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principles to the prevention and cure of local diseases, and wewould strongly recommend its perusal to the surgeon and medi-cal practitioner, as containing a very considerable amount ofvaluable practical information, evidently the result of much

originality of mind, and of close attention to the phenomena ofdisease. The reader must not, however, expect to meet withmuch that is new on the subject of tumours, beyond the applica-tion of the general principles that we have already mentioned, totheir treatment. The work is less an essay on the generalnature and treatment of tumours, than the result of the

author’s experience on several points connected with hygiene,dietetics, and medicine, and their application to the preventionand cure of local disease.

We cannot conclude this notice without remarking that,valuable and practical as much of the matter contained in thework is, and useful as is the object with which it was written, itsutility will be much lessened by the very discursive and obscurestyle in which it is written, and by the total want of arrangementthat is prevalent throughout.

Observations on the Growt7i and Irregularities qf Children’s Teeth,&c. By W. H. MORTIMER. Second Edition. London:S. Highley. 1845.

THis is a plain, unpretending, practical, little work, the professedobject of which is to instruct parents in an elementary knowledgeof the growth of children’s teeth. As it is " written for the

public at large, and, as such, in a style the most readily to beunderstood by them," it scarcely falls within the scope of

medical criticism. We may, however, recommend it to those ofour professional brethren who desire to make themselves ac-

quainted with some of the principal points connected with themanagement of children’s teeth, as a practical and sensible trea-tise, free from all quackery.

THE GOVERNMENT MEDICAL BILLAND

ENFRANCHISEMENT IN THE ROYAL COLLEGEOF SURGEONS.

MEDICAL PROTECTION ASSEMBLY.JOHN HUNTER, ESQ., IN THE CHAIR.

THE committee met on Monday evening last. The receipt ofseveral handsome subscriptions was acknowledged, and in thediscussion -which ensued, the most marked dissatisfaction wasexpressed by every speaker at the conduct which had been

pursued by the committee of the National Association. The

system of self-appointment adopted by that body, the secrecy ofits proceedings, the refusal to allow the country members of theAssociation to elect their own representatives, and above all, thedeception which had been practised on the profession, by the com-mittee having, from the first, determined to obtain a separate andan inferior corporation, were most bitterly, pungently, and sarcas-tically denounced. If the monster apothecaries of the west-endhad, heard the forcible tones in which their proceedings werecondemned, they would have trembled for the safety of GALLI-POT LODGE. Failing an union with the College of Surgeons, acollege of equal rank, or none, was emphatically demanded byevery speaker.

THE PETITION OF THE BIRKENHEAD SURGEONS.THE following is a copy of a petition which was sent to Sir

Philip Egerton, M.P., for presentation to the House of Commons,with a request that the prayer of the petitioners might receivethe support of himself and his honourable colleague, Mr.Tollemache:-

" To the Honourable the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland,in Parliament atMem&M: :

The humble Petition of the General Practitioners in Medi-cine, Surgery, and Midwifery, residing at Birkenhead, inthe County of Chester,

SHOWETH-

. -

That your petitioners consider that the surgeons of this coun-try who are engaged in the general practice of their professionare entitled to elect the governing body of their own College, andthus to superintend the regulation of their own professionalaffairs.That they are firmly of opinion that a College of Physicians

and a College of Surgeons are amply sufficient for the protec-tion and government of the medical profession of England andWales.That in earnestly desiring that the general practitioners should

be enfranchised in one institution, your petitioners would in-finitely prefer .seeing that great object carried into effect in theRoyal College of Surgeons of England than in a separate incor-poration.Your petitioners, therefore, most anxiously pray that an in-

quiry may be instituted into the government of the College ofSurgeons, and the effects produced by the last new charter, andthat the enfranchisement of the general practitioners of thiscountry may take place in the Royal College of Surgeons ofEngland, with full power to elect their governing body.And your petitioners will ever pray.

William Stevenson John Croxton FoulkesJames Dixon Charles Alex. HolcombeJerome Smith William Thomas HamiltonJames Theordorick Vale George WalkerSamuel Edgar Arthur Browne Steele.

MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

MONDAY, APRIL 14.—DR. T. THOMPSON, PRESIDENT.

In reference to the discussion at the last meeting, Mr. PILCHERobserved, that he was in the habit of employing croton oil as acounterirritant in the proportion of one part of the oil to fifteenof olive oil. It was usually efficacious. He had found, whenused in this proportion, that the liniment occasionally acted as apurgative.

DISEASE OF THE KIDNEY SUCCEEDING SCARLET FEVER.

