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THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND DR. RAMADGE.
THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND DR. RAMADGE.
237
enough-upon the funds of the Union. Against the sumption. Because I expressed a different opinion on the he conceived a grudge against me. The ostensible adoption of this plan we have never yet heard a single valid matter, cause of his malignant conduct was, my having, when formerly objection. If it were made known amongst the poor, we subpoenaed, given a candid and conscientious opinion, in twobelieve they would petition for it by thousands and hundreds cases of medical jurisprudence, wherein an empiric was concerned. This it may be right to state, had another of thousands. It would secure to them, in their utmost need motive for his person, on this occasion: he had given an unfaspleen and extremity, the attendance of the medical practitioner of vourable prognosis on a patient, who subsequently placed under the care of the same empiric, and, by some their choice; and in that respect they would feel that they himself chance, got perfectly well, and continues so to this day. So were equally fortunate with the lordly occupiers of the manmuch for the generous ire of this guardian of professional etisions by whom they are surrounded. This, however, is only quette ! Strange to say, however, he himself subsequently took apartments in the West-end, for the purpose of vending one branch of a great question, which we hope and believe the quack’s medicine, at the same time advertizing himself, with the members of the medical profession will not cease to his address, AS A CURER OF CONSUMPTION! It turned out, moreover, that this ardent stickler for professional ethics-this deagitate until the rights of the poor are acknowledged and termined foe of quackery, was some time after obliged to leaveenforced, and until their own claims shall receive a fair con- London. Before I have done with this person, I must advert, to an act of his, which alone is sufficient to show up his chasideration, both from the Ministers of the Crown and, the racter. At the trial of Dr. Ryan, for a libel against me, as Parliament. soon as the verdict was given against Ryan, this Holmes, for the purpose of obtaining a new trial, declared that he heard one of the jurymen express, on the day previous to the trial, an Correspondence. opinion favourable to the plaintiff. This he considered a capital ground to go on for seeking anew trial; for which ruse, THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND DR. however, he got himself severely reprimanded by the bench for not having made his statement before the jury was imRAMADGE. panelled. Another individual, who greatly distinguished. To the Editor of THE LANCET. himself in raising this petty cabal against me in the Society, SIR,—To my utter amazement and no inconsiderable annoy- was a surgeon employed,at a madhouse of some notoriety, ance, I find my name mixed up with the Harveian Oration which was made the subject of a very searching parliamentary of this year in some of the recent numbers of your periodical. investigation, the result of which proved anything but flatterIn limine, I must beg leave to disclaim all participation in the ing to its internal economy. Evidence, in fact, was produced remarks which have been published relative to this matter. of a mass of human suffering, from the contemplation of which The first notice of the subject appeared in THE LANCET of the the mind recoils with horror. During the inquiry the preva3rd July, where it is stated that the delivery of the Harveian rication of this witness; his saying that he kept a register of Oration of this year devolved by rotation on me, but that I the cases of the lunatics, and his inability to produce it, with was passed over for having infringed the by-laws of the other matters elicited on his examination, induced one of College. Now, Sir, let me take the liberty of stating—1st, the members to propose his immediate committal to Newgate; that the duty devolved by rotation on Dr. Southey, who was - a procedure which was only prevented by the obvious and long my senior both in years and in standing in the College acknowledged insensibility to shame of the object of the conof Physicians; in fact, his work- on consumption was published templated punishment. This medical man conceived that I some years before I became a student in medicine. 2ndly, was the real author of his disgrace on this occasion, and that the College might easily have inferred, from a paper pub- the investigations of the Committee might have originated, in lished from under my hand several years ago, my fixed dis- all probability, in certain statements made by me. inclination to undertake any of its offices. Dr. Southey Without further analysis of the elementary constituents of further possessed a strong claim on the favour of the College, i this clique, it will suffice to say, that the entire cabal, consisthe having held the important office of physician to his Majesty ing of a very few members, and these members personally inGeorge IV. significant, was evidently got up less for the sake of science With respect to the plea above mentioned—viz., my in- than for the paltry purposes of gratifying personal spleen and fringement of the by-laws, and which is now attributed to the private pique. I shall now advert to some points of medical jurisprudence College, (unjustly in my opinion,) as that which influenced them in passing