Pains of this kind occur at different times, and under different circumstances. In some subjects they recur in a greater or less degree at every period of menstruation. But what is now particularly referred to, is different from these, as the disease generally makes its approach at a period of life subsequent to that, during which menstruation is continued. This complaint most commonly commences with a sense of weight, and an obtuse pain about the region of the uterus, and by some patients is compared to slight labour pains, which, returning at intervals, and gradually increasing, become a source of great uneasiness.

These symptoms must occasion anxiety in the mind of the medical practitioner, when he considers them indicating disposition in the organ to take on some morbid action, which, too frequently, at a more advanced period, terminates in a schirrous or cancerous state.

The disease is found most commonly amongst those females who have indulged themselves pretty freely in the luxuries of the table. It is attendant particularly upon those who have lived a single life, or who, having been married, have never borne any children; it has generally discovered itself about the time of menstruation ceasing; and it is not improbable, that the means which have been employed to prolong the period of its duration, have contributed, in some degree, to produce the symptoms referred to.

This disease may more easily be prevented, or palliated, than cured. A proper attention to diet and regimen at its first appearance may, for a considerable time, suspend, if not entirely prevent, the occurrence of those more painful and formidable symptoms, which in the progress of the disease, too frequently afflict the patient to such a degree as to render life a burden.

In some cases, where great fullness prevails, the loss of a few ounces of blood may be of essential service; and to keep the bowels regularly open, by the use of some gentle laxative, is indispensably necessary. Every article both of diet and of medicine which is of a heating or stimulating quality must be avoided. Violent exercise may prove injurious, whilst that which is gentle, and not too long continued, will be highly salutary.

Report of the Diseases of Edinburgh for May, 1810.
By JOHN ROBERTON, M. D.

THIS is in general, in this part of the world, a cold and disagreeable month. On the present occasion it has not deviated from what it usually is. It commenced with very cold easterly winds and some showers of rain, and the city was enveloped in fogs of considerable density, rendering the weather extremely uncomfortable; this was succeeded by partial showers of hail and snow, which, during most part of two days, fell in great abundance. The neighbouring hills were entirely covered by the snow, and, in every respect, the weather had more the appearance of January than May. This was succeeded by days of heavy rain, and this again by firm frost, which produced ice of considerable thickness. We had then a fall of hail and snow, and the wind became very boisterous. Indeed, with the exception of one or two days about the end of the month, and now and then a part of one day or so throughout the whole of it, the weather was very bad.

The barometer was in general low throughout the whole month.

The thermometer varied considerably, but was also in general rather low, sometimes indeed below the freezing point; and a part of one or two days it was as high as 60°.

The diseases have been for the most part either of a slightly inflammatory sort, or consequences of such a state of the system, but few of them, seem very severe; and, independently of the unfavourable state of the weather, the general health of the people seems to be improving.

Chin-cough seems still to exist amoug us, and in various places it has even increased both in extent and seve rity. The inflammatory state of the system mentioned last month, seems not so evidently marked as formerly, but consequences of such a state seem pretty frequently to be met with in practice; such as abscesses, ulcers, and effuusions of serum in different parts of the body. Stomach complaints, and diarrhoea, seem to have abated in their violence as well as in their frequency of occurrence in practice. The other complaints, except catarrh and cynanche tonsillaris, seem also to have abated. These, however, probably from the damp and cold weather, are still to be met with of very considerable severity,

The prevailing complaints then of the present month seem to be chin-cough, catarrh, cynanche tonsillaris, abscesses, ulcers, and dropsical effusions.

Of

Of the first three of these complaints I have previously said enough, both with regard to their nature and treat

ment.

With regard to the abscesses and ulcers, they have appeared rather more plentiful than I recollect to have seen them in practice. Although there can be little doubt that the existence of these affections is owing, in general, to the previous inflammatory state of the system, yet, from the comparative mildness of that inflammatory state during the winter, probably there may be some other cause of the nature and particular influence of which we are not so well acquainted. For if it were alone owing to such an inflammatory diathesis, the present state of such ulcers, &c. would be milder than usual, rather than, as is evident, their appearing in an aggravated degree. Other seasons too, when the inflammatory state of the system prevailed in a very great degree, were not so certainly followed by such ulcers, &c. as on the present occasion, when, from that circumstance, we had reason to expect the appearance of such affections. This is one among the many reasons which obtrude themselves upon us, and which show the necessity of particular rather than general reasoning respecting these points, Though certainly, perhaps in all complaints,' as well as in the plans by which they ought to be removed, there are certain general and perhaps invariable circumstances attending them; yet attention to these alone, and a neglect of other occasional occurrences, have often been productive of the most fatal consequences. It is owing to this, that attention to the existing circumstances will often enable us to be successful practitioners, when the contrary will often involve us in embarrassments and perplexities from which we can only extricate ourselves with the great est difficulty.

