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TREATMENT OF POPLITEAL ANEURISM BY COMPRESSION.
606 I am perfectly satisfied the fault is not the dispenser’s, but arises from a wrong system in establishments, which requires to be removed, to prevent these errors being, as they are so often committed. I am, &c., AN EXPERIENCED DISPENSER. THE EDINBURGH LOCK HOSPITAL. To the L’clitor of THE LANCET. SIR,—In 1852 you did me the honour of publishing two letters from me relative to the non-admission of students into the Lock Hospital, Edinburgh. Since that time I have been one of the surgical clerks in the new wards. Cases of venereal disease have been admitted, but not in numbers sufficient to enable the students properly to study the various forms of those diseases. The regulations as to the non-admission of students into the Lock being still in force, I beg to suggest to the managers of the infirmary the propriety of devoting one ward (now that the wards are so numerous) to the reception and treatment of cases of venereal disease. The opening of such a ward would, I am sure, be viewed by the students as a boon. At present all the practical acquaintance the students have of this class of disease is derived from the few-the very fewpatients now and then admitted amongst the ordinary surgical cases. Having a portion of the Hospital set apart for this specialty, in which the student could at any time have access, to note the varied forms of the disease, and to study the ,varieties of changes of symptoms, would give him confidence in himself in after life. I could urge many reasons why this suggestion should receive the serious consideration of the managers, but having already trespassed too far on your indulgence, must conclude by requesting the insertion of this in your valuable journal. I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
of exercising pressure on the artery without at the The only place where such time affecting the vein. pressure can possibly be made on the femoral artery is for about an inch below Poupart’s ligament, where the vein lies to its inner side. As the artery gets lower down in the thigh, the vein becomes more and more posterior, and I cannot see how alternate constant pressure first at the upper and then at the lower part of Scarpa’s triangle cannot but induce cedema of the limb, with its disagreeable consequences, should such pressure be kept up constantly. By inserting this for answer by your correspondent, or doing so yourself, you will oblige
capable same
exceedingly, Sir, Edinburgh, May, 1854.
Your obedient
servant, A YOUNG SURGEON.
MIDWIFERY DIPLOMAS. To the Editor of THE LANCET. have read in a letter from ° ° A Provincial Fellow," SIR,—I published in your journal of the 20th of May, amongst other matters, that the Council of the College of Surgeons 3.id intend to degrade, and have degraded, the general practitioner by their regulations on the subject of the diploma in midwifery. I do not intend to deny, or even to doubt, that the Council do everything from the worst motives with respect to these gentlemen; but I do not perceive the way they have succeeded in doing it in this instance, for I do not see, I confess, how granting a diploma to gentlemen who after examination have been found worthy of it, can degrade anybody. On this point I should be obliged to your correspondent to enlighten me. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, JUNO LuCINA. May, 1854.
SHIP SURGEONS. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR—I have to thank you for the insertion of my letter on the above subject in THE LANCET for April 22nd, and the reo MEDICAL RELIEF TO THE POOR. marks you were so obliging as to make thereon. To the Editor of THE LANCET. I beg to assure you that qualified surgeons for merchant and SIR,—Whether the epistle from Mr. William Henry Sams, emigrant ships are now so scarce, that no medical man who solicitor, of Clare, which appears in THE LANCET of last week, wis7tes even to remain in Australia, should take a ship under really requires any comment on my part, is perhaps extremely X30 or £35. This, though not particularly munificent, is somedoubtful, but as that gentleman evidently plumes himself upon what different from going for nothing, as was the case this the position he informs us he has the " honour" to occupy, I time last year, and the injustice of which occasioned the howl take the liberty of venturing to record my testimony as to his from our correspondent, who smarted under it. If a surgeon engages by the month, he should not accept less being a most fit and worthy representative and coadjutor of that cliqzte, among the Risbridge board of guardians, which than £5. I beg to bear testimony to the truth of the statements seeking to deprive a late medical officer (who resigned his ap- contained in the valuable papers of Mr. Cooper, of Dublin, to pointment in disgust) of a part of his salary in opposition to your journal. the instructions