THE ANNIVERSARY DINNER

682

increases and augments the tactile

sensa-

tion ; and lastly, That it is possible that

feeling

is

accomplished through medium of some circulating fluid. the

the

THE ANNIVERSARY DINNER Give2z to the Teachers

School, by From what we have stated, the author draws the following cotollaries, as applicable to pathology; viz. 1. That in paralysis, where movement is impaired, it is the white substance which is morbifically affected, and vice versa; also, that it is both, when there is complete paralysis, that is to say, a loss of sensation as well as motion. 2. That in partial paralysis, if flexion alone is prevented, the disease originates in the filaments and anterior roots of the spinal nerves, whilst, on the other hand, it is seated in the posterior, if motion is impeded. 3. That if incontinence of urine takes place from paralysis, the cause of the evil is in the anterior bands, or fasciculi ; and again, the cause is situated in the posterior ones, when, as the attendant of the paralysis, there should be a retention of urine, whilst, if the disease is of a spasmodic character, the ischuria and retention of the fluid are referrible to the anterior fasciculi, whilst the incontinence show that it is the posterior bands of the spinal chord which are implicated.*—Repertor. Medic. Chi1-urg-. di Torino. July.

of the Webb-street Pupils.

their

TIHS Dinner took place at the London Coffee House, Ludgate-hill, on Thurs. day, the 2d instant. About one hundred gentlemen were present, and the Chair. man on this festive occasion was a Mr. Beale, an old pupil of the Webb-street School. The progress which this school has

made, in opposition to the slumbering legitimate establishments, is indeed a tri. umph of principle. It affords a complete

refutation to the base and sordid asser. tions of the corporate monopolists, that medical science can only be taught by themselves, their relatives, or immediate dependants. Such a system cannot, nor will not, exist long. So deep rooted and universal is the feeling against the "aiders and abettors" of it, that on beingeasually mentioned in a speech after dinner, their very name was treated with mock. ery and derision. After the cloth had been removed, and the usual loyal toasts drunk in the accnstomed manner, The CHAIRMAN rose and expressed his heartfelt gratification at witnessing so numerous an assemblage of the pupils of a school of which, he was proud to say, * Mr. Abernethy relates the following he had been a member at its earliest esta. case, as illustrative of such changes, in his blishment, and from which he derived Lectures: A young man one night got out that professional information which had ,

"

of his garret window, and was climbing to subsequently been available to him in the adjoining garret window of a chamber practice. He said that no man more in which his chere amie slept, when, being deeply deplored than himself, the loss of too intent on his errand, his foot slipped, their late anatomical teacher, Edward and he was precipitated on the pavement. Grainger; as a teacher, and as a man, He was picked up and brought to the his memory was equally entitled to reHospital, and on examining his sacrum, spect. (Applause.) But he trusted, nay, it was found to be smashed to pieces. indeed he was confident, that his situation From the extensive injury to the sacral was ably filled by their present respected nerves, both the detrusor, or expellant anatomical teacher. (Continued applause.) action,.as well as the sphincter, or retain- And that his abilities and indefatigable ing power of the bladder, was entirely exertions were well calculated to sustain paralysed, and this I hold to be a very the high reputation of the Webb-street curious circumstance. As he could not School. He should therefore conclude " the health of Mr. Richard pass his urine, I was sent every day to by proposing draw it off for him, and after I had con- Grainger." tinued to do this for about a week, the This toast was received with loud and nurse said to me one morning, ’ La, long continued applause ; and as soon as young man, you need not take the trou silence was procured, ble to come here so regularly, for I can Mr.R. GRAINGERrose to return thanks; make the man p*** when I like,’ and he tendered his warmest thanks, not only so saying, she began to press on the hy- for the cordial manner in which his health pogastrium, and sure enough the urine had been received, but also for the flatterflowed in as full a stream as if I had in- ing manner in which it had been introtroduced a catheter." duced. This was the second public occasion in which his pupils had manifested

