communicate with. He also regretted that it did not appear practicable to adopt the Pharmaceutical Society under the Act of 1852 as a basis of legislation. It would then have been necessary merely to prohibit the use of the title of pharmaceutist by those who were not on the register, dealing with them just in the same way as unregistered Practitioners of Medicine were dealt with by the Medical Registrar-not prohibiting such as were now in business to continue their occupation, but not allowing them to be on the Register, which would give them a sort of legally established position in the country. The number of chemists in the country was very much larger than it was stated to be by the Pharmaceutical Society, who put the number at between 2000 and 7000, whereas, taking the census of 1861, there were found to be not less than 16,000 males entered as belonging to the occupation. No doubt many of them would be assistants, but still the difference between 6000 and 16,000 was rather astonishing. The Committee were unanimous in desiring not to interfere, further than was necessary for the public health and safety, with chemists and druggists now in business. The Apothecaries' Act of 1815 had been quoted on behalf of existing interests, but that did not apply to the present proposal, because it did not create a registration of members, but merely protected existing members from any interference.

Mr. COOPER said there was a register kept at the Apothecaries' Hall for the purpose.

Dr. RUMSEY was sorry the great principle of supervision had been omitted in the present report. Perhaps it was prudently done, but he was bound to say it was a principle which the Council had already laid down in a report adopted by them. Add to that the fact that England was the only country in the civilised world where pharmaceutical chemists were not subject to control, and he thought he sufficiently justified himself in calling the attention of the Council to the matter. With regard to Mr. Sandford's statement that the provisions of the Arsenic Act had become a dead letter, after having the advantage of hearing a statement of Mr. Simon upon the subject, he could not admit the truth of the assertion. He believed that those provisions had exercised a most salutary effect in curtailing the unlimited sale of so frightful a poison as arsenic, and he would have liked to see in the report a recommendation for applying similar safeguards to the sale of other poisons. He was sorry to say that the Pharmacy Bill now under discussion did not give that power. It gave power solely to the Pharmaceutical Society, with the consent of the Privy Council, thus leaving the initiative with the Pharmaceutical Society. With regard to the sale of opium, the reply received from the Pharmaceutical Society was most curious and instructivenamely, it " was included in the first draft of the Bill, but the promoters of the Bill received such strong representations from chemists residing' principally in Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk against interfering with their business-opium, as they stated, being one of their chief articles of trade-that the promoters felt compelled to strike opium out of Schedule A." It was a very remarkable thing that those three counties the Medical Officers of the Privy Council had shown to be distinguished for the highest rate of infant mortality in the king. dom, and they attributed this mortality and the degeneration of race that was going on in those counties to the enormous consumption of opium-yet, with that frightful fact before the community, the promoters of the Bill struck out the word opium in deference to the traders in those counties. He now moved that the report be adopted by the Council, following upon which some resolutions would be moved by Sir D. Corrigan on the subject.

Dr. QUAIN thought the report should be discussed paragraph by paragraph, because to some parts of it he felt bound to offer considerable opposition. For example, it was most desirable that the Act should extend to Ireland, but, on the other hand, that all chemists should adopt the British Pharmacopoeia was most inconvenient. No one had greater desire to extend the Pharmacopoeia than he had, but to adopt it indiscriminately and by force of law in that way would lead to very dangerous results. For example, many were in the habit of having old prescriptions made up; a chemist in such case might be guided by his reason and judgment; but under the proposed clause, as far as he understood it, a chemist had no alternative under the law but to use the British Pharmacopoeia. He had consulted some of the principal chemists and druggists upon the subject, and they said it would be a most dangerous thing to insist upon the indiscriminate and compulsory use of it.

Sir D. J. CORRIGAN, in introducing the first resolution

founded upon the report-"That the term pharmacist be introduced into the wording of the Act as synonymous with the terms compounding chemist, pharmaceutic chemist, chemist or druggist" said the word "pharmacist" had been chosen by the Committee as more in accordance with the usage on the Continent, and also as a term which it was thought would in time supersede the variety of terms at present in use. The resolution was seconded by Dr. STORRAR, and unanimously adopted.

