410

him by Mr. Wansbrough, of Fulham, re-questing the favour of lus exhibiting to theSociety a stomdch pump, the age of whichhad been traced to seventy-live years, andalso a trocHr, v.h’ch Mr. Wansbrough lialbpen in the habit of nsing eight or nineyears. He referied to a Number in THE

LANCFT, for a full description of the stomachpump.Mr. SHEARLEY exhibited to the Society

a uterus containing a seiiis of tubercutatedscirrhous tumour;’) taken from a female whohad died of hydrothorax. also a small polypus which grew from the os tincse. The pa-tient liail never complained of any incon-venience from the state of the uterus,Within the pericardium six or eig’ht ounces,and, in the cavity of the chest, a pirt and ahalf of fluid were found. She died suddenly,after experiencing a considerable shock in

hastily sitting down upon a chair, after hav-ing becn walking. Hence the inference,that great care was to be taken, that hatients labouring under hydrothorax, shouldavoid shaking, or bodily agitation.Mr. SMITH related a case of carcinoma-

tous liver most extensively diseased, andexhibited the preparation.Mr. CALLAWAY related the case of a

gentleman, who, by being thrown from. hisgig’, received a violent blow on the as occi-puis. On the day aiterttie accident, re-

gained all his mental faculties, he continuedin full possession of them for about four days,insensibility then again came on, and he

expired in two days afterwards. The lost-mortem examination exhibited the duramater lacerated, and a great portion of theanterior lobes of each hemisphere literally

the hrair, was soft, and presentedmuch of the appearance of strawberry milk.

WESTMINSTER MEDICAL SOCIETY,Saturday, December 20th, 1828.

Mr. CÆSAR HAWKINS in the Chair.

IXTRA-UTERINE FŒTATION.

Mr. JEWEL in rising to relate the particu-lars of case, agreeably to tl:e announcementat the preceding Meeting of the Society,take the opportunity oi’ expressing my regretat observing the very few obstetric subjectswhich have beeii brought before the So-

ciety for discussion during the past or pre-sent sfsstons ; a circumstance, 1 coiclulie,quite accidental, as it must be acknow-

ledged, that no subjects, generally, havecreated more animated, or more interestingdiscussions, than those connected with thisdepartment of medical science. The-case,

(the particulars of which I will relate to tJ.eSociety,) is, I presume, a case of extra-ute-rine fœtation. A tall, healthy woman, 27years of age, b, been married ,wo years,and had once aborted. In the month of

September 1827, she quoted her husband,who resides in London, having arcepte:l asituation in the country. At the expirationof a few weeks, she received permission tocome to town fct a day to see her friends,and, as a natural coaseqaenee, passed thenight (November the 8th) with her hus-band, the following morning returning to

her situation in the country. Soon after-

wards, the various sympathetic att’c’ctioMof pregnancy manifested themselves; the

morning sickness, and heart-burn, were notonly present, hut occasioned, at times, muchsuffering; the breasts were enlarged and

painful, the catamenia, however, returnedat the regular periods, but the secretion

was scanty, and of a pater colour, than for-merly. She now quitted her situation, andcame to town to Her husband, me engagedan intelligent midwife to attend at her ap.proaching confinement. The circumstsnce

cf quickening occurred at the latter periodof February, and, as is not unfrequent, itwas accompanied by a paroxysm of fainting.The abdomen gradually enlarged, and themovements of the child (as imagined) couldnot only be easily detected with the

hand, but were visible. On the 9th of

August, making a period of 274 days, shewas seized with the usual premonitorysymptoms of labour. There was pain inthe back, a frequent inclination to herurine, and a discharge from the va-

gina. The midwife was sent for, and soonarrived. She found the patient walking thechamber, and concluded, from her generalappearance, and the presence of all the

phenomena of parturition, that the processhad made some progress. Several distinctuterine contractions occurred after the

arrival of the midwife, the last of which,from its severity, caused the patient ford-

hly to grasp the back of a chair. Upon itssubsiding she became very faint, and, fromthat. period, no further parturient effort took

place.It is necessary to remark, that no ex-

animation per vaginam was made, neitherwas any sanguineous vaginal discharge ob-served. A few days after this event, I firstsaw tl’e patient, and, upon examination pervaginam, found the and hadnot undergone any change. Her generalheaiilh has, of late, rather imy:ored,although it is still much disordered. The

discharge, still pale, now scarcely; exceeds, r.t ench period, a few HI

quantity. The breasts are rather more

than before, but occasionally painful,

and she complains of pain in the hypo-

411

gostrium. particularly towards night, orwhen the abdomen is compressed by thehand, or by her stays. She complains also ofa weight in the abdomen, which is incrt a,;t’dwhen she leans forward. There is a strongimpression on her mind that thee is some-thing to come away," or that she might berelieved hy an operation.

