425

It is commonly said, that thirteen make a baker’s dozen; itis clear that bakers do not in general reckon the weight of theloaves they vend by this scale. Housekeepers! we advise youto put your scales in order.

The engravings illustrative of the development of the Yeast-Plant will be given in THE LANCET of the 19th inst.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer having, in his place in theHouse of Commons, just declared that he does not intend torescind the " Treasury Minute" legalizing the Adulteration ofCoffee, we propose to return again to the subject, and to pre-pare other Reports on

COFFEE,AND

ITS ADULTERATIONS.

Correspondence.

THE PROPOSED MEDICAL COLLEGE.

"Audi alteram partem."

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—The noble, philanthropic, and benevolent design of Mr.Propert in proposing a Medical College, for the welfare of thewidows and children of medical men, is in itself so honourablea project, and coupled with its having been so ably broughtforward by you, has induced me to become a small donor °‘ tosuch a glorious undertaking," therefore may I ask the favour ofyour accepting and conveying to its proposer and coadjutors thefirst midwifery-fee (10s. 6d.) I have received since your remarksupon it.

I am but a medical student, enjoying the confidence of a fewfriends, and may I respectfully suggest, that if each medicalman would reserve and present one midwifery-fee for such acause, it would not be long ere a structure would be raised thatwould exalt, establish, and render most beautiful the frameworkof our social existence, ameliorate the condition of our society,and promote the welfare, well-being, and happiness of ourselvesand families. And moreover, it would not be long ere we shouldsee a college based and raised upon a foundation, in every senseworthy of its object and our noble profession.The benefits to us are too obvious, and need no comment.An institution built upon offerings so realized by medical men

would be interesting, and could not fail to flourish; and, indeed,happy would every medical man feel in seeing its proud headrise amongst other benevolent institutions in this metropolis,and still happier would he be in feeling, that there is an asylumfor my wife and children, if my existence should be cut short byaccident, or otherwise, in my professional career! Hoping tosee " spontaneous offerings" pour in,

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,A PUPIL OF LANE’S SCHOOL, ST. GEORGE’S HOSPITAL.

April 7, 1851.

*,* The subscription awaits a call from Mr. Propert’s col-lector.-En. L.

TREATMENT OF PLACENTA PRÆVIA.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Having seen the particulars of a case of placenta prseviarecorded in your pages of the 5th current, which resembled inmany respects one which was mentioned to me a few days sinceby a medical friend in this neighbourhood,-in which he alsoadopted the plan of treatment recommended by Professor Simp-son, but unfortunately with fatal results,—I have ventured, inreply to your correspondent A. B., to make allusion to the sub-ject, and regret much that I am not at liberty to give the details ofthe case ; my friend fearing that the publication of it might affordsome rival practitioner an opportunity of damaging his reputa-tion, if he were candid enough to acknowledge the readinesswith which he adopted this modern innovation in obstetricy,from the much greater facility which it affords (than the oldplan of proceeding) of checking the more immediate symptoms.I certainly have considerable doubt as to the propriety of thisplan of treatment becoming the rule instead of the exception, fromthe little experience which I myself have had in the managementof such cases ; and judging from the result of such facts as havebeen from time to time placed on record in your pages as pla-cental presentation, I should not consider myself justified in

departing from the olden plan as taught in the schools and lying-in hospitals fifteen or twenty years back. Amongst 1104 casesof midwifery which it has fallen to my lot to attend, I have metwith only four cases of placenta prsevia, (strange to say, three othem occurred within a fortnight of each other,) and as three oatof the four women are still living-one of them having died inten days after her delivery, of a rapid consumption-which, nodoubt, was hurried to its termination by the fearful haemorrhagewhich continued to harass her for several days before it was deemedprudent to interfere, I would, I beg leave to say, hesitate, before Iwould recommend Dr. Simpson’s modern plan of procedure, eventhough bearing the sanction of his deservedly celebrated name. Imay en passant observe, that although the Edinburgh professorclaims the merit of being the originator of this so-called modern im-provement, I have met with a case recorded in the dnnals of Medi-cine for 1799, which occurred in the practice of Mr. John Chapman,surgeon, of Ampthill, Bedfordshire, communicated by the thendistinguished Dr. Pearson, F.R.S., where the placenta was ex-pelled four hours before the birth of the child, and in which heasks, " how far the success of the case suggests a different modeof practice from the one generally followed-i. e., of deliveringthe placenta previous to delivering the child in those cases ofalarming haemorrhage, where the placenta is situated on the sideof, or over, the os uteri?" How true is the trite observation, thatthere is nothing new under the srsn! / And really, if Dr. Simpson isindebted to the above publication for the suggestion made nearlyhalf a century before by an humble assistant in Bedfordshire, Ithink it will not detract from the unquestionably original andvigorous intellect of the Edinburgh professor, to render untoCaesar the things that are Csesar’s; for it sometimes happens thata casual incident suggests an idea to a person in a very humbleposition in life, which, grasped at by a man of genius and judg-ment, may, when developed and elucidated, prove a boon to thehuman race. Thus Newton, who extended the domain of know-ledge more than any man who ever lived, and who used to repre-sent himself as a child gathering pebbles on the sea-shore," issaid to have been indebted to a child for suggesting, upon seeingan apple fall to the ground, the question which, grasped at bythat power which is in genius, led to the discovery of the laws ofgravitation. Jenner, the greatest philanthropist of the humanrace, is said to have had his mind directed to the subject ofvaccination by a Gloucestershire dairy-maid. Other instances,equally suggestive, are found in connexion with many usefulmodern improvements in every department of science.

I remain Sir, your obedient servant,Beeston, Notts, April 6, 1851. P. J. HYNES, M.D.P. J. HYNES, M.D.

THE MALLING LUNATIC ASYLUM.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—I have only just read your remarks upon the lateinquiry respecting the Malling Asylum, and I think it my dutyto state that no charge was substantiated against the proprietor,(as is amply shown by the words of the presiding judge,) saveand except, the having omitted to make certain entries in theMedical Visitation Book, as required by the statute. I will onlyadd, that the proprietor and myself hold equally strong opinionswith you upon the subject of mechanical restraint, which, whenabused, no doubt must neutralize all medical and moral treat-ment. At the same time, there are cases, where there is a strongsuicidal tendency, and a determined disposition to violent anddangerous action, in which personal coercion or strict confine-ment may be absolutely necessary, in order to prevent mischiefto themselves and others; for under such circumstances, theywill tend less to irritate the patient than the act of detaininghim by manual strength, or putting him into a padded room,where he has liberty to throw himself about. I believe with Mr.Tuke, that personal restraint cannot be wholly abandoned ; if thepatient is not restrained by a strap, are there no other vulgarappliances within the attendant’s reach, by which he may over-awe the unhappy subject of his care ? I fear and believe thereare, and that in the struggles which cannot fail occasionally to takeplace, fear may be excited, sufferings may be inflicted far moredistressing than those occasioned by the application of restraint.In our large public institutions the attendants must be left, toa very great extent, to carry out the directions of the super-intendent in their own way and spirit, and this, from the generalcharacter of attendants, will not justify any man of exp:riencein expecting, will even generally be the best.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,C. C. HAYMAN, M.R.C.S.L. & L.A.C.

April 8, 185 1. Joint Medical Attendant of the Asylum, Mailing.

April 8, 1851.

C. C. HAYMAN, M.R.C.S.L. & L.A.C.Joint Medical Attendant of the Asylum, Malling.