de Claubry and others, believe their typhoid and typhus to be absolutely identical: and one of the most recent numbers of the Archives Generale des Mèdicine (for May, 1847,) states that typhoid fever is one of the most irritating questions to the Academy de Medicine, and one on which the opinions of its members are most divided and most in contradiction. Its identity with remittent or bilious fever is also denied, notwithstanding the author admits that "cases having all the essential characters of enteric fever occasionally end in intermittent; and bilious fevers, or affections which cannot be distinguished from them, sometimes show signs of enteric fever during their progress."

The "present work claims to be something more than a mere compilation." The author does not, however, pretend that the facts or opinions advanced are generally original with himself: but that "these materials have for the most part been maturely considered, have been submitted to the closest scrutiny of which he was capable, and have been re-arranged in accordance with his own best judgment." This is certainly the true course for a writer to pursue who desires to prepare a comprehensive treatise which shall do full justice to the subject without undue prolixity. To do justice, however, at the same time, to antecedent and cotemporary writers and observers, by awarding to each the credit of what properly belongs to him, when thus "re-arranging" these materials to suit an author's own judgment, is not so easy a matter; and we regret to find that in the work before us the effort does not seem to have been always made, where early impressions or personal predilections were not strong enough to incite to the task. We think there are many instances overlooked where the writings of American physicians might have been profitably cited, whilst the published opinions of some of the most eminent of the profession, whose names are rarely if at all alluded to in the course of the work, would have given additional interest to its pages.

us.

We have thus cursorily noticed some of the points on which we do not entirely accord with the author in the work before Candor would not allow us to do less. We are fully sensible of the difficulty there is in speaking of the productions of a writer whom we have known and esteemed through

many long years of uninterrupted friendship, but we have endeavoured to do so with the impartiality demanded by truth and science, and it is in this spirit that we pronounce the treatise of Dr. Wood, notwithstanding the objections we have made, to be one of the most valuable of the works that have come from the American press, and exceedingly creditable to the zeal and abilities of the accomplished author.

Elements of Chemistry, including the history of the imponderables, and the Inorganic Chemistry of the late Edward Turner, M. D., F. R. S. L. and E., Seventh Edition, and the Outlines of Organic Chemistry, by William Gregory, M. D., &c., Professor of Chemistry, University of Edinburg. With additions, by JAMES B. ROGERS, M. D., Professor of General Chemistry, Franklin Institute, and Lecturer on Medical Chemistry, &c., and ROBERT E. ROGERS, M. D., &c., Professor of Chemistry and Materia Medica, University of Virginia, &c., Svo. pp. 848. Thomas, Cowperthwaite & Co., Philadelphia, 1846.

Dr. Turner's elements of Chemistry has for many years sustained the highest character, both in Europe and America, as a full and accurate exposition of the principles of the science. It has already passed through several editions in this country, under the careful supervision of Professor Bache, to whom the Author, in the European edition, published shortly before his death, acknowledged himself indebted for the correction of numerous errors and the addition of much useful matter. We are pleased to find that the editors of the present edition have adopted these corrections of Dr. Bache, to whose labours they refer in the following courteous and just language: "In labouring to correct the numerous typographical errors of the Loudon work, the editors have been greatly assisted by the American re-prints of the former edition of Turner's Elements, the great accuracy of which reflects so much credit on the industry and attaimnents of their accomplished editor."

In noticing a work which has passed through so many editions, neither analysis, criticisin, nor commendation, is required or will

be expected. All that seems necessary is to inform the reader of the changes and additions contained in the edition before us. These are well set forth in the following extract from the preface.

