MEDICO-PARLIAMENTARY

women-and who considers that rowing against the stream of Ws should like, for the information of our readers, to have Science is the way to arrive at the ocean of Truth. the private ear of any political CEdipus who can explain the It would be difficult to find a better illustration of the injugrounds on which Government appointments are distributed. rious influence of homoeopathy on feeble minds, and the way The progress made during late years in sanitary knowledge has it is effected, than is presented in a report of the annual meet- rendered it evident that the President of the Board of Health, ing of the Northampton Homeeopathic Dispensary, recently to adequately fulfil his duties, should be possessed of high held. We quote two specimens :scientific attainments. The resignation of Mr. Cowper, thereThe Rev. JOHN TURNER said that "he had practised homaeofore, afforded Government an eligible opportunity of illustrating pathy largely. He had treated croup, erysipelas, very bad the high-sounding adage they propounded themselves, by putcases of bronchial affections, scarlet, rheumatic, and typhus ting "the right man in the right place." Necessarily the right fever, epileptic fits, hooping-cough, dysentery, all successfully. man in this case was a medical man. The day he hoped would come when every man, woman, and Mr. Monsell, on whom the appointment has been conferred, child would be in a position to benefit by the divine truth is a gentleman of undoubted ability, and possessed of many enunciated by the immortàl Hahnemann." high qualities. But we have yet to learn that he possesses the These are the reverend gentleman’s own words; they will scientific knowledge which only years of toil, directed to one indicate the quality of his judgment, as the italics will illustrate object, can give, and which in these days is essentially required his theology. for an efficient President of the Board of Health. Apollo was The Rev. J. BROWN stated that " sixteen years had conthe god of eloquence and all that sort of thing; but we cannot vinced him of the superiority of homoeopathy over allopathy, doubt that King Admetus had many a better herdsman than with its filthy blisters and nauseous draughts." the outlawed Immortal. The homoeopathic officers next spun out some of the usual twaddle, blowing each other’s trumpet, and abusing the profesTHE prominent part taken by Dr. Alfred Taylor in the insion. In the course of his harangue, one of them, a certain Dr. quest held at Stamford, to inquire into the death of Ann Bacon, Dunn, amusingly exposed the wires by which such puppets as mother of the man who now stands charged with the murder the misguided reverends above quoted are pulled. He said, " Put of his two children, occasioned much surprise. Having pretwo intelligent men like the Rev. J. Turner and the Rev. J. sented a very admirable report, stating that he had found Brown at one bed-side, and Dr. Watson and Dr. Williams, emi- arsenic in the portions of the body delivered to him for ananent as they were, on the other, and a thousand to one that the he proceeded to examine the medical witnesses precisely lysis, homoeopathic clergymen would beat the allopaths." We think as a barrister would have done; subsequently stating his own it probable that the patient would also be beat-dead-beat. opinion on the evidence elicited, and concluding by a most uncalled-for judgment on the opinions expressed by one of the DURING the last few weeks several cases have occurred of medical witnesses. If the double duty assumed by Dr. Taylor suicide by strychnia. The last of these happened at Newport, was owing to the inability of the coroner to make the medical Isle of Wight, where a druggist, when he was asked for arsenic evidence clear to the jury, then the deficiency of the latter to poison rats, did not content himself with supplying this drug gentleman was to be lamented. Otherwise it would, indeed, to his customer, but positively handed him three grains of appear that the skilled and learned toxicologist, whose energy forstrychnia as’ a substitute, with merely a written label of and determination merit our highest esteem, had slightly " " Poison" on the package. Had he given the messenger what gotten the rebuke of Apelles, " Ne sutor ultra crepidam." Dr. Taylor seemed to forget when he acted as an advocate, was demanded, and labelled the envelope, "Arsenic," it is prohe would appear as the chief witness at the coming trial of that bable that suspicion would have been aroused, and that, from the slower action of the poison, the life of the man who swal- the accused person. lowed the deadly drug might have been saved. MEDICO-PARLIAMENTARY In reference to this subject, we must express our decided condemnation of a letter addressed to The Times, (Feb. 23rd,) T7aursday, Feb. 19th.-Petition from medical officers of the by Mr. D. Wilson, a surgeon at Edinburgh. He therein directs Wellington Union, Somerset, against Poor-law remuneration public attention to what he calls an effectual antidote for the and treatment. Mr. Otway asked on what authority Mr. Snape was reappoisonous action of strychnia. He founds this opinion on two cases only. In one of these, (which appeared in THE LANCET,) pointed to the Surrey Lunatic Asylum. Sir G. Grey suggested a quantity of strychnia-one-half less than the smallest poi- that there had been no dismissal, only an inquiry-e2,go, no sonous dose, was taken, and camphor (the vaunted antidote) reappointment. The reinstalment of Mr. Snape took place on subdued the spasms. The other case is an American one, from the recommendation of six medical gentlemen of high repuMaine, and is exceedingly vague and unsatisfactory in its de- tation and character appointed to consider the whole of the tails. It is not many months since an account was inserted in circumstances. the American journals, (founded on apparently true cases,) Mr. Headlam obtained leave to bring in his Medical Bill. that lard was an antidote for poisoning by strychnia. In the Members in homoeopathic interest enjoined by the quacks to January number of the American Medical Jou2-nal are detailed speak truth for the next few weeks, to get out of the habit some experiments on the subject, which tend to prove that the before the debate on "similia similibus curantur" prinaction of lard is to intensify the action of the poison. We need ciple. hardly point out how this bears upon the case cited by Mr. Friday, F’eb. 20th.-Public Health Supplemental Bill (1857} Wilson. Nothing could be more injudicious than his bold state- passed through committee, and Mr. Maguire obtained leave Bill about the Cleansing, &c. of Irish Towns. ment, on such slender evidence, that it should be universally to bring in a Feb. 24th.-Mr. Palk asked the President of the T’uesday, known camphor is an effectual antidote for strychnia. By Board of Health for his little Bill about the Health of Towns. solely placing reliance on assertions thus boldly made, much Mr. Monsell said he thought he could let the House have it by time may be wasted, and life may be lost. To have called the March 10th: by which time we wish the House may get it. Mr. Bentinck moved for a committee to inquire into the attention of the profession to the possible advantage of the use of camphor would have been a praiseworthy proceeding; but to cause of railway accidents. Hon. members (connected with the present state of things perfect. But the innuen/ce the minds of the multitudes who peruse T’Ae Times, railways) thought committee was granted. Suppose they suggest fining the by giving professional sanction to a belief founded on such railways a guinea a minute for every train that’s behind time, meagre evidence as that stated in Mr. Wilson’s letter, cannot starting or arriving. We should like a small per-centage on one day’s receipts. be otherwise than injurious. -

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