life, also to cure the sick; also mercury for the same purposes. The knife is used to take the lifeblood of animals, to sustain life. The lance is used to save the life of the sick-to restore that same principle that the knife is used to take away. The Under these considerations, we think the materia medica useless to the Thomsonian practitioner, as they take away what we wish to restore. Thomsonian system of medicine is, thank God, founded on no such system of philosophy." The committee, it is well known, are not physicians, and of course cannot be expected to combat this theory. They must be pardoned, however, for not giving their assent to a theory, the proof of which could only be obtained by long experience and close observation of every variety of disease, and by the performance of the nicest and most scrutinizing anatomical inspections, operations and dissections. This class of physicians scout anatomy, as to them a useless science; they do not bleed, because the lancet is steel and the assassin's knife is steel, and you must not say they use that tool to cure, which may be used to kill. By a parity of reasoning, a boil, or an abscess, or a blood blister, must not be opened, because the tool by which the operation is performed is composed of the same material as a deadly weapon. How can the man who has only looked on the surface of a human being, tell what is the cause of disease? What obstruction can he discover? Is lock-jaw, or tic doloureux, or gout, or rheumatism, or the toothach, occasioned by obstruction? if so, what obstruction? It is an internal obstruction, if obstruction at all; and as dissections are unknown and anatomy useless, the theory must be founded on mere guess work, and according to all philosophic rules, is entitled to no credit. (To be concluded in the next number.) BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. Transactions of the Medical Society of New York.' This part of the transactions comprises, 1. the conclusion of the statistics of the Medical Colleges of the United States, by Dr. T. Romeyn Beck; 2. the annual address on improvements in medicine, by Dr. Laurens Hull; 3. report of a committee of the society on the subject of medical education; 4. Prize dissertation on diseases of the spinal column, by Dr. Nathan S. Davis; 5. Address before the Chenango county Medical Society, by Dr. Wm. D. Purple; and 6. case of sudden death from rupture of the spermatic veins, by Dr. James McNaughton. The appendix contains an abstract of the proceedings of the society at its annual session, February, 1840, and a list of officers of the county medical societies. 'Transactions of the Medical Society of the state of New York, Vol. iv., Part 3. 8vo. pp. 190. Albany, 1840. Philadelphia Hospital. (Concluded from page 59.) Summary of Cases treated in the Women's Hospital, Blockley, from January 1st, 1839, to January 1st, 1840. Total number for the year admitted in Women's Medical Wards, 316. Of the above 48 were coloured. Total number for the year admitted to Women's Surgical Wards, 339. Of the above 46 were coloured. Married, 214; Single, 102. Intemperate, 213; Moderate, 70; Temperate, 33. Married, 136; Single, 203. Intemperate, 215; Moderate, 71; Temperate, 53. MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. Medical College of Philadelphia.-In conformity with provisions of the charter of Incorporation of the Medical College of Philadelphia, the following officers have been duly elected : President.-Thomas H. Hewson, M. D. Vice Presidents.-Thomas Harris, M. D., Charles D. Meigs, M. D. Corresponding Secretary.-John Bell, M. D. Recording Secretary.-Joseph Warrington, M. D. Board of Examiners.—For one year.-Jacob Randolph, M. D., Charles D. Meigs, M. D. For two years.-D. F. Condie, M. D., Robt. Bridges, M. D. For three years.-Reynell Coates, M. D., Caspar W. Pennock, M. D. Poisoning with Colchicum.-A Quack Aurist.'-The following case is interesting in a twofold manner; it affords an example of poisoning by colchicum, and illustrates the recklessness with which quack pretenders to medicine sacrifice human life to their selfish ends : A wine merchant, 50 years of age, of strong constitution, had been long subject to deafness. By chance the prospectus of a quack aurist was placed in his hands, in which prospectus a prompt and certain cure of his infirmity was promised. He immediately repaired to the aurist's, who prescribed a potion containing colchicum, and some other, but less active, drugs. M-took of the potion, as he had been directed, a spoonful every half hour, and soon felt its effects; the suffering produced was extreme, but the aurist, when informed, said that it would soon pass away. Under this assurance, the unfortunate man continued to drink the potion, to the last drop, and then fell into the most alarming state. A physician was now consulted, but before any remedy could be administered, the man was dead. He had taken, in three days, more than half an ounce of colchicum root. The living Skeleton. From a notice of the sittings of the Royal Society of Medicine, of Bordeaux, published in Froriep's Notizen, October, 1839, it appears that the man, Ambrose Claude Saurat, who, some of our readers may remember, was exhibited in this country about 15 years since, is still a living skeleton. He has lately been carefully examined by the Royal Society at Bordeaux. From their description of him it appears, that except in a partial loss of the use of his extremities, his condition has not materially changed. He can still breathe freely, and has no particular pain about the chest. He digests well, and never has diarrhoea, though he is sometimes constipated. His appetite is tolerably good, but he eats little, and adopts a very regular regimen. He prefers the flesh of young animals, and avoids pickled meat, wine, and spirits. His daily consumption of food is only 12 ounces. Saurat's intellectual faculties are still good: but his memory has decreased for many years. His sexual appetite is still undeveloped, and he bas never had any intercourse with women. He enjoys quietude, and has no cares or mental suffering. He often has singular dreams; in which he hears music, and thinks he is actively exerting himself. He sweats profusely at night, and especially after drinking cold lemonade. He cannot bear a dull heavy atmosphere; but the climate of Italy exactly suited him. The deformity of his hands and feet (and he can now neither walk nor 1 Journal de Chimie, December, 1839, and London Lancet, April 4, 1840, p. 62. * Lond. Med. Gaz, April 24, 1840, p. 207. |