gives rise to pain, deformity, and difficulty in moving the lip. The hydatids are seated immediately beneath the mucous membrane, and are transparent. The largest Dr. Heller has seen was of the size of a nut. If one succeeds in removing them without opening their cavity, they are found to be made up of a round vesicle, full of fluid, transparent as water, and with a diaphanous and tender wall. The only means of curing this affection consists in the extirpation of the cyst, and this must be total, otherwise it will reappear; hence, as a precautionary measure, nitrate of silver may be applied after the removal of the tumour.-Ibid.

Simple Treatment of Prolapsus Ani. By DR. HAKE.-Take a piece of sponge four or five inches long, an inch and a half wide, and half an inch thick-the more elastic a bit you can find the better; roll this, in a damp but not wet state, pretty tightly, so that the roll, if relaxed, would be ready to spring back into its full length, and it will then make a roll of some little substance, round, but still soft; and its length, when thus rolled, will of course be an inch and a half. Apply it then lengthwise to the anus, so that it may be pressed, about the centre of it, quite home and firmly to that part. Taking care that it may remain so, stretch a length of adhesive plaster, about fourteen inches long, and three and a half wide, more or less, straight across the nates, rather low down, and contrive so that while the plaster adheres on one side, you press the other side closer to its opposite before you fix the length finally where it is to remain. Then sit down, at first gently upon it, and it will become very firm and fast as long as the plaster is good. I need not say that these two pressures constantly going on do the work capitally, and without any inconvenience worth speaking of-I mean, the two pressures of the roll of sponge always striving to unwrap itself, and the cross-band of adhesive plaster always keeping it from doing so by holding the nates sufficiently close together to hinder it. The working is really perfect when a little use and management has got a person into the way of it. But to facilitate matters, I will set down a few observations, at the risk of being tedious and more particular than I need be. I never put this on until that time of day when I am going to jbe standing about, or to take exercise, whether walking, riding, or dr ving; but it should be put on then for all of these. In the evening, I take off the plaster, but leave the sponge in its place, where it has got by that time so firmly fixed by gradual spreading and swelling, that the re is no danger that anything short of a great exertion will loosen it, and it is of course more comfortable to do without the plaster when it is not wanted. The sponge should be washed in cold water every time it is taken off, and in cold weather the plaster should just cross the fire before it is put on; in moderately warm weather it will adhere of itself, especially if it is sat upon for half a minute. The same plaster is better the second day than even the first, and will do very well the third day--this where economy is an object.

Wash the parts where the plaster goes every morning, or oftener, with cold water, or water and vinegar, wash them well, and the skin will never suffer.

If the plaster leaves something sticky behind it when it is taken off, rub it with a very little spirit of wine, and the towel will remove it. If there be an irritation about the anus, or gut that comes down, wash it with vinegar and water, and the relief will be wonderful, and that part of the evil soon cured. This wash cannot be too much praised for this purpose, for piles, and for the like. I leave it for you to say whether something might not be dropped upon the sponge, or the sponge dipped in something which would promote a complete cure. What I have said is perfectly cleanly, secures exercise and comfort, and very gradually, I believe, tends to set things right again.

The relief is, indeed, so perfect, and it is relief from such suffering, that, without a bit of braggadocio, I do think no sufferer from such malady would feel that he could be grateful enough for being brought acquainted with the treatment I have described, though its perfect management will require a little experience at least, and perhaps some advice at first.-Ibid.

