NORTH LONDON HOSPITAL.

526 Burrows in the out-patient’s room of thisI several extensive abrasions. On the dishospital, who states that the eruption at’coloured parts there are a number of that period was of a bright scarlet dark-coloured bullae filled with a bloody and that the mucous membrane of the lips, I serum. These are most numerous about the back of the tongue, and the roof of the Ithe roots of the fingers and toes, and on the backs of the hands and the feet. There month, were covered with potechize. 30. She was ordered two grains of numerous petechiæ, of a dark-purple calomel every alternate night, as also colour, about the chin and left eyelid, and small doses of quinine during the day. they spread very much over the upper This plan was persevered in until the fol- parts of the thighs. The thighs down to legs are one stain of dark red. He lowing Wednesday, when she had decidedly improved; the petechice in the tnonth occasionally "hawks," and brings ttp small having altogether disappeared, and the quantities of dark-coloured blood. The eruptions on the face and extremities pulse could not be distinguished at the having very much faded. The remedieswrist, from its extreme weakness, and the considerable swelling of the part; it was, are to be persevered in. May 4. The petechiæ on the chest and however, ascertained, by the stethoscope arms have nearly vanished; a few fresh I, at the heart, to be 120. His bowels are spots are, however, observable on the face ;;’ open; he has great thirst, but no appetite. tongue less pallid ; pulse 120, and some- The extremities are rather cold. A little what jerking. The whole aspect of the sonorous rattle is distinguiahable at the I chest. patient is very much improved. Zinc ointment was directed to be applied 20. The eruption is entirely gone, and the appearance of the little patient is much to the abraded parts, and warm fomentaimproved, though she still remains pale, tions to the limbs, to promote the circulawith a rather full abdomen; she is de- tion. To have daily three pints of strong formed in her lower extremities, and alto- beef-tea, three eggs, and white wine ad libiher contour is rather that of an tum, so long as it produces no bad effects. old woman, than a child of eight yearsold. Nitrate and carbonate of potash, of each fifteen grains, every three hours. Dr. - To be sent home. ELLIOTSON remarked, that though he did not place great reliance on this medicine, he would give it with a view to produce a NORTH LONDON HOSPITAL. change in the chemical qualities of the blood, not however neglecting the esINTENSE PURPURA HÆMORRHAGICA, COM- tablished practice, but merely thus adding PLICATED WITH ERYSIPELAS. to it. SAMUEL JONES, aged 60, of a stout 23. Is, rather better, having had some in the night, which he passed combody, was admitted, June 22nd, under the care of Dr. ELLIOTSON. He had generally fortably. The affected parts much the same, but the left foot is redder than it enjoyed excellent health, but five ago sufferedfrom pneumonia, but per- was yesterday. The feet are quite cold ; fectly recovered from the attack. Me had he complains of tingling in the parts ; his lived very freely, often drinking four stools are now free from blood, and rather five bottlcs of wine a day. Ile had of a light colour; the urine also is free been much reduced in circumstances, and from blood, but thick and high-coloured. unable to procure more than the common 24. Passed a restless night up to two necessaries of life. About three vweeks o’clock a.m., when he expressed a wish to ago he began to pain in his limbs and get out of bed to go to the night-chair, languor, and other symptoms of general i which he carried into effect in spite of debility. He had also a cough, at first the remonstrances of the nurse. He had dry, but shortly after accompanied with just enough strength to raise himself in expectoration of blood, sometimes florid, bed, but died as soon as he was placed on at others he also evacuated blood the chair. with his fxces; in about a Sectio Cadaveris.-The purple stain did his arms and legs began to swell, not extend beyond the skin. The vascular he noticed for the first time the occur- parts of the brain were rather paler than usual. A small quantity of pale yellow rence of a number of dark-purple very small, and accompanied with ting- fluid was contained in the ventricles. On ling and heat of the skin ; these spots opening the chest, the pleurae costales continued to spread until they formed were found pretty generally adherent on patches of very considerable extcnt on both sides, and free from containing fluid. the fore-arm and the back of the hands, as The lungs externally were of a dark cowell as on the legs and thighs. The ex- lour, generally, and marked in some

colour,!

