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the cephalalgia, the duration of the disease,the morbid condition of the stomach, natureof the matters vomited, subsequent immu-nity produced by an attack, &c. The yellowfever has been often observed to present aremittent type ! Indeed, although on com-paring a slight remittent with an intenseattack of yellow fever a vast distinction isobvious, yet, if we compare a seriouslyacute intermittent with a yellow fever ofmean intensity, few differences are per-ceptible ; in fact, they appear to be but thesame primary affection under different formsand degrees of gravity.The proper ordinary treatment for the two

diseases would seem, however, to differ,though tonics, which are such importantagents in the cure of intermittent fevers,have been used in yellow fever with varioussuccess. In 1837, the yellow fever ragedfrightfully at New Orleans. Most of thecases were treated with quinine, administeredeither at the commencement of the attack or

subsequent to antiphlogistic remedies; andthe proportions of cures is said to have beengreater than on any previous invasion of thedisease, though the latter carried off 3,000persons out of 10,000 attacked. In 1839the fever re-appeared and attacked nearly15,000 persons in the capital of Louisiana.On this occasion it was remarked that

among 490 cases treated by antiphlogisticor other means, as the symptoms demandedat the time, there were 34 deaths, or about1 in 14 of the whole ; while an equal num-ber of deaths occurred among 402 patientstreated by quinine, being about 1 in 12 of ithe number. This fact would seem to mili-tate against the employment of quinine ;but the number of cases on which the ob-servation was based bore obviously toosmall a proportion to the whole to admit ofany definitive conclusions being drawn there-from. A kind of reciprocity may be clearlyobserved in comparing the treatment of yel-low with that of intermittent fever ; forwhile quinine and other tonics are usedsometimes with success in the former, bleed-ings have been frequently employed withadvantage on the access of the cold stagein the latter; the first-mentioned plan oftreatment being, we should say, most appli-cable when there was least, and the last-mentioned when there was most, tendencyto organic lesion.-See Gazette Medicale,Nov. 12.

AN ALBUMINATE OP IRON PRODUCED.

THIS substance is procured in practice byadding a solution of persulphate of iron to afiltered mixture of white of egg and distilledwater. A gelatinous-looking precipitate, ofa yellow colour, is thus formed, which is re-dissolved by means of an alcoholic solutionof caustic potass. The resulting compound,of a deep yellowish-brown colour, yields noimmediate reaction under the presence of

ferrocyanate of potass, until a few drops ofa strong mineral acid be added, when thecharacteristic blue tint of ferrocyanate of

protoxide of iron is at once produced. Thealkaline solution of albuminate of iron hasnone of the unpleasant astringent taste ofmost of the salts of that metal ; yet M.Lassaigne considers that it either does orought to manifest a more decided influenceon the animal economy than any other chaly-beate. According to that chemist, the de-gree of astringency exercised by the salts ofiron, correspond with their respective capa-cities for forming a (chemical) union withthe tissues of the body; and he considersthat the metal, in the preparation of whichwe speak, is, by its intimate connection withalbumen, peculiarly adapted for absorptioninto the animal organisation, and amalgama-tion with its constituents.-Gaz. des H8pi-taux.

EPILEPSY CURED BY INDIGO.

AN Italian physician, named Podrecca,states that he has obtained the cure of someobstinate cases of epilepsy by the employ-ment of indigo, either alone or in conjunctionwith other antispasmodics. When he pre-scribes indigo alone, it is usually to an

amount varying from half a drachm to adrachm and a half in the twenty-four hours.The addition of castor and assafoetida hehas found of material benefit ; but all thepower which the combined medicaments ex-hibit of materially checking epileptic diseasehe attributes to the indigo, the other two in-gredients being wholly ineffectual by them-selves for that purpose. - Mernoriale dellaMed. Contemp.

BORDIEN, a successful French physician,who lived in the palmy days of hyperbole,was found dead in his bed, on which catas-trophe it was remarked 11 that Death was somuch afraid of him that he could get thebetter of him only while asleep !"

CORRESPONDENTS.

PRUSSic ACID VAPOUR. — Mr. J. C.Atkinson, of Romney-terrace, Westminster,in a letter to the Editor, dated Dec. 26th,after a few prefatory remarks, writes on thissubject as follows:-A patient, aged 28,who had rather a severe attack of variolalast May, became, after the recovery, sub-jected to staphjloma, one of the sequelae ofthat formidable complaint. In this he wastreated according to the approved methods,both at two public institutions and by privatepractitioners, for some months, without anyapparent advantage, when I was applied to;I instantly determined on a trial of theprussic-acid vapour, having read in yourable Journal an account of this new remedysome time before. After fourteen applica-tions the opakeness and prominence abated

considerably, and the eye is now very

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serviceable, and nearly as useful as thesound one, no inflammation or appearanceof irritation being observable. The planadopted by me was most simple : theaffected eye, open, was placed over a two-ounce phial, containing about half an ounceof the acid, while the patient’s hand, pro-perly directed, was to retain it in the positionthat was thought necessary. The time occu-pied in this operation was from five minutesto a quarter of an hour. The eye becamein a short time inflamed, the conjunctivaexhibiting the appearance of deep injection,which gradually disappeared in a few hours,but which was not accompanied by anypain. No paralysis of any of the ap-pendages of the eye has resulted from theapplication. Such is the outline of the case.I feel assured that this remedy will prove apowerful auxiliary in the hands of a sur-geon-oculist, and I was anxious, on thepresent occasion, to show the ground I hadfor an opinion subversive of the injuriousnotices which have appeared in many of thepublic journals, that Dr. Turnbull’s noveland experimental course of treatment forsome of the diseases before-named is not

worthy of attention. *** Some circum-stances, the relation of which to the abovenarration Mr. Atkinson will instantly recog-nise, render necessary, here, two or threeremarks. First of all, it may very rationallybe asked, was the progress of the case

watched by any other surgeon in conjunctionwith Mr. A., or does this unhesitating re-commendation of the" new remedy" dependfor its correctness on a single judgment?Secondly, can one case be justly offered andreceived as a trustworthy warranty of a" powerful auxiliary" in medicine ? Thirdly,do not the " notices" concerning the allegedremedy involve charges of imposition againstits professed employers, and not against thething employed ?

--

A Constant Readel’.- He will not beeligible under the new rules ; but, perhaps,on a representation to the authorities, arelaxation of the regulations might beobtained. He has no priority in law ; in ifact, his privileges, in law, are fewer. Hecannot legally practise asan apothecary inEngland or Wales. We Cannot indulge inany guesses on the last question. The headsof the Bill may be studied at page 373.A 1J1ember.-The case of a plaintiff would

not be advanced by such a clause, becausethe judge might say, "The authenticity ofthe list that you produce must be proved.This copy may be a forgery." Moreover,his name may not be contained in the last

printed edition, in consequence of his youth,as a member. Some other plan must be

adopted.The "clinical discourse" of Dr. 3facdoiiald,

of Glasgow, and the cases by Dr. Maclean,of Edinburgh, shall be published.

tS’ct-Mor.—No statement that the letter

in question was " in type," was made, andthe rest of the supposition is equally ima-ginary. The letter at first was intendedto be printed, but so many communications,pro and con, were received on the same sub-

ject, that before the former could be insertedtwenty pages would not have held the packet,and so the whole (all courageously anony-mous) were excluded, and the question set atrest in this journal in a couple. As forScrutator’s silly threat, what care we towhich fate he devotes his morsel of spite?Yet should we see anywhere in print hisimbecile libels of this independent journal,we may cause that acquaintance at hiselbow, the original assailer, to pray, witha groan,

11 Save me from my friends !" Tomake him shake in his shoes would bea very easy task for us. A pretty surgeonhe to be a critic !

I A correspondent says that 11 An electionto the office of CORONER for Chester Ward,in the county of DURHAM, is expected totake place shortly. Such a proceeding hasnever before occurred in that county, theCoroners having always hitherto been ap-pointed by the Bishop, the Act of Vict. I. c.64, placing the elections there, for the future,on the same footing as in other counties."The paper of Dr. J. R. 8inyth, 11 on Im-

potence and Sterility," shall appear nextweek. Idem, the table of Mr. Hunter.The papers of Mr. Ancell will be resumed

next week, as well as the lectures of Mr. E.Wilson, unavoidably intermitted only for thepresent number.One of the Unprotected.-It was evident,

without sending it to them, that the printerscould not read the MS. But editors shouldnot be thus puzzled, any more than printers.We frequently receive forty communicationsa day throughout the whole week. Howdifficult the task of examination may bemade by slovenly writing, or the crossing oflines, there is no occasion to explain. Thefirst letter shall be re-examined.Any friend of A. R. S. in London might

obtain the information he desires at theAmerican booksellers, as we cannot devotethe requisite space to the replies in this place.J. Aston.-The subject has been over

and over again discussed. If simply tomake propositions to change the law wouldensure those changes, the evil would longago have been remedied.The report of the Parisian Medical Society

is unavoidably delayed for a week, as wellas the last report of the Westminstfr Medi-cal Society.As the New Year does not arrive until

to-morrow, THE LANCET of next Saturdaywill become a fitter number for the New-Year’s Gift promised in our last to some

patients who have more money than wit, anda very great amount of expensive credulity.That number will contain the present in

question.