Sir DOMINIC CORRIGAN, in moving the second resolution"That, from and after the passing of this Act, 'pharmacists,' or dispensing chemists,' or 'druggists,' duly qualified to open shops or establishments in England for the compounding of medicines, shall in like manner be duly qualified to open like shops or establishments in Ireland, and shall not be liable to penalty or fine for so doing, and that in like manner persons licensed in pharmacy, and registered by the Apothecaries' Hall of Ireland, shall not be liable to penalty or fine for so doing in Great Britain”—said that, whereas the Bill provided certain poisons should not be sold by such and such persons unless they conformed to such regulations as to the sale of them as might be prescribed by the Pharmaceutical Society with the consent of the Privy Council, the Committee proposed to introduce the words "or by the General Medical Council," thus giving them power to initiate any steps they might think nécessary.

Dr. ANDREW WOOD was pleased that a new class of dispensing chemists (who would not assume the power of prescribing) would, by this resolution, be introduced into Ireland. In moving the third resolution--"That in clause 1 of the Pharmacy Bill, after the words 'may be prescribed' should be inserted the words 'by the General Medical Council or,' and that in clause 2, line 3, similar words should be inserted after the word 'and,' and again after the word 'thereupon' in line 7"

Sir D. J. CORRIGAN said the object was to give power to the General Medical Council as well as the Pharmaceutical Society to suggest to the Privy Council such questions as this-that certain dangerous drugs should be put into Schedule A containing poisons dangerous to human life and health.

Mr. HARGRAVE seconded the resolution, and after discussion the resolution was put to the vote and negatived, as was also an amendment by Dr. RUMSEY that the words "the Pharmaceutical Society with the consent of" be omitted from the Bill thus leaving the initiative with the Privy Council.

THE SALE OF OPIUM.

Sir D. J. CORRIGAN, upon this subject, moved "That 'opium' should be inserted in Schedule A.” This was unanimously adopted.

DRUGGISTS' ASSISTANTS AND APPRENTICES.

The following resolution, moved by Sir D. J. CORRIGAN, and seconded by Dr. ANDREW WOOD, also received the assent of the Council: "That clauses 3 and 4 be so amended as to limit the registration of 'pharmacists' or chemists and druggists to members of the Pharmaceutical Society, and to such other existing chemists and druggists as the Council of that Society may recommend as fit to be placed on the registry."

THE NEW PHARMACOPIA.

required to compound medicines according to the formularies Sir D. J. CORRIGAN moved "That all pharmacists shall be of the British Pharmacopoeia, unless otherwise specially directed in the written prescriptions."

Dr. QUAIN objected as before to such a clause, in consequence of the hardship and inconvenience which he was convinced from practical knowledge it would impose upon phar medical men did not use the British Pharmacopoeia, and at the maceutical chemists. It was a well-known fact that certain same time did not indicate that fact upon their prescriptions. scription came, that it was intended to be made up under the Chemists at present knew, from the quarter whence the preLondon Pharmacopoeia. But unless this was distinctly stated, under the proposed clause, they would be compelled by law to dispense under the British Pharmacopoeia and no other; and the responsibility of any mishap would be thrown back upon the medical man.

This resolution was also carried, and the next and last resolution on the subject was agreed to--

THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE BY PHARMACISTS.

"That there shall be a clause introduced, providing that registration under this Act shall not entitle any person so

registered to practise medicine or surgery, or any branch of Medicine or Surgery."

It was then moved, "That a deputation consisting of the President, Sir Dominic Corrigan, Dr. Rumsey, Dr. Leet, and Dr. Alexander Wood, be requested to place, without delay, before the Home Secretary, the resolutions of the General Medical Council in reference to a report of the Pharmacy Bill Committee this day considered by the General Council, placing in his hands both the report of Committee, and the resolutions adopted by the Council."