me over,—Icandidly acknowledge I know involved in two cases of post-mortem examination, to which I nothing about it. The spirit with which I bound myself to have already alluded, and which attracted considerable attenconform to the by-laws was to discharge the duties entrusted tion at the time of their occurrence. A very few words into me with strict reference to the public weal. And, indeed, deed will suffice to show the vast amount of ignorance and I can scarcely conceive it compatible with the good sense or malice displayed on the occasion. In one of the cases, be it with the dignity of the above-named body, to visit at this remembered, the body was not examined till six days after time of day with its displeasure one of its members for having death, in the month of August, when general decomposition attempted to anticipate by some years a few of those reforms had taken place. With respect to the wound on the back, in the College which have been adopted, and carried far described with so much accuracy by the witnesses, I may observe, that any experienced practitioner must be aware that beyond anything I could have presumed to propose. ’With respect to the serious charge of my having been the mark left by it was precisely such as is left after every expelled the London Medical Society, a few remarks from me blister or other irritant, when the patient dies before such appear necessary, in order to place that transaction in its blister has healed; and yet this point excited the indigtrue light. Without any solicitation on my part, my name nation of the jury in a particular manner. Another specimen was pruposed and seconded at the Society, and I was elected of profound pathological research, was the report regarding a member. My attendance, however, at the meetings was the left lung, which was represented to have had at its upper very infrequent, my time being occupied with matters of part a slight adhesion, with a " cicatrix of the lung, arising much more importance. Another reason for this infrequency, from old attack of bronchitis." A cicatrix from bronchitis! and, indeed, for my all but discontinuing my appearance at This cicatrix, too, strange to say, contained two small cavities the meetings, was, that the individual who had urged me to filled with purulent matter ! A cicatrix containing cavities 1 become a member was subsequently implicated in a very dis- Then, immediately after the statement made, that neither lung reputable transaction, which, being strongly associated, in my had ever been the seat of tubercles, forth comes the avowal mmd, with my first introduction to the Society, disgusted me that the cicatrices noticed in the upper lobes of both lungs su much that I gave up my attendance almost entirely; in were the result of abscesses. Such abscesses, and in the fact, I had not appeared there for a considerable time previous summit of the lung, too, must have been the effects of to the erasure of my name from the books of that illustrious tuberculous liquefaction, and still this lady was declared not to have been at all consumptive. Thus much for tins case. b&dy. The individual who proposed the removal of my name reWe now proceed to the case of the other lady. After sided in the fashionable circle of Old Fish-street. This man having been for five days under the care of the empiric, a cient
took offence at my disagreeing with him on one occasion when I wascalled in to prescribe for a patient whom he had been attending and he alarmed the mother of the patient by tellher that the whole family would eventually die of con-
surgeon was consulted for a sore on the anterior part of the chest, then said to be the size of the bottom of a small teacup. This wound this young surgeon treated with a greasy applicatiun; and another surgeon, who was next called in, after
238 The captain, made K.C.B., and promoted to commodore. days, approved of the treatment. This wound, nevertheless, would not heal, and was declared to be the cause of the first lieutenant, made a commander; the second lieuthe patient’s death. Now the truth is, the said lady was tenant, promoted to commander; the third lieutenant, prolabouring under erysipelas, of the phlegmonous kind, at the moted to commander; the master, made a lieutenant; the very time the surgeon was called in. All the symptoms captain of marines, promoted to brevet major; the lieutenant proved that. This local affection, unmitigated by any sooth- of marines, made an adjutant; the warrant officers, promoted ing or antiphlogistic measures, enkindled high fever, and this, a class; the engineers, promoted a class; two petty officers, increased by the exhibition of bark and mineral acids, termi- promoted to warrant officers; the sergeant of marines, made nated, as one would have expected, in gangrene, and exten- a colour-sergeant ; the surgeon, placed on half-pay the sive separation of the dead from the living parts. Now, if assistant-surgeon, still an assistant-surgeon. ever there was a case which called for Since every other officer eligible for promotion has been soothing and antiphlogistic treatment, this was that one. No such treatment was rewarded, it may naturally be supposed that the medical here employed. To show the sagacity, or, perhaps, the malig- officers either took no part in these services, or that they nant animus of the parties, the surgeon called, in the second neglected the duties they ought to have performed; but such instance, declared, some days after the patient had been is not the fact, for both were called on