1 am fuliy aware that some females, morepanieulariy at the period of life when thecatamenia are about to cease, and when theyare very desirous of having a family, occa-

sionally imagine themselves pregnant, ai.dthat certain morbid symptoms may arise,somewhat analogous to the various sympa-thetic affections of pregnancy; but I amnot aware that the uterus -ever takes on an

expulsive acticn, unless conception, uterine,or extra-uterine; had actually been effected,or unless it had to get lid of some extra-Deous substance. The subject of this casewas a young healthy woman, who had mis-carribd once, aud there was every piobabi-lity of her having numerous family.

Strictly speaking, there are four speciesof extra-uterine fœtation :—1st. Graviditasovaria; 2nd. Graviditas tubaria; 3rd. Gra-viditas abdominalis; 4th. Graviditas inuteri substantia; the iatter being rate inits occurrence. Judging from the symptoms,I should think it more than probable that’the case rchated is one of ventral pregnancy, Bas, when the ovum is lodged either ia the ovarium or the fallopian tube, the sr.c very comiaonlv bursts at about the second lor,

third mouth of gestation, and the womandies from internui hæmorrhage; cr, it’ shesurvives, certain phenomena would indicatewhat had occurred. These would, I pre- [suiae, aso mise, if the ovum had escapedfrom the uterine into the abdominal cavity Bin consequence of laceration. The nature ofthe case may be questioned, from the uterus inot having furnished and expelled its deci-duous membrane. The absence of this mem Ibrane would not be sufficient proof that mysurmises were erroneous. Mr. Burns says tilat, in moit instances, decidua is formed.Dr. Blundell, whose rasearches have beenextensive, examined two cases, ia which the decidua was wanting ; Mr. Langstaffalso examined a case, in which there was no decida.

This case will suggest very ingenious ob-servations ; und I am not without a hope thatsome important facts will ba stated, whichmay ultimately to throw some littleadditional light upon this obscure.but interesting, part of human physiology.

[The independent Members of this Societywill do well to uttend on Saturday, Jan. 3rd,whena proposition of a most infamous na-

ture :: to be submited to ta their conside-

ration.]

PHRENOLOGY.

ALTHOUGH I should be unwilling to makeyour valuable Journal the medium of a Phre-

nological controversy, yet I trust you willallow me to make a few observations in re-

piy to " Remarks on Phrenology," by A,and which appear in No. 272 cf THE LAN-CET. The author, after alluding to some ofthe metaphysical writers, (whose works, hesays, are now consigned to a well-merited

oblivion,) informs us, that " a sect has re-

cently arisen, which, under the appellationof The Phrenologists, is busily propagatingabsurdities derided by the wise; but, from theirnovelty, and the resolute quaulcety by whichthey are accompanied, not ill-calculated to

catch the ignorant and unwary. This savourspretty strongly of the same spirit whichcharacterised tile Edinburgh Review, in 1815,and clearly proves, (though this may be theera of common sense,) that good breeding isstill not so common as could be wished.—Some allowance might, perhaps, be madefor the Edinburgh Review, when we considerthat at the time when that most abusivearticle was written, the nature and objectsof phrenology were very generally misun-

derstood, and consequently misrepresented,At this time of day, however, wlien thou-sands have openly avowed their belief in

phrenology; when Phrenological Societies’ have been established in almost every largetown in the UriLed Kingdom, containing,among their members, many, very many,who P. a ditinguished rank in the scaleof intellect ; at this time of day, I say, to

attempt to refute phrenology by viliryingits supporters, is an act disgraceful to a man

of sense; an act, to which no man of sense,who feels confident in the strength of his

argument, would ever condescend , an act,in short, which can only rpsult from a pecu-liar mentai feeling, manifested in A’s opi-; nion, very geueraily, by phrenologists, viz.," matchless impudence."But as calling names is not argument, I

willingly leare to him this part of the sub-! ject, and hasten to see " the shallowness

of the reasoning by which this doctrine is

supported." phrenology professes (to usethe language of &Dgr;) to trace, by observa-tion, the connexion between certain allegeddevelopments of the brain, and certain men-tal emotions and impulses, aud intellectualoperations," and I most confess, I am iotaware of any "circumstances of uncontrol-

lable force," that can make it impossible tothis conn exion. It will be necessary,

however, before we advert to the " variousand blended emotions by which the ofman is liable to be "agitated," to endeavourto ascertain, if possible, the different funda-

