272 Periscope.-Efficacy of Belladonna and Atropia. bowels. The dose recommended by him is half a drachm to one drachm and a half; and this he says never produces constitutional nervousness. I have taken two ounces, however, of the aectum colchici, within six hours, at two equal doses, without any other result than an intermitting pulse. A gentleman labouring under gout, took, on my assurance of the feebleness of this preparation, no less than eighteen drachms of it, in divided doses, every day, for six days, without any obvious effects. Should Sir Everard Home's wine of colchicum ever come into use, and his authority ought to be sufficient warrant for its introduction, the apothecary should keep it in two states, one with the deposit, and the other without it.-Dublin Medical Press. ON EXTRACT OF INDIAN HEMP. tract gives a grass-green tincture, the bad a brownish, My ex- Mr. Redwood said, that much of the extract made from the hemp plant imported from India, as well as the extract which had been imported ready made, was found to possess but little narcotic power when tried in this country; certainly they had not realized the expectations which were formed from the accounts of its action given by medical men in India. Dr. O'Shaughnessy, By ANDREW ROBERTSON, Esq., Professor of Chemistry to the when last in this country had admitted that the extract, even some Medical College, Calcutta. A that he had brought from India himself, had failed to produce the effects he anticipated when tried in our hospitals: and he had undertaken, on his return to India, to have some extract very carefully prepared, and sent over to this country. Mr. Squire had received a quantity of this extract, and he presumed it was that alluded to in the paper just read, as having been made by Mr. Robertson A number of pounds of the extract of hemp were prepared by me-I think upwards of thirty in all-for the purpose of having its medical properties fully tested by European medical men. quantity went to Paris, another to Berlin, another to London, sent by different parties, and for my share of the matter I sent four pounds of it to Scotland, part of which went to you. I do not Mr. Barlett had witnesed the effect of a very small dose of ex. care about making more of it, as its preparation is most tedious and tract of Indian hemp, obtained from Mr. Squire, on one of his troublesome, in which I was tormented by the excise regulations of the country, for both the plant and the spirits used are the sub-assistants, and the action was that of a powerful narcotic. The ject of heavy duties and stringent precautions, and the cost price young man stated that he felt all the symptoms of intoxication. Dr. Ure had been recommended the use of the extract of hemp of the extract to me, counting nothing for trouble, was fully 15s by his son; but although he tried it for some time, he never expe. Dr O'Shaughnessy made his extract with alcohol, in a Papin's digester, at a heat above the boiling point of alcohol-the rienced the slightest effect from it. The extract was the same as the above, having been obtained from Mr. Squire. extract so obtained is brown; mine is of a deep green, and gives a grass green tincture to alcohol, and has six times the activity of the brown, as ascertained by trial on hospital patients. If a specdy effect is desired it is given as a tincture; if a deferred and protracted, as a pill. per lb. As the process by which it was prepared is an idea of my own, since copied by others, and which probably may be claimed by them afterwards, I may ment on it to you. It is a variation of the process of percolation, alcohol in vapour being the agent. A still was charged with strong spirits, and its nose introduced into the side of a cask in which the plant was pushed. The vapour of the alcohol, and alcohol at a boiling heat thus acted on the plant, instead of cold alcohol in the usual mode of percolation. First issued a thin, tarry matter containing much resin latterly, a brown liquor containing little resin but much cxtractive. At this point water was substituted for the spirit in the still and as much as possible of the spirit retained by the plant thus expelled from it. From the bottom of the cask a pipe led to a common condensing worm. Part of the alcohol was recovered from the fluid by distillation, the rest dissipated by evaporation in Wedgewood ware on a sand-bath not exceeding the temperature of 150 deg. Fahr. One hundred weight of the plant was used at one operation, and about eight pounds of extract obtained. The operation was conducted so slowly in all its stages as to last a fortnight. The extract of hemp has long been known in the East, in a most widely extended range of countries, under the names of Gunjah, Churrus, Hashish, Beng or Bang, the emerald cup of Haider, &c., and under every name renowned for its exciting and narcotic qualitics. It is used by the natives here in the same way as opium is by the Chinese, aud on that account is the object of fiscal regulations and dutics. It is known throughout all India, Arabia, Syria, and Egypt. You will find it in the Arabian Nights, translated by Lane, under the name of Beng, as the narcotic used by Haroun Al Rashid, and others. There cannot, therefore, be a doubt that it is a drug nearly as active as opium. The inactivity of the drug, therefore, prepared in Britain I can, attribute only to faulty preparation and overheating or to its being made from old and decayed plants. The good plant is of a greenish brown, the heads loaded with a sticky resin; the bad is palish brown and does not adhere to the fingers. The good cx The Chairman thought that the present state of medical know. ledge, in reference to the action of Indian hemp, was very unsa. tisfactory and imperfect.