materials are far more excellent than the marbles of Pentelicus or Paros; and, though the workmanship be rude, the stones ill-hewn, and worse disposed, the building will stand; and, like the altar of the Patriarch, hold an oblation grateful to the Deity, and useful to my friends!"

Transactions of the Association of Fellows and Licentiates of the King and Queen's College of Physicians in Ireland.-4 vols. pp. 448. Longman and Co.

Or these papers, in the aggregate, we may remark, that they contain nothing absolutely new. Some of them are very good; some good for little; and some, we must say, extremely bad.

The following have been supplied by Dr. Beatty:

"A case in which Pregnancy occurred during the existence of a Tumor in the Cavity of the Uterus, and which tumor, after abortion had taken place in the third month, was removed."

"Case of Affection of the Head, threatening Hydrocephalus, successfully treated." "Ascites, in a child, cured by Pyrola Umbellata, after the most active ordinary medicines had been tried without success."

Pyrola may be a good medicine for dropsy; but it should be noticed, that the patient, in which it effected a cure, was only four years of age; under which circumstances, ascites is rarely a mortal or intractable disease. Nothing is more fatal to medical science than the exaggerated notions of the power of remedies. The practitioner who tries pyrola in dropsy, accompanied by extensive visceral disease, will, in all probability, be disappointed; and that blame will be imputed to the medicine, which is only due to want of discernment on the part of the practitioner.

Dr. Pickells gives a case of " Internal Disease, in which a Calculus, of considerable size, was voided." Another, of " a young woman, who discharged Insects from her Stomach in different states of their existence."

"Hepatic Derangement, giving rise to Phthisical and other Symptoms," forms the subject of a paper, by Sir Thomas Moriarty. There is also another on a similar subject, entitled " Sequel of a Case of Liver Cough," by Dr. Brooke.

We trust, that these two communications will have the effect of exciting attention to the fact, that pulmonary complaints are often produced by hepatic disease.

An anonymous contributor supplies "Observations on a species of Premature Labour, to which Pregnant Women are not unfrequently liable; with a Letter from Dr. Beatty."

Cases of "Hæmatemesis, cured by Emetics of Ipecacuanha," are related by Dr. Sheridan.

Dr. Crampton's papers are on "Tinea," Chorea," "Poisoning by Opium," "Laryngeal Inflammation, where Tracheotomy was successful;" and one on a "Fatal Result from Mercurial Ointment, per- formed by Mr. Carmichael."

After some useful observations on Tinea, the writer supplies us with some details of his practical experience, which may be summed up in a few words:

"I soon learned," says he, "to appreciate the advantage of constitutional treatment, and to trust less to tropicals. I confined myself to simple poultices, aided by the constant use of purgatives and the tepid bath. When the common oatmeal poultice was not sufficiently strong to remove the crusts, a poultice was constructed with soap reduced to a stiff jelly. The common brown soap answered best. In some instances, soap and oatmeal half-boiled were mixed. The soap-poultice was productive of rapid amendment: it very quickly dissolved, and removed all the hardened lymphy and other morbid secretions.'

After this poultice had been applied for a few days, it was changed for a common one; and this was continued daily, so long as any morbid appearance remained on the scalp. Ultimately the limewater liniment kept the teguments of the head soft, promoted the process of healing, and encouraged the growth of the hair.

The term "Conversion of Disease," we conceive to be erroneous, and likely to lead to serious errors in practice. Gout, for instance, may dart from the toe to the head, and produce vertigo: it may then induce apoplexy; from apoplexy it may lead to palsy; from palsy to ascites; from the latter to hydrothorax; from hydrothorax to phthisis; and thus, in succession, bring on ten thousand other ailments: yet these are all one and the same disease, appearing under a variety of symptoms, according to the structure of the part in which the materies morbi may chance to settle. These several symptoms disappear with the re-translation of the matter; and are best cured by its depo

sition in the feet.

A valuable collection of facts, illustrative of this doctrine of Metastasis, may be collected from the excellent treatise of Musgrave de Arthritide Anomala.

Morton, in his treatise De Phthisis, notices the occasional dependence of this disease on gout and rheumatism. We have frequently cured phthisis of this kind, by adopting the treatment usually applied to rheumatic complaints.

"Separation of the Ossa Pubis, after Delivery," is treated by Dr. Nicholson.

Dr. Bryan describes a case where the "Thoracic Viscera and Abdominal were found misplaced."

