little stricken with the "soda-phobia" of Magendie and his disciples. We are no advocates for the habitual use or abuse of soda, where acidities do not prevail in the stomach; but where they do prevail, we maintain that alkalies are highly beneficial, and extremely soothing. We shall conclude with the following judicious advice.

"Although no truism is more known, it cannot be too often repeated, that almost all persons who have the means, take daily an excess of food beyond what is required and useful.

Every one has too much occasion to say with the poet,

video meliora proboque,

Deteriora sequor.

In some instances of dyspepsia, the digestive powers are so weakened, that the conversion of vegetable matter into good chyme is difficult or impracticable, and acetous fermentation is the consequence; but otherwise, for the gouty individual, I must approve of a mixed diet, of animal and vegetable food. Various facts serve to show that, in gout, the blood is overcharged with animal principles. All the secretions are loaded. It should be the patient's study not to exceed that quantity of food with which he can, by the exercise of self-control, just feel himself comfortable. Due regard is, at the same time, to be paid to the nervous energy; and this is a point always to be studied in the diet. It will often be expedient to make gradual rather than sudden changes.”

Having thus concentrated all the chief points of this Letter, we shall merely observe that, although we differ from a writer and practitioner, of ample experience, on some minor points, yet we part with him entertaining a high opinion of his abilities in the treatment of that painful complaint which has occupied so much of his attention and observation.

ANATOMIE COMPARÉE DU SYSTEME NERVEUX CONSIDERE DANS SES RAPPORTS AVEC L'INTELLIGENCE, comprenant la description de l'encéphale et de la moelle rachidienne, des recherches sur le développement, le volume, le poids, la structure de ces organes chez l'homme et les animaux vertébrés; l'histoire du système ganglionaire des animaux articulés et des mollusques, et l'exposé de la relation qui existe entre la perfection progressive de ces centres nerveux et l'état des facultés instinctives, intellectuelles et morales. Par Fr. Leuret, Medecin de l'Hospice de Bicetre. Ouvrage accompagné d'un atlas de 33 planches in-folio, dessinées par M. Chazal et gravées sous sa direction. 1re Livraison-Tome Premier. Paris, chez J. B. Bailliere, 1839.

ATLAS-Première Livraison-Planches 1 à 8-Texte, Feuilles 1 à 4. J. B. Bailliere.

We look on this as a very valuable work. At present we shall content ourselves with merely pointing out the contents of the volume before us. At a future opportunity we shall present some account of our author's views.

He treats in succession of the nervous system of the molusca-of the articulata of fish-of the cerebro-spinal nervous system of reptiles.

The plates which are uncoloured, but remarkably clearly executed, represent 1, the Nervous System of the Invertebrata-2, the Cerebro-Spinal Nervous System of Fish, Reptiles, and Birds-the Encephalon of the Mammifera whose Cerebral Lobes are deficient in Convolutions-4, the Encephalon of the Fox tribe-5, the Encephalon of the Cat tribe-6, the Encephalon of the Bear and Sable tribe-7, the Encephalon of the Sheep tribe, comprising the Ruminantia and Solipeda.

We recommend this work strongly to our anatomical readers.

Spirit of the British and American Periodicals.

VIRTUES OF THE IODIDE OF POTASSIUM.

MR. Laycock, in a communication to our contemporary, the Medical Gazette, sets forth in strong colours the use, if not the utility of the iodide of potassium. The quantity of iodide of potassium consumed in the hospital for the last three years, is as follows:-In 1836, 124 oz. in 1837, 63 oz.; in 1838, 75 oz.

It would seem that Mr. Russell the junior surgeon prescribes sarsaparilla and not iodide of potassium, because he is unable to understand the rationale of the latter while Mr. Champney prescribes the iodide in similar cases, because, we presume, he is unable to understand the rationale of the former. This reminds us very much of the two sects in Babylon, one of which made it a cardinal point to enter the temple with the right foot foremost, while the other denounced damnation on all who did not advance the left foot.

