food and raiment, it is a difficult matter to lay them entirely aside."-The last communication which the writer had from him, was dated June 1st, and had reference chiefly to his researches on the anatomy of the Vaagmar, a remarkable fish of the northern seas, of which he published an account in the Annals of Natural History' for June, and which was his last professional labour. In this letter he says: "I have for the last two months suffered severely at different times, from inflammation of the throat, which more than once threatened to suffocate me. I am at present very weak, being confined to bed the greater part of the day. I suffer a good deal of uneasiness and pain at times; but on the whole I have great reason to thank God for his mercies to me in this respect; and I can generally command ease and comparative comfort by a dose of morphia." The letter was completed by Mrs. Reid, who simply and touchingly says of him: "It is painful to him to speak, and he seldom does so; but with all his suffering he is always patient and submissive, and waits the Lord's will for his removal from all his trials." The period of suffering was protracted for some weeks; but never did the sufferer's faith, hope, or submission fail him; and he remained to the last an example of the same calm heroism, which was manifested in the whole of his deportment from the time when the fatal nature of the disease first declared itself. In the words of one who knew him well, and who truly and lovingly appreciated him,— "Thou wert a daily lesson Of Courage, Hope, and Faith; We wondered at thee living, Thou wert so meek and reverent, So resolute of will- W. B. C. For the whole of the beautiful little poem from which these verses are extracted, see the Edinburgh Monthly Journal,' Sept., 1849. MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE. MICROSCOPICAL RESEARCHES ON CHOLERA. WE have been favoured by Dr. Frederick Brittan, Lecturer on Physiology at the Bristol Medical School, with the opportunity of examining the results of his microscopical researches upon certain bodies which appear to be characteristic constituents of cholera evacuations, and to be present also in the atmosphere and atmospheric moisture of districts infected with cholera. These bodies we have no hesitation in pronouncing to be of a fungous nature; the atmospheric particles being apparently the sporules, which develope themselves within the body into large aggregations of cells. These aggregate masses have been noticed by many observers who have microscopically examined the evacuations of cholera; but their true nature appears not to have been appreciated by any one save Dr. Brittan and his colleague, Mr. J. C. Swayne, for want of the employment of sufficiently high powers; since the individual cells are so minute, that, when isolated, they would not attract attention, except under an amplification of at least 500 diameters. The researches of these two gentlemen have been prosecuted through a considerable series of cases, with a very uniform result; and the atmospheric moisture has been condensed in several distinct localities. In the last experiment of this kind, carried on in a room in which one patient had died of cholera, and in which two others subsequently died, the water condensed around a decanter of ice was quite discoloured by the quantity of sporules of fungi which it contained. Dr. Brittan appears to have taken every precaution that time and opportunity permitted, to determine, by parallel experiments, whether these bodies are discoverable in the dejections of other patients, and in the atmosphere of uninfected localities; and hitherto with a decidedly negative result. We would not be understood as committing ourselves, in the present stage of the inquiry, to Dr. Cowdell's Hypothesis of the Fungous Origin of Cholera (see Vol. II, p. 97); but it is obvious that this hypothesis is greatly strengthened by the facts discovered by Dr. Brittan, of which a fuller account will be found in the 'Medical Gazette' for Sept. 28th. 582 BOOKS RECEIVED FOR REVIEW. Contributions to the Pathology of Cholera, embracing its History, Modifications, Stages, and Treatment; as the Disease appeared in the Bombay Presidency from 1818 to 1842. By James Bird, A.M., M.D. London, 1849. 8vo, pp. 48. The History of the Cholera in Exeter in 1832. By Thomas Shapter, M.D. London, 1849. 8vo, pp. 298. A Treatise on Cholera. By Nathl. Alcock, A.B., M.B. London, 1849. 8vo, pp. 190. On the Mode of Communication of Cholera. By John Snow, M.D. London, 1849. 8vo, pp. 31. Mémoire sur le Développement, les Causes, et le Traitement du Cholera. Par Ch. Dvorjak. Saint-Petersbourg, 1848. 