a dip in Medea's cauldron, from whence he is to come out in the vigour of youth. In short, there is no end or limit to this extra-professional medication among all classes of society, from the peer to the pedlar. And then the Professed Charlatans! They are to be allowed not only to fill the newspapers with recommendations of their nostrums, but to sell them over the "counter," while the chemist is to be forbidden to recommend a dose of jalap or senna, or a blister, to those who come and ask his opinion as to the preference ! How is this universal medication to be prevented? Only by enacting a law to make it felony or transportation for any man to take a dose of physic, without prescription from a regular practitioner. That John Bull would strenuously resist this law as contrary to the spirit and safety of his "CONSTITUTION," no man, except the wildest theorist, can have the smallest doubt. The only practicable or probable remedy is an equalization of medical education for the three orders of the profession-an abandonment of pharmacy by the "GENERAL PRACTITIONER "—and a surrender of that branch to the chemist, whose education ought then to be regulated-when he will become, and indeed is fast becoming, the cidevant "APOTHECARY." The education of the "GENERAL PRACTITIONER" is now superior to that of the physician of former days and little inferior to that of the present M.D. Why then does he not relinquish the dispensing branch which must always be a connecting link with trade, and a source of great trouble, to himself, as well as of ungenerous suspicion on the part of his patients. This plan is practicable, because it exists in some of the most civilized nations of Europe, as, for instance, in France, Germany, &c.-nay it is acted on by a considerable number of general practitioners in England and Ireland, with infinite advantage. A law to charge for attendance, where medicine is only prescribed not furnished, would we think, be obtained from the legislature-and indeed it only requires a general agreement among practitioners themselves to effect the change, without parliamentary enactments. Unfortunately for physic, the perpetual wranglings, accusations, acerbity of language, recriminations, &c. which present themselves in almost every page of our periodical journals-in the newspapers-in courts of law-at coroner's inquests, &c. tend to lower the profession in the eyes of the public, and will greatly retard the passing of Acts for the amelioration of the members of that honorable calling! This is the bane of medical society-almost totally unknown in divinity or even in law. It is not very easy to account for this anomaly. No men, of any other profession, are so kind and liberal to each other, in the hour of sickness and distress-but that hour over, they are the thoroughest haters of one another on the face of the globe-a remark made by the late Cuvier! They seem never to dream that, in depreciating their neighbour, they are seriously injuring themselves in the long run. If there were some governing body, call it faculty, senate, council, or college, to regulate the education of the whole profession, and forming a court of appeal in cases of unprofessional conduct, much good would ensue-much obloquy and mal-practice would be prevented, and the general interests of the medical community guarded. As it is, we are a divided BODY, torn by dissentions, jealousies, and clashing opinions respecting medical polity. The prospect appears to darken, instead of clearing up. BRANDY AND SALT-A REMEDY FOR VARIOUS DISEASES. By Morison's pills, that Lion or Leviathan of Allopathy-the lung-stretcher of Ely-place-mustard-seed-animal magnetism-nay homeopathy itself, may now hide their diminished heads. "BRANDY AND SALT" cure all diseases, and the remedy is within the reach of every individual, from a duke to a dustman. There never was a more ingenious invention, a more felicitous combination than "brandy and salt." The brandy makes the heart glad—and the salt increases the thirst for more brandy! Lucky invention-especially for the great promulgator, who has an extensive brandy-manufactory in France. None but the veritable eau de vie will have any virtue in combination with salt. Bett's and Booth's stuff are worse than useless--that produced in "LA FERTE IMBAULT,” by W. Lee, Esq. is the elixir vita! Mr. Vallance appears to be the high priest of the temple of health in this country, and having been cured of a "bad leg," gratefully proclaims the following joyful tidings to suffering mortals. "To all who acknowledge the superintending care of a DIVINE PROVIDENCE, the discovery of the remedy will appear as a special gift from Heaven." If this be not the height of blasphemy we know not what is! The way in which PROVIDENCE imparted this mighty secret to Mr. Lee, is somewhat remarkable. The estate of "La Ferte" was so much over-run with mosquitoes, and these little buzzing animals were so fond of English blood, that the