THE FRENCH SCHOOLS.

699

ing. Suffice it to say, that the effect of the ral opinions in politics and religion ;they artificial placenta being pressed by the in- form a little republic in the very heart of flated bowels against the amniotic bag, re- the capital, which has long been looked presented exactly what the Lecturer stated upon with the greatest malevolence by Frasin the living animal, with re- sinous and his colleagues. Supposing that the current from the placenta to- their opinions derived strength from their wards the foetus. frequent opportunities of assembling toDr. Barry adduced some very curious gether, and from their communications with facts, from comparative anatomy, in support the students of the Ecole de Drcit, a propoof his opinion, that gaseous pressure is the sition was introduced into the Chambre des power that impels the placento-feetal cur- Deputes, during the past year, for the estarent. His arguments were chiefly drawn blishment of a certain number of secondary from marsupial and oviparous animals, and schools in the Provinces, for the purpose from viviparous fishes. not only of preventing the great annual acIn his next lecture, he promised to show cumulation of students in Paris, but that by other important uses to which the gas in the being scattered over the country they might bowels of viviparous animals is applied by be brought more within the observance and nature. We shall not fail to take due notice of the priest. How the priests of this very interesting subject. influence the local authorities from the highest to the lowest, has been very ably exposed in the Constitutionnel, and other daily journals, but which it would be too great a digression to recapitulate here. This scheme was rendered abortive by some of the DeTHE FRENCH SCHOOLS. puties reminding the Minister for Education, that the Museums at the Jardin des Plantes, and the Libraries of the Metropolis,

to take

place

gard to

dominion

PARIS.—No. V.

collected at an immense expense, would exist to no purpose if the youths destined to practice medicine were educated in the The Influence of the Jesuits on MedicaI E, ducation. country ; that such students must be kept in a state of comparative ignorance, and TnE influence of " The Congregation" on that for that ignorance the public would the political institutions of France has been ultimately suffer. long since discovered and perseveringly protested against by the liberal press of that Finding that they could not cram their country, unfortunately, hitherto with little superstitions down the throats of the stueffect ; but it must not be supposed that dents, under the name of religion, by sticking the efforts of the Jesuits hafe been con- crucifixes and images in the very entrances fined to the cabinet and the church, or to the class rooms, and that the plan for that they prop up absolute monarchy and the students away from the capital ecclesiastical infallibility from mere love of had been frustrated, they set to work afresh, gain. It is done rather from an inherent and endeavoured to admit no men to the love of power, a propensity which has dis- professorships who were not rigid apostolitinguished their operations in all ages. They cals, no matter what were their profesare perfectly aware that, in order to retain sional merits or experience. Men of tathe influence they now hold, the education lent were shut out, and the men of the of the rising generation must be brought faith were let in, under the plea of their within their grasp, and of no branch of in. being " pacifically minded," " well disposed struction are they more jealous than of me. to church and state," and so forth, and these dicine. Within the last two years more espe- are become the recommendations to the cially, great efforts have been made to bring chairs of scientific institutions. That these the medical students of Paris under some- are not mere speculations, but correct delithing like spiritual subordination : the Ecole neations of the existing influence of the de Medicine is closed, on an average, two priestcraft over science, may be proved by days in the week, on account of its being a reference to the late expulsion of the the fete of this or that Saint ; and lest the three members of the Institute from certain impious students should forget the cause of small sinecures, which they held under the this public suspension of their labours, the government, for daring to express, in a pubnoble portico of this fair temple of Hygeia lic meeting of their body, their disapprobais disfigured with crucifixes, wax candles, tion of the proposed law for gagging the painted images, and such disgraceful trum- press ; a proceeding which even Cuvier, who has long been a thick and thin friend pery. The medical students of Paris have long of the court, has denounced in the strongest been distinguished as a body for their libe- language to his acquaintance ; and indeed it