Mr. Laycock relates four cases. We shall only quote the fourth.

Case 4.-"This is another'sarsaparilla' case. Mary Brown, thin, bloodless, and with nasal voice, has ulcers in the throat, and nocturnal pains. She has taken mercury for a syphilitic disease. She was admitted an out-patient on August 20th, 1838, and took first the simple decoction of zarsa; then Hudson's syrup, with lime-water; and lastly, the decoction, with half an ounce of the extract to each pint. She got no better, and was made an in-patient on Nov. 1st. For two or three weeks she took five grains of the iodide of potassium in a wine-glassful of the decoction of zarsa, and in two or three days there was a manifest improvement; the appetite returned, the nights were good, and the ulcers in the throat looked clean. She was convalescent on December 22d, when she was made an out-patient, and in a few days was discharged cured. She has had no relapse up to the present date."

Upon this and on the preceding cases, Mr. Laycock makes some observations, which, perhaps, require notice. He says:

"The iodide of potassium is a specific in such cases as 1 and 2, if it be genuine, and given regularly and in sufficient doses. The shortest time in which I have seen an ulcerated throat healed is 18 days. In cases in which there is sallowness, emaciation, syphilitic ulcers, and where mercury has previously been given, I have never seen it fail. When the osseous tissues are affected, the health is as rapidly restored; but, of course, the dead or careous bone requires the usual time for exfoliation.

In venereal eruptions it has not been found quite so successful as in the preceding cases, but required its action to be quickened by small-doses of blue-pill or calomel.

The iodide has been very freely administered in other forms of disease. In cutaneous eruptions it has been signally successful. A youth, aged 19, the son of a country shoemaker, came into the hospital with a chronic impetiginous eruption of sixteen years' standing. Every kind of medicine usually prescribed had been tried without success, in addition to a course of the Harrogate waters. He was admitted under the care of Mr. Champney, on Feb. 16, 1837, and was dismissed cured April 16. He took three grains only of the iodide, three times a day, for the first month, and his cure was proportionally slow. He took bluepill and extract of colocynth occasionally, and used an ointment composed of half a drachm of the chloride of mercury, and an ounce of the dilute ointment of the nitrate of mercury.

Given in ptyalism it seemed to have the effect of increasing the discharge; but it has never excited the salivary glands when given alone. Dr. Simpson has prescribed it with considerable success in hypertrophy and other diseases of

the heart, which constitute a large proportion of our cases. It has also been given with success in rheumatic, neuralgic, and paralytic affections. It has been tried with varying success in visceral enlargements, and almost every form of chronic organic disease."

He adds:

"The superiority of iodide of potassium to zarsa, in the treatment of secondary syphilis, is now placed beyond all doubt by so much concurrent testimony; and it would be a worthy object of enquiry to determine how far it may be made to supersede the latter expensive medicine in common cases in which it is now freely used, as in diseased joints and scrofulous abscesses. The period of stay of venereal cases in hospital is shortened, on an average, at least two-thirds, when treated with the iodide."

We would suggest to Mr. Laycock, that a little less confidence in his own opinions, and a little more respect for the opinions of others, would not be unbecoming. Mr. L. dogmatises pretty boldly, and yet some exception may be taken to his statements.

We do not hesitate to say that he exaggerates the powers of the iodide of potassium. It is very far from a specific in such cases as the one that we have quoted. No doubt it is a valuable medicine, no doubt it often relieves, sometimes cures almost magically, but no doubt it not unfrequently fails. We have at this moment several cases of this kind under our care which have been only temporarily, or not at all benefitted by the iodide.

Mr. Laycock says that it is not quite so successful in the venereal eruptions! What are those eruptions? In the majority of the cases of genuine venereal eruption we venture to affirm that the iodide is not successful at all.

