in the spinal cord; and recently a distinguished anatomist in Holland regards it as an affection of the medulla oblongata. Professor Van der Kolk, just referred to, is the author of a work entitled, "The Minute Structure and Functions of the Spinal Cord and Medulla Oblongata, and on the Proximate Cause and Rational Treatment of Epilepsy," a translation of which has recently been published by the new Sydenham Society of London. As a deduction from the minute structure and functions of the medulla oblongata, he concludes that this part of the nervous system is the point of departure for the centric influences, giving rise to epileptic and other convulsions. But he also claims to have ascertained, by the examination of this part after death in several cases of epilepsy, that it is the seat of certain morbid alterations, viz. enlargement of the capillary vessels, hardening from an albuminous exudation, and sometimes softening from fatty degeneration. His pathology of the disease is that, in the first place, it consists in an abnormal sensibility and excitability of the medulla oblongata, and hence, various eccentric influences may excite epileptic paroxysms. Then, as results of the congestions incident to the repetitions of the paroxysms, the organic changes just mentioned occur-the vessels first becoming dilated, and afterwards exudation and fatty degeneration taking place.

I give this as the most recent endeavor to localize the morbid condition in epilepsy, and define its pathological character. The minute, careful, and extended observations of the author entitle his conclusions to respectful consideration. Whether they have advanced our knowledge of the pathology of the disease, remains to be determined by further researches. Assuming the correctness of the views held by Professor Van der Kolk, they are not without practical value. They indicate the importance of combating by local measures the state of morbid sensibility and excitability in the medulla oblongata before a sufficient number of paroxysms have occurred to lead to the structural changes which he describes. In this case the disease has existed already for three years, and it may reasonably be inferred that these changes have already taken place. Nevertheless, I have caused a seton to be inserted high up in the neck, a measure which Professor Van der Kolk advises.

With regard to the treatment of epilepsy, I will simply say that I am not prepared to advocate any remedy or remedies as specially applicable. Some years ago, a French author of a prize essay on the subject, Herpin, reported several cases in which the oxide of zinc had apparently effected a cure, when prescribed early in the disease and continued in pretty large doses for a considerable period. I adopted this treatment in several cases in which the disease had not been of long duration, and carried it out faithfully and perseveringly, but without any good result; hence, I did not feel sufficient encouragement to try the lactate of zinc, which the same author subsequently advocated as a more efficient remedy than the oxide.

The coexistence of epilepsy and disease of the heart, in this case, renders the prognosis even more grave than if the latter existed alone. The disturbance of the circulation of the heart's action incident to the epileptic convulsions, renders them not devoid of danger; and it would not be surprising if he should die in one of the paroxysms.

Note. This lecture was delivered Oct. 30. Since the lecture was in type the patient has died, and the autopsy was made the subject of a lecture, Dec. 27. Two days before death, several epileptical convulsions occurred, the first that had occurred after the delivery of the lecture. Prior to this the condition of the patient had improved, and after the recurrence of the epilepsy, dyspnoea became a prominent symptom, but the mode of dying was mainly by asthenia.

The heart was enlarged, weighing sixteen and a half ounces. Both auricles were greatly dilated. The right ventricle was dilated, the walls three eighths of an inch in

thickness. The left ventricle was hypertrophied, walls seven-eighths of an inch in thickness, and the cavity contracted.

The curtains of the mitral valve were united at their sides, leaving a slit like a button-hole. The orifice was so much contracted that the end of the little finger could not be passed through it. A small patch of calcareous deposit existed on the auricular aspect of the valve, none elsewhere. The aortic valves were somewhat thickened and contracted, but they must have been nearly sufficient. The valves of the right side of the heart were normal.

The foramen ovale was closed. The vena cava were greatly dilated.

The right lung was firmly attached by old adhesions. This lung was everywhere deeply congested, and in several patches blood was infiltrated (Pulmonary apoplexy).

Reports of Hospitals.

BUFFALO GENERAL HOSPITAL.

TRACHEOTOMY IN CROUP, DEATH.-FRACTURE OF SKULL, TREPHINING, DEATH.

BY JULIUS F. MINER, M.D., ATTENDING Surgeon.

