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are entitled to practise on the same footing with those who havepassed examinations at the Royal Colleges of Physicians andSurgeons; they may also proceed to the degrees of Bachelor andDoctor of Medicine."

From the same document I learn that the following are theonly fees charged by the University of Durham for thelicence in medicine which confers such extraordinary powers-viz. :

- -

Surely, in any medical reform bill which may hereafter beproposed, some clauses will be inserted to guard against the evilsresulting from the multiplication of universities, otherwise theconfusion, rivalry, and discord consequent on the existence of somany licensing bodies will render the union of the profession,and the realization of the hopes based upon it, utterly and forever impracticable.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,NewcastIe-on-Tyne, July, 1852. A MEDICAL REFORMER.

PRESERVATION OF VACCINE LYMPH.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—After a letter in THE LANCET of July 10, recom-mending some gutta percha bottles for keeping and con-

veying vaccine lymph in a fluid state, there is a note, by theEditor, referring to the inquest which was held at Clerken-well, nearly three years since, on a child who died after beinginoculated with some vaccine lymph that had been kept in aglass bottle in shape like these gutta percha ones. TheEditor has fallen into two mistakes-one as to the time thelymph had been kept, the other that I promised lymphshould not be so sent again from the Small-Pox and Vaccina-tion Hospital, which I did not promise. We ought perhaps,some of us, to have given an account in THE LANCET at thetime, without mentioning names, of the mischief that hadbeen done; and, as a warning to others, I thought of doing it,but did not. I stated my objection to these gutta perchabottles, and my reason for objecting to them, at the lastmeeting-of the Epidemiological Society, alluding to these verycases at Clerkenwell. The lymph used in that instance hadbeen kept eight days before being used for the one child, andnine for the other. The lymph had been doubtless decom-posed, just as any other moist animal matter would havebeen in the same time; and the poor children were, in fact,inoculated with putrid animal matter, which produced deathin one, and dangerous illness, with erysipelas and the forma-tion of eighteen abscesses, in the other. ,

These bottles are very convenient in practice if carefully andproperly used. As I stated at the Epidemiological Society,the lymph may be safely kept in them for twenty-four hoursin summer, and forty-eight hours in winter. If used afterbeing kept longer than this it is apt to cause irritable vesicles,and the person so vaccinated is but imperfectly protected, orprobably not protected at all if the lymph has been keptmuch beyond the time I have specified.

I have thought it right to draw your attention to thesepoints. The correction of the statement in the Editor’s note,in THE LANCET, will come better from you than from me.You will remember it was at first attempted to be shown thatthe lymph used at Clerkenwell had only been kept a shorttime-a few hours-but the statement was proved to be in-correct, amongst other proofs by the medical man’s boy goingpart of the way home from the hospital, on the day whenthe lymph was procured, with another boy, from Mr. Complin,of Finsbury-square, and that there had been an interval ofeight or nine days between obtaining the lymph and using it- in the warm weather of the autumn of 1849.

I am, Sir, yours faithfully,Small-Pox and Vaccination Hospital, J. F. MARSON.

Upper Holloway, July, 1852.J. F. MARSON.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—Will you permit me to occupy a few lines of you

space to say how greatly I feel obliged to Mr. Faxon and tAir. Hendry for-their communications upon vaccination, whiclthrough your pages, will be made known as proved means tfacilitate the propagation of this innocent prophylactic viru

a boon which doubtless will be hailed by a large body of theprofession with gratitude, on the eve-I might, perhaps, saythe advent-of an epidemic small-pox, one of man’s mostfearful scourges, which, as physicians, political economists,and Christians, we are bound to avert to the extent of ourknowledge.

