ON THE MECHANISM OF RESPIRATION. By Francis Sibson, Esq. (From the Philosophical Transactions, Part 4, 1846.) 4to. pp. 40. Plates. THIS is an elaborate Essay from the pen of an able observer, of whose former labours in the same field we have had much pleasure in speaking favourably on another occasion.* Mr. Sibson's object is to distribute the respiratory muscles in a somewhat different order, as regards their inspiratory and expiratory action, to that now adopted. To this end he has minutely examined the anatomy in a great variety of animals, as reptiles, birds, mammals (some, we regret to say, by means of vivisection), and by a comparison of these with that of man, offers a new explanation of the mechanism. We regret that, with our limited space, and deprived of the aid of Mr. Sibson's beautiful engravings and ingenious diagrams, we despair setting his conclusions fairly before our readers, and must be content to refer those who feel interested in the subject to the work itself, easily accessible as it is, in forming a portion of the Philosophical Transactions. THE LONDON AND PROVINCIAL MEDICAL DIRECTORY, 1847. pp. 600. Churchill. THIS now conjoined work promises to be of great utility to the profession. The proprietors, we believe, spared neither pains nor expense to acquire accurate information, and, as far as the metropolis is concerned, the Directory may be regarded as nearly perfect. If it is, however, to be made an annual paying publication the price must be reduced, which may be easily accomplished by leaving out the immense proportion of matter utterly irrelevant to the true purposes of a directory, and by employing abbreviations, which now seem studiously avoided. In this way a half-crown annual might be easily constructed, which would be purchased, not by a few hundreds, but by many thousands. But for this, the platitudes of the anonymous arbiter elegantium concerning medical etiquette, the ridiculous selfchronicling of works, papers, or other forgotten literary claims to notice, and in fact all extraneous matter whatever, save that which as advertisements pays for its place, must be swept away; and a simple announcement of name, address, and qualification alone retained. At the end of the work an analysis of its contents, giving something like a synoptical view of the existing classification of the profession might be given. Upon a small scale we have attempted this as regards the metropolis portion of the Directory; and find it furnishes the following numbers: Consulting Physicians 301, of whom 30 practise as Physician Accoucheurs: Physicians holding legitimate degrees, but yet engaging in general practice also, 133: Consulting Surgeons, including the leading dentists, 176: Practitioners only holding the College of Surgeons' Diploma, 468: Practitioners only holding the Apothecaries' License, 275: Practitioners holding both license and diploma, 990. Besides these, 70 practitioners have returned their names as practising before 1815. We have not counted the Erlangen, Giessen, &c. degrees, but referred their holders to their English qualifications. These numbers give us a total of 2413 authorized practitioners, besides which there is a list of more than 360 persons (!) who have returned no qualification, and who, it is but fair to suppose, possess none. We have not analyzed the country list, believing it incomplete; but we make the sum total of its names amount to 8,286, which added to those of London, gives 10,699 for England and Wales. * Med.-Chir. Review, No. 83. 3. A New Universal, Etymological, and Pronouncing Dictionary of the English Language, embracing all the Terms used in Art, Science, and Literature. Parts 10, 11, 12, 13. Royal 8vo. London, Gilbert. This able and very useful work progresses with spirit. 4. Gilbert's Modern Atlas of the World for the People, with an Introduction to the Physical Geog. raphy of the Globe, with an Alphabetical Index of 25,000 Places. Parts 8, 9, 10. Small Folio. London. Prepared with very great care, and distinguished for extreme accuracy. We can confidently recom mend it. 9. The Retrospect of Medicine; being a Halfyearly Journal, containing a Retrospective View of every Discovery and practical Improvement in the Medical Sciences. Edited by W. Braithwaite. Vol. XIV. July to December, 1846. 8vo, pp. 466. London. 10. An Essay on the Tongue, in Functional Derangement of the Stomach and Bowels, and on the appropriate Treatment; also, the Tongue's Aspect in Organic Disease of the Lungs and Heart, &c. By Edward Williams, M.D., Cantab, &c. Second Edition. 8vo, pp. 236. London, 1846. 11. Practical Observations on some of the Diseases of the Stomach and Alimentary Canal. By James Alderson, M.D. 8vo, pp. 223. Plates. London, 1847. 12. Researches into the Physical History of Mankind. By James Cowles Prichard, M.D. Vol. V. Researches into the History of the Oceanic and of the American Nations. Svo, pp. 585. Plates, London, 1847. 13. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences. Edited by Isaac Hays, M.D. Nos. 24 and 25. Oct. 1846. Jan. 1847. Philadelphia. 23. A manual of the Principles and Practice of Ophthalmic Medicine and Surgery. By J. Wharton Jones. F.R.S. 8vo, pp. 606. London, 1847. 24. The London and Provincial Medical Directory, 1847. 8vo, pp. 568. London. 25. On Tumours of the Uterus and its Appendages. Jacksonian Prize Dissertation. By Thomas Stafford Lee. 8vo, pp. 290. London, 1847. 26. On the Mechanism of Respiration. By Francis Sibson, Esq. From the Philosophical Transactions. Part IV. for 1846. 4to, pp. 50. Plates. London, 1847. 27. Observations on the History and Treatment of Dysentery and its Combinations; with an Examination of their Claims to a Contagious Character, and an Inquiry into the Source of Contagion in its Analogous Diseases, Angina, Erysipelas, Hospital Gangrene, and Puerperal Fever. By William Harty, M.D. Second Edition. 8vo, pp. 323. London, 1847. We shall give an extended review of this excellent work in our next number. It is full of most interesting and valuable information. 28. Medical Statistics, their Force and Fallacies. A Lecture delivered in Park Street School of Medicine. Nov. 4th, 1846. Introductory to the Course on the Theory and practice of Physic. By James F. Duncan, M.D. 8vo, pp. 42. Dublin. Our notice is unavoidably deferred. 29. Outlines of Structural and Physiological Botany. By Arthur Henfrey, F.L.S. Foolscap 8vo, pp. 261, with numerous Illustrations. London, 1847. 30. Janus. Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Literatur der Medecin. Von Dr. A. W. E. Henschel. II. Band. I. Heft. Breslau, 1847. [This journal is devoted, in a particular manner, to the literature and history of Medical Science. It is conducted by Dr. Henschel, with the aid of many of the most celebrated medical scholars in Germany and France; the only English name, appearing among his collaborateurs, is that of our distinguished friend, Dr. Greenhill of Oxford. The chief articles in the present number are, a paper by Dr. Ermerius of Groningen, on the Galenic Text of Hippocrates; one on the Morbus Cardiacus" of the old Physicians; one on the distinguished Physicians and Surgeons of the 13th and 14th Centuries; and a most admirable one on Medical Reform, more especially in reference to medical education, by Dr. Carus. Had space permitted, we should have given some extracts from this last paper. 31. Observations on Cancer. By John Hughes Bennett, M.D., F.R.S.E. (From the Edinburgh Journal of Medical Science, for March 1847.) Want of room compels us to omit the Selections from Foreign Journals in our present number. |