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Mr. Erasmus Wilson, &c, to take the lead, unless other nameswere suggested to me or my friends by you or any one else.At this moment the public would but be too happy or

anxious to support such a cause with their purse, for it couldnsither be begun nor continued without some expense, if myviews were properly carried out. A paid librarian, secretary,and managing director, would be required-and rooms, atfirst, as a matter of course; if established, a house. As quicklyas possible, all the medical books that have been published onAsiatic cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, &c. &c., as also on otherepidemics, should be purchased as books of reference for allmedical men who may choose at any time, from early hourstill late at night, to avail themselves of reading.No medical man should be bound to subscribe; it should be

thought sufficient by the public that they should give theirtime and the labour of the brain.During the prevalence of an epidemic, frequent discussions

should take place; no reporter from the public press should

gain access; those from the medical journals only. It wouldbe an easy matter for the society to send to the papers asmuch of the subject as would be sufficient for the public eye.Such a society as this would prove a better bond of union be-tween the profession and the public than any which now exists.From non-professionals a treasurer should be chosen, and partof the committee also, to watch the fund which that publicmust subscribe.Our Continental neighbours would feel pleasure in com-

municating with such a society, as would it in turn with them.I am, Sir, gratefully yours,

PATER.

Our correspondent has made the request that we wouldreceive communications which may be addressed to him. Wehave no objection to receive at our office letters intended forPATER.-ED. L.

CLAIMS OF MILITARY SURGEONS.

THE Rngli.8hma)z, Calcutta paper, of May 28th last, re-

marks" We are glad to find the Madras United Service Journal

joining us in condemning the studied exclusion of medicalofficers from the honours liberally bestowed on their brotherofficers as rewards for military services. We extract fromthat paper a remarkable instance in which two assistant-surgeons were actually killed in battle, yet a survivor,Dr. Wylie, now inspector-general of hospitals at Madras, hasnever received any military distinction, though, as our con-temporary states, he himself repeatedly led the sepoys tocharge the enemy with the bayonet."The article to which the Englishman refers is the follow-

ing:- .

" We have so frequently raised our voice in protest againstthe invidious exclusion of medical officers of the army andnavy from all military honours and distinctions for their warservices, that we need hardly say we rejoice to learn thatSir De Lacy Evans is about to bring the claims of the medicalservice to such rewards under the consideration of Parlia-ment. Now is the time, then, for all whose interests are con-cerned, whether in the Royal or Company’s service, to presstheir claims to those rewards by memorial, showing the mon-strous injustice of their exclusion from the honours grantedfor services in war, wherein they not only share the risks ofthe actual combatants, but are exposed to those peculiar totheir own profession, as shown by the large proportion ofmedical officers who fall victims to any prevailing epidemic inthe camp hospitals. The actions of the late Punjaub cam-paign have certainly not been marked by any casualtiesamongst the medical staff, but two assistant-surgeons of theRoyal army were slain in the bloody battles of the Sutlej; andhow many of the Company’s service have fallen in the warsof India! In this country, too, from the paucity of Europeanofficers and the absolute necessity for European example, inmoments of particular emergency, as the records of theGovernment show, their medical officers have often done

good service with the sword. For example, look to our pre-sent inspector-general of hospitals, who so nobly distinguishedhimself in repeatedly leading on the sepoys to charge withthe bayonet at Corygaum, on which occasion a British detach-ment, consisting of only 600 native infantry, with 300 irregularhorse and a detail of artillery, with two six-pounders, success-fully resisted for nine hours the repeated attacks of thePeishwah’s entire force of 20,000 horse and several thousandfoot, with guns, and beat them off at last. In such a struggle,ioo, the presence of a single European was of the utmost con-

sequence, and, as shown in the official report, seemed to in-spire the native soldiers with their usual confidence of success.The affair of Corygaum, in truth, afforded one of the mostbrilliant instances of gallantry and perseverance upon record.Captain Staunton, who commanded the detachment, on dis-covering the Peishwah’s army close upon him, at once madefor the village of Corygaum, and had scarcely succeeded inreaching it, when he was attacked in the most determinedmanner by three divisions of the Peishwah’s best infantry,supported by two pieces of artillery and immense bodies ofhorse. The enemy’s troops were, moreover, stimulated totheir utmost exertions by the presence of the Peishwah on adistant height, attended by the principal Mahratta Sirdars,who flattered their sovereign with the prospect of witnessingthe destruction of the British detachment. They speedilyobtained possession of the strongest parts of the village,and the contest continued from noon till nine at night, duringwhich time every pagoda and house had been repeatedlytaken and retaken, and one of our guns was for a time in pos-session of the enemy. Towards the close of the evening thesituation of the detachment had become most critical. Nearlythe whole of the European artillerymen were killed or

