2. No pain, nor uncasiness when she was in the horizontal position.

3. Could not sleep at any time, till it was eight o'clock in the morning.

4. Had a good appetite; but as soon as she eat food, she experienced uneasiness at the heart.

5. Another effect of eating was to cause the flow of a great quantity of saliva, which trickled from her lips.

6. After every time that she eat, she experienced at intervals ineffectual retchings.

7. Her character was violent and passionate-she sweated copiously on suffering any pain !!

8. In all other respects her health was normal.

We have detailed the case as it is reported, to exhibit the proper method of describing diseases, and also with the view of shewing how beautifully and aptly the principles of homoiopathia will apply. Now, a variety of different medicines will produce the individual symptoms of the above case, but only one has the property of giving rise to every one of them; we are told, for example, that belladonna, cinchona, rhus toxicodendron, occasion prickings at the pit of the stomach; but not as with our patient only at those times when she moved about. The anemone pulsatilla, however, has the power of causing this symptom, when a person stumbles or makes a false step; but, unfortunately, it cannot disorder the digestion, nor make people bad-tempered, as is mentioned to have been the case, vide No. 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the catalogue of symptoms. In short, the "bryonia" is the only herb known which will answer our purpose.

In the same manner, we must carefully consider and investigate each symptom separately, and try to find out the homoiopathic remedy. The briony is such, for when given to a person in health, it will occasion every bodily and moral inconvenience enumerated above; and, therefore, it must necessarily and inevitably cure these selfsame inconveniences when they are the result of disease. Having thus discovered the proper remedy, the next thing to be attended to is the dose; and as the patient was robust and vigorous, a most powerful homoiopathic dose was exhibited! Reader, do not be astonished when we tell you that no less than one undiluted drop of the juice of the herb was given; and so rapid were its effects, that in 24 hours she had quite recovered.

Case 2.—A man, aged 42, pale and feeble, had been ill for five days. The symptoms

were :

1. At first vertigo and sickness, with frequent retching.

2. On the second night, at 2 o'clock, vomitings of a sharp acid matter.

3. On the succeeding nights, violent and distressing retching.

4. On the fifth day, he was much annoyed with a disagreeable taste in the mouth, and with offensive sinells.

5. He felt as if the food lay undigested in his stomach.

6. His head was confused, and his mind irritable.

7. The slightest noise vexed him.

8. Temper mild, patient, and not easily ruffled.

Different medicines have the power of exciting one or more of the above symptoms; but the anemone pulsatilla alone can excite them all at the same time, and must, therefore, be considered as the correct homoiopathic remedy for the case. The dose ordered was half a drop of the four-millionth part of a strong drop of the expressed juice. The patient was cured in less than a day.

After perusing these two reports, the reader will not be surprised to hear the following

announcement.

"Whenever the exhibition of a homoiopathic medicine has been judiciously made, the disease for which it is prescribed, if it be of recent origin, vanishes in a few hours-if it has

existed longer in the system, the time required for a cure will not exceed a very few days, and health is restored by a transition at once rapid and insensible;" thus "belladonna" is a specific against scarlatina, both as a preventine and a curative; "aconitum napellas" against purpura; "burnt sponge" and "sulphuret of lime" against croup; "drosera rotundifolia" against hooping-cough; "corrosive sublimate,” in doses of about a twentymillionth part of a grain, against dysentery, which may be thus cured instanter; and the "thuya occidentalis" against a disease which hitherto never has been cured, we mean sycocis!!! "These incontestible proofs of the truth of my doctrine," says Hahnemann, "cannot be more shaken by the malicious attacks, however virulent, of physicians educated in prejudices, and taught to follow the routine of the schools, than the immortal discovery of Harvey was by the base calumnies of Riolan."