Case 1.-Croup, Tracheotomy, Death.-A little girl six and a half years old, of previous good health, was noticed early Wednesday morning to be very hoarse, and to breathe with some difficulty. At ten o'clock, she was admitted to the medical ward, under Dr. Wyckoff, with the following symptoms:-Skin moist; pulse 120 per minute; speaks only in whisper; dyspnoea very great; slight cough; general redness of the fauces, with no appearance of false membrane. Dr. W. prescribed sulphate of zinc and ipecac as an emetic, which operated very soon, affording not the slightest relief. I was now invited to see the child with Dr. Wyckoff. We regarded the case as exceedingly unpromising, and as affording very little if any prospect of relief from medical treatment. Tracheotomy was proposed, as offering the only remaining hope, slight indeed and hardly to be entertained; we advised pulvis ipecac et opii, and sulph. quiniæ, two grains each every four hours, and appointed four o'clock P. M., for again visiting the child. For this was the true time to operate, if at all, as every hour was diminishing our chances of success, yet we reluctantly determined to delay for the purpose of obtaining the advice and assistance of our colleagues.

Four o'clock, P. M.-Respiration more difficult, pulse more rapid and feeble; surface livid, and all the indications of approaching death from asphyxia. About seven o'clock, the child being under the influence of chloroform, assisted by several members of the Hospital Staff and Medical Students, I proceeded to the operation of tracheotomy. The struggles of the child, constant rapid motion of the trachea, the profuse hæmorrhage, the effects of the chloroform, and other circumstances greatly embarrassed the operation, and when at length the tube was introduced, it immediately filled with the membranous product which you here see, three or four inches in length completely filling the tube and necessitating its removal. Again it was replaced, and we had the pleasure of seeing our little patient breathe with ease and comfort; on Thursday morning, we found our patient very comfortable, breathing with great ease, taking water, beef essence, &c., and appearing cheerful and hopeful; hopes were now entertained of her recovery. In the afternoon, respiration became more frequent, pulse more feeble, and the rapidly increasing prostration, with evidences of bronchial inflammation, pointed too certainly to a fatal termination. She died thirty hours after the operation, and I here present you the morbid specimens, which afford points of great interest and importance. The inflammatory

exudation was so profuse and abundant as to completely fill the trachea, as if moulded into it. Below the point where the tube was introduced, there was observed a more recent formation, or product. The first was removed at the time of the operation, but it was afterwards renewed and extended into the minutest bronchial tubes, which we were able to trace. This exudation was more extensive than I have ever seen. The rapidity with which the effusion takes place, and its extension over large surfaces, are characteristics of the croupous exudation.

Prof. Rochester has examined some of this effusion under the microscope, and reports that it is the common croupous exudation.

Case 2.-Depressed Fracture of the Skull-Trephining— Recovery.-Thomas Ley, 26 years, admitted December 5. He had fallen from the cars on the Central Railroad, while in full motion. The frontal bone was fractured and driven down upon the brain with scalp, hair, dirt, etc., etc. He was insensible, breathing slowly and stertorously, had convulsions before my arrival at hospital, and was supposed to be dying; had vomited the contents of stomach with large quantities of blood. By using the trephine we made a clean opening in the skull, and carefully removed from the brain structure, large quantities of bone, dirt, &c., with at least one ounce of brain matter, which was so bruised as to be taken off with the removal of foreign matter. During this operation he had a severe convulsion, and I delayed the work, thinking him about dead. The fracture extended to the longitudinal sinus on the one side, below to the orbital plate, and we had the skull removed for a space about three inches by two. Most of the fragments of bone and foreign matter were removed from over the orbital plate. Hemorrhage was profuse, but abated somewhat upon the application of water dressing, and a light bandage. His respiration gradually became more easy and natural, and he appeared to rally a little, growing warm, and showing approaching reaction. The next day he told us his name; the day after he gave his father's name and place, since which time he has answered all questions slowly by speech, or by very deliberate motion or sign. All the functions of the brain and organic life are properly and naturally performed without apparent loss of power, while yet quite a large portion of brain substance is wanting. It is very remarkable that this injury did not produce immediate death from concussion, causing suspension of all nervous influence, but having escaped this, the sources of danger are yet very numerous, a few of which I will mention. Compression would seem sufficient to certainly cause death in a very short time. Hemorrhage, from which he also escaped, though it was profuse, and continued in some degree for several days. Loss of brain substance, which, as I have said, seems in this case to be no great loss after all. Fungus, from which, at one time, it seemed certain he would suffer, disappeared upon careful compression. Inflammation with effusion or disorganization is also to be greatly feared. Pyæmia, purulent absorption, and infiltration with formation of abscesses in other and distant organs. The very abundant discharge, depression of nervous energy, disinclination for food, and other influences greatly increase the danger of exhaustion. I have attempted only to give a brief account of the nature and extent of this injury, interesting mainly as showing the remarkable powers of nature.*

