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which is transferred to its surface. The charge taken up in an hour by a palladium

significant. In the disease of the silkworm it had been irrefutably proved that, in spite of numerous conditions favouring the ten-plate amounted to 173 times its volume. dency to the development of the disease, Although the hydrogen enters the pallathe parasite itself was the sole and exclu- dium, and no doubt pervades the whole sive cause of it, and that not only the here- mass of the metal, it exhibits no disposition ditary transmission, but also the epidemic to leave that substance even in a vacuum at character of the complaint, was entirely de- the temperature of its absorption. Occluded pendent upon the presence of the parasite.-hydrogen is therefore no longer a gas, whatMed. Times and Gaz., Oct. 31, 1868. ever may be thought of its physical condition. When palladium charged with hydro

Voltolini's Laryngoscopy without Mir-gen is left exposed to the atmosphere, the ror. This physician has published an arti-metal is apt to become suddenly hot, and to cle in the Berlin Med. Woch., wherein he lose its gas entirely by spontaneous oxidashows that the epiglottis and the interiortion.'

upon a thin platinum wire by electric deposition. Such a specimen of metal occluded 982 times its volume of hydrogen, or by weight

of the thyroid body can be seen and acted The condition of hydrogen, as occluded upon, without a mirror, in the following by a colloid metal, may be studied with most manner : Do not press down the tongue advantage in its union with palladium, where with a spatula, which measure is likely to the proportion of gas held is considerable. obscure the parts, but hold the tongue firmly The largest absorption of hydrogen observed out of the mouth; push up the thyroid car-was in the case of palladium thrown down tilage externally with the fingers of the hand which keeps the tongue steady, and with a little appropriate instrument press the epiglottis forwards. The author maintains that in this wise he saw the thyroid cartilage, and thinks that, with a proper patient, the interior of the thyroid body could be explored. Dr. Voltolini alludes to a case of a gentleman aged fifty-six, in which Dr. Middeldorpf, who had requested the author's assistance, succeeded in removing a polypus, the size of half a pigeon's egg, from the walls of the pharynx, by means of the galvanic wire.-Lancet, Dec. 12, 1868.

Poisoning by Nicotine.-M. TARDIEU asserts the curious circumstance that animals killed by this poison always fall down on the right side.

Occlusion of Hydrogen by Metals.-The master of the mint has applied this term to the absorption of gases by what he terms colloid metals.

A new method of charging the metals with hydrogen at low temperatures has lately been discovered by him.

When a plate of zinc is placed in diluted sulphuric acid hydrogen gas is freely evolved from the surface of the metal; but no hydrogen is occluded and retained. A negative result was, indeed, to be expected from the crystalline structure of zinc. But a thin plate of palladium in the same acid, and brought into contact with the zinc, soon becomes largely charged with the hydrogen,

Palladium, 99.277
.723

100.

or an approximation to the compound Pd H. Professor Graham thinks that the passage of hydrogen through metals is always preceded by the condensation, or occlusion of the gas. The "solution affinity" of metals appears to be nearly confined to hydrogen and carbonic oxide; metals are not sensibly penetrated by other gases than these.-Med. Press and Circular, Sept. 2, 1868.

Organic Synthesis.-From Germany we have chemical news of very great interest. Liebig's Annalen, the last number of which has just arrived in London, announces the fact that Linnemann has effected the direct transformation of the acids of the fatty series into corresponding alcohols (acetic acid, for instance, into common alcohol). It was accomplished by acting or the anhydrous acid with sodium-amalgam. This important discovery supplies the missing link required to pass step by step up the ladder, from the simplest alcohol (wood spirit) up to the highest, wax-alcohol.Brit. Med. Journal, Dec. 12, 1868.