to take an unusual under treatment, that her tongue, mouth, and fauces, were part, and both have had the highest testimony as to the cre. eroded by the inhalation recommended by the quack. Had ’, ditable manner in which they did their duty. the gentleman only reflected on the highly stimulating treat- I They were in the three actions fought in the Parana, ment adopted with the patient in the inflammatory state she I and consequently shared the dangers common to all officers on board the " Gorgon." was in, he need not have gone further for the cause of the During the action of Obligado, Dr. Niddrie, the surgeon, parched state of the mouth which fever usually occasions. There is a matter, and one of no trivial importance, in this was sent in an open boat to visit the wounded of several ships, case-viz., that about the time of the patient’s death ery- so that for two hours he was pulled about in a boat exposed to the enemy’s fire; and for three hours he was on board a sipelas had been raging in the vicinity of her residence. The senior surgeon in attendance, when questioned on the French ship, assisting to perform seven amputations. Mr. Evans, the assistant-surgeon, had repeatedly to go subject, scouted the idea of the patient having been subject to any pectoral complaint; and yet she was affected with ’, away in boats on cutting-out expeditions; and at the taking bronchocele, which at times impeded her respiration very of the batteries of Obligado, he was one of the party landed. The services of both medical officers have been favourably much, and must have produced considerable pulmonary irritation. Now this gentleman, who denied expressly that reported, and testimony of professional and general character there was anything the matter with this lady, had actually has been given to the proper authorities; and the French introduced caustic into her throat. His making so light of a admiral having, in his public dispatch, noticed the services spasmodic affection of the throat, and denying the possibility ’, rendered to his wounded, Dr. Niddrie publicly received the thanks of the French Government. Since other officers em. of its unfavourable termination, I shall not advert to. That the opinions advanced by me on the merits of these I ployed on the expedition in the Parana have received no cases were not singular or unsupported, I could readily unreasonably great reward, it might have been expected, that prove, by bringing forward the names of the first pathologists as the medical officers did quite their share of the work, the of the day. surgeon, as a matter of course, would have been made a several
That Sir
entertained no unfavourable estiin consequence of my conduct on these occasions, I could prove triumphantly by the kind and flattering manner in which he spoke of my professional character and attainments when with Lady Cooper on a visit at the house of Mr. Dobree, at Dover. The laudatory manner in which he, Sir Astley, was pleased to mentionmeto this respectable family I would feel, indeed, ashamed to repeat here. Suffice it to say, that I have received very complimentary letters from a member of that family on professional matters, and at the close of one of these letters the writer (I quote the words of a letter) refers to the " fortunate means of my becoming personally known to one, of whose talents I had long been well aware." Is it likely, that if there had been anything unprofessional in my conduct, such a man as Sir Astley Cooper would have spoken of me in such terms ? The innocuous qualities of the notorious empiric’s lotion, the occasion of so much clamour, and of so much lying, were sufficiently attested by a well known and justly celebrated surgeon, when he declared it to be " no more injurious than dish-water." He even employed the empiric’s man, at the Ophthalmic Hospital, to see his mode of rubbing. The composition of this much bruited preparation is, turpentine, vinegar, spirits of wine, and white of egg. Before concluding, I cannot forego repeating the remark made by Judge Alderson, relative to my conduct throughout this transaction-viz., that " it is the duty of every man to see justice done." I beg to state, that no one can be a more decided enemy to practising without a licence than your obedient servant, F. H. RAMADGE, M.D. Ely-place, August, 1847. mate of
Astley Cooper
me
TREATMENT OF MILITARY AND NAVAL MEDICAL OFFICERS. To the Editor of THE LAicET. the last number of THE LANCET, some editorial remarks on the treatment of army and navy medical officers, I beg to send you some remarks on a late case, which not only shows the usual neglect experienced by that class of officers, but is au instance of invidious neglect, seldom, it is to be hoped, experienced by any class of public servants. The active services on which H.M.S. "Gorgon" was employed, iu 1845-6, against the Buenos Ayrians in the river Plate, induced the Admiralty to reward her officers as follows:-
SIR,—Having seen, in
deputy-inspector of hospitals, and the assistant-surgeon made surgeon; but the former has been placed on half-pay, and
a
the latter has now the same rank he had before he served in the Parana. Such an invidious exception of the medical officers is doubtless opposed to the general and zealous exertions made in their behalf by their respected head, the medical directorgeneral, but it is only a gross instance of the general neglect, which such exertions as yours may do much to prevent. I have the honour to be, your obedient, humble servant, W. C. G. London, Jnly, 1847.
