lumbar region. He had always been kept on low diet, and was on his way to Carlsbad, to drink the purgative waters of that celebrated spring. I really did not know what to advise, and merely ordered him some emollient drinks, until I had further observed the case. One day I took home some of his urine, and examined it with the microscope. Much to my surprise, I found in it the spermatic animalcules in great abundance, some destroyed and broken down, but others entire, so that no doubt could exist regarding their presence. It was now apparent that the semen had found its way into the bladder, and the real nature of the case dawned upon me. On questioning him, I found that some time previously he had been conscious of involuntary seminal emissions. This had been increased by the antiphlogistic treatment pursued; and latterly there had ap peared headache, fainting, and the other signs of irregular distribution of blood within the cranium. I immediately ordered the seton to be taken out of his back. Instead of his usual low diet, I ordered beef steaks and good beer. At the same time, I administered vegetable and chalybeate tonics. Instead of keeping him confined to the room, I ordered him to take short walks, which were to be gradually increased in length, according to his improving strength. Instead of going to Carlsbad to drink purgative waters, I advised him to visit Wildbad, and use the stimulating and tonic carbonic acid baths of that spring. The cold douche to the back was also occasionally to be employed. The gentleman was intelligent, saw the force of my arguments, and followed the treatment proposed; and in six months I heard from him, that he was perfectly restored to health."

We may remark on the above case, that the "stimulating and tonic carbonic acid baths of Wildbad," exists only in the worthy doctor's own imagination, there being no carbonic acid baths there at all, and the waters themselves are as pure as the finest rock springs—the temperature (98°) being the quality on which their medical agency is founded. SCHWALBACH would have been a much more appropriate place to have sent the patient. But that is of no consequence. The case itself is curious-and we wish Dr. Bennett every success in this Histrological Lectures, which we recommend the students of Edinburgh to carefully attend.

ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE COMPARATIVE ANATOMY OF THE NERVOUs SrsTEM. By Joseph Swan. Part VII. (Last.) Price 7s. London, Longman and Co.

We cannot allow this work to be concluded without paying a just tribute to its author. He has devoted much time, great labour, and some pecuniary means to the practical elucidation of the nervous system. He has set himself to work to dissect it. The bent of one man's mind leans one way, that of another man's another, and we must take their contributions to the fund of human knowledge as we get them. We cannot quarrel with Adam Smith for not presenting us with an epic poem, nor with Milton for not writing a treatise on the wealth of nations. We accept the generalizations of Müller and the particular dissections of Swan, each good and useful in their way. And we only wish that the history of medicine contained fewer of the former and a less lack of the latter.

The part of the illustrations before us contains plates of the facial nerve of the sow-the connexion of the cerebral nerves with the sympathetic of the same -the cerebral nerves of the jaguar-the sympathetic nerves of the sheep—the olfactory nerve of the horse-the sympathetic and other nerves in the head of the calf-the nervous system of the hypogastric plexus of the male-calf-the hypogastric plexus of the sow-the hypogastric plexus of the ass.

There follow some general and concluding observations, to some of which we shall direct attention.

Cerebrum and Cerebellum in Animals.-Mr. Swan tells us that the brain is more or less spherical or lobulated in all animals; in man, at the upper part of its hemispheres, there is an extensive fissure, and one more or less deep in many of mammalia; but in some of these and the other classes there is a very little, if any, separation. Convolutions answer a particular and not a general purpose; they are very deep in man, and some of mammalia; but in others and the several inferior classes they hardly exist. The great commissure is very extensive in man and such of mammalia as have the hemispheres high and large; it faintly exists in others, in which the lobes only just inclose the lateral ventricles; it is not present in the three lower classes. Ventricles vary in all the classes; the lateral has a posterior horn in simiæ proportioned to the posterior lobe, so that in some it is a mere chink; in birds it extends more posteriorly, at which part its parietes are very thin; it is placed anteriorly in amphibia and fishes. The third ventricle lics between the thalami in mammalia and birds; in birds it extends into the optic lobes; in amphibia and fishes it is continued from the same surface with the lateral. The fourth ventricle exists in all; and in birds, amphibia, and fishes, extends into the optic lobes and cerebellum. The transparent septum exists in mammalia only; in birds, the striated septum supplies the place of it and the great commissure. The former exists in mammalia only, in birds, the floor of the lateral ventricle supplies its place. The great hippocampus exists in mammalia but not in the other classes. The striated body exists in the three superior classes; in mammalia it is similar to that in man, but very different in birds and amphibia. The thalamus exists in the three superior classes, but is very small in amphibia. The soft commissure depends upon the presence of each thalamus; it is very tough in the turtle. The anterior commissure exists in the four, the posterior in the three superior classes.There is a pineal gland in mammalia and the turtle. The quadrigeminal bodies are distinct in mammalia, but vary, the nates being either larger or smaller than the testes; they are solid at birth; in birds they are flattened and large, and have no distinction like that of the nates and testes, and contain a ventricle in each communicating with the third; they also exist as hollow bodies without any anterior or posterior separation in amphibia and fishes. The base of the brain is divided into lobes in man and simiæ, but in most others there is very little, if any, distinction; the pituitary gland exists in the four superior classes.— Two distinct mamillary eminences exist in man, but they are very generally conjoined in mammalia: they do not exist in amphibia, they are however not only present but separate in fishes. The cerebellum exists in the four superior classes; in the invertebrated its presence is doubtful; it has large lateral lobes compared with the middle, and is large in proportion to the size of the body in man and simiæ; the lateral lobes compared with the middle ones are smaller in mammalia generally; 'it is convoluted throughout; in birds, it consists principally of a middle lobe, to which is attached on each side a small one like the Jobule appended to the lateral lobe of the monkey and other animals; it is convoluted, and has a ventricle; in some of the amphibia, as the turtle, it is hollow, in several it is a mere rudiment. In the cod, it has a small ventricle, and consists principally of a middle lobe; in the skate it has a ventricle, it has also lateral lobes which are somewhat convoluted. The annular tubercle is largest in man, it is proportioned to the size of the crura of the cerebellum; it exists in mammalia, the trapezoid body is a resemblance of the posterior part of it; it is not distinct in birds, and does not exist in amphibia and fishes; it is proportioned to the size of the crura of the cerebellum. The oblong medulla is larger in mammalia in proportion to the size of the brain than in man, but particularly in No. 87.