In another place Mr. Laycock remarks that the superiority of the iodide over sarsaparilla in the treatment of secondary syphilis is placed beyond all doubt. The truth is, that neither one nor the other goes far towards curing secondary syphilis. That, after all, requires mercury. Sarsaparilla is an excellent adjunct to the latter, because it maintains the health, not because it exerts much influ. ence over the disease. In some instances, the iodide is a good adjuvant too, but not so good, in our opinion, as the zarsa.

It is in the cachectic cases, those cases which either result from the abuse of mercury, or from the compound agency of syphilis and mercury on a peculiar habit it is in those cases, we say, that both the iodide and sarsaparilla are peculiarly serviceable. It is difficult to say which is most so: an injury would be inflicted on medicine were it deprived of either. With some persons the iodide acts best-with others sarsaparilla-with most, it is better to combine the two. We fancy that we perceive, what usually happens, a very indiscriminate and therefore a mischievous use of the iodide. It is astonishing what a disposition men's minds have to run only in a groove. Some people prescribe nothing but creosote one moment-nothing but iodide the next.

STATE OF THE FACULTY AND OF PHYSIC IN ALGIERS.

Physic would seem to be at a low ebb in Algiers. The doctors certainly are so. The following extract from an extract in the Medical Gazette will exhibit the state of things in that country.

"Dr. Bohn first introduced vaccination, and practised it in the family of the deposed Dey himself, who, however, did not give him a princely fee; and, generally speaking, people are here unwilling to give aught to physician or apothecary.

As to the native physicians, the Dey had a kind of protomedicus, who decided medico-legal questions, and created other physicians for a few piastres, without being exactly able to read and write. If a man was able to shave well, if he

could compound a plaster, and cure a hurt, he bought the privilege, and prescribed at his own pleasure the whole contents of any of the six Moorish apothecaries' shops; bark with or without theriaca at all times; and in all fevers, opium, sarsaparilla, calomel, pimento, cantharides, and opodeldoch. Ismael Ben Mehmed enjoyed the greatest share of public confidence; he gave Dr. Schönberg an extract from the Arabic work of Ben Huesina, who lived 700 years ago, and a catalogue of his own drugs. His shop, the largest in the town, contained 70 jars, 30 bottles, 20 boxes, and several drawers. He obtained medicines from abroad, prepared others himself, and possesses a still and retort. He is afraid of mercury against syphilis, and thinks he can do without it.

Ismael Ben Mehmed is acquainted with remittent and intermittent fevers, and their varieties. His surgical apparatus consisted of a common case of dressing instruments."

DR. CORRIGAN'S NEW MODE of effecting the Inhalation of Iodine, &c. IN PULMONARY DISEASES.

Dr. Corrigan patronizes the inhalation of medicated vapour in pulmonary diseases, but justly objects to the inhalers previously used. He offers the following suggestions.

That inhalation as a remedial process, may obtain a fair trial, it is requisite, 1st. That the apparatus should be simple in its construction, and easily kept in order.

2nd. That it should be capable of keeping up a supply of vapour for any length of time, and that the evolution of the vapour should be steady, and should be easily regulated.

3rd. That it should also furnish a sufficient supply of aqueous vapour, to prevent any irritation of the larynx or lining membrane of the air tubes.

4th. And most important of all, that its employment should entail neither trouble nor fatigue on the invalid.

The apparatus he patronises is thus described :—

There is a light open iron wire frame, about eighteen inches in height; at the bottom is a spirit lamp, At the proper height above it, is an evaporating porcelain dish, about six inches diameter. Above this is a glass globe with its neck downwards. In the neck of the globe is a cork bored, and through the opening is drawn, moderately tight, a short plug of cotton wick, such as is used in a spirit-lamp; in the glass globe opposite the neck is drilled a pin hole, to allow air to pass in, according as the fluid within drops out, through the neck. To use it, the porcelain dish is filled with hot water, the spirit lamp is lighted, and as soon as the water in the dish has begun to boil, the glass globe containing the tincture of iodine (if this be the substance used) is placed as shown in the sketch. The rate at which the fluid in the globe shall percolate the cotton wick, and drop into the hot water underneath, is easily regulated. If it do not drop with sufficient rapidity, one or two of the threads of the cotton are to be removed. If it drop too rapidly, this is corrected by pressing in the cork more tightly, or introducing one or two additional threads of wick.