-Dublin Med. Press. UPON THE EFFICACY AND MODE OF ADMINIS One of the greatest improvements in the oculist's materia medica of late years has been the introduction of the alkaloid deno. minated Atropia, which, we believe, we were the first to introduce into practice in this city, upwards of two years ago. It was pro. cured for us by Messrs. Bewley and Evans, who have solutions of it according to our formula, of the following strengths: one grain, two grains, and three grains to one drachm of distilled water, and three drops of spirits of wine, and numbered 1, 2, and 3. The salt is rendered soluble by the addition of a drop of dilute nitric acid, and the spirit is added to make the solution keep. eye, A single drop of number 1 placed upon the conjunctiva of the lower lid (where it causes neither pain nor irritation,) in a healthy dilated the pupil, in a period of time varying from five to fifteen minutes, to double, or even more than the ordinary me. dium size, and will retain it so, upon the average, from four to five days; at which period it generally begins to contract, but the pupil does not fully regain its previous size, nor the iris its nobility, till the sixth or seventh day. There will be, no doubt, exceptions to this rule, particularly in cases where there may be such an idiosyncrasy present as would render the eye susceptible to the action of the atropia belladonna used in any form, and per. haps keep the pupil permanently dilated for months. To coun teract this effect of the solution number 1, we have employed upon the second and third day after its application those reme. dies which generally excite the pupil to contract, such as sudden exposure to strong light, the application of electro-magnetism, the use of opium, and the application of the vinous tincture of that medicine upon the conjunctiva; but each and all these means failed to lessen the size of the pupil, in many instances, until the Periscope.-Efficacy of Belladonna and Atropia. 273 the cataractous lens, whole or in a broken condition, pressing against it: and this condition is rather serviceable than otherwise, for should the lens be inclined to start from its bed, and press forward through the pupil into the anterior chamber, the iris acts as a partition to keep it in its place; while in a few hours the aqueous fluid is regenerated, the iris falls back into its natural position, and can afterwards be kept dilated by the continued external ap plication of the belladonna. end of the third, or fourth, or fifth days. Solutions number 2 and 3 produce a more decided effect upon the iris, and in a shorter space of time, and retain the pupil dilated for a long periodeven to the eighth or tenth day. When the object is to keep the pupil in a state of permanent dilatation, as in cases of iritis and aquo-capsulitis, as well as to try and break up recent adhesions between the iris and lens, or to withdraw the irris from protruding through an aperture caused by a wound or ulcer near the centre of the cornea; in all cases of central cataract; where the cornea is opaque in its central portion, or that a portion of the pupillary it is thoroughly immoveable, and the lens is liable either to press If, however, the pupil has been previously dilated by the atropia, margin of the iris is attached to the back of the cornea, after the into it or become dislocated, and get into the anterior chamber. distission of a cataract; or, in fact, in any case in which we wish This latter accident occurred to us some time since, in breaking to produce permanent or complete dilatation of the iris, the solution up the lens for congenital cataract. of atropia will be found much more efficacious than the usual (No. 2) of atropia to be dropped into the eye the night previously, We had ordered a solution mode of applying the extract of belladonna externally. It is, and on arriving in the morning we found the iris reduced to a moreover, much more cleanly, and is not liable to the objection mere ring. urged against the latter, of producing an unpleasant cruption the aqueous liquid were lost during the operation, which consisted The child struggled a good deal, and a few drops of around the brow on which it is applied, and it is preferable to the in a mere crucial incision into the capsule. ordinary mode of placing a few drops of the solution of the ex-needle we remarked that there was no contraction of the pupil, On withdrawing the tract between the palpebræ, inasmuch as it causes no pain nor into which the lens pressed. On visiting the child in the evening irritation. it had been so uneasy and complained so much of pain, and there move the bandage and examine the eye. The cornea was found was so much lachrymation present, that we were induced to reto have become plump, from the regeneration of the aqueous fluid, but the iris had remained immoveable, and the