proprie tor had some thoughts of giving up his purchase, and returning to his native town of Leeds. But, just at this juncture, PROVIDENCE imparted to him the grand secret-the remedy, not only for mosquito bites, but for all the ills to which flesh is heir! Mr. Lee was too great a philanthropist-and too religious withal, to let this precious communication from the Deity remain unproclaimed to the nations of the earth. The LEED'S MERCURY" had the honour of heralding the glad tidings, and now the pamphlet of Mr. Vallance will spread the "providential discovery "- -we beg pardon-the divine annunciation, to the ends of the earth. Messrs. Lee and Vallance, however, are extremely candid and honest. They frankly admit that "brandy and salt" will probably fail in rendering man immortal, by reversing the decree-" dust thou art, &c." See p. 10. This is a "heavy blow and great discouragement" to the believers in the divine annunciation. There is one consolation, however, in the fact that, where the remedy fails to ward off death, it will, at all events, if freely employed, during life, preserve the body afterwards from corruption, and render it of little use to anatomists in their dissecting rooms. cure. The saturated solution of salt in brandy ("best French," mind) is to be taken at first, in the dose of a table-spoonful, early in the morning, mixed with water as hot as can be borne by the mouth and throat of the patient. In case of worms or paralytic attacks," it is to be taken undiluted!! In order that all the glory of the remedy should be secured to the proper owner, it is strictly forbidden to take any other kind of liquor than the "brandy and salt" during the This is a cunning law, for the remedy will be sure to be taken to the full extent of the prescription-" and something more"-as Lord Lyndhurst would say, during the course of the treatment. We must admit, indeed, that there is some modesty in Mr. Vallance's pamphlet. For, while MORISON recommended his pills in all diseases, Mr. V. has only culled out forty of the principal afflictions to which mankind is liable, for the exhibition of "brandy and salt." Why he did not throw the remainder of the catalogue into the bargain is best known to himself—perhaps he did not know the names of the others, or found them rather too jaw-breaking, if he consulted Good's Nosology. Among these "forty thieves" which daily rob us of the most valuable articles of our property-HEALTH, we find the following culprits who are sure to be exterminated by brandy and salt:-viz. gout, consumption! inflammation of the lungs, asthma, scrofula, palpitation, inflammation of the brain, cholera, insanity, cancer, "fevers of all kinds," paralysis, tic douloureux, spinal complaints, enteritis, mortification-and 24 other grievous maladies!! A large list of cases, cured of the various diseases enumerated in the pamphlet, is published at the end of the work. Mr. Vallance naively observes, in conclusion, that he has been at considerable expense in advertisement, &c. to make his remedy known"but very few of my correspondents recollected to enclose a remittance." He therefore pretty broadly hints that he will work no more gratuitously for an ungrateful public, and that those who choose to apply to him for his pamphlet, must inclose six PENNY STAMPS!" For actual advice, " ONE SHILLING" must be forwarded, which is to be carefully secured by wax or wafers, as the money has frequently oozed out, and came not to the hand of the philanthropic dispenser of a divine gift to mankind! 66 While Government permits, and while a community swallows such gross and unequivocal charlatannerie as this-and it is merely a sample-how preposterous is it to merge half, or rather three-fourths of our grievances in the "counter practice of the chemist and druggist!!" ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE MICROSCOPE IN MEDICAL STUDIES. By John Hughes Bennett, M. D., Lecturer on Clinical Medicine, &c.— Edinburg, and London, pp. 27. Dec. 1841. Pathology is divided, and usefully divided, into disorders of function and diseases of structure. The latter are, no doubt, the consequences of the former. As long as an organ shews no change in its material substance, when examined by the naked eye, we call its affections functional; but when visible or tangible alterations take place, we pronounce the complaint structural or organic-and too often beyond the remedial agency of our art. It is highly probable, however, that the slightest functional disorder of certain organs and tissues, as the brain, the mucous membranes, &c. are attended, perhaps caused by, some minute changes in the organs themselves, not discoverable by the naked eye. If the microscope could be employed in such cases, it might throw some light on the subject. But how is it to be applied? Functional disorders are rarely fatal: and it can only be where death takes place from some other disease, that the functionally disturbed organ can be