8vo, pp. 32. Ueber die Heilung der jetzt epidemisch herrschenden Cholera, gegründet auf die am Krankenbette gemachtem Beobachtungen und Erfahrungen, von Dr. L. Grünberg, Militärarzte. Warschau, 1848. 8vo, pp. 36. The above Works will be reviewed in our next. First Principles of Medicine. By Archibald Billing, M.D., A.M., F.R.S., &c. &c. Fifth Edition. London, 1849. 8vo, pp. 332. On Gout; its History, its Causes, and its Cure. By William Gairdner, M.D. London, 1849. Post 8vo, pp. 232. Clinical Lectures on the Physical Diagnosis of Phthisis. By Richard Payne Cotton, M.D. London, 1849. 8vo, pp. 24. Annotations Cliniques sur la Phthisie Pulmonaire. Par Dr. G. P. F. Groshans. Gand, 1849. 8vo, pp. 58. Om Spedalskhed, ved D. C. Danielssen og C. W. Boeck. Hermed et Atlas hvori 24 Lithographerede Plancher. Christiania, 1847. 8vo, pp. 516. Die neure Medicin in Frankreich, nach Theorie und Praxis. Mid vergleichenden Blicfen aus Deutschland. Von Dr. Emil Kratzmann. Erste Abtheilung. Leipzig, 1846. 8vo, pp. 264. Handbuch der Pathologie und Therapie. Von Dr. C. A. Wunderlich. In Drei Bänden. Dritter Band,-III und IV Abtheilung. Erster Band, I und II Abtheilung. Stuttgart, 1848. Contributions to the Practice of Medicine: on the Revulsive Agency of the Skin, with Cases. By L. F. Crummey. London, 1849. Fcap. 8vo, pp. 92. A Dissertation upon Dislocations and Fractures of the Clavicle and Shoulder-joint. Being the Jacksonian Prize Essay for 1846. By Thomas Callaway, F.R.C.S. London, 1849. 8vo, pp. 178. With Three Plates. Stricture of the Urethra, its Pathology and Treatment; comprising Observations on the Curative Powers of the Potassa Fusa in that Disease with Cases. By Robert Wade, F.R.C.S. Second Edition. Portraits of Diseases of the Scalp, By Walter C. Dendy. Fascic. II. London, 1849. 4to, Four Plates. The Three Kinds of Cod-liver Oil, comparatively considered, with Reference to their Chemical and Therapeutic Properties. By L. J. De Jongh, M.D. Translated from the German, with an Appendix and Cases, by Edward Carey, M.D. Loudon, 1849. 8vo, pp. 176. The Treatment of Rheumatic Diseases by Lemon Juice; with Illustrative Cases from Hospital Practice. By G. Owen Rees, M.D., F.R.S. London, 1848. 8vo, pp. 38. A Treatise on the Public Health, Climate, Hygiene, and Prevailing Diseases, of Bengal and the North-west Provinces. By Kenneth Mackinnon, M.D. Cawnpore, 1848. 8vo, pp. 396. Sketches of the Medical Topography and Native Diseases of the Gulf of Guinea, Western Africa. By William F. Daniell, M.D., AssistantSurgeon to the Forces. London, 1849. 8vo, pp. 200. On Parthenogenesis, or the Successive Production of Procreating Individuals from a Single Ovum. By Richard Owen, F.R.S., &c. With a Lithographic Plate. London, 1849. 8vo, pp. 76. Researches on the Development, Structure, and Diseases of the Teeth. By Alexander Nasmyth, F.L.S., F.G.S., F.R.C.S. London, 1849. 8vo, pp. 230. With Ten Plates. The Physiology of Digestion, considered with relation to the Principles of Dietetics. By Andrew Combe, M.D. Ninth Edition, edited by James Coxe, M.D. Edinburgh, 1849. Fcap. 8vo, pp. 192. Microscopic Anatomy of the Human Body in Health and Disease. By Arthur Hill Hassall, M.B. Part XV. London, 1849. 8vo. With Nine Plates. Fruits and Farinacea the proper Food of Man; being an Attempt to prove from History, Anatomy, Physiology, and Chemistry, that the original, natural, and best Diet of Man is derived from the Vegetable Kingdom. By John Smith. Second Edition. London, 1849. Fcap. 8vo, pp. 342. The Elements of Botany. By M. Adrien de Jussieu. Translated by James H. Wilson, F.L-S., &c. London, 1849. Fcap. 8vo, pp. 750. With numerous Woodcuts. A Manual of Botany; being an Introduction to the Study of the Structure, Physiology, and Classification of Plants. By John H. Balfour, M.D., F.L S.. F.R.S. E., Professor of Botany in the University of Edinburgh. London, 1849. Post 8vo, pp. 642. With numerous Woodcuts. Rudiments of Botany: a Familiar Introduction to the Study of Plants. By Arthur Henfrey, F.L.S. With illustrative Woodcuts. London, 1849. 18mo, pp. 250. Om Fodselsstiftelsen i Christiania, Læreanstalt for Universetetels Studerende og Jordemoderelever i Aarene 1818-1846, 1847, 1849. Mortalitet, Barselsygdomme, Börnesygdomme med et Foredrag om Puerperalaffectioner. Af Overlæge Dr. F. C. Faye. Christiania, 1849. 8vo, pp. 160. Confessions of a Hypochondriac, or the Adventures of a Hyp. in Search of Health. By M.R.C.S. London, 1849. Post 8vo, pp. 310. Der Geist des Menschen in der Natur, oder die Psychologie in Uebereinstimmung mit der Naturfunde. Von Dr. Joseph Ennemoser. Stuttgart, 1849. 8vo, pp.774. |