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-of the femur were in a state ofextreme ulceration and enlarge-ment.

Since the operation his gene-ral health has very - much im-

proved, and he is now doingre-markablywell.

RESURRECTION MEN.

. We have received some com-munications about the case ofone of the individuals, whowas lately sentenced to be trans-ported for seven years, for steal-ing a body from a churchyardnear Chelmsford. The man’sname is CLARKE ; the crime ofwhich he was found guilty iscalled felony. No individual whotakes the least interest in thepromotion of medical sciencecan read this fact, and remainunconcerned at the consequenceswith which this and similar in-stances of the infliction of pu-nishment on resurrection men,are likely to be attended. Whilstthe human mind is graduallyfreeing itself of prejudice, owingto the rapid diffusion of know-ledge, it is most extraordinarythat-the one against the procur-ing- of bodies should remainundiminished and unabated,even with those from ’ whosestation in society we shouldhave least expected it. By thismeans the prejudice becomesmore deeply rooted in the mindsof the ignorant and uninformed,who are not able to think forthemselves. The effect of thishas been to throw almost in-surmountable obstacles in the

pursuit of that science, which,ofall others, has a greater tendencyto increase -the happiness -and

lessen the misery of mankind.To state that it is by dissec-tion alone that anatomy can beacquired, would be a mere re-petition of what must be a wellknown fact to the’tyro in medi-cine. But to those personswho ape indifferent to the ad-vancement of knowledge, andwho feel no desire to assistothers in its pursuit, unless theybe convinced that it is for theirown advantage, it may not beamiss to acquaint them, that theyare in reality endangering theirown happiness by the impedi-ments they throw in the way of,anatomical pursuits. Without

anatomy medicine and surgerycannot be .acquired; and bythese sciences some of the great-est evils which afflict human lifecan alone be relieved.

’

On a former occasion* we en-tered at length into the argu-ments connected with the sub-ject, we stated the object ofanatomical knowledge, the onlymeans by which it can be ac-

quired, and the difficulties ex-

perienced in obtaining subjectsfor dissection, we wish now toraise the members of the profes-sion from the apparent apathyinto which they have fallen,and to induce them to come for-ward and devise some means bywhich the present impedimentsmay be removed from the pur-suit of that science to whichthey devote themselves. The

legislature should be entreat-ed to interfere, some of themembers who rank high inthe profession, should waiton the Secretary of State forthe Home Department, and de-vise with him some plan that

, ___ Vide Lancet, p. 94, vol. I.

195

would effect the desired object,and -which at the same timewould not irritate the feel-

ing’s of those who are natu-

rally prejudiced against d-is-section. All that the legisla-ture now does to forward thisscience - the study of anato-my, is to give the bodies ofcriminals executed for mur-

der to be dissected; this ’wefear has an opposite effect tothe one which it wishes to for-ward,-it tends to keep up ra-ther than remove the prejudicewhich is at present so strongagainst the obtaining of bodiesfor dissection. Mr. AsERNETHYhas suggested that those per-sons who die in London with-out friends, or being claimed,should be given to the anato-mical schools. This suggestionwe really think deserving ofconsideration, for though thenumber of bodies that wouldthen be’ procured would not

equal the demand, still it wouldtend to establish a cllstom whichmust lead to beneficial results.

Perhaps it might not be judici-ous suddenly to repeal all thelaws which exist against theresurrection men,yet they shouldbe gradually lessened in their

severity, and at last totallyabrogated. We would also re-

commend to the different officersof the institutions of thisiiietropo-listoallow the bodies ofall whodie within their walls to be open-ed as a mere matter of course;and lastly we would suggest thatsurgeons themselves and otherphilanthropic individuals whomay be able to overcome theremonstrances of their friends,should give directions in theirwills for their own bodies

to be dissected ; beginning thusat home the example wouldhave weight, and be followed.by others.We feel an interest in this

subject, and as far as we haveinfluence, (which we have goodreason to believe is not slight,)we will do all that we can to’forward any measure which mayhave for its object the removatof the prejudice which existsagainst dissection. Let the pro-fession exert itself in the cause,and those exertions we willwarmly second.

Ueber Diat-Entziehung, und

Hungercur von L. A. STRUVE.On the Cure of inveterate

Chronic Diseases, especiallySyphilitic and Pseudo-Syphi-litic, by means of Diet and

Hunger.—By Doctor L. A.STRUVE, Altona.

[From the ALLGEMEINE MEDIZINIS-t;HE ANNALEN.]

The cure of diseases by absti-,nence and a rigorous attentionto a dietetic regimen was recom-mended by CELSUS, who ilou-rished in the reign of TIBE-RIUS, and by CELIUS AURELI-

ANUS, a Greek medical writerof the fifth century. There isno positive evidence however ofits having been systematically) practised until the time of

FREDFRIC HOFFMAN, who pub-lished his Treatise on the efficacyof hunger in the cure of dis-eases, (Dissertatio de inedia mag-norum morborum remedio,) atHalle, in the year 1648. Thismethod of cure was practised by