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THE FICTITIOUS CHARLOTTE-STREET SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.
382
labouring I noticed a goodly crop of bronchitis, many cases of pericarditis, several, also, of intermittent fever: in the surgical wards one case of spina bifida; abscess, fracture, &c. At the head of each bed also hangs a ticket, containing name, profession, age, dates, symptoms, internal and external remedies, &c.&c. I should think that more medicine was given internally in the Italian hospitals than in the French-a supposition which may have some slight confirmation in the different size of the
college, and at that time most of the lecturers agreed to deposit what books they could spare as an addition to the library. About 500 volumes were thus added to those beloning to the Faculty, and ALL were freely opened without fee to the use of the students. The assertion of Dr. Nelson
is, therefore, either a wilful mis-statement, or (if pretended to be based on a knowledge of the deposit) exhibits a culpable ignorance; culpable, because
allowed to sanction a calumny. When there is a determinaspaces allotted to external and internal remedies in the ticket tion to find fault, occasion is seldom absent. In 1844, when alluded to. A very formidable, but exceedingly good-looking, the library was in a private house, it was convenient to doubt apothecary’s shop is located, sentinel-like, near the entrance its existence: in 1845, when publicly exhibited, it was, ac. to the wards. The remark above made in reference to the cording to Dr. Nelson, a temporary collection for show and finish and ornament of some of the Italian hospitals, applies deception. in its full extent in this case. An author, speaking of the Secondly, of the museum. Here, also, according to the same building, says—" The external architecture of its elevation is authority, the preparations are private property, liable to be .singularly fanciful and elegant; Byzantine richness, blending swept away, and the museum annihilated by individual caprice. itself with the grace of classical architecture, combinations The same character of unwarrantable, and if not dishonest, defying all rules, but productive of a most magical effect. yet certainly of culpably ignorant assertion, attaches to this The carved work of the ceilings is, in many of the rooms, pe- imputation. One fact will prove the utter baselessness of the culiarly beautiful; the contrast and effect are singular and assertion-viz., that in 1845, nearly X35 were expended for striking in glancing from the rich and varied ornaments above glass preparations, jars alone; all of which have been employed, and around, to the pallid countenances and paraphernalia of and an additional order is required. But as we do not see the impropriety of allowing the prothe sufferers stretched beneath." At Milan, the " Ospedale Maggiore" is a noble establish- ’ fessors to deposit preparations, (most of which will probably ment; a donation of the site of an ancient palace by Francesco be permitted to remain as the property of the museum,) we Sforza in 1456 was its commencement. The front i3 800 feet are glad to receive them, notwithstanding they may expose us in length: the writer of Murray’s Guide Book speaks of the to be accused of merely making a show. It is strange that Gothic portion of the building as "magnificent." Besides Dr. Nelson, in his eagerness to depreciate our school, did not this fine institution, there are the Lazaretto and the Ospizio see that by his own admission he fastens a more aggravated Trivulzi, the latter styled by the same writer a "noble monu- guilt upon the rival one which he is so anxious to uphold. ment of pious charity," containing 600 inmates, all over seventy The very preparations which once adorned the shelves of the years of age, well fed and clothed, and permitted once a School of Medicine, now stand on those of the Medical Faculty; week to visit their friends. The Lazaretto, now disused, ex- and why ? because the proprietors of the School of Medicine cept in some portions for small shops, is in the form of a (perhaps not for the sake of show?) were willing to accept, square cloister, one quarter of a mile on each side in length; not only the preparations which its own lecturers might furin the central square is a chapel. A fine crop of hay had been nish, but all those which they could induce their friends to made, and lay spread upon the turf; men and women in some lend them, even at the risk of sudden removal. Hence it appears, that though, in Dr. Nelson’s eyes, it was parts of the square still turning it. The long cloistered arcades The Trivulzi I have not visited. are quite striking. highly indecorous for the one school to accept the preparations At Genoa, the great Poor House is well worth seeing; clean of its own lecturer, it was quite proper for the other to use and well administered; its church, Santa Maria, contains an (for show or otherwise) the preparations of one in no way conI am, &c., invaluable work of Michael Angelo. Beside this, are the nected with it. A. F. HOLMES, M.D. & P., Secretary Med. Fac. Ospedale del Pammatone, and the Deaf and Dumb Institution; the former again confirming the remark made in regard to the ornate appearance of many of these institutions.
