Previous to the meeting being dissolved, the sum of £2,710. was voted for the prosecution of scientific inquiries during the ensuing year, being an access of £950 on the previous grant. After a lengthened and animated discussion, it was determined that the meeting of 1837 should be held at Liverpool: the Earl of Burlington was elected president, Dr. Dalton, Sir. P. Egerton, and the Rev. E. Stanley, vice-presidents, Dr. Henry and Mr. Parker se

cretaries.

ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

Ar a meeting at the Society's Rooms, Leicester Square, Mr. Gould, after making some remarks on various birds which were on the table, entered into a description of a new genus of birds, for which he proposed the name of Aplornis, on account of its simple structure. This genus, Mr. Gould observed, partakes of the characters of the genera Lamprotornis, Lanius, and Turdus ; we will, however, endeavour to give an idea of its distinguishing characters by comparing it with the genus Lamprotornis. When thus compared, Mr. G. remarked that the species of Aplornis are altogether of a more robust form: the beak, which is distinctly notched, the wings, the legs, and the tail, are shorter in proportion; the latter is slightly forked. It may also be distinguished by the want of the splendid colouring so remarkable in Lamprotornis, all the species of which, it will be remembered, are of a beautiful rich green colour, with a satin-like gloss. There were two species of this new genus on the table, both belonging to the society; one from New Holland, and the other from the Friendly Islands.

At a subsequent scientific meeting, Mr. Gould exhibited eight species of a genus of Sylvida; a genus characterized, some time back, by Messrs. Vigors and Horsfield, under the name of Zosteros, at which time only two species were known: one or two have since been described. Of others, which were new (and then before the society), Mr. Gould intended describing only two, as he thought it probable the remainder would be noticed in works about to be published by other individuals. For one Mr. G. proposed the name of albogularis, and the other, tenuirostris. The genus Zosteros, Mr. G. observed, is principally distinguished from others of the Warbler tribe by a zone of white feathers, which surrounds the eye, the attenuated and somewhat curved beak; the nostrils being covered by an operculum, and the plumage of both sexes being alike, and undergoing no seasonal changes. All the species known are found in the old world, and they are all, more or less, of a greenishyellow colour. They approach nearest to the genus Sylvia, as restricted by Mr. Swainson.

The continuation of a paper was then read, entitled "Catalogue of the Birds found in the neighbourhood of Scarborough," by Mr. Williamson, which contained considerable information relating to the habits of many of the British birds.

MEETING OF THE PROVINCIAL MEDICAL AND SURGICAL ASSOCIATION.

THE members of this excellent Institution, held their fourth anniversary at Manchester. The members of the Council met on the 20th of July, to make the necessary arrangements for the public business of the meeting, when a discussion took place relative to the place of holding the next anniversary :-Cheltenham was finally determined upon, and Dr. Boisragon proposed as president.

In the evening, the members of the Association assembled at the Royal Institution, when the attendance was unusually numerous, including, among other distingished individuals, Professor Kidd, Drs. Fox, J. Johnstone, T. Starr, Hastings, R. Streeten, Barlow, J. Conolly, Goldie, J. C. Williams, Jeffreys, Bardsley, Chaytor, Holme; Messrs. Crosse, Nankivell, H. L. Smith, C. H. Hebb, J. A. Ransome, Turner, &c. &c.

Dr. Holme having been called to the chair, opened the business with a short address, which he concluded by proposing that Dr. Hastings be requested to read the report of the council.

This report gave a succinct outline of the proceedings of the Association, and announced the gratifying fact that the number of members amounted to six hundred, being an increase of one hundred since the anniversary meeting at Oxford. The report then alluded to a similar Association formed in the eastern provinces; the members of which had come to the unanimous resolution of seeking an intimate connexion with the parent Association, for the purpose of co-operating with it in the advancement of medical sci

ence.

The finances of the institution, which are in a very flourishing state, and the published Transactions of the society, next came under consideration. It was announced that, in compliance with the resolution passed last year respecting the formation of a benevolent fund, various local committees had been formed, with whom the central committee were in communication.

