delicate and yielding form from the rough winds which blow upon it, the chances are that it perishes; but if, on the contrary, they combine their powers and unite their skill, in all that be necessary for its sustenance, then shall it take deep root in the earth, rear its majestic form, thicken its bole, and spread around its branches, while its impervious foliage shall shelter from heat and storm, and beneath which they may repose in calm security.

To advance the interests of medical science is a duty we all owe both to the public and ourselves. To watch over the political movements which bear upon our profession, more particularly at a time like the present, so rife with such movements, is equally important; but let not the claims of philanthropy and benevolence be lost in the struggle. Let their still small voice be heard; they speak to the heart, and it should feel it. In this age of general improvement, when the spirit of amelioration is abroad, and societies are established to meet the contingencies of disease and death, and the calamities which accompany such visitations; when the artisan, the mechanic, nay, the agricultural labourer, have combined to furnish help to their distressed brother, and to the bereaved families of their departed fellowworkmen ;-can it be endured, that we, who claim for ourselves the advantages of education, the privilege of expanded minds, the influence of moral and religious feelings, and in some measure the pride of clanshipcan it be endured, that in pure benevolence and nobleness of spirit, we should be outdone by these? Does the cause of the widow and orphan require either eloquence or talent to plead with enlightened men? Is not the certainty of their fallen condition, when shrouded with poverty and neglect,—oftentimes their utter helplessness, their agony, their privations, elo. quence itself? Cannot imagination picture how forlorn and miserable must be that object who, having once enjoyed ease, comfort, and competency, is, from no fault of her own, but from the dispensations of Heaven, thrust from her home and her pleasures to toil for bread, to sink into dependence, or to have her weekly dole from the hands of a parish functionary? It is rank hypocrisy to put a prayer to Almighty God in the venerable ritual of our church, asking Him "to defend the fatherless children and widows," while we refuse a small mite from our resources to make the prayer effectual, as far as human means can make it.

The difficulties under which many worthy and intelligent practitioners labour in a pecuniary point of view, render assurance upon their lives often impossible, but admit that a prudent and careful man has paid from his yearly income sufficient to guarantee to his widow a thousand pounds. Now, what is the interest she will receive from this amount? Unless she adopts some speculative mode of investment, (which is always dangerous,) or to obtain large interest, gets security, uncertain as to punctuality of payment, her income from the ordinary funds of the country will scarcely afford a very humble maintenance for herself; but if she have a family, it is obvious she must herself labour to obtain any respectable position, and it may be she is utterly unqualified for such labour. The

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capital must not be touched, for that capital is designed for ulterior purposes, to place her children in suitable situations, and to enable them in the end to embark in business on their own account. Now, to meet such cases, is the great object and design of the directors of the "General Medical Annuity Fund." An annuity, accruing from such a co-operative institution, would place the widow in a position of comparative independence; but when the average calculation of mortality amongst medical men, as proved by statistical returns, is compared with other professions, the lowest on the scale, the inference is fair that many die before they can have had time to make provision of any kind. Take the following fact as an example:-" A young physician, respected for his general demeanour, and honoured for his talents, possessing public appointments, with every prospect of obtaining extensive practice, died after a short illness, (a few minutes only,) at the early age of 36, leaving a widow and five children TOTALLY unprovided for." I quote this passage from my esteemed correspondent, to show that I have not drawn my pictures from imagination, but trusted the detail of facts.

The proposition for a "General Medical Annuity Fund" has occupied the consideration of wiser heads than mine. Dr. Percival, in his "Medical Ethies," more than forty years ago, threw out the suggestion, but no one appeared to act upon it. I have quoted the passage in former communications to medical periodicals, but it will bear reiteration. "In the county of Norfolk, and in the city of London, benevolent institutions have been lately formed for providing funds to relieve the widows and children of apothecaries, and occasionally also members of the profession who become indigent. Such schemes merit the sanction and encouragement of every liberal physician and surgeon, and were they extended, their usefulness would be greatly increased, and their permanency almost with certainty secured. Medical subscribers from every part of Great Britain should be admitted, if they offer satisfactory testimonials of their qualifications. One comprehensive establishment seems to be more eligible than many on a smaller scale, for it would be conducted with superior dignity, regularity, and efficiency;-with fewer obstacles from interest, prejudice, or rivalship ;with considerable saving in the aggregate of time, trouble, and expense ;-with more accuracy in the calculations relative to its fund ;—and, consequently, with the utmost practicable extension of its dividends.”*