PROVIDENTIAL AND MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF A DEFORMED WOMAN IN SCOTLAND FROM THE CÆSARIAN OPERATION. To the Editor of TaE LANCET. SIR,—The following case has been recorded by Dr. J. Y. Simpson, in the Edinburgh Monthly Journal of Medical Science, No. lxxviii. p. 30, (July, 1847.) Dr. Simpson declares that he believes it to be " unique in the annals of midwifery"-an opinion in which I have no doubt all the readers of THE LANCET will fully coincide. Mrs. D-, of Cupar, in Fife, now thirty-four years of age, was in early life regarded as a robust and large child. She
a dressmaker in Edinburgh at fourteen years of age. The sedentary habits of this profession betimes rendered her catamenia very irregular, and brought on so much general delicacy of health, that she was advised to forego the occucation : she went to Cupar, and lived there with a relation. In 1837, when about twenty-four years of age, she married. Two years subsequently to that event, she began to complain of pains in the hack and sides, and stiffness about the kneejoints. From this attack she never recovered so fully as to be able to walk without support, and continued to suffer much with shifting pains. In 1840 she fell while walking with a staff across her room, and after this the pains in her limbs were for a considerable time far more severe, ard the lameness greatly increased. Since recovering she has been able to
became
walk out of doors with the assistance of crutches. But various bones of the trunk and extremities have become shorteuc-J and deformed under the effects of the malacosteon. The spine is bent backwards and ontwards, in the form of a how. with the ribs and sternum correspondingly displaced. Some of the phalanges of the fingers are bent; the right thigh-bone is curved forward into a semicircular shape; and from being a handsoiue and somewhat tall woman, she has shriek down,
237
enough-upon the funds of the Union. Against the sumption. Because I expressed a different opinion on the he conceived a grudge against me. The ostensible adoption of this plan we have never yet heard a single valid matter, cause of his malignant conduct was, my having, when formerly objection. If it were made known amongst the poor, we subpoenaed, given a candid and conscientious opinion, in twobelieve they would petition for it by thousands and hundreds cases of medical jurisprudence, wherein an empiric was concerned. This it may be right to state, had another of thousands. It would secure to them, in their utmost need motive for his person, on this occasion: he had given an unfaspleen and extremity, the attendance of the medical practitioner of vourable prognosis on a patient, who subsequently placed under the care of the same empiric, and, by some their choice; and in that respect they would feel that they himself chance, got perfectly well, and continues so to this day. So were equally fortunate with the lordly occupiers of the manmuch for the generous ire of this guardian of professional etisions by whom they are surrounded. This, however, is only quette ! Strange to say, however, he himself subsequently took apartments in the West-end, for the purpose of vending one branch of a great question, which we hope and believe the quack’s medicine, at the same time advertizing himself, with the members of the medical profession will not cease to his address, AS A CURER OF CONSUMPTION! It turned out, moreover, that this ardent stickler for professional ethics-this deagitate until the rights of the poor are acknowledged and termined foe of quackery, was some time after obliged to leaveenforced, and until their own claims shall receive a fair con- London. Before I have done with this person, I must advert, to an act of his, which alone is sufficient to show up his chasideration, both from the Ministers of the Crown and, the racter. At the trial of Dr. Ryan, for a libel against me, as Parliament. soon as the verdict was given against Ryan, this Holmes, for the purpose of obtaining a new trial, declared that he heard one of the jurymen express, on the day previous to the trial, an Correspondence. opinion favourable to the plaintiff. This he considered a capital ground to go on for seeking anew trial; for which ruse, THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND DR. however, he got himself severely reprimanded by the bench for not having made his statement before the jury was imRAMADGE. panelled. Another individual, who greatly distinguished. To the Editor of THE LANCET. himself in raising this petty cabal against me in the Society, SIR,—To my utter amazement and no inconsiderable annoy- was a surgeon employed,at a madhouse of some notoriety, ance, I find my name mixed up with the Harveian Oration which was made the subject of a very searching parliamentary of this year in some of the recent numbers of your periodical. investigation, the result of which proved anything but flatterIn limine, I must beg leave to disclaim all participation in the ing to its internal economy. Evidence, in fact, was produced