Periscope.-Medical Institutions of Italy.

MISCELLANEOUS.

MESMERISM.

From a letter published in a Dublin paper, it appears that the £100 note deposited for six months in the bank of Messrs Ball and Co., which was, according to the terms of the advertisement in the public papers, "to become the property of any person who, without opening the envelope in which it was contained, should describe every particular respecting the note-such as its number, its date, the bank at which it was payable, &c., and who should read three English words, plainly written on a slip of paper, which was contained in the same envelope with the note," has not been awarded. The six months expired on the 31st March, but the time was extended to the 18th of April, to meet the convenience of a lady, a professor of mesmerism, and the authoress of an ingenious book on the subject, who arrived from London in the beginning of the month, and who expressed a wish to have some time longer to prepare her clairvoyance for the test. Six months and seventeen days having expired, and no person having appeared at the bank to examine the envelope, it was opened on the 18th instant, in the presence of Messrs. Ball and Doyne, and one or two other persons connected with the estab. lishment. The note proved to be a printed cheque issued by the house of Messrs. Ball and Co., for £100, payable to Edipus or bearer, and dated the 1st of October, 1845. The English words (written on a separate slip of paper) were, "To Edipus alone." Although no person applied at the bank to inspect the envelope containing the note, some communications were received from different parts of England, and one from America, (but none from Ireland,) containing mesmeric revelations respecting the number of the note; and one letter (from Plymouth), enclosed a picture, or (intended) fac simile of it. It is unnecessary to add, that these mesmerically-inspired persons were mistaken in every particular.-Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal.

CONCOURS FOR THE PROFESSORSHIP OF ANATOMY

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ganglionary nervous system; its connections with the cerebro-spinal system of nerves. M. Dumeril-the evolution of the fœtus. M. Denonvilliers-comparison of the two muscular systems. M. Sanson-the articulations in general. M. Giraldes-How far comparative anatomy is useful in the study of human anatomy. M. Chaissagnac-the mucous membranes. M. Despretz-on the value of microscopic researches in anatomy. M. Beclard-the cartilaginous system. M. Bourgery-the appendages of the fœtus and their development. [M. Denonvilliers was the successful candidate.-ED.]-New York Journal of Medicine.

CONCOURS FOR THE CHAIR OF EXTERNAL PA

THOLOGY (SURGERY) AT MONTPELLIER. The following were the exercises performed by the candidates. The subject of the written essay was, Pass in review the principal divisions of external pathology, to shew theoretically the relations between medicine and surgery.'

Guissac considered Cysts in general; M. Boyer, Scrofula "In a lecture, after twenty-four hours' preparation, M. in a surgical point of view; and M. Alquie, Tumours in general.

"M. Guissac's thesis was, On the improvements in surgery due to the progress of pathological anatomy. M. Boyers's, What is due to nature and what to art in the cure of surgical diseases? M. Alquie's-Appreciate the labors of the Academy of Surgery.

"All the candidates had to deliver an extemporaneous lecture on the same subject, viz.-On foreign bodies in the air-passage.

"M. Boyer was unanimously elected Professor of Surgery, and the jury passed a warm eulogium in the most complimentary terms on M. Alquie."-Gazette Med. de

Paris.

MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS OF ITALY.

Dr. Morland in a letter to the Editor of the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, published in the last number of that journal, thus observe with reference to the Medical Institutions of Italy :

