PATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. TUESDAY, JAN. 17TH, 1860.

he had seen a few cases, in which the same amount of de- acid deposits by the continued use of magnesia held in solution structive ulceration had taken place. In such cases a ready by carbonic acid. It neutralized acidity throughout the system, solution was usually offered. If the soft palate was destroyed, and prevented the deposits of urate of soda both in the tissues the patient was told he had syphilis ; if he denied this, he was and in the cavities of the body; indeed it often reduced and informed that it must have come from his father or mother ; dissolved them. For phosphatic calculi, he believed the soluand if this were also denied, the patient was not believed. tion of carbonic acid in water, or indeed as it exists in the Leprosy was found in badly-fed communities ; but as civiliza- soluble magnesia, was highly useful, especially when injected tion advanced, the disease would become more rare, and would into the bladder, in dissolving phospbatic matter. Mr. GAY believed that there could be no dissent from tha disappear entirely under proper hygienic laws. Dr. TILT had visited the Leper Hospital of Damascus in 1847, ’, principles expressed by the author. He should, however, like which contained about a dozen cases resembling the worst in- ’, to ask him whether he would so completely limit lithostances of the most virulent forms of disease met with in trity to very small stones in children? -whether in some of scrofulous or syphilitic wards. The poor creatures had large those cases of strumous and very weak children, with stones of ulcerations on the face, the lower eyelid was everted, the bridge a larger size, it might not be more desirable than lithotomy, of the nose broken down, and the bones of the palate destroyed. partly on account of the tendency to fistulous passage which Dr. B. Thompson, who then practised at Damascus, drew his often existed in such, and which often long remained, to their attention to the several stages of the malady. In the first, the great discomfort? He would also ask whether Mr. Thompson skin was fiery red and itching; in the second, it assumed a thought small quantities of blood and pus were always present furfuraceous, whitened appearance; and in the third, it was in the urine in calculous cases, and if their presence there was tubercular. In some instances a finger had dropped off, and always highly significant of stone in the bladder? He had seen othing remained but the cicatrix. The patients were not a large calculus present with but slight symptoms. Mr. HILTON observed that if greater vigilance were employed subject to any seclusion, but moved about freely amongst a population of 200,000. These patients were not from thesea- by all practitioners, no doubt almost all calculi might be discoast, but came chiefly from the neighbourhood of Nablous. covered at an early period, to the great advantage of the Iodide of potassium had been given by Dr. Thompson-the patient. Many very small stones might be removed by simply best remedy in these cases. dilating the urethra; he had often removed them in that way. Dr. MERYON was sorry that Dr. Webster had not entered In reference to the subject of the median operation, he had seen into a more minute detail of the peculiar symptoms of the it performed several times by his colleague, Mr. Cock, at Guy’s disease, with a view to determine to what extent it might be Hospital, and it did not appear to be accompanied by less found to differ from syphilis. Dr. Friend had entered into a bleeding than the lateral operation. He had seen excellent long and elaborate inquiry into this question, and had come to results from carrying the incision into the rectum where the the conclusion that syphilis differed in an unquestionable man- stone was large. ner from leprosy, which was in existence previous to the voyage Mr. BRYANTcorroborated Mr. Hilton’s remark respecting of Columbus, who is said to have introduced syphilis into this the blood lost in median lithotomy. There had been several cases at Guy’s, but not one had been fatal. country. Mr. THOMPSON, in reply, objected to lithotrity in children Dr. PRIESTLEY had seen two cases of leprosy under the care of Professor Syme in Edinburgh, and one under that of Dr. for any but the smallest calculi, and not less in weak subjects Simpson. One case was that of a young man residing in a than in robust ones, on the ground of the prolonged irritation fishing village on the north coast of Scotland, who laboured which the removal of fragments gave rise to. It had been fully under a well-marked tubercular form of this disease. The sub. tried in Paris, and such was the result of their experience. ject of the second case was a young woman, one of whose Added to this, the results of cutting in children were so satisfingers was first attacked with a circular patch of ulceration, factory, and he believed that by the median operation they might which gradually surrounded the digit. Amputation of the be made still more so. In reference to the existence of blood hand was resorted to, but the disease broke out higher up, and and pus in the urine as a sign of stone, nothing could be asserted accordingly the arm was removed; but the disease still ex- with regard to pus, which was always present in microscopic tending, a third operation was under consideration when he quantity in any irritation of the bladder, except of the most last saw the patient. In Dr. Simpson’s case there were no transient kind; but a pe7°sistent deposit of blood-corpuscles and tubercles on the face, but there were nodular tuberosities on crystals together, especially of oxalates, was a fact of much the fingers, which had spread, without ulceration, as high as significance in relation to stone. His object had been to show how much evil might be averted by a more general vigilance in the elbow on the ulnar side of the arm. Dr. WEBSTER, in reply, observed that no doubt many cases relation to the early signs of calculous formation. said to be leprosy were, in reality, syphilis. Persons who had never left this country rarely, if ever, suffered from the disease. It seemed to be proved that poverty of living, especially the PATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. want of animal food, had a great tendency to develop leprosy. The small number of lepers seen at Damascus by Dr. Tilt was TUESDAY, JAN. 17TH, 1860. favourable to the view he (Dr. Webster) had expressed as to MR. FERGUSSON, PRESIDENT. the effect of proximity of the sea-coast on the production of the disease. Had the hospitals been situated near the sea-shore, MR. FERGUSSON exhibited a specimen of the number, doubtless, would have been greater. Medical practitioners in Spain who had investigated the disease, beRECURRENT FIBROID TUMOUR lieved that it was on the increase. In former times it attacked from the lower third of the thigh. It was removed for the all classes of persons, but it was now almost entirely confined The patient enjoys good to the poorer classes. He believed it was incurable when it seventh time during eight years. health. a certain had reached stage. Mr. ARNOTT had seen the case at the outset, and had been disposed to take an unfavourable view of it. Dr. Bristowe and Dr. Salter were requested to examine MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. microscopically the specimen. Dr. SYDNEY JoNES exhibited MONDAY, JAN. 9TH, 1860.