Some gentlemen have thought a guinea a year subscription would be inadequate to accomplish the object we design. It is scarcely necessary to enter again into this question, for I have met it on many occasions. A guinea a year subscription will enable us to fulfil the engagements to which we pledged ourselves;† and should the Institution meet with the patronage it deserves, it will do much more, because the liberal and the kind-hearted of the profession will not confine themselves in their philanthropy-we have already

• "Medical Ethics," p. 359. Edition 1827. + See "Address," &c., published by Churchill, p. 9.

had examples of this fact-nor will the public, when it is properly represented to them, withhold their assistance in furthering so exemplary an object. If our anticipations in these particulars be realized, we may fairly hold out the prospect of better annuities.

It has been stated too, publicly, that there is an objection in sending money to Northampton, and that making application for annuities there, would be inconvenient; but what is the consequence of locality to

a

"General Medical Annuity Fund," provided the parties who controlled it are men of integrity and honour, and provided the representative system was fully carried out? It will be our great aim to neutralize all objections of this nature. When the project was first mooted, it was done at the annual meeting of the Provincial Association, held at Sheffield; it was received there without a dissenting voice, and a committee for carrying out the scheme was appointed upon the spot. The retiring president of that Associa. tion, Dr. Robertson, of Northampton, kindly accepted

the office of treasurer, while the directors were all gentlemen chosen for their high standing in the profession, and their known integrity. For my own part, I took the office of Honorary Managing Director, only as an earnest of my zeal, devoting to the cause my time, and the small measure of ability I might possess, being, in short, willing to "spend and be spent"

in the noble undertaking. But the institution is now a citizen of the empire, and is ready to take up its abode where it has the best chance of support. I am willing at any moment to yield the feeble protection I have given it to any more efficient guardianship; nor do I believe an objection would be raised by my colleagues to placing it in a position of greater advantage than we may possess. Our object is the final establishment of the "Fund," and we care not who are the parties who shall develop its energies, and spread abroad its usefulness.

The medical profession throughout the kingdom are especially invited to the consideration of this subject. Honorary local secretaries are required in the different counties and districts for furthering the scheme, and we shall esteem it an especial favour if gentlemen will accept the office voluntarily,—that is, will offer their services, rather than wait for an application. Oh! let them remember the greatness of the cause, and the glory of its achievement, and methinks they will not lack in their zeal.

In the early part of the spring, a meeting of the subscribers will be held at Northampton, of which due notice will be given by advertisement in this Journal. In these times of rapid travelling, when railway communication puts distance at defiance, we earnestly hope that many gentlemen will sacrifice to us their time and services on this interesting occasion. A noble superstructure is about to be raised, the foundations of which are love, in its best and purest acceptation, while its hallowed cement is co-operative philanthropy, upon which the blessing of God shall rest, for God will not withhold his blessing, when men" Hear the cry of the orphan, and wipe tears from the widow's eyes."

The æther was inhaled, mixed with a free current of atmospheric air; the mouth-piece of the apparatus, Weiss's, did not completely cover the mouth so as altogether to preclude the external atmosphere; hence the inhaling process was the longer in producing insensibility.

In no stage of the inhaling process was there lividity of countenance so marked as to excite apprehension of cerebral pressure; the aspect was rather characteristic of one in a state of syncope; the pupils were not dilated, and the stertorous breathing was considered by me at the time to proceed from relaxation of the uvula, and from the nostrils being compressed so as to prevent inspiring through them. This view was corroborated by the fact, that on removing the pressure from the nostrils, and on suspending, for a short period, the inhaling process, the stertor or snoring then ceased.

Before the patient was removed from the operating table consciousness returned, and he answered questions put to him relative to his feelings; neither was there observable paralysis, or other symptom of cerebral pressure, from the period of the operation till his death, being sensible to the last.

At the consultation of the Medical Staff, the singularly indistinct action of the heart was remarked. This, with the general prostration, decided us in recommending stimuli and a turpentine injection.