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the other classes; small olivary bodies exist in the monkey; the other eminences n the four superior classes are more or less indistinct.

Spinal Marrow in Animals.-The spinal marrow is nearly the same in the four superior classes: in the invertebrated there is a chord or ring in the place of it, analogous to its nerves and ganglia; it varies either in breadth or length, according to the required motion of the spine, and the number and size of the nerves; it may be short and broad, or long and narrow, with enlargements in places from which larger nerves are to proceed it may form a longer or shorter cauda equina. In birds it appears knotted, and has its dorsal part closely surrounded by bone, and has a lumbar ventricle; it reaches to the tail in birds, and generally in amphibia and fishes.

Smelling depends upon the olfactory nerve arising from the brain and the fifth arising from the oblong medulla. The organ may be small or very capacious; branches analogous to those of the fifth may produce a rudimental sense in some invertrebrated animals.

Seeing depends upon the optic nerve arising from the brain, and the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth arising in the track of the oblong medulla. The organ varies in size, but not like the nose; the ciliary nerves are not in proportion to the size of the organ, but to the required powers of vision. Although there is an optic nerve arising from the brain in some of the invertebrated animals, yet in many instances the organ is rudimental and the nerve analogous to the ciliary.

Hearing depends upon the auditory nerve, the fifth, the hard portion and the glosso-pharyngeal, which arise from the oblong medulla. The auricle and tympanum vary in each class, and in different kinds of the same in a slighter degree. The labyrinth is similar in mammalia except slight variations in the windings of the cochlea; it is further modified in birds, and still more in amphibia and fishes. In fishes the auditory, or fifth, and glosso-pharygneal are more conjoined for supplying the labyrinth; instead of the fifth and glossopharyngeal being confined to the tympanum and its appendages. In invertebrated animals the rudimental form of nerves may approach that of fishes and resemble that for the tympanum only in the higher classes.

Tasting depends upon the fifth, glosso-pharyngeal, and ninth, which arise from the oblong medulla. The organs concerned in its production are very extensive in many of mammalia. The nerves are proportioned to the organ and the oblong medulla, and not to the brain or cerebellum. Although branches of the fifth supply the mouth in the other classes, the glosso-pharyngeal appears to be the most important. In the invertebrated any sense of taste may have a rudimental condition approaching that in the three preceding classes.

Sensation depends upon the fifth and spinal nerves arising from the oblong and spinal medulla; the ganglia attached to them are variously constructed in different animals. The brain may be large or very small; the cerebellum may be large or rudimental. In invertebrated animals the nerves may proceed from the subœsophageal ganglion and the prolongation of this in a chord or ring, or from ganglia having the least possible resemblance to a brain. It is probably modified by all these changes as well as by the extent of the convolutions of the brain. Under this head the following parts may be included: skin, teeth, bone, ligament, and those giving origin to horn, hair, and nails.

Voluntary Motion is under the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, hard portion, ninth,

accessary, and spinal nerves, and the oblong and spinal medulla. In invertebrated animals the nerves may proceed from the subœsophageal ganglion, or from a prolongation of this in a chord or ring, or from ganglia having the least possible appearance of a brain; in many instances there is no difference in the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the chord or ring, and in the highest of this class there is not the same distinction as in the vertebrated.