IN THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE OF PARIS. The concours for the appointment of the successor of Breschet to the chair of anatomy in the School of Medicine and Surgery of Paris has been completed. The exercises which the candidates have to undergo are five in number; 1. A written essay, the subject being the same for all the candidates, which must be composed in five hours, without any extraneous aid whatever, and subsequently read in public. 2. An oral lecture, one hour long, on an appointed subject, after twenty-four hours' preparation. 3. An oral Italy certainly possesses many very noble institutions for the lecture on an appointed subject, after three hours prepara- poor and the sick-and was, during the middle ages, far in adtion, without any extraneous aid. 4. An anatomical dis-vance of the rest of Europe. At Naples, the " Royal Poor section or preparation, to be made without assistance, and a House" should be mentioned as an institution of great usefulness public lecture thereon. 5. A thesis to be supported by argu- and merit. It was commenced in 1751, and now is an immense ment. The subject of all these exercises is appointed by building; one side is allotted to females, and the other to males. lot. The credit given to each candidate for what is termed | At present, between 5 and 6000 (according to the statements) are "anterior titles"—that is to say, his previous scientific and maintained and instructed by this establishment: among other practical labors, is not determined until the foregoing ex- things the inmates are taught surgery.--The hospital for Incureercises have been completed. ables is capable of containing upwards of 1000 persons; the sick are received from all parts of the kingdom-and foreigners also, There are cliniques also-medicine, surgery, midwifery, an anatomical theatre, &c.

"The subject of the written essay on the present occasion was the Skin.

"The following is a list of the subjects of each lecture, with the name of the candidates to whom they were respectively allotted:-M. Dumeril-the secreting organs in general: the liver. M. Chaissagnac-the organ of hearing; the liver. M. Bourgery-the eye; articulation of the head with the spine. M. Despretz-the digestive organs in general; articulation of the head with the spine. M. Gosselin-the cerebro-spinal nervous centres; testicle, vas deferens, and vesicula seminalis. M. Giraldes-comparison of the upper and the lower extremity; the bladder. M. Beclard-the hand; the appendages of the uterus. M. Denonvillers-the organs of sense compared with each other; the appendages of the uterus; M. Sanson-the respiratory apparatus; the appendages of the uterus.

"The subjects of the theses are :-M. Gosselin-The

In Rome, the hospitals are not so well looking, internally, nor, I should think, so well conducted, as in most of the other Italian cities. The small hospital of Benfratelli, containing 80 beds, is much reater and better ventilated than San Spirito, the principal one. The Benfratelli is in the hands of the monks, who perform the services and duties for the sick. The aspect of things was exceedingly dubious as to the comfort of the patients. The immense wards of San Spirito are disgustingly dirty and wretchedly ventilated-and, what is worse, they have the most unscientific, outrageous arrangement of "stowing away" the poor patients in double tiers-two tiers on each side of the ward; the heads of patients in tier No. 2. lying at the feet of those in tier No. 1. I have never seen so bad an arrangement in any hospital-nor one so calculated to produce bad effects. More is the shame, too, for this hospital is very richly endowed. The Foundling Hospital and the Lunatic Asylum are also in this building, which, as

you may imagine is immensely large. In the lunatic department ed upon us, with not an idiot, but a mischievous leer (this was the old restraint system is still in use. There are several other the female ward); only one was at all violent. She rushed tohospitals in Rome; indeed, it is the boast there, “that no city in wards us from the farther extremity of the hall, uttering a torrent the world devotes so large a sum to institutions of charity, in of words in a loud tone, and brandishing her knitting work! I proportion to the population. But some master's hand is wanted looked sharp at the needles, but she, on arriving where we stood, to direct and apply the abundant means. La Consolazione, near stopped a moment-and then darted to a seat, where she continu. the Capitol, is the hospital allotted to surgical cases a good ed scolding. But the physician of the establishment soon enter. number of these are stabbing cases. It is stated that the aver-ed, and going to her, took her hands in his, and saying a few age number of patients is about 800 annually. words she was quiet as if by magic. Some two or three more were wild, but not violent; every part of this establishment seems admirably managed.

At Venice, the building known as the Scuola di San Marco is now a portion of an immense hospital, the remainder of which is formed out of the adjoining convent of the Dominican and the Franciscan friars. It is really a long walk through this enormous building, which contains a handsome church and a smaller chapel This substance he supposed to be a halogen body, analagous also, within its walls. The arrangement and planning of the in its reactions and affinities to chlorine and bromine, and indeed wards, beds, and appurtenances, is most excellent-plenty of air, it has many points of resemblance; it destroys vegetable colors, and evidently great attention to cleanliness. The lunatic wards are in excellent condition-and so, as to comfort and attention, This I have not noticed elsewhere in Italy. are the unfortunate inmates. This, I believe, was one of the first! +See also, Schonbein Archives de l'Electricité No. 15. Tom. iv. institutions to abandon the restraint system. We entered the pp. 333-454; No. 17, Tom. v. p. 11–23, and No. 18, Tom. v. large room which contains the greater number of lunatics. Very p. 337-342. Marignac, 17. v. p. 5-11; besides other authorities many were working in one way or another; some came and gaz-quoted farther.

