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ever, are now endeavouring once more to impress upon thegovernment the necessity of its preservation. No one, we believe,can doubt that necessity; and it is the duty of every sanitaryreformer to lend his aid on such an occasion, Ever foremost

in the good work of preserving the public health, it is mostgratifying to observe that the members of the medical profes-sion, to the number of 1500, have already memorialized thegovernment on the subject. A deaf ear cannot be turned to

such an appeal. Albert Park will, we believe, be formed, andconfer on the name of an illustrious Prince far more honour

than could statues of marble.

THE importance of properly-rewarded services on the part ofmedical practitioners, particularly of those connected with thelarger hospitals of the metropolis, cannot be overrated. The

gratuitous system lies at the root of the worst evils which

affect the profession. We therefore have much pleasure inobserving that the Governors of St. Thomas’s Hospital, fullyimpressed with the injustice of allowing their medical officersto work for nothing, are about to pass the following resolu-tion:—" That in consideration of the long services of Mr. Solly and

Mr. Le Gros Clark, both in the school and the hospital, therule of Court reducing the future allowance of the surgeons besuspended as regards those gentlemen; and that they receivethe same remuneration for their services, upon becomingsenior surgeons, as Mr. South and Mr. Mackmurdo at presentenjoy."

This resolution, if adopted, will be highly creditable to thegoverning body, though we could wish that in such a richly-endowed institution, the salary to be awarded amounted to atleast three times the sum contemplated.

Medical Societies.

ROYAL MEDICAL AND CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY.

TUESDAY, Nov. 8, 1853. — JAMES COPLAND, M.D., F.R.S.,PRESIDENT.

THE first meeting for the Session was held this evening.There was a large attendance of fellows and visitors. Greatcomplaints were made of the state of ventilation of the library:for though the night was somewhat cold, the atmosphere ofthe crowded assembly was most oppressive and disagreeable.A paper was read from the pen of the President " On BloodDiseases." The following gentlemen were declared to havebeen duly elected Fellows of the Society : -Messrs. HenryBrown ; Patrick Burke ; Robert Druitt, M.D. ; GeorgeEdwardes; James Ellison, M.D. ; Alfred Baring Garrod,M.D.; Thomas Hewlett; W. C. Hood, M.D.; Henry Jones;Draper Mackinder; and George Moseley.The thirty-sixth volume of the Society’s Tramactions was on

the library table; it is a very handsome volume, and containsseveral most valuable papers.A detailed report of the proceedings will appear in the next

LANCET.

MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

SATURDAY, Nov. 5, 1853.—FORBES WINSLOW, M.D., D.C.L.,President.

DR. CRISP said that, before Dr. Cormack’s paper was read,he might mention that in a paper which he (Dr. Crisp) hadread before the old society about four years since, he hadrecommended that localities infested with cholera should bepurified by fumigation with sulphur several times a day. Hesuggested that this might easily be done by igniting woodcovered with sulphur.

Dr. CoRMACK read a paperON THE PATHOLOGY AND TREATMENT OF CHOLERA.

The author arranged his observations under the followingheads: " Manner of Studying Cholera,," "Literary Historyand Pathology;" " Treatment ;" " General Conclusions."He observed that the majority of authors who have treatedof cholera have drawn their descriptions too exclusively frontthe more appalling forms of the disease; and sufficient atten-tion has not been paid to those cases which, from being mild,,or in some way favourably circumstanced, terminate in reco.very, with little or no medical interference. Much is to belearned from a study of simple cases which have not beendisturbed by treatment. In many diseases, as pneumonia,scarlatina, &c., there are a number of cases which recover-almost spontaneously, while others are saved by the skilfuluse of remedies; and, on the other hand, not a few aretremendously rapid in their fatal career; and we often meetwith the mildest and the most terrible cases recurring simul.taneously or consecutively in the same house. Dr. Cormackthen insisted on the necessity, in the study of an epidemic, ofobserving the character of all the diseases within a given dis-trict ; and referred to the great benefit which might arise fromthe formation of district societies of medical observation. The.author then entered on the question of the pathology of cholera.From the writings of Alibert, Comparetti, and other old-authors, and from the observations of Dr. Charles Bell, Dr.James Bird, and himself, he was led to consider cholera to be.essentially a pernicious intermittent fever. He did not claim.originality for this view, but believed that periodicity has longbeen recognised as an essential element of cholera, and that its.treatment by anti-periodic remedies is of equal antiquity. Hesummoned up his observations on the pathology of cholera in.the following conclusions :-" 1. Cholera is a fever, intimately related to those fevers

which depend on malaria.2. The intermittent or remittent type can be generally

recognised in the milder, and also not unfrequently(though less distinctly) in the severer cases.

3. The stage of collapse ought to be considered as an aggra-vated cold stage of the paroxysm of a pernicious fever,which may spontaneously terminate in death or re-action.

4. The least dense portion of the blood has an excessivetendency to exude through the capillaries of the sto-mach and bowels, and pass from the body by vomit.and stool.

5. The inspissated residual blood being unable to passthrough the small pulmonary vessels, causes conges-tion of the lungs; and as speedy consequences of thisrcondition, paralysis of the right side of the heart fromover-distension, asphyxia, and other subordinate de-rangements of the vital actions.

6. Death may take place froma. Asphyxia.b. Necræmia, with loss of the least dense portion of the

blood by stool and vomit.c. Necræmia, without such loss of the least dense por-

tion of blood as can be discovered during life-theexudation remaining within the stomach and in-testines.

d. Toxaemia from absence or deficiency of sanguineousdepuration.

e. Inflammation of lungs or other organs superveningin convalescence.

f.Debility.g. Gastro-enteritis.h. Two or more of the above causes combined.

7. The anatomical lesions found on dissection vary with thecauses of, and circumstances attending, death."

In the treatment of cholera, Dr. Cormack observed that itwas of importance to bear in mind its relation to ague. Hence,in the first step, preparations of iron and quinine are of signalbenefit. But we must at the same time, if the digestive func-tions be at fault, employ a judicious alterative treatment; andif there should be a tendency to copious watery evacuations,we must restrain them by sulphuric acid, acetate of lead,creosote, nitrate of silver, or other hæmostatics. If the casehave proceeded further, and it becomes necessary to treat thecramps and collapse, a solution of camphor in chloroform willbe found most useful; and external warmth and stimulatingembrocations are at the same time very beneficial.Mr. Ross having made some observations,Mr. DENDY eulogized the paper just read by Dr. Cormack,