keeping

700 is easy to

see

that he is

disgusted with such Orfila,

jesuitical intrigues. The Faculty of Medicine held

it would soon be seen whethel the fault lay in the organisation of the Academy or in its officers. By the death of Laennec a vacancy has been created in the Faculty, which must be filled up from the Agreges, and three persons, Chomel, Guersant, and Rullier have presented themselves a3 candidates. From what we have observed st the Charite and the H6pital des Enfans, we think that Chomel is the man most fitted to take the place of Laennec. He has been engaged actively in professional pursuits for twenty years; his tact in the investiation of disease, and his accurate habits of observation, must be acknowledged by all who have had an opportunity of attending his clinical prelections; but these qualificatiohs are not sufficient to secure the vacant chair, if the Jesuit irfluence should be exerted for another, for example, for old Kergaradee, who goes croaking about the wards spouting indifferent Latin, and sticking closely to the " medicine expectante." Chomel is the m;n who ought to be chosen.

its annual

meeting for the distribution of the prizes of the Ecole Pratique on ,the 18th of Decem-

ber last, but, strange to say, without any sort of ceremony or solemnity ; it was a sort of " hole and corner" affair, or, as the French say, "à huis-clos." This happened, as the on dit goes, because the authorities were afraid of some tumultous conduct among the students; but this was not the real cause, if it were they might have had a party of gens d’arms at hand to drive them out of the theatre into the street, and having got them into the street, might have chased them away like wild beasts, with the cavalry, as they did on the day of the rejection of the celebrated Droits d’Ainesse. The plain truth is, that the authorities take every opportunity imaginable of preventing the students from assembling and talking together and rather than attach any importance to the distribution of the annual prizes, by ushering in that distribution with any civic pomp, they would sacrifice all the eclat Then, again, there are Magendie, Recawhich the Faoulte formerly derived from and Pariset, contending for the vamier, this anniversary, and stifle all that spirit of cant in the College de France. professorship emulation which once operated so benePariset has already given out that he is to on the of This the pupils. industry ficially be the Professor, through the sole interest is not all ; the Minister of the Interior has of M. de Corbiere, for he has not a recently written to the Academy of Medi- vote at the College. Magendie hassingle the cine to announce that it is about to undergo votes of the and of the Institute in College It is rusome important modifications. his favour ; but Recamier will be presented moured, that one of these changes will be by the Minister of Public Instruction and to diminish the number of its members, and the Minister of the Interior, and no by it will be dimithat well if that moreover, doubt will have the Professorship. nution be allowed to take place gradually theelections are conducted by the hand of death; thus holding out a at Thus it is that sort of threat, or suspending a sword by a present ; and from beginning to end the hair over the members of that society, giv- influence of the church party may be reing them warning to take a lesson frem the cognised. The thing is become so glaring, fate of the three members of the Institute. that the medical journals veuture now and It is said also, that the three sections of the then to mumble out an indistinct complaint, they dare not say much. We may select Academy will be suppressed, and one of the bnt reasons assigned is, that there are continual the following’ passage as being one in which opinion of the writer is as clearly given squabbles at the Section of Surgery. The the main reason, however, is this : M. Pariset, on this subject as could be hazarded:" who is the perpetual Secretary, and who Esr.6rons que nous ne veirons plus le zete refroidi par les succs immerites d’hommes spends more time in the bureau of the tout a fait Minister than in the business of the Acaetrangers à la science, et qui doivent leur elevation qu’à la faveur du poudemy, wishes to get more power into his voir." own hands, and thinks that by effecting this he could do wonders. The Academy Atthe distribution of the prizes at the has now been established &Ix years, but not Faculte, Cruveilhier, who is the Secretsry, a very animated address, and alone volume of transactions has made its appearance, and probably never will so longthough introduced to the professorship of as M. Pariset is at its head. What, indeed, anatomy through the jesuitical paity, he can be expected from the Academy under could not help expressing his hope, and more the influence of a man who spends his time is seldom done, " that the moment was not in getting up long moral disputations, and far distant when the periods allotted for the laying plots for curtailing all liberty of dis- distribution of the prizes would re-assume cussion, instead of studying to advance the all their interest ; when these rewards of so much labour would re-acquire that fame interests of science ; but if he were by such a person as Adelon, or Dumeril, or through the publicity of their da-