BROOKLYN CITY HOSPITAL.

EPILEPSY-DEPRESSED BONE-DEATH.

[Reported by H. W. BOONE, M.D., Resident Physician.]

MARY K., aged 30, German, a domestic. Admitted Jan. 22, with a note from a physician, who stated that at three P.M. yesterday she was taken with an epileptic convulsion,

January 6th, 1861. This patient is nearly well, sitting at table, and eating dinner, when I visited the hospital to-day.

followed by others, which occurred at short intervals, but without return of consciousness. These continued frequent from seven to nine P.M., when chloroform was administered by inhalation. This reduced their frequency, and at twelve she was in a sound sleep, but soon became restless, but still was unconscious. Treatment:-mustard sinapisms to lower extremities, and stimulating enemata. Vomited at six this morning. Ten A.M.-Ol. tiglii gt. i. On examination after admission a large scar was found on the forehead, which looked as if it had been the result of a compound fracture with depression of bone. A stimulating enema was given, and in half-an-hour another, which was followed by copious evacuation. Still no return of consciousness. Respiration stertorous. Face flushed. Pupils normal in size, but insensible to light. Dr. Isaacs having seen her thought an operation unadvisable. The patient was transferred to the medical wards, and sinapisms applied over the spine. Jan. 23.-No improvement. Convulsions as frequent as ever; remained unconscious. Jan. 24.-Has high fever. Ordered tart. ant. gr. every two hours till fever subsides, and hydrg. sub. mur. grs. ii. every four hours. Jan. 25.-Convulsions continued frequent, and strength gradually failed till half-past four A.M., when she died, immediately after one of her paroxysms.

Post-mortem, eight hours after death, proved the existence of fracture of the frontal bone at the point indicated by the old scar, commencing in the right internal angular process of frontal bone, about half an inch external to median line; the fracture extended upwards, parallel to median line, one inch and a half, thence outwards and downwards to the articulation of external angular process, with frontal process of right malar, and through this articulation to external boundary of orbit. The triangular fragment included by the above outline was depressed nearly three-eighths of an inch at its internal border, the external angular process remaining in its normal position. The fracture through the internal table corresponded with that of the external, and extended backwards through the roof of the orbit, which was broken into several fragments. On the internal surface a ridge of bone one and a half inches in length, half an inch in breadth, and a quarter of an inch in depth, was found along the perpendicular line of fracture pressing on the brain. The brain was healthy, except that portion which lay upon the ridge of bone just described. At this point softening of the brain was unmistakable. It was found after the death of the patient that she received the injury six months before, and that she never had convulsions previous to her last illness.

COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS.
PROF. PARKER AND MARKOE'S CLINIC.
December 81, 1860.

DR. MARKOE.

EPILEPSY THE RESULT OF INJURY TO THE SKULL-TREPHINING CURE.-CARIES OF RIB-SUB-PERIOSTEAL ABSCESS. CASE XX. Epilepsy the Result of Injury, etc.-Ann M., æt. sixteen, fell in the street five years ago, receiving a severe blow upon her head, over the left parietal bone. The skin was not broken at the time of injury, though she remained insensible for two hours; and upon recovering her senses, symptoms of epilepsy began to develope themselves, with mental deterioration, and partial paralysis of the left arm. Two years after the receipt of the injury, the fits of epilepsy increasing in frequency and violence, Dr. Jas. R. Wood trephined her skull, removing a spicula of bone. She has had no fits since the operation, and her paralysis is much better; still the arm is nearly useless, from rigidity of the muscles, which are in a state of chronic contraction. The

joints also are all of them stiffened.