I have seen the tubes of Mr. Faxon, I have read of the useof the eschar, as described by Mr. Hendry; I know that bothhave failed. By my contrivance I have only been desirous toadd one other method to afford the means of success, and Iwish only to insist that the lightness and infractility of thetubes I use are by these qualities superior to Mr. Faxon’s, andthat if liquid vaccine lymph is acknowledged to be morereadily absorbed than dry, and if it can be shown that suchlymph is preserved in cases filled with the vapour of a hydro-carbon, to the exclusion of oxygen, and the prevention ofthe process of decomposition, (or, as Liebig truly calls it,eremacausis,) then I would contend that we have fourbeneficial qualities together, hitherto only to be obtained insmaller combinations : 1, Lightness; 2, infractility (for theconvenience of carriage); 3, liquidity (for the facility ofabsorption); 4, immunity from decomposition.But my original design having been, by means of our in-

creased postal facilities, to transmit rapidly, in this country,liquid lymph undecomposed, I beg to claim for my idea, whenit shall have been sufficiently tested by others, the merit oihaving fulfilled its objects. I am sure, at least, Sir, that youwill agree that it has not been without some immediatebenefit that this discussion has been evoked by

Your obedient servant,W. M. F. CHATTERLEY, M.R.C.S.E.

Hereford-square, Old Brompton, July, 1852.W. M. F. CHATTERLEY, M.R.C.S.E.

MEDICAL ASSISTANTS.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—You have lately lent your valuable aid to the cause of abranch of the profession-viz. " the unpaid medical officers ofhospitals," and I doubt not that in this, as in many other casesyour efforts will prove in the end successful.

There is another ill-remunerated class which merits, I think,your efforts to raise it from the position in which it is nowplaced. I allude to medical assistants. Certainly medical mendo not by their own liberality to their assistants (on whom thedrudgery of the practice falls) establish any claims to the

generosity of the public. A young man, after several years’experience in the profession,-during which time, if he have hadgood opportunities, and made the most of them, he mayhave acquired considerable knowledge,-seeks a situation for atime with a medical practitioner; he finds, after some years ofstudy, that his means are insufficient to complete his curriculumfor qualification. A situation is obtained. Unlike many othervocations, where a certain number of hours are devoted to busi-ness, and beyond that period there is no liability of being calledon for duty, the medical assistant must be in constant attend-ance to answer every ring at the door, be it day or night; he

may not, under pain of displeasure, be absent without leave, andat no period of the day or night can he call five minutes his own.The principal goes his rounds, may-be in his carriage, and on hisreturn his assistant is expected to be in attendance to receivehis commands, and to spend his evening, (when all others canenjoy either a pleasant fireside, or an evening ramble,) amongst

, rhubarb and aloes and pitch-plaster. Well, the public willsay,

" Mr. So-and-So keeps an assistant, who is worked hard and, always must be within call, but no doubt he is paid well; there.

are some drawbacks in every situation;" and so it is set down. that Mr. ——’s assistant has a handsome salary, far better than

the unfortunate banker’s clerk opposite, who is shut up six hoursa-day for £100 a year. But no ; this liberal gentleman who keeps

, an assistant, considers the advantage of treating paupers and dis-

pensing black draughts, together with board and lodging," amplysufficient remuneration, and would think himself a fit subject fora de lunatico, &c., were he to pay his factotum a liberalsalary. Now it would be a satisfaction to the curions,(as such matters are, I suppose through shame, kept a profoundsecret,) to know the actual remuneration Mr. -’s assistant hasfor his services. Suppose Mr. -’s family to consist of fromten to twelve persons, the addition of the assistant may make a.difference in the household expenses, of at the most 5s. per

r week, so that Mr. ’s assistant stands him in the sum of 131o per annum, and not a farthing of this comes to the unfortunatei, in the shape of salary*’ .’ ..

.. _ ..

o I would appeal to "you, Mr. Editor, and to the public generally,;, and to some few enlightened and liberal-minded members of the