on

The Stains of Iodine.-Add a few drops of liquid carbolic acid to the iodine tincture,

and the latter will not stain. Dr. Bogs, of and other underclothing displayed in the the Indian Service, states that the carbolic windows of some of the metropolitan hosiers acid, besides the above-mentioned property, exercise a very deleterious influence upon renders the efficacy of tincture of iodine the skins of the wearers; producing irritamore certain. Whenever injections of the {tion and an eruption, and leading, if persisted latter are indicated, he advises the following in, to actual sores. This statement, though formula: Alcoholic tincture of iodine, one sufficiently startling, is not absolutely novel. ounce (this proportion is mentioned by the Last year during the time of the performance France Médicale, but there is evidently a of the "Doge of Venice" at Drury Lane mistake-instead of "30 grammes" it Theatre, one of the danseuses applied to should probably be "3 grammes,"-viz., { one of the metropolitan hospitals with an 45 drops); pure liquid carbolic acid, six anomalous eruption affecting one foot and drops; glycerine, one ounce; distilled water, five ounces. This is said to be far superior to tar-water in blennorrhoea and leucorrhoea.-Lancet, Dec. 12, 1868.

that the exigencies of the ballet necessitated another colour on the other limb. In this instance it appeared that other performers who wore white hose beneath their coloured garments escaped all injury; and the patient's skin recovered its normal condition shortly after adopting this plan.-Lancet, Oct. 3, 1868.

exactly those parts which are covered by an ordinary dancing shoe. It was immediately perceived that the heat of the foot, where covered by the shoe, acted upon the dye of the stocking-which the patient Secondary Effects of the Viper's Venom. stated was of a brilliant red color-and thus -Messrs. CHERON and GOUJON communi- affected the skin; but the absolute imcated to the Academy of Sciences of Paris,{munity of the opposite foot was not readily at a late meeting a very interesting ex-intelligible, until the fact was arrived at periment. The ear of a healthy rabbit was subjected to the bite of a viper, and the former died thirty hours afterwards. From the oedematous soft parts around the bitten spot as much as from two ounces to two ounces and a half of serum was easily obtained. It emitted much fetor, was coloured red by blood-disks, and contained a few white globules. It did not coagulate by nitric acid or heat. About half a drachm of this fluid was injected under the skin of another healthy rabbit. One hour and a half afterwards the animal was found to present a cold surface; it walked lame, and half an hour afterwards it died, during severe convulsions. The result of this ex-appearance, while, instead of being real periment would show some analogy between venom and virus. It is a pity the gentlemen above named did not inject under the skin of a healthy animal the blood of the first rabbit, and especially that of the second; the result would have shown in what ratio the mass of the blood becomes contaminated. Nor should future experimentalists omit, under the same circumstances, to go on inoculating to the fourth or fifth generation, in order to find out whether the fluids retain the same contami. nating power, or whether this power diminishes by successive transmissions.Lancet, Dec. 12, 1868.

Poisonous Socks.-On Tuesday, a Mr. Webber brought under the notice of the sitting alderman at Guildhall the fact that the dye used in some of the gorgeous socks

Adulterated Honey.-According to a short notice in the Chemist and Druggist, there are at present in Germany, itinerant dealers in so-called Swiss-land honey. This substance finds a large number of purchasers on account of its fine taste and beautiful

honey, it is simply starch converted into sugar by means of sulphuric acid. It may be detected by means of the presence of sulphuric acid therein, viz., in the shape of sulphate of lime or gypsum; its use, of course, is perfectly harmless, but it is not honey, nor does it contain any at all. As this trick is quite likely to be imported into this country, dealers had better be on their guard.-British Med. Journ., Dec. 5, 1868.

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Adulteration with Lead of Culinary Vessels.-It is stated that a report has been published on the tin and tinned vessels used in the military hospitals in France, and that the metal used for tinning was found to contain from 25 to 50 per cent. of lead. In vessels reputedly made of pure tin, the commissioner found, in some cases, as much as 15 per cent. of lead. Such proportions

are dangerous to health. The same adulration is said to prevail extensively in reat Britain.

what we propose is, that the question of the fact of lunacy, and the manner of removal to an asylum, shall not, as now, be decided by a friend (if one can be found to take the Danger of Meddling with Lunatics.-responsibility), aided by two legally qualiIt will be seen from the following remarks, fied practitioners, but by one of a staff of which we copy from a very late number of medical commissioners, who must be acthe Medical Times and Gazette (Dec. 12), cessible at all hours, and visit any patient that in England as well as in this country they may be called to before the final step legal difficulties have been interposed in is taken-in fact, that the visit of a lunacy the way of placing lunatics in hospitals for commissioner should take place before the insane, which subjects physicians to an committal to an asylum, instead of afterextent of responsibility calculated to frus-wards, as at present. At all events, this trate the purposes of philanthropy and de-course ought to be left to the option of the feat the ends of justice :

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friends. Otherwise, as things now are, the safest course is to declare the lunatic chargeable to the parish, and throw the onus on the parish authorities."