of the Poor-law Board, refused him a copy of Our emigrant ships, notwithstanding the fair advertisements t7te agreerraent by which each party was bound. I am not at all set forth, are a disgrace to the country. astonished that the chairman and his confederates at the board Another point, which as a ship surgeon I wish to inform young of guardians should endeavour to shield themselves by the sub- medicos on, is this, that the duty of a surgeon on board ship, is terfuge that they "will not deign to reply to scurrilous and to attend on the sick, and to 2crite requests to the captain, groundless charges made under an anonymous signature." Not purser, or third officer, as the case may be, for such medical considering it by any means beneath my " dignity" to support stores as may be necessary; and by no means to submit to the an assertion by proof, however much at variance this course imposition of such duties as the serving out provisions and may be with the tenets and practice of Mr. Sams and his friends, water. This is in all ships the duty of the third officer, or I forward to you a printed forva issued by the conclave ap- purser, if the ship is large enough to carry one. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, pointing the vaccination stations, and should have had equal No GREENHORN. May, 1854. pleasure in enclosing an official certificate, but not being aware that a bill authorising the Risbridge board of guardians to confer diplomas in surgery upon the labouring population, has PROPOSED NEW MEDICAL CLASSES. at present passed, I am fearful the publication of such a document might be attended with unpleasant consequences to the To the Editor of THE LANCET. parties concerned, especially as it appears their exploits have SIR,—Permit me to propose the institution of Practical not escaped the animadversions of our facetious friend Punch. Classes for the exercise of Students, individually, in the followYours, &c., ing subjects :-Physiology, Comparative Anatomy, Toxicology, M. R. C. S. May 30,1854. Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and Botany. Practical instruction is already given in Anatomy, Morbid Anatomy, and Clinical Medicine, Surgery, and Midwifery. TREATMENT OF POPLITEAL ANEURISM BY Medical practitioners ought to be familiar with all the subjects COMPRESSION. and it will be allowed by most persons, that enumerated; To the Editor of THE LANCET. familiarity can only be gained by manipulations practised by SIR,—In looking over an article on the "Treatment of individuals themselves. The principles of each subject should Popliteal Aneurism by Compression,"which appeared in THE be taught by lectures, as in the present arrangement in LANCET of May 27th, I find that no mention whatever is made the medical schools; but the demonstration of the proofs of the effect which the constant pressure upon the artery (and, should be worked out by the students under the direction of which must necessarily follow, upon the vein also) had upon a professor. the venous circulation of the limb. I cannot exactly underIt appears to be of great importance that Physiology should stand how œdema of the leg can be obviated, in consequence of thus be learned, inasmuch as it, together with Anatomy,’ conthe almost total impracticability of contriving an apparatus stitutes the basis of medicine. ’
-
May,
1854.
M.D.
EDIN.,
-
1852.
of exercising pressure on the artery without at the The only place where such time affecting the vein. pressure can possibly be made on the femoral artery is for about an inch below Poupart’s ligament, where the vein lies to its inner side. As the artery gets lower down in the thigh, the vein becomes more and more posterior, and I cannot see how alternate constant pressure first at the upper and then at the lower part of Scarpa’s triangle cannot but induce cedema of the limb, with its disagreeable consequences, should such pressure be kept up constantly. By inserting this for answer by your correspondent, or doing so yourself, you will oblige
capable same
exceedingly, Sir, Edinburgh, May, 1854.
Your obedient
servant, A YOUNG SURGEON.
MIDWIFERY DIPLOMAS. To the Editor of THE LANCET. have read in a letter from ° ° A Provincial Fellow," SIR,—I published in your journal of the 20th of May, amongst other matters, that the Council of the College of Surgeons 3.id intend to degrade, and have degraded, the general practitioner by their regulations on the subject of the diploma in midwifery. I do not intend to deny, or even to doubt, that the Council do everything from the worst motives with respect to these gentlemen; but I do not perceive the way they have succeeded in doing it in this instance, for I do not see, I confess, how granting a diploma to gentlemen who after examination have been found worthy of it, can degrade anybody. On this point I should be obliged to your correspondent to enlighten me. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, JUNO LuCINA. May, 1854.