Remarks.-This has been a contusion of the scalp, with simple fracture of the bones of the skull; a spicula of bone

keeping up a constant irritation of the brain, producing the paralysis and epileptic fits. Dr. Wood recognised some persistent source of irritation, which he removed in the operation of trephining, and was so far successful as to remove the cause of the fits; but the inability to use the arm still remains, and may be in part dependent upon the long disuse of the muscles, and the deposition of fibrine about the joints, and tendons of the muscles; or the rough circle of bone left by the trephine, may keep up sufficient irritation to cause this chronic spasm of the muscles. This condition presents a striking contrast to the paralysis caused by pressure upon the brain by a clot of blood, or depressed portion of bone; in which case the muscles are soft and flabby, and the arm hangs powerless by the side.

Treatment. The source of irritation having been removed, it is probable that the patient will regain the use of her arm by recourse to friction and daily exercise.

CASE XXI. Caries of a Rib.—This little boy, who has blue eyes, light hair, and a rather delicate physique, is seven years old. About two months ago, without any apparent existing cause, a tumor showed itself upon the right side of his chest, midway between the nipple and the sternoclavicular articulation. Since then it has gradually enlarged, till it is now nearly two inches in its largest diameter.

Diagnosis. This tumor is either parietal or internal in its origin. Auscultation reveals a perfectly healthy and normal condition of the intra-thoracic organs; it is, then, a parietal growth. It is not developed in the integument, as that structure is perfectly healthy and movable over the tumor, which seems to be continuous with the bone of the third rib. It is surrounded by a hard margin, within which fluctuation is perceptible. This is a case of caries of the rib, resulting in the formation of a sub-periosteal abscess. The matter which is formed at the carious point, pushes out the periosteum, producing a tumor of flattened convex shape, like the crystal of a watch. As this disease progresses, the attempt at repair, which continually goes on around the margin of the diseased part, occasions a deposit of bony matter forming the wall of circumvallation which we feel around the tumor. The most common seat of caries of the rib is near the middle of the bone, the next is near its articulation with the sternal cartilages. It is frequently the result of accident, generally determined by a cachectic condition of the system.

Treatment. It would be the height of impolicy to open an abscess of this description. It is not so much by removal of a carious part as by correction of the cachexia, upon which its condition depends, that we are to obtain relief in these cases. This boy should be warmly clothed, well nourished, and sent, if possible, into the country, where he can have plenty of exercise in the open air. He may also take the iodide of iron internally, joined with external applications of the tinct. of iodine. All local irritation of the part should be carefully avoided, and, at the best, it will be a long time before complete recovery can be expected.

UNIVERSITY MEDICAL COLLEGE.
PROF. METCALFE'S CLINIC.
January 5, 1861.

CONGENITAL MALFORMATION OF THE SEMILUNAR Valves—
REMARKABLE TRANSMISSION of Sound.

CASE IV.-J. V. P., aged 74 years. His parents state that at the time of his birth there was an unusual quickness and force in the heart's action, and that he also breathed very quickly. Their attention being thus called to his condition, they were induced for some reason or other to listen to the chest, when they discovered the existence of a loud rough sound, which accompanied each impulse of the heart. The patient has suffered from scarlet fever and whooping-cough, the latter about two years ago, which has caused an hour-glass contraction" of the chest. His