'The perils of taking any responsibility in the case of lunatics are decidedly on the increase. In the late case of Johnstone versus Cotham, in which one clergyman brought an action against another for falsely Criminal Poisoning by Atropia.—A case imprisoning him as a lunatic, it was Chief is about to occupy the tribunals of Geneva Justice Cockburn who protected the defen-{which bids fair to be a cause célèbre. Madedant from swingeing damages, by a sum-moiselle J. stands charged with causing the ming up so lucid and fair that it was impos-death of several persons by means of the sible to find a verdict in the teeth of it; yet even this able judge commented on the manner in which the removal to an asylum was conducted, and the jury 'strongly disapproved it.' So that a man who takes the responsibility of putting a lunatic into a place of safety may have the agony and expense of a lawsuit if he errs in the manner of his proceedings-just as if lunatics were to be always submitted to two medical ex-of the most influential persons in Switzeraminations, and then to be inveigled to an asylum easily and quietly. As things are now, lunatics are liable to go on from bad to worse, because no one cares to take the responsibility, and it is quite time that that should be put upon the shoulders of official persons, who would be protected in the charge of their duties.

sulphate of atropia, which she obtained in the form of a collyrium by the pretext of consulting various practitioners for disease of her eyes. Her pupils were habitually dilated, and she wore green spectacles. She had visited various cantons offering her services as a nurse to doctors, or whoever had need of such a person, and carried about with her the names and addresses of some

land. She was very assiduous in her attendance upon all those who were consigned to her care; and her conversation, knowledge, and long experience imposed upon even the most experienced persons. At Geneva, however, after several of her padis-tients dying, suspicion was aroused, and she was carefully watched, especially by Dr. Rapin, one of whose relations was among the number of her victims. At a boardinghouse where she gained admission several persons died, and one morning, the inmates

"In the year 1867 the number of lunatics in various asylums in England and Wales was 31,917, of which one-third, or 10,488, were newly admitted. Of these 1125 were admitted into metropolitan licensed houses-were startled by finding an unknown hand that is, private establishments-and 853 into provincial houses. Now, we believe that the officials of all public lunatic establishments are quite above all suspicion of mismanagement and interested motives. If actions are brought, they are with reference to private asylums. The number admitted into private asylums was 1978 in the year, or between five and six daily over the country, or four a day in and about London. Now,

had conveyed its warning by placarding at
the door these ominous words: Ceux qui
entrent ici n'en sortent pas.
The public
became alarmed, and suspicions were more
and more pointed at J., who had become
very dexterous in persuading her victims
not to seek for medical advice. At last one
of them, a young German governess, to
whom she had given some atropia, was
brought to the hospital, having all the

symptoms of poisoning by atropia, great fr., the whole of it acquired by practice. M. dilatation of the pupils being especially re- Rayer was until his death the physician as markable. She recovered, and stated that well as the friend of the Baron, who perMademoiselle J., while professing to instruct suaded him to buy, when it could be had at her in French, gave her from time to time a low figure, the beautiful Hotel of the Rue some fluid to drink, saying it was kirschen- de Londres, which has since quadrupled in wasser. Mademoiselle J. has been arrested value. Rothschild has been the efficient and awaits her trial. Several phials con-patron of many of our confrères, especially taining atropia were found at her residence, those of his own persuasion, MM. Mandl and seven bodies have been exhumed and and Gruby among others. In his later submitted to medico-legal investigation, years he fell into the hands of the homœowith the result of the discovery of atropia {pathists. The Paris sight-seeing public has and other poisons. (Since the above was written, the prisoner has confessed, and been condemned to penal servitude, notwithstanding the plea of insanity.)-Med. Times and Gaz., Dec. 5, 1868.