Involuntary Motion is under the sympathetic, or such of the common motive as have their powers directed by the action of moving parts placed in contact or connexion with them; it is therefore principally under the influence of the oblong and spinal medulla.

Circulation. The nerves promoting it proceed from the sympathetic and par vagum, so that it is principally under the influence of the oblong and spinal medulla. In mammalia and birds which have hot blood and a completely double circulation there is a large brain. In animals with cold blood, as amphibia which have not a completely double circulation, and fishes which have one still more simple, the brain is small and the cerebellum may be a mere rudiment. In invertebrated animals there may be a different form of the circulatory organs when the nervous system is similar.

Spinal Marrow.-It gives origin to the sensitive and motive nerves of the trunk of the body; its functions are very limited, independently of the brain. In invertebrated animals, a long chord or ring analogous to the ganglia and nerves of the spinal marrow and sympathetic exists.

Oblong Medulla.-It is required for all the vital functions, and for sensation and motion; the brain, cerebellum, and spinal marrow are not absolutely necessary, they nevertheless, according to their development, extend its powers. Only the two organs of smelling and seeing receive nerves directly from the brain, and they require others from the oblong medulla for the completion of their functions. All the other organs, not supplied by nerves from the oblong and spinal medulla, are indirectly connected with those parts through the sympathetic nerve. If the brain and cerebellum do not immediately promote the functions of the several organs, they complete the concatenation of faculties required in the more perfect creatures.

Brain.-Only a very small brain in proportion to the size of the body exists in some animals, and is principally for the senses of smelling and seeing, and for ministering to the intellect, and for this purpose it is fashioned with modifications of structure. According to the increase of the intellectual faculties, the hemispheres become larger in proportion to the oblong medulla. In invertebrated animals, its most complex state is inferior to that of fishes, and in many instances is so rudimental as scarcely to deserve the name.

Cerebellum.-Its condition may be a mere rudiment in some complicated animals, and increasing from this to its large size in man. The vital and instinctive functions, and those of sensation and voluntary motion, do not depend upon it.

Sympathetic Nerve It exists more or less distinctly, but with modifications, in the four superior classes; in the invertebrated, the functions usually performed by it are more conjoined with the rest of the nervous system. It is related to the spinal and oblong medulla, through the nerves arising from these parts.

Mr. Swan alludes to the soul, and to the instinctive essence. We confess that he does not succeed in clearing up the mystery surrounding them.

Grey and White Matter.-Neither the grey nor white matter can be dis covered in every animal; but as they exist so extensively, they may be considered as one of the chief means of combination with the nervous element, and thus as a principle.

Shapes of the Grey and White Matter.-The grey and white matter require to be placed in a particular order, shape or form, and to be more or less intermixed with each other; and according to this elaboration are their powers varied and modified, either for general or particular centres. The more extended portions of the brain for promoting the intellectual faculties, and the more particular ones as centres for the origins of the nerves, are formed on an appropriate plan, and have their prescribed situation, but vary in some respects in different animals. The instinctive essence manifests its power differently, according to the condition of the structures through which it acts. The more elaborate the ranges of the fibres of the centres, and the construction of the several organs of the body through which the mind and instinctive essence are approached, the more exalted is the manner in which perceptions and the com mands of the will are executed; so that, on account of the great development of the brain in man, the mind receives and imparts impressions, which the instinctive essence cannot. The shapes may, therefore, be reckoned as a principle, as the modifications of the same determine the extent of many faculties.

We cannot take leave of the work without again commending the unwearied diligence of Mr. Swan, nor without holding up for our readers' emulation both the book and its author.

THE DOUBLE-FLAP AND CIRCULAR AMPUTATIONS CONTRASTED; BEING AN ABSTRACT OF A FIRST PRIZE ESSAY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. By F. N. Machardy, A.M. and M.D., Surgeon. London, Simpkin, and Co., 1841.

We do not know that we ever saw exactly such an Essay. It is as full of quotations as Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy-of errors of the press as a "last dying speech and confession"-and of novel turns in grammar as a nurserymaid's love letter. Withal, there is much information in it, and a vast deal of labour has been spent on it.

Dr. Machardy leans, and most Scotch surgeons do, to the flap in preference to the circular operation. He urges arguments of all sorts in its favour. These we shall pass over, for the purpose of introducing his statistical facts, which are highly deserving of attention,

AMPUTATION OF THE ARM.

Dr. Machardy presents the results of thirty recorded circular amputations, and twenty-four flap ones.

1. Circular Operation. Mr. Hargrave observes, that amputation of the humerus by the circular incision is confined to the space between the elbow and the insertion of the pectoralis major; such selection being apparent from the nature of this operation requiring an equalized distribution of muscular tissue surrounding the limb.

Key and Cooper, at Guy's; Guthrie and White, Westminster; Travers, St. Thomas's; Hawkins and Keate, St. George's: Latta and Hunter, Edinburgh: