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tor, Mr.CLIFT. Perhaps, too, theymay have been engrossed in justifying.themselves for compelling the great-body of the profession to enter theMausoleum of Hunter by a back-doorin Portugal-street, while they havereserved for themselves the portal inLincoln’s-Inn-Fields ; but enough of-these, Mr. Editor.

If, in my animadversions on the con-scientious junto, I have encoanteredthem with more than gentle violencecr playful attack, it has not beenwithout a well-assured belief in theirpowers ot resistance, who have

hitherto defied equally the shaft of.ridicule and the force of reason, andhave been alike untouched by indig-joation or contempt. Their shield is.indeed like the shield of Ackilles.

" Impenetrable chainsSecure the temper of ethereal arms."The javelin of Æneas could not piercethrough gotd.May it not be hoped that the wis-

dom of Parliament, after examiningthe funds of the College and theirdistribution, may find reason to re-scind powers so grossly abused, andtransfer them to the New University.

MEDICO JUNIUS.Sept. 4th, 1825.

HOSPITAL REPORTS.

GUY’S HOSPITAL.

Præternatural Abdominal Pulsation,

, Mary Kirkham, star. 32, was ad-mitted into the hospital, August 3,under the care of Mr. MORGAN ; shehad been for some time an out-pa-tient. She is a woman of sparehabit, not nnhealthy in appearance,there is no lividity of complexion, or’anxiety of countenance, and her cata-menia are regular in their appearance.The patient stated, that about fonryears since she was attacked with

pain in the chest, (which she describedas a stabbing pain,) and with violentpulsations at the pit of the stomach,the heart at the same time palpitatingstrongly. Having used strong exer-

tion previous to the attack, she im-putes her complaint to that circum-stance.The pulsations of the abdominal

aorta at the epigastric region are veryforcible, and indeed violent uponusing any muscular exertion.There is no perceptible tumour or

swelling in any part of the abdomen,which might lead to the inference otthe pulsation being dependent npondisease of the aorta at thin part.*The patient is often disturbed with

frightful dreams and siie is exceed-ingly sensitive; she says that the beit.ing is always increased if she partakesof solid food. Venesection alwaysaffords temporary relief; on the dayafter her admission iuto the hospitaleight ounces of blood were abstractedfrom the arm, and a few days after,complaining of paiu in the side, shewas cupped.

Sept. 1st. The patient was seen bySir A. COOPER to-day, who expressedhis opinion that the pulsation did notarise from aneurism of the abdominalaorta, but was the effect of preterua.

* Dr. Baillie states in the Transac-tions of the College of Physicians,vol. iv. p. 271,—" From a good dealof experience upon this subject, I anienabled to say that the increased put-sation of the aorta in the epigastricregion very rarcly depends upon anydisease of the aorta itself. In thewhole course of my medical expe-rience, I recollect but one instance iuwhich the pulsation depended uponan aneurismal swelling of the artery."The pulsations are synchronous with

the beats of the heart, and nearly sowith the pulse at the wrist; upon ap-plying the liand over the cardiac re-gion the pulsations of the heart ap-pear diffused, or if we may adopt suchan expression, the heart beati over alarge surface. When the patient is ina recutnbent posture, and has restedfor some time, the pulse at the wistis 8G and regular, but if desired to

walk down the ward, the pulse in-creases to 120, then the pupations utthe heart, and of the aorta in the epi-gastric region are truly violent, audthe carotids may be seen forblybeating, the respiration at the sametime is hurried and some what difficult.

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tural action of the heart. A French

surgeon who was in company with SirA. examined the patient, shrugged uphis shoulders and said " Maladie ducour." The patient was ordered to I,be bled occasionally, only to theamount of four ounces, and to take,three times a-day,Tincture of Digilalis, 15 dropsTincture of Muriate of Iron, 15 drops,Mint Water, 1½ ounces.8th. The symptoms continue nmch

the same, the bleeding was repeatedyesterday, and as usual afforded tran-sient relief. The patient expresses awish to leave in consequence of somedomestic affairs, so that we shall beprevented from observing the effectsof digitalis combined with iron audsmall occasional bleedings.

Case of Rupia.One of the most severe calles of this

disease we ever remember to havewitnessed is at this time in the hospi-tal under the care of Mr. Key. The

patient was admitted, August 17th,she is a married woman, the motherof several children, and about 28 yearsof age. At the time of admission shestated, that she had been labouringunder this eruptive disease aboutthree weeks ; that it first commencedin the les, and then appeared on thethighs, and that she had pains in thelegs previous to the appearance ofthe ertiption. These pains were in-creased by warmth. It is properalso to state, that before the erup-tions appeared she had been for sometime out of health, as she states, withcough atid spitting. The patient hasbeen repeatedly questioned as to whe-ther slle hag at any period labouredunder anv venereal affectioii, this she

positively denies; and from the man-in in which her replies are given, weal e not inclined to doubt the accuracyout her assertions. She applied to amedical practitioner, after the upyear-ance of the eruptions who gave lterpilb to take, bnt she says that they did inot make her mouth sore, and she hasnever had a sore tliroat.The eruption is situated on the legs,

thighs, arms and face, (the body beingfree.) At the time of admission, in someparts there were large iiat vesicles,not confluent and wilh a slight ring

of inflammation around their bases ;these vesicles were filled with a milkyflnid, and in some parts the vesiclesappeared to have broken, and werecovered with irregular brown scabs,from under which issued a thin bloodydischarge of an exceedingly offensivesmeil. This has been the progress ofthe disease since the patient’s admis-sion, the vesicles have all been brokenand scabs have formed upon their sur-face, on the face assuming the conicalfigure of the rnlria prominens. The

patient is in a state ot extreme debility) and emaciation, with a small quickpulse, and the irritation of the soresprevents her from obtaining rest.

