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sion in 1856 that an independent existence would be a fargreater advantage if it could be secured; and the possibility ofan independent existence has been indisputably proved in aninstitution which has withstood such shocks as would levelany but a legitimate organization to the ground. Mr. Sercombenow knows why I prefer an independent organization to a de-pendent position.

I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,Croydon, March, 1860. SAM. LEE RYMER.

P.S.-The Board of Examiners at the College of Dentistsshould be understood to consist, not of three medical men andsome dentists (as represented by Mr. Sercombe), but of sixdentists and two medical men.

SAM. LEE RYMER.

NAVY SURGEONS. To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—I am induced to send you the following remarks, be-lieving that a very erroneous impression exists amongst stu-dents, and the medical profession generally, that the late NavalMedical Warrant of the 15th of May, 1859, places the navalmedical officers in the same relative position as the medical officers of the army were placed by the Warrant granted tothem on the 1st of October, 1858.The rank of " surgeon major" in the army, equivalent to

that of "staff surgeon" in the navy, is attained in the formerservice after twenty years’ full-pay duty in all ranks; whilstin the latter service medical officers must serve ten years onfull pay as a surgeon, which ignores all time as an assistant-surgeon over ten years. Very many of our medical officersin former times (and most probably the same thing will occuragain) have served thirteen or fourteen years’ full-pay time asassistant-surgeons, thereby losing three or four years’ time,which in the naval service is a great loss. Again, the medicalofficers of the navy, as a general rule, spend about one-fourthof their time on half-pay; whereas, the medical officer of thearmy is in a position to serve his twenty years right off. Norhas a proper position in any one respect-even in the NavyList-been assigned to us, which is a great contrast to thearmy medical officer, and, trifling as it may appear, is ofmuch more consequence than civilians can have any idea of.The medical officers of the navy get their bare pay (even at

our naval hospitals all allowances are done away with), nostaff, or field allowances, or servants, being granted. Themedical officers of the army (vide Warrant) have a right toretire after twenty-five years’ service. If a great boon in thearmy, how much greater in the navy, where service has nothalf the comforts ! In the navy, no medical officer can demandretirement until he is sixty years of age. Although in almostevery article of the Warrant, if taken separately, there is amanifest practical difference in the manner in which they arecarried out in the naval service, I shall, at the presentmoment, forbear making a more prominent allusion to them.I would, however, point out that we do not share prize moneyas in the army medical service, and that our proper uniform (amark of great disrespect towards us) has, up to the presenttime, been withheld from us. Even the medical officers of theRoyal Marine Light Infantry, although they belong to thenavy, wear the military uniform of their rank; and the armymedical officers assumed their proper uniform, as a matter ofcourse, from the time of their Warrant. Our uniform, we aretold (see Lord C. Paget’s answer to Sir E. Grogan in theHouse), is under consideration. If there is any truth in man,our uniform was settled before Sir John Pakington went outof office; why, therefore, did not the present Board carry itout? It is a lamentable state of things; but so it is, that theAdmiralty are most hostile to the medical profession. Every-thing we have got has been dragged out of them through thepress or the intervention of Parliament, which is truly a greatcontrast to the Horse Guards, who, fully alive to the meritsand efficiency of their medical officers, spontaneously iutro-duced the Warrant of 1858. I would also remark that thegeneral treatment of the medical officers of the two servicesbears no comparison. The assistant-surgeons in some of thelarge ships have no cabin accommodation, the cabins beingoccupied by the captain’s stewards or servants in preference;and the consequence is, our brethren are leaving the navy forthe army, where they are treated as gentlemen. One wouldthink that, as the hardships of a sea life, as a general rule,must be far greater than a life on shore, superior inducementswould be held out to attract first-class medical men into theservice. The medical officers bring with them into the service

a profession which costs the country nothing, and they haveno desire to be mixed up with either this or that class of navalofficers, but wish to stand entirely on their own merits, whichcannot be denied even by the Admiralty. In conclusion, itmay be asked- What do we want ? Good faith on the part ofthe Admiralty, and that the terms of the army Warrant shouldbe carried out in spirit and in substance, as was declared theyshould be, in his place in the House of Commons, by no less aperson than the late First Lord of the Admiralty.

I remain, Sir, your most obedient servant,March, 1860. A NAVAL MEDICAL OFFICER.

P.S.-Since writing the above, it has been suggested that ifyou recommended a meeting of the students of the Londonhospitals, as has been the case with the Dublin medical stu-dents,-who, I understand, have passed a resolution not to’enter the medical service of the navy until the terms of theWarrant have been fully carried out,-it would have greateffect.

AMMONIA IN SCARLATINA.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,-I hope the following cases may prove sufficiently in-teresting to induce you to give them insertion, for which Ishall feel obliged :--On the 6th of December, 1858, I was summoned to’attend

Miss V-, aged seven years and a half, whom I found labour-ing under an attack of scarlatina. The velum pendulum palati,uvula, and pharynx, as far as discernible, were of a dark-red colour, and much inflamed; the tonsils much enlarged;complete incapacity of swallowing ; the breath hot and

burning to the lips. I immediately commenced the adminis-tration of the aromatic spirit of ammonia, one teaspoonful inan ounce of warm water to be thrown up the rectum everythree hours. In forty-eight hours afterwards the throat be-came so much better, that the patient could easily swallow.The general symptoms continued improving for four days,when consecutive fever supervened, with slight hectic flush,which persisted until death took place, after a twelve days’ordinary crisis. I may here observe that during the latterperiod the tongue continued comparatively clean, with verylittle thirst.

Shortly after I was sent for to attend Miss P-, aged sixyears, whom I found in a similar condition to the above, theammonia treatment, however, acting by producing immediatesubsidence of all unfavourable symptoms, which was followedby a similar consecutive fever, and of the same duration, butterminating favourably.Remarks-The ammonia was continued until the capability

of swallowing returned. In both cases, and as soon as thefever was appeased, small doses of quinine and wine werefreely exhibited. Miss V-’s father is of opinion that had thetreatment been continued without interruption, his daughterwould have recovered ; but, unfortunately, a teetotal friendof the patient’s mother, calling one day, foolishly advised themother to discontinue the wine as a thing highly dangerousand poisonous. Hence the result.

I am, Sir, yours truly,Liverpool, March, 1860. EDW. F. G. PERCY, L.F.P.S.G.

TYPHUS AND TYPHOID.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SrR,-The following case seems to me so important-moreparticularly when taken in connexion with the valuable Lec-tures on Fevers now publishing by Dr. Tweedie in THE LANCER-- that I would ask for its insertion in your pages :-H-, a well-grown girl of eighteen, sanguineous tempera-

ment, and fine skin, was admitted into Sir P. Dun’s Hospitalon the 23rd of January last. She was nine days ill, nor didfurther inquiry show she had been previously ailing. She pre-sented all the symptoms of typhoid fever ; diarrhoea, to theextent of seven or eight motions in the twenty-four hours; dis-charges thin, and of a light yellowish colour; some amount oftympany, gargouillement, and pain on pressing right iliacregion, and it only. Her pulse was quick; skin hot; tonguefurred and reddish; the eyes slightly injected; but the brainquite free.i The next day the characteristic spots, to the number of sixor seven, were visible on the abdomen, and from this day theycontinued to spread to an extent rarely seen in this type offever. They reached the chest, arms, and finally the face, and