To determine the correctness, or otherwise, of the supposition that the more cellular bones and the cancellated structure contain an increased proportion of animal matter, Dr. Rees made the following analyses :

Earthy matter. Animal matter.

Cancellated structure from the head of the femur.... 60.81....39.19
Cancellated structure from the body of a rib
Solid structure of the same rib....

...

53.12.. 46.88 ....57.77....42.23

The cancellated structure in the rib does therefore contain less earthy matter than its compact tissue.

Dr. Rees was curious to ascertain whether the same law of relative proportion held good in the fœtal and adult skeleton. He procured several bones of a fœtus, full grown within a few days, and analysed them, with the following result:

Earthy matter. Animal matter.

57.51.....

.42.49

Thus, in fœtal as in adult bones, those of the upper extremity contain somewhat more earthy matter than the corresponding bones of the lower extremity.

The humerus contains more earthy matter than the radius or ulna, and the femur more than the tibia or fibula.

The ilium contains somewhat more, and the scapula somewhat less earthy matter than the clavicle or rib.

"The great difference," concludes Dr. Rees, "observable in the proportional constitution of the adult and fœtal bones, consists in the fact, that the long bones and the bones of the head in the fœtus, do not contain the excess of earthy matter which we observe in those of the adult. Thus the humerus of the foetus, which is the richest in earthy matter of the long bones, contains 58.08 per cent. of earths, while the ilium of the same subject is found to contain 58.5 per cent. of earthy matter. The parietal bone, which was examined as the type of the cranial bones, gave a proportion of earthy matter less than that of any bone that I have examined. The results of the analyses of the bones of the trunk in the foetal skeleton shew that they contain animal and earthy matter in the proportions of the adult; and therefore that the difference of compactness observed between them must be the result of mechanical arrangement rather than a difference in the proportion of earthy and animal matter. There is little doubt that the general conclusion that foetal bones are deficient in earthy material, has been derived from comparative experiments made on the long bones of the extremities, where such deficiency certainly exists. I subjoin for comparison the per centage of earthy matter contained in some of the bones of the foetus and adult.

From this comparison, it appears that the bones of the trunk in the fœtal skeleton are as rich in the proportion of earthy matter as those of the adult; at least the difference is too small to be material. The deficiency of earthy matter in the bones of the foetal extremities is simply explicable on the fact that such an excess of earths as appears necessary to very great strength of bone is not needed at birth, and therefore only appears in after-life." 413.

A very interesting paper.

We turn to the pathological memoirs.

VIII. FACTS AND INFERENCES RELATIVE TO THE CONDITION OF THE VITAL ORGANS AND VISCERA IN GENERAL, AS TO THEIR NUTRITION IN CERTAIN CHRONIC DISEASES. BY JOHN CLENDINNING, M.D. Physician to the St. Marylebone Infirmary, &c.

This is an attempt to apply the numeral or statistical calculus to the phenomena of disease. Our readers must be aware that we have warmly encouraged upon all occasions the employment of this exact method in medicine. It is calculated to correct some errors, establish upon surer grounds some truths, and to put us in possession of some of those wide generalizations which become a fixed basis for special inquiries.

But we have observed that a few enthusiastic persons, in and out of the profession, have anticipated the most extravagant results from statistical calculations. They have promised us a sort of millennium. We are to learn from them how many days in the year we shall be sick, how many years in a century we shall live, what will be the duration of any given disorder, how long the convalescence will last, what quantity of chickenbroth will be requisite, and how many stools a complaint will average. In short, we have heard the utmost possible nonsense uttered, and that nonsense the more ridiculous because it was clothed in the pomposity of numbers. These statists run mad have not known, or not remembered, that the disturbing circumstances of mode of life, atmospheric states, remedial treatment, even mental condition, are so great, that averages must be drawn from enormous numbers of individuals, and from the very widest extremes, to present even a semblance of truth as an average. The worth of this in its individual application afterwards may be guessed.

