The Solicitor-General: We prefer to discuss the matter here, and are now prepared to do so.

The Chancellor: I will send the case to the Rolls, and if there should be an appeal, perhaps it can be heard by some of the com. mon-law judges.

This was the last case in the day's list, and the Court then rose.

THE PLEA OF INSANITY IN CRIMINAL CASES. TRIAL FOR MURDER.

A very interesting, but most painful and distressing case has just been tried at the Derby Assizes. A young gentleman, 25 years of age, has been put upon his trial for the murder of a young lady, to whom he was attached, but who had transferred her affections to another gentleman. The only question was as to the prisoner's state of mind, and we quote Dr. Forbes Winslow's and Dr. Gisborne's evidence, and the summing-up of Judge Martin on this part of the history.

Dr. Forbes Winslow.-I have seen the prisoner twice in the presence of Mr. Sims, the governor of the gaol. He was not aware of my name or of the object of my visit. His behavior was quite natural and not assumed. I talked to him largely on the subject of the crime. I was with him nearly two hours on the first occasion and three quarters of an hour on the second. I think that at this present moment he is a man of deranged intellect. He was deranged on the 18th of November, and I thought still more so last night, when I saw him the second time. If I had any doubt as to his insanity on the 18th of November, I had none whatever last night. I adverted to the conversation I had had with him on the previous occasion, with a view of satisfying my mind that I had left him with an accurate impression of what he had said. He repeated to me that he did not recognise he had committed any crime at all, neither did he feel any degree of pain, regret, contrition, or remorse for what he had done. I endeavoured to impress on his mind on my first visit the serious nature of the crime he had committed. He repudiated the idea of its being a crime either against God or man, and in reply to some observation of mine, attempted to justify the act, alleging that he considered Miss Goodwin as his own property; that she had been illegally wrested from him by an act of violence; that he viewed her in the light of his wife who had committed an act of adultery, and that he had as perfect a right to deal with her life as he had with any other description of property, as the money in his pocket, &c. I endeavoured to prove to him the gross absurdity of his statement and the enormity of his offence, and he replied, "Nothing short of a miracle can alter my opinions." Last evening he said that he had been for some weeks previously to the 21st of August under the influence of a conspiracy. There were six conspirators plotting against him, with a view to destroy him, with a chief conspirator at their head. This conspiracy was still going on while he was in prison, and he had no doubt that if he was at liberty they would continue their operations against him, and in order to escape their evil purposes he would have to leave the country. He became much excited, and assumed a wild, maniacal aspect. I am satisfied that aspect was not simulated. I could not get from him the names of the conspirators.

Mr. Macaulay. If the present state of mental derangement existed on the 21st of August, would it be likely to lead to the commission of the act then committed?

Dr. F. Winslow.-Most undoubtedly. Assuming him to have been on the 21st of August as he was on the 18th of November and yesterday. I do not believe that he was in a condition of mind to estimate, like a sane man, the nature of his act and his legal liability.

Cross-examined. He referred to the conspiracy in general terms on the 18th of November. I should class his case as one of general derangement. He does not appear to have a sane opinion on a moral point. I have no doubt he knows that these opinions of his are contrary to those generally entertained, and that if acted upon they would subject him to punishment. I should think he would know that killing a person was contrary to law and wrong in that sense. I should think that from his saying that he should be hanged he knew he had done wrong. His moral sense was more vitiated than I ever saw that of any other human being. His opinions were pretty much those of atheists, but he was beyond atheism. He seemed incapable of reasoning correctly on any moral subject. He denied the existence of a God and of a future world. He would suffer from his confinement, which would add to his excitement. It was more remarkable last evening than on the 18th of November, and might not have existed on the 21st of August. He said it was a matter of perfect indifference whether he was dead or alive. Re-examined. He merely gave utterance to these opinions dogmatically, and seemed incapable of arguing upon them. Dr. Gisborne, the surgeon of the Derbyshire Infirmary and of the County Gaol, gave similar evidence, and added that the

prisoner's condition at this time was similar to his condition when he was brought to the gaol in August. The prisoner stated to him that he looked upon a woman engaged to him in the same light as his wife, and that he ought to have the same control over his wife as over any portion of his personal property.

On cross examination this witness stated that the prisoner's language implied that he knew that what he had done was punishable, but that he (the witness) believed he would repeat the offence to-morrow.