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profession, few, I fear, in comparison with the number of thosewho foilow the economical plan stated here. In an enlightenedage, it certainly seems monstrous that the junior members of aliberal and enlightened profession should not be able to obtainthe pay of a common footman or shop-boy for their services.But while, amongst the class of assistants themselves, thereexists such an apathy and disregard for their own interests, it isnot to he expected that medical men will alter their own econo-mical plans. Let the assistants, as a body of gentlemen belong-ing to a noble profession, with one accord protest against the

injustice, and refuse to accept on such terms the situations heldout as such advantages to them. The picture I have attemptedto delineate is one the counterpart of which may be found, Iassure you, in but too many of our provincial towns, be theylarge or small. The medical man does not think the knowledge ofhis assistant too small to be of great use to him in visiting patients,&c., but far too insignificant to be recognised by the smallest pecu-

niary recompence. I trust that this communication, if suffered toappear in THE LANCET, may have the effect of exciting amongstthe body to which I at present belong, some sense of what isdue to them from those who cannot dispense with their services.It were well could the names of some of these liberal-mindedmen be published, but I trust that with your aid, Mr. Editor,a great reform may soon be brought about,

I am, Sir, your obliged servant,July, 1852. AN UNPAID ASSISTANT.

Medical News.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.—The followinggentlemen, having undergone the necessary examinations foithe diploma, were admitted members of the College at themeeting of the Court of Examiners on the_23rd inst.:---ALLCARD, GEORGE, London.ARTHUR, DAVID, Neath, Glamorganshire.BENSON, RICHARD BROWNLow, Bayswater.DAVIES, EBENEZER, Swansea, Glamorganshire.DouBLEDAY, JAMES, Blackfriars-road.EDMUNDS, WiLLIAM, Canterbury.GREENFIELD, WILLIAM, Belfast.KAYE, JOSEPH, Bombay.MATHEws, HENRY JOHN DAVIS, Camberwell.NuRSE, HENRY GAITSKELL, Montague-place, Islington.WILLIS, EDWARD COOPER, Leamington, Warwickshire.The following gentlemen were admitted on the 26th

inst. :-

BROOKES, THOMAS, Whitchurch, Salop.BRYDGES, HENRY WILLIAM PRATTENTON, New York.COUCH, THOMAS QUILLER, Polperro, Cornwall.DUFFY, JAMES WILLIAM, Chili, South America.GABRIEL, ALFRED EDMUND, Collumpton, Devon.HEDGER, ALFRED, South-street, West-square, Southwark.EosKiNG, RICHARD, Marazion, Cornwall.OSBORNE, HENRY, Northampton.SCHItOEDER, HENRY SACHEVEREL EDWARD, Australia.WALTERS, REGINALD BAYLEY, Winchester.The following gentlemen were admitted on the 28th

inst:—

CHAMPNEYS, ALEXANDER MUNDELL, Mile-end New Town.DUCKET, CLARK ARMSTONE, Spalding, Lincolnshire.Fox, LEOPOLD BEHARRELL, Shoreditch.JoxEs, WILLIAM PRICE, Bala, North Wales.PERRY, MARTEN, Aylton Court, Ledbury.TrCKER, JOHN DENNING, Sheepwash, Devon.APOTHECARIES’ HALL.—Names of gentlemen who

passed their examination in the science and practice of medi-cine, and received certificates to practise, on

Thursday, July 22nd, 1852.AYLIFFE, HENRY, Adelaide, South Australia.DAVIES, AUGUSTUS EDWARD, Ruthin, North Wales.DURKAN, EuGENE Bt7RKE, Liverpool.EviSON, HANSON, Hull.HOWARD. JOHN WILLIAM, Jun.LEWIS, WILLIAM AsTON, Alderley.SHAW, EDMUND, Thatcham, Berks.KEXT OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.—Major Wayth has

bequeathed £100 to this charity; Miss W’aller, of Sandwich, hasalso presented ;S20 towards the building fund.

e MR. WAKLEY, LATE M.P. FOR FINSBURY.—At ad meeting of the supporters of Lord Robert Grosvenor and Mr.a Osborne, held on Monday, July 19th, in the Belvidere Tavern,

Pentonville, in the borough of Finsbury, Mr. Williams, M.P.’ for Lambeth, in reviewing the late House of Commons, said:e There is a gentleman, who was one of the members of thats house, but who unfortunately is no longer a member of the-

legislature-I mean Mr. Wakley, (cheers,) whose absence has’ created a void which cannot be easily filled up, for no man cane take his place. (Hear, hear.) His wit and his sarcasm gave

a most important turn to the debates, and invariably confutedand confounded the enemies of liberty and the people. (Hear,