I ,
MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS IN CANADA. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,ŅIn your number for July 25th, I noticed an extract from a newspaper printed in this city, purporting to be a report of part of a speech delivered by Dr. Wolfred Nelson, in the House of Assembly of Canada, on the occasion of the proposal of the usual grant to the Medical Faculty of M’Gill
College.
The violence of temper and the recklessness of the assertions of that individual are so well known in this city, as well as the hatred he has long borne to M’Gill College, stimulated lately by the establishment of a rival school in which his son is a lecturer, that had his mis-statements been confined to his place in parliament, or even to a local print devoted to his interests, it would have been almost unnecessary to have noticed them: but as they have travelled (however forwarded) to your widely circulated periodical, it seems to me to be my duty, holding an official connexion with the maligned institution, to furnish you proof that your prudent remark " unless greatly exaggerated"was very judiciously applied. Dr. Nelson’s mis-statements, as quoted by you, refer chiefly to the condition of the library, and of the Pathological Museum of the Medical Faculty of M’Gill College. I shall notice them both. First, as to thelibrary. A good many years ago, when the lectures were first established, the four professors then conducting the school, deposited a considerable number of books, which were subsequently given to the institution, and became a nucleus, which, being augmented yearly by the appropriation of the matriculation and graduation fees, has increased to upwards of 1100 volumes, now belonging to the institution. In 1845, when the Faculty obtained proper accommodation in the college building, (having previously been obliged to use a hired house, ill adapted for their purpose,) the library was removed from the house of the professor of medicine to the *
This I have not noticed elsewhere in
Italy."ŅDR. M.
THE FICTITIOUS CHARLOTTE-STREET SCHOOL OF MEDICINE. To t7te Editor of THE LANCET.
SiR,ŅIreceived this morningby post, a circular of the above school, which had been previously sent to my former residence, at Pimlico,and which, while it announced the "removal" of this school, at the same time advertised its continuance at 15, Bloomsbury-street, (late Charlotte-street,) the place
where it used to be situated. As no account of this school had been given in the recent Students’ Number of THE LANCET, and as I knew that, although a " Charlotte-street School of Medicine" had been advertised, no such school existed in that part of the thoroughfare to which the name of Charlotte-street is now restricted, curiosity prompted me to go immediately to No. 15, Bloomsbury-street, and inquire if the said school were really in existence there, in order to satisfy myself of what was actually the fact as to the dubious "local habitation" of the " name." On making inquiry at No. 15 in Bloomsbury-street whether the Charlotte-street School of Medicine was held there, I was referred to a painted board affixed to the outside of the house, on which I read, " Charlotte-street School of Medicine, (removed,)"-without stating whither. On my further distinct inquiry, whether a school of medicine was about to be held there this autumn, I was as distinctly answered " No;" and one of the persons who replied to me, added that she thought the advertiser had "an object in view," in publishing the address of that house in connexion with his school. I have, then, failed to penetrate the mystery, and am still ignorant where the late Charlotte-street School of Medicine is in future to be held, so destitute of even a hint on the point have been all the circulars recently issued concerning it. But of this I am certain-that, notwithstanding the advertisements and circulars which have appeared, there is no School of Medicine in Charlotte-street, nor at No. 15, Bloomsbury-street, where it heretofore existed, and where it is publicly announced still to exist.
