and we believe, that it is still considered (though not so much talked of as at that time,) as one of the most effectual remedies in that particular species of dropsy called ascites.

We have had occasion to be well pleased with the elaterium in several instances, and have lately seen it display such virtues, that we cannot forbear concisely laying the case before our readers. M. M'H a woman somewhat of a cachectic temperament had not been long cured of an intermittent, when she became dropsical to a considerable extent.-Ascites and anasarca combined, with some oppression occasionally in the chest, not unlike hydrothorax. Cream of tartar and jalap, and other purgatives, with squills, and now and then a little calomel, combined with diuretic drinks, &c. failed to make the slightest impression upon her. Digitalis was then faithfully tried for some time, with some slight advantage, but no permanent utility. Recourse was finally had to elaterium, given in half-grain doses, and from the very first dose, she discharged copious watery stools, and abundance of urine, and in a few days was considerably reduced in the abdomen and legs. She has continued since that time to improve, and we have hopes that eventually we shall completely cure the disease.

It may be proper to state, that in the commencement of the disease, while she was taking the squills, with frequent purges, she was delivered of a child (between 6 and 7 months) about 10 inches long, and altogether the most feeble living being we have ever seen: it did not however, live many days. Whether the medicines were the cause of the abortion we cannot say, but consider it a duty on the part of physicians, when relating a case, to tell the whole truth." The delivery had little effect on the disease; a few days after, it was again extending, and as soon as propriety would allow, we resumed our treatment.

Although we do not approve of all that is said in the following communication,

nor altogether of the manner, yet there is undoubtedly much truth in many of the observations;-on this account we give it admission, and hope it may lead to further remarks from other practitioners. There is one point in which we cordially agree, viz. that much of the, quackery existing amongst us, does actually arise from the physician not keeping his own medicines, and employing his own pupils to prepare his prescriptions.-This was universally the case formerly, so that an apothecary was scarcely known amongst us:-the physicians indeed imported their own medicines; and pharmacy was much better understood by them, than at present; their students became practically acquainted with the business, and unquestionably much to their advantage and to that of their patients.-At present the number of apothecaries far exceeds that of the physicians; and the charges to the patient are infinitely augmented.-We should be glad to see a revival of this good old custom, and we are persuaded it would go far, as our correspondent suggests, to destroy much of the quackery that exists amongst us.-As it is, many apothecaries now prescribe themselves, and thus encroach on the province of the physician, without having gone through those previous studies which are essential to qualify them for so doing. Another evil of no small magnitude, is that of leading to a coalition between some physicians and the apothecary, the former of whom receive a per centage on all the prescriptions sent by them to the shop of the latter.

GENTLEMEN,

The object of your paper being the advancement of medical science as well as the suppression of any improprieties committed by those exercising it lawfully, I hope that you will not be averse to publishing a few remarks upon that widely extended evil, Quackery or Empiricism. It is well known that for the last 20

years, memorials have been annually presented to our legislature for the purpose of preventing any person practising medicine or any of its branches without having gone through a regular course of studies. At the last session this memorial passed both houses, but our governor's signature was withheld in consequence of his supposing that it would be agreeable to the illiterate portion of the inhabitants of this state to employ those very modest and learned quacks who profess to cure every disease with which we are afflicted with their universal and long desired remedy. The great differences observed in diseases, the age of the patients, their constitution, sex and mode of living offer no impediment to the employment of their gigantic, and in their own opinion, infallible remedy.

Within the few last years dozens of panaceas have shown their faces to the world, promising to give health, and carry us back to those days when disease was little known; still by recurring to the public journals it will be seen that the number of deaths has not in the slightest degree decreased.

It was bad enough while this pernicious custom was confined to those persons, who could have the impudence and folly to suppose that they had been gifted with supernatural talents, and that it was left for them to discover that elixer by which life was to be preserved to an indefinite period; but now that the practice of prescribing is rapidly gaining ground with our apothecaries, (some of whom ought to have more sense than to put themselves upon a level with the most common quack,) it becomes the duty of every physician to adopt some method that may arrest this growing evil. Why is it that we have more quacks in our state than in any other? The answer, I believe, consists in the simple fact, that in every other state physicians keep their own medicines. Let this prac tice be adopted in our city and I will venture to assert that in a few years there will be a perceptible change. There is no doubt that the adoption of this plan

will be favourably received by the en lightened part of the community as they then would be certain of procuring the best medicines.

Perhaps it might not be proper to sug gest the propriety of young physician's bleeding and drawing teeth.

I have made these few observations for the benefit of the younger members of the profession, and although I cannot expect that the above plan will get into general use in one year, yet by perseverance it will gradually but firmly advance to that extent, that nothing will be able to alter it, as by that time it will be discovered that it is the only rational mode of proceeding. That these changes may take place, and the young physicians derive from them great advantages is the anxious desire of their sincere friend and the public's well wisher.