BARON MARTIN then summed up, and said that George Victor Townley was on his trial before them for the murder of Elizabeth Caroline Goodwin, and the evidence upon that point was simply and most remarkably clear-in fact he did not remember any case in which the mere facts of the commission of the murder had been more clearly proved. The single point for the jury to consider was whether the state of mind of the prisoner was such that he knew that what he did would cause death, that he was punishable by law for such an act as being contrary to the law of God, as laid down in the Commandments, which all persons learned, and which doubtless, the prisoner had learned amongst others. If he was not in that state of mind, then he was not responsible in the eye of the law. The question was one of the greatest importance to the prisoner, and not less so in an enlarged sense to the public; and it was their duty as jurymen to look carefully at the case and give their verdict according to the law, which he should give them, and the facts before them, leaving out of the question any other consideration, which would be dealt with in the proper quarter.

The prisoner was a man who had been rejected by the woman whom he loved, as it appeared, very strongly, but who had transferred her affections to another, "not," added the learned baron, "by any means an unusual case." The prisoner had said, speaking of Miss Goodwin. "You should not prove false to me," and if the jury believed that he committed the deed from the passion of jealously or revenge for her having transferred her affections to another, it was murder. Such passions as jealousy, revenge, and the like the law says must be kept under control, and again he had to tell them if he committed the act under such feelings he was guilty of murder. He said "You should not have proved false to me" after he said "I have done it; I shall be hanged for it." I must ask the jury if that was not consistent with a full knowledge of what he did and the responsibility of his act. One witness says:-" We met Captain Goodwin, and the prisoner told him, "This is your grand-daughter, Betsey, murdered ;" and then, again, he said, "She has deceived me, and the women who deceives must die." "I must put it to you," said the judge, "whether, if every man was to act so towards every woman who deceived him, the crime of murder would not be committed. I must tell you, if you think he knew what he did, that he took her live away and knew that he was responsible to the law of the country-though it might be that he was of a diseased mind that would not affect for a moment the law and the legal consequences of the act as I have laid it down to you from several most eminent judges." As to the letters which were burnt, it clearly showed that he knew he should be tried for what he had done, for he said "I do not want them read in court."

With regard to the evidence for the defence, the first part of it clearly shows that there was insanity on the maternal line; and, as too often is the case, it was to some extent hereditary, but the evidence all through showed that they all treated the prisoner as a sane man fit to contract matrimony, and countenanced his going to see Miss Goodwin with a view to induce her to change her mind, and continue her affections to him. The evidence of Mrs. Townley clearly showed that there was not the slightest taint of insanity in the conduct of the prisoner. Mr. Harris in his evidence says, "he" referring to the prisoner, "is the last man I should think likely to commit such a crime." The witness further said that the prisoner did not know the difference between good and evil. "But," said the learned judge, "if that is a ground of insanity that will relieve any one from criminal responsibility there are many who, if tried, would certainly be acquitted on that plea." The testimony of Dr. Winslow was then commented on by the learned baron, who directed the attention of the jury to the following question by Mr. Macaulay: -Would the stated mental-derangement such as the prisoner now labours under have led on the 21st of August, if it had then existed to such a crime as this? The answer of Dr. Winslow was, Undobtedly. Assuming him to have been then in the same state of mind as when I found him, I do not think he was in a mental condition to estimate, as a sane man, the nature of his act and its legal liability. That is the case in its entirety. That the prisoner killed Miss Goodwin there is no doubt, and except it is excusable on the ground of insanity, that that act was a murder there is no doubt. Now the question is, did he act under a delusion? You must take it from me that if he knew when he did the act that he was doing an act likely to cause death, and that it did cause death, and that he did it purposely, and that he knew all he was doing-that the law of God said it was a bad act according to the Sixth Commandment, and then the law of man said such act should be punished by

death, and in my opinion, if so, he is guilty of murder, and it is your duty to find him guilty of murder; but if not, then you will acquit him on the grouud of insanity.

The learned judge occupied nearly two hours in summing up, and the jury after a few minutes consultation returned into court with a verdict of Guilty

MEDICAL SOCIETIES.

MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH.

Mr. E. CANTON, PRESIDENT, IN THE CHAIR.