try

MR.

HILTON, F.R.S., PRESIDENT.

EPITHELIAL DISEASE OF LARYNX AND

PHARYNX,

rendering deglutition impossible. Gastrotomy MRo HENRY THOMPSON read

a

paper

on

’THE GREAT IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF STONE IN THE

(see p. 66,) illustrated by several

BLADDER,

cases, the calculi from which

exhibited. Sir JAMES MURRAY, after expressing his warm approval of the paper and the principles laid down, begged leave to touch on the question of the prevention of calculus by internal remedies. He had long devoted himself to that question, and was of opinion that much was to be done iu-preventing uric

were

was

performed

in July last, and the patient died thirty-six hours afterwards of exhaustion. She was fed by the artificial opening, and it was interesting to observe that the sensations of hunger and thirst were appeased instantly. Dr. SYDNEY JoNES also showed various parts from a patient who had long been afflicted with epilepsy, and who was known to have been castrated for it some time ago without relief. He had taken much nitrate of silver, and some metallic silver reduced from the choroid plexuses was exhibited. Asperities of the inner table of the skull were strongly marked. A blue tinge was observable in the heart and lungs, liver and kidneys,

65

particularly the latter. The blue tinge of the skin was remarkable. Mr. HEATH was present at the operation of castration, and examined the testicles afterwards; they were also very strongly stained. Mr. ARTHUR DURHAM showed a diagram of

Mr. CURLING corroborated this view

MISPLACED KIDNEY.

The patient had felt a tumour in the abdomen during life. He died of pulmonary disease, and at the autopsy it proved to be Other cases were dea kidney lying in front of the sacrum. scribed and compared with this.-Also a CANCEROUS TUMOUR OF THE

from

a

woman, removed

Mr. OBRH

by Mr. Poland, showed a specimen of

examined

WARTY GROWTH FROM THE VENTRICLES OF THE

LARYNX.

Mr. BRYANT showed

’,

an

by two

example of

HM31ATOCELE

of the size of a’cocoa-nut. Mr. WOOD exhibited a

A MOVABLE KIDNEY

which he had before exhibited, completing the examination necessary to illustrate the case. Mr. DURHAM also exhibited a specimen of

cases

by himself.

from

a

specimen of

child, which produced death by obstructing the rima

’, glottidis. Tracheotomy was performed. Death ultimately took place. Dr. J. R. BENNETT presented a specimen of HYPERTROPHY

OF THE

HEART, WITH RUPTURE OF AN

AORTIC VALVE.

Also, A LUNG FROM A PHTHISICAL

HUMERUS, at Guy’s Hospital.

death caused by haemorrhage; siderable quantity.

PATIENT;

emphysema present

in

con.

TRUE BONE REMOVED FROM A HUMAN EYE.

Reviews and Notices of Books.

Thirty years ago the patient received an injury in the eye. Owing to very severe pain, Mr. Obr6 removed the eyeball. The specimen was stated to exhibit true bony structure, and microscopical drawings of it were shown. Dr. BRISTOWE exhibited three specimens of CANCER OF THE LIVER.