The deputation, as proposed, thereupon left the Council for the purpose stated, and returned at a subsequent period of the meeting, Sir Dominic Corrigan, in the absence of Dr. Rumsey, Chairman of the Committee on Pharmacy, reporting to the Council that the deputation had had an interview with Sir James Fergusson, Bart., Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, and had handed to him the resolution of the General Medical Council previously agreed to, and that Sir James Fergusson had promised to give the resolutions and report of the Committee his best attention in the progress of the Bill through the House.

The Council having expressed themselves satisfied with the result of the deputation, the subject dropped.

Literature.

PROFESSOR MOSLER ON THE TREATMENT OF TYPHUS FEVER.1 A WORK on such an important subject as the treatment of typhus fever undoubtedly is, written by a teacher of clinical medicine at one of the largest schools in Germany, has a just claim on our immediate attention. On Professor Mosler's ability to treat his subject in such a manner as to make it profitable both to science and the practitioner, we need not dwell. But it may just be mentioned, that the author's researches on entozo and mykology have placed him in the foremost position amongst the authors of this department. The work is divided in six parts, treating on the following subjects:

1. Prophylactic measures, by means of which an epidemic in the district of Franzburg has been kept within its original limits, and soon quenched.

tal of Stralsund.

2. Statistics of cases of typhus fever treated in the Hospi3. Experiments on the contagiousness of typhus fever, and on the prophylactic measures derived thereform.

4. Description of barracks of the Greifswald University Hospital, and the results obtained therein, during winter, in typhus and other diseases.

5. Statistics of cases of typhus fever, treated in the University Hospital of Greifswald, during 1866-1867. 6. General remarks.

To treat on all parts separately and in such a manner as they deserve, would imply a reproduction of nearly the whole book. That being impossible, we must confine ourselves to two parts which we consider of the utmost importance, and leave with the reader the perusal of the book itself, if they feel more deeply interested in the subject.

The first of the two points concerns the experiments in respect to the contagiousness of typhus fever.

Professor Mosler maintains, acknowledging the correctness of Pasteur's researches, according to which fermentation and putrefaction are induced and conducted by vegetable or ani. mal organisms of a lower order, that by influence of the same minute beings, animal and human substances may become infectious. This applied to typhus fever, our whole care must tend towards the prevention of the secretions and excretions of the patients, undergoing decomposition, by means of the products of which contagiousness is principally engendered. The most simple and the most convenient way of arriving at the desired end, is the immediate removal of the secretions and excretions from the wards, and the cleanliness of the patients, by putting them often into a bath. The whole procedure, as adopted in the treatment of typhus, by means of water, according to hydro-therapeutical principles, frequent change of linen, keeping clean all parts of the patient's 1 Erfahrungen über die Behandlung des Typhus exanthematius mit Berücksichtigung dabei erfor derlicher prophylakticher Maassregeln, für ärzte und Sanitätsbeamte mitgetheilt von Dr. Fr. Mosler, ordentlicher Professor der Medicin, Director der Medicinischen Kilinck an der Universitat Greifswald, Mit. 1, Tafel. Greifswald, Akademische Buchhandlung. 1868.

body, prevents the development of a nest of contagion immediately around the patient.

Professor Mosler has experimentally shown the part played by lower organisms in decomposing secretions and excretions from patients labouring under typhus fever, to be really great, and that their origin and multiplication must by all means be prevented.

1st Experiment.-On 8th April, 65 C. cent. of blood from a patient suffering from typhus fever, whose morning temperature on about the sixth day of his illness was 403 C. in the axilla, were defibrinised and injected into the right jugular vein of a dog, after having emitted from the same vessel a quantity of blood, equal to that injected. Immediately after transfusion the animal became infirm on its legs, but gradually recovered, exhibiting only during the day of injection a higher temperature, thirst, and passed urine somewhat mixed with blood. On the next day, the dog was perfectly well, and continued so.

2nd Experiment.-A patient, whose temperature on the seventh day of illness was 40'5 C. at five in the afternoon, whose pulse was 130 in a minute, who exhibited numerous petechiæ and all other symptoms of typhus fever, was bled, and about 90 C. cent. of blood was drawn, at once defibrinised, and still warm, about 40 C. cent. of it injected into the left jugular vein of a dog; no abnormal appearances could be observed, and the animal continued in perfect health.