412

mental powers of the human mind ; andwhich, I have no hesitation in saying, maybe effected by observing human nature, andby comparing mental manifestation withcerebral development. Such observations,however, must be made with accuracy, with-out prejudice, and with the sole view of

arriving at the truth. A should have pausedat the ’° very threshold," for the purposeof acquainting himself with the elementaryprinciples of the mind, before he attemptedto write upon the subject. Surely this would,at least, have been an act of prudence, if notof positive jusrice. But, to the point : are

we born with similar, or with different propensities ? Is the mind originally like a

sheet of blank paper, as supposed by Locke,upon which any characters we choose may,by education, be imprinted? Or is a diffe-rent bias originally impressed upon eachmind by the omniscient Creator of ail

things 1 The most superficial observationwill enable us to answer this Question.-

Every one who regards human nature withattention, cannot fail to remark, that chil-dren, even of the same family, who asso-ciate together, and are educated togetlier,manifest, from their earliest years, differentfeelings, capacities,and propensities. Aken-side has long ago observed, that

’° Since the claimsOf social life to different labours urgeThe active pow’rs of man, with wise intentThe hand of nature on peculiar mindsImprints a different bias, and to eachDecrees its province in the common toil."

Again : is the brain the instrument,through the medium of which the mentaipowers are manifested ? This, I take it for

granted, will not be denied. With the

view, then, of proving the connexion thatexists between different portions of this in-strument, and the various mental powers, I

proceed, at once, to state the result of myown observations. I invariably find that allpersons who manifest in their manner, de-

portment, and conversation, a more thanusual degree of self-importance, pride, andegotism, have that portion of brain which issituated at the posterior part of the vertex,largely developed ; and that all who are re-markable for their want of confidence and

unassuming manners, have the same part o!the bl uin deficient. I invariably find, thaiall persons who are remarkable for takingcare upon all occasions, who are prudent inconduct, and circumspect in action, havethat portion of brain which is situated nearthe middle of each parietal bone, largely doveloped ; and that all random, thoughtless.and imprudent characters, have the same

portion of brain deficient. I invariablyfind, that all persons who manifest greatfortitude and determination of character,

(notwithstanding A denies the existence offirmness as a quality of the mind,) havethat portion of brain which is situated atthe posterior part of the coronal surface,largely developed ; while all those who areremarkable for vacillation and indecision-those, in short, who appear to have no willof their own, have the same portion of braindeticient. These are facts, not aided bvimagination, but plain facts, which, to theunprejudiced mind, may be demonstrated asclearly and indisputably, as that two andtwo make four; and which must, un.

questionably, be admitted to be betterevidence than a series of shallow, though,apparently, ingenious theoretical reason-itrbs. Let &Dgr; adduce one single instancesubversive of one of these facts, and I

give up phrenology for ever. But factsare, probably, beneath the notice of &Dgr;,otherwise I might enumerate many more;yet these 1 trust are amply sufficient for mypresent purpose, which is simply to provethe possibility of ascertaining by observa.tion, the fundamental faculties of the mind.1’he grand objection, however, to phte-

nolog-y, in the mind of &Dgr;, appears to be thedifficulty, the insurmountable difficulty"of judging of the motives which may haveprompted to any particular action ; and heasks, with the most perfect naïveté, " bow

it is possible, as no one particular action is sig-nificant of any one particular emotion, for thephrenologist to affirm, that whenever hennds a particular development of more thanordinary magnitude, lie also finds f1 particu-lar passion in excess." Now this assump.tion is directly contrary to fact, and proves,at once, that he knows as little of the modeof action of the faculties, as he does of theexistence of the faculties themselves. Lethim learn, then, that each faculty being ina state of activity, desires to be gratified;and that such activity may arise eitherfrom simple internal excitement, or fiomthe excitement of external circumstances,That our feelings are frequently producedby simple inteinal excitement, must be evi-dent to any one who has ever reflected uponthe subject. Who has not, at times, feltinvoluntary emotions of hope, of fear, or ofveneration, for which he is not able to assigna cause ? Who, with largely developedideality, does not often ieel disposed to

wander in the regions of creative fancy, anddelight his imagination, with contemplating! scenes of ideal beauty and perfection, with-out being sensible of any other cause thanan internal impulse, for the production of suchfeelings ? How numerous are the instanceson record, of persons, even of good educa.tion, wealthy in circumstances, and, inother respects, of strictly moral conduct,who manifest the most unconquerable pro.pensity to steal ? A physician is mentioned

