768

more that of the public, as their dearestinterests are so deeply involved, it is to be

hoped they will see the importance of assist.ing them (by petition and otherwise), in

their just and laudable endeavours to renderthe profession more respectable amongthemselves, and much more useful to so-

ciety.GEORGE WEBSTER,

Dulwich, July 28,1840.

REPLY FROM MR. HOULTON.

JOSEPH HOULTON.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR:-Dr. Sigmond appears to have been

offended by the questions that I put to himin my last, and declines all further notice ofme. I was not aware that my letters wereexpressed in offensive terms ; and if theycontained any flagrant errors, it would havebeen very easy for a man of Dr. Sigmond’stalent to expose them,in a clear and conclll-sive manner. Had he been inclined to bemore communicative, I might have askedhim some questions about the cat and themarsh-pools in his paper on odoriferousbodies ; but I shall not run the risk of

making him uncomfortable by so doing.Dr. Sigmond may believe that the papers

in the " Amoenitates Academicae" are thegenuine works of the pupils of Linnaeus, ifhe please. He may ascribe to Wahlin theclassification of the odoriferous plants if helike, and use the word ]Jostulatums in anysense he may think proper. The whole ofthe matter is, that we do not think alike onthese subjects. I have one more remark tomake. Dr. Sigmonc:tstates, that he did notcall an aphorism a postulatum : I shall quotehis own words-" One of the postulatumsof Linnaeus was, that the qualities of medi-cines are, in a general way, to be determinedby their effects on the organs of smell andof taste, which is substantially the 35Sthaphorism in the 1’hilosophia Botanica’ ofLinnseus."

It is not likely that I shall trouble Dr.Sigmond any more, and to him I would say,in the words of his College, " Precor tibiomnia fausta." I am, Sir, your obedientservant.

London, Aug. 10, 1840.

LIBRARY OF PRACTICAL MEDICINE

C. J. B. WILLIAMS.

To Ihe Editor of THE LANCET.SIR :ŁIn a critical notice of the 14 Library

of Practical Medicine," which appeared inyour last Number, your reviewer states, thatthe article on Croup, of which I am thewriter, is a mere abridgment of the articleon the same subject in Dr. Copland’s" Dic-tionary," and that without acknowledgment.

Plagiarism is an offence so reprehensible,that I feel myself bound to exonerate myselffrom a charge which seems to have beenfounded on an oversight.

In writing the history of Croup, I con-sulted the works of many preceding writers,and finding the descriptions of Dr. Cheyneand Dr. Copland most to correspond withthe results of my own observation, I adoptedthem in a few instances, not, however, with-out premising that " in the history of theusual forms of the progress of the disease,we shall often avail ourselves of the descrip-tions given by the latest writers, Dr. Cheyneand Dr. Copland." (I quote from my MS.,not having a printed copy of the work.) Inanother place it is said, " The curative indi-cations in croup are well stated by Dr. Cop-land," &c. So far as I know, in everyother instance I have quoted the name ofthis distinguished writer when I have usedhis words or his views.

Writers, faithfully describing the samesubject, might correspond in opinion, andeven in expression, without justly incurringthe charge of plagiarism ; but it happens inthis instance, that there is, on many points,a difference of opinion between Dr. Coplandand myself; and if your reviewer had care-fully read my brief essay, he would haveperceived, that on the pathology and in thedetails of diagnosis and practice, there is byno means a unity of sentiment between us.I have the honour to be, Sir, your mostobedient servant.

Holles-street, Cavendish-square,Aug. 8, 18-10.

DR. CoLLEDGE.Ł" Thomas R. Colledge,M,D., of her Majesty’s establishment, Can-ton, China, was, on Tuesday last, elected anon-resident Fellow of the Royal Coiiege ofPhysicians of Edinburgh."- Edinburg[&Evening Courant.

Dr. Colledge was the first European toextend medical aid to the Chinese, by found-ing an institution in which they might receivegratuitous assistance. In 1S2S, he esta-

blished an ophthalmic hospital for the Chi-nese in Macao, which subsequently becamea hospital for seamen of all nations. More

recently, induced by his exertions, the Me.dical Philanthropic Society founded two

hospitals expressly for the Chinese, oneat Macao, the other at Canton.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

M. T.-A moderate diet, of the simplestfood, on teetotal principles, open air, plentyof exercise, early hours, wholesome occu-pation of the mind, attention to the bowels.

Win. Bennett.-The time is short, theprocess simple, the eye itself untouched.