remarks which have been published relative to this matter. of a mass of human suffering, from the contemplation of which The first notice of the subject appeared in THE LANCET of the the mind recoils with horror. During the inquiry the preva3rd July, where it is stated that the delivery of the Harveian rication of this witness; his saying that he kept a register of Oration of this year devolved by rotation on me, but that I the cases of the lunatics, and his inability to produce it, with was passed over for having infringed the by-laws of the other matters elicited on his examination, induced one of College. Now, Sir, let me take the liberty of stating—1st, the members to propose his immediate committal to Newgate; that the duty devolved by rotation on Dr. Southey, who was - a procedure which was only prevented by the obvious and long my senior both in years and in standing in the College acknowledged insensibility to shame of the object of the conof Physicians; in fact, his work- on consumption was published templated punishment. This medical man conceived that I some years before I became a student in medicine. 2ndly, was the real author of his disgrace on this occasion, and that the College might easily have inferred, from a paper pub- the investigations of the Committee might have originated, in lished from under my hand several years ago, my fixed dis- all probability, in certain statements made by me. inclination to undertake any of its offices. Dr. Southey Without further analysis of the elementary constituents of further possessed a strong claim on the favour of the College, i this clique, it will suffice to say, that the entire cabal, consisthe having held the important office of physician to his Majesty ing of a very few members, and these members personally inGeorge IV. significant, was evidently got up less for the sake of science With respect to the plea above mentioned—viz., my in- than for the paltry purposes of gratifying personal spleen and fringement of the by-laws, and which is now attributed to the private pique. I shall now advert to some points of medical jurisprudence College, (unjustly in my opinion,) as that which influenced them in passing me over,—Icandidly acknowledge I know involved in two cases of post-mortem examination, to which I nothing about it. The spirit with which I bound myself to have already alluded, and which attracted considerable attenconform to the by-laws was to discharge the duties entrusted tion at the time of their occurrence. A very few words into me with strict reference to the public weal. And, indeed, deed will suffice to show the vast amount of ignorance and I can scarcely conceive it compatible with the good sense or malice displayed on the occasion. In one of the cases, be it with the dignity of the above-named body, to visit at this remembered, the body was not examined till six days after time of day with its displeasure one of its members for having death, in the month of August, when general decomposition attempted to anticipate by some years a few of those reforms had taken place. With respect to the wound on the back, in the College which have been adopted, and carried far described with so much accuracy by the witnesses, I may observe, that any experienced practitioner must be aware that beyond anything I could have presumed to propose. ’With respect to the serious charge of my having been the mark left by it was precisely such as is left after every expelled the London Medical Society, a few remarks from me blister or other irritant, when the patient dies before such appear necessary, in order to place that transaction in its blister has healed; and yet this point excited the indigtrue light. Without any solicitation on my part, my name nation of the jury in a particular manner. Another specimen was pruposed and seconded at the Society, and I was elected of profound pathological research, was the report regarding a member. My attendance, however, at the meetings was the left lung, which was represented to have had at its upper very infrequent, my time being occupied with matters of part a slight adhesion, with a " cicatrix of the lung, arising much more importance. Another reason for this infrequency, from old attack of bronchitis." A cicatrix from bronchitis! and, indeed, for my all but discontinuing my appearance at This cicatrix, too, strange to say, contained two small cavities the meetings, was, that the individual who had urged me to filled with purulent matter ! A cicatrix containing cavities 1 become a member was subsequently implicated in a very dis- Then, immediately after the statement made, that neither lung reputable transaction, which, being strongly associated, in my had ever been the seat of tubercles, forth comes the avowal mmd, with my first introduction to the Society, disgusted me that the cicatrices noticed in the upper lobes of both lungs su much that I gave up my attendance almost entirely; in were the result of abscesses. Such abscesses, and in the fact, I had not appeared there for a considerable time previous summit of the lung, too, must have been the effects of to the erasure of my name from the books of that illustrious tuberculous liquefaction, and still this lady was declared not to have been at all consumptive. Thus much for tins case. b&dy. The individual who proposed the removal of my name reWe now proceed to the case of the other lady. After sided in the fashionable circle of Old Fish-street. This man having been for five days under the care of the empiric, a cient