pulse is 108 and regular, but small; has never been cyanotic. The first thing to be done in suspected heart disease is to see if any prominence of the chest exists; this state of things is noticed upon the left side. The visible impulse of the heart, which should be generally not larger than the end of the finger, extends over a space fully an inch and a half vertically, by two inches horizontally. The apex of the heart should strike about half way between the nipple and the sternum, and in the fifth intercostal space; but in this instance we have it about half an inch to the left of the nipple in the fifth intercostal space, which fact makes it almost certain that the organ is larger than natural. On placing my hand over the left chest, I find that throughout nearly the whole of its anterior portion above the sixth rib, there is a thrill which is also distinctly felt on the right side, an inch beyond the nipple. On auscultation, there is discovered a plainly marked systolic murmur, most intense at the base of the organ. It is audible, however, to a certain extent over the whole of the thorax, on the point of each shoulder, very distinctly throughout the length of the spine, and also down each arm as far as the elbow. Dulness on percussion commences at the lower border of the second rib, and extends down to the fifth intercostal space, embracing a vertical space of four inches; it commences one inch to the right of the median line, and extends as far to the left as the nipple, over a space horizontally fully three and a half inches. From the physical signs which have been developed here, there is no doubt in the first place that the child has hypertrophy of the heart, for you have the increased dulness on percussion, dislocation of the apex upwards and to the left, and also the forcible impulse given to the hand. In looking after the cause of the disease, we have to leave out of the account what we generally look for in older persons, viz. antecedent rheumatism. There can be no doubt that the trouble was congenital, from the straightforward account of the condition of the child at birth. The situation of the maximum intensity of sound at the base of the heart, and the smallness of the arterial pulse, would lead us to infer that there is some obstructive disease of the semilunar valves. The precise nature of the organic disease we would have very little, if any trouble, in determining, provided the patient had suffered previously from rheumatism; this, however, not being the case, we are forced to believe that the cause of the murmur is due to original malformation of the valves, perhaps deficiency. There may be only one valve at the commencement of the aorta. If this latter be admitted, the present condition and progress of the disease can well be accounted for, inasmuch as the left ventricle has more than its share of the work to perform, and hence the hypertrophy. The distance from the heart at which the abnormal sounds are heard is one of the great peculiarities of the disease under consideration. Patients suffering from this congenital trouble are sometimes attacked with rheumatism, and the physician, if he be not careful in arriving at a diagnosis, would be apt to treat as an acute disease one which had existed for years.

The prognosis in these cases is not good for great longevity, though they may live to become adults. In this particular instance the enlargement of the heart is too considerable to promise much. The treatment must be only expectant in character. I have seen several cases of the sort which corresponded exactly, as far as the peculiarity of transmission of sound was concerned, though in neither of them was this feature so marked.

MEDICINE IN PRUSSIA.-The medical Staff of Prussia, according to the last survey, in a population of 17,739,913 inhabitants, amounts to 358 district physicians (these are paid by government shares to attend the poor gratis); 4,327 physicians who have the doctor's degree; 996 surgeons of the first class; 643 of the second class; 6,026 doctors for animals, first and second class; 1,529 the first, and 11,411 midwives.

American Medical Times.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1861.

THE ROLL OF CRIME.

DURING the year 1860, just closed, 116 citizens of the city of New York died by the hand of violence. Of this number, 59 are recorded as homicides, and 57 as suicides.

The problem of the prevention of crime has taxed the genius of the wisest statesmen and the most experienced philanthropists. To this end the penitentiary, the prison, the rack, and the gallows have been established, but as yet without avail in completely restraining the vicious. With reference to homicide this question presents two phases: 1st, The removal of the causes of crime; 2d, The punishment of the criminal. It will surprise no one to learn that on investigation it appears that in the great majority of cases of homicide, intemperance is the cause. In this city, so distinguished for its "rum for the million," it supplies the animus to the criminal, however thoroughly his plans are premeditated, in nine cases out of ten. This fact is so patent to every observer that it needs no illustration at our hands. But one plain, simple, practical question presents itself to the legislator, viz. shall this prolific cause of the most heinous crime known to human society, be removed? On the answer to this question depends the length of our criminal calendar. We are aware that many difficulties tend to complicate its settlement in the affirmative, but we are also aware that these obstacles have been met by other communities, and resolutely overcome. The results of such legislation have always been of the most cheering character. Penitentiaries, prisons, and almshouses have been deprived of their occupants, and even courts have met to adjourn without a cause upon their criminal calendar. No man can doubt that if during the year upon which we have entered, not a drop of spirituous liquor was drunk by the people of this city, our almshouse, hospitals, and prisons would be emptied of nine-tenths of their present number of inmates, and our criminal statistics for the year would be reduced 99 per cent.