lens had started into the anterior chamber, where it caused considerable irritation and subsequent inflammation. It absorbed completely, however, without a second operation, and in a much shorter time than usual. In cases, however, where there is much conjunctivitis, or even deeper seated inflammation, attended with lachrymation, present, it does not possess the immediate and marked power over the iris which it does in the healthy eye, and its effects pass off much Booner; and this remark is applicable even to the three-grain solu. tion. It is possible that in such cases the mucous discharge, and particularly the lachrymation which is present, may dilute it too much, or the morbid irritability and increased vascularity of the organ may render it less susceptible of the local application of this remedy than it would be in an otherwise healthy condition, therefore, in cases of violent irritic inflammation, the syphilitic, for instance, where the discase had considerably advanced, and extensive exudations of lymph had taken place, we would not solely depend upon the atropia solution, but likewise apply the extract round the orbit. In cases of recent protrusion of the iris through the central portion of the cornea, the result either of injury, or rupture from ulceration, &c., and when there was no great irritability and blepharospasmus present, we have applied the strong atropia solution externally, by means of a small por. tion of linen rag wet with it, and retained for a short time upon the closed eyelids, with the most happy results. on the eye, and attended with myosis, which had resisted the con. In cases of photophobia following cataract and other operations tinued external application of belladonna, as well as the strong atropia solution dropped into the eye, we have found the most marked beneficial effects result from the internal administration of the extract of belladonna, given in the form of solution, to the amount of the sixteenth of a grain, from three to five times a-day. This, in the course of thirty-six or forty.eight hours has seldom failed to relieve the pain and intolerance of light, and also to dilate the pupil as far as possible. burning description coming on at a particular, and often regular In neuralgic affections of the eye, characterised by pain of a intervals, sometimes at particular hours of the day, yet induced We may here remark that the benefits arising from dilatation of by reading or using the eye in any fine work, and unattended the pupil have not been sufficiently attended to in the general with inflammation or any apparent alteration in the texture or treatment of ulcers of the cornea. We have, on several occasions lately, been able not only to save the eye, but even to pre-failed, we have latterly administered belladonna internally, with motion of the organ, &c. &c., in which rest, change of air, tonics vent adhesions between the cornea and iris (synechia anterior,) of various descriptions, particularly iron, and other means, had and consequent blemish, by means of the judicious application of the very best effect, in doses varying from the sixteenth to the the preparations of belladonna. In cases of rupture from ulcera-sixth of a grain three times a day, given in the form of a solution. tion, when we have seen the patient shortly after the rupture oc. It may appear strange, but it is nevertheless true, that in some curred-and in many of those instances hernia of the iris had cases of old and inveterate photophobia, as in that form accomabsolutely taken place-we at once applied the atropia solution, panying pannus, or the ophthalmia attended by vascular cornea closed the lids, kept them in that condition with isinglass plaster, in discharged soldiers, the internal use of belladonna will be found and then applied a large pledget of lint smeared with the extract most efficacious. of belladonna over the eye and brow, and retained it in position by a light bandage, at the same time that we employed, when necessary, local depletion by means of leeches on the temples and over the malar bone, together with blistering, and constitutional treatment calculated to lower the inflammation and prevent the further spreading of the sloughy or ulcerative process in the cornea. We keep the eye covered up in this state for thirty-six or forty-eight hours, and have had, in most instances, the satisfac tion of finding, when we came to examine the eye, that the iris had been withdrawn from the wound, the pupil had dilated, and the cornea had united. There are, however, certain cases in which the use of atropia is inadmissible, namely, in examining the eye for cataract, where we do not wish the dilatation of the pupil to continue longer than a few hours, if possible. In cases where we wish to dilate the pupil before we perform the operation for absorption of the lens, we have more than once seen unpleasant consequences result after this manner. It is well known to operative ophthalmic surgeons, that after the dilatation with the ordinary belladonna extract or infusion, the iris will, during the operation of kera. tonyxis, partially contract, either from the loss of a few drops of aqueous humour, or from its irritability being excited by the side or flat of the needle touching the margin of the pupil, or from " We quote the