SHIP SURGEONS. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR—I have to thank you for the insertion of my letter on the above subject in THE LANCET for April 22nd, and the reo MEDICAL RELIEF TO THE POOR. marks you were so obliging as to make thereon. To the Editor of THE LANCET. I beg to assure you that qualified surgeons for merchant and SIR,—Whether the epistle from Mr. William Henry Sams, emigrant ships are now so scarce, that no medical man who solicitor, of Clare, which appears in THE LANCET of last week, wis7tes even to remain in Australia, should take a ship under really requires any comment on my part, is perhaps extremely X30 or £35. This, though not particularly munificent, is somedoubtful, but as that gentleman evidently plumes himself upon what different from going for nothing, as was the case this the position he informs us he has the " honour" to occupy, I time last year, and the injustice of which occasioned the howl take the liberty of venturing to record my testimony as to his from our correspondent, who smarted under it. If a surgeon engages by the month, he should not accept less being a most fit and worthy representative and coadjutor of that cliqzte, among the Risbridge board of guardians, which than £5. I beg to bear testimony to the truth of the statements seeking to deprive a late medical officer (who resigned his ap- contained in the valuable papers of Mr. Cooper, of Dublin, to pointment in disgust) of a part of his salary in opposition to your journal. the instructions of the Poor-law Board, refused him a copy of Our emigrant ships, notwithstanding the fair advertisements t7te agreerraent by which each party was bound. I am not at all set forth, are a disgrace to the country. astonished that the chairman and his confederates at the board Another point, which as a ship surgeon I wish to inform young of guardians should endeavour to shield themselves by the sub- medicos on, is this, that the duty of a surgeon on board ship, is terfuge that they "will not deign to reply to scurrilous and to attend on the sick, and to 2crite requests to the captain, groundless charges made under an anonymous signature." Not purser, or third officer, as the case may be, for such medical considering it by any means beneath my " dignity" to support stores as may be necessary; and by no means to submit to the an assertion by proof, however much at variance this course imposition of such duties as the serving out provisions and may be with the tenets and practice of Mr. Sams and his friends, water. This is in all ships the duty of the third officer, or I forward to you a printed forva issued by the conclave ap- purser, if the ship is large enough to carry one. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, pointing the vaccination stations, and should have had equal No GREENHORN. May, 1854. pleasure in enclosing an official certificate, but not being aware that a bill authorising the Risbridge board of guardians to confer diplomas in surgery upon the labouring population, has PROPOSED NEW MEDICAL CLASSES. at present passed, I am fearful the publication of such a document might be attended with unpleasant consequences to the To the Editor of THE LANCET. parties concerned, especially as it appears their exploits have SIR,—Permit me to propose the institution of Practical not escaped the animadversions of our facetious friend Punch. Classes for the exercise of Students, individually, in the followYours, &c., ing subjects :-Physiology, Comparative Anatomy, Toxicology, M. R. C. S. May 30,1854. Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and Botany. Practical instruction is already given in Anatomy, Morbid Anatomy, and Clinical Medicine, Surgery, and Midwifery. TREATMENT OF POPLITEAL ANEURISM BY Medical practitioners ought to be familiar with all the subjects COMPRESSION. and it will be allowed by most persons, that enumerated; To the Editor of THE LANCET. familiarity can only be gained by manipulations practised by SIR,—In looking over an article on the "Treatment of individuals themselves. The principles of each subject should Popliteal Aneurism by Compression,"which appeared in THE be taught by lectures, as in the present arrangement in LANCET of May 27th, I find that no mention whatever is made the medical schools; but the demonstration of the proofs of the effect which the constant pressure upon the artery (and, should be worked out by the students under the direction of which must necessarily follow, upon the vein also) had upon a professor. the venous circulation of the limb. I cannot exactly underIt appears to be of great importance that Physiology should stand how œdema of the leg can be obviated, in consequence of thus be learned, inasmuch as it, together with Anatomy,’ conthe almost total impracticability of contriving an apparatus stitutes the basis of medicine. ’
-
May,
1854.
M.D.
EDIN.,
-
1852.