When the ulcers then appear in an apparently sound and vigorous person, they are usually easily remedied by simple means; but in debilitated and scrofulous habits the difficulty in their removal seems to have been proportioned to the existing derangement, In the first, cleanliness, simple dressings, with occasionally the internal use of bark and wine, have entirely removed them in a short time; but in the latter, more active measures were absolutely necessary. I have elsewhere suggested a plan for the removal of such affections; and in the present instance I find it invariably to answer my most sangue expectations, What I allude to is, the internal use of cantharides, of the successful application of which I formerly inserted some remarks in this Journal, To them I

now

now refer my readers; but in a distinct publication, the printing of which is about finished, I have entered still more fully into a consideration of this important subject.

The other most prevalent complaint is dropsy, of which various cases have occurred in practice. This disease indeed had, seemingly in every form, been gradually ap proaching from the very commencement of the month; and although there are various cases both of ascites and hydrothorax, yet the most generally prevailing form of the complaint is that of anasarca. The majority of the cases, in whatever form they appeared, were removable by small and repeated doses of supertartrite of potass, pills composed of calomel and squills, and tincture of cantharides. Some of them, however, in the form of hydrothorax, or in that of ascites, required that the fluid should be removed by surgical means; yet, even then, the medicines now. mentioned were obliged to be continued after the operation for a considerable length of time.

In one case of ascites, after every internal medicine was employed without producing any remarkably beneficial] effects, the operation was attempted; but to the mortification of the surgeon, who never before had performed an operation of the kind, no fluid followed on withdrawing the trocar. It was again introduced at a different part, but was still unsuccessful. The patient continued to labour under his accumulating miseries for about a week more, when he died. On dissection, the causes of the. failure were evident, for the fluid had collected in cysts, to which the trocar could not reach. Besides this, the whole abdominal viscera seemed one mass of disease.

Princes Street.

INTELLIGENCE.

The Editors of the Medical and Physical Journal have the pleasure to inform their Readers, that the "Bill for the improvement of the Medical and Surgical and Veterinary Sciences, and for regulating the practice thereof," will be introduced into Parliament at the commencement of next Session, with every prospect of success. The Editors have further to observe, that although the several important objects of the Plan will be accomplished, they have good reason to believe, that no tax of any kind 's intended to be imposed upon the present race of medical men. It was originally proposed to build the School of Physic, and otherwise improve Medical Science, by calling upon the Members of the Profession, who are not of the Corporate Bodies, for an equivalent,

in lieu of the admission fine; and this would, it must be admitted have been an equitable assessment. However, through the indefatigable exertions of the chief promoter of the scheme, and the liberality of government, it is now confidently expected, that all the objects of the Bill will be obtained on principles the most liberal towards the Profession at large. This subject is to be resumed in a future Number, when the further proceedings shall be communicated more in detail.

There have been vaccinated at the eight different stations of the National Vaccine Establishment in the Metropolis, 1493 persons; and the Directors have very lately found it expedient to establish a ninth station in the populous parish of Spital-Fields. The demand for the charges of vaccine fluid has been progressively increasing for several months, and since the last statement, the number of them delivered amounts to 16,749; which affords a strong presumption, that the practice of Vaccination is becoming more and more extended; an inference abundantly confirmed by the accounts which have been transmitted to the Board from all parts of the empire.

There is now a boy, eight years old, in Old Gravel Lane, who is recovering from small-pox, which he has had pretty severely a second time. The first time was about three years ago, when he caught them, together with his sister, from a child who was ino culated in the house where they dwelt. The boy and girl both sickened together, both had a plentiful eruption, were both blind during the disease, and were marked by the pustules. what source the boy has now taken them cannot be ascertained, but the pustules are very numerous, and have gone through complete maturation, as on the former occasion. The girl remains uninfected.

From

Mr. de Luc has invented a machine which he denominates the Electric Column, and which, by some of our natural philosophers, is considered the most important discovery in the science of electricity, since that of the Voltaic pile. He is preparing an account of it for publication.

An improved method of preparing phosphorus bottles. The phosphorus being carefully dried by filtering paper, cut a thin slice, divide it into as many pieces as can expeditiously be done, and introduce each piece into a small bottle, with as much lime as will surround it. Lime slaked in the air and submitted to a strong red heat, in a black lead crucible, for twenty minutes, is in a good state for the purpose. The bottle, when full, may be exposed, corked, to the radiant heat of a fire, till some of the pieces of phosphorus have assumed an orange tint. It will then be ready for immediate use. But the heating is not necessary, if the bottle is not wanted for immediate use, and it will continue longer in a serviceable state. In using the bottle, the mouth should be closed as the match is withdrawn. Bottles thus prepared continue serviceable four or five months, though very frequently used. Mr.