In the correction of criminals, the first impulse of government was to appeal to the fear of men, and hence have been instituted the most frightful punishments. While the more simple offences growing out of avarice and kindred propensities were thus checked, the more heinous crimes, which are the result of violent and intensely stimulated passion, received but little restraint. Subsequently a more philosophical study of criminal jurisprudence discovered the fact that vicious men are restrained rather by the certainty, than the severity of punishment. This led to important discriminations in the degrees of crime, and corresponding modifications in the severity of the penalties. This principle should never be lost sight of in legislation for the suppression of crime.

But with the progress of human knowledge and practical Christian philanthropy, new opinions have been formed of man's moral nature, and of his relations to his Creator and his fellow men, which are yet to lead to the most important modifications of our criminal laws. The question, should

not all punishments be so modified as to be reformatory of the individual? is already receiving a practical solution in many States. The final prevalence of the conviction, that the period of restraint of the criminal, should be taken advantage of by the State for his reformation, that he may be returned to society a good citizen, will be the grandest triumph of a Christian civilization.

The prevention of suicide involves also two points, viz. 1st, The removal of its causes; 2d, The removal of the means by which it is accomplished. The alleged causes of suicide are numerous. They are insanity, intemperance, melancholy, disappointment, revenge, &c. If, however, each case were carefully investigated, we doubt not these causes with due discrimination might, for the most part, be reduced to one, viz. insanity. The researches in psychological medicine have established the fact that insanity lurks in the community in concealed forms; while all are cognizant of its sudden development in the perpetration of shocking crimes. There can be no doubt that many who are actively engaged in business, or walk the streets, or mingle in society, have those mental proclivities which the most trifling perturbating causes would so unbalance as to lead to personal violence. Most physicians can recall instances of the self-destruction of persons, who, on reflection, they recollect have exhibited many singular peculiarities to which they did not attach sufficient importance. Towards this class of suicides our profession has a most important duty to perform. They should be more thorough in the investigation of the secret springs of melancholy, disappointment, or other disturbing influences of the mind and passions, and so far as possible remove them. Had this been done in numerous cases recorded in this list, it is evident many lives would have been saved, and much human suffering and misery prevented.

Of the means by which suicide is perpetrated, there is but one class over which we have control, viz. poisons. The law of this state is now sufficiently stringent to prevent the sale of poisons to irresponsible persons, provided it is enforced. But it is a melancholy fact that of these fiftyseven suicides, twenty-four accomplished self-destruction by poisons. On the druggists of New York falls the fearful verdict of TWENTY-FOUR MURDERS IN THE YEAR 1860! What answer have they to make why sentence should not be pronounced?

THE WEEK.

A New York correspondent of a Philadelphia paper, who does up the small medical talk of this city in the bad English characteristic of penny-a-liners, manifests so much solicitude for our welfare that we are constrained to relieve him. We now learn, what was formerly not so apparent, that he had a high appreciation of the "Old New York Journal of Medicine," but he is dubious as to the success which has attended the transfer of its subscription list to the Medical Times. We can assure our lachrymose neighbor, that the experiment has been entirely successful, and we may state now, what we ought to have mentioned on the first of the year, that though the New York Journal of Medicine had one of the largest medical subscription lists in the country, that list has more than doubled during the last six months, and at its present rate of increase will quadruple before the first of July next. He is also grieved that the editorials of the Times are so uncommonly

heavy;" a similar, and quite as significant remark was once made by a blasted, upright ear of wheat, to a neighbor, bowed with the weight of ripened grain. Finally, he is perplexed to understand (no great novelty in his case, we are confident) why the TIMES is so slow in reporting the proceedings of Medical Societies. We will explain to our obtuse friend, that the following has been a sufficient reason with us for this delay: If the proceedings of our medical societies are of any scientific value, they are worth the labor of a careful preparation and revision by the societies, or at least by the members who participate in their discussions, before being placed on permanent record before the medical world. Besides, every person justly desires to have his statements correctly recorded, and we believe that it is entirely unjustifiable in the conductors of medical Journals to report the discussions of societies without proper revision by the members. Now, as our societies meet but once in two weeks, a delay is necessary to obtain the revision of the society; or, if we consult each member separately, a considerable time must elapse. It is no great feat to prepare the trashy reports of medical societies which appear in the daily papers, and elsewhere, the material of which is of such a perishable nature that it would not keep a week. And we commend to this writer and all who are in want of similar reports of our medical societies, these publications. But we can assure the readers of the MEDICAL TIMES, that while we shall make all possible haste to publish the scientific portion of the proceedings of our medical societies, its pages shall never be occupied with ill-digested reports, and discussions of topics of interest only to the society in which they occur.

