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MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL ELECTION.

A VOTER.

To the Editor.—Pray, Sir, read the in-

closed, and say how I should vote, for I ampuzzled.* I thought it was usual for themedical men of a hospital to support theirown pupil, if unobjectionable in characterand knowledge; but hearing that at the Mid-dlesex Hospital they had gone elsewhere fora candidate, I supposed there must be a11 screw loose" in one or other. But inquiryproves this idea to be erroneous, and now Ifind the fact zealously announced, under thesignatures of many of the staff themselves.One (Dr. F. Hawkins) says that he has" no doubt" that Dr- Woodfall would provea 11 valuable acquisition" to 11 any publicmedical institution." Another (Dr. ThomasWatson) recommends him as " uncommonlywell qualified" for one medical appointment,and, again, as " thoroughly qualified" forsuch an institution as the New Model Prison(Heaven grant that it may never be old!).Another (Dr. John Wilson) calls his pupilas a " very attentive observer" (for nine

years, observe), and 11 fully competent;"and, finally, Mr. Herbert Mayo declareshis 11 professional attainments" to be of 11 thehighest order," and that " his estimable cha-racter" entitles him to the " full confidenceof the public and the profession," and yet,Sir, these very gentlemen go to another hos-pital for a physician to their own ! But I,as a governor, want to know why. If Dr.Woodfall be entitled to full confidence, fit forany medical institution, uncommonly well

fitted and thoroughly qualified, for practisinghis profession, all of which these testimonialsaver, what can be the reason that his ownteachers, his own attestators, his own friends,should thus disown him, and in defiance ofthe understanding which has long existedin the London hospitals? There are, it

seems, two candidates in the field. I amnot a partisan of either; perhaps each "effi-cient ;" but I hate all medical jobs,especiallywhen calculated to wound the feelings of anamiable man,-possibly, to influence hisprospects. To this the governors of hospi-tats should promptly look, no one beingbetter able to direct them in the inquiry thdntourself. I am, Sir, vour obedient servant.

December 5, 1843.

INSECTS, like plants, have their stomataand the air-passages leading into their in.terior formed of spiral fibre.—Dr. jPotfer.

* Our correspondent inclosed a printedcopy of the "Testimonials of the MedicalOfficers of the Middlesex Hospital in favourof Dr. Woodfall," dated 1840-42. He wantsto know how he should vote, but the answerseems to be already supplied in these docu-ments.—ED. L.

THE RECOMMENDATION

OF THE COUNCIL OF THE COLLEGE OF SURGEONS

THAT THE MEDICAL SCHOOL-BOYS IN TOWN

AND COUNTRY SHOULD HAVE

NO HOLIDAYS AT CHRISTMAS.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Previously to the opening of themedical schools for the present session, thecouncil of the Royal College of Surgeons,as is pretty generally known, issued a letterto the different professors of medicine inLondon and the country, strongly recolll-

mending them to discontinue the usualvacation at Christmas. It has been withsome surprise that I have observed this subjectto be hitherto unnoticed by any of your cor-respondents, and hearing that some two orthree schools intend to follow the advicetherein contained, although the professorshave failed to give public notice of such

intention, I beg leave to address you, andshall commence with designating the saidrecommendation as, first of all, a very greatinsult to medical students, and, secondly,one manifesting gross ignorance, not only oftheir nature (if we may use the expression),but of human nature generally.

First, it is a very great insult to them, forby it the zchole body of medical students inthis country is considered to be unable to

use relaxation with propriety, and unable tospend a week or two with their friendswithout becoming remiss in their studies ;the reason everywhere assigned for thisinterference of the charter-mongers being,that after the Christmas vacation the classesare not so well attended as before, and adiminution in numbers is apparent. Allowme to ask those gentlemen, is a diminutionin numbers never apparent before the Christ-mas vacation ? How much is due to theinfluence of that season, and how much tothe fact that the period has arrived in thesession when the novelty of lectures is fastdiminishing, and the idle are being rapidlysifted from the diligent ? Allowing, how.ever, that it has an influence upon some, isthat a reason why the whole body shouldbe treated like a parcel of school-boys, be,haved to as if they were mere children inarms, instead of gentlemen who havemostly arrived at an age when, even by law,they are considered capable of reasoning,judging, and deciding, upon their own

actions ?But the recommendation manifests gross

ignorance of the nature of medical students.For whom is it intended? For the idle?For those who are deaf to the urgent en-treaties of parents or of friends, who stiflethe remonstrances of conscience, and perse-vere in ruinoua ways (madmen as they are),unmindful of warning or advice? Is it forthem that such recommendation is intended?The supposition is too ridiculous. Then we

