putrid food for the poor

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tooth-ach, supervene. Further conviction of the influence ex-ercised by pressure, results from the fact, that in this case thechasms that the two teeth left after extraction were almostfilled up by the other teeth shifting their position.-I havethe honour to remain. Sir, your obedient servant,

HENRY WILLIAM HOOPER, M.R.C.V.S.

ASPHYXIA IDIOPATHICA.To the Editor of THB LANCET.

SIR,—In THE LANCET for July 25th, there is an excellentreport upon a case of sudden death by Mr. Robins, in whichthat gentleman appears to have been at some pains in search-ing for recorded instances of similar seizures. As the subjectis one of great interest and importance, I venture, with yourpermission, to refer Mr. Robins to an additional series ofnineteen cases of sudden death, which he will find reported,with remarks by Dr. Francis, in the number of the Guy’s Hos-pital Reports for April, 1845.-Your obedient servant,August, 1846. LECTOR.

LETTER FROM DR. MARSHALL HALL.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—There is an expression at page 82, of the last numberof THE LANCET, which might lead to an erroneous conclusion,and which I am therefore most anxious to correct. It relatesto Professor Sharpey.No one has been more prompt and generous in doing justice

to my efforts in the cause of physiological science than Pro-fessor Sharpey, both in his public lectures and in private con-versations. Indeed, I have always ranked that gentlemanwith Baron Flourens and Professor Miiller for his noble can-dour and generosity, amidst a crowd actuated by a verydifferent spirit. Very early, Professor Sharpey expressedhimself, at University College, in the following terms: -"Many of these facts have been witnessed, and reasoned

upon, by previous observers; but to Dr. Marshall Hall belongsthe credit of having fully shown their connexion with eachother, of having first successfully generalized them, and ofhaving given to this part of physiology the form of a consistentdoctrine; and to him belong exclusively the merit of applyinga knowledge of these phenomena to pathology. And here, noless than in physiology, the application of the doctrine is of thehighest interest and importance; indeed, as regards pathology,- -except-the introduction of the stethoscope, which after all isperhaps not a fair subject of comparison,-I can think of nosingle improvement which has taken place since I began thestudy of medicine, equal to this, or so likely to prove fruitfulin important results :’

I will take this opportunity of thanking you, Sir, for theample justice done me in the very able review in the samenumber of your journal. When the profession understandthe subject, as the writer of that review understands it, therewill be nothing left for detractors to say or do, whether in theway of " complete anticipation " paragraphs, or in any otherway.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

August, 1846. MARSHALL HALL.

P.S.-As my readers may not understand what I mean bythe concluding paragraph, I beg to add, that in one of hisnotices, Dr. Forbes, as editor of the British and Foreign Me-dical Review, inserted a paragraph with the following heading:"Complete Anticipation of Dr. Marshall Hall, by Prochaska."I know not in what allowable term I can express my indigna-tion, after the lapse of so many years, at this most malignantcalumny. In the first place, it is totally unfounded in truth;in the second, Dr. Forbes might have known this by a compa-rison of a few intellectual moments of Prochaska’s workand my own; in the third, such a comparison was due to hisown character (I should think) as well as to my own;fourthly, he must have received the paragraph from someignorant and very malignant person, and should, therefore,have taken double pains to make that comparison.

Lastly, Dr. Forbes has submitted, during a long series ofyears, to be viewed by a brother in the profession (nay bymany) as a false calumniator, without coming forward witheither justification (a thing impossible), or confession (a thingwhich should have been spontaneous and immediate), whenthe calumny was properly exposed.What state is our profession in, when such things are

tolerated?

NOTE FROM DR. WEBSTER. OF DULWICH.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

Dulwich, August, 1846.

Siiti-In your leading article on the labours or discoveriesof my excellent friend, Dr. Marshall Hall, in the last week’sLANCET, page 162, you appeal to the testimony of anotherhighly esteemed friend of mine, by asking, " What says Pro-fessor Sharpey, who is certainly not prejudiced in their favour1"Having had the pleasure of a long intimacy with these eminentmen, I could readily answer your question, so as to show thatat an early period of Dr. Hall’s researches, Dr. Sharpey placeda very high value upon them, and was at all times a mostunprejudiced witness in their favour. Perhaps, however, Icannot put these points in a clearer light than by giving youan extract from a note of my own to Dr. Hall, written someyears-since, containing the opinion of Dr. Sharpey, uttered inall sincerity, and which will at once do justice to both thesedistinguished physiologists.

Extract of Note from Dr. Webster to Dr. Marshall Hall.Dulwich, 19th June, 1840.