following from a recent Number of the Gazette des Hospitaux : For a long time M. Berrard has employed in his practice at La Pitie, in place of the extract of belladonna, collyria containing the active principle of belladonna, atropia. This substance, signalized for the first time by M. Brandes, who had not, however, obtained it in its pure state, but since isolated by MM. Meire and Seines, presents many advantages over the extract of belladonna: first, by acting with extreme rapidity in dilating the pupil, and by being endowed with great energy, sufficient to produce its effect in a solution of 0.05 or 0.10, in twenty grammes of distilled water, possibly a consideration of little im. portance in an hospital, but of great value in private practice in enabling one to avoid the employment of black unctions, which females, have a great repugnance."-Dub. Quart. Journ. of Med. disfigure so much, and for which some patients, particularly Science. METHOD OF MAKING LEECHES BITE. parts of wine and one of water, they are in a few minutes very Dr. Boursier says, that by placing leeches in a mixture of two active, and take hold instantly; and that if they are gorged with blood, they disgorge themselves and will draw again.-Journ. de Chimie Méd. 274 - Periscope. Encouragement of Quackery by Ministers of the Gospel. MISCELLANEOUS. COMPENSATION FOR POST-MORTEM EXAMINATIONS. In our last number, p. 533, will be found the opinion of the Hon. Judge Ellis Lewis, affirming the right of a physician to compensation for making a post-mortem examination at the request of a coroner. We now lay before our readers the opinion of Chief Justice Gibson, as delivered in a case recently tried at Pittsburgh, in the Supreme Court of the Western District of Pennsylvania. Dr. George Watt, of Pittsburgh, was called upon by the coro. ner, in two separate instances, to make official examination of dead bodies, upon which inquests were held. not be equally liable for professional services in the administration of public justice by the coroner, who is also a judicial ma. gistrate, and competent at the common law, though the power has been taken away by statute, not only to receive accusations but to try them. Even prisoners in the county jail are provided with medical treatment, though the statute does not expressly direct them to be provided with anything but clothing and food; yet they are supplied with bedding, fuel, and all other comforts proper for their condition. There are a thousand contingent items of expenditure which cannot be disposed of specifically in a fee bill by special appropr. ation, and which must necessarily be charged to the account of humanity or justice. The coroner in this case had as much an. thority to order a post-mortem examination at the public charge, as the Court had to order boarding and lodging for the jury in the case of Commissioners vs. Hall. Each was employed in taking an inquisition of death, and each have the same collateral power in things incidental to the office. The plaintiff having been employed by the coroner was employed by the county; and he is entitled to a reasonable compensation. Judgment affirmed.American Journal of Medical Science. For this service he charges the county fifteen dollars in each case; the County Commissioners declined to pay the bill, on the ground that the coroner had no power to contract for the county in such cases, and that no compensation for such services had been provided for in the fee bill by the legislature; and that they had no power to pay out the county funds, except where expressly empowered to do so by act of Assembly, and that there was no precedent to justify such an expenditure, and resisted the payment that the matter might be litigated and the question settled. The Doctor then brought suit, and obtained judgment before ENCOURAGEMENT OF QUACKERY BY MINISTERS an Alderman, and afterwards in the Court of Common Pleas; the cause was then removed by the Commissioners, by writ of error, to the Supreme Court, which Court affirmed the judgment of the Court below. The cause was conducted by Thomas Mellon and John Barton. The following is the opinion of the Supreme Court, which was delivered by Gibson, Chief Justice. OF THE GOSPEL. from ministers of the gospel, has often been made the subject The patronage and encouragement which quackery receives of comment, and of severe animadversion, by medical writers; and its continuance is no less a matter of surprise than regret to those engaged in the cultivation of medical science, Dr. George Watt vs. The County of Alleghany.