3rd Experiment.-On the 8th of April, a quantity of blood was taken from the right ventricle of a patient, who died from typhus fever. It remained twenty-four hours in the vessel, and contained after that time a very large number of Bactria. It was filtered, raised to a temperature of 31 R. and 60 C. cent., injected into the right jugular vein of a healthy dog. Immediately after injection, no perceptible alteration of the animal, but a few hours afterwards vomiting, intense fever, profuse diarrhoea set in, the animal collapsed rapidly and died after twenty-two hours. On post-mortem examination, the sinuses of the brain were found filled with blood, the same in the envelopements of the brain, the latter exhibiting some of the anterior rim of the left lung, a few small extravasasmall extravasations. No catarrh in the lungs; on the surface tions were visible. A small hemorrhagic infaret, which, however, could not be shown dependent on embolism. Heart normal, liver normal, spleen voluminous, containing much blood, but soft. Kidneys congested. Bladder filled with fluid of a reddish yellow colour, containing albumen. Bowels remarkably altered, being thoroughly filled with a dark bloody mass; mucous membrane swelled, hyperamic containing extravasations, even the stomach was filled with the same dark bloody mass as the bowels.

Small as the number of experiments is, and negative as are the results of the two first experiments, yet they sufficiently show the blood of a typhus-patient, when immediately transfused into an animal, does not under all circumstances produce typhus, but only acts as blood of any other patient suffering from some kind of fever, and experiments recently made by Frese have even shown that larger quantities of healthy blood produce fever symptoms, if a venesection has preceded infusion, from which fact Frese considers increased reception of products from physiological decay into the blood, as the cause following such bleedings. of raise of temperature after bleeding, and after transfusions

concludes, that the blood, as well as the secretions and excreFrom the positive results of the third experiment, Prof. Mosler tions from typhus-patients, assume deleterious properties, when some time under the influence of the atmosphere, and when decomposed by lower vegetable or animal organisms. In fresh typhus-blood Bactria could not be discovered.

Some feeding experiments made with dejections from patients suffering from typhoid fever, are of great interest, and may briefly be mentioned.

The

4th Experiment.-On 31st October, 200 C.C. of typhus-stool from a patient suffering from typhoid fever, whose evening temperature in the second week of illness was 40.2 C., morning. temperature 39.6 C., were given by means of a funnel, to a strong, healthy dog. No vomiting after infiltration. stool has been evacuated during the night from the 30th to 31st October, and infiltrated on the 31st October, at 11 o'clock A.M. The microscope showed the usual elements of typhusstool, but there were already numbers of vibriones. intense alkaline.

Reaction

On the first of November, temperature in the rectum of the dog 39 C. On the next day the animal was perfectly healthy; no diarrhoea.

On the third of November, 25 C.C. of typhus-stool five days old, have been given to the same dog. The stool contained large masses of vibriones, reaction intensely alkaline. No symptoms perceptible during the first few days, but on the 9th November the animal declined taking food; had rigors, shiverings, was emaciated, and died on the 14th November.

On the post-mortem examination, ulcers of the intestines and other products were seen as are usually met with in cases of typhoid fever.

5th Experiment. On the 28th November, 600 C.C. of fresh typhoid-stool was given to a dog, and all precaution taken to prevent the fluid being returned by vomiting.

On the 29th the animal was uneasy; took but little food; was very fœtid, but recovered the next day. Temperature

measured in the rectum was not raised.

If paid in advance, 1 1 8

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The Medical Press and Circular.

'SALUS POPULI SUPREMA LEX." WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1868.

THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION.

MEDICAL Officers in the army complain, with good reason, that their labours with our troops in all climates, and under every circumstance of military service, neither obtain for them the rewards and distinctions that are bestowed on military men, nor those that the more successful of their professional brethren in civil life receive. They justly consider that they are thus in a most unfavourable position in these respects; nor can exception be taken to the point of view from which they consider their position.