AN OLD PRACTITIONER.

Wallace, daughter of Mr. Joseph Wallace, aged 38, after an uncommonly painful and distressing illness of eight years, which she bore with almost unequalled patience and christian meekness; and died in a strong hope of a blessed immortality. Her disease was of a singular nature and of a very uncommon magnitude. The body was examined after her physicians, and was found to be a Scirrhus death, in presence of several neighbouring enlargement of the ovaria. The left ovarium weighed 80 lbs; the right do. do. 10 lbs. 10 oz.; two excrescences attached near the ovaria, 3 lbs.; water computed at 48 lbs. Whole weight of disease, 141 lbs. 10 oz.

Died at Milford, Mass. Miss Margaret B.

NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS. Having continued the Register now through more than the fourth part of the year, subscribers are respectfully informed, that after the present number, none will be forwarded to those who have not complied with the terms of subscription. It is impossible to pursue a is involved, unless that part of the contract work of this kind, in which constant expense

which is connected with the subscribers, is punctually fulfilled.—The trouble of collecting such small amounts more than equals any advantage which the publisher realizes.

1283 Andronicus 2, Emperor John, son of Zacchary, 1343 Death of Robert of An

of the East.

surnamed Actuarius.[

1285 Philip le Bel, king of Bernard Gordon,-Ar

France.

jou, king of Naples.

noldde Villanova. 1344 Death of Wm. Occam. 1287 Third invasion of the First appearance in 1346 Battle of Cressy.

1295

Monguls into Poland.

underLescus le-Noir.

Europe of the Plica

polonica.

John, king of Bohemia.

Lanfranc goes to Paris. 1347 University of Prague.

-Death of Roger

Bacon, and of Thad

deus of Florence.

Simon of Cordo.

1298 Council of Wurtzburg. Theodoric, bishop of

1302

1304 Birth of Petrarch.

1305

1306

Cervia.

1349

William of Varignana. 1363

William Baufet, bishop 1365

of Paris, and physi

cian to the king of

France.

1308 Henry 7, Emperor of Torrigians.

1311

Germany-Death of Duns Scot.

1312 Council of Vienna.

·

Garbo.

Birth of Guarin of Verona.

1371 Gerard Groot founds

1314 Louis of Bavaria, Em-John of Gaddesden.-1374 Death of Petrarch. peror of Germany.

The necessary conditions are fixed, by which a cure should be deemed miraculous, and the physician canonized. Epidemic Dance of St. Guy on the borders of the Rhine.--St. Catharine of Sienna. Permission granted to the School of Montpelier to open dead bodies.

Amphitheatre

for 1376

dissections.--Death

1316 Barlaam.

John Sanguinaceus re

garded as a sorcerer. 1378 Venceslas, Emperor of

Death of Peter of Aba- 1382 Discovery of Gunpow

no.

1320

1322 General Chapter of the Minorites at Pérouse.

1325

1327

Death of Mondini. Death of Dinus of Garbo, and St. Roch.

1328 Philip de Valois, king Francis of Piedmont.

of France.

der by Barthold Schwarz.

1384 University of Vienna. 1385 University of Heidel

berg.

1386 Birth of Ambrose Tra

versari.

MEMORANDA.

Boston.-36 deaths for the week ending Oct. 9.-Consumption 4, Dysentery 2, Fevers 7.

New York.-76 deaths for the week ending Oct. 16.-Consumption 10, Dropsies 10, Fevers 5, Hives 4, Small Pox 2.

Camden, (N. J) The Small Pox is here. Baltimore.-21 deaths for the week ending Oct. 18, Bilious and other fevers 5, Consumption 3.

Charleston.-30 deaths from Oct. 3, to Oct. 10.-Yellow Fever 17. No death reported on the 11th. The physians seem to have escaped wonderfully. Three deaths Oct. 12. Three Oct. 13. Three Oct. 14.

Thermometer, (3 P. M.) Oct. 3, and sucing days, as follows; 73°: 75°: 76°: 75°: 73°: 730: 75°:

Savannah.-9 deaths for the week ending Oct. 12, Fevers 7.

New Orleans.-The yellow fever still rages with unusual malignancy carrying off natives as well as strangers! 8 or 10 of the physi

cians have fallen victims to it this season. On the 17th, 18th, and 19th of Sept. there were 32 interments.-Eleven on the 20th and 21st.

Twenty-two on the 22d and 23d. eight on the 24th, 25th and 26th.

Thirty

Thermometer, (2 P. M.)-from Sept. 19, as follows; 82o: 84o: 85o: 81°: 78°. 770: 790. Key West.-On the 28th of Sept. the sick had become convalescent, and the general health of the place seemed much improved.