their

partiality and kindness towards him,

683 and so deeply and sensibly did he feel the in the ancient games prizes of merit were honour which was thus conferred on him, awarded, which stimulated the endeathat he found himself incapable of convey- vours of the claimants, so would be their ing a true sense of his feelings, and if, meed of approbation a constant stimulus therefore, he manifested a deficiency ofwith him to future exertion. (Long conzeal, he trusted it wonld be imputed to tinued applause, succeeded the delivery of the true cause. He then proceeded, in these sentiments.) The CHAIRMAN next proposed " the an able and energetic speech, to impress on the minds of those present, the im- health of Mr. Richard Phillips," and the portance and necessity of a close atten- toast was drunk with much applause. tion to their studies, and more especially He complimented that gentleman on the to anatomy. He said, that although oc- high estimation in which his scientific accasionally ignorant and unqualified men quirements in chemistry were held. He succeeded in obtaining practice, yet their said also, that Mr. Phillips possessed, in success was frequently short lived. Some a pre-eminent degree, the faculty of obnotorious mal-practice drawing upon them taining the good will and kind regards of the attention and just indignation of the all his pupils. public, they were stripped of their hol- Mr. PHILLIPS briefly returned thanks ; low pretences, and speedily sunk into he said, that more he wished, but more that infamy which such nefarious con- he could not. (Applause.) The CHAIRMAN then gave " Dr. Gorduct richly deserved. These observations more especially applied to the practice of don Smith," and alluded to his exertions surgery, in which errors committed were, in the study of forensic medicine. The for the most part, palpable and self-evi- toast was drunk with much applause. dent, whilst, on the other hand, in the Dr. GORDON SMITH, in rising to return practice of medicine, it happened, that for thanks for the honour conferred on him, a long time a man might pursue his mursaid, that in the words of our imortal derous system undetected and unexposed. poet, He would, however, say without exag- " There is a tide in the affairs of men, geration, without flattery, that the pre- Which, taken at the flood, leads on to were so sent race of medical

deeppupils fortune." ly impressed with the importance of the He was their true of that comdisposed to think this evening study anatomy, forts, nay, in many instances their lives, that the luckv tide had occurred to were given up in the pursuit of this im- him; his first duty, however, was to reportant study. If such continued to be turn thanks, which he did most cordially. the practice, there was no fear that sur- Three years since, he well remembered, gery would retrograde; modern surgery the founder of the Webb-streetSchool (E. wonld proceed with still more rapid Grainger) pronouncedan oration under strides to perfection. (Loud applause.) this roof at which hundreds were present, For the long and accumulated acts of and in this room afterwards received the kindness which he had received at the numerous congratulations of his listening hands of his pupils, he would take this and admiring friends. public opportunity of returning his grate(The remainder of Dr. Smith’s speech t’ul thanks, and he could only regret so was almost exclusively in relation to himmuch was to be paid with so little means self, a subject, says Lord Byron, on which at his command. He had only one pro- few men speak agreeably.) He alluded to his exertions as a teacher mise to give-that of pursuing the same line of conduct, and if his past conduct in the Borough, and said that he came had gained their approbation, his utmost late in the field, with bad health ; that he ambition was satisfied. In conclusion, he had wasted his time and means in pursuit hoped that in the future career of his pu- of the science of Forensic Medicine. He pils through life-in their intercourse with did not impute blame to gentlemen for fellow-practitioners, they would cautions- not attending his lectures, because it was ly abstain from those petty jealousies and not required by the examinations at the bickerings, which had too long and too College of Surgeons, or at the Apothecajustly been subject matter of reproach on ries’ Hall. But there was no situation so the profession. Fair and honourable awful as that in which a medical witness competition was to be expected, but it stood, and he would say, no situation in should be pursued with conduct that was which he is so often censured, and there consonant to the feelings of gentlemen ; was none in which medical men had that, at the same time they were good been so unlucky. It had been a reproach surgeons, they might be fair and honour- to the profession for the last 60 or TO able men. Finally, Mr. Grainger con- years. He had at length accomplished clnded his speech by observing, that as an object, at which he had laboured u.p B

684

wards of

seven years; he wds now about lecture at the Royal Institution, and the time there appropriated for lecturing was to be equally divided between him and Mr. Brande. Still he would be hap. py to continue his lectures in the Borough if gentlemen would enter to him, before the ensuing Wednesday, and in conclusion observed, that he would be as an elder brother to his pupils. The healths of Dr. D. DAVIS, Mr. HUTCHINSON, the worthy Chairman, Mr. GRAINGER, senr. and the Stewards, each with a suitable meed of praise, were afterwards drunk. Mr. R. GRAINGER rose to return thanks on behalf of his father, (who, although invited, was prevented from attending.) He alluded to the melancholy event of his brother’s decease in a most feeling and affectionate manner.

to

Towards the conclusion of the evening, Dr. GORDON SMITH again rose to express his high gratification at the entertainment, and in the course of a long rigmarole speech, the drift of which we could not collect, said that he belonged to a society, at whose meetings he experienced much pleasure, but not more than on the present occasion. To this Society belonged the most respectable members of the profession-for instance, the President of the College of Surgeons and the Master

HOSPITAL REPORTS. GUY’S HOSPITAL. A Case of Dislocation of the Humerus dowrrwards, reduced at the expiration ot six wveeks. A stout muscular man, of about 48 years of age, was admitted into the Hospital ou January 31, under the care of Mr. B. Cooper, with injury to the left shoulderjoint, which occurred under the following circumstances :-. Whilst pursuing his avocation as a topsawyer, his foot slipped, and he fell into the pit beneath ; on rising, he found there was so much injury done to the joint, that he could not move it, he therefore, im-

mediately applied

to a Surgeon at Deptford, who assured him that it was only a sprain, and gave him lotion to apply to

the part affected. Finding that he did not recover the free use of his arm, he applied to a quack bone-setter, who told him there was a dislocation, and preteuded to effect its reduction, using considerable force, but as he did not succeed, the poor man sought relief at the Hospital. A period of nearly six weeks had occurred from the receipt of the injury. When the part was examined by Mr. of the Apothecaries’ Company. Cooper, the nature of the injury was very No sooner were these names mentioned apparent.-Dislocation of the humerus than a burst of disapprobation and hisses into the axilla ; alt the diagnostic marka of the accident were present; there was was heard from every part of the room. For our parts, the association of res- the flattening of the shoulder, and the projection of the acromion, the pectability with these two dowagers only apparent and the excited our risible muscles, and " pro- elbow was thrown from the side, of the limb changed, the axis proper voked us to mirth." central axis now running into the axilia. The conviviality of the evening was On carrying the elbow outwards, the kept tip to a late hour, and many other head of the bone was distinctly felt in appropriate toasts were given, amongst the axilla, but appeared to be thrown which we are informed was " A speedy rather more forward than usual, so that reform to the College of Surgeons," it could be felt at the lower edge of the but as we left the room with the Chair- pectoral muscle. The motions at the man previous to this occurrence, we can shoulder-joint were very limited, the say nothing of the o2,atoi-y which took patient could swing his arm a little backwards and forwards, any attempt tomove place. The meeting was enlivened by the pre- the hand up to the head proved abortive. sence of a good band, and the efforts of The poor man said that he had suffered several eminent vocalists—Broadhurst, much numbing pain down the arm, and A song which was snng by also that it was with difficulty kept warm. Taylor, &e. Taylor, on the " Living skeleton," was He had been of course entirely prevented received with much applanse, and per- from pursuing his laborious occupation, apprehensions, tiiathe haps it is not the least important to men- and expressed his tion, in conclusion, that the dinner was should remain a " cripple for life." By the advice of Sir Astley, Mr. B. gaod, the wine exc ’Hent, and the com-

,

pahy

oldetly.

Cooper determined on making an attempt to

effect

a

boue. On

reduction of the dislocated

1’hursday last, therefore,

the