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and inferiors in station and attainments, are raised abovethem ?Is the Apothecaries’ Hall to be still allowed the privilege

of prosecuting the well-educated and qualified member of theprofession, whilst it leaves the hospital porter, or the drug-gist’s clerk, to practise with impunity ?

Is it still to derive thousands annually from the profession,and not contribute one shilling to its advancement or support ,

Is the self-styled doctor or surgeon, or the less deceitfulchemist and druggist, to be permitted still to deceive thepublic, degrade the profession, and traffic in the sufferings ofher Majesty’s subjects!

Is the assassin still to be supplied, ad libitum, with hispennyworth of arsenic or prussic acid, that he may dispatchhis victim with imp7Lmity?

Is the profession still to be left exposed to injury, and in-sult, and degradation, without one of all its corporate headsinterfering in its behalf ?These questions will be answered, if not by you, by the pro-

fession. We may have been defeated, but are not conquered:urged on by the weight of our grievances, and trusting in thehonesty of our cause, and in the love of justice of our fellowcountrymen, we shall again take the field, and once moreplace the question of medical reform in that proud positionwhich it occupied when confided to your protection. Howsoon success may again attend our efforts it is now impossibleto say; it may be postponed, but it must and will be attained.You are bound to act promptly, as well as efficiently. The

profession have remained too long quiescent; silence is nowculpable, and patience ceases to be a virtue: they must nowthink and speak and act for themselves, if they may, withyou; if not, without you; if needs be, against you.-I have thehonour to be, gentlemen, your former supporter, and still veryobedient servant,

Pimlico, Jan., 1846.M. W. HILLES.

PLACENTA PRÆVIA.

W. HENDERSON, M. D.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—A great deal has lately been said and written about thebest plan of proceeding in cases of placenta praevia. In theseas in most other contested matters the best practice may liein the peculiarity of each case, or, in other words, one methodmay not be the best in all occurrences; in some cases, plug-ging the vagina seems proper; in others, removing the placentabefore the birth of the child; and in others, the old practice ofrupturing the placenta and membranes, and extracting bythe feet, as the following case may perhaps be thought toillustrate :-. Mrs. Wilkie, aged thirty-two, had an abortion at threemonths, about the latter end of 1844. On November 22nd,1845, she was taken in labour at 4 A.M., acompanied withgreat discharge of blood; had a similar discharge more or less ’,for a fortnight previous, twice during that time rather pro-fuse ; found her at half past ten A.M., pale, sick, and sleepy,every pain accompanied with retching and considerable dis-charge of blood. The os uteri was about the size of a crownpiece, thin, and easily dilated, the edge of the placenta im-planted over it, on endeavouring to remove which, I foundfrom its large size upwards and firm adherence to the uterus,that the doing so would occasion more loss of blood, besidesunnecessary pain to the woman and needless trouble to myself,when the old plan of rupturing the placenta and membranes,and bringing down the feet, could be so easily accomplished,by which means she was delivered in a few minutes withoutfurther loss of blood. The child was dead; the woman madea tedious recovery from the loss of blood, but is graduallygaining strength; she has suffered a good deal from nervousheadach.The placenta measured about nine ilielies in diameter, was

thin and firm, thus giving a circumference of twenty-seveninches, which would fully cover one side of the impregnateduterus—rather a large surface to take much liberty with inan exhausted natient.-I am. Sir. vour most obedient servant.

Corstorphine, near Edinburgh, Jan. 1846,

CONFUSION OF TERMS IN ANATOMY.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—In reading over the description of various authors onthe subject of inguinal hernia, we find the terms-inter-columnar fibres, intercolumnar fascia., fascia spermatica, andfascia propria, frequently used. Cue says the two first are

analogous; another, that the second and third are the same;a third author, that the third and fourth are one. Amidst allthis confusion, the student is in a great measure perplexed,:and has great difficulty in obtaining a correct knowledge ofthis part of anatomy. Would it not be better to adopt anew nomenclature, so that the student would have fewer in-cumbrances to contend with in this matter. The inter-columnar fibres, or those which pass from Poupart’s ligamentover the external abdominal ring towards the linea alba,might be designated the supra-annular fibres. The interco-lumnar fascia, or that closing up the external ring as itpasses from one column of the ring to the other, might retainthis name. But the spermatic fascia might be given to thatinclosing the cords, being derived from the fascia trans-versa.lis. Hoping these suggestions may be useful, I am, &c.,Manchester, January, 1846. MEDICUS.

THE SECRET COMMITTEE.

IN consequence of the appearance of an advertisement callinga meeting of the Committee on Wednesday last, several re-

porters attended at the offices in Regent-street, and sent in,to the chairman, requests that they might be permitted toattend the meeting, in order to report the proceedings.Amongst the gentlemen who so attended, were reporters fromThe Times and THE LANCET. The following is the replywhich one of them received, in writing, from the chairman:-

" Copy of a resolution carried in consequence of Mr. Clarke’sproposition:-

’That it is not consistent with the practice of the Com-mittee to admit reporters to their meetings, and thereforerespectfully decline to accede to Mr. Clarke’s proposition.’ "

The gentleman thus refused admission is a member of the

College of Surgeons of many years standing, and also one ofthe oldest members of the Association.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.Gentlemen admitted members on Friday, January 23rd, 1846 :-J. H

O’Sullivan, R. Davis, J. G. Cambell, J. Greene, H. T. Hartnoll, J. H.Eddowes, T. Willmott, J. Ryan, A. Hewgill, E. J. Such.APOTHECARIES’ HALL, LONDON.

Names of gentlemen who obtained Certificates of Qualification to practiseas Apothecaries, on Thursday, 22nd January, 1846:-Thomas BenjaminHorne, Basingstoke, Hants; Thomas Brooks Bumpsted, Langford, Somer-set ; Richard Penrose Bell, Yorkshire; Samuel Gibbon, Kettering, Noith-amptonshire.

CORRESPONDENTS.A Gownsman of King’s College.-True, the subjects abound in the capital

mentioned, but even if in sufficient numbers to find supplies for othercities, the difficulties of transportation would offer almost insurmountableobstacles to receiving them in London. It is not likely that the consentof both governments would be obtained; and the mere cost of carriage, in-dependently of every other consideration, would render the plan of our cor-respondent impracticable.Mr. Wilkins is requested to furnish us with his address.

The communication of E. C. Tyte wilt be published.Is it true that the New Quack-fraud entitled "THE PEOPLES’ MEDICINES,"

is managed by a member of the Royal College of Surgeons?Mr. Black wilt receive from us a private letter.A Birmingham Sttident should write to Edinburgh for official iiifornatiot,

on the subject of his inquiry.A Sh01.t, M.D.-Such a person could fill the office and perform its duties,

without incurring any penalty at law. In reply to question 2 we have tosay, that the person mentioned could not be regarded as "legally qualified"to perform acts of surgery, although the law imposes no fine upon his pro-ceedings.Communications have been received from Mr. James Bower Harrison,

(Broughton,) A General Practitioner, (Nottingham.) Mr. T. H. R. Thomson,(Edinburgh,) M. D., Mr. Taylor, Amor Veritas, E. M., A. Z. (Greenwich,)M. W., (Essex,) A Country Surgeon, Mr. Bate, (Swansea,) Dr. Buchanan,George T. P. Hill, Mr. E. Bascome, and S. D. T.We shall give every particular relating to the Militia Act, in connexion

with the medical profession, next week.