subjected to the microscope. The microscope, however, though it may not lead to so much useful knowledge, in respect to therapeutics, as the zealous students of histrology anticipate, reveals the minute structure of parts, whether healthy or morbid, in a manner which the naked eye could never attempt to emulate. "To the naked eye, the brain and nerves appear to be composed of fibres. These have been demonstrated to you by your teachers. Whole volumes have been written in describing them, and numerous theories have been built upon the assumption of their presence. The microscope however tells us, as was first pointed out by Ehrenberg, that these supposed fibres do not exist, or rather that they all consist of numerous tubes, the walls of which are distinct, and contain a fluid which may be seen to flow from their broken extremities on pressure. In looking at a muscle, the strongest sight can only detect fine longitudinal fibres, of which it appears to be made up. The microscope tells us that each of these fine fibres is composed of numerous smaller ones, and that these are crossed by other lines, which have received the name of transverse striæ. Formerly it was supposed that muscular contraction, the cause of motion in animals, was produced by the fibres being thrown into zig-zag rugæ. It has been shown from the microscopic researches of Bowman, that this appearance is owing rather to relaxation than contraction, which latter depends upon the approximation of the transverse striæ. What disputes have taken place regarding the termination of the arteries, and the nature and supposed properties of capillary vessels! The microscope has shown us that a distinct net-work of vessels lies between the arteries and veins, partaking of the properties of either, and possessed of others peculiar to themselves. These have been denominated intermediary vessels by Berres, and serve to connect the arterial with the venous system. What on the other hand was understood by capillary vessels has been shown to have no existence. On regarding with the naked eye the different glands, in which the secretions are formed, how complex they appear, how various in conformation, and how opposed to one another in structure. The microscopic researches of Malphigi, Weber, Müller, and others, have shown that they are all formed on one type; that the ultimate element of every gland is a simple sacculated membrane to which the blood-vessels have access, and that all glands are formed from the greater or less number, or different arrangement only of the primary structure. The notion of most men respecting the skin is, that it is composed of epidermis, rete mucosum, and cutis vera. But it was by means of the microscope that Breschet, Vauzème, Gurlt, Simon, and others, discovered its real anatomy, and showed us the existence and relations of the papillæ, of the sudorific organs and their ducts, the inhalent and mucific apparatuses, and so on. All our knowledge of epidermic structures also, such as hair, horn, feather, &c., may be said to have originated in the use of the microscope. In the same manner the real structure of cartilage, bone, tooth, tendon, cellular tissue, and, in a word, of all the solid textures, has been revealed to us,so that it may be truly said, that all our real knowledge of structural anatomy, and all our acquaintance with the true composition of every organ in the body, has been arrived at by means of the microscope, and would never have been known without it. Dr. Bennett, however, does not limit the utility of the microscope to the examination of minute structure in a healthy condition. Its application to morbid alterations is considered by him as still more important than to normal conditions of organs and tissues. "But in pathology how vastly important, nay, how absolutely necessary, is an appeal to the microscope. How often are men, who have passed their lives in the examination of morbid structure, deceived in determining with precision the presence of inflammation or softening. Indeed, how can it be otherwise, when we consider the deceptive nature of the modes in which the investigation is determined? Thus, an intense degree of redness in a tissue is by some called congestion, by others inflammation. How vague are the ideas attached to the consistence of organs; what appears healthy to one, seems to another somewhat indurated, and to a third softened. Again, it is impossible for such morbid anatomists to decide definitively, on the exact limits of any peculiar morbid structure. Who, for instance, can affirm, that in the brain, because the substance looks white and healthy, and neither softening nor induration be apparent, that it is in a normal state? Not long ago, I saw a case which will illustrate this point. A man entered the Royal Infirmary, labouring under apoplexy. There was profound coma, stertorous breathing, full pulse, and all the signs of active hemorrhagic apoplexy, The whole right side of the