The object of Dr. Clendinning's paper is no such fool's chase. It applies itself to the solution of this question:-What are the modifications impressed on the nutritive functions in the viscera in certain chronic diseases? Does (ex. gr.) the defect of supply or excess of waste proceed in the same manner amongst the external and internal parts in phthisis? Does hypertrophy of the heart beget or indicate a general or partial tendency to hypertrophy? &c. &c.

"In answer to the questions just proposed, I proceed to offer some facts and observations. The facts I have to state consist principally of measurements by

weight of nearly all the principal viscera in most cases, and of the person in many, of 249 subjects, of whose diseases and post-mortem appearances I am in possession of memoranda, taken, with a few exceptions, by myself. They are arranged in tabular form as follows.

Table 1 contains, in separate columns, the weight of the encephalon, heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, and pancreas of each of 31 males, dead of various known diseases, not phthisis or morbus cordis, between 21 and 60 years of age.

Table 2 contains like particulars of 44 females, dead under like conditions as to disease and age.

Table 3 contains like particulars of 37 males dead, not of phthisis or morbus cordis, at ages above 60 years of age.

Table 4 contains the weights of the hearts of 33 females of various ages above 60, and dead of various diseases exclusive of phthisis and morbus cordis.

Table 5 includes particulars arranged as above, of 27 males, dead of phthisis between 21 and 60 years of age.

Table 6 gives like particulars of 16 females, dead under similar conditions of age and disease.

Table 7 contains particulars, tabulated as before, of each of 41 males, dead of morbus cordis, between 21 and 60 years of age.

Table 8 contains for 20 females, dead of the same disease, and between 21 and 60, the like particulars.

In most of those tables the weights, in more or fewer instances, are given for the person and the stomach, and of nearly all cases the diseases are recorded. With respect to the mode of obtaining the weights, it is proper to explain, that where the weight of the person is given, it comprehends the whole person, the viscera included. It was ascertained by means of a steelyard and must be accurate, although, I confess, that I often at first suspected important errors in the use of the instrument, owing to the instrumental weight differing so much, falling, in fact, so far short of the apparent weight, judging by the eye. The visceral weights are all avoirdupois, and were all ascertained by means of a balance, and are generally correct to within half a drachm. With regard to the results of weighing by the balance also I may mention, that I have often been surprised at the errors of my visual and manual estimates; errors like the former with the steelyard, generally much in defect and rarely in excess, and so difficult to avoid, that I confess I should feel little confidence in any estimate of the organized contents, or in other words, of the quantity or density of any viscus not tried by some test less fallacious than visual or manual estimate, except, of course, in case of very great and obvious excess or defect of quantity, which must necessarily be readily detected, although it could not, I believe, be measured with pretensions to accuracy without instrumental aid.

I may further mention, that before placing the viscera in the balance they were carefully separated from their appendages-the brain or encephalon and heart from their outer coverings-the liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, and stomach from fat, cellular substance, peritoneum, and other extrinsic parts; in fact, from all parts that were not included within the tunica propria, or that might in any way materially affect the result. The brain or encephalon, heart, and stomach were usually sliced, washed, &c., and the other viscera were generally similarly treated when congested or otherwise open to just suspicion." 39.

This quotation will give an idea of the mode of investigation adopted by Dr. Clendinning, a mode which those must know who have any intention of testing bis results. His tables are too long for a periodical journal. We shall present a summary of their principal contents, chiefly in the words of Dr. Clendinning himself.

1. PHTHISIS.

If the data in question be true, we find that, in males between 21 and 60, and not labouring under consumption or disease of the heart, the average weight of the

lbs. or 661500 grs.