-Had the and in laudable endeavors to ameliorate the condition of sufplaintiff below attended merely as a witness, though as an expert, fering humanity, and to prolong the period of human life, he would have been entitled to nothing; for as the law provides That the conduct of ministers, in this respect, is loudly comno compensation for witnesses summoned by the Coroner, they plained of by the profession, is to be attributed to the factsmust give their attendance gratis; and to allow the plaintiff as a first, that from the nature of their calling, and the position witness, even the compensation allowed to witnesses in other which they occupy in society, they have it in their power, cases, would be an infraction of the fee bill. But he was not and actually "do us much harm," and science an irreparable called as a witness. When the testimony before the inquest was closed, it seems the jurors, being unable to agree as to the cause injury, by encouraging quackery; second, as they are, geneof the death, requested a post mortem examination, which was rally speaking, men of education, and not unfrequently of made by the plaintiff to their presence, who expelled their doubts science, we have a right to expect better things at their by the application of chemical tests in the contents of the stomach. hands; and, third, as ministers and their families are usually In this he performed not the office of a witness, but the business attended gratuitously by the faculty, we think it is but reaof a person employed in a particular service. The Coroner might sonable to expect that they will refrain from doing that which have compelled him to swear to his opinion on a superficial view is positively injurious to us as individuals, as well as to the of the body, but he conld not have compelled him to touch it, or profession we practice.-No body of men in our country octo do the more nauseous or dangerous work of opening it. The cupy so enviable a position as do all classes of religious teachservice he performed, though necessary to the purpose of the in. quest, which could not have been effected without it, was not ers; enjoying, as they do, a prescriptive respect, and being official, and consequently not in the contemplation of the Legisla. ranked, by common consent, as high as a lady, and above a ture at the forming of the fee bill; so that compensation for it is man. They are looked up to as examples, and their counsel neither enjoined nor prohibited by that or any other statute. But sought, and their advice taken, in secular as well as in ecclethough spontaneously rendered, both justice and policy require it siastical matters, while the sanctity of their calling gives to be paid for by the county, if it was rendered at the public in- enhanced value to their opinions on whatever subject they stance and request; and the question is whether the Coroner, as are expressed. That such is the case, we rejoice rather than a public agent, had authority to employ the plaintiff at the public complain, and would not have it otherwise if we could; for charge. That officer certainly has authority to pledge the respon- no one has a higher regard, or a more profound respect for the sibility of the county for the compensation of all incillary services which are necessary for the execution of his office, and which he persons of ministers, or for the clerical office, than we have; could by no other means command.-When his duty requires him nor has any one better reasons for entertaining such feelings to disinter a body, for instance, he cannot be expected to do it towards them; and we cheerfully admit, that the immense with his own hands, or by hands paid for with his means. influence which they wield is, generally speaking, exerted he is entitled to fees, but not for mercenary services, and what he in the most decidedly salutary manner. But we are utterly docs receive is given for particular acts of official duties, not as a at a loss to know why it is that their conduct, in reference to fund for contingent expenses. To the taking of every inquisition the most humane of all pursuits--one so near akin to their super visum corpus, perhaps without exception, a post mortem own calling--should prove so noted an exception; why it is examination is indispensable, and as the fees of the Coroner would that, so far as medicine is concerned, they are stumblingbe inadequate to the expense, if he was willing to forego com- blocks in the way of science, and pations of superstition, pensation for his own services, either the public purse must pay error, falsehood, and humbug! In the remarks, therefore, for it, or the administration of public justice must suffer for the which are to follow on this subject, while we shall speak with all that plainness which the importance of the subject demands, we are influenced by no other feelings than a sense of duty and a regard for truth and science. want of it. True And why should not the county pay for it?-On the principle of the Commissioners vs. Hall, 7 Watts, p. 290, the county would be liable for the medical treatment of a person taken ill upon trial, or as a juror in the box; and it would be strange if it should That we are correct, then, in the position which we have Periscope. Encourogement of Quackery by Ministers of the Gospel. 