Silkworm Disease.-M. PASTEUR has been making some fresh observations in silkworm disease. He thinks that the entophitic growths are favoured by bad digestion. M. Pasteur reduced a quantity of mulberry leaves to pulp with water, and found in a few hours that fungi identical with those found in the silkworm were present.-Lancet, July 25, 1868.

Dublin Quarterly Journal of Medical Science.-Dr. G. H. KIDD, who has successfully and ably edited this Journal for the past seven years, retires, and is succeeded by Dr. JAMES LITTLE, who has been for some years a frequent and valuable contributor to its pages.

Moorfield's Ophthalmic Hospital.—Mr. DIXON, after twenty-five years' service, has resigned as Surgeon to this Institution, and is succeeded by Mr. STREATFEILD.

Baron James de Rothschild.—This great financier had much to do with our profession. Dupuytren owed to him a great part of the large fortune which he left his daugh

ter.

been terribly disappointed at not seeing the splendid funeral procession it expected. It was of the humblest kind; but that this has not resulted from parsimony the liberalities which have been showered upon the poor of Paris by the Baron's widow testify.Med. Times and Gaz., Nov. 28, 1868, from Union Médicale.

OBITUARY RECORD-Died, of iliac ab. scess, at Berlin, Oct. 28, 1868, Prof. GRIE66 MenSINGER, well known by his work on tal Diseases.”

at Florence, Nov. 27, in the fiftieth year of his age, Dr. PALAMEDESSI, Professor of Surgery, at the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova. He was a brilliant operator and highly valued by his professional brethren and the students.

- recently, at Marseilles, Dr. AntoineBarthelemy Clot-Bey, aged 75. He will be remembered by some of the elder members of the profession as having held a very high position in the Egyptian Military Service, and as having acquired a well-merited reputation by his success in the establishment of medical instruction in Egypt; he founded the Medical School at Alexandria, and received the title of Bey from Mohamet-Ali, and was made commander of the Legion of Honor by the French Government. During the last ten years he has been living in re{tirement in France.

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at Baden, on the 29th of August, 1868, the eminent chemical philosopher, CHRISTIAN FREDERICK SCHONBEIN, in consequence of carbuncle, at the age of sixtynine. The deceased is well known as the

The great surgeon treated the great financier for a fractured thigh, and Rothschild paid him 100,000 fr. for his attendance. Moreover, Dupuytren left his fee in his patient's bank, where it multiplied enor-discoverer of ozone, gun-cotton, etc. mously by participating in the good fortune

In London, July 29th, JOHN ELLIOT

of a house that never knew reverses. To SON, M. D., aged 76. Dr. E. at one time the 5,000,000 fr. which Dupuytren left, held a very prominent place in the profesRothschild's 100,000 fr. contributed not a sion, but unhappily, about thirty years since, trifle. Dupuytren knew this well, and was he became a strenuous advocate of a promiterribly mortified when he learned that Ast-nent delusion of the day, mesmerism—and he ley Cooper had left a fortune of 11,000,000 has since been dead to legitimate medicine.

DUNGLISON'S

MEDICAL LEXICON.

MEDICAL DICTIONARY.

A DICTIONARY OF MEDICAL SCIENCE: Containing a concise explanation of the various Subjects and Terms of Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Hygiene, Therapeutics, Pharmacology, Pharmacy, Surgery, Obstetrics, Medical Jurisprudence, and Dentistry. Notices of Climate and of Mineral Waters; Formulæ for Officinal, Empirical, and Dietetic Preparations; with the Accentuation and Etymology of the Terms, and the French and other Synonymes; so as to constitute a French as well as English Medical Lexicon. By ROBLEY DUNGLISON, M. D., Professor of Institutes of Medicine in Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. Thoroughly Revised, and very greatly Modified and Augmented. In one very large and handsome royal octavo volume of 1048 double columned pages, in small type; strongly done up in extra cloth, $6 00; leather, raised bands, $6 75.

The object of the author from the outset has not been to make the work a mere lexicon or dictionary of terms, but to afford, under each, a condensed view of its various medical relations, and thus to render the work an epitome of the existing condition of medical science, Starting with this view, the immense demand which has existed for the work has enabled him, in repeated revisions, to augment its completeness and usefulness, until at length it has attained the position of a recognized and standard authority wherever the language is spoken. The mechanical execution of this edition will be found greatly superior to that of previous impressions. By enlarging the size of the volume to a royal octavo, and by the employment of a small but clear type, on extra fine paper, the additions have been incorporated without materially increasing the bulk of the volume, and the matter of two or three ordinary octavos has been compressed into the space of one not unhandy for consultation and reference.

