397

Births, Marriages, and Deaths.BIRTHS.

On the 3rd inst., at Priors-Marston, Wacwickshire, the wife of George Wm.Bagg, Esq., M.R.C.S., of a son, still-born.On the 5th inst., at Addison-road North, the wife of Henry Robert Davis,

L.R.C.P., of a son.On the 6th inst., at Bellevue Villas, Upper Holloway, the wife of Alfred J.

Barker, M.D., of a son. _____

MARRIAGE.On the 5th inst., at the parish church, South Hackney, John Wood, Esq.,

F.R.C.S., of Montague-street, ILussell-square, to Emma, widow of the Hev. J.Henry Knox, and eldest daughter of Thomas Ware, Esq., of Manor House,Yare-street, Hackney. _____

DEATHS.On the 27th ult., at the Whitworth Hospital, Dublin, of tyr’hoid fever,

eaught in the performance of his duty its resident pnpil of that institution,Thomas Duigan, seventh son of the late Samuel A. Duigan, M.D., F.R.C.S.I.,of Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeatb, aged 22.On the 6th inst., at Hayes Park, Middlesex, Stephen Parrock, Esq., formerly

Assistant-Surgeon in the 12th Madras N.I., aged 81.On the 6th inst., at Canning-street, Falkher-square, Liverpool, Maggie,

only daughter of David Paterson, L.R.C.S. Edin., aged 4 years and 4 months.

Medical Diary of the Week.

MONDAY, APRIL 14 ......iTUESDAY, APRIL 15 ... TUESDAY, APRIL. 15 I

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16-j

I

THURSDAY, APRIL 17

FRIDAY, !FRIL 18 .......

SATURDAY, APRIL 19....

ST. MARK’S HOSPITAL FOR FISTULA AND OTHER

DISEASES OF THE RECTUM.-Operations, 1¼ P.M.ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.METROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL. - Operations,

2 P.M.MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. - 8½ P.M. Dr.Habershon, On some Cases of Typhus Fever:’

(Guy’s HOSPITAL.-Operations, It P.M.

WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL.-The following Opera-

tions will be performed at 2 P.M. :-By Mr.Holt: for Immediate Dilatation of Stricture of

, Urethra; Excision of Hip-joint; Examination‘ of ditto.ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY.- 8 P.M. " On Buddhism."By Mr. G. M. Tagore, Professor of Hindoo Lawat University CoUfge, London.

LPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.-8 P.X. MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL Operations, 1 P.M.UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, HOSPITAL. - Operations,) 2 P.M.ROYAL ORTHOPÆDIC HOSPITAL. - Operations, 2

P.M.

METROPOLITAN ASSOCTATIOJT OF MEDICAL OFFI-CERS OF HEALTH.-7¼ P.M.

LGEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.-8 P.M.

ST. GEORGE’s HOSPITAL.-Operations 1 p.tt.CENTRAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL. -Operations, 1 P.M.LONDON HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1½ P.M.

GREAT NOTHERN HOSPITAL, KING’S CROSS.-Operations, 2 P.M.LONDON SURGICAL HOME.-Operatiors, 2 P.M.

-WEST LONDON HOSPITAL.-Uyerations, 2 P.M.WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL. - Opera-

tions, 1½ P.M.(ST. THOMAS’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.

ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL.-Operations. 1½- j P.M.

KING’S COLLEGE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1½ P.M.lCHARING-CROB8 HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.

To Correspondents.NEW REMEDIES.-PODOPHYLLIN.

Dr. Bantock, of Chester, writes to us, angrily controverting, not our opinions,but those of the profession in America, respecting the properties of podo-phyllin. If he had read THE LANCET with attention, he would have seenthat in the article in question we have given a summary only of the eulo-giums on this remedy passed by Transatlantic authors. To repeat their caseswould require twenty LANCETS. We expressly state that the subject de-mands to be "sifted" and determined experimentally. Dr. Bantock seemsnever to have used the remedy, and yet to doubt and deny its possessing theproperties attributed to it. We see no improbability in one and the samesubstance acting as an emetic in large doses, as a cholagogue and cithartic-in smaller, and as a general eliminative in minute doses. The action of

podophyllin on the liver and on the salivaiv glands, and in exciting most ofthe secernent organs, appears to be certain. It is perfectly in accordancewith every principle ot therapeutics that a remedy having such powersshould pr ve useful in a very wide range of diseases. This is too obvious tobe argued. It is alleged that no known drug so invariably produces a largeflow of bile; this alone gives it a. high value as an instrument. If Dr.Bantock finds on experiment that it does nut possess these properties, weshall give due weight to his cases. It is pr cisely against this prejudgingbefore trial that we have protested as the great obstruction to the advanceof practical medicine. We may repeat that at present, and until we get asolid footing: on scientific facts, it is better, as a matter of policy, to strainour credulity in respect to the reported value of remedies, than to indulgein sweeping and unreasoning seepticism.