It is not enough to assert that in any improvements in their social status, pay and prospects on retirement have of late years been effected, nor to remind them that only within the present century has the custom been established of any notice being taken in "orders" by commanders of their services at all. These facts are not denied, although when contrasted with the improvements effected in the status of the medical practitioner in civil life, and in the condition of the army military officer, they hesitate to believe that, as compared to either, they have not been left behind. Knighthood and baronetcies have been conferred upon medical men practising in civil life; similar and far greater rewards upon generals employed in the different

wars in which our troops have, during the last fourteen years, taken part. But as to the medical officer! let us look at the Army List, and we there find there is not among the names of those now on full-pay any distinctive honour beyond the Companionship of the Bath.

The omission of the Medical Officers attached to the army in Abyssinia in the vote of thanks to all other departments connected with that force, is an illustration in point, and has, in fact, given rise to these remarks. Under ordinary circumstances, to omit all mention of the officer at the head of an administration, implies censure of that officer, and of the department under him. Dr. CURRIE, fortunately for himself, had already established his reputation as an able administrator and first-rate medical officer, and had this not been the case the accounts given by correspondents with the force, not to mention the recognition of his services in the despatches of Sir ROBERT NAPIER, amply testify to the importance of the services that, on this occasion, have been rendered by him and the medical officers employed under his orders.

It is clear, then, that the non-recognition of those services, rests not with the General in command. No man knows better than Sir ROBERT NAPIER the value of an efficient medical department, and no man is more ready than he to give to each the credit to which he is justly entitled, whether he be military, medical, commissariat, or other "departmental" officer. How comes it, then, that among the principals whose services were acknowledged by Sir ROBERT NAPIER as having conduced to the success of the expedition, Dr. CURRIE has alone been excluded in the filtering process that the despatches underwent in their progress to concentration in the Houses of Parliament? With whomsoever the blame rests, the omission is a grievous mistake. The prospects of Army Medical Officers are already small enough in all conscience. Even with open competition there is some difficulty in "catching" a sufficient number of young men at ten shillings per day per head to fill existing vacancies; but, bye and bye, when the eyes of those self-same young men shall have been opened, when they see that they are shut out from the rewards of civil life, and not admitted to those prized so much in military, they will cease to take pride or to exert themselves in a position in which, whatever be their individual. merits, whatever the services rendered by them, they meet with no other treatment than discouragement and absolute neglect.

THE ELECTION AT THE DUBLIN COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS.

On Friday next, the 24th instant, the President and Fellows of the King and Queen's College of Physicians in Ireland will proceed to elect a King's Professor of the Practice of Physic on the foundation of Sir Patrick Dun, under the provisions of the School of Physic Act of 1800, and of the amended statute-the School of Physic Amend ment Act of 1867.

We have on more than one occasion adverted to this

matter, and as our readers are by this time tolerably well acquainted with the facts of the case, we need not further advert to them now. We have every confidence in the electors, and we are convinced that each one will vote according to his solemn oath, and execute the trust reposed in him to the best of his judgment, and for the honour and dignity of our profession.

There is, however, one point in connection with this election to which sufficient attention has scarcely been given, in our opinion, and it is this, the important, very im

portant, question-how long shall the Professor hold his office?

The newly elected professor, according to the terms of the statute, will be chosen for seven years only; and, herein, we think, lies a very important consideration. Hitherto, it has been customary to re-elect the Professors of the School of Physic at the conclusion of their Septennial terms, the Act empowering the electors to do so; but there is nothing in the terms of the Act to give rise to the idea that these professorships are de facto tenable for life.

When once a gentleman has been elected on the old custom, mooting this question, so far as he is concerned, would, of course, have a personal aspect; and, therefore, we disclaim any reference to existing professors in these remarks. Our idea is, that this election ought to be clearly understood to be in the strict terms of the Statute, for seven years only, and not for life; and that, at the end of that time, there should be a fresh bona fide election, open to the retiring professor, as well as to all other candi

dates.

The advantages of this are numerous.

If the professor has been found to be a man of only ordinary ability, a more able man can be put in his place, without any real or implied censure on him; while, if he has been found to be very able in the discharge of his professional duties, he need not fear competition.

