52

4. If a remarkable storm of thunder and rain is to succeed,for some days before it lodges almost continually without thewater, and discovers uncommon uneasiness in violent throesand convulsive motions.- 5. In the frost, as in the clear and summer weather, it liesconstantly at the bottom; and in snow, as in rainy weather, itpitches its dwelling upon the mouth of the phial.

6. Perhaps it may not be amiss to note, lest any of thecurious should try the experiment, that the leech was kept ina common two-ounce phial, about three-fourths filled withwater, and covered with a bit of linen rag. In the summerthe water is changed once -a week, and in the winter once afortnight. This is a weather-glass which may be purchasedat a very trifling expense.These observations have hitherto been confined to the

weather. It has occurred to me, however, that epidemics-cholera, influenza, fevers-may be pre-indicated by theinstincts of this curiously sensitive creature; and I am nowarranging a series of experiments which will test the instinc-tive powers of the leech in so desirable a prognosis.

I do not pretend to offer any theory or explanation of thecurious facts above stated. I only cast them upon the waters,in the hope that some naturalist, with more leisure and -in-genuity than myself, will perhaps, after many days, enlargeand apply them to some beneficial purpose. One suggestiononly will I offer in explanation: Is it the electrical conditionof the atmosphere that produces these curious habits in - theIppeh 2 T am Sir. your nhRdifnt servant. I

W. HOOPER ATTREE,Formerly House-Surgeon to the

Middlesex Hospital.

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

SIR,—I beg to relate, through the medium of your widelycirculated journal, a transaction between the Union AssuranceOffice and myself, which, I trust, will be borne in mind byprofessional men when they are consulted by patients aboutoffices for life assurance.The circumstances are as follow:—I received the other day,

a paper from that office, with the usual questions put to themedical attendant of a person wishing to assure his life, andas it contained no hint of a fee, I wrote to the secretary toknow what I might expect for furnishing the directors withthe information they required, and received no answer; butmy patient was examined by the medical gentleman of theoffice, and rejected, the reason not being stated, though mynote to the secretary was inclosed to him, thereby leaving itto be inferred that I was the occasion of it, and giving -riseto much soreness of feeling.This unhandsome conduct has compelled me to explain,.to

some near friends of the party, reasons which no doubt causedhis rejection on medical grounds, and, as may be supposed,has caused them much anxiety which might well have beenspared; so I have thought it right to warn the profession ofthe treatment they may look for if they fall into the handsof the Union Assurance Office. I

.

I am. Sir. vour obedient servant. ITHOMAS DYER, M.R.C.S.

THE LICENCE OF LICENTIATE PHYSICIAN ATSWANSEA.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—My attention has been attracted to your leading

article of the 21st of April, relating to the contemplated re-forms of the College of Physicians.

I will not now question or discuss the wisdom or justice ofa proposed law, by which it is contemplated to tax countryphysicians, and to scrutinize or analyze the conduct andmorals of the licentiates (extra-llrbem).

It must by all be conceded, that the college should havethe power of exercising a just, effectual, and prompt controlover the professional conduct and proceedings of its membersand licentiates.For instance :-when the licentiates (extra-urbem) of the

Royal College of Physicians, or any one of them, advertise inprovincial newspapers to attend patients for three shillings Iper visit, it were high time the college interfered. I’.Again :-when a licentiate (extra-urbem) becomes a com-petitor with general practitioners for the situation, and under-takes the charge of a benefit club, and to supply the members

and their families with medicines, attendance, &c., for lessthan a penny farthing per week, or five-pence per month permember!-this is another case, in which justice to the pro-fession, and due conventional propriety, call loudly forinterference.Both these things have occurred in this place, within a

recent period; and, in both instances, the individuals whohave so condescended were, at the time, and still remain, licen-tiates extra-urbem of the College of Physicians!

I will not make any comment on these proceedings, save toask-How- can the profession go on harmoniously, and themembers of its various departments feel confidence in eachother ?-how can its dignity, or its proper position, be main-tained, whilst such behaviour is. out of the-reach.of control orremedy? To the general practitioner, and the juniors espe-cially, such things are most galling in their tendency, if notinjurious in their effects, and no less- so to the college and itsmembers, than to the whole body of the-profession.Such acts as above stated, it is true, like the perfect mor-

dants of animal and vegetable colours, "fix indelibly the dye,"so far as such practitioners are concerned;. yet the proceed-ings themselves, if unremedied, go on unchecked. It is to behoped, the college will have a retrospective eye, as well asfuture regard,-to the conduct of practitioners so acting,,in re-modelling the rules for the future governance of its countrylicentiates; and compel men who act thus to take up theirmore appropriate name and position, whatever that may be.

I am, Sir, your obedient, humble servant,Swansea, 1849. A COUNTRY PRACTITIONER.

P.S. - The following paragraphs appeared in the twoweekly newspapers published at Swansea during the pastspring; it may be by way of coup’ de grace to the club dodge.In the Cambrian of April 20th, 1849, will be found the,following:-

" ODDFELLOWSHIP.—On Monday last, Thomas Williams, Esq.M.D., was elected medical adviser to the Loyal Unity Lodge,in the room of H. Wiglesworth, Esq., resigned. A vote oftharrks was unanimously passed to the latter gentleman forhis uniform kindness and attention to the members and theirfamilies who required his professional services during theperiod he held the office. We congratulate this respectablebody of men on their choice. At the same time we may state,that the Order -is rapidly increasing in numbers as well asrespectability, many of the most influential tradesmen of,,ourtown and neighbourhood having lately become members. Of theimportance of the Order we leave our readers to judge, whenwe state, that, during the last twelve months, the sum of£598 13s. 2d. has been paid, by the Swansea district alone,(about 600 members,) for funerals, sickness, &c. This weconsider a very important fact, and one which justly en-

titles Oddfellowship to the serious attention of. everyTHINKING mechanic and tradesman, who probably may, sooneror later,-feel the inconvenience of not having provided againstsickness."

In the Swansea and Glamorgan Herald of April 25th, 1849,occurs the below annexed:-

" Dr. T. Williams has been elected medical adviser to theLoyal Unity Lodge of Oddfellows, in the room of Mr.Wigles-worth, resigned. This respectable body has- recently gained,alarge acquisition to its numbers, several of the leading trades- .

men of the town, we are informed, having joined the Order."The words in italics are so treated, in the quotation herein

’

adduced, because they are ostensibly intended in the originalsto give a particular complexion to the affair. But the question [may be fairly asked, if the allegation, as regards the "mostinfluential" or leading tradesmen" of the town, is, in its ap- ;

parently implied sense, true ?-that is, do they belong to thepenny-farthing class of patients? î There is not, in all proba-bility, one of that "live-and-Iet-live" and highly honourableclass here, who would not spurn such an imputation. Theyconstitute a very different body of people to that implied orinsinuated.

t

TREATMENT OF NAVAL ASSISTANT-SURGEONS.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Asa member of the medical profession, I take particu-lar interest in the war which is now waging between the As-sistant-surgeons in the Navy and the Lords of the Admiralty- a war carried on by the assistants in defence of their justrights, and resisted by the lords from prejudice. Having wit-nessed with pleasure the able manner in which you havefought the battle of your professional brethren, I should, ne-vertheless, have scarcely ventured into the arena, had I not