Mr. WILLIAM ADAMS read a paper on

THE TREATMENT OF DISEASE OF THE SPINE, AND ANGULAR CURVATURE.

The author commenced by adverting to several points in the general pathology of the destructive disease of the spinal column described as caries and necrosis of the bodies of the vertebræ, and ulceration of the intervertebral cartilages, frequently described as "Pott's disease of the spine," which generally results in angular curvature. Children between the ages of three and twelve years are most frequently the subjects of this disease; it is also seen in young adults, but rarely occurs after the middle period of life. The author considered the disease to be essentially of constitutional origin, and occurring in strumous subjects, although frequently excited by a blow, rick, or some other accident; but its constitutional character should be steadily borne in mind throughout the treatment of the case.

Mr. Adams next drew attention to what he described as the natural history of the disease when allowed to pursue its course unchecked by any medical or surgical aid, as may be seen in hundreds of cases amongst the poor; and stated that about two hundred cases of this disease were admitted annually as patients at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital. The following questions were then suggested:

1st. Is it a fatal disease in any large proportion of cases? 2nd. What is its average duration?

3rd. What is its usual termination?

After mentioning the impossibility of answering these questions with the degree of accuracy that could be desired, Mr. Adams stated his opinion that the mortality produced directly by the disease is very small, not amounting to more than from five to ten per cent.

With regard to the average duration of the disease, he considered that it was seldom arrested under two years, whilst in many cases it continued in progress during a period of five years or more; so that about three years might probably be regarded as the average duration of this disease. But there was a difficulty in deciding this point in a disease in which the beginning and the end were wrapped in the greatest uncertainty.

As to the usual result of this malady, the author considered that it generally terminated in bony anchylosis at the seat of the disease accompanied with more or less external deformity, including persis tent angular curvature of the spine, with distortion of the chest, &c., in many instances.

For practical purposes in reference to treatment, the author suggested that the disease might be divided into three stages:

The first stage being previous to the formation of angular curvature, or any marked posterior projection of the spinous pro

cesses.

The second stage, when angular curvature coexists with advancing disease, with or without external abscess.

The third stage, that of deformity remaining after arrest of the disease, and bony anchylosis.

With respect to the treatment in the first stage, the author observed that the opportunity was very seldom afforded for any treatment whatever, becanse he had no certain means of diagnosis; and in a very large proportion of cases disease of the spine was not even suspected until it had advanced to the second stage. The period occupied by this obscure first stage varied from six months to a year or more; this would be undoubtedly the hopeful period for arresting or curing the disease if the diagnosis could be made, which in children it very rarely could be, although in adults the difficulty was not so great. Theoretically, this was the stage during which counter irritation, in some form or other, and complete recumbency, were indicated, and might be practised in proportion to the certainty of the diagnosis.

With regard to the treatment in the second stage, the greatest difference of opinion exists upon three points:—

1st. The necesity of absolute rest-i.e, the recumbent position

in bed.

2nd. The advantage to be derived from counter-irritation either by issues, blisters, the moxa, or the actual cautery. 3rd. The propriety of mechanical support.

No difference of opinion exists with regard to the constitutional treatment, as the essentially strumous nature of the affection is universally recognised, and the advantage of cod-liver oil, iron,

quinine, and other tonics is generally admitted. Mr. Adams had found much advantage from the use of hypophosphite of lime, and a liberal supply of port wine. The author observed that on the continent absolute rest and severe counter-irritation are generally employed; and the same may be said for the treatment in Scotland, where the actual cautery is still much in use. In England the rule of practice is absolute rest, with mild counter-irritation, blisters being generally used, but still issues are frequently employed by some of the leading surgeons. Mechanical support is very generally ignored, both on the continent and in this country, during the progress of the disease; and this is one of the points to which the author desired especially to draw the attention of the members of the society, as his own experience had led him to believe that mechanical support may be most advantageously employed during the progress of the disease, and especially in the second stage. Mr. Adams stated that his rule of practice is always to allow the feelings and inclinations of the patient to be the guide as to the advisability of allowing a moderate amount of exercise to be taken when the spine is firmly supported by a spinal instrument. The spinal support which he employs in young children consists of a and fastened in front by elastic india-rubber material. A light piece of thick leather accurately moulded to the form of the back, steel crutch is attached to the leather on either side. In older children and young adults he employs a steel spinal instrument, with a posterior pad made to move by a cog-wheel from the pelvic belt.