are

the

gether

,

sleep

yearsI

*

feel

dark ;

I or lately

l

fortnight and spots,

tremities

now are

œdematous, and present places with purple spots, and in

a

few

527

places, especially between the lobes, with large dark-brown patches. The lungs felt crepitant, hut harder lumps could be found here and there, as in pulmonary apoplexy. On cutting into the lungs, they

exist; this

case,

as

vesicles;

was a

peculiar feature

of the

also the presence of large the chin and left eyelid being

was

covered with petechiæ, presented

a

singu-

lar and interesting fact. In opposition to LAENNEc’s account of apoplexy of the lungs, there was present in this case extreme congestion for a large space around the lumps in those organs. The heart being so much enlarged and softened, the very feeble state of the circulating system was accounted for. There is little question that he died from syncope. Nothing was found to cause sudden death. The circumstance of the brain, also, being much paler than usual, was a symptom of death from fainting. It was a compound case of purpura and gangrenous er3,sipelas, and demonstrated the possiitility of two very different kinds of diseases of the skin going on at the same time in the system,—one congestive, and the other

found to be very much congested in every part, but plenty of air, and abuttdance of a thick bloody fluid, could be pressed out. In many places there were circumscribed spots of a deep black colour, with well-defined edges, and varying in size, but generally about as large as a Nv,ilniit. They evidently consisted of pure blood, and corresponded with the parts where the lumps were felt externally. The bronchial membrane was of a deep red colour. One lung was much worse than the other, presenting almost the appearance of a dark coagulum of blood, when incised, and being very soft and easily torn. A portion of this lung on the summit a13peared to have been broken down, forming a cavity which was with dark fluid blood. Before cutting into this, it had almost the appearance and feel of a small HORSE-LEECH IN THE HUMAN STOMACH. tuberculous excavation. The heart was Dr. ELLIOTSON brought a leech to the enlarged to probably twice its natural hospitala few days since, which had been size. The pericardium contained some vomited by a lad. He had had headach bloody serum, and its inner surface was for several days, and his bowels were conspotted like the bkin. The left ventricle fined; a dose of jalap was given him was very much dilated and much hyper- which produced sickness, and the leech trophied. This ventricle, as well as the was brought up in a very lively state. It aorta, contained perfectly black blood. is rather a small one, and does not appear The substance ofthe heart was every to have been very active in its domicile. where unusually pale, and very much It is well known that a leech will somesoftened; towards the apex it appeared to times get very large after it has acclhave undergone some structural a’tera- dentally got into the stomach. It is not tion, portions of it being of a light-gray known in what way the animal was swalcolour. At the large end of the stomach lowed in the present instance. The boy the mucous membrane w,-t3 raised by air has had no leeches applied on any part of contained underit, so -i-sto form large his body for two years. It is most proirregular elevations; towards the pylorus bable that it was taken in while bathing, it was of a dark-brown purple colour, with a portion of the water of the bath. but this did not extend deeper. There were three or four oval ulcers near the OF POTASH IN SECONDARY pylorus, the size of half a sixpence, of a SYPHILIS. gray colour, with elevated edges, and havDr. A. T. THOMSON has succeeded in ing an indurated and almost scirrhous feel. The mucous membrane of the duo- curing a case of secondary syphilis with denum was red, but showed no purple the hydriodate of potash. The patient spots. The other intestines were not ex- was a young woman, aged 19, who conamined. The liver was somewhat enlarged, tracted syphilis about two years since, and been treated for the disease, and apand of a dark and brownish colour externally; internally it presented the same parently cured, hut about two months ago dark colour intermixed with lines of yel- an eruption appeared over the whole surlow. It was in a state of great conges- face of the body, not presenting the genecharacters of this a:Tection, but partion. The spleen was rather small. Dr. ELLIOTSON remarked that this was ’taking something of the nature of psoriathe most intense case of the disease that sis. Dr. T. thought the disease should be he had ever seen; there were some symp- named sypl1ilitic psoriasis." F’ive.grain toms in it which had not come under his doses of the hydriodate, gradually innotice in any other case, and which were creased to seven and a halt; were given, melltioned neither by BATEMAN nor and completely removed the eruption in a RAYER. There was decidedly inflamma- month. The case was thus cured by the tory redness where the spots did not unaided effect of the hydriodatu of potass. were

