partiality. Truth and justice are ever the only guides of our conduct.

In two cases of facial neuralgia affecting the infra-orbital nerves, and which had continued, with varying severity, for three and seven years respectively, the use of the strong veratria ointment has been followed with speedy and decided relief; the paroxysms being rendered not only of much shorter duration, but also less agonising and of less frequent recurrence. One of the patients, a carpenter, about 60 years of age, had been for nearly two years so afflicted, that he was quite incapable of following his work during almost the whole of that time; every alteration in the state of the weather, however trifling, inducing a fit of pain. After a week's employment of the ointment his condition was greatly improved, and along with the comparative ease which he enjoyed during the day, he began to sleep quietly at night; a comfort of which he had been nearly quite deprived.

The second case, occurring in a countryman, of between 60 and 70 years of age, was as satisfactory as the preceding. Both patients are indeed still subject to returns of the enemy's attack; but so confident are they of having him under their power (by rubbing the affected parts with the ointment until its full effects are produced) that they always carry a box of it in their pockets wherever they go.

We have seen a third case of painful affection of some of the twigs of the infra-orbital nerve, in a middle-aged lady. It had resisted a great variety of treatment; but has now yielded almost entirely to the use of the veratria. From the circumstance however of this patient being of an extremely nervous and delicate constitution, as well as from the other features of the case, we were inclined to regard the facial pain, rather as one symptom of hysterical disease, than as a specimen of genuine or idiopathic neuralgia. Nevertheless we must confess that it had tortured her for a length of time, and that the relief which she now enjoys is truly great.

The fourth case was one of rheumatic neuralgia, affecting the lower ex

tremities. The disease had originated about 20 years ago, from exposure to cold and damp; and the patient, a clergyman, had tried a host of remedies, prescribed by many of the most eminent medical men of this metropolis, with very little advantage. The nerves chiefly involved, appear to be the superficial branches of the anterior crural and fibular trunks. The results of his experience of the veratria ointment are, that whenever he is able to induce its peculiar effect upon the parts, the pain begins to abate, and then gradually subsides. He is also of opinion, that the recurrence of the paroxysms has not been so frequent.

The fifth case was in some respects similar to the preceding one, but much The trunk of the sciatic and the branches of the gluteal are chiefly affected.

more severe.

Frictions with strong veratria ointment (9ij. to the 3j.) were repeatedly tried, but without any avail; the sense of burning or tingling could not be induced. Under these circumstances Dr. T. says, that we have no reason to expect any benefit. Whoever therefore gives a trial to his remedy ought carefully to attend to the test which he has pointed out as indicative of the operation of the drug. Three cases of heart affection, in which Dr. Turnbull thinks the veratria has been of decided advantage, have been submitted to our inspection; but the data which have hitherto been furnished, are as yet quite insufficient to warrant us in affixing the stamp of our testimony to the correctness of his opinion. The patients indeed confessed that the cardiac distress was always relieved whenever the effects of the veratria were induced. We willingly give credit to this; because we are satisfied that the medicine exerts a very peculiar effect as a counterirritant; and it seems to differ from almost all others in this respect, that its operation is confined solely to the nerves of the part, the blood vessels being scarcely affected.

It is therefore our decided opinion that veratria is a useful and very potent medicine, in certain nervous affections, and that it deserves to be, and no

Case 1. Mrs. six months pregnant, solicited our author, by letter, to prescribe for a pain in her right side, from which she was never free, and describing it as dull in general, but sometimes acute, and shooting towards her shoulder. She had applied leeches, and used mercury, besides cupping and blistering, without relief. These considerations induced Mr. C. to view the complaint as neuralgic, rather than inflammatory, and he prescribed generous diet, with galbanum and blue pill, followed by morning aperients. The pain ceased after a few doses of the pills, the draughts not having been persisted in, as they disagreed. Four years have now elapsed since the first application, and she always finds relief from the pills.

B. Infus. quassiæ, zxij.

Sulp. magnes. 3jss.

Ft. haus

tus 3tia quaque mane sumendus.

It is quite clear that, in the above prescription, ounces are placed instead of drachms. After some weeks, the female was improved in health, and at the expiration of a year was quite well.

A case of pain in the region of the liver, with palpitation of the heart, is briefly alluded to, and where carb. ferri and valerian were successful. In a fourth case there was distressing pain in the right side, between the ribs and the crista ilii, with frequent headachs. It disappeared by taking ten grains of carb. ferri, a scruple of valerian and five grains of soda three times a-day. She derives great advantage also, from the galbanum and the blue-pill, with bitter aperient infusions.

In a fifth case, a poor dispensary female, of intemperate habits, there was great pain on the right side of the spine, between the ribs and crista ilii, which resisted the usual modes of treatment. She was cured by 50 drops of muriated tincture of iron, thrice a-day, in a glass of valerian infusion.