The author stated that he is a decided opponent of the system of absolute rest-that is, the recumbent position in bed; as he believes this to act prejudicially on the general health, and therefore on the disease itself. With regard to counter-irritation, Mr. Adams stated his conviction that this also acts prejudicially on the general health, and therefore also on the disease itself. He never employed it in any form whatever.

namely, that of deformity alone-nothing was required as a general With respect to the treatment of this disease in the third stagerule. Nevertheless, in some cases it was necessary during growth to give mechanical support, to prevent increasing deformity.

Dr. ROUTH said that he agreed in the main with the author of the paper, but differed from him in some respects, and especially in regard to the fatality of the disease. The patients died from Pneumonia, or low typhoid fever. At the Cripples' Home, with which he was connected, splints were adopted in the daytime; the patients, however, were not allowed to lie down, but obliged to take as much exercise as possible.

Dr. ROGERS, in an experience of twenty-five years, had had a large number of these cases under his care, and had seen two or three cases of abscess in the dorsal region.

Mr. ROGERS HARRISON said it was refreshing to hear from the author that the less done with these cases the better, and more than twenty years ago he wrote a book to prove this. Few deaths took place in angular curvature, because there was no caries; it was the latter condition that proved fatal when abscesses occurred. Constitutional measures were necessary in children.

Mr. MASON thought the author's splint seemed to answer its purpose in every way. The amount of support it gave appeared to him to be considerable, and he should adopt it.

Dr. PALFREY inquired what was the general condition of the parents of the children thus affected. He had noticed that they were not invariably strumous.

engaged in chest practice. He had examined at the Infirmary for Dr. RICHARDSON said such cases commonly come before those of the chest. Tuberculous affections were not common in them, Diseases of the Chest 420 cases of spinal curvature with deformity and, curiously enough, death rarely proceeded from the spinal disease. Bad or insufficient diet, with a deficiency of phosphates in it, was the great cause of these complaints. He thought the author's plan of treatment the best.

Mr. MAUNDER remarked that the author's observations fully accorded with his own; many such cases were to be seen at the London Hospital. He has not had as yet to sign a death certificate for angular disease of the spine. Does the disease commence in the intervertebral substance or the bones?

Dr. GIBB inquired whether the author had taken rickets into consideration in relation to the causes of these deformities?

Dr. CHOWNE thought that struma could not be looked upon as a cause of the disease. In dirty families, living in poverty and filth, this condition of the spine is exceedingly common; and he knew of no preventive so good as proper washing, exercise, food, &c., With regard to Dr. Gibbs question, he remarked that Mr. Shaw pointed out some years ago a great difference between rickets and scrofula. The rickety child has its deformity confined to the lower limbs, and the scrofulous to the upper.

The PRESIDENT's experience did not quite tally with the author's; for he had not stated whether tuberculous matter was to be found in bones giving rise to such an amount of irritation as to bring about caries and abscess. In regard to the vertebral canal in these cases, it is not impinged upon, but actually becomes larger at the curvature, as has been so ably shown by Mr. Stanley. Is bony

Dr. GRAILY HEWITT related a case of

INTRACTABLE MENORRHAGIA,

which was traced to the influence of lead poison. In 1860, Paul, of Paris, drew attention to this influence of lead in causing abortions and profuse menorrhagia. Since that time, Dr. G. Hewitt had observed one case of repeated abortions, traceable to this cause; and the following case proved its power in causing menorrhagia. A woman, aged 35, had three children by her first husband. He died, and she married a painter, by whom she had one child, four years old. For three years past she suffered from most intractable menorrhagia; the discharge appeared every fortnight and lasted from six to eight days. No disease of the uterus was found, but a blue line on the gums, slight weakness of the wrists, and pains in the abdomen all pointed to lead in the system, which she had probably received from washing her husband's clothes; on giving this up and taking mineral acids and opium, the menorrhagia ceased completely.

Dr. GREENHOW observed that there are large numbers of women in this country employed in lead, but he had no experience on the question raised by Dr. G. Hewitt. In all cases of lead-poison seen by him, the lead-line was visible on the gums. Cleanly workmen usually escape; it is the young and uncleanly who suffer most. Mr. ERNEST HART said that Dr. Graily Hewitt's remarks tended to prove that lead is not a styptic; and his own experience led him to a similar conclusion.