383 I think you will agree with me, that the assumption of a the Committee, I do entreat of them to postpone any further false address, in a circular otherwise calculated to mislead attempt to execute the plan, at least for twelve months; and the unwary, should be held up to public reprehension, for in making this appeal to them, I believe I shall be joined by the benefit of medical students who may this season arrive in nine-tenths of the practitioners who take any interest in the London for the first time. I can fully understand why you subject.-I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, AN AGED SURGEON-APOTHECARY. have excluded the advertisements of the (so-called) " CharSeptember, 1846. lotte-street School of Medicine" from your columns, and reGEORGE SMITH BRENT. main, Sir, yours respectfully, DR. BRIGHT AND HIS QUACK HOLLOWAY. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,—The profession is much indebted to you for your unTHE PROJECTED " NATIONAL INSTITUTE" OF wearied efforts to exterminate quackery in all forms; but there MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS. are some who, unfortunately, think it a matter of small conTo the Editor of THE LANCET. sequence whether their names are used to support the nefasystem or not; or they perhaps imagine that the public SIR,—An experience of forty years in the profession has rious enabled me to become tolerably well acquainted with the will not believe them capable of writing the letters made use in quack advertisements. Such, one would think, must be feelings and opinions of my brother practitioners. Since the of Dr. Bright’s idea, judging from the profound silence with appearance of your publication, I have been what is called a medical reformer, although I do not hesitate to confess, that in which he treats your frequent appeals to him. You, sir, may what is called general politics, I am a tough, unflinching, old like to have a case wherewith to back up those appeals, and just send you, as nearly as I can recollect, a diaTory. In my zeal for medical reform, I have contributed my I therefore mite to several Associations. The want of success amongst us logue which a chemist and druggist in my neighbourhood told has been owing to our want of unanimity. We have been me occurred between himself and a man the other day. Patient.—Do you know anything of Dr. Bright, sir ? divided, and have fallen. It is therefore with very great Chemist.—I have heard of such a gentleman. Do you wish I am the to a that create new division pain witnessing attempt consult him ? by raising up a new institution, which, for the most part, can to Patient.—Oh no! but I have had a bad leg, and went to a only prove a source of convenience or amusement to some of the practitioners of London. I say this with great regret, doctor, who gave me a lotion which has done it no good, and because I entertain sincere respect for the promoters of the Isaw in a paper, the other day, a wonderful cure of a bad leg thirty years’ standing. scheme, many of whom are old acquaintances of mine, and I of He then went on to say how Dr. Bright had given the man feel for them both a professional and a social regard. I did not at all concur with you in your attacks on the Committee half-a-sovereign to buy Holloway’s medicines with, &c., and in of the National Association, and at first I thought you were the end bought a box of Holloway’s pills of my acquaintnot only wrong but unjust. I should, however, be ashamed of ance, the chemist, upon the strength of Dr. Bright’s recommyself if I did not now acknowledge that you were right, that mendation. Of course the chemist was not a little amused, and ought the Committee perpetrated many sad blunders, and that the ruin of an Association of upwards of four thousand members to have been grateful to the doctor for thus " putting money I am, Sir, yours, &c., had been the unhappy termination of a series of errors. I in his purse." ANTI-QUACKERY. September, 1846. still believe, however, that the members of the Committee, for the most part, intended well,-that they erred in judgment, writer of has forwarded to us this communication The not in design. But I consider their last error-that of pro- his name and address. posing to establish a newinstitution,a new chartered institution, with the present prospect of government support to a general ILL-PAYMENT OF MEDICAL WITNESSES IN law for improving the state of medical practitioners-is much COURTS OF LAW. to be lamented. It is a very serious error, and I perfectly To the Editor of THE LANCET. agree with you in all that you wrote on the subject in THE LANCET, of the 19thofSeDtember.l846. Theannualsubscription SIR,—At last Spring Assizes, held fourteen miles off, I reis a new tax on the profession. My friends on the Com- ceived a subpcena to attend as medical witness in a case of mittee must know that the various items named by the assault. The subpoena, inclosed a sovereign. I attended for a a proposers-comprising rooms, chambers, library, museum, two entire days, to the total neglect of my practice. I was and paid officers and servants-would require an outlay of addition to the £1with the subpoena) paid £212s. 4d. (in very many thousands of pounds. And then, when the insti- The assault case was postponed till the Summer Assizes, and tution exists, what is it to do ? Nothing, but add to the I was bound over to attend. I did so,-fourteen miles off,number of our already innumerable difficulties. I do indeed and remuneration has been fifteen shillings. I beg to ask my lament that such a scheme has been set on foot. It is not you if that small sum is the remuneration allowed by law for too late for the Committee to retrace their steps on this point. a medical gentleman who goes fourteen miles off, at very great No Council is yet elected. Without, then, entirely abandoning inconvenience to himself and patients, to give evidence in the undertaking, if that would be painful to the honourable court.