filled

phlegmonous.

IIYDRIODATE

had ral

528 ST. GEORGE’S HOSPITAL.-Meeting of LANCET; but as it would be difficult to de. 14th. Sir C. E. Smith in the chair. fend a person incognito, and " as a person - The remainder of the laws relating to incognito" the writer desires to remain, he the duties of the chaplain, and those of the declines our offer, and has explained the secretary and the matron, and part of object of his former letter in the paragraph those of the steward, were discussed at this above quoted. Who or what our corremeeting, and the proceedings closed with spondent may be, if he be not simply a clause 5, page 34. The duties of the se- " Conjuror,"-and a conjuror he certainly cretary and the matron are of such a na- is, unless he really indited his letter on ture as can scarcely disturb the feelings of the principle that " one good quiz deserves party. Moreover, it is the general opi- another,"-we know not, nor can guess; nion (we give the words of our reporter), and as he persists in his intention to let " that THE LANCET has effected an excelfacts pass undenied, why we also lent and conciliatory change in the bear- must fall back upon the feeling expressed the last sentence of his demi-politiing of the medical officers. A better feeling seems to pervade their party." To demi-eavalier communication of July 14th. ground arms and stand at ease, but not off Mr. Davis.-It is not possible yet to our post, be therefore our position. At state what will be the contents of the Bill. this meeting neither Sir Benjamin nor Dr. Has A. B. obtained his information Chambers was present, and nothing ocfrom the Army Medical Board ? We think of not even the illcurred worthy notice ; he has been deceived. We never heard directed personalities and ungentlemanly of any such course as Lectures on the behaviour of Dr. Seymour. " Institutes of Medicine." The letter of A Member of the College, next week.-A Scotch Student has reached its CORRESPONDENTS.

July

alleged

in

destination.

A correspondent who signs himself One of the Slandered, has addressed a brief note to us in which he says " that the in" tentions of ’A Governor of St. George’s " Hospital’ are fathomed by those whom " he has attempted to malign," and " hints to him that the scurrility and ill-condi" tioned language of his epistle is in" juring the cause he wished to espouse." A letter from the same correspondent last week contained similar remarks, but the imputation was so indefinite that we did not comprehend the meaning of the writer. This he was told, with an offer of room for a reply, on showing that he had been slandered by any correspondent in THE

The expense incurred and paid by the Treasury on account of the Pariiamextary Medica) Committee has not amounted to more than 2532l. 19s. The expense of the Committee on the Vaccine Board, in 1833, amounted to 100l. 7s.

Fiat Justitia.-The exclusive clause in the charter coutd not be abrogated by any claim that might be introduced into Mr. Oswald’s bill. A wider measure of refurm,wttich is in progress, will remove all grievances arising from the possession, real or supposed, of unjust on the part of the London chartered institution. To publish the letter of our correspondents would, therefore, be super fluous.

powers

Observator

can

hardly expect

us to

pub-

lish his letter without the contidential authentication of his name and address. When those have beentransmittcd, he sh.tlt be informed whether we can insert his statements without attaching hii name and address to them in ptint.

METEOROLOGICAL REPORT. (Extract from a Meteorological Journal kept at Ifigh Wycombe. Lat. 51° 37’ 44" North, Long. 34° 45" West.)

_

July 14,

1835.

W. JACKSON,