Mr. ZACHARIAH LAURENCE exhibited two cases of
ASTIGMATISM,

which he had remedied by cylindrical lenses. In the first instance, the patient had himself mistaken the case for one of progressive myopia, at last wearing concave glasses as deep as five inches. The ophthalmoscope, however, disclosed no morbid appearance of the fundus, nor refractive power of the humours, sufficient to account for so high an apparent degree of myopia. Further examination disclosed an abnormal increase of curvature in the cornea in the vertical meridian, an astigmatism of one-twentieth. With a combination of a ten-inch spherical concave with a twenty-inch cylindrical concave (axis horizontal) his vision was exactly double that obtained by his former glasses. With these a luminous point appeared as a horizontal line, vertical lines as a blurred mass; but with the above combination these appearances vanished. In the second instance, the phenomena was very similar; the case, however, presenting three peculiarities.-]. The axis of the astigmatic meridian was inclined at about 30 deg. from the vertical.-2. It was limited to the right eye.-3. The retinal veins exhibited an extraordinarily distinct and extensive pulsation.

Mr. HART observed that the discovery of this condition of the eye
required much care, and, though not so commonly met with as
Donders said, (one-thirteenth of all cases) it was often seen.
The debate on Dr. CHARLES DRYSDALE'S paper,

EVIDENCE AGAINST THE INTERNAL USE OF MERCURY IN
SYPHILITIC AND OTHER DISEASES,

was resumed.

Dr. MENZIES was of opinion that, notwithstanding all that has been said by Dr. Drysdale in his interesting paper, the cure of syphilis will frequently be promoted by the moderate use of the mineral. Its good effects were best seen in the Hunterian chancre, and he also thought mercury would often prevent secondary symptoms. In his extensive experience he had often perceived the value of the mineral in secondary symptoms and iritis. If a sore would not disappear with black-wash, he used mercury. In tertiary cases he used the bichloride and pot. iod. Dr. Menzies asserted that Mr. Syme did not object to mercury in syphilis under proper management. He (Dr. Menzies) thought mercury should be avoided in irritable habits and phagedæna.

Mr. CURGENVEN considered the evidence adduced by Dr. Drysdale as perfectly satisfactory as far as hospital practice went, because the patient's after-history could not be known so well as in private practice. He had recently seen a soldier, who had been treated without mercury in the Crimea, and had now superficial ulceration of the nostrils. This man recovered under doses of hydrarg. iod. He did not believe that mercury caused disease of the bones. Case 2. A man had indurated sores and gonorrhoea. No mercury was used and he had secondaries, and also syphilitic children. This was a proof that syphilitic children were not due to the mercury. In acute hydrocephalus, Mr. Curgenven had found great benefit from a grain of calomel given every two hours, which had often effected a cure of this disease.

Dr. SISSON said that there were three classes. (1.) Mercurialists who said the disease could only be cured by mercury. (2). Anti

class was untenable, since it was certain that Mr. Weeden Cooke, Dr. Drysdale, and others, had cured cases of syphilis without a particle of mercury. The anti-mercurialists, however, had not proved that small quantities of mercury might not prove beneficial, which he believed. Dr. Sisson repudiated the base doctrine of some that the cure of venereal diseases was unimportant, because they were a divine chastisement of vice as tantamount to relinquishing the healing art altogether, since "Vitüs nemo sine nascitur." It was a mistake to call Mr. Syme an anti-mercurialist. His attacks were levelled against the abuse of mercury, and he, Mr. Syme, considered mercury the grand remedy in iritis, in which opinion Dr. Sisson disagreed with the illustrious professor. With regard to the evils done by mercury much had also been said against the chlorate of potash. His line of treatment was to support the system and give purges, &c.; if this did not about three weeks. He thought mercury would stand its ground suffice, he ordered one-sixteenth of a grain of hydrarg. bichlor. for against Dr. Drysdale's attack.

