805

jlydriasis, by Dr. Harlan; Neuro-retinitis with almost suddenLoss of Sight in bothEyes, by Dr. Knapp; Hereditary Atrophyof the Optic Nerves, by Dr. Norris; Myxo-sarcoma of theOrbit and Osteoma of the Orbit, by Dr. Norris; Glioma ofthe Retina, by Dr. Little; Myxœdema, with Atrophy of theOptic Nerves, by Dr. Wadsworth; Multiple Colobomata ofthe Iris, by Dr. Mittendorf; Hypermetropia passing intoMyopia., with symptoms simulating general Nervous Disease,by Dr. Risley.

’

Analptical Records.[WE think it right to direct attention to the system we

adopt in the conduct of this department. Of the numerousarticles of food and medicine submitted to us for analysiswe select such as we think important to the medical pro-fession and the public. Samples of these are bought by usin the ordinary way, and the results of our examinationsreported.] ]

CARNRICK’S PEPTONISED COD-LIVER OIL AND MILK.(MALTINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY.)

THIS is an exceedingly perfect emulsion of cod-liver oiland condensed milk, the oil-drops appearing under themicroscope no larger than the granules of wheat starch. Whenthe oil and fat are removed by ether and a drop of potash, aliquid remains which coagulates with acetic acid, and is

evidently modified casein. This emulsion shows no tendencyto separation. It has little of the disagreeable taste of the oil,and will be taken with ease by many who cannot digest pureoil. It is certainly a valuable and trustworthy preparation.

KING’S WHEATEN FLOUR FOR INFANTS.

(ALBION FOOD MILLS, SYCAMORE-STREET, E.C.)This preparation is described on the wrapper as " prepared

solely from the finest wheat," and is stated to be " free fromany chemical additions." So far our analysis confirms thedescription. But when it is added that the flour is

"thoroughly cooked by a new and improved patent process,"we confess ourselves puzzled, for a great part, if not all, ofthe starch is ungelatinised. We notice that in the directionsfor use the addition of boiling milk or water is insisted on.This, of course, amounts to cooking.

BROWNING AS A SCIENTIFIC POET.

ON Friday evening, April 24th, Mr. Edward Berdoe,M.R.C.S., read a paper at University College, Gower-street,before the Browning Society, on " Browning as a ScientificPoet." The paper opened with an exhaustive argument toprove that the progress of science need not, as some had

said, tend to the destruction of the poetic art; that, in fact,some of the greatest poets had enri’ched their verse by thestudy of natural phenomena—Lucretius, Haller, Milton,and Goethe, and in our own times Tennyson and Browning,while students of natural and physical science had notfound their exact acquaintance with natural laws impede theluxuriant growth of their poetic fancy. In fact, to interpretNature faithfully, she must be approached by a mind neitherwholly scientific to the exclusion of reverence, nor whollypoetic to the exclusion of knowledge. Many of Browning’smost beautiful similes were the result of his intimateacquaintance with anatomy, physiology, and chemistry; andthe use he constantly makes of figures drawn from thescience of optics has enabled him to illustrate his favouriteoptimism by much beautiful imagery. Tyndall claims forthe scientist that " his imagination does not sever itself fromthe world of fact," and the poet of the future will be deniedhis former power of dealing capriciously with facts," butthis restraint, Mr. Berdoe argued, would not repress thepoetic spirit. In the pnern "Easter Day" Browning seemedto have anticipated by five years Herbert Spencer’s theoriesof the evolution of the first rudiments of nerves in Iledi-isae

along the lines of least resistance, as the following linesseem to show :-

" Thy choice was earth; thou didst attest’Twas titter spirit should subserveThe flesh, than flesh refine to nerveBeneath the spirit’s play."

Tyndall’s suggestion, that two-thirds of the rays of thesun fail to arouse in the eye the sense of vision becauseof its present imperfection, affords Browning, in " JochanaiiHakkadosh," an argument against the assumption that ourreason is sufficient for the complete comprehension of thegreat problems of life, the soul, and God. Browning’ssplendid rehabilitation of the character of Paracelsus shouldearn him the gratitude of the medical profession. The poemmay fitly be called the " Epic of the Healer." He speaks aslovingly of the human hand as Sir Charles Bell, and rebukesthose who refuse belief in God because they cannot findHim with their microscope and scalpel:

" The name comes close behind a stomach cyst;The small becomes the dreadful and immense."

"You cannot find soul ?" he asks. "Show me an atom !You cannot believe in immortality ? But an atom isimmortal ! You want scientific faith ? It is absurd-wouldnot be faith. Do you understand gravitation? The ex-hausted air-bell of the critic leaves no air to poison, andnone to breathe !" His Gottingen Professor, in "Easter Day,"reduced the Pearl of Great Price to powder for purposes ofanalysis. Sweep it, then, to the dust-hole ? No ! religiouslypreserve the remains! This is what modern Agnosticismand Comtism is doing with Christianity.Mr. Berdoe, in conclusion, claimed for Mr. Browning that

he is essentially the poet for the scientific man ; abreastof the highest culture of his time, in close touch with thegreat aims of science, he knows its limits, and tells us wemayConfidently lay to heart, and lock in head our life long this-He there, with the brand flamboyant, broad o’er night forlorn abyss :Crowned by prose and verse; and wielding, with Wit’s bauble learning’s

rod.Well ? Why, he at least believed in Soul, was very sure of God !"

THE UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—May I be allowed to make one or two corrections inregard to the notice of the Durham University given by yourNorthern Counties correspondent in your issue of the presentweek? 1. No alteration has been made in the regulationswhich have for several years been in force with respect tothe Preliminary Arts Examination. 2. No alteration hasbeen made in the regulations affecting candidates for theFinal Examinations for the degrees in Medicine, nor inthose which concern the one year’s residence," or attend-ance on lectures and hospital practice. 3. The curriculum,&c., for the licence in Medicine have for many years pastbeen identical with those for the degrees in Medicine; thusthe licence has for a long time been merged in the degree,in fact, since the necessity for the possession of an Artsdegree, or its equivalent, by candidates for the degrees inMedicine has been done away with. 4. The alterations whichwere made in Convocation (not "convention") in the Uni-versity on April llth consist in a rearrangement of the sub-jects of the earlier portion of the curriculum, and are brieflyas follows-viz. : (a) Instead of a single First M.B. Examina-tion in Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry, and Botany, therewill be two examinations, the first including ElementaryAnatomy and Physiology, Chemistry, Chemical Physics, andBotany; the second (intermediate) including Anatomy,Physiology, Materia Medica, and Pharmacy (the last twosubjects being removed from the Final Examination alto-gether). (b) The First Examination of the Conjoint Boardin England of the R,oyal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeonswill be accepted in lieu of the First Examination of thisUniversity, except in regard to Chemistry; and the First andSecond Examinations of this University will be accepted bythe Conjoint Board in place of the First and Second Exami-nations of the Boards. These are the only alterations whichhave been made.--I am, Sir, yours faithfully,

LUKE ARMSTRONG, M.D.,Registrar of the University of Durham

College of Medicine.University of Durham College of Medicine,

Newcastle-on-Tyne, April 25th, 1885.