I hear.) I, however, trust that ere long the people will again havethe powerful aid of the talent and indefatigable industry of thatlong-tried and uncompromising patriot. (Loud cheers.)"

f MEETING OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HOSPITALS FOR) THE INSANE.-A meeting of the Association of Medical Officerst of Hospitals for the Insane was held in Oxford, on the 21st instant,

contemporaneously with the Provincial Association. The follow-. ing members, were present: Dr. Wintle, Warneford Hospital1 for the Insane, in the chair ; Dr. J. Conolly, LL.D., &c., Han-

well; Dr. Bucknill, County Hospital for the Insane, Devon; DIt.,

Davey, Northwoods, Gloucestershire; Dr. Hitchman, County Hos-pital for the Insane, Derby; Dr. Kirkman, County Hospital forthe Insane, Suffolk; Dr. Thurnam, County Hospital for theInsane, Wilts; Dr. Forbes Winslow, Sussex House, Hammer-smith ; Dr. Wood, Bethlem ; William Ley, Esq., County Hos-pital for the Insane, Oxford; - Rice, Esq., ditto ; CalebWilliams, Esq., York; Dr. Williams, Honorary Secretary, CountyHospital for the Insane, Gloucester ; Dr. Diamond, MetropolitanSecretary, County Hospital for the Insane, Surrey.

CHARING-CROSS HOSPITAL.—At the annual meetingof this institution, held last week, Major Lyons in the chair, itappeared, upon the secretary reading the Report, that 17,995indigent sick had been partakers of the charity during the pastyear, at a cost of X2490 11s. 2d. Since the establishment of thehospital in 1818, 204,851 sick persons had been relieved. Therewere added to the subscription list 45 annual subscribers, 105contributors, 125 donations, and several valuable bequests. Thenumber of pupils had also increased. Receipts under the head"building fund" amounted to X1071 13s. 3d., and the expenditureto £1051 Is. 6d. The maintenance fund receipts wereX3554 13s. 2d., and the outlay was 1:2490 lls. 2d., leaving abalance of £1064 2s.

EXTRAORDINARY FECUNDITY. - A Belgian paperstates that a woman, thirty-three years, of age is now living atLiege, who affords an astonishing example of fecundity. Shewas lately confined of triplets, who are respectively her twenty-second, twenty-third, and twenty-fourth children. She hasthus had, during nine years of married life, twenty-fourchildren, all in good health, and of the female sex.THE LATE CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER AGAINST A

SURGEON.—Mr. Bourn, surgeon, of Willow, who was chargedwith the manslaughter of Mrs. Nokes, whom he left at a criticalmoment of her accouchement to attend another patient, has beencommitted to Shepton-Mallet gaol, there to abide his trial at theensuing assizes.MIDDLESEX HospiTAL. - We understand that con-

siderable additions to the Museum of this Hospital have beenrecently made through the liberality of Mr. R. Cartwright,Mr. Mitchell Henry, and other friends of the Institution.For the effective display of these specimens, as well as forthe accommodation of the students, the Governors have re-cently voted £1000 to enlarge the buildings of the medicalschool. A new library, and an almost new Museum ofMateria Medica, will also be added.

APPOINTMENT.—Surgeon Alexander Cross (1838,)to be Surgeon Superintendent of the Equestrian convict ship,Woolwich.

BREAKING OUT OF CHOLERA. - The steamshipPhiladelphia left Aspinwall on the 22nd for Havannah and NewOrleans, and when two days from port, the cholera broke outamong the passengers and crew, carrying off forty of them.

Among these was Mr. Birdsnll, the United States mail agent.On her arrival at Havannah she was immediately ordered away bythe authorities, they not even allowing her to remain two milesoutside the harbour to have requisite stores sent to her, but com-pelling her to put to sea quite unprepared for the voyage. She pro-ceeded to Key West, where the Empire City left her on the 29th,to land her passengers and procure fuel and water.