As

Dr. G. DE GORREQUER GRIFFITH considered the evidence brought forward by the author of the paper against mercury in syphilis quite overwhelming. His own experience completely corroborated it. A gentleman patient of his had chancre, which was treated by mercury. Secondaries appeared, and he again took mercury. he received no benefit, he placed himself under Dr. Griffith's care, who gave him pot. chlor. and bark. The eruption disappeared and the corona veneris. He mentioned that, during the years he had been abroad, he had never found it necessary to administer mercury for the primary or other forms of the disease, believing that the patients got more rapidly well when mercury was not admitted into the system. A brother officer had been treated by several courses of mercury, very much to the deterioration of his health. Dr. Griffith made him give up mercury, purged him, and afterwards gave chlorate of potash and bark. The eruptions faded, the ulceration soon healed, and the patient got perfectly well, and had continued well for some years. In all the patients -and they were not a few-whom he had treated in India, China, and other tropical regions, he never saw those untoward results, which he knew too frequently arose from mercury. However, the Chinese, who take no mercury, seemed to suffer from the disease in a frightful manner. This was an interesting remark in connection with the natural history of the disease. The treatment which he adopted was to powder the ulcer with powdered pot. chlor., and afterwards dress it with a weak solution of that drug. He then alluded to the inutility or rather inadvisability of using cal. and opium, or even the latter alone, as a prophylactic in ovariotomy: Mr. Baker Brown considered them unnecessary, as well as Mr. Spencer Wells.

Dr. POLLOCK believed he was only delivering the general opinions of the Profession, when he said that mercury was now considered quite unnecessary in all internal inflammations, such as pleurisy, pericarditis, pneumonia, and bronchitis. When he was a student in Dublin, there was a great contest between the disciples of Colles and Carmichael, on the matter of mercury in syphilis; so that the students did not know what to think. Dr. Pollock thought that tertiary symptoms were benefited by the drug; but that none of the other symptoms required it. As to mercury in bilious attacks, it was unnecessary, as he had first remarked, when in Italy, where the natives get well on low diet and lemonade.

Mr. ERNEST HART remarked, that all that had to be done by statistics on the question of the treatment of syphilis, seemed to have been done already; and yet the question was not settled. But it was by observation and thoughtful interpretation of results in particular cases, that its value could be best seen. He had recently had two examples of the value of mercury in syphilitic iritis. 1. A gentleman came under his care with syphilitic iritis. afterwards with chlorate of potash, &c. He had been treated by "rational " means at first, and six months Thirteen months after this he still had induration at the side of the chancre and iritis, which was cured by Mr. Hart by blue pill. This seemed a practical argument for the drug, 2. A child, the offspring of syphilitic parents, had one eye lost by iritis, and the other had commencing interstitial keratatis He had the notched teeth of Hutchinson. The syphilitic nature of the disease he had to treat had not occurred to the practitioner, and one eye was lost and the other nearly sightless when he was seen. Mercurial injection acted wonderfully in arresting the corneitis and clearing the cornea, previously obscured by interstitial effusion. The child, previously sightless, now saw. Individual observations such as these proclaimed more loudly in favour of mercury, in proper cases and doses, than statistics and heterogeneous cases against it.

Mr. ZACHARIAH LAURENCE disagreed with the views of the last speaker. He (Mr. Laurence) had treated a large number of cases of interstitial corneitis by local sedatives, counter-irritation and depletion, and general tonics, without ever having found it necessary to resort to the use of mercury. He believed that there was no connection between this form of corneitis and syphilis, as asserted by a recent author, and that the occasional quasi concurrence of the two diseases was rather a natural consequence of

APOTHECARIES' HALL.-The following gentlemen passed their examination in the Science and Practice of Medicine, and received certificates to practise, on the 3rd inst. :-James Arthur, 13 Nottingham terrace, N.W.; John Bennett, Newport, Monmouthshire; Edward Charles Hammond, Trinity square, Southwark; Frederick John Hawthorn, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire; William Horn, 19 Chapel street, Pentonville; Christopher Coates Lynn, Newcastle-on-Tyne; Samuel Mills, Huddersfield, Yorkshire; John Moxon, Nottingham; Henry William Newton, Newcastle-on-Tyne John Frederick Wilkin, Sydenham.

The following gentlemen also on the same day passed their first examination:-Thomas Bond, King's College; John H. Gornall, Royal Infirmary, Liverpool.

APPOINTMENTS FOR THE WEEK.