took offence at my disagreeing with him on one occasion when I wascalled in to prescribe for a patient whom he had been attending and he alarmed the mother of the patient by tellher that the whole family would eventually die of con-
surgeon was consulted for a sore on the anterior part of the chest, then said to be the size of the bottom of a small teacup. This wound this young surgeon treated with a greasy applicatiun; and another surgeon, who was next called in, after
238 The captain, made K.C.B., and promoted to commodore. days, approved of the treatment. This wound, nevertheless, would not heal, and was declared to be the cause of the first lieutenant, made a commander; the second lieuthe patient’s death. Now the truth is, the said lady was tenant, promoted to commander; the third lieutenant, prolabouring under erysipelas, of the phlegmonous kind, at the moted to commander; the master, made a lieutenant; the very time the surgeon was called in. All the symptoms captain of marines, promoted to brevet major; the lieutenant proved that. This local affection, unmitigated by any sooth- of marines, made an adjutant; the warrant officers, promoted ing or antiphlogistic measures, enkindled high fever, and this, a class; the engineers, promoted a class; two petty officers, increased by the exhibition of bark and mineral acids, termi- promoted to warrant officers; the sergeant of marines, made nated, as one would have expected, in gangrene, and exten- a colour-sergeant ; the surgeon, placed on half-pay the sive separation of the dead from the living parts. Now, if assistant-surgeon, still an assistant-surgeon. ever there was a case which called for Since every other officer eligible for promotion has been soothing and antiphlogistic treatment, this was that one. No such treatment was rewarded, it may naturally be supposed that the medical here employed. To show the sagacity, or, perhaps, the malig- officers either took no part in these services, or that they nant animus of the parties, the surgeon called, in the second neglected the duties they ought to have performed; but such instance, declared, some days after the patient had been is not the fact, for both were called on to take an unusual under treatment, that her tongue, mouth, and fauces, were part, and both have had the highest testimony as to the cre. eroded by the inhalation recommended by the quack. Had ’, ditable manner in which they did their duty. the gentleman only reflected on the highly stimulating treat- I They were in the three actions fought in the Parana, ment adopted with the patient in the inflammatory state she I and consequently shared the dangers common to all officers on board the " Gorgon." was in, he need not have gone further for the cause of the During the action of Obligado, Dr. Niddrie, the surgeon, parched state of the mouth which fever usually occasions. There is a matter, and one of no trivial importance, in this was sent in an open boat to visit the wounded of several ships, case-viz., that about the time of the patient’s death ery- so that for two hours he was pulled about in a boat exposed to the enemy’s fire; and for three hours he was on board a sipelas had been raging in the vicinity of her residence. The senior surgeon in attendance, when questioned on the French ship, assisting to perform seven amputations. Mr. Evans, the assistant-surgeon, had repeatedly to go subject, scouted the idea of the patient having been subject to any pectoral complaint; and yet she was affected with ’, away in boats on cutting-out expeditions; and at the taking bronchocele, which at times impeded her respiration very of the batteries of Obligado, he was one of the party landed. The services of both medical officers have been favourably much, and must have produced considerable pulmonary irritation. Now this gentleman, who denied expressly that reported, and testimony of professional and general character there was anything the matter with this lady, had actually has been given to the proper authorities; and the French introduced caustic into her throat. His making so light of a admiral having, in his public dispatch, noticed the services spasmodic affection of the throat, and denying the possibility ’, rendered to his wounded, Dr. Niddrie publicly received the thanks of the French Government. Since other officers em. of its unfavourable termination, I shall not advert to. That the opinions advanced by me on the merits of these I ployed on the expedition in the Parana have received no cases were not singular or unsupported, I could readily unreasonably great reward, it might have been expected, that prove, by bringing forward the names of the first pathologists as the medical officers did quite their share of the work, the of the day. surgeon, as a matter of course, would have been made a several