England.-A gentleman who died lately, at the age of 90 years, had for 50 years kept his coffin by him, and used it as a cupboard!

A Dr. Napier had opened his veins in 5 places, and bled himself to death!

Prussia.-By a calculation lately made in Hufeland's Journal, it appears, that in 10 years, 1666 cases of Hydrophobia had occurred in the Prussian monarchy! The cases were much more numerous in some provinces than in others. Dr. H. accounted for this by the circumstance, that the provinces, where they most occurred, are contiguous to forests containing wolves, as those of Poland, Prussia, and the Ardennes.

NECROLOGY.

Dr. John Owen, Baltimore.

Dr. John D. Armstrong, U. S. N.-KeyWest.
Dr. John L. Smith, Cape May.

Dr. Asa B. Hillyer, Orange County, (N. J.)
Dr. Dabney, Montgomery, (Alab.)
Dr. Wm. Withers, Sussex County, (Va.)

The Phrenological Society met at their Hall on Thursday, Oct. 14. The attendance was not so general as was expected-owing to the meetings concerning the Washington monument taking place the same evening. A report from the "Committee on Casts" was read,--several new members proposed--busts, casts, &c. presented to the Society, and some interesting desultory conversation indulged in. It is expected that at their next meeting, an interesting Lecture of a General Nature, will be delivered, by a member.

We are glad to observe that more attention is paid to this subject than formerly, not only in Europe, but in this country;--lectures are to be delivered at the New York Athenæum, and such is its interest in Great Britain, that a Quarterly Journal upon the subject is published at Edinburgh. The more it is studied,

impartially, and without prejudice, the more does it seem to gain ground.

Flannel.-As the season is near at hand,

in which this article of clothing is resumed by those who lay it aside during the summer, it may be as well to remind them, that when worn next to the skin, the almost invariable practice of keeping it on by night as well as by day, is not only unnecessary, but injurious, and that thereby, much of its usefulness is lessened. There is no danger of taking cold, and we soon become accustomed to any unpleasant feeling attending the change.

Tape Worm.-The flowers of a plant called Kotz, in Abyssinia, infused in water, in the proportion of zv of the flowers to one pint of water, are said to be the most effectual remedy known in this disease. The information comes from Dr. Brayer, who resided for some time at Constantinople. The plant is said to belong to the Rosacea, approaching in its chaacter to Agrimony.

Parotid Gland.-M. Beclard in the summer of 1823, extirpated this, which was scirrbous, ulcerated, and much enlarged: the disease had existed for 8 years. In a few days, deafness ensued-on the 12th rigors, followed by heat and fever-then phlegmonous erysipilas, and delirium, afterwards succeeded by mental alienation. The patient died, maniacal, 3 months and 3 weeks after the operation. M. Weinhold says, he has removed it in 3 different cases with success.

PUBLISHED (EVERY THURSDAY) BY ROBERT DESILVER. At $3 per annum, payable in advance.

ARS LONGA,

VITA BREVIS

VOL. I.

AVICENNA, THE WRITER OF A ROMANCE.

It may appear at first sight extraordinary, that in a paper particularly devoted to medical pursuits, the editors should think of introducing a Romance of former times.-To physicians this will probably be deemed an acceptable treat, when we inform them that it has been ascribed to a celebrated father in medicine, the illustrious Avicenna, who lived nearly 900 years ago;-(he was born A.D. 978, and was called the prince of Arabian physicians.)-It is entitled "The History of Hai, son of Jokdan, and may be considered as a very singular Arabian Romance. It is translated into Persian, Turkish, and even into Latin, by the learned Pococke, who attributed it to an Arabian, named Abougiafar.-Without undertaking to vouch for any part of these different opinions, we shall merely state, that writers of the last century seem to have made this the unacknow

No. 21.

ledged ground-work of some of their fictions. As given by Pococke, it is entitled "Philosophus auto-didactus" (self-taught philosopher,) and from it the following outline is taken.

"Haï had no mother,-he arose out of the earth, heated and fecundated by the solar rays, and thus sprang into life, on a desert island, wherein at the moment of his birth, no human being existed; but there were animals, and he was nourished by a goat.-When he attained the age of reason, his natural lights, the view of nature, and his reflections on all that he saw, led him by degrees, to a knowledge of his proper existence; afterwards to suspect, and even to believe in that of God; and finally to have some idea of good and evil, both physical and moral; to conclude that we should seek the one, and avoid the other, and that there ought to be punishments and rewards for those who led a good or wicked life. He ceived that he was bound by certain duties to looked upon animals as his society, and conthem, until he knew of beings similar to himself, towards whom his duties would be more extensive.-Hai is thus shewn to have made