Case of Malformation of the Heart, in which death resulted from Obstruction of the Trunk of the Pulmonary Artery. By THOMAS B. PEACOCK, M. D. The subject of this case was a boy, fifteen years of age, who had from early life exhibited slight appearances of cya nosis. Twelve months before his death he was thrown from a cart, and after that period the lividity of the countenance became much more marked, and he was subject to frequent attacks of chest affection, and to palpitation. His last illness was of eight days' duration, and commenced with rheumatic symptoms, followed by difficulty of breathing and pain in the chest. When admitted into the Royal Free Hospital, he exhibited very marked cyanosis, and a loud murmur, accompanying the impulse of the heart, was audible in the præcordia, and along the sternum. At the situation of the base of the heart the murmur masked all other sounds; but toward the apex, and the lower and right side of the sternum, it was followed by a loud second sound. He died a few hours after his admission. On examination, the aorta was found to arise in part from the right ventricle, and the orifice and trunk of the pulmonary artery were of very small size. The right ventricle was also separated by a supernumerary septum into two cavities, one being the infundibular portion, giving origin, as usual, to the pulmonary artery; the other consisting of the sinus of the ventricle, communicating with the aorta. The abnormal septum was incomplete over a space about equal in size to that by which the aorta communicated with the right ventricle. The orifice of the pulmonary artery was provided with only two valves, and these were so thick and rigid as to occasion a further contraction of the aperture. The trunk of the vessel was entirely obstructed by partially decolorized coagula, which were laminated and adherent to the thickened and diseased valves and coats of the vessels. The author remarked

that the case was closely allied to the ordinary form of malformation in which, with congenital contraction of the pulmonary artery, the septum of the ventricles is defective at the base, so as to allow the aorta to receive its supply of blood from both ventricles. Its great interest, however, lay in the division of the right ventricle into two cavities communicating with the aorta and pulmonary artery respectively, and the free admixture of the venous and arterial currents of blood, which must consequently have taken place throughout the whole of the boy's life. So far, however, from this having been productive of marked cyanosis, it was stated that there was but little peculiarity in the boy's appearance till the supervention of secondary disease in the pulmonary artery after the fall, twelve months before his death. The cause of death was also, it was remarked, unusual. Though obstructions in the terminal branches of the pulmonary artery had been shown by Baron and Paget to be of frequent occurrence, the writer was not aware of any other case in which the trunk of that vessel had become obstructed.--Lancet.

On Porous Rarefaction of the Bone, consequent upon gout. By ALEXANDER URE, Esq., Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, and Surgeon to the Westminster General Dispensary.-The author ob. served that, upon making a transverse section of a digital phalanx, taken from a gouty subject, a peculiar speckled appearance was perceptible. The medullary canals were seen preternaturally enlarged, and filled with a cretaceous matter, which effervesced with acids. The Haversian canals were, in like manner, irregularly enlarged and choked up with this substance. The osseous lacunæ or corpuscles were, in some places, increased in size, and rounder than ordinary, but, for the most part, less distinctly marked. The canaliculi, more especially in the vicinity of the medullary canals, were replete with the above deposit, thicker than normal, and in obvious communication with the medullary canals. There was thus induced porous rarefaction of the bone. The author stated that the matter in question consisted chiefly of carbonate of lime, while a portion of tophus, detached from the adjunct phalangar joint, was almost wholly composed of urate of soda. In reference to the above peculiar condition of the osseous structure, he remarked, that Dr. Gerlach, of Mayence, whose co-operation he had in the above research, subsequently ascertained that precisely the same appearances were present in the section of bone taken from a person who had been afflicted with morbus coxæ senilis. Arthritic osteoporosis is an affection of a very insidious character. It commences almost imperceptibly, creeps on stealthily, year by year, and is accompanied by occasional pain and swelling Although usually occurring in individuals hereditarily predisposed to gout, it is not necessarily preceded by a fit of that malady. While the author believes it to be but little amenable to treatment, he is of opinion its progress may be somewhat retarded by judicious hygienic measures; and the attendant pain and uneasiness relieved by topical steam baths, in conjunction with the vapour of mineral naphtha, and by various other soothing means.-lb.

Alleged Presence of the Plague in the Metropolis.-Dr. Tweedie has addressed a letter to the Times, in reference to the prevalence of typhus fever under a severe form in the metropolis. After stating that the admissions to the Fever Hospital during the present year have been but little above the average of the last five years, he says:-"In regard to the character of the cases received since January last, it is important to observe, that a very large majority have not been cases of typhus fever, but of inflammation of internal organs, more especially of the lungs, which every medical practitioner knows to be invariably accompanied with more or less feverish disturbance of the system. Indeed, for some time past, the proportion of cases of genuine typhus fever has been unusually small, much smaller than, from the late scarcity of provisions, and consequently inadequate supply of food, could have been anticipated.

"London, therefore, affords at this time a striking contrast to many of the large provincial towns, in which typhus fever, from causes which it is unnecessary to advert to at present, prevails to such an alarming extent.