Periscope.-Chemistry-Ozone.

M. Schonbein was subsequently enabled to produce this body by purely chemical means; when phosphorus, at ordinary temperatures, is exposed to moist air, ozone is always generated.* This reaction is best observed by introducing into a large glass vessel, a piece of phosphorus one or two inches long, and sufficient water to partially cover it; the whole may now be exposed for 24 hours to a temperature of 68° to 75 F., when the air will be found very highly charged with ozone.

From its supposed nature as the base of nitrogen, this body has attracted considerable attention from chemists, and has been made the subject of much experimental research, as well as a great deal of theorising and speculation. It has been particularly examined by M. Marignac and Mr. Williamson.

109

nic oxide,) heated to redness, and water was immediately formed as in the last experiment.

In subsequent experiments, the ozonized oxygen previously dried, was passed through a glass tube heated to redness, by which the peculiar odor was completely destroyed: to this an accurately weighed chloride of calcium tube was fixed, after the gas had been passed a short time, the tube was found to have increased perceptibly in weight.

When the ozonized oxygen is passed through water, it communicates to it the peculiar odor. If this solution is added to a mixture of starch paste and iodide of potassium, a blue color is produced; and when mixed with ferro.cyanide of potassium, this salt gives a bluc precipitate with proto-salts of iron. Solutions of lime and baryta give, with a solution of ozone, a heavy and apparently crystalline precipitate.

Mr. Williamson states as the result of his experiments, that ozone is not produced by the action of air on phosphorus, but we cannot admit this, for several reasons. The results of M. Marignac were obtained by the substance formed in this manner, and many of the results obtained by him are precisely the same with those of Mr. Williamson; and these as well as others obtained, cannot be referred to the action of phosphoric acid.

The former chemist has shown that ozone is generated by the electrolysis of dilute sulphuric acid, independently of the presence Mr. Williamson's arrangement, which consisted of a tube conof nitrogen; it being produced equally well in a vessel exhausted taining asbestos, on which the phosphorus was deposited by sub. of air. M. Marignac also instituted a series of experiments on limation, was such as completely to defeat the object in view; for ozone produced by chemical means; air was made to pass through although ozone is generated by the action of phosphorus on air, a long tube containing phosphorus, and thus it became sufficiently yet it is itself absorbed or decomposed, when brought in contact charged with ozone for the purposes of experiment. He found with a large surface of phosphorus; and this result would espc. that perfectly dry air is incapable of generating this substance, cially occur when the phosphorus was heated, as it must have been and also that air freed from oxygen by passing over ignited cop. from the exposure of so large a surface. Our own observations per, produced no trace of it; but if a very little oxygen (insuffi- also have shown that something distinct from phosphoric or phos. cient to support combustion for a moment,) is present, ozone is pro-phorous acids, is generated by this process, for after the air en. duced with the same ease as in ordinary air. Pure oxygen, ni- closed in the globe had been thoroughly agitated and allowed to trogen or hydrogen alone, do not produce it, but if a small quan.stand some hours, in contact with a mixture of carbonate of lime tity of oxygen is mixed with hydrogen, ozone is formed with great and water, it still retained the peculiar odor, and the power of de rapidity, on passing the mixture over phosphorus. composing iodide and ferro.cyanide of potassium.

Air impregnated with ozone looses entirely its characteristic properties, if passed through a tube heated between 570 and 750 F. This principle is absorbed by water, but not by oil of vitriol, ammonia or chloride of calcium. If the air is passed through a solution of iodide of potassium, it loses its odor, and the salt is decomposed with the liberation of free iodine. Some iodate of potassa is also found in the solution.