The last section of the present work is occupied with a detail of the homoiopathic pharmacopoeia, enumerating the drugs, the mode of preparing them, their doses, antidotes, and other particulars. We select cinchona, to furnish our readers with some knowledge of this part of the subject. The author confirms the vulgar opinion, that it may be considered almost as a specific in ague; for he has discovered that it is capable of inducing all the symptoms of this disease, if it be given to a person in health. The large doses usually administered are severely reprobated; he finds that one drop of a tincture, so prepared as to contain only the 1000000000000000000000th (we are not skilful enough in arithmetic to be able to designate the fraction) of a grain, is a dose; which is often too powerful, and always sufficient to produce the special effects of the drug, and that it is very rarely necessary to repeat the dose; but it may very naturally be enquired, how are such infinitesimal divisions to be obtained; the method is simple and easy-take one grain of the medicine, and rub it very carefully together with 100 grains of sugar ; then take a grain of this mixed powder, and rub it with another 100 grains of sugar, and so on, till you bring it to what our author terms the millionth power, that is, till the prepared powder contains a millionth part of a grain. On one grain of this pour a hundred drops of proof spirit, and dissolve it by shaking the bottle with two scientific turns of the fore-arm. A drop of this tincture is then to be added to 99 drops of alcohol, and shaken twice as before; and the dilution may be thus carried to any extent; but so active are some medicines, that even after such a division as defies mere words to express by language, it is found necessary to prescribe only the 100th part of a drop!! The only specimen of a formula in the whole work is very imperfect: but we shall transcribe it literally.

R. Belladonna.. ...... x. (un décillionième) 2-8th (un

dix milleoctillionième)

Globuli saccharini.. No. ij. iij. iv. vj. x. &c. &c.
Sacchari lactei.... gr. 11.

Misce exacte.

With a single reflection we shall now close this notice of the work before us; and we enquire when will vain, conceited man be satisfied with observing facts as they are presented to his eyes, and employing his memory to treasure and his judgment to arrange them! Is not this a sufficiently ample task, and one which is sufficiently noble for him? Why does he go on to turn and twist the simplest truths to suit some idle fancy of his brain? why does he bend what is straight? why does he darken what is clear? The humblest and homeliest mind, unfettered by prejudice, will often make greater progress in the search after truth than be who has been educated in all the mysteries of scholastic wisdom; for the one is content to plod his way on the great high road, while the other, seduced by a flower or a butterfly, loses himself in the entanglements of some bye-path. We cannot too urgently impress upon all medical men the importance of collecting much and building little;-at best ours is an uncertain science; and its uncertainty must be a thousandfold increased by the spirit, now so much abroad, of its votaries, struggling to frame some cobweb hypothesis from partial and insulated facts. Is it not far more worthy of a philosophic mind diligently and studiously to examine Nature's ways; to note down

facts as they occur; to mark how they stand to each other, whether they are uniform in their precedence and sequence, or whether they appear to follow each other accidentally; to assemble all and exclude none; and when we attempt, which ought, however, to be seldom, to arrive at the discovery of a general truth, or, what is foolishly termed in medicine, a proximate cause, to deduce it from a host of phenomena observed at different times, in different places, and by different men. It is from want of attention to this maxim of true wisdom, that every petty mason of our craft aspires to be a master architect, and thus, instead of one great, and solid, and solemn edifice for the enshrinement of our goddess, there are numberless puny hovels, confusedly scattered-reared one day to be blown down the next. "The object of medicine," we use the words of our author, who, while he himself indulged in such fantastical and whimsical reveries, nevertheless could see the absurdity and error of others, "does not consist in framing systems out of empty ideas and hollow hypotheses on the essence of the vital principles, and on the production of diseases, or in vainly seeking to explain morbid phenomena, by drowning all common sense in an eddy of unintelligible words and by a parade of useless observations and experiments, which may impose on the ignorant, but will not relieve the sufferings of the distressed. We have enough of these scholastic follies, dignified by the name of theory of medicine, and enshrined in the chairs of universities and colleges. It is now high time, that whoever calls himself a physician should cease to deceive mankind by unmeaning jargon, and begin to act-to mitigate woe, and to effectually cure disease."

IX.

THE ANATOMY OF THE THYMUS GLAND. By Sir Astley Cooper, Bart. F.R.S. Serjeant Surgeon to the King, Consulting Surgeon to Guy's Hospital, &c. Quarto, bds. pp. 47; five lithograph Plates, price 14s. Longman's London, 1832.

