical affairs and poli- tics of that capital, and will afford the par- ties to whom this fact may not be particu- larly interesting an early opportunity of being assured that their anti-reform in- trigues and proceedings are well understood in London. By-the-by, we find the Editors of the" Dub1in Medical Press" announcing, that they have received a a distinct, undis- guised, and unequivocal intimation, both verbally and in writing, that if they continue their exertions in favour of Medical Reform, or persevere in the exposure of abuses, ef- fectual means will be resorted to, either to deprive them of their Professorships, or break up the School of the College of Sur- geons." The Editors add, that they treat this attempt at coercion 11 with the contempt it deserves " and " set at defiance the power, if it exist, proposed to be exercised." The intimation must be anonymous, or the "writing" would surely be published. Under either circumstance, the threat is not unlike a hoax, so powerless for evil, how. ever annoying they may be, are the opponents of reform in the Irish capital. Querist.-He is not " liable to an action," but his neighbours, being professional men, will look pretty sharp after his professional misdeeds and misdemeanors. An M.R.C.S. must also be a L.A.C. if he wishes to prac- tise medicine, generally, with impunity as regards the law.
Transcript of TO CORRESPONDENTS
711
CHLORIDE OF PODIUM IN ’SCROFULA.
M. A. Latour speaks highly of the utilityof this remedy in scrofula or pulmonaryconsumption. The following case is illus-
trative of its effects :-A girl, 13 years of age, of lymphatic tem-
perament, suffered, for more than a year,under scrofulous symptoms; the sub-maxil-lary ganglia were greatly enlarged, and theupper lip was the seat of an extensive scro-fulous ulceration, for which a variety ofremedies had been tried during elevenmonths without benefit.On the 9th of April a drachm of sea-salt
was given in soup, and ordered to be con-tinued daily. The sore was washed with Isalt-water, and the diet was confined en-tirely to animal food. The re-action pro-duced by the salt was so great that the dosewas diminished by one half, and then con-tinued at that dose. The child took fre-quent exercise in the open air. Towardsthe middle of May the ulcer was healed,and in fifty days a complete cure was ob-tained. M. Latour recommends that thesalt should be given in flour, made up in theform of a little French roll.Thus a drachm of salt, dissolved in a
small quantity of water, may be mixedwith four ounces of flour. Children willreadily eat one or two of these rolls in theday.-L’Experince, Jan. 9, 1840.
STATISTICAL RESEARCHES ON PNEUMONIA.
M. Pelletan, chef de clinique of M. Bouil-laud, has carefully analysed 75 cases ofpneumonia which he observed in the hospi-tal of La Charité during the years 1834,1835, and 1836. The following deductionsmay be drawn from these cases :-
Single pneumonia (i. e. afrecting one sideof the chest only) is more frequent thandouble pneumonia, in the proportion of7 to 2. In the 75 cases the right lung wasmore frequently attacked than the left one,in the proportion of 2g to 1. The base ofthe lung was more frequently attacked thanthe apex, in the proportion of 3 to 2. Menwere more frequently attacked than women, Iin the proportion of 10 to 1. The influenceof exposure to cold, as an exciting cause,was found to exist in 7-9th’s of the cases.The frequency of the pulse gave no exactindication of the progress"of the disease ; onthe contrary, the frequency of the respira-tion seemed to measure exactly the degreeand danger of the malady.Prostration of strength and delirium more
frequently existed with pneumonia of theapex, than of the base. As for the treat.ment the greatest benefit was derived frombleeding coup sur coup. Only two deathsoccurred in 55 cases of simple pneumonia,and the duration of the disease was mani-
festly abridged. Blisters were of little
service in adults; sometimes useful in chil-dren, but of very great benefit in old people.-Gaz. Med. Jan. 11, 1840.
NEW JOURNAL.
M. Jules Guerin, the talented editor ofthe French 11 Medical Gazette is about toestablish ajournal, to be specially dedicatedto deformities. M. Guerin has been re-
cently added to the staff of the Childrens’Hospital, where he delivers a series ofclinical lectures on deformities of the osse-ous and muscular systems.
An anonymous correspondent has for-warded to us some printed documents fromEdinburgh, in eulogy of Dr. E. KENNEDY, asa Teacher of Midwifery. The election forthe Professorship of Midwifery takes placeon Tuesday next. We learn that Mr. J. Y.SIMPSON is likely to receive a majority of thesuffrages of the electors.
The Petition of the BRITISH MEDICALASSOCIATION on Parliamentary Reform,having recently appeared in our columns,before its revision, we this week give a cor-rect copy of that document, at page 707.
TO CORRESPONDENTS.
To several Dublin Correspondents wemust reply, generally, that we are perfectlyconvervant with the medical affairs and poli-tics of that capital, and will afford the par-ties to whom this fact may not be particu-larly interesting an early opportunity of
being assured that their anti-reform in-
trigues and proceedings are well understoodin London. By-the-by, we find the Editorsof the" Dub1in Medical Press" announcing,that they have received a a distinct, undis-guised, and unequivocal intimation, bothverbally and in writing, that if they continuetheir exertions in favour of Medical Reform,or persevere in the exposure of abuses, ef-fectual means will be resorted to, either todeprive them of their Professorships, or
break up the School of the College of Sur-geons." The Editors add, that they treatthis attempt at coercion 11 with the contemptit deserves " and " set at defiance the power,if it exist, proposed to be exercised." Theintimation must be anonymous, or the
"writing" would surely be published.Under either circumstance, the threat is notunlike a hoax, so powerless for evil, how.ever annoying they may be, are the opponentsof reform in the Irish capital.
