from the bursting of small veins. On post-mortem examination, no disease of Peyer's glands, whatever, was discovered, except that some of them were hypertrophied, the results, no doubt, of former disease. In the cœcum, there were about a dozen sloughing ulcers, irregular in shape, the largest of them about the size of a five-cent piece. Taking the three cases together, it appears that the disease, although of common origin, may or may not be attended with ulceration of Peyer's glands. This is in accordance with the opinion of the English, and opposed to that of the French Pathologists.-Ibid. Professor Dudley's Operation for Stone by Lithotomy.-(Western Lancet, Jan., 1847.) Professor Dudley has recently performed the operation for stone in several instances, and with his usual success. He has now performed the operation on one hundred and eightynine persons, of whom one hundred and eighty-four have recovered. The last case from which we received particular information, recovered in less than a week. Twelve hours after the operation, the urine passed by the wound for the last time, and union by the first intention took place perfectly. This remarkable success has not been attained by a selection of cases; on the contrary, we have the best authority for the declaration that he has operated on nearly every case that has been presented. He performs the lateral operation, and always employs the gorget.-Southern Journal of Medicine and Pharmacy. A Case of Idiopathic Tetanus, treated successfully by Strychnine. By EDWARD VANDERPOOL, M. D. (New York Jour. of Med. Jan., 1847.-Was requested to see Mr. B., aged 58 years, segar merchant. Just one month ago he thought he took cold from sitting in front of his store in the evenings, from a chilliness creeping up the sides of his face, which continued for several days. This was followed by a sore feeling of the face, near the ears, and inability to extend the jaws, with a difficulty of swallowing. About this time, he commenced to fall backwards when walking, which he would do every few days from a sudden spasmodic opisthotonos attack. Two days ago he fell suddenly, in the same way, through the lower half of a window, breaking out both the sash and the glass, but without injury to himself. I found him with tetanic expression of countenance, permanent rigidity of the masseter and temporal muscles, jaws nearly closedcould only show the edge of the tongue at its tip, which was much bitten, by being caught between his teeth whilst dozing--is frequently drawn, or, if standing, thrown backwards by spasmodic action of the muscles of the back. Bowels soluble. Pulse eighty, and soft. Has taken several cathartic doses of calomel since he felt unwell, and "a number of sweats." Prescribed strychnine in solution, the sixteenth of a grain every two hours. 14th October.-Doctor Fell happening to call on me, I invited him to see the patient. 10 o'clock, A. M.-Took only three doses yes terday and one this morning. Found him with a handkerchief tied around his waist from bad feeling in the region of the diaphragmproduced, as he supposed, by a fall an hour before-rigidity of the jaws about the same; his teeth are worn off, to appearance one-eighth of an inch-thus allowing for the distance he can open his mouth. Spasms more frequent; takes fluid nourishment well. Bowels have moved. R. Stryc., one-fourteenth of a grain every two hours. 7 o'clock, P. M.-Jaws have yielded a little, but spasms have been very frequent. R. Stryc., one-twelfth of a grain every two hours. (This treatment was continued with a gradual abatement of the symptoms until the 20th, when the patient was convalescent. He was discharged cured on the 22d.) Within the last two years, two other cases have occurred in my practice. The lamented young S. Fox, aged 19 years, from an injury whilst bathing, died the fifth day; having been treated with tart ant., assafœt., laudanum and brandy. The other, a coloured woman, two months subsequent to young Fox, recovered. Both were traumatic tetanus. The woman had the opisthotonos form, permanent rigidity, with occasional spasmodic aggravations-especially of the diaphragm-which caused excruciating suffering. The fifth day, her jaws having become firmly closed, I concluded to take the responsibility and bleed her to the extent of a large wash-basin full, when her jaws yielded a little-say ths of an inch-and this state of things I endeavored to maintain by tart. ant. She took 4 grs. in solution every hour and every other hour for two days without producing emesis, when, for fear of inflammation of the stomach, I suspended its use. Her convalescence was very slow, but her health has been good since. N. Y., Oct. 10th, 1846. P. S. Strychnine will not dissolve in water or alcohol. A good way is to add 3j. acetic acid to 3vij. aq., which will make a clear solution.-Ibid. Foetus, with left Arm partly amputated by the Funis coiled round it. (Dub. Quart. Jour. of Med. Scien., Nov., 1846.)-Dr. Beatty exhibited to the Pathological Society of Dublin, a preparation of a fœtus, of between the fifth and sixth months of utero-gestation, which he adduced in confirmation of the fact several years ago described by Dr. Montgomery, the spontaneous amputation of the limbs before birth. This specimen illustrates that process, and may help to ex, plain why the fœtus is so often found maimed before it arrives at its full period. The left arm in this instance had been enveloped in a coil of the umbilical cord, which had so tightly constricted it as to cause the absorption of all the tissues with which it was in contact ; this had occurred about the middle of the humerus, and, the soft part being removed, only the bone preserved the continuity of the limb.Ibid. Hospitals and Alms-houses in France. The present number of hospitals or alms-houses in France is 1338, having a revenue of 53,632,992 fr. There are 39 institutions for the education of the deaf, dumb and blind youth of the kingdom, in which at present 1675 pupils are receiving instruction. The number of deaf and dumb persons in France is computed at 20,000 to 25,000, and the number of blind at 12,000 to 15,000. As to the enfants trouvés, the number cannot be accurately made out, but 123,394 have been received at the Foundling hospitals, of which there are 144, in a single year. The number of indigent lunatics is 12,286, who are supported by the government at an annual expense of 4,326,138 francs, and by humane and judicious treatment a large number of these unhappy beings are every year restored to reason, and to their families and society. Western Journal. Analysis of Gun-Cotton.