Ir requires no gift of prophecy to predict that Sir Astley Cooper's name will go down to posterity as the brightest, we say advisedly the very brightest, ornament of the science of surgery of the present century. We fear not the accusation of flattery in making this assertion, for such an accusation would be repelled by the body of the profession. The sin, the besetting sin, of the members of our profession is avarice, the sordid thirst of fees. For gold they sigh, and for gold they toil; ambition, "the last sin of noble minds," is with them but the lust of wealth, and place and pension are coveted but for it. When that is obtained, when age has destroyed the power, but not the wish, of obtaining more, when patients pass the door and crowd to the levee of another, the physician or surgeon, fashionable once but deservedly neglected now, sinks from the scene unhonoured and unregarded, contemptible and contemned. The man of the world may smile at this, and may find in his pockets a refuge from contempt. Be it so. The consciousness of deserving the thanks of posterity, and the reception of the honest and hearty approbation of those of his own time, whose applause is sincere because it is unbought, gratifying because it is merited, and influential because it is equally bold and pure, must inspire in a generous mind such a train of feelings as would not be bartered for the gems of Peru. And let not the worldlings deceive themselves; a change is coming over our social and political relations, our public and our moral feelings, that will lessen most materially the influence of family and of faction, that will make even fees less accessible to the fingers of those who rely on such inЯuence for their acquisition, that will give to industry, without interest, a fresh stimulus and a brighter prospect-to the press, that is to the symbol and the expression of public

opinion, a higher power-to intrigue a narrower sphere-and to ingenuous emulation, and the passion for honest fame, a more brilliant guerdon.

These reflections have not inaptly been excited by the contemplation of the career of Sir Astley Cooper. Let would-be aristocratic doctors say what they will, he has proved himself an honour to the profession, nor do we feel shame in proclaiming it. To have been the most successful surgeon is little, for success might be owing to art or accident, or both. But to have written the best book on hernia-the best book on fractures and dislocationsthe best book on the diseases of the breast-the best book on the diseases of the testis-and to have delivered the best course of surgical lectures, is no common honour, or series of honours. Sir Astley Cooper has devoted great attention to the anatomy of parts concerned in hernia, to the anatomy of the spleen, to the anatomy of the testis; and now we find him patiently, skilfully, and successfully investigating the anatomy of the thymus gland. Sir Astley Cooper has spent a youth of labour-is he spending an age of ease? We hesitate not to say that he is; we hesitate not to affirm that, to a mind like that of Sir Astley Cooper, useful, active, honourable professional employment is ease, satisfaction, delight. Such a mind would be corroded in a twelvemonth by the rust of sloth, would be gnawed Prometheus-like by the vulture of inaction; such a man would be miserable, nay he would not, could not exist, unsupported by the knowledge that he was working for the benefit of his species.

Sir Astley observes, that it is almost unnecessary to say that the subject is deserving of attention; "for every portion of the animal body, however minute, should be carefully traced and accurately known." Sir Astley commences with the description of the thymus gland in the foetal calf, in which it appears that its form and dimensions are such as to render it very apt for examination. As our space, at this late period of the quarter, is too limited to allow of more than a brief review of the work, we must pass at once to the anatomy of the thymus in the human foetus. We may state, however, for the benefit of those who are inclined to pursue the investigation, that the gland in the lamb and calf is more easily investigated, and made into preparations, than that of the dog, kitten, ass, pig, or any other animal examined by Sir Astley.

THYMUS GLAND IN THE HUMAN SUBJECT.

"This Gland is formed of thoracic and a cervical portion on each side. The former is situated in the anterior mediastrinum, and the latter is placed in the neck just above the first bone of the sternum and behind the sterno hyoidei and sterno thyroidei muscles.

Between two and three months of fœtal life, as will be seen in the plate, it is so small as to be but just perceptible.

At three months its increase is in proportion to the relative magnitude of the fœtus, and thus it continues to grow gradually and equally to the seventh month, when it enlarges out of proportion to its former growth.

At eight months it is large, but at the ninth month has undergone a sudden change, become of great size, and is said to weigh half an ounce, from which circumstance, however, on account of the cavities which it contains and the varieties to which it is subject, no judgment of its bulk can be formed.

It increases after birth, and continues large to the first year, when it slowly disappears to the time of puberty; and in after age it ceases to have cavities, and becomes a body of very small dimensions." 19.

Sometimes a third thoracic lobe exists joining the other two, yet admitting of their separation under a careful dissection. Sir A. has seen the vena innominata pass through the gland, and he has seen it placed anteriorly to the cervical lobes. Its form is subject to considerable variation; the left gland is often larger than the right.