The sixth instance adduced was that of a young girl, who had severe headach of some months' duration, resisting aperients, issues on the crown of the head, &c. She was cured by small doses of blue-pill, with galbanum, quassia, and sulphate of magnesia.

The foregoing cases, selected from a great number, observes our author, exemplify diseases of a nervous character, amenable to mild treatment, but aggravated by severe measures. The hypochondriac pains are frequently considered as indicative of inflammation of the subjacent viscera, and treated by bleeding, mercury, purgatives, &c. by which the unfortunate sufferers are rendered worse. When the head is affected, the patient is often put to great and unnecessary torture, by setons, blisters, &c. Females are far more liable to these affections than males. Much assistance in forming a diagnosis is to be derived from the habits of the patient. Females confined to the house, at their needle, as milliners in large cities frequently are who drink much tea, with

little relish for other food-when complaining of such affections, may be generally considered as labouring under these nervous and anomalous disorders. Nevertheless, it should never be forgotten that such individuals are liable to inflammatory affections, and that a mistake on the wrong side might be of bad consequences. It will, therefore, be prudent to begin with gently depletory measures, as preparatory to the tonics or sedatives, by which we shall be able to feel our way, and run no risk. We recommend an especial perusal of this highly practical paper to our brethren at large. We have been able to give but a very brief sketch of it here.

SPURIOUS MELANOSIS OF THE LUNGS.

In No. 559 of the Lancet, Dr. Marshall has published two cases of this kind, which he thinks occur more frequently among coal-miners than to others. We shall abridge some of these cases.

Case 1. A man, aged 68, a coalminer from boyhood, had enjoyed good health till within the last seven years, during which he had cough, occasional dyspnoea, with (latterly) purulent expectoration. He presented all the symptoms of phthisis in March, 1831; and in Dec. of the same year, when he came regularly under Dr. M.'s care, the expectoration was of a deep black colour, resembling printer's ink. The quantity was immense, sometimes amounting to two English pints in the 24 hours. The stethoscope, at this time, indicated well-marked cavernous râle under the left clavicle, with total want of respiratory murmur in the left lung.

He lingered till June, 1833, and was at last carried off by diarrhoea. On examination post-mortem, the glands under the sternum were observed to be of a black colour, and so were the lungs on both sides; but the left lung was greatly disorganized, being converted into an immense cavern, traversed by bands of pulmonary structure. There were several small excavations in the other lung, and the excavations, on both

sides, contained considerable quantities of the melanotic matter above-mentioned.

Case 2. A collier, aged 62, had been affected for many years with chronic rheumatism, together with occasional attacks of dyspnoea. In January, 1833, he was affected with cough and palpitation, as also dyspnoea, but continued at work till June, when his symptoms became so aggravated, as to compel him to give up labour. Some of his expectoration was collected, and was found to resemble a mixture of lampblack and mucus. The stethoscope detected mucus and subcrepitating råles pretty generally in the right side. The left was without respiratory murmur. He died in January, 33, with the usual symptoms of phthisis.

Dissection. The glands under the sternum were filled with black matter. The left lung was converted into one immense cavern, nearly filled with an ink-coloured fluid. The right lung: the greater portion of the right lung was deeply stained with the black infiltration, but a considerable portion of lower part was respirable, and floated in water.

Two other cases are alluded to by our author, which, he has no doubt, were melanotic phthisis, but he had not an opportunity of examining the bodies after death. The analysis of the melanotic matter is promised in another communication.

CASE OF FRACTURE OF THE NECK OF the Femur, exTERIOR TO THE CAPSULAR LIGAMENT OF THE JOINT, WHERE BONY UNION WAS EFFECTED. BY JAMES EDWARD, Esq. Surgeon, Forfar.

On the 23d Sept. 1833, Mrs. Addison, aged 76, received on the left groin a stroke from a cow, which knocked her down on her right hip. Immediately thereafter, I was called to attend the patient. After a careful examination, I found that the femur was fractured exterior to the capsular ligament of the joint.

The leg was shorter than the other by nearly three quarters of an inchthe toes were everted the hip flattened. Distinct crepitus could be felt on rotating the limb, without employing extension; there was also a considerable degree of swelling and tension. She complained of acute pains in the groin and behind the trochanter. The limb was placed in the straight position, according to the method recommended by Desault.

The splints and bandages were taken off at the end of twelve weeks, when firm bony union was found to have taken place. The natural length of the limb was preserved. For several days after the accident, smart febrile excitement continued, requiring diaphoretics and opiates. Acute pain in the hip and groin was complained of for several weeks. These symptoms, however, gradually disappeared, after which she became easy and comfortable. Her general health did not suffer much from the long confinement. This case proved more than usually successful, for in six months after the accident she could walk with perfect ease, without the assistance of crutches.