Dr. THOMPSON related the case of a young lady, aged sixteen,(whom he was requested to visit on the 30th September, 1842,)affected with slight bronchitis, cedema of the legs, and ascites.She had suffered from scarlatina, three years previously, at thesame time with her father and two brothers, who died withdropsical symptoms soon after the eruption; but her presentsymptoms appeared a fortnight after, apparently a second attack,in which the sore throat preceded the eruption about three days.The urine was found to be highly albuminous. After cuppingin the loins, warm baths, and diaphoretic medicines, the skinbecame moist, the urine less albuminous, and the oedema less con.siderable; but the symptoms in a fortnight were again severe, andthe cupping was repeated, but with very slight advantage. Onthe 20th of October, some issues were made in the loins; duringthe formation of the sloughs, the symptoms were aggravated, butafterwards relieved. Tincture of sesquichloride of iron was ad.ministered with trivial advantage. In the month of November,oppressive sleepiness occurred, almost amounting to stupor, butwas relieved by the application of a blister. The urine continu-ing copious and highly albuminous, sulphate of zinc was pre-scribed, and at the end of November, alum was substituted. InDecember, the patient took tincture of sesquichloride of iron withdigitalis. In January, 1843, the head was again threatened, butwas relieved by the administration of tincture of cantharides.In the following month, the abdomen became greatly distended,the legs tense from cedema, and the patient so reduced instrength as to require wine for her support. Much erethemaand alarming sloughing followed the use of acupuncture, and thepatient was for three days nearly insensible. In April, somepints of fluid exuded from the legs; the swelling of the abdomenmaterially subsided; there was some improvement of strength.and a copious coloured discharge occurred from the vagina as iffrom a partial renewal of the catamenia, which had been fortwelve months interrupted. In September, she was attackedwith acute pain of the head and cheek; a small tumour appearedunder the left ear, and the muscles of that side of the face con-tinued for some months paralyzed, so that she laughed on theright side, and was unable to close the left eye. The pupils weredilated. On the 1st of July, the distention of abdomen was soconsiderable, that tapping was thought expedient, and sixteenquarts of serum were removed. This operation was repeatedseven times-namely, on the 2nd September, llth October, 20thNovember, 8th January, 1844, 20th February, 4th April, andSth June, the quantity of serum removed varying from fifteento thirty pints. Two days after the last operation, some tender-ness of abdomen occurred, which was relieved by leeches. The

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urinary secretion was for a day nearly suppressed, coma super-vened, and thepatient in a few hours expired. On examinationafter death, the peritoneum was found universally thickened, andin several parts perforated by circular ulcerations without sur-rounding redness. There was some accumulation of serum inthe pericardium, the heart was somewhat dilated, the liver largeand soft. The kidneys were enlarged, congested, soft in texture,and thickly pervaded with granular deposit. Dr. Thompson re-marked that the copiousness of urine, and the abundance ofserous effusion probably served to defer the fatal issue, by pre-venting the blood from being so much charged with imperfectlyvitalized materials; but it also appeared obvious that the treat-ment employed must have retarded the disease, since the changeof the kidneys was less advanced than might have been antici-pated from the considerable duration of the malady. Thesloughing which succeeded acupuncture was deserving of noticeas illustrating the fact that the liability to such a result isgreaterin oedema, when occasioned by renal, than when induced bycardiac disease.

In answer to a question, Dr. TnoMPSON remarked that he ex-plained the paralysis of the right side of the face by the unsoundcondition of the blood, which was produced by the renal disease.The same cause produced epilepsy in the affection.Mr. PILCHER considered that if the palsy resulted from the

cause just mentioned, it would have been general, and not par-tial. He was more inclined to the opinion that it depended onsome local cause, as enlargement of the tonsils, or disease of theear, consequent upon the scarlet fever.Dr. L. STEWART detailed the case of a boy, fifteen years of

age, who suffered from scarlet fever last October. This wasfollowed soon after by disease of the kidney. The urine wasalmost entirely suppressed for two days. Leeching to the loinsrestored the function of the kidney. Mercury and iodideof potassium were then given, and the patient made muchwater. The heart, or its membrane, became afterwards affected,then general anasarca and epilepsy developed themselves. The

general symptoms were now abated, though there was still someanarsaca of the limbs and scrotum. There was also a slightlyalbuminous condition ofthe urine.Mr. ROBARTS made some observations with the view of show-

ing the value of the warm bath after scarlet fever, and even incases in which the anasarca had developed itself.

Mr. HANCOCK regarded the paralysis of the porta dura inDr. Thompson’s case as a local affection of the nerve. Had -itbeen the result of the general condition of the blood, or of effusioninto the ventricles, both sides of the face would be affected.

Mr. PiLCHER made some observations to show that scarletfever was a fruitful source of diseases of the ear. Deafness fromthis cause was often overlooked, and had frequently becomepermanent, or had existed for many years, before discovered.He alluded to some cases in which the porta dura and the por-tion of brain from which it arose were destroyed by this disease.Enlargement of the tonsil might produce deafness after scarletfever.Mr. HANCOCK believed that palsy of the porta dura might

arise from disease of the nerve in its course, the brain being un-affected. He related the case of a man who was subject tosevere pains in the ear which were relieved by cupping. Palsyof the face on that side supervened; it was now apparently per-manent. He considered it to arise from pressure on the nerve inits course.

Mr. DENDY mentioned a case in which blindness of one eyehad existed for many years, as the result of Egyptian ophthalmia,and had only’been discovered accidentally. With reference tothe occurrence of dropsy after slight attacks of scarlet fever, heregarded this as dependent on the fact, that desquamation inthese cases was less perfect than in more severe cases.