According to the 5th Table, the weights in phthisis are, for the

oz. instead of 464

91

53

The average weight of adult male phthisical subjects was under 94 lbs. avoirdupois, nearly 48 lbs. less than the average obtained for the healthy male of 40 years, by M. Quetelet. Thus a great disproportion obtains between the entire weight of the body, and that of the great viscera. The wasting of phthisis falls on the organs of locomotion, and on the external parts. The same holds in either sex. We see this from a comparison of the 2nd and 6th tables, containing, the former, particulars of 44 females, dead of various diseases, not phthisis or heart disease, the latter containing like particulars of 16 females dead of phthisis: the subjects of both Tables being between the ages of 21 and 60. The average weight of the whole subject, in the former female Table was 82lbs., that of the phthisical females was 66lbs., or more than a stone less than the former: yet, in most of the organs, the average weight was higher in the phthisical than in the other subjects. Dr. Clendinning hangs on this pathological peg, some sanguine, we hope not fallacious anticipations.

"If fatal phthisis be, as waiving sympathetic functional disturbances, it would appear to be, essentially a local mischief; if with regard to its point of fatal attack, it be confined to the lungs, although indicating probably a constitutional propensity; if, amid all the waste of external non-vital organs and the vitiated nutrition of the pulmonary structures, the vital organs in general may, as they not unfrequently do, retain their normal structures and capacities; may we not hope that, in some future year, we shall learn to control the disintegrating processes, and correct the depraved nutrition, and heal the structural lesions, and re-establish the functional capacities of the phthisical lung, with as much certainty and facility as we already experience in the cure of several diseases formerly very fatal, but now, in a large majority of cases, remediable by our still very imperfect therapeutical resources." 44.

2. MORBUS CORDIS.

a. In diseases of the heart, there is a remarkable superiority in bulk, or density, or both, of the important organs. On comparing Table 7, that of morbus cordis in males, with Table I, representing the standard of health for males, we find that under every head, without exception, there is an excess in the former; the brain being in the morbus cordis Table about th heavier than our standard-the heart being ths heavier, the liver th, the kidneys 4th, the spleen #ths of an ounce heavier; the pancreas th of an ounce; and the stomach also heavier than the standard.

On referring to the Table 8, that of morbus cordis in females, which is deduced from thirty observations, and comparing that Table with Table 2, the standard of health for females, results will be obtained almost the same as those from the male Tables. The brain of the female dead of morbus cordis was found heavier than the standard about 4th, the heart nearly heavier, the liver th, the kidneys th, the spleen about, the pancreas th, the stomach more than 4th, and the person nearly 4th heavier. So that the female table fully confirms the male, and even with enlargement, as including the stomach and person, which are deficient in the first male table, or Table 1.

These positive facts are corroborated by the general observations, that have been made cursorily by pathological observers. Dr. Clendinning remarks, that, making every allowance for the firm, heavy, non-collapsing condition of the lung, in cardiac and asthmatic disease being due simply to œdema, still he has almost always found in chronic diseases of the heart, more especially in adult males, that plethora had existed and hypertrophy taken place in the branches of the air-tube; this is more particularly true of victims of heart disease that had survived the 40th year.

"Sometimes the hypertrophy, I have observed, is accompanied by dilatation, and constitutes Laennec's emphysema of the lungs. But sometimes, also, it is unattended by any expansion, or is accompanied by contraction, so that the air passage becomes nearly or wholly impervious; and this state of the bronchial twigs or branches seems to me to have been often mistaken for tuberculation, which it not a little resembles, and to have in consequence been called grey or miliary tuberculation. Into this, as it appears to me, erroneous view of the nature of a state of the lungs which is very common, and in adult males more common, I suspect, than true caseous tuberculation, have, in my judgment, fallen many of the first pathologists, amongst whom I would include the illustrious Laennec." 48.

But, Dr. Clendinning thinks, and perhaps with reason, that, not only is excessive supply of arterial fluids, by an enlarged left ventricle, a cause of much visceral disturbance and vitiation; but, there is a gradual alteration of the normal susceptibilities of the viscera, owing to which they become capable, without injury, of sustaining habitual venous congestion, and at length are enabled to resume, so to speak, their foetal conditions, so far as to assimilate indifferently venous blood or the imperfectly renovated fluid, brought back from the unhealthy lungs by the arteries.

b. Passing over some speculative reasoning, as well as some correlative observations on this subject, we proceed to another-the comparative states of nutrition, as indicated by weight, at different ages.