The report of the council was approved and adopted on the metion of Professor Kidd, seconded by Dr. John Johnstone.

Several other resolutions, relating to the affairs of the Associa tion were subsequently moved and seconded by Mr. Tudor, Dr. Jeffreys, Dr. Scott, Mr. Ransome, Dr. Barlow, Mr. Hebb, Dr. J. Conolly, Dr. Brown, Dr. Goldie, and Mr. Johnson.

Mr. Turner, of Manchester, after paying a warm tribute to his friend, proposed, that Dr. James Lomax Bardsley be requested to deliver the Retrospective Address at the anniversary meeting for 1837, which was seconded by Dr. Streeten, of Worcester.

The report of the committee of the Benevolent Branch of the Association was then read, and a resolution passed, that the regulations of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Benevolent Society, proposed by the central committee, be adopted.

VOL. V.-NO. XVII.

U

Dr. Kidd next read to the meeting a paper, consisting of remarks on the anatomical and physiological works of Galen, which the learned Professor was requested to publish in the forthcoming volume of Transactions.

On Thursday, the second day of the mecting, after some preliminary business, Mr. Crosse proceeded to read his Retrospective Address for the past year, of which the following is an abstract:

Some recent improvements in anatomy were first briefly noticed, and the spread of anatomical knowledge in this country was said to be almost a matter of demonstration-the number of able men devoted to teaching it being treble what it was thirty years ago. Manchester, which was the first town to institute a provincial school of anatomy, possessed all the requisites for carrying on such an establishment, in its locality, its wealth, its population, its public medical charities, and last, though far from least, in that spirit of enterprize and philosophical inquiry which is associated with the name of a White, a Percival, a Dalton, and a Henry. The advancement of physiology was attributed mainly to experiments on animals; but, in a few instances, had been recently accomplished by observing diseases. The different improvements in medicine were dwelt upon, and much was attributed to the stethoscope rendering many internal morbid changes cognizable to the senses, particularly those situated in the chest and abdomen, which before were not understood during the life of the patient. No subject had of late more engaged the attention of physiologists than the action and sounds of the heart,-the Report of the meeting of the British Association, at Dublin, might be cited in proof of this. A remarkable discovery by the microscope, of entozoa infesting the muscles of the human body, belonged to the past year, and one or two thousand of these animalcules had been found in a square inch of muscle; another species of entozoon had recently been found in the intestinal coats of horses. The fact that the saliva is alkaline in a state of health, and acid as often as the stomach is disordered, and the power of iodine to cause salivation, had recently been elicited. The homoopathic doctrine, or new German reverie, which had loaded the press with books and worthless periodicals was sarcastically denounced, and quackery in general alluded to. The recent suggestions and improvements in surgical practice were more fully entered into; and amongst the yearly announcements of cures for diseases hitherto deemed incurable, the most prominent was the treatment of cancerous affections by the chloride of zinc in the form of paste, which had recently been tried under the inspection of some eminent surgeons in this country, and found efficacious. The improved methods of applying cold in cases of local inflammation, so much employed in France, and significantly designated the treatment "by irriga tion," were mentioned in terms of recommendation; the irregular use of cold applications in the ordinary method being objectionable, causing rheumatism of joints, and in one instance tetanus, and, uness carefully used, proving worse, as to ease and remedial effects to