Wednesday, December 16. Operations at Middlesex Hospital, 1 p.m.; St. Mary's Hospital, 1 p.m.; University College Hospital, 2 p.m.; Hunterian Society, Dr. J. Braxton Hicks, "On a Case of Adherent Placenta," 8 p.m.

Thursday, December 17. Operations at St. George's Hospital, 1 p.m.; Central London Ophthalmic Hospital, 1 p.m.; London Hospital, 14 p.m.; Great Northern Hospital, King's cross, 2 p.m.; West London Hospital, 2 p.m.; Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, 2 p.m.; London Surgical Home for Diseases of Women, 2 p.m.; Harveian Society, Dr. W. Tilbury Fox, "On Porrigo," 8 p.m.

Friday, December 18.

near Alford, Lincolnshire.

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON. SECOND M.B. Examination, 1863 :—Pass Examination.-First Division.-William Henry Axford, King's College; Henry Charlton Bastian, M.A., University College; James Bedford, Guy's Hopital; Julius St. Thomas Clarke, Guy's Hospital; Arthur Wellesley Edis, Westminster Hospital; James Gwyther, B.A., Manchester Royal Infirmary; Gwynne Henry Harries, King's College; John Wale Hicks, B.A. and B.Sc., St. Thomas's Hospital; John Talfourd Jones, University College; Henry Thomas Lanchester, St Bartholomew's Hospital; Frederick John Money, St. Thomas's Hospital; Philip Henry Pye-Smith, B.A., Guy's Hospital; Walter Rivington, B.A., London Hospital; Frederick Thomas Roberts, B.Sc., UniversityCollege; William John Smith, University College; Geo. Thomas Mitchell Southamn, St. Bartholomew's Hospital; Thos. Stevenson, Guy's Hospital; John Henry Wood, King's College.-Second Division.-John Cooke, University College; Athenodore, De Negri University College; Henry Stanley Gale, King's College; James Jackson, London Hospital; John Thomas Mercer, Guy's Hospital; Richard Patrick Burke Taafe, St. Bartholomew's Hospital. EXAMINATION FOR HONOURS.-Surgery. First Class.-James Beddard, Guy's Hospital, Scholarship and Gold Medal; Philip Henry Pye-Smith; Guy's Hospital, Gold Medal; Thomas Stevenson, Guy's Hospital; Walter Rivington, London Hospital.-Second Class.-Julius St. Thomas Clarke, Guy's Hospital; Arthur Wellesley Edis, Westminster Hospital.-Medicine.-First Class.-John Talfourd Jones, University College, Scholarship and Gold Medal; Philip Henry Pye-Smith, Guy's Hospital, Gold Medal; Thomas Stevenson, Guy's Hospital; James Beddard, Guy's Hospital.Second Class.-Frederick Thomas Roberts, University College; Henry Thomas Lanchester, St. Bartholomew's Hospital; John Wale Hicks, St. Thomas's Hospital.-Third Class.-Julius St. Thomas Clarke, Guy's Hospital; Jas. Gwyther, Manchester Royal Infirmary; Arthur Wellesley Edis, Westminster Hospital.Midwifery-First Class.-Thomas Stevenson, Guy's Hospital, Scholarship and Gold Medal; John Wale Hicks, St. Thomas's Hospital, Gold Medal; Philip Henry Pye-Smith, Guy's Hospital, James Beddard, Guy's Hospital.-Second Class.-Julius St. Thomas Clarke, Guy's Hospital; Gwynne Henry Harries, King's College; John Talfourd Jones, University College; Frederick Thomas Roberts, University College.-Third Class.-James Gwyther, Manchester Royal Infirmary; Walter Rivington, London Hospital.Forensic Medicine.-First Class.-Thomas Stevenson, Guy's Hospital, Scholarship and Gold Medal; John Talfourd Jones, University College, Gold Medal; Julius St. Thomas Clarke, Guy's Hospital; Walter Rivington, London Hospital; and Frederick Thomas Roberts, University College, Equal.-Second Class.-James Beddard, Guy's Hospital, Equal; James Gwyther, Manchester Royal Infirmary.-Third Class-Arthur Wellesley Edis, Westminster Hospital, and John Wale Hicks, St. Thomas's Hospital, Equal; William Henry Axford, King's College.

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.-The following gentleman has passed the First Examination for the degrees of M.B, and M.C.:Mr. Alfred Godson, B.A., of Trinity College.