275 assumed, to wit:-that the hydra-headed monster-quack- family. In some slight indisposition, the remedy is employed, ery-is encouraged, and derives increased strength, from the and recovery, as a matter of course, takes place (perhaps patronage bestowed on it by ministers of the gospel, we ap- convalescence is retarded instead of hastened by its use); peal to facts, and to the experience of all men. Scarcely but recovery having followed the swallowing of the medicine is there to be found a quack nostrum advertised in the news- it is, of course, attributed to it. The minister is convinced! papers, or whose virtues are proclaimed by pamphlet, or The cure took place under his own eye; or, it may be, in his hand-bill-claiming to be a universal panacea-which does own person-how can he doubt? He, therefore, cheerfully not come recommended by a certificate from some one, or complies with the wishes of the quack, and furnishes the more, reverend minister, priest, or religious teacher, testify- desired certificate. Now, under such circumstances, how is ing as to its virtues, and commending it to all who may be it possible for him to say, with any degree of certainty suffering with any disease to which flesh is heir. Or, if in whether nature or the remedy effected the cure? And yet any community there happens to be a practitioner of Homeo- he testifies that it was the latter, and the nostrum goes forth pathy, Hydropathy, a "faith doctor," or a Mesmerizer, ten to the world with the sanction of his name, and with his chances to one if the first person who employs him is not one solemn attestation of its superior virtues-to the encourageof the reverend gentlemen above named, or, it may be, a ment of quackery, to the reproach of science, and, we will Right Reverend himself. Such being the case-and it can- add, to the shame of the minister, and to the prostitution of not be denied-we ask if we are not right in assuming that his sacred office. This is no fancy sketch, but a true picture. ministers are, par excellence, patrons of quackery? We do And this is the kind of evidence on which clerical certificates not believe, for a moment, that their object is to retard the are usually obtained. Do they reason so in reference to other progress of rational medicine; but such is the effect of their matters? If so, how pitiable is the condition of those who conduct, and the injury to science is as great, and they as look up to them for religions instruction, and take their ipse culpable, as though they were actuated by malice prepense. dixit for gospel truth? Furthermore, we are willing to believe, and do believe, that in many cases they are influenced by a desire to benefit others; but they cannot, on this account, either be excused on the score of "good intentions." Paul verily thought that he was doing God's service, when he stood by and consented to the death of Stephen; but was he any the less guilty on that account? No. Nor are they, who, from ignorance, or from any other cause, inflict an injury on sci ence. But let us reverse matters, and put a case in point to our reverend friends (we mean no disrespect), and suppose an able and ingenious enemy of the Christian religion were to come out with a work on some theological subject, presenting a fair exterior, and purporting to be on the side of virtue and religion, but on every page of which was distilled the subtile poison of infidelity-the more dangerous, because the more adroitly disguised: suppose, farther, that, in order to recommend his work to popular favor, the author were to procure Ministers of the gospel, then, do more than any other class certificates from physicians in all parts of the country, stating of men to uphold quackery, and, consequently, to retard that they had examined the work, and could recommend it rational scientific medicine. Why is this? Is it that they to all such as were anxious to have their minds enlightened are better qualified than other men to form correct opinions on the important subject of religion,-it cannot be denied on medicinal subjects? We assert the contrary: and hold that such recommendation would have its influence, and that they are incapable of arriving at a correct conclusion on cause the work to enter thousands of families which it would any subject pertaining to our science. The very nature of not otherwise reach. If what we have supposed were really their calling, and the course of their studies, preclude the to take place, would not every pulpit, from Maine to Mexico, possibility of such a thing. They have no knowledge of thunder forth with anthemas against the medical profession? Anatomy, or Physiology, without which it is idle to talk of They would be charged-and justly charged-with warring correct notions on medical subjects; and it is worse than pre- against Christianity, and encouraging infidelity. It would sumption in ministers to bring their opinions on such subjects be said-and truly said that, upon a superficial examination in competition with those of men who have spent long years of a subject with which they were not at all familiar, they in their study and investigation; and such conduct is only had ventured an opinion to the immediate injury of true recalculated to diminish, and does diminish, the respect which ligion, but the remote consequences of which no one could is otherwise due to them, and to their sacred calling. But it foresee. The cases are analagous, and the application obvimay perhaps be said, in reply to this, "Surely, any one, ous. whether he be a minister or not, can tell whether a particular We have already extended our remarks much further than remedy has done him good in a given disease?" Even this we at first intended, but we cannot close without saying a we are disposed to call in question, and are prepared to show few words as to the encouragement which ministers give to that this cannot always be done, Now, how stands the the practitioners of the various false systems of medicinecase? A soi-disant Solomon, who is too lazy to gain an in other words, to quack doctors. The