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are led to the conclusion that it is intendedfor the industrious, and that, too, probably,on the principle that prevention is better thancure. But, again, we might ask those

gentlemen whether they are aware that theprevious habits and mode of life of the

junior medical students (and of course itcould never for a moment be expected thatthe recommendation would in any way influ-ence the old) has, generally speaking, beendirectly opposed to close and constant appli-cation to study. For the last three or fouryears, many, if not most, of them, have beenengaged in the active duties of apprenticesor assistants, and to such (allowing they arestudious), if the general view of humannature is correct, a week or ten days relaxa-tion would not only be very beneficial, buthighly necessary, and, instead of having animproper influence, would impart to themfresh zest for, and alacrity in, their studies.

I affirm, then, that the council of the

Royal College of Surgeons has been igno-rantly or officiously interfering in a matterwhich concerns them not, and, in conclusion,I would recommend them, if they wish toknow the hold and influence that they haveupon medical students, to look into thelecture-rooms of those professors who,during the Christmas week, may complywith their potent recommendation, and Itrust the survey will do them good. I am,Sir, your obedient servant,

A MEDICAL STUDENT.London, Nov. 24, 1843.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Respecting the recommendation ofthe Royal College of Surgeons that the

professors in the medical schools of Englandshould discontinue the usual vacation at

Christmas, will you permit me to say thatsuch advice is both ridiculous and unfeeling- equally discreditable to the heads andhearts of the advisers; for medical studentsbeing divided into two classes-those whoare studious and those who are not-theregulation may affect the former, while itwill not the latter, but rather tend to furnishthem with an excuse for taking pleasureand neglecting their duties at other times.If a medical pupil study as he ought, noone can deny that a little relaxation will

prove beneficial to his mind and invigoratingto his frame, giving him fresh zeal for

inquiry, and fitting him anew for pursuinghis studies with assiduity. The recom-mendation, therefore, must be injurious tothe one class and quite unheeded by theother, and thus it becomes ridiculous.

Christmas is the time at which relations,separated all through the rest of the year,meet together for exchanges of affection,and, surely, the absence of a son or a brotherwould be keenly felt on such an occasion.They would gaze at his vacant seat, and

picture him with pale cheek and decayingconstitution, and a blank would fill thehearts that should be full of joy. Thus it isunfeeling, unnatural.

I do trust the professors will treat withthe scorn that it deserves a recommendationso insulting to medical students, tending toruin their constitutions and snap the ties ofaffection that bind them tn their homes andfriends. I remain, Sir, your obedientservant,

STUDENS.University College,

Nov. 25, 1843.

HYDROTHORAX. PARACENTESISTHORACIS.

A PRACTITIONER of great experience in-forms us that he has now under treatmenta case of hydrothorax, for the relief of whichthe operation of paracentesis has been per-formed, apparently with advantage to the

patient. He states that he feels a very

deep interest in the result, as the patient isthe mother of a numerous family. He

suggests that one of the chief advantageswhich arise from the publication of medicalperiodicals, must always be the announce-ment, up to the latest moment, of every dis-covery in medicine, of every improvement inthe treatment of disease. Impressed withthis conviction, he has entreated us to inquireof his brother practitioners, through themedium of THE LANCET, what system oftreatment they have found it safest to pur-sue after the water has been withdrawnfrom the chest by means of tapping ?Whether it is better to close the opening, orto allow the opening to remain open for the

discharge of any further fluid that may be

secreted; and what are the medicines whichthey have administered with the best effect.And he inquires most particularly withreference to the operation of digitalis andelaterium. The water had accumulated,

in the case to which our correspondent

refers, in the left pleura, and a carefulexamination has led both him and his col-leagues to believe that the heart and lungsof the sufferer are free from disease. Ourcorrespondent is also anxious to learn whathave been the effects of repetition of theoperation of paracentesis, more especially incases of w idiopathic" accumulations ofwater in the pleurae. We feel assured that

practitioners who have had opportunities oftreating the description of cases to whichour correspondent has referred, will not

hesitate to make known through us theresults of their experience.