Ar the annual meeting of the New York Pathological Society, held Wednesday January 9th, 1861, Dr. A. C. POST was elected President, Drs. T. C. FINNELL and D. S. CONANT, Vice-Presidents; Dr. GEO. F. SHRADY, Secretary; and Dr. WM. B. BIBBINS, Treasurer.

Two important bills have been introduced into the Legislature of this State. The first by MR. ROBINSON of the Assembly, relates to the health of New York, Kings, and Richmond Counties, and the waters thereof; the second by MR. MURPHY, of the Senate, creates a Commission of Lunacy, and Inspector of Almshouses. The objects contemplated in these bills are of vital importance, and have been, and still will be, steadily advocated in our columns. Any Health Bill which supplants the present wretched Health Department of this city, and is organized upon a scientific basis, should be supported by every wellwisher of New York, and of his fellow men. It is quite impossible to inaugurate a more contemptibly inefficient system of sanitary surveillance than that which exists at present; indeed, we have nothing to fear in the matter of bad legislation, in regard to our health police. If there is any legislation in this direction, it must be for the better; we only fear that the present, like past legislatures, will leave us another year to the merciless extortions of King Stork. The necessity of establishing a Commission of Lunacy in this State, has been too frequently discussed in our editorial columns, to allow us to suppose our readers uninformed. We hope the physicians of the State will take especial care to urge upon their representatives the importance of this commission.

We have received a pamphlet entitled the Murray Hill

Quarterly. The number contains a variety of sentimental articles, and concludes with advertisements of the preparations of the Proprietors of the Murray Hill Pharmacy, successors to the late H. C. Pridham, 438 Fourth avenue. These advertisements conclude with a recommendation of the firm by Drs. H. S. HEWIT and F. L. HARRIS. These gentlemen disclaim such use of their names. From evidence furnished us it appears that they gave the recommendation supposing that only the most choice pharmaceutical preparations were to be furnished for country physicians. They now believe that their signatures are used to recommend a variety of nostrums, and hence revoke them.

The lesson which this transaction teaches is too plain to be mistaken. Physicians are too prone to allow their names to be used by druggists and others, who finally compromise their position by the base use to which they put them.

We are in the daily receipt of letters from physicians in different parts of the country inquiring for the most recent opinions on Diphtheria, now so wide-spread and fatal. While we shall be able to furnish in the course of this volume a large amount of information upon this subject in addition to the course of special lectures by PROF. CLARK, we would call the attention of those who desire the most recent literature of diphtheria, to the excellent work of DR. GREENHOW, issued to-day by Messrs. Baillière. work has just appeared from the English press. It contains a complete exposition of our present knowledge of the history, pathology, and treatment of this disease by one of the most able British writers on epidemics.

Reviews.

This

PROCEEDINGS AND Debates of tHE FOURTH NATIONAL QUARANTINE AND SANITARY CONVENTION, held in the City of Boston, June 14, 15, and 16, 1860. Reported for the City Council of Boston. Boston: Geo. C. Rand and Avery, City Printers. 1860. 8vo. p. 288.

THIS Volume has been brought out in the usual good style of Boston publishers, and from a hasty glance at its contents we are convinced that one great work was completed, and another and greater work was inaugurated at the Fourth National Sanitary and Quarantine Convention. The vexed questions of quarantine were finally and for ever settled, so far as a voluntary convention of delegates from our Atlantic cities could determine such a settlement; and as a natural sequence of former labors and inquiries, the convention declared its purpose to carry forward the greater enterprise of sanitary improvement in all the cities and towns throughout this country. The special reports made to the convention on questions relating to civic hygiene, exhibit the fact that sanitary questions far more important to life and health than those relating to quarantine, remain to be solved and adjusted.

LIEUT. VIELE'S Report on Civic Cleanliness, and Dr. GUTHRIE'S Report on the Sale of Poisons, elicited much discussion, and left the convention far more questions to examine than were thought of before those reports were read.