My DEAR FRIEND,- ...... Dr. Sharpey dinedhere, with Dr. Maunsell and Mr. Farr, last week, when, on myalluding to what he (Dr. Sharpey) had said in his lecturesconcerning your labours, he said he considered it his duty toexpress himself as he had done—1st, because he thought youhad been ill used; and, 2ndly, because the importance of thesubject demanded it. On some discussion taking place re-specting your doctrines, Dr. Sharpey mentioned the case of aparalytic limb, which was insensible to the touch, and couldnot be moved by any effort of the will, but yet could be movedextensively on certain nerves, before unknown, being stimu-lated. He added, " You cannot go into a hospital or witnessan interesting case, without the words ‘reflex function,’ orexcito-motor power,’ being used. They were become commonhousehold words. There was a beautiful system of actionsand effects, and pathological facts and curative indications,which till very lately were either unknown or disconnectedand misunderstood. These were now made plain, so as to beunderstood by every one who chose to understand and betaught; all, or very nearly all this, we owe to Dr. MarshallHall, but his researches and discoveries are not always ac-knowledged as they ought to be. I consider that Dr. Hallpossesses a mind of the first order, a most acute intellect, andis one of the most ingenious men and closest observers of thepresent times." These are the words of Dr. Sharpey, as nearas I can remember them, and doubly gratifying to me as thewords of a friend spoken of a friend.As the above extract requires no comment, I shall not add

another word. but remain. vour obedient faithful servant.GEO. WEBSTER.

QUALIFICATIONS OF NAVAL SURGEONS.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Allow me to correct an error which appears in a footnote to a letter, by "One Concerned," in THE LANCET ofAugust 1st, wherein the writer states that 17l. is demandedupon passing the second examination for the navy, and 5l. 5s.the first. I passed, in 1827, Navy Board and College.Having retired from the service in the following year, I thenthought it advisable (to avoid quibbles) to go in for my diploma,which I obtained; but they positively refused to deduct thefive guineas, and for which Mr. Belfour gave me no reason.-Sir. your obedient servant,

T. H. B. CROSSE,Late Senior Surgeon of Artillery, B. L.

Whilst abroad, I lost my diploma, and wrote to Mr. Belfour,requesting a certificate ; but this was refused, unless 5l. wasforwarded.Park Terrace, Highbury, August, 1846.

PUTRID FOOD FOR THE POOR.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Though not a medical man, I nevertheless take inTHE LANCET, and feeling confident that any remark aboutdiseases and the prevention of them has more attention paidto it in yours than in any other periodical, I do not hesitate tosend you the following suggestion regarding the cholera. Leta clerk of the market (or whatever title may be thought moreappropriate) be appointed in every parish, to inspect and reject

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fish and other animal food, when and wherever he may, in his idistrict, find that which is unfit for human diet. I am called tothese remarks bymy olfactory nerves having frequently, of late,been assailed, in my way to Camden Town, (whither my avo-cations frequently call me,) by a horrid stench opposite theBrill, in Brewer-street, Somers Town, arising from mackerel," six a shilling-all alive," being exposed for sale. Surely,Mr. Editor, this ought not to be allowed; and as surely anypoliceman has the power to remove this nuisance.That they were all alive, I have no hesitation in saying; I

have no doubt that a powerful microscope would have shownmyriads of poisonous phosphorescent insects about them.Hoping that you will do me the favour to find a corner for

these remarks, during this sultry weather, I am, sir,Your constant reader, AMBULATOR.

Lincoln’s-inn-fields, August, 1846.

AN ODD PRESCRIPTION.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—I enclose you a prescription of an " eminent" M.D.of this town for your edification and that of your professionalbrethren. I am induced to send it, from motives of pure phi-lanthropy. At present, no one has benefited by it but thehappy individual for whom it was prescribed; and it is athousand pities that a document so scientific and trulyvaluable in every respect should be circumscribed in itsutility:

" Ann Price, 13th Nov. 1843:

Tere bene et ft. pulvis subtilis. Capiat æger cochl, parv.nocte maneque: D. B."

But, Sir, in sober sadness, is it not too bad that I should becompelled to compound such trash. I have had a prescriptionsimilar to this, with,fi2e or six different infusions, requiring, ofcourse, separate vessels and periods for their preparation.One of these was infusion of rhubarb, and the proportion ofthe dose which fell to its share was not sixty minims. Ienclose you my name and address in a separate note, and am,Sir, your obedient servant, PEOPLE MOTE.Ludlow, Salop, July 28th, 1846.