-Your obedient A PHYSICIAN. servant, promoters of it, I most heartily concur with you in advising September, 1846. that the further prosecution of the plan should be postponed P.S.-I enclose the note received from the solicitors, inuntil we have an opportunity of knowing what the next Session of Parliament will produce. I will not say that two closing the fifteen shillings. " DEAR SIR,—We hoped that the court would allow the sum thousand pounds have already been uselessly spent; but it cannot be denied that that very large sum has been unwisely of 1:1 we paid you with your st.bpcena, in addition to the reguallowance, but although we made a hard fight for it, it dissipated. The new proposal, if carried into effect, must lated was refused. We have therefore only fifteen shillings to cause the expense of additional thousands, without producing, over to you, which we enclose.-We are, dear Sir, your so far as I can now discover, a single benefit. Country prac- hand titioners cannot see, in the establishment of the new institu- most obedient servants." tion, how their condition will be improved by it. If it have a museum, of what use will that be to them? If a library be THE BLOOD A PROOF OF collected, can they read the books ? If a reading-room be IS COAGULATION OFVITALITY? ITS hired, can they lounge and gossip there ? From what I can To the Editor of THE LANCET. learn, the institution will really consist of only a very few members, upon whom will fall a vast expense, without their SIR,—In THE LANCET of September 12th, there are some being enabled to exercise any useful influence. The Associa- observations by Dr. Letheby concerning the judgment to be tion, which has just closed its labours, embracing many formed, in a medico-legal point of view, from blood-spots on thousands of members, promised much, and had it not been the clothes. The subject is so important, that I will take the for the unhappy disputes and divisions which took place, it liberty of pointing out what appears to me to be an inference would have included nearly the whole of the profession. 11 not warranted by the present state of our knowledge; and if that Association unfortunately failed, what can the new I am right in this opinion, it is surely better to confess our Society do for us ? It certainly is with pain that I say thai ignorance, than to form conclusions upon insufficient data, my sincere belief is, that it would soon become an injury which may some day afford an occasion for the lawyers to instead of being a benefit. sneer, as we well know they are disposed to do, at our useful With unshaken respect, then, for many of the members o and laborious profession.
labouring I noticed a goodly crop of bronchitis, many cases of pericarditis, several, also, of intermittent fever: in the surgical wards one case of spina bifida; abscess, fracture, &c. At the head of each bed also hangs a ticket, containing name, profession, age, dates, symptoms, internal and external remedies, &c.&c. I should think that more medicine was given internally in the Italian hospitals than in the French-a supposition which may have some slight confirmation in the different size of the
college, and at that time most of the lecturers agreed to deposit what books they could spare as an addition to the library. About 500 volumes were thus added to those beloning to the Faculty, and ALL were freely opened without fee to the use of the students. The assertion of Dr. Nelson
is, therefore, either a wilful mis-statement, or (if pretended to be based on a knowledge of the deposit) exhibits a culpable ignorance; culpable, because
allowed to sanction a calumny. When there is a determinaspaces allotted to external and internal remedies in the ticket tion to find fault, occasion is seldom absent. In 1844, when alluded to. A very formidable, but exceedingly good-looking, the library was in a private house, it was convenient to doubt apothecary’s shop is located, sentinel-like, near the entrance its existence: in 1845, when publicly exhibited, it was, ac. to the wards. The remark above made in reference to the cording to Dr. Nelson, a temporary collection for show and finish and ornament of some of the Italian hospitals, applies deception. in its full extent in this case. An author, speaking of the Secondly, of the museum. Here, also, according to the same building, says—" The external architecture of its elevation is authority, the preparations are private property, liable to be .singularly fanciful and elegant; Byzantine richness, blending swept away, and the museum annihilated by individual caprice. itself with the grace of classical architecture, combinations