The catamenia have been suppressedfor several months.

Aug. l8th. The patient was seenhy Sir A. COOPER to-day, who dc-clared the disease to he syphilitic,notwithstanding the patient’s assertionthat she never had any primary affec-tion. Sir A. astounded the" youngones," by expressing an opinion thatsyphilis might be communicated to

the female, by nteanx of the male ae-men, even when all primary symptomsshall have disappeared in the male;and in proof of this doctrine, Sir A.related a case in which a gentlemenhad a sore on the penis a few monthsbefore marriage, which ulcer was

healed bv local applications; aboutthree months after marriage, botithimselt’ and the lady had a venerealsore throat, and venereal eruptions,which were cured by taking mercury.The poor womau in the present

case was directed to tak quicksilverwith chalk, five grains every night,and decoction of sarsaparilla with ex-tract of ditto, three times a-day.

20th. In consequence of the bowelsbeing much disturbed by the mercu-rial, one grain of opinium and three

grains of quicksilver and chalk weregiven. Since this period the bowelshave beeu h0 much disturbed that ithas been necessary to withhold en-

tirely the exhibition of mercury, andthe following powders were pre-scribed :

Sursaparilla 2 scruplesOpium, I grain,

to be taken twice a day. The patienttakes half a pint of port wine daily,alld nutritious diet.There has been no foriiidtioli of fresh

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vesicles since the patient’s admission,hut the scabs fall off and leave foul un-healthy ulcers, the discharge fromwhich is thin and very offensive, andup to the 10th of September, there isno amendment in this case.

BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL

Case of Sloughing Phagedena,Elizabeth Woodyear, sftat. 20, was

admitted into Patience Ward, Thurs-day, Sept. 1st, with a sloughing pha-gedcna. Through some negligence noattention was paid to the case till thenext day (Friday,) at one o’clock,when Mr. LAWRENCE saw her.*

2d. On approaching the bed ofthis poor girl, a most peculiar unplea-sant fœtid smell assailed the nose,evidently denoting the nature of thedisease. On examination, a largesloughing ulcer, much bigger than asaucer, was seen attecting the lett la-bium and thigh, and extending to thenates. The greater and central por-tion of the ulcer, being occupied bya large black slough, covering severalsquare inches, and extending dceplyinward.On separating the right labium

from the thigh, a sitnilar slough wasobserved, but not much larger than acrown piece. The edges of the sorehaving that angry brownish red ap-pearance that is generally met within phagedenic ulcer; the left labiumis very much swollen, and, togetherwith the parts surrounding the ulcer,much inflamed, and of a deep red co-lour, In consequence of the painproduced by handling, we had not anopportunity of observing closely thestate of the parts. From the girl’saccount, it appears the disease hasexisted for three weeks, and com-menced by severe febrite disorder,pain in the head, limbs, &c. She wasnot aware of the existence of the ulcer

* The gentleman who admitted thispatient appears to labour under a

great degree of ignorance, or, to saythe!east otit, unenviable apathy, inallowing suclt an unfortunate objectof distress to remain twenty-fourhours, in a situation so tamentable andperilous, " uncared for aud unpitied."

until several days subsequent to itsformation, consequently we can ob-tain no account of the manner inwhich it first appeared. It has beenso very painful as to deprive her ofsleep for the last fortnight. She is ofa plethoric habit; her face flushed ;tongue dry, and covered with a thickwhite fur, pulse 120, frequent, small,and soft; respiration hurried, andshin hot, and covered with per.’-pira-tion*. The patient was desired to heremoved to Watts’ Ward, where shecould be placed in a separate room,the smell being so very offensive to theother patients, and to have the stron"nitric acid applied to every part ofthe sloughing surface., Mr. LAW-RENCE uses this remedy in almostevery case ofphagedena, and has in-variably found it successful. He ob-served he had never seen it appliedin so severe a case as the present;but as such success attended its ap-plication in minor cases, and as anyother mode of treatment would be

very doubtful, he thought it best to

give it a trial. In a case at presentin the hospital, the labia had siouglied,and great fears were entertained ofthe girl’s recovery, but the acid

stopped the disease. He thinks thatin general one application of the acidis sufficient, if applied to every partof the sore; one part of the treat-ment, namely, the application of drylint alone, after the application of theacid, he considers indispensable;poultices he considers injnrious. Inthe present case, the acid having beenapplied by a dossil of lint wrappeclround a small piece of stick. Sixtydrops of Laudanum were given. Shewas ordered eight onnces of wine,and unless the pain was decidedlyrelieved, a full dose of opium.Evening. She has been quite free

from pain since the application, andsays she feels much better; pulse 120;skin hot and moist ; ordered housephysic.

Mr. LAWRENCE remarked, thatthis was not exactly a case of phage-dena, although the edges of the ulcer had thatctiaracter. He rather thought

it had originally been that disease,and, in consequence of neglect, hadtaken on sloughing.