After death the heart was, comparatively speaking,

The source of the nutritious matter which is found in the alimentary canal of the fœtus, is a problem which has never been satisfactorily solved. Harvey looked upon it as derived from the liquor amnii swallowed by the young animal. Geoffrey St. Hilaire having found the same substance in foetuses with an imperforate œsophagus, very naturally concludes that such cannot be its source. Dr. Robert Lee, who is the latest writer upon the subject, regards the liver as the source, the function of that gland being not only to separate an excrementitious substance, but also to supply an albuminous secretion to the intestines, through the hepatic duct. Dr. Robinson, who has recently investigated the nature and origin of the feetal intestinal contents, comes to the following conclusions:

1. That the stomach of the foetus, during the latter part of its uterine existence, invariably contains a peculiar substance, differing from the liquor amnii, and generally of a nutritious nature.

2. That in its physical and chemical qualities, it varies very much in different animals, being in no two species precisely similar.

3. That in each fœtal animal, the contents of the stomach vary much at different periods; in the earlier stages of its development, consisting chiefly of liquor amnii, to which the other peculiar matters are added gradually.

4. That the liquor amnii continues to be swallowed by the fœtus up to the time of birth; and consequently after the formation of those matters, and their appearance in the stomach.

5. That the mixture of this more solid and nutritious substance with the liquor amnii constitutes the material which is submitted to the process of chymification in

the foetal intestines.

There is, however, no explanation here of the source of the solid matters above spoken of, and Dr. Robinson subsequently states his belief that they are not secreted by the stomach itself, nor by the liver, as affirmed by Dr. Lee; but he thinks it probable that they are the product of the salivary glands.—Monthly Journal of Medical Science, Febr., 1847.

EXHALATION OF BICARBONATE OF AMMONIA IN
RESPIRATION.

Mr. Thomson recommends the following plan for

demonstrating the presence of ammonia in the breath:Air which had passed through dilute sulphuric acid was respired; it was then expired through a tube sur rounded with water at 32°, to the farther end of which a vessel was attached to receive the fluid which was condensed. This was acidulated with muriatic acid, evaporated to dryness, and the residue dissolved in a few drops of water. On adding a strong solution of potash to this solution, ammonia was evolved, as erinced by its odour. Mr. Thomson calculates that rather more than three grains of solid bicarbonate of ammonia are exhaled daily by an adult, and thus the quantity furnished annually by London amounts to 150 tons. In this way animals supply ammonia for the support of the vegetable kingdom.-Medical Gazette, February 12, 1847.

[The editor of the Medical Gazette in remarking upon these experiments thinks that there is a source of fallacy not noted by Mr. Thompson,-viz., the animal

matter which is exhaled. This when collected in suf

ficient quantities would yield ammonia. In order to remove the doubt, he suggests that it should be determined whether yellow arsenite of silver is precipitated on passing the condensed vapour into mixed solutions of arsenious acid and nitrate of silver.]

PRACTICAL MEDICINE.

EXPERIMENTS ON THE COMPARATIVE ACTION OF MEDICINES EXHIBITED BY THE STOMACH AND BY THE RECTUM.

MM. Restelli and Gaetano Strambio have instituted a series of experiments to determine this point, which is not without considerable interest in a therapeutical point of view. The medicines used were strychnine and morphine. A poisonous dose of the former produced in the dog its characteristic effects in twentyeight minutes when injected into the stomach; in nineteen minutes when thrown into the rectum. The salts of morphine exhibited the same differences. Thus the poisonous symptoms appeared, when given by the stomach, in five minutes and ten seconds; by the rectum in four minutes and sixteen seconds.-Gazette Médicale, Fevr. 15, 1847.

[From these results, which were ascertained to be constant in a large number of experiments, it appears that certain medicinal substances act more energetically by the rectum than when given by the mouth; but it must not be supposed that this will be observed in all classes of medicines, as many purgatives for instance are well known to be much less efficacious given by the bowels than by the mouth. As regards the preparations of opium, we may state that we have often procured sleep under critical circumstances, by a dose thrown into the rectum, when repeated exhibitions of the same dose by the mouth had failed to subdue restlessness.]

NEW REMEDY IN PERTUSSIS.

A physician of Ghent has called attention to the Narcissus Pseudo-narcissus in hooping cough. The flower is the part used, which is dried and powdered; the dose thirty grains twice a day.

A surgeon of the same town announces very