[NOTICE.]The Microscopic Anatomy of the Human Body in Health and

Disease, illlustrated with numerous Drawings in Colour. ByARTHUR HILL HASSALL, Esq. Part I. Highley, 1846.THERE is scarcely a subject in the entire range of medical

science more important than that to which Mr. Hassall hasturned his attention.With an exact and systematized description of all the con-

stituents of the fluids and solids of the body, Mr. Hassall’swork will be invaluable, and we heartily wish him success.His manner of treating the subject, in the Part before us,leads us to anticipate that nothing will be omitted by him torender the work useful and perfect, and we look with muchanticipation to the appearance of his successive numbers.The plates, three in number, and containing fifteen figures,

are devoted to the microscopic history of blood and lymph;Plate 1, illustrating the constituents of the blood of man;Plate 2, those of the blood of thefiog; and Plate 3, the bloodof the dromedary, alpaco, and siren. The figures have theadditional advantage of being all magnified to the same amount.We feel sure that the profession will accord to Mr. Hassall’s

laborious undertaking the patronage which so useful a workdeserves. The practitioner will be enabled by its means toplace himself in the foremost rank of the onward march ofmedical science; while to the student, the work wiR be as ne-cessary as the first rudiments of his education.We shall notice the work more fully when the second Part

appears.

MEDICAL NEWS,FACTS, NOTICES, AND REMARKS.

QUEEN’S COLLEGE AT BIRMINGHAM.—The Queenhas promulgated her warrant, under the sign manual, to autho-rize the Principal and Vice Principal of the Queen’s Collegeat Birmingham " to issue to such persons as may be desirousof becoming candidates for the respective degrees of bachelorof arts, master of arts, bachelor of laws, or doctor of laws,to be conferred by the University of London, certificates tothe effect that such candidates have completed the course ofinstruction which the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, and Fel-lows of the said University of London, by regulation on thatbehalf, shall have determined :’ The Council of the College,at their last :monthly board, have unanimously elected theRev. G. Richards, B.A., Pembroke College, Oxon, the resi-dent classical tutor and chaplain of the college; the Rev.J. Taylor, B.A., St. John’s College, Cantab., the residentmathematical tutor and chaplain of the College Hospital;Herr J. Mayland, German master; Jean 1. 0. Flannagan,French master; and Charles Docher, Esq., drawing-master.The first and second year’s students in the classical departmentwill reside with the Rev. G. 0. Welstead, B.A., after whichthey will reside within the walls of the College, to completetheir medical studies.

A colonial paper states, that " in one of the Neapoli-tan hospitals, containing 1300 beds, the strange practice stillprevails of keeping a ward of 104 beds expressly for thosepatients who are at the point of death; and when one is givenup by his medical attendants, he is taken off to this ward."THE POTATO MURRAIN.-The Dundee Advertiser

reports that there have been noticed, in the neighbourhood ofBlairgowrie, Perthshire, many unequivocal indications thatthe murrain has already commenced its ravages among thepotato crop. The appearances which present themselves arethus marked. The stalks are dry and stunted-looking, withdark, rusty-like patches pervading them at short intervals;the leaves are black and shrivelled, many of them fallen off.In others, again, a little more attention is required to distin-guish it properly. The leaves have a slight yellow tinge, andare thickly dotted with small black spots. The stalks arevery brittle, and the flower-clusters fall off with the slightestshake; the parts which are under ground have a diseasedmouldy appearance, and seem already partly decomposed.In Devonshire, also, it is said that diseased potatoes havebeen met with at Sowton, Alphington, Keonford, Otterton,

Heavitree, and Broadclist; and that in many places in theneighbourhood of Exeter the disease is distinctly visible in thefoliage of the crops, and is making rapid progress, having

’ appeared in every variety of soil and under almost every modeof treatment.WESTMINSTER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.-Many com-

plaints have reached us on the ground that the annual distribu-tion of prizes, so prominently announced in the prospectusesof October last, should have been withheld at the close ofthe winter session. It appears, indeed, that this school is in avery pitiable condition. Pupils have dropped off, one by one,until the professors have been compelled to deliver theirlonely lectures, beginning " Sir," instead of "Gentlemen."Let us see how all this stands during the past session; 201.were subscribed by the whole body of lecturers, to be givenaway in prizes,-a sort of lucky-bag to tempt the students topay their fees; these prizes were never awarded. Two, worthabout 51., were given away privately at different times, as ata mountebank lottery in the olden time, somebody whomnobody knew mysteriously won the leg of mutton, the pig, orthe silver watch; but, as in this instance, the principal prizesalways remained in the treasury, if indeed there ever wassuch a place. The excuse given by the teachers for keepingback the principal prizes, from the class generally, and fromthe seven pupils of last year in particular, was, that theanswers of those who went in for examination were notworthy of reward at all. If such were indeed the fact, it isnatural to inquire what must the teaching have been? Thereis something melancholy in the forlorn condition of this me-dical school, from which, at one time, some good works wereexpected, which now appears to be in the last struggle of its

existence.MEDICAL ORGANIZATION IN THE WEST INDIES.-

An Extra Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians,commenting on the remarks of Dr. Nicholson of Antigua-on theabove subject (p. 135) in a letter containing many acrimoni-