413

by Lavater, who seldom left the room ofhis patients, without taking with him some iarticle or other; but upon which he scarcelybestowed a thought, after it was trans-feired to his pocket. His pockets wereregularly searclied-by his wife, who care-fully restored each article to its respectiveowner. We hear also, not unfrequently,of murderers, who have not been instigatedto the perpetration of their crime, either bythe hope of plunder, or by feelings of hatredor revenge, and who have assigned, as theironly motive, an irresistible propensity to

shed human blood. These instances of in-ordinate excitement in the organs of ac-

quisitiveness and destructiveness, are merelymentioned as additional proofs, that ourfaculties may be excited by internal causes,*and that any act pei formed from the simpleimpulse of excited feeling, cannot be saidto be done from a motive. If a man be

prompted to commit a theft solely by in-ordinate activity of the organ of acquisitive-ness, he gratifies an excited propensity, butthere is no motive ; if, however, he stealwith a view to relieve his wife and childrenwho are in want of bread, then there is a

clear and distinct motive. The term motive,necessarily implies a certain co. operation ofthe reasoning powers, without the exerciseof which, there can be no motive.Having said thus much of the primitive

mental powers in a state of simple and un-combined activity, let us now proceed to

the consideration of the more complicatedemotions of the human mind. I fully admitthe difficulty with which all investigationsof the human mind have been hitherto

attended ; but must it consequently be in-ferred, that the difficulty is insurmountable?On the contrary, if metaphysical writers, inevery age, have failed in their endeavoursto develop the varied and complicated emo-tions of the mind, does it not seem to provethat there was something wrong in themode of investigation ? If in our searchafter truth we are guided by erroneous,

principles, is it probable that we shall everarrive at the object of our pursuit? Now

metaphysical writers have recommended us,as the only mode, to reflect on the subjectsof our consciousness; consequently, eachwriter admits as elementary that mental

power of which he feels conscious, aud de-nies that of which he does not feel con-scious. It follows, therefore, as a necessaryconsequence, (as no two minds are ever

found alike,) that all who attempt the

analysis of the mind by reflections uponconsciousness, must for ever differ in theirviews. Some, for instance, have admitted

* This internal and involuntary activityof the cerebral organs, is beautifully illus-trative of the phenomenon of dreaming.

as innate, a certain principle in the mind, asort of internal monitor, which _ives us the. sense of right and wrong, and prompts us toapprove or condemn any particular action ;, others deny it as an innate feeling, and con.sider it entirely as the result of cultivation.It is possessed, in fact, by all, but, in va-

rious degrees by various individuals, ac-

cording to the development of the organ inwhich the feeling resides. I repeat, there-fore, (and I assert it with that degree ofconfidence which can only result from con-viction,) that before we can possibly judgeof the combinations and modifications of thevarious emotions of the mind, it is abso-

lutely necessary to have a clear and accu.rate perception of its elementary powers.With this knowledge, (which may be at-tained by a careful and phrenoligical observa-tion of human nature,) I fearlessly maintainthat every variety of character may be satis-factorily analysed. Thus let us fix uponany particular action, or any prominentpoint of character, in either of the di..

tinguislied individuals mentioned by &Dgr;, andcomoare it with the develonment of brain.as indicated by a genuine cranium, or an

accurate cast, and I feel assured that thecoincidence will be confirmatory of thetruth of phrenology. By this test, weshall have little difficulty in understandingwhether Cromwell was a hypocrite or anenthusiast, a patriot or a tyrant, bloody-minded or humane.

&Dgr;, however, does not seem to be awarethat the same individual may be alternatelycruel and humane, according to circum-

stances ; yet such was Cromwell, and suchis his character, as depicted by Sir WalterScott, in his novel of Woodstock.* Man is,indeed, " an assemblage of contradictions,’which phrenology alone is able t3 explain.Moreover, the same action may be per-formed by different individuals, from the

excitement of different feelings. An act ofcharity, for instance, may be performedeither from pure benevolence, from love of

approbation, or from a sense of duty. Now,if such an act be performed by an individualwith largely-developed love of approbation,

small conscientiousness, and small benc-volence, we may, without fear of error,

place it to the account of the first of there efeelings ; and if, in addition to such devc-lopment, we observe large acquisitiveness,be assured such an individual wiil never be

* A medical gentleman, who resides in,the neighbourhood of London, has in his

possession a skull, the history of whichleaves little doubt of its being the identicalskull of Cromwell ; and I am assured by amost acute phrenologist, who lias seen it,that it corresponds, in every respect, with

the character of that extraotdinary man.