time would fail us if honest livelihood by the sweat of his brow, resolves on resort- we were to attempt to enumerate all the erroneous systems, ing to his wits, and as medical quackery seems to be the pointing out the absurdities of each: we will, therefore, conmost certain and speedy way of arriving at fortune, he deter- tent ourselves, for the present, with a single one-Homœomines to go into it. He accordingly throws together a num-pathy. And, in the first place, we would ask the reverend ber of drugs, in the shape of a pill, or mixture, and claims gentlemen who countenance and employ homœopathic pracfor it extraordinary virtues in the cure of certain diseases. titioners, if they understand homeopathy, and believe in its He next sets to work and writes letters, lauding his remedy doctrines? The fact of their employing them presupposes a to the skies, and recommending it in the strongest terms to belief in, if not an understanding of the system. Now, for all the afflicted"-and to these he appends such names as the benefit of such, we propose to examine this system for a his fancy may dictate. But this is not sufficient: in order moment.-The great fundamental principle of homœopathy to complete his designs, and give his nostrum free circulation, is, that infinitesimal doses of inedicine-that is to say, that a he must have the certificate of some one, or more, individuals grain of medicine so minutely subdivided that numbers fail of acknowledged standing and influence. Such persons are to express its utter nothingness, will act powerfully on the to be found in the clerical profession; and perhaps knowing human system! Another of the principles of this beautiful the very great partiality which gentlemen of the cloth have and philosophical system is, that a medicine, when thus for quackery in general, he waits on the nearest minister, minutely subdivided-for example, a grain of sulphur dispresents him with a box, or bottle, of his nostrum, solved in one of our northern lakes; if a small quantity of with the request that he will use it in his own person or the solution be collected in a bottle, that its strength will be increased in a corresponding degree by simply shaking the bottle. Hahnemann gives minute directions on this subject, and gravely cautions his followers to be careful lest they give the bottle a shake or two too many, and thereby increase the strength of the medicine to such an extent as to endanger the life of their patient! Now, we wish to know of our reverend friends, patrons of homeopathy, if they do, or can believe these monstrous absurdities? And yet, if homœopathy be true, these things are so; and the fact of their encouraging the system implies that they believe them. But is it not absolutely insulting to the understanding of a rational man, to attempt to palm off such stuff on him for truth? He who can believe this, has no mind capable of appreciating correct reasoning, even if we had the patience or the disposition to argue with him. In bringing our remarks to a close, we have only to say, that, while we fear there is but too much cause for their very general application, we cheerfully admit that there are many honorable exceptions. We know clergymen (and we take pleasure in stating it), who, both by their conduct and teaching, discountenance all species of quackery: devout menmen of learning and science, from whose lips we have learned lessons of wisdom and practical piety. To such our remarks are not intended to apply. McP. -St. Louis Med. and Surg. Journal. ILLUSTRATION OF THE QUACKERIES OF THE death of Myhill, I could have stated the cause of his death, but the time is now so far gone that I cannot. He again repeated his powers of discovering the complaints of persons by the aid of his books, which was the cause of much merriment to the Coroner and the Jury, who looked with some suspicion upon the many cases [cures?] he pretended to have effected by his books, his science, and his study. After this evidence, which put a very different aspect upon the they had not been able to detect the presence of any metallic or inquiry, the surgeons, who had analysed the stomach, said that vegetable poison; and, from the appearance of the lungs, were of opinion that the deceased died from natural causes. The Jury returned a verdict accordingly.-Norwich Mercury. CHEMISTRY. GUN.COTTON. It was announced last summer by Prof. Schonbein of Basle, that he had discovered a method of producing a substance from vegetable fibre, more explosive and powerful than gunpowder, and much interest was excited at the late meeting of the British Association, by an exhibition of its wonderful effects. It has since been made by many persons in Europe and throughout our own country It is now well known that the "Gun-Cotton" is only a form of the Xyloidine discovered by Braconnot in 1833, and subsequently inore fully described by M. Pelouze* in 1838. The Xyloidine is produced by the action of strong nitric acid specific gravity 1-5, upon starch or any form of vegetable fibre. M. Pelouze stated (in 1838) that it was very combustible, took fire at 360°, and burnt A report having been circulated that a man named William with vivacity. He also suggested that it might, from its extraMyhill, a small farmer and carpenter, residing at Horsey, in the