Querist.-He is not " liable to an action,"but his neighbours, being professional men,will look pretty sharp after his professionalmisdeeds and misdemeanors. An M.R.C.S.
must also be a L.A.C. if he wishes to prac-tise medicine, generally, with impunity as
regards the law.
712
Justitia.-The Coroner should have held lecture-room, by certain of the teachers,an inquest on the body of the female who with vicious effect on the minds of thedied in childbed at C-, in last January. juniors pupils, especially. ConventionalThe simple fact that the unfortunate woman phrases selected from the most vulgarwas attended by an unqualified practitioner sources, bearing the same relation to wit asshould have been quite sufficient to arouse flash notes to the precious metals, are
his suspicion and justify his interference. abundantly used by them, al5o. This noticeThe next victim to the quack may excite in of the habit may help to produce a cure.the Coroner an impression that judicial in- The letter of Mr. Corfe on the process byquiry may prevent a third death, as an in- which the various preparations of the kidneyquest on the first victim might have prevent- which were sent to all the public museumsed the second. The law is quite clear re- of the London hospitals, are to be made,garding what deaths demand an inquest. shall be published at the earliest opportu.A "gentleman," we are informed, is 11 in nity.
town from Am-rica," who has performed The letter of Mr. Lambton is designed forsome cures, so wonderful," that he will asto- insertion. That of Mr. Gray shall be noticednish the profession with the reports. " He next week.some time since, at one of our hospitals," An Apothecary (Kensington) has not
says our informant, 11 unlocked a young studied medical law, orhe would have knowngirl’sjaw, in less than a minute, in the pre- that Mr. White, Mr. Callaway, or any mem-sence of about fifty doctors." Could he un- ber of the Council of the College of Surgeons,lock the young girt’s jaw in Conduit.street, can " attend cases of phthisis," " in9amma-late of University College Hospital, he tion of the membranes of the brain in infants,"might pnblish her singular confessions under or other so-called 11 medical cases," prescribe ethe head of " Mesmeric Impositions." for them, and take a fee, without renderingM. B. (Dublin).-If the letter of Mr. themselves liable to pay penalties under a
Cory relates to a proper subject for inquiry, prosecution by the Apothecaries’ Company.and treats the matter with reason ; with the To do the things specifically named, is notactual motive for publication the world has to act " as an apothecary " according to law.no business. We have not seen the letter. We cannot exactly attend to the request of
F. M. (Wigan.)-We await the decision Mr. Carter, but as our account must be anat the Sessions, before the Recorder, abstract of the fuller statement, any suchThe communications of Jlr. Hiley and Mr. mistakes as he suggests will not appear, we
Renwick shall be inserted. believe.At an early opportunity we will examine Received, Mr. Redman’s letter, and the
the Essay from Lyme Regis. The hand Report of the York Pauper-Lunatic Asylum.writing is too peculiar for speedy perusal. Dr. Taylor, of Kingston, remarks that theWe again request the name and address observations on the peculiar colour of the
of the correspondent whose letter is headed, gums in cases of lead colic, are not new.91 Character of the Examinations," &c. His brief remarks on the subject shall ap.M. B. may as well attach his name to his pear next week.
letter on gonorrhoea ; or send it privately, The letter of Mr. Morrison, Lecturer onas a voucher for the statements. Itwillcost Anatomy at Newcastle-on-Tyne, on the Ana.but a penny. tomy Act, and the ridiculous interpretations1VLR.C..‘5’.L.and.ElliIedicalS‘tuderat(Dublin) which some writers give to the clauses reo
at a convenient opportunity for notice. lating to the inspector, shall appear, possiblyThose who desire to know what the POJr- with some editorial comments on the subject,
Law Commissioners themselves think of the in an early Number.diet which is apportioned to robust menain The letters of Mr. Fenner and Mr. Gray,the workhouses, may obtain information on and Dr. Smith, have been received.that head by the following extract from an NEW FORM OF INKSTAND.—Since jour.advertisement headed " Chard Union.- nalism requires as incessant resort to pen-Nurse Wanted," &c., recently forwarded to men’s ink as to printer’s ink, Messrs. Perry,our office by a Devonshire correspondent :- of Red Lion-square, have forwarded to us a" Salary £12 per annum, together with curious vehicle for that essential and im-Bre, candles, washing, lodging, and one and portant fluid, under the name of a" Filtera laalf 7’ation of such provisions as the house Inlcstand,"-a glass ink-box, of convenientaffords to able-bodied paupers." size, containing a miniature air-pump, by
.1‘orno.-It is more usual to go to a sur- means of which, without any tronble,coarsegeon. The nearest respectable practitioner ink is instantly filtered from the dreg thatin his own neighbourhood is as likely to cogs the pen when ink has stood longtreat the compliant properly, as one, a mile enough to "settle,"-at once a useful artdistant, with a special reputation. cle and a pretty toy for the writing table.
The medical students at some of the me- The purpose of the ingenious inventor ap.tropolitan schools cosnplain. that although pears to be fully accomplished in Ills pro-themselves act " over-fastidious," decency duction, the merits of which we willinglyof language is too often abandoned in the announce.
