652 only the thanks of the profession, but of the due to him for his valuable and unwearied exertions on such an important subject. I am, Sir, your faithful servant, M. D. E. J. SHEARMAN, M.D. Rotherham, June, 1854. opinion,
public,
not
are
misfortunes to the suffering traveller. 3. That had the Russian surgeon received his fee, it would have been a proof of his dishonesty. 4. That payment of a fee to a medical man by a patient has a tendency to retard his recovery. I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, ELEPHANTIASIS. Nottingham, June, 1854.
THE INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE. To the Editor
THE
of THE LANCET.
WAR.
SIR,—As each successive European mail has arrived in MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE. India, I, in common with many others, have looked, but in vain, to see what proportion of the honour so well-earned and MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTS FOR THE FLEETS.—We announced so freely bestowed upon the senior military and naval officers some time ago that additional accommodation was being proof both Queen’s and company’s forces serving in Burmah, are vided at Haslar Hospital, in consequence of the great increase to be bestowed on the senior officers of the medical depart- to the Fleet; and that the formation as well as enlargement of ment for having served in a country where the chief enemy medical establishments on the coast was under consideration. and the greatest labours were performed in We have now to inform our readers that the latter was disease, object is hospitals. I trust that this seeming omission has only been an being at present carried out, and that a medical staff has been oversight, which, when pointed out, will be speedily and ordered to be formed at each of several ports. Yarmouth has cheerfully rectified, and that our medical brethren proceeding been already inspected, and arrangements are being made to Turkey or elsewhere, may not have to believe, however there for the reception of patients from the fleet, some portion active and useful they may be, that when peace arrives and of which will very likely winter in Yarmouth Roads. The deeds of valour are rewarded their services will be forgotten, chief of the medical staff at this place has been already and that rewards will not be distributed to them. the selection has fallen on Dr. Dunn, who has nominated; I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, just been promoted to the rank of Deputy-Inspector of Naval A JUNIOR MILITARY MEDICAL OFFICER.
and Fleets. The advancement of Dr. Dunn has, said, been entirely owing to his personal merit, and the appointment reflects the highest credit on Sir William Burnett, who recommended, and Sir James Graham, who has approved THE AMENDED VACCINATION ACT. and confirmed it. Although Dr. Dunn has been nearly thirty To the Editor of THE LANCET. years in the service, he is still in possession of ample physical to the the attention of the direct fact, and mental energy. In the early part of his period of service SIR,—Pray profession that an " Amended Vaccination Bill" was read a second time he encountered some hard work at the hospital at Jamaica; he in the Lords on Monday, the 12th inst. I do not know the has acted as surgeon in frigates and ships of the line on various nature of it, but I hope that it throws the vaccination open stations, and he filled for some years, the post of surgeon on to the profession; or, failing in that, I trust we can be got to board the B1’itannia, 120, flag-ship of Admiral Sir William express an unanimous opinion on the subject before the Bill Parker in the Mediterranean station. For the last two years progresses further. It is said, by those who support the he has been surgeon to the Naval Hospital, Queenstown. Dr. existing state of things, that the payment of so many vacci- Dunn has obtained the Blane gold medal, and his employment nators, and the supply of lymph to them, present insurmount- at Yarmouth cannot fail to elicit public approbation and able difficulties; but that these could be got over I am pre- benefit. SICKNESS ON THE DANUBE.-The latest and most reliable pared to show, and that this will be the last opportunity we shall have. accounts received from the Danube represent Marshal Prince Yours very faithfully, Paskiewitsch, Generals Luders, Chruleff, Nachimoff, Dannen-
Hospitals
Madras, April 16,1854.
it is
T. V.
berg, and other military notabilities of the Russian army, as suffering from fever, the effect of the exhalations from the marshy regions where they are encamped. TRAVELS IN THE EAST, AND VOLGA MELONS. GUN-BOATS.—We have it from good authority that several To the Editor of THE LANCET. assistant-surgeons, some serving at Chatham, have placed SIR,—The ingratitude of the public towards medical practi- themselves at the disposal of the Lords of the Admiralty for tioners for gratuitous services is all but universally acknowledged. service in gun-boats for the Baltic. Their Lordships’ answer On glancing over a late publication, " Oliphant’s Russian is, that they would be happy to avail themselves of their Shores of the Black Sea," I met with a not uncommon services, but that at present their services in the ships they specimen of an ungracious return, after a benefit had been are attached to cannot be dispensed with, as they have no received from the profession. You will remark, by the sub- other assistant-surgeons to appoint, though they will shortly joined extracts, how nobly the generous conduct of the Don be in a position to avail themselves of the applicants’ offer. Cossack surgeon contrasts with the ungrateful comment of the FRIGHTFUL CONDITION OF THE SICK AND WOUNDED IN THE flippant voyageur:— EAST.-Letters from Wallachia and Bulgaria state that the " Tempted at Samara by piles of magnificent melons exare crowded with the sick and wounded, of whom onehibited for sale, we laid in a store wherewith to refresh our- hospitals third die. Ague, catarrhal affections, rheumatism, dysentery, selves during the sultry days, and had just finished our first and scurvy are committing such ravages that it is questionable dessert when the captain informed us that no stranger ever whether more fall by the sword than by disease. From I hardly Tultscha to eats Volga melons without getting Volga fever. from Basordschek to Chernarvoda, crowds Hersova, believed anything half so disagreeable could be the attribute of sick are the river to hospital, or to their last homes. crossing either of so noble a river or of such delicious fruit, but that The want of drinkable water, and the piercing cold nights are night our united pulses amounted to 238, which, with an ague destroying the troops. There are twenty-three large and small accompaniment, sufficiently proved the correctness of the hospitals in various towns of the district. Along the line from captain’s assertion. Fortunately we had neither doctors nor Fokschani to Jassy the sick and wounded are transported in grzecliciiie on board; still we suffered rather severely, as after immense numbers. leaving Saratov, the heat gradually increased. "-p. 102. FEVER AMONGST THE TURKISH ARMY.-Fever has broken ’’ We remained two days at Dubooka preparing for the out amongst the Turks, carrying off forty daily. Neglect and and to shake off reminiscences. trying Volga journey, coming We here met that remarkable exception which proved that dirty habits originated the disease, which is of a very madishonesty is the rule in Russia. A doctor, with whom we lignant type. NAVAL APPOINTMENTS.—Master Joseph Hitchings (1853) to vainly attempted to communicate in Latin, but who supplied his deficiency in the dead languages by his intelligent apprecia- the Termagant; Assistant-surgeon David 0. West (1846), tion of the expressive signs which we used to convey to him recently serving in the Rattler screw steam-sloop on the East some notions of our symptoms, positively refused to take a Indies and China station, to the Victory flag-ship at PortsJune,
fee.
1854.
This
incomprehensible that I was not in the least cuned by his prescription. "-p. 111. From these observations the following novel inferences may be drawn :-1. That eating Volga melons produces Volga fever and ague. 2. That doctors and medicines may be considered
surprised
was so
at
being
The following assistant-surgeons havereceived orders join the Waterloo, 120 guns, flag-ship, at Sheerness, as supernumeraries, to await a passage to their respective ships, viz.:-W. D. Smith, for service in the Rosamond steam-sloop; R. P. Hiffman, for service in the Imperieuse screw steam-
mouth. to