wounded, and about one-third of the native troops; whilstthe exertions which the European officers had been called onto make, in leading their men to frequent charges with thebayonet, had diminished their number. Lieut. Chisholm of theartillery, and Assist.-surg. Wengate, were killed; and Lieuts.Swinton, Pattinson, and Cormelan, were severely wounded,leaving only Captain Staunton, Lieutenant Jones, and Assist.-surg. Wylie, who were themselves nearly exhausted, to directthe efforts of the men, the whole being nearly frantic fromthe want of water, and the almost unparalleled exertions theyhad made throughout the day, without any kind of sustenance,after a forced march of twenty-eight miles.- "At night the enemy were forced to abandon the village,after sustaining an immense loss in killed and wounded, andour troops were then enabled to obtain a supply of water, ofwhich they stood so much in need. The enemy retired onthe following day without venturing to renew the attack; andthe detachment, whose ammunition was almost expended,were enabled to move during the night to Seroor, bringing offnearly the whole of the wounded. In the above most brilliantthough arduous struggle, one medical officer fell in leading thenative troops to the charge; and in the same campaign,another assistant-surgeon lost his life in the assault upon ourposition at Seetabuldee. Yet medical officers are to be deniedparticipation in the honorary rewards granted to their militarybrethren, on the plea, forsooth, that they are non-combatants.Cordially do we hope that the parliamentary efforts of SirDe Lacy Evans, K.C.B., in behalf of the medical officers ofboth services, will be attended with the fullest success in pro-curing their claims to that consideration they have a right toexpect at the hands of their country." .

MEDICAL FEES AT ASSURANCE OFFICES.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

North of England Insurance Company,Buchanan-street, Giasgow, September, 1849.

SIR,—With reference to the letter which appeared in arecent number of THE LANCET, on the subject of Medical Feesand Life Insurance Offices, we beg to inform you that theNorth of England office, for which we are agents here, in-variably pays the fee of the medical referee of a party makinga proposal for insurance.

We are. Sir. vour obedient servants.H. & W. A. TASSIE.

MEDICAL ETIQUETTE IN MARKET DRAYTON.To the Editor of TaE LANCET.

SIR,—As you have always advocated the exercise of courtesyand honourable principle amongst medical men in their pro-fessional intercourse, and especially have defended the generalpractitioners from the impertinence sometimes shown towardsthem by the would-be pures, I venture to appeal to you, andthrough you to the profession, under the following circum.stances:-On the 22nd inst., a patient of mine, with perfect good feel.

ing towards me, but in the fright of a sudden seizure, sent forDr. Wood, his residence being near. He of course attended,and was informed the patient was under my care, and that Iwas at church, some 400 yards distant. He prescribed forhim and ordered the prescription to be made up immediately,without taking the slightest notice of my being in attendance;

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and on my declining to act further with him in the case, andon remonstrating with him for his neglect of me, lie, in violentlanguage, charged me with "ignorance of professional etiquette,forgetting myself," and made other remarks, showing that hewas unwilling or unable to distinguish between the proprietyof rendering assistance in case of emergency, and the impro-priety of not requesting my co-operation when so readily avail-able, or of neglecting to give me the earliest intimation ofwhat was going on, and of not sending his prescription to mysurgery, especially as it was much the nearest place where themedicine could have been obtained, and which he must passon his return home; in fact, he is residing nearly opposite tome, and I might have expected more neighbourly treatment.I sent to him the enclosed note on the subject, which he re-turned without any remark.

I shall be obliged by your publishing this letter, with youropinion as to who is the person guilty of ignorance of profes-sional etiquette .c.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant,Angast, 1949. W. W. SAXTON, Surgeon.

Thursday morning.SIR,—As you have charged me with forgetting myself, and

ignorance of professional etiquette, in presuming to remon-strate with you for unprofessional conduct on your part, it ismy intention, as soon as the pressure of business from the pre-sent epidemic permits, to make an appeal to the profession, bymeans of the medical press, as to whether it is my duty tamelyto submit to you visiting and prescribing for my patients with-out taking the slightest notice of my being in attendance, as inthe instance of Sunday last, when you visited Mr. L-, pre-scribed for him, and ordered his friends to get the prescriptionmade up immediately, knowing that I was open to consultationwithin 500 yards of the patient’s residence, and my surgery a vail-able within a less distance, which you must pass on your wayhome,and where a little carbonate of ammonia andpeppermint-water could have been obtained in half the time required toprocure it from any other source.

I make this intimation, in order that you shall not haveto charge me with doing anything clandestinely.

I am. vourR obedientlv.W. W. SAXTON.

MR. BERINGTON’S NEW KNAPSACK AND GIRDLE.To the -Editor of THE -LANCET.

SIR,—Having a relation of our profession who has servedmany years in the army, I sent him THE LANCET of the 1st ofSeptember last, for his opinion as to the facts, or presumedfacts, of An Old Army Surgeon on the Look-out." He hassent me the following:—" First. It is too true that medical

opinion as to most things relative to the soldier, unless oncein hospital under our immediate charge, oll account of illness,are little valued; but it is not so with all; and from my ex-perience I have invariably found a much greater contentmentamong the men where the colonel has made an impressionthat he goes hand-in-hand with the medical officer.

" Secondly. With respect to the knapsack as at present slung,it is most injurious, as well as is also the loaded pouch. Thelatter lays as a dead weight against the breast, and the formermay truly be said, in a great degree, to’ pinion’ the men; both,you will see, are prejudicial to health, and should by all meansbe remedied, if possible. I must say, that in justice to thecommanders I have had, they would be greatly pleased to findrelief given, as they were very humane.