414

renowned for the practice of benevolence ;add to these, large cautiousness, and I willanswer for it with my life, that what such aman gives away will never bring him topoverty.

With regard to the illustrious Hampden,it is easy ’to conceive a development ofbr:lin, the possession of which would renderit highly improbable, if not impossible, thatthe devoted patriot should ever become thefawning courtier.The phrenologist, however, never ven-

tures to assert that certain actions must ne-

cessarily result from a certain developmentof brain, being fully aware that the fçelinGsare often excited and modified bv externalcircumstances; still he maintains that everyact wi!! be in perfect accordance with suchdevelopment. But, although the phrenolo-logist cannot say which way a feeling maybe directed, or to what degree it may beexcited, by external objects, yet he has nolaesitation (after having examined a head,and observed its relative proportions) in

pointing out the powers which will havethe strongest tendency to action, and consequently the motives by which the conductwill most probably be influenced.The phrenologist is fully sensible of the

influence of education on character; in proofof which I might refer A to I)r Spurzheim’s" Elementary Principles of Education ;" awork which he might read with singularadvantage, and which would have the effectof enlightening his crude and undigestedideas, if, during the perusal, he would, foronce, suffer his- self-esteem to lie dormant.

In admitting, however, the influence of

education, and the excitement of externalcircumstances, let it be distinctly under-stood that they never did, and never can,create a faculty, although theymay strength-en it, and afford opportunities for its action.Napoleon Buonaparte never could haveassulnect the mighty attitude which he solong sustamed, had he not been giited byNature with gigantic powers of mi::d, suchas rarely fall to the lot of man. Tnese pow-ers were, doubtless, improved and directedby education ; and the " spirit of the times"aifjided an opportunity for their display.Dugald Stwart speaks of 11 powers, or ca-

pacities, which are geneially fonned beparticular habits of studv or of business.Such are the power of taste, a gellius fo!

poetry," &c. &c.; aud, in another place, hesays, " what ive Call the power C: imagina-tion, is not the gift of Nature, but theresult of acquired habits, aided by favour-able circumstances." Bat. can it for a momentbe suppo::ed tln1t Johu Lock?, by any particular habits of study, and aided even by themost favourable circumstances, could ever

have acquired that power of taste, and thatsublimity of imagination, whic i displayed

with such overpowering effect in Milton’sParadise Lost Impossible : however tritethe old adage, ’ Poeta nascitter nott fit,’ maybe considered, its truth is not to be dis.

puted.- = Fruitless is th’ attempt,By dull obedience and by creeping toilObscure, to conquer the severe ascentOf high Parnassus. Nature’s kindling breathMust fire the chosen genius ; Nature’s handMust string his nerves, and imp his eagle

wings."(To be eoncluded next week.)

ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL.

PHLEGMONOUS ERYSIPELAS OF THE HAND,FOREARM, AND ARM.

ISAAC MUSGROVE, ætat. 28, a brickmaker,and a man of spare habit, wus admitted intoLuke’s Ward, under the care of Mr. Yin-cent, Sept. 17, with considerable swellingand inflammation of the right hand, forearm,and arm, extending to the shoulder, occa-sioned hy a slight sciatch on his thumb, in-flicted by his wife with her nail, about tendays previous to his admission. Stated thathe went to work the day after he receivedthe scratch. In the evening the thumbbegan to inflame, and the gi eater part of thehand and forearm the day after. By thetime he was admitted into the Hospital, theinflammation had gradually exteuded to theshoulder, and ulcerated openings were

formed about the hand and finger for the

discharge of pus. Tongue brown, and dry;skin hot; pulse 100 ; full and hard.

Calomel and jalap, with house-physic ina few hours afterwards, and the saline mix-ture with antimony every fom’ hours; abread and water poultice, and fomentations,to the arm.

i9. Complains of less pain in the arm;has less heat of skin ; tougue moister ;pulse 90, and less full; bowels open; fluc-tuation was discovered on the outside andmiddle of the fore arm. B[r. Vincent madean opening of about an inch in length, and!et out about an auuce of pus. In a day ortwo subsequently, Mr. Vincent made two

more smail openings, one on the inside ofthe forearm and another on the inside of thearm, and pus wns evacuated. Afterwardsmatter formed in the axifia, which wasalso let out. Although pus was evidentlyfluctuating within the integuments coveringthe triceps muscle, Mr. Vincent, unwillingto encourage the incising practice forboreto make an opening for its exit; it there.fore made one for itself, and sloughing of