MR. HIGHLEY'S CHEAP LANTERN POLARISCOPE.-Mr. Samuel Highley, the microscopic and philosophical instrument maker, of Green street, Leicester square, has lately invented a polariscope that may be used in conjunction with an ordinary magic lantern, without sending the instrument to the optician to be specially adapted for the purpose. The phenomena of polarized light are at present but seldom exhibited in lecture rooms, in consequence of the costly character of the apparatus hitherto necessary for their proper display, but Mr. Highley's instrument, which is quite efficient for all practical purposes, is sold at one half the price at which the gas polariscopes hitherto constructed have been sold.

Saturday, December 19.

Operations at St. Thomas's Hospital, 1 p.m.; St Bartholomew's Hospital, 1 p.m.; King's College Hospital, 14 p.m.; Charing-cross Hospital, 2 p.m.; Lock Hospital, Dean street, Soho, Clinical Demonstrations and Operations, 1 p.m.; Royal Free Hospital, 13 p.m.

Monday, December 21.

Operations at St.
the Rectum, 1
Tuesday, December 22.
Operations at Guy's Hospital, 14 p.m.; Westminster Hospital, 2 p.m.

Mark's Hospital for Fistula and other Diseases of
p.m.; Metropolitan Free Hospital, 2 p.m.

BOOKS RECEIVED FOR REVIEW.

The Seventeenth Report of St. Mark's Hospital and Dispensary for
Diseases of the Eye and Ear, Lincoln place, Dublin.
The Dental Review for December. London R. Hardwicke, 192 Picca-
dilly.
Notes on Hospitals. By Florence Nightingale. Third edition, enlarged.
London: Longman and Co., Paternoster row.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

It is requested that all Communications intended for the Editor, may be sent to the office of the Journal, No. 20 King William street, Strand. In order to obviate the recurrence of disappointments, we beg to state that all communications intended for this Journal should be sent to the Office before noon on Monday, as we are compelled to go to press on the afternoon of that day

We must request our Country Correspondents who favour us with copies of Provincial Newspapers, to mark the passages to which they desire to draw attention.

ANSWERS TO A QUESTION IN OUR LAST NUMBER.

To the Editor of the Medical Circular. SIR,-In reply to your correspondent "Veritas," I beg to inform him that where there is a contract not to practise within a certain distance of a particular place, the distance will be measured, not as the crow flies, but by the nearest way, though only a footpath. There are two decisions: Woods v. Dennett, 2 Stark, 89, Leigh v. Hind, 4 Man. and R. 579.

If the vendor has visited a patient within the prescribed limit, he has "practised" there, though his residence may be miles away. B. W.L. I am, &c.,

66

To the Editor of the Medical Circular. SIR,-In answer to Veritas," the party referred to has no right to practise or reside within the ten miles, and the party so offending, if a boud is given, is liable to punishment. Whether as the crow flies, or as the road goes, he is, in my opinion, equally liable if the party he attends resides within the ten miles, and a bond is given not to practise within the ten miles. I am, &c.,

MEDICUS.

AN APPRENTICE. - Under the circumstances mentioned, you would not be required to pass the Preliminary Examination in General Knowledge. PHARMACIEN.-The Calabar Bean is the fruit of the Physostigma venenosum. The active principle, if there be any, has not been discovered.

relied on.

X. Y.-The chemical analysis in question is not to be implicitly L.F.P.S.G.-The College does not grant an ad eundem degree under the circumstances you mention.

A FELLOW.-Yes, at the University of St. Andrew's.
DR. BOURNEVILLE. Your wishes shall be complied with.
DR. DRYSDALE's letter is inserted, and the Report has been received
MR. LUMLEY is thanked for his communication.

To the Editor of the Medical Circular.

SIR, --I should feel obliged to you if you will inform me (at your convenience) in your Notices to Correspondents the most recent and best work on the Poor Laws. Being connected with District Practice, there are certain grievances we are obliged to tolerate from a very disagreeable Relieving Officer, and we wish to know, on the best VERITAS, authority, how far his duties extend.

[Lumley's Medical Officers' Manual, published by C. Knight and Co., Fleet street, or Mr. Glen's Consolidated Orders, also published by Knight and Co., Fleet street.-ED. MED. CIRCULAR.]