body was completely paralyzed, in a state of resolu tion, the limbs, when raised, falling down, like inert masses. The whole of the left side, on the other hand, was intensely rigid, so much so, that it was impossible to flex either of the limbs. Dr. Spittal, who had charge of the case, diag nosed hemorrhage in the left, and inflammation in the right cerebral hemisphere. Notwithstanding the most judicious treatment the man died. On inspection, a large hemorrhagic effusion was found in the left hemisphere, so far confirming the diagnosis, and explaining the resolution and paralysis of the right side. In the right hemisphere, on the other hand, neither Dr. Spittal, nor myself. nor any of the assistants, could detect traces of inflammation. There existed, indeed, several small excavations, and the appearance which Dr. Sims has described as resulting from the cure of ramollissement; but nothing could be detected capable of explaining the severity of the symptoms. On examining it microscopically, however, I found the most evident traces of inflammatory action, and a new product formed in great abundance, to which Glüge of Brussels has given the name of globule of inflammation. In several other cases, I have convinced myself by means of the microscope, that inflammation existed in textures where nothing abnormal could be seen with the naked eye, and in this manner have been enabled to explain many symptoms which otherwise would have remained inexplicable. A man died a short time since in the Infirmary, who had for several days been affected with loss of consciousness, and rigidity of the right arm. Besides a tumor in the brain, which had been previously diagnosed, I detected, by means of the microscope, inflammatory softening of the left corpus striatum, a lesion which, by unassisted vision, none present at the examination could positively assert to be present. On the other hand, I have determined, in several cases, that lesions supposed to be inflammatory arose solely from hemorrhage, or simple congestion-that what has been considered tubercle was in fact infiltrated pus-that tumors imagined to be malignant, were really innocuous, and so on. Regarding all these points, we are enabled to get rid of the vagueness and looseness which at present prevail in connexion with them, and by means of the microscope, to arrive at positive information, on which the morbid anatomist may safely rely. The microscope explains to us also why certain diseases are so intractable to treatment. It shews us, that several morbid lesions are composed of cells, each of which, as I have before stated, possesses an independent vitality. Thus, warts, melanosis, cancer, fungus hematodes, &c., defy the efforts of the practitioner, because he is unable to attack them through the organism of the individual in whom they exist. In fact, they are distinct beings, endowed with a vitality of their own, true parasites, which it is impossible to consider either as animal or vegetable, which feed upon the tissue they are found in, and can only, by its destruction or excision, be removed from the economy." We must make one other extract to shew the applicability of the microscope to diagnosis. "Mr. D. an English gentleman, whose acquaintance I formed in Heidelberg, asked my advice for a complaint, consisting principally, as he stated, of headache, vertigo, and a disposition to faint, under which he had laboured for some weeks. He was thirty-five years of age, of a peculiarly sallow countenance; and though once robust and stout, was exceedingly weak, and greatly emaciated. He could not stand erect for any time, or stoop, without feeling faint. He had constant headach in the occipital region, sometimes extending to the forehead. He was very excitable; and the pulse, although generally slow and soft, would, on the slightest alarm, become rapid and thready. I learnt that he had been very dissipated, had suffered under several forms of syphilis, and had even then a stricture of the urethra, for which he had lately been treated by Professor Chelius. In addition to this affection of the urinary apparatus, he had for the last sixteen months laboured under what appeared to be an affection of the bladder. His urine was often cloudy, contained at different times more or less mucous flocculi, deposited a sediment which varied in amount, and exhaled a peculiarly fetid and disagreeable odour. He had consulted most of the celebrated physicians and surgeons in London. The former had told him that he laboured under disease of the kidney, and the latter, that he had chronic inflammation of the bladder. He even went to Leamington, to consult a celebrated physician of that town. He presented to me a mass of prescriptions, from which I learnt, that he had taken in turn mercury, arsenic, copper, opium, and all the heroic, as well as minor remedies. He had also been frequently leeched, and cupped in the loins; and even when I saw him, had an open issue in the |