"The present blended republication embraces the whole of the Imponderables and Inorganic Chemistry of Dr. Turner's well known Elements, together with the Organic Chemistry of Professor Gregory's Outlines, and the separate treatises on Mineral and Organic Analysis by Mr. Parnell and Professor Liebig. In the first plan of the work it was proposed simply to re-edit the seventh edition of Turner's Elements, making such additions and emendations as the progress of the science required, and at the same time re-moulding the part devoted to Organic Chemistry in an abridged and systematic shape. The opportune appearance of Professor Gregory's Outlines greatly aided the accomplishment of this plan by furnishing ready prepared, just such a condensed and methodistical treatise on Organic Chemistry as was originally proposed, and the publishers availing themselves of so valuable an aid, at once determined upon substituting the second parts of the outlines in place of the intended abridgement of the Organic Chemistry of Dr. Turner's work. Of the propriety and utility of this change, the editors believe no doubt will be entertained, when it is remembered that the outlines are from the same pen that drew up a large part of the Organic Chemistry in the seventh edition of Turner; that they are in reality compiled of the same materials, with the addition of some more recent results, all very skilfully recast, and that they conform in notation and general method with the inorganic portion of Dr. Turner's work.

In the department of Analytical Chemistry, the closing division of the work, the editors conceive that the present publication will be admitted to present a very important improvement. This portion of the elements though enriched in the seventh edition by an able sketch of Inorganic Analysis, written expressly for it by Mr. Parnell, contains no account of the methods of Organic Analysis, a subject of peculiar and perhaps leading interest in its connection with modern chemical research. To remedy this defect the editors have gladly introduced Liebig's outline of the processes for analysing organic bodies, a treatise of the highest authority with all who are engaged in this department of science, and one happily adapted to the wants of the practical student."

The union of these several treatises constitutes the most comprehensive work, as to facts and principles, and the processes and applications of the science of Chemistry, to be found in the

English language. The task of the editors, it appears to us, has been well and ably performed, and we can most conscientiously recommend the present addition of Turner's Chemistry as the best adapted for the thorough study of the science of any with which we are acquainted.

Braithwaite's Retrospect of Practical Medicine and Surgery. No. XV., January to July, 1847.

We have received both the English and American editions of this useful publication. The "Uniform American Edition," which is a reprint of the English, is published by Daniel Adee, of New York, and the number before us contains 371 pages, octavo, of well selected matter. We very much wish that the American publisher would emulate the English in the mechanical execution of the work. The great efforts to sell American reprints at a very small price, which causes them to be driven through the press without being supervised by a qualified proof reader, and sent forth imperfectly printed and badly got up in all other respects, detracts very materially from their value. The constant misprints, especially in statistical tables, destroys all confidence, and, in fact, renders them quite valueless. This cheap publishing may do for novels and other light reading, when slight alterations or omissions can be discovered by the context, but in works of science it is really a serious matter. Besides, books which are to go into a physician's library for future reading and reference, should be constituted of permanent materials, and we have no doubt that publishers would find it to their advantage to bring out their medical publications in a style more befitting their contents.

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER.

PHILADELPHIA, SEPTEMBER, 1847.

NATIONAL MEDICAL CONVENTION.

The Report of the Committee on preliminary education will be found on another page, to which we invite attention. The Committee justly observe that, "entirely destitute of the means of legal compulsion, and depending for success, as the Convention must, solely upon the force of professional and public opinion, nothing could be hoped from a standard above the circumstances of the country and the times," &c.

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This is undoubtedly a correct view of the case; at the same time, when about to erect a standard, one a little more elevated might as well perhaps have been indicated, as where an object is distinctly placed before the eye as a sufficient qualification, few will transcend, while many will fall short of the mark. Nevertheless, it is greatly to be hoped that private preceptors, on whom "the chief responsibility rests,' as observed by the Committee, will look to the recommendation. While they encourage young men to enter their offices who are unprepared for the proper prosecution of the study of medicine, with what reason can it be expected that the medical colleges will spurn them? To take a young man's fee and keep him two or three years in his preceptor's office, and then, when he applies to enter college, say to him, "go back to your primer, sir, you are not prepared for the study of medicine," would be rank injustice. It is the duty of every preceptor to inquire into the quali fications of a student, natural and acquired, before receiving him into his office, and honestly inform him of what is requisite. Let this be done, and the friends of reform will find that little more will remain to contend for. One who is possessed of a good education has greater means and higher motives to spur him on in his pursuits, and will be likely to select the best schools and emulate the highest examples.

THE CONCOURS IN FRANCE.

Among other reforms recently advocated, the French practice of concouring for professorships has of late been highly commended by