The same character of unwarrantable, and if not dishonest, defying all rules, but productive of a most magical effect. yet certainly of culpably ignorant assertion, attaches to this The carved work of the ceilings is, in many of the rooms, pe- imputation. One fact will prove the utter baselessness of the culiarly beautiful; the contrast and effect are singular and assertion-viz., that in 1845, nearly X35 were expended for striking in glancing from the rich and varied ornaments above glass preparations, jars alone; all of which have been employed, and around, to the pallid countenances and paraphernalia of and an additional order is required. But as we do not see the impropriety of allowing the prothe sufferers stretched beneath." At Milan, the " Ospedale Maggiore" is a noble establish- ’ fessors to deposit preparations, (most of which will probably ment; a donation of the site of an ancient palace by Francesco be permitted to remain as the property of the museum,) we Sforza in 1456 was its commencement. The front i3 800 feet are glad to receive them, notwithstanding they may expose us in length: the writer of Murray’s Guide Book speaks of the to be accused of merely making a show. It is strange that Gothic portion of the building as "magnificent." Besides Dr. Nelson, in his eagerness to depreciate our school, did not this fine institution, there are the Lazaretto and the Ospizio see that by his own admission he fastens a more aggravated Trivulzi, the latter styled by the same writer a "noble monu- guilt upon the rival one which he is so anxious to uphold. ment of pious charity," containing 600 inmates, all over seventy The very preparations which once adorned the shelves of the years of age, well fed and clothed, and permitted once a School of Medicine, now stand on those of the Medical Faculty; week to visit their friends. The Lazaretto, now disused, ex- and why ? because the proprietors of the School of Medicine cept in some portions for small shops, is in the form of a (perhaps not for the sake of show?) were willing to accept, square cloister, one quarter of a mile on each side in length; not only the preparations which its own lecturers might furin the central square is a chapel. A fine crop of hay had been nish, but all those which they could induce their friends to made, and lay spread upon the turf; men and women in some lend them, even at the risk of sudden removal. Hence it appears, that though, in Dr. Nelson’s eyes, it was parts of the square still turning it. The long cloistered arcades The Trivulzi I have not visited. are quite striking. highly indecorous for the one school to accept the preparations At Genoa, the great Poor House is well worth seeing; clean of its own lecturer, it was quite proper for the other to use and well administered; its church, Santa Maria, contains an (for show or otherwise) the preparations of one in no way conI am, &c., invaluable work of Michael Angelo. Beside this, are the nected with it. A. F. HOLMES, M.D. & P., Secretary Med. Fac. Ospedale del Pammatone, and the Deaf and Dumb Institution; the former again confirming the remark made in regard to the ornate appearance of many of these institutions.
I ,
MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS IN CANADA. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,ŅIn your number for July 25th, I noticed an extract from a newspaper printed in this city, purporting to be a report of part of a speech delivered by Dr. Wolfred Nelson, in the House of Assembly of Canada, on the occasion of the proposal of the usual grant to the Medical Faculty of M’Gill
College.
The violence of temper and the recklessness of the assertions of that individual are so well known in this city, as well as the hatred he has long borne to M’Gill College, stimulated lately by the establishment of a rival school in which his son is a lecturer, that had his mis-statements been confined to his place in parliament, or even to a local print devoted to his interests, it would have been almost unnecessary to have noticed them: but as they have travelled (however forwarded) to your widely circulated periodical, it seems to me to be my duty, holding an official connexion with the maligned institution, to furnish you proof that your prudent remark " unless greatly exaggerated"was very judiciously applied. Dr. Nelson’s mis-statements, as quoted by you, refer chiefly to the condition of the library, and of the Pathological Museum of the Medical Faculty of M’Gill College. I shall notice them both. First, as to thelibrary. A good many years ago, when the lectures were first established, the four professors then conducting the school, deposited a considerable number of books, which were subsequently given to the institution, and became a nucleus, which, being augmented yearly by the appropriation of the matriculation and graduation fees, has increased to upwards of 1100 volumes, now belonging to the institution. In 1845, when the Faculty obtained proper accommodation in the college building, (having previously been obliged to use a hired house, ill adapted for their purpose,) the library was removed from the house of the professor of medicine to the *
This I have not noticed elsewhere in
Italy."ŅDR. M.
THE FICTITIOUS CHARLOTTE-STREET SCHOOL OF MEDICINE. To t7te Editor of THE LANCET.