Mr. HIND related a case of ascites in a child three years oia.ge, the subject of mesenteric disease. The urine was so albu-minous, that heat coagulated it into a mass immediately. Thisstate appeared to be the result of the administration of mercury,and disappeared on the discontinuance of that medicine.

After a few words from Dr. GARROD, the Society adjourned.

MONDAY, APRIL 21.

Dr. TnOllfPSON, in reference to the case detailed at the lastmeeting of the Society, said, that he had stated that the patienthad suffered from a swelling a little under the ear of the affectedside. The palsy he now believed to have been produced bythe pressure of this tumour, and more particularly so, as the orbi-cularis of that side was also paralyzed. As there was dilatationof the pupil, perhaps there was also some effusion in the brain.As the tumour disappeared so did the-paralysis.

CHOREA.

Dr. WALLER requested the opinion of members regarding thetreatment of chorea. He had a case at present under his care ofa little boy, nine years of age, who having been overworked inhis studies at school, suddenly became the subject of chorea.Having seen two cases in which belladonna had been of servicein this complaint, he administered it in this case, but without anyparticular benefit, and what temporarv good it did effect wascompletely overthrown by a fright, to which the boy was exposedsubsequently. He now slept well, had no movements duringsleep, his appetite was good, and his bowels regular.

Dr. THOMPSON inquired whether members had tried the sul-phate of zinc in chorea. This remedy had been much lauded incases of this affection arising from fright. In one obstinate casedoses as large as a scruple had been given before a cure waseffected.

Mr. RoBARTS had frequently employed this remedy, and insome instances had increased the dose to eight grains, threetimes a day. Nausea was then produced, and he discontinuedthe medicine, no benefit having in either case occurred from itsemployment. He had seldom or never found a combination ofsulphate of iron and quinine fail to relieve chorea if the bowelshad been previously attended to.

Dr. WILLSHIRE divided chorea into two classes, one was

sthenic, the other asthenic. It might depend on eccentric or onconcentric causes. The treatment would vary with the cause.Tonics might injure in cases where the cause was sthenic, but,after attention to the prima vise, be useful in asthenic cases. InDr. Waller’s cases, relieved by belladonna, there was probablysome congestion of the brain.

Dr. CLUTTERBUCK regarded chorea as a local disease, havingits seat in the brain. He thought this because all the symptomswere referrible to the brain as their origin; they were all indi-cative of disturbance of function of that organ. Thus, there ewas an interference with the voluntary power, with sensation,and in aggravated cases with the mental functions also. Thecauses which produced chorea favoured this opinion. Thus, itwas produced by mental excitement, or over-labour of the brain;the effect of these being to excite the cerebral circulation, thusaltering the condition, and disturbing the function, of the organ.Taking this view of the question, the use of purgatives, the appli-cation of,cold to the head, and the abstinence from exciting causes,were easily understood in their mode of cure. The opinions hehad expressed had been entertained by Sydenham, and he (Dr.Clutterbuck) believed them to be correct. He questioned iftonics were ever of service in this affection, and regarded anybenefit which appeared to result from their use as the result oftime. Purgatives and time would effect a cure.

Dr. L. STEWART thought that the intractibility of chorea mightbe traceable to the fact of its usually occurring in weakly persons.Purging, followed by tonics, was the treatment usually successfulin his own cases. He suggested that gymnastics, by exercisingthe voluntary muscles, might in some instances be of service.The PRESIDENT had not found purgatives so generally success-

ful as Dr. Hamilton had found them in Scotland, in the treatmentof this affection. He usually succeeded in removing the com-plaint by the employment of purgatives, succeeded by the ad-ministration of sesqui-oxide of iron.

Dr. R. BENNETT had found the use of purgatives followed bytonics, particularly the sesqui-oxide of iron fairly and judiciouslycarried out, the most successful mode of treating chorea, as it

generally presented itself. He had seen cases, however, similarto those alluded to by Dr. Clutterbuck, in which, after the use ofiron and quinine in full doses, the symptoms remained as urgentas ever, and the patient complained of pain and a sense of weightin the occiput. After cupping and the application of a blister tothe nape of the neck, the chorea began to diminish. He alludedto the practice of giving large doses of quinine in those cases ofchorea in which there was no congestion of the medulla oblongata,as recommended in the German journals. He differed fromDr. Clutterbuck in considering that chorea was mainly a brainaffection, and regarded it as being more immediately connected-with the spine.

Dr. WAITER had never cured chorea by purgatives alone; hehad always found it necessary to employ tonics afterwards.

Dr. CHOWNE had examined a fatal case of chorea; there wasnot the slightest appreciable disease in the brain or spine. Inanother case, the spinal theca was extremely red, whether as thecause or effect of the chorea, he could not say. With respect tothe seat of the disease he would remark, that if situated in thebrain, other spasmodic diseases had their origin in that regionalso. He regarded chorea generally as the result of intestinalirritation, and removable by the use of purgatives and generousdiet. In some cases these remedies were long in developing theireffects.