"And lastly, with respect to the tendency to inflammation of the glands of the face and neck-the circumstance on which the apparent connexion with plague is founded-it may be remarked, that this symptom is occasionally observed in very mild cases of fever, but that it has not been a very frequent occurrence lately, is evident from the fact that it has been observed in only five of 452 cases received into the Fever Hospital since January last; and that of these five only two have died, the fatal event in one being the result, not of the glandular inflammation, but of old standing diseases of the chest.

"From these facts I think it may be deduced,-1st. That typhus fever is not at the present time alarmingly prevalent in London; 2d, that in its character it bears no analogy to the plague; and 3d, that the inhabitants of London have great cause of thankfulness that as yet the metropolis has been visited with a much less proportionate amount of epidemic fever than any other city in the kingdom."

The mortality from typhus fever is at present much above the average! the deaths last week were 52 to a spring average of 34.— London Medical Gazette.

Production of Albuminous Urine by Cantharides.—In a communication on Cystitis from cantharides, made by M. Lavallee to the Academy of Medicine, at its sitting on the 15th inst., it is stated by the author that under the use of this vesicatory, at whatever part of the body it may be applied, and however distant from the hypogastric region, albumen is liable to show itself in the urinary apparatus, under three forms: 1, in solution : 2, as a deposite in the urine: and 3, as a false membrane produced in the bladder. The albumen is contained in the urine under these circumstances in much greater proportion than in Bright's disease :-the author states that in some instances, after a day's rest, the deposite constitutes more than half the height of the liquid. As an exception, the urine may contain no

traces: but then vesical symptoms, such as pain and tenesmus, are absent. This is a new form of artificial albuminuria."—Ibid, from L'Union Médicale.

The Gastric Juice.-Lehmann has confirmed the statements of Pelouze and of Bernard and Barreswill, regarding the absence of free hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice, and has further indisputably proved the existence of free lactic acid in that secretion. To prevent any fallacy in the experiments, dogs were kept fasting for 12 or 16 hours, and then fed about a quarter of an hour before death with bones freed as much as possible from skin and fat. The gastric juice was almost perfectly clear, being scarcely opalescent. From 100 parts there were obtained 1.808 of solid matter, 0.25 of hydrochloric acid, and 98.097 of water. This hydrochloric acid is formed by the decomposing action of the lactic acid at a certain degree of concentration, even in the cold, upon certain chlorides, especially those of calcium and magnesium, but not those of potassium and sodium. To prove the presence of lactic acid itself with certainty, the gastric juice was concentrated in vacuo to one twelfth of its volume, the residue mixed with alcohol of 0.85, the spirituous solutions from several stomachs evaporated to the consistence of a syrup, and the residue exhausted with absolute alcohol. The residue of this was exhausted with ether, and the ethereal extract mixed with water, to remove the fat, and filtered. On further concentration, more drops of oil separated from the filtrate, and the fluid still contained hydrochlorate of ammonia.

The liquid was partly saturated with lime, partly with magnesia, and the salts formed were purified by several recrystallizations from alcohol and water. The magnesian salt gave results approximating very closely to the formula Mg O, La+3 HO.”—Ibid, from Dr. Day's Report on Chemistry.

Turning a Substitute for Craniotomy.-Dr. Simpson states that he has practised turning as an alternative for craniotomy and the long forceps, in several cases in which the head had been morbidly detained at the brim of the pelvis, from the slighter forms of disproportion between the two; and he believes it to present various advantages over embryulcio. It gives the child a chance of life; it is more safe to the mother, because it can be performed earlier in the labour, and more speedily; it enables us to adjust and extract the head of the child through the imperfect pelvic brim in the most advantageous form and direction, the head flattening laterally under the traction; the neck of the child (if it were living, or only lately dead,) is so strong as to allow us to exert such a degree of traction upon the ob structed head, that the sides of the cranium might become very greatly compressed, or even indented under it, and that without necessarily destroying the child; and, lastly, he observes, it is a practice which can be followed when proper instruments are not at hand, and the avoidance of instruments is generally desirable when it is possible.-Prov. Med. and Surg. Journ. from Monthly Journ. of Med. Science.