This apparatus fulfils, I think, all the conditions required. It is simple in construction and most easily regulated; there can be no sudden and injurious evolutions of vapour from it but drop by drop, the evolution gradually, and steadily goes on; and the air which the patient is breathing, may be maintained in any required degree of impregnation, while the impregnation can be kept up for any length of time. The medicated substance employed, is always vaporized with a sufficient quantity of aqueous vapour, to prevent any irritation of the larynx, or lining membrane of the air tubes; and lastly, employment of the apparatus for any duration, entails neither trouble nor fatigue on the invalid.

UREA IN THE BLOOD IN CHOLERA.*

In a case which presented all the features of malignant cholera, and which proved fatal on the 12th day, the deficiency of urea in the blood induced Dr. Rainy of Glasgow, to investigate the state of the blood.

Four ounce measures of blood were taken from the larger vessels and heart; it was partly fluid, partly in small coagula. As the serum could not be separated in sufficient quantity for examination, the whole was mixed with 12 ounce measures of alcohol, well stirred for some minutes, and then allowed to digest for a day at a moderate temperature. The albuminous and colouring matter was precipitated in reddish brown flakes. The alcoholic liquor partly floated on the top. The mixture being thrown on a filter of fine cotton cloth, ten ounce measures of fluid passed through, by the aid of gentle compression, the rest being retained by the spongy precipitate. This filtered fluid was transparent, and almost colourless. It was evaporated at a temperature not exceeding 160° Fah. During this process it became turbid, and deposited a considerable quantity of fluid oily matter, which was separated. When reduced to the consistence of a thin syrup it had a decidedly urinous smell; and a minute portion being tested, yielded distinct pearly scales with nitric acid and with oxalic acid. The syrupy fluid was still turbid, apparently from the presence of oily matter, probably phosphoric fat. In order to separate this matter the extract was diluted with a little water, to render it perfectly fluid. It was then agitated with a small portion of æther, which dissolved the oily matter, and left the watery fluid colourless and almost transparent. This fluid was again evaporated, at a very gentle heat, to the consistence of a thin syrup; and nitric acid being added, there was a slight effervescence, followed by a deposition of pearly crystalline scales. These, being compressed between folds of filtering-paper and dried, weighed 5 grains. They had all the characters of the nitrate of urea, and, according to Prout's analysis, may be considered equivalent to 2% grains of urea.

This quantity, then, was actually separated from four ounce measures of blood; but as the whole mixture of blood and alcohol measured 16 ounces, and the filtered liquor measured only 10 ounces, it is evident that the filtered liquor contained only of the urea present in the blood. From these data it will follow that the whole urea actually present in the blood amounted to 25 × 18 = 47 grains, or rather more than one grain to each ounce measure of blood, without making any allowance for the small quantity remaining in the fluid, to which the nitric acid was added.

MR. SMEE ON MOULDING TABLETS FOR FRACTURES.†

Mr. Smee has been making some experiments with the view of ascertaining the best method of forming moulding tablets.

Having frequently noticed that the composition of gum arabic and whiting, when dry, possessed great hardness and toughness, and yet was so free from brittleness that it could scarcely be pounded in a mortar, he was determined to ascertain how far it would answer to make tablets, which might be used for extemporaneous splints.

For this purpose a piece of coarse sheeting was copiously brushed over on one surface with a thick solution of gum, after which it was covered with a composition made by rubbing whiting with mucilage, continually adding the powder

Med. Gaz. Jan. 5, 1839.

+ Med. Gaz. Feb. 23.