Nos. 1 and 2

remarkable for the cyst-like character the tumours presented. No.3 was peculiar for the cancer deposit taking solely the course of Glissun’s capsule, no tumours exwere

isting.

Dr. BRISTOWE also related

a case

of

CANCER OF THE OVARIES ; disease common cystic previously existing. Dr. FULLER showed a specimen of EXTENSIVE ULCERATION OF THE INTESTINES.

During life there were great emaciation and debility, the cause of which was obscure. The bowels were regular, the motions healthy, and the patient ate and slept well. After this, symptoms of lung disease rapidly appeared, and he died in a few days; when the cause of death was found to be very extensive ulceration of the lower part of the small intestine. It very remarkable that there was no sign of this during life. Mr. ToYNBEE exhibited a specimen of H2EMATOMI

was

AURIS,

ossification of the cartilage of the ear, from an insane patient. A permanent tumefied condition of the pinna was the result. Dr. WOOD had seen such tumours amongst insane patients. Mr. HENRY THOMPSON inquired whether they were not due to violence; giving an example of a case under his care in which a similar tumour had occurred in a pugilist from that cause. Mr. HULKE had recently seen the same thing in the case of a

or

pugilist,

at

King’s College Hospital.

Des Anomalies Dentaares et de leur Influence sur la Production des Maladies des Os Maxillctires. Par A. M. FORGET, Docteur en Medecine, &c. Memoire courronne par 1’Academic des Sciences dans la Séance du 14 Mars, 1859. Paris, 1859. pp. 60, et 6 Planches. On Dental Anomalies, and their Influence in the Production of Diseases oj the Maxillary Bones. By A. M. FORGET, M.D.,

&c. Paris, 1859. WHILST the bones of the face are subject to the structural changes which are common to other portions of the system of support, they are also prone to certain organic lesions, which appear to depend upon modifications of the nutrition and posi. tion of the teeth. To demonstrate by pathological anatomy the part taken by the latter in the production of disease of the maxillary bones, and to evolve the primary characters which are to be appreciated by the surgeon in order that he may become cognizant of such " dentary anomalies," and hence fore. warned of the pathologic consequences which may result, are the chief aims of this successful prize essay of M. Forget. A not less important endeavour of the author, however, is to point out, as a necessary corollary from the particular causation of maxillary disease he deals with, that the well-informed surgeon should be rightly aware of the nature of certain ossific tumours of the jaw, and which will authorize him to confine his operative procedures to the part alone diseased, instead of extending the ablation beyond the region of the " dentary anomaly." M. Forget’s essay is essentially a practical one, and well worthy the consideration of every operative sur. geon. The plates accompanying it are admirably executed, and expose at a glance the true nature of the disease which has been discussed so much to the point in the preceding pages.

Dr. PEACOCK had seen them in the insane, and believed them to be peculiar, and independent of violence. Mr. TOYNBEE said it was once supposed that violence was the cause, but it was certain that these tumours appeared when no violence had been employed. ! Mr. PARTRIDGE exhibited

THE JOURNALS FOR THE TEE British and

QUARTER. Foreign Medico-Chirurgical Review (No.

XLIX.) opens with a critical examination of the subject of Diphtheria. Amongst the original communications is to be from a boy, brought into King’s College Hospital, who had found also "Contributions to the Pathology of Diphtheritic been just run over by a cart. He died almost immediately. and other Kindred Affections," by Dr. J. Burdon There was no external bruising whatever. He died of haemor- Sore-throat, In the first article, an able, clearly-written, com. Sanderson. rhage from the lacerated liver.-Also a case of mon-sense, and unpretending clinical view of the matter is FIBROID TUMOUR FROM THE MUSCLE OF THE NECK, presented to the reader; whilst, in the latter, he is treated to close to the cervical spine, and deeply situated.-Likewise anatomical and microscopical considerations. Other original specimens of contributors are-Dr. Tripe (on Sausage Poisoning), Dr. Harley SPERMATIC FLUID (on Digestion), and Dr. Peacock (on French Millstone-makers’ from a patient, aged twenty-five, with two testicles in the The more directly professional topics are relieved Phthisis). belly. Several specimens had been examined, and no sperma- by articles Social Physiology," the " Emotions and the upon had were been and the found. Another case tozoa examined, same result obtained. It was probable that a misplaced testicle Will," &c. was a non-prolific one, The North, American Medico-Chirurgical Review (Vol III., A RUPTURED LIVER

"

"

"

66