I delivered

replaced

I which,

701 once possessed in the esti- it is fit that yon and the public should be indications,thethey students." mation of acquainted with the probably concealed efCases might be multiplied, almost to in- fects of granting the solicited privileges ;

show the influence of court and and for the reasons already given, I am into keep down and misrepre- duced to address you through the press. sent men of acknowledged talent. For the Man-midwifejy has only been practised in present we must conclude by mentioning England during the last hundred years, and the case of Blainville. Who that has heard it was introduced as a French fashion. From Blainville lecture on his favourite subject, the beginning it has been strongly opcomparative anatomy, at the Sorbonne- posed on the score of its indecency, by who has seen his zeal for the science, and many distinguished and scientific medical witnessed the abundant proofs which he men, and also, because the birth of mankind affords of his intimate knowledge of the appeared to them to be a purely natural laws governing the development of the va- process, so wisely ordered, that it very rarely rious gradations of organisation-who, we demands any other aid than experienced would ask, that has had an opportunity of mothers can safely give. Even so late as knowing him in private as well as in public, the time of the illustrious mother of his does not feel his blood boil with resentment present Majesty, that exemplary Queen was against those who would consign such a personally attended by good Mrs. Draper, man to the receipt of a few hundred francs without difficulties or misadventures; whereper annum, or, in other words, turn him as the contrary result, under male manageadrift to shift for himself, to gratify the ment, in the fatal affair of the Princess revengeful feelings of a few men in power Charlotte and her infant, will be long rewho have felt their pride wounded by his membered. If it should be asked why so many proexposure of their ignorance ? yet such is the fact. In short, an independent medical fessional men addict themselves to a depress is wanted to expose the tricks and the grading vocation, it may be answered, that tyranny of men in office, and to protect the practice of man-midwifery leads to unthose who have no other misfortune than limited power in every family, and thence to that of being unconnected with hereditary lucrative ends. Women, naturally timid, or courtly patronage. There is no LANCET and ignorant of their own structure, are pein Paris. culiarly exposed, during the most important office of their existence, to the persuasions or menaces of more knowing persons, and they are thence easily made to believe, that the natural and wholesome delays and pains TO THE of child-bed are within the control of mediRIGHT HON. ROBERT PEEL, &c. &c. cal or surgical art,-an assumption which is too generally acted upon, and with unvary(From THE TIMES of February 26.) ing evil consequences ; because it is a violation of the ways of nature. Man-midSin,—The high ministerial station which wives have continually alleged, that ignoyou deservedly occupy, must often expose rant women practitioners commit many fatal you to various kinds of applications re- mistakes, and now they present similar obspecting the condition and management of jections against unlicensed men. If. as I our national institutions, and also to per- believe, the safeguards of child-birth are sonal or partial interference about their amply provided by nature, and that not one several real or preteiided interests. In all instance in a thousand calls for any other such instances you must perceive the fair- help beyond what any moderately experiness and the ultimate advantage of prefer- enced woman can safely give, why are we ringdirect information from the respective to license adventurers, who may seek notoconstituted authorities, of requiring advice riety by desperate acts, often involving manfrom rival institutions upon doubtful mea- slaughter-operative acts, the moral prosures, and of regarding with jealousy the priety of which is very doubtful, and the private communications of interested indi- time and the methods for performing them, viduals. It is, however, reported that you still subjects for rancorons disputes1 But are, at this time, beset upon the subject of the present aiiair is rot respecting the introducing an ordeal for licensing man-mid- utility of man-miflwjvcs, but the improwives, by certain members of the London priety of empowering any special corporate College of Surgeons, and that you are urged medical body to coerce the rest; to further popular men (whose wisdom and dis- impede female-midwives in a becoming interestedness may be questioned,) to favour duty, and to deprive delicate women of that their scheme with your powerful influence. great resource of self-respect. Already the As the prevalent vice of avarice may have prevalence of man-midwifery has driven some share in this professional movement, country surgeons and apothecaries to adopt

finity,

to

party intrigue

by