"Thirdly. It is asserted by Mr. Berington, that the adjutant-general told him, that a waist-belt used in the time of hisRoyal Highness the Duke of York to steady the load-pouchwas discontinued through the condemnation of medical report,and that it is now adopted, and carries the bayonet. I mustallow, this is flying in the face of medical report, acknow-ledged and acted upon by his Royal Highness-a step to meunaccountable, as I have never heard that Lord Hill nor hisGrace did otherwise than consider medical opinion relative tothe health of the troops as decisive. Indeed, I have heardhis Grace praised for the support he gives to each departmentof the service, keeping all to act in their proper sphere. Ibelieve his Grace is seldom much out in his decisions on sub-jects relative to the service, and I am of opinion his Grace, inthis, would support the medical opinions given, but now appa-

’’

rently slighted by the secretary-at-war, for the equipment ofthe troops rests with him, according to the regulation of thearmy. It appears to me that the present secretary-at-war,as he has been in the service, must know that the knapsack I,and cross-belts now in use are as bad as bad can be, for the ’,men to work at all in the n. Therefore, he is misled by

others, who ought to be made responsible to the country, andbe called upon in Parliament for an explanation, if it is truethat Mr. Berington’s principles give relief. Unfortunately,.the heads of our army medical department do not show theauthority they ought; poor Sir James M’Grigor, like myselfis past his work; and there has always been too great a leaningof submission, if I may use the expression, to the adjutant-general’s office, which ought to be put an end to if our pro-fession is to hold the position to which the talent and learningof its members gives it a claim. It is clear that the officersof the navy treat the members of the profession with greatneglect, if not contempt, as is shown by the present unfairtreatment of naval assistant-surgeons. I have, in my humbleopinion at least, seen enough to know, that unless each branchof the service be allowed to act in its own sphere with autha-rity, it never can be effective and fully useful-that is to say,it must be crippled in its usefulness." I am fully satisfied that the adoption of the equipment

under discussion is a question within our sphere. Yes-andthe clothing, too; but no secretary-at-war has taken that viewof the subject, but invariably, I believe, refers direct to theadjutant-general, or board of officers, (who, after all, are nobetter qualified than the present secretary-at-war, and whoseopinion I would just as soon take.) I have for years had animpression that the equipment was not to be improved, or thenon-commissioned officers and men, who are the sufferers, andhence the practical men, would have discovered it. I amaware that innumerable officers have given great attention to.the subject, but as they never carry the knapsack and cross--belts I was not surprised at their want of success; they had’little personal interest in finding out the right way to put onthe weight." To end my reply to your request, I agree with that ob-

servation of An Old Army Surgeon on the Look-out.,’where he states-’ tell the right hon. secretary-at-warthat it is only the sufferers by the present equipment, andthe regimental surgeons, who see its effects brought into hos-pital, who know anything about its horrible destruction ofhealth and life.’ If Mr. Berington’s principles are correct,the equipment must be insisted upon by the heads of thearmy medical department, or it will be an unpardonable dere-liction of duty on their part, as well as a servility not verybecoming to persons placed at the head of educated gentlemen.I wish you would procure the number of THE LANCET Mr.Berington’s testimonials are in, as I doubt not I shall find agratification by the perusal. The subject is treated with nous,or the essay would not be in THE LANCET."

I am, Sir, yours respectfully,London, September, 1849. A FRIEND TO THE SERVICE.

CONVULSIONS AFTER LABOUR.—TREATMENTAND RECOVERY.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—On January 14th, at seven o’clock in the evening, Iwas summoned to attend Elizabeth C-, a bargeman’s wife,twenty-eight years of age, in labour of her first child. I wentas soon as possible. On my arrival she evinced a little timidity.However, a pretty strong pain came on in five minutes after Ientered her room; and upon instituting the usual examination,I found the presentation quite normal, and she was deliveredof a fine male child about twelve o’clock the same nighthaving been a little more than five hours in actual labour:

‘

There was no difficulty with the placenta, and I left herapparently quite comfortable. I could perceive at this timeno indication whatever of cerebral mischief. At three o’clockthe next morning her husband, in breathless haste, knockedme up, exclaiming, that his wife was dying. In ten minutesI was by her bed-side, and found that she was most violentlyconvulsed-the convulsions succeeding each other rapidly. Ihave seen convulsions in and after labour, but never so violentand frightful as in this instance. The attendants were somuch alarmed and terrified, that I had the greatest difficultyin persuading either of them to assist me. I bled her largely,and she struggled most awfully with me. It was, indeed, atruly tragic scene. I repeated the bleeding in less than anhour, taking off altogether a little more than three pints ofblood. The appearance of the first blood was natural, but thesecond was buffed, and slightly cupped. After the seconddepletion the fits became less frequent and less violent; buther pulse still maintained great strength and fulness. Notconsidering it judicious to carry general depletion any further,I applied eight leeches to the temples, had the head shaved,and put a large blister to the nape of the neck. Two grains