That Sir
entertained no unfavourable estiin consequence of my conduct on these occasions, I could prove triumphantly by the kind and flattering manner in which he spoke of my professional character and attainments when with Lady Cooper on a visit at the house of Mr. Dobree, at Dover. The laudatory manner in which he, Sir Astley, was pleased to mentionmeto this respectable family I would feel, indeed, ashamed to repeat here. Suffice it to say, that I have received very complimentary letters from a member of that family on professional matters, and at the close of one of these letters the writer (I quote the words of a letter) refers to the " fortunate means of my becoming personally known to one, of whose talents I had long been well aware." Is it likely, that if there had been anything unprofessional in my conduct, such a man as Sir Astley Cooper would have spoken of me in such terms ? The innocuous qualities of the notorious empiric’s lotion, the occasion of so much clamour, and of so much lying, were sufficiently attested by a well known and justly celebrated surgeon, when he declared it to be " no more injurious than dish-water." He even employed the empiric’s man, at the Ophthalmic Hospital, to see his mode of rubbing. The composition of this much bruited preparation is, turpentine, vinegar, spirits of wine, and white of egg. Before concluding, I cannot forego repeating the remark made by Judge Alderson, relative to my conduct throughout this transaction-viz., that " it is the duty of every man to see justice done." I beg to state, that no one can be a more decided enemy to practising without a licence than your obedient servant, F. H. RAMADGE, M.D. Ely-place, August, 1847. mate of
Astley Cooper
me
TREATMENT OF MILITARY AND NAVAL MEDICAL OFFICERS. To the Editor of THE LAicET. the last number of THE LANCET, some editorial remarks on the treatment of army and navy medical officers, I beg to send you some remarks on a late case, which not only shows the usual neglect experienced by that class of officers, but is au instance of invidious neglect, seldom, it is to be hoped, experienced by any class of public servants. The active services on which H.M.S. "Gorgon" was employed, iu 1845-6, against the Buenos Ayrians in the river Plate, induced the Admiralty to reward her officers as follows:-
SIR,—Having seen, in
deputy-inspector of hospitals, and the assistant-surgeon made surgeon; but the former has been placed on half-pay, and
a
the latter has now the same rank he had before he served in the Parana. Such an invidious exception of the medical officers is doubtless opposed to the general and zealous exertions made in their behalf by their respected head, the medical directorgeneral, but it is only a gross instance of the general neglect, which such exertions as yours may do much to prevent. I have the honour to be, your obedient, humble servant, W. C. G. London, Jnly, 1847.
PROVIDENTIAL AND MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF A DEFORMED WOMAN IN SCOTLAND FROM THE CÆSARIAN OPERATION. To the Editor of TaE LANCET. SIR,—The following case has been recorded by Dr. J. Y. Simpson, in the Edinburgh Monthly Journal of Medical Science, No. lxxviii. p. 30, (July, 1847.) Dr. Simpson declares that he believes it to be " unique in the annals of midwifery"-an opinion in which I have no doubt all the readers of THE LANCET will fully coincide. Mrs. D-, of Cupar, in Fife, now thirty-four years of age, was in early life regarded as a robust and large child. She
a dressmaker in Edinburgh at fourteen years of age. The sedentary habits of this profession betimes rendered her catamenia very irregular, and brought on so much general delicacy of health, that she was advised to forego the occucation : she went to Cupar, and lived there with a relation. In 1837, when about twenty-four years of age, she married. Two years subsequently to that event, she began to complain of pains in the hack and sides, and stiffness about the kneejoints. From this attack she never recovered so fully as to be able to walk without support, and continued to suffer much with shifting pains. In 1840 she fell while walking with a staff across her room, and after this the pains in her limbs were for a considerable time far more severe, ard the lameness greatly increased. Since recovering she has been able to
became
walk out of doors with the assistance of crutches. But various bones of the trunk and extremities have become shorteuc-J and deformed under the effects of the malacosteon. The spine is bent backwards and ontwards, in the form of a how. with the ribs and sternum correspondingly displaced. Some of the phalanges of the fingers are bent; the right thigh-bone is curved forward into a semicircular shape; and from being a handsoiue and somewhat tall woman, she has shriek down,