—In a late English paper I observed an analysis of gun-cotton made by Professor Graham, of London. Exploded in a glass tube so as to collect the gaseous products, 53.33 grains of the cotton yielded 100 cubic inches of gas, of which the composition was as follows: Carbonic acid, Carbonic oxide, Nitrogen 14.284, or 2 volumes; Besides these aëriforn bodies, a portion of oxalic acid is precipitated, and a considerable quantity of water results from the combustion. Ibid. Small-Pox.-M. Béhier, one of the physicians of La Charité, Paris, has had during the last few weeks several interesting cases of smallpox in his service. A female, twenty-eight years of age, slept for some nights next to the bed of a patient labouring under variola: one morning, in making up a bed, she touched his person. Twenty days after she was seized with chilliness, followed by heat and a sensation of general lassitude, with pains in the loins, felt particularly in movements of the limbs. She complained of soreness of the throat, with tolerably intense oppression; the tongue was white, the eyes weeping, and the palate the seat of papula. The most remarkable phenomenon in this case, and it is on this account that I have reported it, was the form and volume of the pustules, which were small, pointed, resembling simple acne, and not presenting the appearance of pustules with wide bases which are observed in variola. This modification in the eruption alone gave rise to some fears of unpleasant complications. And this is a character which it is well to bear in mind, that whenever the pustules present themselves in this way, there is reason to anticipate an abnormal march, or some grave epiphenomenon in the disease. The third day a violent delirium declared itself; the patient jumped out of bed and ran across the ward. She complained greatly of her throat: her pulse was at first 74; then 84; then 90. Six leeches were applied behind each ear. Calomel was given internally; two large blisters to the lower extremities, after having previously used sinapisms. The third day after the delirium the pustules became less distinct, and the symptoms improved. This is a remarkable fact-the patient had been vaccinated, and should have had varioloid; but. on the contrary, her symptoms were exceedingly grave. It is generally the case, when a patient who has been vaccinated is attacked with variola, that the disease is more mild than if vaccination had not been performed. An opinion prevails very extensively among physicians, that in variola the pustule is umbilical, or pointed, and that it is not so in varioloid. This is proved to be altogether erroneous. In variola, umbilical pustules are but rarely seen, and the only real difference between it and varioloid is in the time of desiccation. In the former, between the eruption and the desiccation, there is a distinct period, while in varioloid the pustules appear, become dry, and the scales are formed and fall off very rapidly. There should be no importance attached to the umbilical shape of the pustules in these diseases, according to M. Béhier, who has made extensive and careful researches on the subject, both_at_l'Hospital Saint Louis and l'Hospital des Enfans, where he has had numerous opportunities of observing these diseases. As a general rule, variola does not offer umbilical pustules. The history of this patient, after her recovery from variola, shows the possibility of complications posterior to the principal affection. The parotid of the left side of her neck inflamed, and the abscess was opened. Erysipelas seized first this side, and afterwards the other, and was followed by anasarca, which commenced in the face, obstinate diarrhea, and albuminous urine. The same remedy was employed in this condition, as in a similar case supervening upon an attack of scarlatina: vapour baths produced sensible amelioration of the symptoms.-Ibid. Treatment of Hydrocele.-In the treatment of hydrocele, M. Blandin does not believe that the nature of the liquid injected into the vaginal tunic exercises any sensible influence upon the results of the operation. He employs, with equal confidence, the vinous decoction of roses de Provins, tincture of iodine, etc. It is only necessary that the liquid should possess irritating properties, in a sufficient degree to provoke an adhesive inflammation, in order that its use may be followed by success. He prefers a simple mixture of three parts of water to one of rectified alcohol. This liquid possesses the advantage of being always at the hand of the surgeon, and not requiring, as the vinous decoction does, a manipulation more or less tedious; and what is of more importance, it possesses over the preparations of iodine the advantage of leaving no stain on the instruments or on the linen of the patients.-Ibid. THE MEDICAL EXAMINER AND RECORD OF MEDICAL SCIENCE. NEW SERIES.-No. XXIX.-MAY, 1847. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. Cold Plague, or Malignant Bilious Pneumonia. By JAMES D. RIVERS, M. D., of Hall County, Ga. The February number of the Examiner contains an article extracted from the Southern Medical and Surgical Journal, in which the writer makes some remarks in reference to a disease" which has prevailed more extensively in Georgia and South Carolina (and perhaps in other Southern states) during the last year or two than formerly, and which has been attended with an extraordinary degree of mortality." The disease to which the writer alludes, under the name of "Pneumonia," or "Pleuro Pneumonia," is well known to the people of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, as the "Cold Plague;" and from the little experience that I have had in some fifteen or twenty cases, I am induced to believe that this latter appellation, or the more scientific one of Malignant Bilious Pneumonia, is preferable to the one which the writer has given, and is more descriptive of the malady than any other name that has come to my notice. The disease called the "Black Tongue," which prevailed to such an alarming extent in the north-western section of this State last year, is, I suspect, another form of the Cold Plague. With these remarks by way of prelude, I propose to make a few observations in reference to the general characters of the disease as developed in the cases that have fallen under my charge, and the method of treatment adopted, and then to give a detailed account of a |