ANOTHER DEATH FROM CHLOROFORM.

Excuse my trespassing a little longer on your space to recordially concurred with them in abhorring quackery of every description. It was, he conceived, most important that the commend a method of correcting the disagreeable smell of dispublic should be able to distinguish accurately between those chargesfrom the ear; though I am aware that the same method who were, and those who assumed to be, practitioners of the is not equally applicable to cases of ozoana. A tablespoonful, healing art. He would remind the meeting that the success of or less, of finely-powdered charcoal laid between two squares the Association must depend entirely upon the exertions of its of cotton wool, with their edges then folded together, forms a members. If they felt that a condition existed which rendered light dressing which I have laid over the ears of patients sufthe formation of this Society necessary, they mcst, each of them fering from offensive discharge, with equal comfort to them in his own sphere, push the Society, and induce their medical and to their friends. friends and neiahbours to join and s upport it. The executive Perhaps these hints may be of interest to those of your committee would shortly have to present a preliminary report, readers under whose care these cases fall more commonly than and he hoped that on that occasion there would be a very large under that of your obedient servant, EDWARD L. ORMEROD, M.D. attendance. Such full meetings would be very rarely required, Brighton, Oct. 1858. but he trusted that an effort would be made to give the Association a strong impetus at starting. He believed that independently of its avowed object, the existence of the Association would tend to promote the social intimacy and eslmit de co ps of the practitioners of the district. The gentlemen present enrolled themselves as members, and paid the entrance fee.

MEETING AT NEWPORT. of the medical practitioners of the Isle of Wight, held at the Town Hall of Newport, on Saturday, October 2nd, 1858, Dr. Wavell, of Newport, in the chair, the following resolutions were adopted. Proposed by H. WATERwoRTH, Esq., of Newport, and seconded by E. P. WILKINS, Esq., of Newport,-" That it is expedient for the medical practitioners of the Isle of Wight to form themselves into a society, for the purpose of ensuring correct registration under the provisions of the ’ New Medical Act,’ and for other purposes conducive to the interests and welfare of the profession." Proposed by Dr. HoFFMElSTER, of Cowes, and seconded by Dr. HOLLIS, of Yarmouth,-" That a society he now formed, having in view the purposes named in the preceding resolution; and that all the legally-qualified medical practitioners of the Isle of Wight be invited to join the same." Proposed by C. H. HOLMAN, Esq., of Niton, and seconded ’by Dr. CASTLE, of Newport,-" That for transacting the business of the society, a committee be formed of the following gentlemen, three of whom to make quorum :--B. Barrow, Esq., Ryde; -Fowke, Esq., Ryde; Dr. Hoffmeister, Cowes; Dr. Hollis, Yarmouth; C. Meers, Esq., Sandown ; C. H. Holman, Esq., Niton, J. J. E. Porter, Esq., Godshill ; J. Martin, Esq., Ventnor; H. B. Tuttiett, Esq., S’entnor; Dr. Wavell,. Dr. Castle, E. P. Wilkins, Esq., H. Waterworth, Esq., F. B. Tuttiett, Esq.," W. F. Foster, Esq., Newport; and that Dr. Castle be secretary.’’ Proposed by F. B. TuTTiETT, Esq., Newport, and seconded by H. WATERWORTH, Esq.,-" That the society be called’The Isle of Wight Medical Registration Association,’ and that each member pay an annual subscription of two shillings and sixzn " AT

a

meeting

pence." Proposed by J. J. E. PORTER, Esq., Godshill, and seconded by W. F. FosTER, Esq., Newport,-‘‘ That the secretary be requested to send a copy of the present proceedings to each legally-qualified medical practitioner of the Isle of Wight, and as soon

thereafter

as

may

be,

to call

a

meeting, with

a

view to

preparing a list (both of qualified and unqualified practitioners) for transmission to the Registrar." Proposed by Dr. CASTLE, and seconded by Dr. HOLLIS,"That the cordial thanks of this meeting be given to Dr. Wavell,

for his conduct in the chair."

Correspondence. "Audi alteram

partem:’

TREATMENT OF OZÆNA. To the Editor of THE LANCET. answer to your correspondent "Nosologos," he may be interested to hear that, in a little girl, I succeeded in removing all the symptoms of ozæna by the use of chlorate of potash. I have not the particulars on record, but I remember that it was a well-marked case. I used about ten grains or more of the salt three times a day, and the cure was completed in about three weeks. I have tried the remedy on a few occasions since, as cases have presented themselves, with benefit, but not with such entire success as to make me recommend it as a specific.

SIR,-In

386

ANOTHER DEATH FROM CHLOROFORM. 1’0 the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,—As very much in want of facts relative to the post-mortem appearances after death from chloroform, I think it would be of advantage if a few of the particulars of the following case were added to the records of cases already in the we are

journals.

Another painful instance of death from chloroform has occurred in one of the hospitals during the last few days. The patient was a lad of about eight years of age, who was about to undergo the trivial but often painful operation for strabismus. The gentleman who applied the chloroform stated to me that he used only about a drachm and a half; that all seemed to go on pretty much as usual for about three or four minutes, when the patient became quite pale and seemed to faint. Death from chloroform in young patients is almost unknown, so that probably much cause of alarm did not at first appear; there was no congestion of the face, the pulse stopped as usual, and all was over ! Cold-water sprinkling and artificial respiration were tried, but all in vain; the death, as usual, was most comand horrifying. I discovered accidentally, from inquiry of the medical man who attended the family to which this boy belonged, that three years ago he had an attack of meningitis, and was insensible for three days; and that ever since then he has been unusually at the idea of a surgical operation. dull, and At the autopsy (on Saturday last) the head was examined first. The brain generally seemed healthy, but the sinuses and veins were very much congested ; the pia mater was slightly adherent in some places, probably the result of the old meningitis ; a large quantity of fluid flowed from the spinal canal and the ventricles of the brain; a very remarkable fluidity of the blood was observable; and I think, in this case (as in three out of five autopsies of a similar kind in the hospitals that I have attended), there was excess of serous infiltration in the brain. We examined the medulla oblongata, pons, and corpora striata with some care, but they seemed quite healthy. On opening the chest, the lungs appeared very much congested; and on continuing the examination into the abdomen, the liver also, and even the kidneys, were found to share, like the brain and lungs, in the same intense engorgement of the venous and capillary system; the trachea was filled with viscid frothy mucus, so that one can scarcely escape the conclusion that the death in this case arose from asphyxia. The appearance of the heart was peculiar: the right side felt and appeared, on opening the pericardium, quite flabby and collapsed; the left side was unusually hard, almost hypertrophied, as if from recent spasm; the valves were healthy; the aortic coats slightly unhealthy. The stomach contained a large quantity of halfdigested food; and it was interesting to observe the process of digestion apparently suddenly stopped in the small intestine. On the whole, I am inclined to look on this as death from asphyxia, and perhaps spasm of the glottis. I am, Sir, yours &c., CHARLES KIDD, M.D. M. D. Sackville-street, Piccadilly, October 4th, 1858.

plete

frightened

THE INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-I enclose for your perusal a part of the last published despatch from Sir Hugh Rose, K. C.B., commanding the Central India field force. It must be gratifying to the profession to find there is one general officer at least who does justice to it. Time must show whether Government will do anything for the officers he mentions in such high terms of praise. The despatch is dated" Camp, Goohowlee, 24th May," and worded as

follows :" The exertions of Dr.

Arnott, superintending

surgeon, to