The conclusion which these gentlemen deduced from their experiments was, that the substance which presents these curious reactions is a compound of oxygen and hydrogen, containing more oxygen than water, and perhaps isomeric with the deut. oxide of Thenard. This view was certainly consonant with their results, and indeed they appeared to be inexplicable by any other hypothesis. The oxidation of silver to such a degree, and the conversion of iodide of potassium into iodate of potassa, evince the existence of oxygen in a feebly combined and very active state, while the formation of water by passing it through an ignited

Ozone is readily absorbed by the metals. If the ozonized air is passed through a glass tube containing silver in a porous form, (from the decomposition of the acetate by heat,) it loses its peculiar odor, and the silver is converted into a blackish bro vn sub-glass tube or over heated copper, show that hydrogen is also stance which when thrown into water, gives off oxygen gas with effervescence, and the remaining substance has all the characters of ordinary oxide of silver.

These curious results, many of which were previously obtained by Schonbein, prove that nitrogen is not concerned in the formation of this substance, and seem to show that these peculiar reactions are owing to oxygen in a loosely combined state.

present. More recently, however, we have a memoir on this subject by MM. Louis Rivier, and Professor L. R. de Fellenberg,* which contains many interesting facts.

In their experiments they passed for two hours a series of electrical sparks through a glass vessel containing humid air, and whose sides were moistened with a solution of carbonate of potassa. The air acquired strongly the peculiar odor of ozone; which, by standing some time, disappeared, and the liquid was found to contain nitrate of potassa. They then proceeded to The arrange. examine the ozone produced by chemical means.

Mr. Williamson's experiments confirm these observations, and go to prove that it is a compound of oxygen and hydrogen. In his experiments, the oxygen from the electrolysis of dilute sulphuric acid, was thoroughly dried by passing it over chloride of calment consisted of a tube about three feet in length, in which were cium; the gas thus dried, was passed through a glass tube con.placed several pieces of phosphorus moistened with a little distilled taining metallic copper, and heated to redness; water was formed water: to one end was adapted a recurved tube, dipping in a bottle abundantly and condensed in the cool part of the tube, and this which contained milk of lime; by means of an aspirator connected formation of water continued as long as the process lasted. with the other tube; the air was made to pass slowly over the From this it appears that water is formed by the reducing power phosphorus and through the milk of lime, at the rate of 10 litres of the metal. To remove all sources of error, the oxygen was in 24 hours. The ozone thus formed was absorbed by the alka evolved from the electrolysis of a solution of sulphate of copper, line fluid, which after 24 hours was removed. After filtration, it in whose decomposition no hydrogen is set free, the oxygen thus was evaporated to dryness, redissolved in distilled water, decom. obtained possessed strongly the peculiar ozone odor. It was now posed by carbonate of ammonia, and the resulting salt again de. passed over copper (obtained by decomposing the oxide by carbo. composed by a solution of strontia, when it afforded a salt in beautiful needles, which gave the following reactions: with sulphuric acid and brucine, a reddish yellow, and with narcotine a red color; it destroyed the color of sulphate of indigo; rendered brownish-black the protosulphate of iron; its solution in water with pure hydrochloric acid, readily dissolved gold leaf, and from the solution, chloride of tin threw down the purple precipitate of Cassius; some of the salt mixed with bisulphate of potassa, and heated in a glass tube, gave off abundant red vapors, which promptly blanched indigo paper held in the tube.

The peculiar odor of phosphorus is probably due entirely to the formation of this new substance.

+ In one experiment, water acidulated by sulphuric acid was de. composed in a vessel, from which the air was completely exclud. ed. After the decomposition had been continued for two or three days, and when more than one fourth of the liquid had been driven off in the form of gas, the oxygen was found to be as strong, ly impregnated with ozone as at the commencement of the expe. riment.

* Archives de l'Electricité, No. 17, Tome v. 1845.

They next proceeded to distill a portion of the acid liquor pro-and is a well established fact; but that this acid is formed by the duced by the slow oxydation of phosphorus; a very gentle heat action of phosphorus on air, is a new and highly interesting result. was applied, and about one third of the liquor distilled over; the That this highly oxidized body should be generated in the vapors were received in a solution of strontian; at the close of the presence of phosphorus, seems at first paradoxical, and we can operation, this had lost its alkaline reaction; a little more strontian only refet it to that mysterious force, which Berzelius has named was added, and the whole evaporated to dryness: by re-solution catalysis, and which is in fact only a manifestation of the law and crystallization, a quantity of salt in fine crystals was obtained, announced by La Place, that "a molecule set in motion by any weighing about one and a half grains. This sal gave the same power, can impart its own motion to another molecule with which reactions as that above, which must be regarded as decisive it may be in contact." In other words, the phosphorus, while in evidence of nitric acid; the test with gold, and above all the red the act of oxydation, communicates its own peculiar state to the fumes evolved by the mixture with bisulphate of potassa, place nitrogen, which is thus enabled to combine with the oxygen and its nature beyond all doubt. generate nitrous acid. This certainly affords us a very striking From these experiments they concluded, that the reactions illustration of that law, and we think that this phenomenon is in. attributed to ozone, are in reality due to the presence of a small capable of explanation on any other principle. M. Marignac has portion of nitrous acid; and they found that air mixed with a suggested that electricity generated by the oxydation of the phos. very small portion of nitrous gas, acquired an odor similar to that phorus may be the cause. This however seems improbable, as of ozone, blanching turmeric, dablia and indigo papers, and pre-it has not been shown that it is excited during the process, and senting generally the same phenomena as ozonized air. They the theory rests on the idea that all chemical action is attended by supposed that the acid first formed is the nitrous, as pure nitric a development of electricity. But when we consider that our acid when very much diluted, does not render blue a mixture of most powerful electrical discharges can generate comparatively starch and iodide of potassium, which reaction is readily pro- very minute quantities of ozone, the amount of electricity that duced by the nitrous acid; and that the nitrites formed are con- can be supposed, under any circumstances, to be generated by verted into nitrates by the absorption of oxygen during the subse- the oxydation of a small piece of phosphorus, seems utterly in quent evaporation. adequate to the result.

These experiments seemed to show, that a close relation certainly exists between nitric acid and ozone, and many chemists were disposed to regard them as identical; but the late researches of M. Schonbein* have cleared up to some extent the difficulties which seemed to envelop the subject.

The experiments of Fellenberg, it will be seen, do not really militate against the existence of ozone; they have only shown that in the ordinary processes by which ozone is generated, nitric acid is also produced, and the similarity between the reactions of air mixed with a little nitric oxide, (by which hypo-nitric acid is M. Schonbein has suggested, that when water acts on hypo-generated,) and ozonized air, is readily explained by the re nitric acid, there is formed besides hydrated nitric acid, a com.searches of Schonbein. pound having the formula NO2+HỎ2, and which he calls the In explanation of the production of nitric acid and ozone by peroxide of azote and hydrogen. It is to the presence of this in the slow oxydation of phosphorus, we may suppose that nitrous or the solution of hypo-nitric acid, that we are to attribute its re- hypo-nitric acid is generated in the manner before suggested, markable powers of oxidation. The same reaction takes place which, by the action of aqueous vapor in the atmosphere, is conwhen the hypo-nitric acid is introduced into a flask of moist air. verted into nitric acid, and the hypothetical peroxide of azote and If having ozonized the air of a jar by phosphorus, we suspend hydrogen. in it a piece of carbonate of ammonia, till the air acquires the property of immediately blueing litmus paper, we shall find that it still retains all the properties of ozone-the peculiar odor, the power of decomposing iodide and ferro.cyanide of potassium. This body can then exist in an atmosphere of carbonate of ammonia, and also, as is found by experiment, in one of pure am.

monia.

Although ozone produced by chemical means is probably always associated with nitric oxide, yet we cannot avoid the conclusion, apparently overlooked by Schonbein, that the ozone generated under certain circumstances, by the agency of electricity, (as in the experiments of Marignac above mentioned,) must be independent of, and free from nitric oxide. This has the odor and all the other properties of ozone produced by chemical If we take a portion of hypo-nitric or fuming nitric, and dilute means, and it is difficult to suppose that there can be two com. it with water till it loses its color, and having poured a small por-pounds, one of which is HO2 and the other NQ2+HO2, identical tion of it into a flask, suspend in the air of the flask a piece of in all their properties, and we are hence led to conclude, that, carbonate of ammonia, till the air acquires an alkaline reaction, although such a compound may exist in the mixture of hypowe shall find that it is capable of decomposing iodide of potassium, nitric acid and water, it does not exist in the ozonized air, whether and blanching indigo paper, and even of converting a crystal of this impregnation is effected by the action of phosphorus, or by ferro-cyanide of potassium into the ferro-cyanide in the course of agitation with the acid solution in question. twenty-four hours; in fact it possesses all the properties of ordinary ozonized air. The circumstances under which these reac-results that seem to prove that water is not essential to the protions are exhibited, do not admit of the view that the oxidizing agent is any acid of nitrogen, and hence M. Schonbein concludes that there exists the compound NO2+HO2,

um.

An interesting fact bearing on this, is the manner in which the mixture of hypo-nitric acid decomposes ferro cyanide of potassi. If we mix in a tube closed at one end, a solution of the ferro-cyanide with an acid solution prepared as above described, and then invert the tube in water, a violent disengagement of gas takes place, which is found to be pure nitric oxide, and the solution contains nitrate of potassa and the ferricyanide.

This decomposition cannot be attributed to the nitric acid contained in the mixture, for we find that pure nitric acid if slightly diluted, does not decompose the salt, as neither the hypo-nitric nor nitrous acids can exist in the presence of water. It is well known that ozone decomposes the iodide of potassium, liberating iodine. If to a solution of the iodide, we add the acid liquor above mentioned, an abundant escape of nitric oxide takes place, while iodine is precipitated and nitrate of potassa forms. Pure nitric when diluted with the same portion of water as in the acid mixture, does not decompose pure iodide of potassium. The results of Fellenberg are certainly possessed of great interest. The production of nitric acid froin the elements of the atmosphere by electricity, was long since noticed by Cavendish,

Archives de l'Electricité, No. 20, Tome v. 1845.

MM. Marignac and de la Rive* have recently obtained · some duction of ozone. They find that if a series of electrical sparks are passed through oxygen, however carefully dried, ozone is formed, and they suggest that ozone may be nothing more than oxygen, to which "a peculiar state of chemical activity," is given by the influence of the electric current, M. Schonbein, however, regards the formation of ozone as a certain indication of the presence of water in the gas, but in quantities so minute as to escape the action of the ordinary hygrometive substances. The gentlemen above quoted however, find that the oxygen evolved from very pure chlorate of potassa previously fused, gave ozone, when exposed to the action of the electric spark, as abundantly and rapidly as moist oxygen.

M. Schonbein's hypothesis, consequently, rests on the assumption that the gas obtained as above and apparently perfectly dry, still contains water. The suggestion that it is modified oxygen,

is one of great interest, and derives some weight from the recently observed facts regarding the allotropism of elementary bodies; and particularly the late researches of Draper on the allotropic condition of chlorine. If oxygen, by the influence of the eletric fluid assumes a state of exalted energy and chemical affinity, we are furnished with a key to the modus operandi of electricity, in causing many chemical combinations. But in a science which is based on experimental knowledge, we must carefully avoid deducing our conclusion from isolated experiments or theoretical

Archives de l'Electricité, No. 18, Tome v. 1845.

Editorial Department.-The Credit System in Medical Schools.

generalizations, however elegant those deductions may appear; and in the case of ozone, very careful investigations, performed with the most rigid exactness, are required before we can admit such a great and interesting conclusion.

nerves.

111

member of the profession should himself individually answer; and, having done so, take such steps in the premises as the nature of the reflections which they may engender may clearly indicate.

At present, then, we agree with Prof. Schonbein, that the great weight of evidence rests with the view that it is a deutoxide hydrogen; which, although differing from the deutoxide of From private letters which we have received from of Thenard, has yet many striking points of resemblance; both bleach powerfully, both transform many protoxides to peroxides, various quarters, we have reason to know that our re(as, for example, protoxides of calcium and barium,) both trans-marks have met with a very general approval; and it form sulphurous to sulphuric acids, and are decomposed by heat and many organic substances. is the more extraordinary, that this general concurrence With regard to the late results of Marignac and de la Rive, M. in sentiment should have been followed by such comSchonbein remarks: 1. Ozone has so strong an odor, that extremely small quantities are capable of affecting the olfactory plete apathy in acting, especially when we consider that 2. Quantities of ozone by far too minute to be ascertain- although the measure be one of general importance, each ed by weight, still perceptibly color the test paste. From this it follows that a quantity of aqueous vapor, too small individual member of the profession becomes individually to be sensible by our most delicate hygroscopic tests, may gene- affected. This indifference, for we believe it to be only rate so much ozone as shall be sensible both to the smell and the iodine test. apparent, may be explained by the often quoted, but stilltoo frequently true, adage, that what is every body's business is usually nobody's; but we can hardly allow ourselves to think that, in a matter of such moment, some minds will not be found who will step forth and become prominent in the movement. There are few subjects of

We have thus endeavoured to give a brief abstract of the present state of our knowledge with regard to this subject, and would refer the reader who wishes to examine the subject more thoroughly, to the authorities already quoted. T. S. HUNT.

THE

British American Jourüül, medical polity which could so well or deservedly receive

MONTREAL, AUGUST 1, 1846.

AUGMENTATION OF LICENSING BOARDS FOR
THE PROVINCE.

Three months have now elapsed since our remarks against an augmentation of licensing boards for the Province were submitted to the profession. At that period the Provincial Legislature was in session, and we have some good grounds for believing that our observations tended, in no small degree, to that result which ended in

the arrest of the bill until the deliberate opinion of the

attention at the hands of the medical societies of the Province. These are the parties who ought first to move in the matter, and it is to them that the profession at large should in the first instance turn for the first expression of opinion.

We regard the position of the profession in this Profor its future weal or woe. vince, at the present moment, as one of ominous import, with perfect accuracy, be termed, a transition state, and It is at present in what may, its future character and respectability most manifestly depend on its truthfulness to itself. A Bill, affecting its interests in every point of view, will undoubtedly beprofession at large was heard on a matter of such vital come, at an early day, a legislative enactment, and it importance to their interests. With the single excep remains for the profession to have, or not to have, incortion of an anonymous scribbler in one of the French Canadian newspapers, who, from interested motives, educational restriction a cypher or a dead letter, in exact porated as a part of it, clauses which may render every made a miserable attempt to pervert the plain meaning accordance with their own energy or inactivity in deand spirit of our remarks to subserve his own ends, not one sentence condemnatory of the position which we nouncing or permitting any such alteration, as was atassumed and upheld has been publicly expressed. Our tempted in the one proposed at the last session.

remarks were elicited from a high sense of what we conceived to be the true interests of the profession, and we called upon that profession, whose best interests we conceived we were supporting, to sustain us in them. During the interval which has elapsed, what has that profession done in the matter? Is this question to be permitted to lie over until the ensuing session of Parliament, and action taken on it only when the bill again comes before the House? Or will the profession only awake from its lethargic slumber when it finds itself in a false position as to its future character, from the existence of a serious evil which a little timely prudence and careful foresight might have obviated? These are questions which each

The Credit System in Medical Schools.-The following, from the Western Lancet, with the observations of the New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal, will, we think, be found to apply to other latitudes than those of New Orleans or Lexington. We therefore copy it:

"We are fully satisfied that an influence extremely detrimental to the profession has grown out of the custom of granting credit in medical schools. The object in adopting this course is to secure a large class, perhaps for the purpose of out-numbering a rival school; and the irrespective of merit or qualifications, are duly enrolled consequence is, that all who present themselves, wholly as medical students, and their names go out to the world, swelling the catalogue of some highly flourishing school.