The efficacy of the" Buchu Leaves, in certain Diseases of the Bladder," is maintained by Dr. M'Dowell, on the authority of cases which he relates.

In a case of "Hydrocephalic Fever," successfully treated by Dr. Evanson, colchicum was administered with supposed advantage. Two fatal cases, with the dissection, are given; but neither the cases, nor the paper itself, can be said to possess the slightest interest.

Dr. Teeling gives the particulars and dissection of a case of " Suppression of Urine." Though the quantity of gravelly matter was considerable in one kidney, while the patient laboured under a complete stoppage of the urine, and an evident inflammation of the other kidney, no local pain or sickness of the stomach was experienced.

Dr. Clarke, in a letter on "Variola after Vaccination," suggests, that varicella is often mistaken for variola, and very properly calls our attention to Cullen's definition of these distinct diseases.

Variola :-Papulæ phlegmonodeæ, quæ spatio octo dierum in suppurationem abeunt.

Varicella, on the contrary: Pustule variola similes, vix in suppurationem euntes, et post paucos dies desinentes.

The removal of " Two Tumors in the Neck," as described by Mr. Adams, evinced considerable dexterity and courage on the part of this gentleman. As the account cannot be brought within our limits with any prospect of usefulness, we refer the surgeon to the paper itself.

Cases of "Opacity of the Cornea and Cataract," related by Dr. Ryan, had better have been laid on the shelf. We wish our space would allow us to describe the inartificial operation, which the doctor pronounces to be an improvement of the usual practice!

"Quinine, the active principle of Peruvian Bark, in the form of its sulphate," has been administered by Dr. Barker, in thirty cases of Intermitting Fever, with complete success. In investigations of this nature, it forms a material inquiry, whether the extracted salt really possesses more efficacy than the mass from which it is taken? Dr. Barker answers the question in the affirmative.

Dr. O'Brien, in a paper on the "Sulphate of Quina, in Typhus Fever," entertains a favourable opinion of its power; but, in our idea, the evidence adduced is by no means satisfactory.

Two cases of "Diabetes," cured, as the writer conceives, by phosphate of soda, are supplied by Dr. Sharkey.

From an opinion, that "Tobacco" is capable of producing all the immediate effects of copious blood-letting, with the power of relieving pain and removing constipation, Dr. O'Beirne employed it in Dysentery; and, in a paper on this subject, his complete success is fully detailed.

In the cases instanced, the effects of the tobacco were promoted by fomenting the bowels twice or thrice a day, with the infusion of the leaf, in the proportion of two ounces to a quart of boiling water; which method may be combined with the ordinary treatment.

Dr. Graves gives an "Account of the Chemical Properties of an Acid found in the Human Stomach, together with Remarks upon the Manner in which it is formed, both in Disease and Health." A second paper, by the same author, is entitled "Report of the Fever lately prevalent in Galway and the West of Ireland."

Epidemic fever is so completely under the control of a well-regulated medical police, that we consider its continued existence in Ireland a disgrace to the Government. No expense ought to be spared in the drainage and cultivation of the bogs and marshes; spots, the effluvia of which engender the pestilential miasma.

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In this work, two papers are supplied on Epilepsy" one on its pathology, by Dr. Reid; the other, by Mr. Creighton, on its successful treatment by emetic tartar ointment.

The remaining essays are on the "Purulent Ophthalmia of newborn Infants," by Mr. Ryal; and six cases of "Tetanus," by Mr. Carmichael.

A Practical Treatise on Diseases of the Skin; comprehending an Account of such Facts as have been recorded on these Subjects: with Original Observations. The whole arranged with a View to illustrate the Constitutional Causes of these Diseases, as well as their local Characters. By Samuel Plumbe.-8vo. pp. 392; with coloured Plates. - Underwood.

MR. Plumbe must have formed a strange estimate of the knowledge of his professional brethren, if he conceives that he can add to their information, by his work on cutaneous diseases. Where the "original observations," are to be found, we cannot discover. We see nothing in this compilation but the same dull argument, the same idle observations, with which we have been assailed on every side, for several years past. If, however, the praise of originality be coveted by Mr. Plumbe, it were an act of injustice not to give the public an opportunity of deciding upon the fairness of his claim, by exhibiting the classification of cutaneous affections intended to supersede that in common use. That we never before met with even the resemblance of the following arrangement, we candidly confess :

:

"1st. Diseases which obtain their distinguishing characteristics from local peculiarities of the skin; which include acne, sycodes, porrigo, furfurans, and lupinosa.