the patient, than if no such method were employed.-Hernia had been reduced by applying cupping-glasses, and wooden pads been found serviceable by American surgeons, applied with the common truss, instead of the usual soft pad.-British surgeons have stood foremost in performing operations upon the large arterial trunks, setting the example now followed by other countries; the carotids still continue favourites for experiments upon animals, and in some instances on the human being; and both have been tied in man at the interval of seventeen, and even of twelve days, with a favourable issue; man, however, cannot bear a ligature simultaneously to both carotids, although some animals suffer little from such a proceeding. For a vascular tumour of the scalp, both carotids in man have been tied with a curative result by Professor Kuhl, of Leipsic. Pressure, when the brachial artery is wounded at the bend of the arm in bleeding, has been so often recorded as successful, that it ought to be regarded as the general rule of treatment, when a competent surgeon is called soon after the injury-The practice of treating varicose veins, by pinching them with forceps, and by passing needles through or beneath them, so as to compress the vein, had been much resorted to, and approved. The author thought the attention of surgeons required to be awakened to the detecting of recent dislocations of the joints, which are always reducible. The dislocated hip had been reduced after nearly a hundred days, and of the elbow at seventy: the use of the dynanometer, for measuring the force applied by the pulleys in reducing old dislocations was recommended, and can be obtained of Mr. Weiss.-Upon the excision of diseased joints, the Memoir of Mr. Blackburn was named as the best Memoir in the country from the pen of a student. No department of simply operative surgery has been more fruitful of good results than the excision of diseased bones; and the upper, as well as the lower jaw, and many other bones of the face, have been recently thus proceeded with.-The little value attached to the practice of midwifery in this country, was referred to, and a belief expressed that hereafter the present state of things would, in the retrospect, be thought very anomalous, when those gentlemen who practise it are regarded as fit only for a secondary station in the profession. A knowledge of diseases of the placenta was advancing in this country. The use of the speculum was also becoming more general, facilitating a correct knowledge and an efficient treatment of uterine disease, which formerly went on uncontrolled by art. Remarks upon polypus uteri, and upon prolapse and inversion of the organ, were added, and the numerous instances of the Cæsarean operation having been lately performed in different countries, were adduced, as indicating the improving condition of this branch of practice, which flourishes best where it is most encouraged.

The conclusion of this elaborate essay had reference to the press, the great and mighty engine for the advancement of the medical, as well as of all other sciences; the necessity of attending to the style as well as to the matter, was insisted upon, and the important office

of the critic described. The British quarterly medical journals had long stood pre-eminent over those of other countries. The MedicoChirurgical Review, of Dr. Johnson, required only to keep in good humour, and to avoid mixing extraneous matter in its pages, to maintain its ascendency. The accession of the British and Foreign Medical Review was a great advantage, and it could not fail to be honourable to this society to rank the editors of that review, Drs. Forbes and Conolly, amongst its members. The establishing of weekly journals in England was an epoch in medical literature. Like any other newspapers, they were taken for amusement as much as for instruction, and became a necessary part of the yearly purchases of every medical practitioner in the provinces. They placed before the profession many matters of minor interest, which could not appear in the quarterly journals, and had become quite indispensable for free and rapid intercourse of ideas between individuals. But from causes which must be sought for in the succession of their rise, so much personality, invective, and even fiction, was mixed up in them, as to characterize them as peculiar, and unlike what was to be met with in any other country. Whatever benefits had arisen from such publications, it must be allowed, by every considerate mind, that the interested contentions, and low personalities, which disfigure their pages, were a great drawback and counterpoise to their utility. Had they at all improved the ethics of the profession? Could the slang of a weekly journal in any way advance medical science, or fail to pander to bad taste and the coarsest feeling? The value of medical bibliography was next glanced at, and the state of our literature as to biographical works regretted, as being most deficient. The pictorial art and lithographic printing were not forgotten, as to their influence in promoting so useful a science as medicine; the literature as well as the practice of which, the author expressed a hope, would hereafter receive the regular attention of the Association at each annual meeting.

At the conclusion of the address, the thanks of the meeting were unanimously passed to Mr. Crosse.

The report of the committee appointed to consider the proposals of the Eastern Association was next brought forward, and its recommendation adopted. The report of the poor law committee was then read, and ordered to be published in a separate form; and a petition to both houses of Parliament, deprecating the system for providing medical relief for the sick adopted by the commissioners.

The business of the day having been brought to a conclusion, Dr. Barlow took the chair, and upon the motion of Professor Kidd, seconded by Dr. J. Conolly, a cordial vote of thanks was accorded to Dr. Holme, by acclamation.

The proceedings terminated about five o'clock, and at six one hundred and fifty members, with a few friends as guests, dined together at the Exchange.