After giving a clear and accurate account of the relative situation of the gland, and of the fascia of the thorax, that fascia which may be said to form the roof the thoracic cavity, as the diaphragm constitutes its floor, our author proceeds to the composition of the thymus. It is formed of two distinct bodies, which may properly be called a right and left thymus gland. It is connected to the surrounding parts by an envelope of coarse cellular membrane, fixing it and uniting its two portions.

"When this membraneous covering is removed, the substance of the Gland is exposed, which is found to be of the conglomerate kind, being formed of numerous lobes which are connected together by a second covering of reticular tissue uniting the lobes to each other, and combining its parts by entering minutely into its interstices.

The lobes of this Gland differ in magnitude, but not one of them appears to be larger than a pea, and they vary from that of the head of a pin to the size above-mentioned. When the form of the Thymus is strictly investigated, the lobes are found to be disposed in a serpentine direction around a cavity hereafter to be described.

The Gland may be unravelled, and it will be discovered to be composed of a rope on each side, of which the right and left Thymus is constituted, and on each of these the large lobes form knots, and it appears like a necklace of beads, but even these lobes may be still further separated.

In order to succeed in unravelling the Gland, it is necessary to divide the arteries, veins, as well as a mucous membrane, to be described hereafter, as the arteries, veins and membrane unite the lobes to each other to give them a serpentine course, to shorten the Gland, and to lessen the space which it would otherwise occupy.

These ropes are disposed in a spiral course around a central or nearly central cavity, and this disposition of them is preserved by the arteries, veins, and mucous membrane, by the division of which the ropes are unravelled.

The spiral rope which constitutes the Gland on the right side has no communication with that on the left, although the two Glands are combined into one by cellular tissue, yet in its usual formation, the glandular structure continues entirely separate.

In order to distinctly observe the rope, and to unravel it satisfactorily, it is necessary to dissect it, in part, in water, and then harden it in alcohol, when the dissection may be minutely pursued, and the lobes and their communicating portions be preserved and readily demonstrated.

This rope or chain of gland is composed of lobes of different sizes, connected together by membrane and by smaller portions of gland which surround a large internal cavity.

To proceed with the investigation of the structure of this Gland, remove a very thin superficial slice of each lobe, or of several of these, and numerous little cavities will be seen which may be set open after the organ has been hardened in spirits of wine, and these are the secretory cavities or cells producing the fluid which issues so abundantly.

The lobes being further examined, beside their cells, are found to contain a small pouch at their bases, which leads into a reservoir, so that the secretion which escapes from the lobes finds a ready entrance into the cavity of the Gland, from which it may be absorbed. If a pipe be introduced into the Gland, and alcohol be injected, and the organ immersed in strong spirits, or a solution of alum, a large cavity will be filled, which I shall call the reservoir of the Thymus.

This reservoir forms a general communication between the different lobes; it begins from the inferior part of the thoracic portion, and extends from thence into the extremity of the cervical.

The reservoir does not maintain a straight course, but passes spirally, or in a serpentine direction, through the thoracic part of the Gland, and is somewhat more direct in the cervical portion.

With regard to its size, it varies in different places, but generally is the largest near the centre of the thoracic, and it is least at the communication of the cervical with the thoracic part of the Gland.

In the cervical portion it increases, but is less than in the thoracic, yet it still may be distinctly traced.

When opened, after having been injected and hardened, its internal surface appears to be lined by a smooth membrane; but if it be at once dissected in water, this lining membrane is found to be of the mucous kind, for it is rather villous than smooth, and instead of having a few red vessels, when filled with a vermillion injection, it is found to be highly vascular, and the arteries which are distributed to it may be seen meandering upon its surface and minutely dividing so as to redden every part of it.

Its interior form ridges, which are produced by small ligamentous bands, which cross the surface of the reservoir in various directions, and encircle the mouths of the pouches; these bands are formed for the purpose of keeping the lobes together, of preventing an injurious yielding of the parietes of the cavity, and to give strength to resist too great an accumulation of the secretion.

When the reservoir is floated in water, a number of small openings appear upon its internal surface, and if a probe be introduced into these, it passes into the pouch at the roots of the lobes, so that by these apertures, the secreted fluid escapes into the reservoir.