"2d. Diseases dependent on debilitated and deranged states of the system, and consequent diminished tone of the vessels of the skin; as purpura, scurvy, pemphigus, pompholyx, ecthyma, and rupia.

"3d. Diseases creating a probably salutary influence on the system, originally produced by, and usually symptomatic of, deranged digestive organs; and characterized by active inflammation: porrigo, favosa, and larvalis, lichen, prurigo, urticaria, herpes, thrush, boils.

"4th. Diseases marked by chronic, inflammatory action of the vessels, producing the cuticle lepra, psoriasis, pellagra, pityriasis, ichthyosis, warts.

"5th. Diseases of a mixed character: impetigo, scabies, eczema, erisipelas, elephantiasis, erythema, roseala, venereal eruptions."

It would be a waste of time to comment upon the fallacies of such a disposition. It is obviously absurd, and incapable of justification on the plea of practical utility.

One of the common propensities of book-makers, that of spinning out a subject to its utmost limits, is strikingly exemplified by the volume under review. For the sake of brevity, we refer but to a single example of this kind. We are here treated with forty pages on purpura, a subject which might have been more effectively illustrated in as many lines. The only facts of importance, with regard to the disorder, are buried in a mass of argumentation, by which they are considerably weakened. The author, however, is correct in his notions respecting the necessity of treating it by purgatives, regardless of the prostration of strength under which the patient so treated generally labours; and which, in numerous cases, has misled the practitioner into a belief of the necessity of treating it by tonics; but it ought not to be concealed, that cases have occurred in which purgatives, assisted by bleeding, proved ineffectual; and in which the cure seemed to be finally produced by a contrary treatment.

Observations on Injuries of the Spine and of the Thigh-Bone, in two Lectures, delivered in the School of Great Windmill Street. The first in Vindication of the Author's Opinions against the Remarks of Sir Astley Cooper, Bart. the Second on the late Mr. John Bell's Title to certain Doctrines now advanced by the same Gentleman. Illustrated with nine plates. By Charles Bell, Surgeon to the Middlesex Hospital.-4to. pp. 101. Tegg.

MR. Bell is a surgeon of unquestionable talent and unwearied industry; a surgeon whose opinions on professional subjects are entitled to the most attentive consideration.

Sir Astley Cooper, it appears, is an advocate for applying the trephine in certain cases of fractured spine,- -an operation which Mr. Bell has been in the habit of condemning. The former of these gentlemen still informs his pupils "that it is their duty to attempt it, notwithstanding any objections which some foolish persons may have urged against it; for he who says it ought not to be attempted is a blockhead." This language is certainly less courteous than could have been desired, and is well calculated to excite the animadversion of the person to whom it alludes. It may be presumed, also, that the well-known zeal of Mr. Bell in the cause of science, would not suffer him to be silent under such circumstances; and it is to these feelings we are indebted for the present performance.

As to the operation in question, Mr. Bell remains firm in its condemnation: he considers it useless in any case; universally dangerous; and, admitting that it could ever be advisable, such is the uncertainty of our diagnosis in injuries of the spine, that we could never determine with accuracy the cases in which its application would be eligible.

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It might be naturally expected, that Mr. Bell would not be backward in exposing the defects of Sir Astley's work. It is, indeed, remarked, that, among other omissions, he takes no notice of a very common occurrence, where, instead of finding paralysis of the lower extremities the consequence of fractured spine, we may chance to see the patient jump suddenly out of bed, or struggling under the hands of assistants, or under the influence of delirium or priapism, talking gaily to the nurse." The author asks, how is it, that Sir Astley, "lost in the variety of trifling circumstances, should forget to impress a conviction of the danger of inflammation?"

The attempt to support the claim of Mr. J. Bell to doctrines advanced by Sir Astley, forms but a small portion of the second Lecture. Instructive quotations are adduced from the works of the former of these gentlemen, to shew that the only correct notions we possess on the subject of fractures of the neck, of the thigh-bone, were first promulgated by him. Seated, as such fractures are, within the capsular ligament, they cannot have the same bond of union as exists in other fractures, where the soft parts become thickened, accompanied with a particular tumor round the bone, hard, firm, and feeling like a glandular mass, for the purpose of generating callus. The neck of the thigh-bone, when broken, can form none of these conditions with the surrounding parts, capable of retaining the bones in close contact; and hence, alone, the difficulty of union.

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