Z. A. C.—Yes, true "typhus" is by good authorities asserted to be not uncom-mon in the lower animals. Refer to the March number of the Edinburgh Veterinary Review.

Dr. James Vincent.-The duties are not laborious; the hours from ten to four;the emolument moderate. The appointment is obtainable only by publiccompetition.

Enquirer.-Not legally ; but the question is one of great difficulty.

, RESPIRA.TORS.

To the Edttor of THE LANCET.

SIR,-A letter to you from Dr. Garrett, of Hastings, on the subject of Respi-rators, which recent)) met my eye, induces me to uffer a few remarks, in partconfirmatory of the doc or’s Biews, a d in part dissentient therefrom. Unhap-pity I write from personal experience, having been for many years past thevictim of attacks of bronchitis, which always arise from the contact of colddamp air with my irrirab) bronchial membrane. To obviate this susceptibility,I gladly availed myself, in the first instance, cf the protective qualities whichJeffries’ respirator is stid to possess in an emineut degree, as founded onscientific principles. The experiment, continued for a year cr two, signallyfailed. I was constarrtly in the habit of getting my attacks, in spite of therespirator, and at length I abandoned it, being persuaded that to me, at allevents, it had proved "a delusion and a snare." Jteflecting on my failures, Icame ht last, to the couclusion, that f r any respirator, so called, to be reallyefficent, it must protect tt’e e nasal as well as the oral passages-in tact, itshould be ori-nasal. Indeed I think that a nasal is of much more service thanan oral respirator; for it is always in one’s power to keep the mouth closed,and so to prevent the ingress ot cold air by thut channel. I agree ctitli Dr.Gartett that these learned inventions simpl) act as pads, and nocliing else,preventing the direct inspiration of a stream of cold air; hut you see, Sir, I donot subscribe to the doctor’s opinion that th ir use is limited to the productionof a gluw on the ciiiii ! If it it were so, a warm wrapper would be all that is re-quired. have tried it an’t tuund it fail. With rtgard to the doctor’s lingualvalve, the idea is certainty origin.’I; but 1 hardly think it will be found suffi-ciently- protective of an iui,,- b:e glottis, to say nothing ot the inconveniencearieing from the now ot the salivary secretion.

After much experience of different kinds or respirators, none of which havesatisfied me, I beg to recommended to such as may be suffering from a sj:ni1arsuscentibility to my own the followiong plan, which 1 find moie effectual thanany ! I have tried :-I hdve a pad, impermeable to air, cut in air elliptical shape,and conisisting of a bit of snofiH’io prime and two layers at cotton wool, c vexedwi:h black silk quilted. Thi::, if properly shaped, will include the nostrils andmouth and i< kept c closely applied by au elastic string attached to the ends ofthe pad. and slipped over the head. it i- by no means unsightly, and I find itmuch more etiic.:ciou, and comfortable than the warm wrapper with which Iwa, formerly in the habit of protecting my respiratory passages. It is a home-made resp.rat.or, and answers every purpose of a more expensive inventiun.

I am, Sir, your obeuient servant,April, 1862. M.D.

Mr. Janaea Savage, (Swinefleet, Goole.)-There is no rule of professionaletiquette more C1c,irJy dc lined than that which relates to the attendance ofa praetitiouer in an ohs: e case. Assuming that the statement made to,u is correct, the conduct of X. was most unprofessional and reprelteesible.lie had no right whatever even to enter the lying-in room, and his inter-ference was opposed io every principle of professional propriety. He has

clearly no chaims upon the husband of the patient, and we cannot believethat he would obtain a verdict in any court ot law, except possibly for hisvisit. We should have been lad to have received the particulars of the billwhich he has tendered.

7Jb’. Thomas Litchfield’s report of a case of "Ovariotomy" shall, if possible, bepublished in out next.

A Constant Reader.-There is no settled rule on the subject; but the new.comer gene ally leaves his card with the resident practitioners in the townin which he takes up his abode.