It would be a work of supererogation to bestow a word of praise upon this Lexicon. We can only wonder at the labor expended, for whenever we refer to its pages for information we are seldom disappointed in finding all we desire, whether it be in accentuation, etymology, or definition of terms.-New York Medical Journal, Nov. 1865.

It would be mere waste of words in us to express our admiration of a work which is so universally and deservedly appreciated. The most admirable work of its kind in the English language. As a book of reference it is invaluable to the medical practitioner, and in every instance that we have turned over its pages for information we have been charmed by the clearness of language and the accuracy of detail with which each abounds. We can most cordially and confidently commend it to our readers.-Glasgow Medical Journal, Jan. 1866.

A work to which there is no equal in the English language.-Edinburgh Medical Journal.

It is undoubtedly the most complete and use ful medical dictionary hitherto published in this country.-Chicago Medical Examiner, February.

1865.

What we take to be decidedly the best medical dictionary in the English language. The present edition is brought fully up to the advanced state of science. For many a long year "Dunglison" has been at our elbow, a constant companion and friend, and we greet him in his replenished and improved form with especial satisfaction.--Pacific Med. and Surg. Journal, June 27, 1865.

This is, perhaps, the book of all others which the physician or surgeon should have on his shelves. It is more needed at the present day than a few years back.-Canada Med. Journal, July, 1865.

It deservedly stands at the head, and cannot be surpassed in excellence.-Buffalo Med. and Surg. Journal, April, 1865.

We can sincerely commend Dr. Dunglison's work as most thorough, scientific, and accurate. We have tested it by searching its pages for new nomenclature, and our search has been terms, which have abounded so much of late in successful in every instance. We have been

It is something more than a dictionary, and something less than an encyclopædia. This edition of the well-known work is a great improve-medical ment on its predecessors. The book is one of the very few of which it may be said with truth that every medical man should possess it.-London Medical Times, Aug. 26, 1865.

Few works of the class exhibit a grander monument of patient research and of scientific lore. The extent of the sale of this lexicon is sufficient to testify to its usefulness, and to the great service conferred by Dr. Robley Dunglison on the profession, and indeed on others, by its issue.-London Lancet, May 13, 1865.

The old edition, which is now superseded by the new, has been universally looked upon by the medical profession as a work of immense research and great value. The new has increased usefulness; for medicine, in all its branches, has been making such progress that many new terms and subjects have recently been introduced; all of which may be found fully defined in the present edition. We know of no other dictionary in the English language that can bear a comparison with it in point of completeness of subjects and accuracy of statement.-N. Y. Druggists' Circular, 1865. For many years Dunglison's Dictionary has been the standard book of reference with most

practitioners in this country, and we can certainly commend this work to the renewed confidence and regard of our readers.-Cincinnati Lancet, April, 1865.

particularly struck with the fulness of the synonymy and the accuracy of the derivation of words. It is as necessary a work to every enlightened physician as Worcester's English Dictionary is to every one who would keep up his knowledge of the English tongue to the standard of the present day. It is, to our mind, the most complete work of the kind with which we are acquainted. Boston Med. and Surg. Journal, June 22, 1865.

We are free to confess that we know of no

medical dictionary more complete; no one better, if so well adapted for the use of the student; no one that may be consulted with more satisfaction by the medical practitioner.-Am. Journ. Med. Sciences, April, 1865.

The value of the present edition has been greatly enhanced by the introduction of new subjects and terms, and a more complete etymology and accentuation, which renders the work not only satisfactory and desirable, but indispensable to the physician.-Chicago Med. Journal, April, 1865.

No intelligent member of the profession can cr will be without it.-St. Louis Med. and Surg. Journal, April, 1865.

It has the rare merit that it certainly has no rival in the English language for accuracy and extent of references.-London Medical Gazette.

HENRY C. LEA, Philadelphia.

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