Again, if a man be chosen because he is senior and experienced, he will, when too senior, give place to others before he becomes a clinical bore to students; while, if a man be chosen because he is young and active, he will, in time, give place to other young and active men, who will thus be not excluded from office for a long life-time, but will have a stimulus to exertion, and a strong motive for preparation for such frequently occurring vacancies.

A candidate for such a place may be too old to be chosen for a life-time, but not too old to be chosen for seven years; and a candidate may also be too young to be chosen for a life time, but not too young to be chosen after the lapse of one septennial period.

The Benchers of the King's Inns elect their professors for three years only, and several of the Dublin University professorships are only for a term of years.

If a man be chosen professor, and given seven years to make a name and position, he may, if successful, very well give place to another, who could thus have a similar advantage. Whereas, if he did not make a name and position in seven years, the School of Physic could well afford to supply his place with a better man.

The Professor of the Practice of Physic should not be a lecturer in stereotype, whose very sentences, by unceasing repetition, become butts for the wit and satire of the student.

NOTES ON THE ABYSSINIANS.
No. IV.

In our issue for the 1st instant we noted the deaths and funerals, and some of the treatment given to the sick among this curious and ancient people. We shall now note some facts in their religion and superstitions which have bearing on medicine. By profession the great majority of the nation are Christians, and they will not eat of meat slaughtered by any but a Christian hand. Their fasts are more numerous, perhaps, than those of any other Christian people, more than two-thirds of the year being assigned to more or less abstinence. In their fasting it is not sufficient to abstain from animal food only; during fast-time they neither eat or drink anything until late in the afternoon, and this (observes Mr. Parkyns)" is a severe mortification of the flesh in a hot and enervating climate. Many of their fasts are of long duration. The time of day when it is lawful to eat is decided by the length of a man's shadow, measured by his own feet, and varies in different fasts. Thus, the fast of Advent is during the last ten days of the

month of October, and the whole of November, and during each day of that time till a man's shadow measures nine and a-half feet. Beside, there are all the other long fasts, and all Wednesdays and Fridays, making nearly 260 days of fasting in each year."

On the morning of St. John's Day the friends of persons "possessed of the devil," who have in vain tried all the ordi. nary remedies, take the patients into the country, where they are placed at a point where two cross roads meet. Then, in each case, as instructions have been received from the wise, "a white or a red sheep is dragged three times round him, and afterwards slaughtered in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' The sign of the cross is then marked on the patient's forehead with the blood of the victim, which is left where it was killed, and the whole party returns homeward, being careful on no account to look back towards the sheep, lest by so doing they should disturb the devil, who is supposed to have left the man, and to be busy in eating the

mutton."

The most common diseases appear to be tænia, quinsy, leprosy, scabies, and fevers. Even at the risk of quoting at full length, we deem Mr. Parkyns' remarks on these subjects coming as they do from a non-professional observer, too im portant to be omitted.

In chap. xxxvi., p. 273, he says:

to be considered, for the whole Abyssinian population may be "Tænia, or tape-worm, is on this account certainly the first said to be afflicted with it. Out of above forty persons, male and female, whom I had as servants at one time, only two were exempt, and I should say that this was a rather larger proportion than would be found in a general average of the people. The cause of this complaint has been frequently made a subject of speculation. By many it has been assigned to the eating of raw meat; by others again, to the great quantity of cayenne pepper used by the Abyssinians. The natives are in the habit of taking physic regularly once every two months to relieve them of this malady, but as yet they have no means of completely curing it, the head of the worm (as they say) re

maining as a germ, from which link after link is formed, till a future dose is required. In this I believe European doctors are in nowise superior to the natives, for they have lately introduced into the Pharmacopoeia one of the Abyssinian medicines called kousso. This is the flower and seed of a tree which grows abundantly in some parts of the country. In Abyssinia a supply sufficient for a man's life may be procured for the value of 6d., while in Europe a single dose, and that a very small one, costs several shillings. Besides this, the Abyssinians use the bark of another tree and the bulbous root of a small