ordinary combustibility, prove valuable in artillery. Prof. county of Norfolk, had died from the effects of some medicine Schonbien and his associate M. Bottger claim therefore only the which had been administered to him by his wife, Mr. Pilgrim, the application of this remarkable substance to useful purposes, for county.coroner, directed the body to be exhumed, and on the 24th although the method employed by them in its production has not of last month held an inquest at Catfield, where the body had been as yet been made public, there can be no doubt that it is cheminterred. Several witnesses were examined, but the chief evi-ically identical with the Xyloidine of Braconnot and Pelouze. The dence offered was that of the servant maid, who in a long state-suggestion thrown out eighty years ago by M. Pelouze, regarding ment deposed to her mistress having obtained some medicine of a its possible application in artillery, scems to have escaped atten. person living at Reepham, which she administered to the deceased tion, and to have been productive of no useful result. just previous to his death, and then requsted her (the servant,) not to say anything about it to any person, but to deny it if she was asked any questions on the subject. On Friday October 2nd, the inquiry was resumed, when amongst other witnesses who were examined as to the wife having administered something to the deceased, was a Mr. Staples, of Reepham, who calls himself a che. mist and druggist. He deposed as follows: I vend drugs and prepare them, but I do not profess to be a surgeon. Some short time since Mrs. Myhill, the wife of the deceased, came to me and stated that her husband was very bad. I prescribed for the deceased from the representation made to me by his wife. I cannot say what she stated. I made up some medicine according to the nature of the disease. I was not told what was the matter with him, but I found it out by my study, my science, and my search. I do not recollect that I ordered brandy and water, neither do I exactly recollect what I did prescribe. At the time I put it on a slate, but it was afterwards rubbed off. The medicine was to relieve the pain-it was not opening medicine. Mrs. Myhill was to have called upon me again, and let me know how her husband was, and to tell me the effect the medicine had upon him. I am perfectly satisfied that the medicine I prescribed could not do him any harm, but I did intend that it should do him good. I considered that the deceased was in a very bad state, and that I ascertained from my research in science, and study from my books of knowledge. If a person came to me and represented their case, I should not be governed by what he said. but should be governed by the rule of science and my books of knowledge. I could by searching those books ascertain more of their disease than any person could inform me. It is a very com. mon practice with me to prescribe for persons I have never seen, nor yet had a description of their complaints. I neither want to know the name of the party, or where they come from, or any description whatever of their complaints, as I can always find every thing out by the rule of science, my study, and from my books of knowledge. If any person had come to me after the The complete conversion of cotton into Xyloidine is somewhat difficult, and requires the strongest nitric acid. In principle, it is immaterial whether the strong nitric acid be procured by distillation; by mixture of sulphuric acid with the aqua fortis of com. merce; or by the mixture of equivalent parts of nitre and sul. phuric acid. The best action of the nitric acid is produced by mixing with it nearly its own volume of strong sulphuric acid, which by its attraction for water renders the nitric acid of the greatest strength without interfering with the result. If 100 grains of clean carded cotton are immersed for four or five minutes in a mixture of 14 fluid ounces of strong nitric acid (Sp. Gr. 1-45) and an equal measure of strong sulphuric acid, it will be converted into Xyloidine. It is then removed from the acid, pressed with a spatula, and quickly washed in an abundance of cold water until it has no longer an acid reaction, when may be carefully dried at about 200° F., again carded, and it is fit for use. As thus prepared, it retains the appearance and fibre of common cotton, but is harsher and more wool-like to the touch. It inflames at a temperature of about 350° F., and, as is lately asserted,† it some. times happens that it is spontaneously inflamed at 212° F. The greatest caution is therefore required in the preparation, to avoid its accidental combustion. * Comptes Rendus, Oct. 15, 1838. It may not be amiss to mention in this place, that the writer and his assistant were both burned by the accidental combustion of about 1200 grains of gun-cotton, which they were drying over a hot-air flue where the temperature was probably very little above 212. At the instant when they considered the mass as dry, it took fire and was dissipated in a large volume of brilliant yellow flame, without smoke or odor, and with so little noise as not to attract the attention of those in an adjoining room, although the doors were open. No nitrous acid fumes were observed as others have asserted, nor was the presence of this gas detected in the |