SiR,ŅIreceived this morningby post, a circular of the above school, which had been previously sent to my former residence, at Pimlico,and which, while it announced the "removal" of this school, at the same time advertised its continuance at 15, Bloomsbury-street, (late Charlotte-street,) the place
where it used to be situated. As no account of this school had been given in the recent Students’ Number of THE LANCET, and as I knew that, although a " Charlotte-street School of Medicine" had been advertised, no such school existed in that part of the thoroughfare to which the name of Charlotte-street is now restricted, curiosity prompted me to go immediately to No. 15, Bloomsbury-street, and inquire if the said school were really in existence there, in order to satisfy myself of what was actually the fact as to the dubious "local habitation" of the " name." On making inquiry at No. 15 in Bloomsbury-street whether the Charlotte-street School of Medicine was held there, I was referred to a painted board affixed to the outside of the house, on which I read, " Charlotte-street School of Medicine, (removed,)"-without stating whither. On my further distinct inquiry, whether a school of medicine was about to be held there this autumn, I was as distinctly answered " No;" and one of the persons who replied to me, added that she thought the advertiser had "an object in view," in publishing the address of that house in connexion with his school. I have, then, failed to penetrate the mystery, and am still ignorant where the late Charlotte-street School of Medicine is in future to be held, so destitute of even a hint on the point have been all the circulars recently issued concerning it. But of this I am certain-that, notwithstanding the advertisements and circulars which have appeared, there is no School of Medicine in Charlotte-street, nor at No. 15, Bloomsbury-street, where it heretofore existed, and where it is publicly announced still to exist.
383 I think you will agree with me, that the assumption of a the Committee, I do entreat of them to postpone any further false address, in a circular otherwise calculated to mislead attempt to execute the plan, at least for twelve months; and the unwary, should be held up to public reprehension, for in making this appeal to them, I believe I shall be joined by the benefit of medical students who may this season arrive in nine-tenths of the practitioners who take any interest in the London for the first time. I can fully understand why you subject.-I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, AN AGED SURGEON-APOTHECARY. have excluded the advertisements of the (so-called) " CharSeptember, 1846. lotte-street School of Medicine" from your columns, and reGEORGE SMITH BRENT. main, Sir, yours respectfully, DR. BRIGHT AND HIS QUACK HOLLOWAY. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,—The profession is much indebted to you for your unTHE PROJECTED " NATIONAL INSTITUTE" OF wearied efforts to exterminate quackery in all forms; but there MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS. are some who, unfortunately, think it a matter of small conTo the Editor of THE LANCET. sequence whether their names are used to support the nefasystem or not; or they perhaps imagine that the public SIR,—An experience of forty years in the profession has rious enabled me to become tolerably well acquainted with the will not believe them capable of writing the letters made use in quack advertisements. Such, one would think, must be feelings and opinions of my brother practitioners. Since the of Dr. Bright’s idea, judging from the profound silence with appearance of your publication, I have been what is called a medical reformer, although I do not hesitate to confess, that in which he treats your frequent appeals to him. You, sir, may what is called general politics, I am a tough, unflinching, old like to have a case wherewith to back up those appeals, and just send you, as nearly as I can recollect, a diaTory. In my zeal for medical reform, I have contributed my I therefore mite to several Associations. The want of success amongst us logue which a chemist and druggist in my neighbourhood told has been owing to our want of unanimity. We have been me occurred between himself and a man the other day. Patient.—Do you know anything of Dr. Bright, sir ? divided, and have fallen. It is therefore with very great Chemist.—I have heard of such a gentleman. Do you wish I am the to a that create new division pain witnessing attempt consult him ? by raising up a new institution, which, for the most part, can to Patient.