plant which, if it be not our common wood sorrel, is very nearly

allied to it. One of these-I believe the bark-is reckoned much

more efficacious than the "kousso," but is seldom used, from being supposed to be highly dangerous in its effects. The one is called basinna,' the other 'muitcha-muitcho.' Neither of these, however, is used when the kousso can be procured. The dried flowers are ground or pounded as fine as possible, and a strong infusion made, of which the patient takes more than half a pint fasting. About noon, when it has taken the required effect, a good quantity of beer or tedge is considered beneficial, on which account, if the sufferer be a servant, he begs for a supply from his master, or any friends who may be dining with him; coming round at meals, holding in his hand a small cross made of two bits of stick or straw, and exclaim

ing, For the sake of Mary, for the sake of the Saviour,' &c., when a horn of liquor is usually given him.

6

"Next is the complaint called 'hannat,' which is a glandular enlargement in the throat, ultimately forming abscesses, which increase to such a size that, if no means to cure them be taken, the throat is completely stopped up and the patient suffocated; the Abyssinians. The premonitory symptoms are violent pains this, after the tænia, is perhaps the most frequent malady of in the head, back, and legs, and much dizziness. The following remarks, taken from my original notes, will exemplify the treatment adopted for it:-'Tisphitou' (one of my servants), not having any of the preventive medicine, they twice took a on his return from Mai Quollaw, was seized with the hannat; good deal of blood from his head, but with no beneficial effect. The night before last he was obliged to be carried into the hut, being nearly senseless; the other servants urged him to have

his throat examined, but he seemed reduced to that listless, apathetic state of mind in which we see people who are suffering from violent sea-sickness, for he begged to be left alone and not bothered; on being expostulated with, and the danger of delay pointed out to him, he merely said 'Oh, never mind; let me alone.' However, a soldier who happened to be in the village volunteering his services, and professing to be a skilful operator, we forced the patient's mouth open, and held him while the examination was going on. The throat was almost entirely closed, and, had the man been allowed to remain till the morrow, he would in all probability have died. The soldier, however, made short work with it; for, thrusting in his hand, he tore the swellings with his nail, and the patient, having ejected a quantity of matter and blood, was pronounced out of danger for the time. On the advice of the operator I gave him a good dose of jalap, and he ultimately recovered, though he remained in a very weak state for several days. Since his illness almost all of our people have suffered more or less from this same complaint. The preventive medicine which I alluded to is a sort of root, which is chewed in an early stage of the malady, and seems, when taken in time, to be a certain antidote. One symptom is extreme furriness of the tongue. The disease of which Mr. Salt (vide Valentia's Travels, vol. iii., p. 80) doubts the existence in Abyssinia is unfortunately only too prevalent; I myself have treated many cases of it, generally with much success where it was taken in time; but occasionally I have seen some most horrible instances where it has been neglected-living specimens, quite as fearful to behold as any of the models in the Musée d'Anatomie at Paris. That the Abyssinians appreciate the difference between it and the

scorbutic affection with which Mr. Salt confounds it, is evident from their having distinct names for it. In Tigrè it is called 'fintata;' in Amharic, 'kitting;' and in the Galla language, 'fànto.' I have already mentioned that among the native remedies the flesh or blood of the wild boar is reckoned as one, probably, as I said, from their having seen the lard used by Europeans in the composition of mercurial ointment. They have several others, but none productive of good effect. Near Metemma, in the Nubian province of Berber, there is a sort of whitish-coloured earth, called by the natives 'toureyba,' which is used as a medicine in these cases, and I have been assured (even by some European medical men) with a good result: in Abyssinia they possess nothing so valuable. There is an old Armenian named Gorgorious (Gregory), who administers to sufferers, at a considerable charge, what he professes to be a certain cure. This is nothing more nor less than a dozen or two pills, containing corrosive sublimate, the recipe for which he, no doubt, obtained from some quack in Egypt. Though a rather dangerous medicine, this preparation of mercury might, in many cases, if properly administered, be beneficial; but with our friend, who never troubles himself either to examine his patient, or inquire how long he has been afflicted, simply receiving his fee and desiring the sufferer to take so many per diem till the box is finished, it is a case of 'kill,' perhaps, oftener than of 'cure.' The natives, too, are very difficult to deal with, for they cannot be made to understand that, where one dose will do them good, two may be injurious; nor are the blacks worse in this respect than the Turks, Greeks, or Egyp

tians-of which I have had many proofs.