DROPSY CURED AFTER TAPPING.*

"I had lately an opportunity of satisfying myself as to the recovery of Lieut. G. whose case is adverted to in the 39th Number of the Medico-Chirurgical Review, p. 177, under the head of-'Ascites apparently cured, after Paracentesis Abdominis had been performed 12 times.' He told me he had been in London sometime previously, when he had been seen by Sir William Burnett, as well as yourself, and that, after an examination, you had pronounced him cured. As I have seen him at a later period quite well, and it is upwards of eight months since he left this hospital, he may now be considered as com

Extract of a letter from Dr. Dickson, Physician of Plymouth Hospital, to Dr. Johnson.

pletely recovered. I am not aware of there being any similar case on record, except the one I then alluded to, of 'a patient cured after twelve operations,' adduced by the late Dr. Good in his System of Nosology, p. 438.

I have since had another officer under my care, Mr. M. aged 34, affected with general dropsy in a still greater degree, who has been discharged also with a very fair prospect of ultimate recovery (subject of course to contingencies,) after double the quantity of fluid measured at any operation in the preceding case, had been twice removed by paracentesis. When admitted, on the 9th of January last, the abdomen was enormously distended-the fluctuation distinct-the lower extremities anasarcous, with pain and much tenderness in the region of the liver and spleen

occasional vomiting of a thick chocolate-coloured fluid-and great debility. Paracentesis abdominis was performed on the 22d of the same month, with great relief, not fewer than 26 pints of water having been drawn off; and it was repeated on the 11th of February, when a similar quantity was again abstracted. After the second operation, the powers of medicine succeeded in preventing the re-accumulation of fluid in the belly, and in effecting the absorption of the cellular effusion in the lower extremities, &c. and when he was discharged, for the benefit of change of air, on the 12th inst. the abdomen and limbs, with the exception of a little swelling and hardness above the right ankle, were reduced to nearly their natural size, and his general health was greatly improved."

We saw Lieut. G. in London, and every vestige of his complaint, as far as a careful examination could determine, had been removed. If the second case mentioned by our friend, Dr. Dickson, should turn out to be as successful as the first, Dr. D. will have been much more fortunate than his neighbours in general.

Dr. D. informs us that he met with a well-marked case of phlegmasia dolens lately in an unmarried female. He also states that he has been making some trials of the veratria in different

affections; and concludes with these words:"In some cases, it seems to have great power-in others, none."

THE PRINCIPLES OF PHYSIOLOGY, APPLIED ΤΟ THE PRESERVATION OF HEALTH, AND TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EDUCATION. BY ANDREW COMBE, M. D. Octavo, pp. 320. London and Ed. 1834.

This little work, though not designed for the medical profession, may prove very useful to the medical student perhaps to many medical practitioners. Be that as it may it is calculated to prove of eminent service to the reading and more intelligent portions of the public at large. Dr. C. has introduced just as much of descriptive anatomy and physiology as may be usefully applied to the preservation of health, and the improvement of physical and mental education. Most writers on hygiene, at least in this country, have too much neglected the intimate relation that exists between our moral and our physical nature-and how much the cultivation of the mind is connected with organization of body. It is necessary, therefore, to study the peculiarities of the corporeal constitution, in order to chalk out and direct the training of the mind. We see that, by attention to this subject, we can develope the powers in general, and those even of specific organs, in the lower animals, with surprising success. The same rules, in all probability, would apply in the human species. In a late work by Prince Puckler Muskau (though we have no very great opinion of this personage on many points) shews the moral effects of military drilling in Prussia. The following passage is put into the mouth of one of the Landwehr of Germany.

to the love, founded on reverence, which our people cherish for their king, we have to thank our military system, that amidst the universal unquietness of Europe, Prussia (by no means from want of diffused intelligence,* like Austria, but in the midst of it) has remained tranquil, sedate, and free from all the violent symptoms of modern thirst after mere change. It was thought that to make the whole population soldiers would be to make them ungovernable. The very contrary is the case-this organization has given them habits of order, discipline, and obedience."+

Dr. C. complains, and justly, too, of the little regard which is paid, in medical schools in this country, to the principles of hygiene, or a knowledge of those causes which modify the func tions of our organs in health, and consequently predispose, more or less directly, to diseases. Medical pupils and medical teachers are so intent on the description and treatment of diseases, that they are almost entirely occupied with those subjects, to the neglect of hygiene-or, indeed, of physiology.

But to return to our author. We can only glance cursorily at two or three chapters, out of the nine into which the work is divided-though we certainly recommend the perusal of the whole of the book to the generality of our readers, assuring them that, notwithstanding the pretty full occupation of our time in various avocations, we have managed to read the whole of the publication.

Passing over two or three chapters, in which occur many remarks, important even to experienced practitioners

and especially on the sympathy or connexion between the external surface of the body and the internal organs, shall halt for a moment on the subject

we

"Light, or intelligence (aufklärung,) in the sense in which I here use it, is merely relative, denoting only an extended horizon; it is far enough from wisdom, which has generally a tranquillizing, whereas this has a disquieting tendency."

Tutti Frutti, Stutgard, 1834.