—Oh no! but I have had a bad leg, and went to a only prove a source of convenience or amusement to some of the practitioners of London. I say this with great regret, doctor, who gave me a lotion which has done it no good, and because I entertain sincere respect for the promoters of the Isaw in a paper, the other day, a wonderful cure of a bad leg thirty years’ standing. scheme, many of whom are old acquaintances of mine, and I of He then went on to say how Dr. Bright had given the man feel for them both a professional and a social regard. I did not at all concur with you in your attacks on the Committee half-a-sovereign to buy Holloway’s medicines with, &c., and in of the National Association, and at first I thought you were the end bought a box of Holloway’s pills of my acquaintnot only wrong but unjust. I should, however, be ashamed of ance, the chemist, upon the strength of Dr. Bright’s recommyself if I did not now acknowledge that you were right, that mendation. Of course the chemist was not a little amused, and ought the Committee perpetrated many sad blunders, and that the ruin of an Association of upwards of four thousand members to have been grateful to the doctor for thus " putting money I am, Sir, yours, &c., had been the unhappy termination of a series of errors. I in his purse." ANTI-QUACKERY. September, 1846. still believe, however, that the members of the Committee, for the most part, intended well,-that they erred in judgment, writer of has forwarded to us this communication The not in design. But I consider their last error-that of pro- his name and address. posing to establish a newinstitution,a new chartered institution, with the present prospect of government support to a general ILL-PAYMENT OF MEDICAL WITNESSES IN law for improving the state of medical practitioners-is much COURTS OF LAW. to be lamented. It is a very serious error, and I perfectly To the Editor of THE LANCET. agree with you in all that you wrote on the subject in THE LANCET, of the 19thofSeDtember.l846. Theannualsubscription SIR,—At last Spring Assizes, held fourteen miles off, I reis a new tax on the profession. My friends on the Com- ceived a subpcena to attend as medical witness in a case of mittee must know that the various items named by the assault. The subpoena, inclosed a sovereign. I attended for a a proposers-comprising rooms, chambers, library, museum, two entire days, to the total neglect of my practice. I was and paid officers and servants-would require an outlay of addition to the £1with the subpoena) paid £212s. 4d. (in very many thousands of pounds. And then, when the insti- The assault case was postponed till the Summer Assizes, and tution exists, what is it to do ? Nothing, but add to the I was bound over to attend. I did so,-fourteen miles off,number of our already innumerable difficulties. I do indeed and remuneration has been fifteen shillings. I beg to ask my lament that such a scheme has been set on foot. It is not you if that small sum is the remuneration allowed by law for too late for the Committee to retrace their steps on this point. a medical gentleman who goes fourteen miles off, at very great No Council is yet elected. Without, then, entirely abandoning inconvenience to himself and patients, to give evidence in the undertaking, if that would be painful to the honourable court.-Your obedient A PHYSICIAN. servant, promoters of it, I most heartily concur with you in advising September, 1846. that the further prosecution of the plan should be postponed P.S.-I enclose the note received from the solicitors, inuntil we have an opportunity of knowing what the next Session of Parliament will produce. I will not say that two closing the fifteen shillings. " DEAR SIR,—We hoped that the court would allow the sum thousand pounds have already been uselessly spent; but it cannot be denied that that very large sum has been unwisely of 1:1 we paid you with your st.bpcena, in addition to the reguallowance, but although we made a hard fight for it, it dissipated. The new proposal, if carried into effect, must lated was refused. We have therefore only fifteen shillings to cause the expense of additional thousands, without producing, over to you, which we enclose.-We are, dear Sir, your so far as I can now discover, a single benefit. Country prac- hand titioners cannot see, in the establishment of the new institu- most obedient servants." tion, how their condition will be improved by it. If it have a museum, of what use will that be to them? If a library be THE BLOOD A PROOF OF collected, can they read the books ? If a reading-room be IS COAGULATION OFVITALITY? ITS hired, can they lounge and gossip there ? From what I can To the Editor of THE LANCET. learn, the institution will really consist of only a very few members, upon whom will fall a vast expense, without their SIR,—In THE LANCET of September 12th, there are some being enabled to exercise any useful influence. The Associa- observations by Dr. Letheby concerning the judgment to be tion, which has just closed its labours, embracing many formed, in a medico-legal point of view, from blood-spots on thousands of members, promised much, and had it not been the clothes. The subject is so important, that I will take the for the unhappy disputes and divisions which took place, it liberty of pointing out what appears to me to be an inference would have included nearly the whole of the profession. 11 not warranted by the present state of our knowledge; and if that Association unfortunately failed, what can the new I am right in this opinion, it is surely better to confess our Society do for us ? It certainly is with pain that I say thai ignorance, than to form conclusions upon insufficient data, my sincere belief is, that it would soon become an injury which may some day afford an occasion for the lawyers to instead of being a benefit. sneer, as we well know they are disposed to do, at our useful With unshaken respect, then, for many of the members o and laborious profession.