"There is a sort of horrible scrofulous disease in all these countries, which causes the loss of the hands or feet. The people of Sennár call it 'judàm;' I forget the Tigrè name. Elephantiasis is not so common in Abyssinia as in the low lands to the north, nor is the Guinea worm. I have never seen any case of the latter in this country, except in a pilgrim who was merely passing through. In the provinces of Sennar it is called 'frantite,' and its origin attributed to the black soil of the country; it sometimes appears in the arms or body, but most commonly in the lower part of the leg. The only cure is to wind the worm gradually out, taking great care not to break it, which accident might be productive of very dangerous con

sequences.

"Scabies is very prevalent, but I am doubtful if it is the same as that which is common with us. It generally fixes itself on the elbows, where it forms a large sore difficult enough to get rid of. It does not seem to depend at all on the

habits of the person or on contagion, for I have known Europeans to have it without any assignable cause.

ague or the fearful bilious jungle fever; while those of a low typhoid class, which occasionally visit even the most elevated towns, often as epidemics, are called 'mitat.' Local bleedings, aperients, and emetics are administered in these; for aperients they have certain herbs, but not an uncommon agent for producing both purgative and emetic effects is a large quantity of ghee' (clarified butter) and honey. Dysentery, and the other complaints of the same family, are by no means uncommon. This is the disease which is most fatal to Europeans in these countries: several Frenchmen have died of it in Abyssinia. The natives chew a root, in addition to the above-named medicines, for this class of malady. The root has a pungent taste, between ginger and pepper, and I really believe it did me some good on one occasion, when, not being able to have recourse to my own drugs, I was obliged to put up with those of the country. Small-pox is, I should say, not so uncommon here as in many parts of the world: it has visited Abyssinia, as an epidemic, once or twice in the last fifteen years, but, judging by the number of those who bear its traces, I should say, not very severely."

Notes on Current Topics.

Royal College of Physicians of London. BEFORE this meets the eye of our readers, the annual meeting for the election of Fellows of this College will, in all probability, have terminated.

Without any feeling of personal disrespect to the gentlemen nominated, we trust that the Fellows will, for a second time within a brief period, remind some members of the Council of the existence of such things as daylight and fair-play," by refusing to endorse the selection they have made; or, failing this always painful means of even enforcing a principle, we trust that they will, at least, render the Council powerless in the future, to inflict further injury upon their tottering institution.

Medical Department of the Privy Council. MR. SIMON, the Medical Officer, has published his tenth report, which forms a volume containing a variety of interesting and valuable particulars, which we can only briefly notice. It consists of two parts or divisions. The first relates to public vaccination, and to the causes and extent of local outbreaks of disease, from which we learn that the work of vaccination has been so far satisfactory, that gratuities were given to 231 vaccinators, amounting to £1824-the largest being £67, 7s. 4d., and the smallest only 15s. 4d. Winterton, Guilford, and Terling, where typhoid fever has been the prevailing disease, are the places to which the inquiries have been principally confined. The filthy state of the locality, and the culpable neglect of sanitary measures, were found to be the chief cause of the epidemic, except in Guilford, where the immediate cause of the outbreak was the impurity of the water-supply. The second part of the report details what Mr. Simon calls the "systematic proceedings” which have been pursued, "with the object of increasing our exact knowledge of disease." They include " An Inquiry by Dr. Buchanan, on the Relation of Phthisis to Dampness of Soil;" "An Inquiry by Dr. Sanderson into the Innoculability of so-called Tubercular Disease ;" and "A Report by Dr. Thudichum on the Chemical Researches he has made towards obtaining a precise knowledge in those chemical aspects of pathology, where at present there is almost utter darkness."