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EAST INDIA MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE.

ASSIST.-SURG. Sylvester is doing duty in the Indian navy.-Surg. D. Buddo allowed a furlough to Europe for three years.

Cholera has reached Ceylon, and by the last account wasraging so much in the central province, that the judge haddeemed it necessary to adjourn the sessions of the SupremeCourt from Kandy to Colombo. Mr. Laing, deputy-postmasterof Kandy, was attacked, among others, on the 9th of Sep-tember, and died in a few hours; several men of the 95thregiment had also died of cholera. Sickness was rife atColombo about the same period, dysentery in a severe formbeing prevalent.The death of Mr. Solomon Ferdinands is announced, an old

respectable member of the Burgher community at Kandy.The deceased was in early life attached to the ColonialMedical Department ; he quitted it in 1812, and entered onan extensive private practice, from which he retired only afew years ago. Dr. Ferdinands held high testimonials from the various European surgeons with whom he had acted. LEAVE OF ABSENCE.-The Indian News, copying the Star,

’’

comments, with objection, on the leaves of absence, whetheron private affairs or medical certificate, being restricted withinthe limits of the East India Company’s charter°.-"With regard to sick leave: it may granted for twelve

months, half the salary to be drawn-again very liberal-butthe invalid must not transgress the limits. His native airmight set him up in three months, but he must travel in searchof a climate, anywhere within the limits he pleases, so thathe is back in twelve months. The sick man who would feelit some alleviation of his sufferings, and some recompence forthe loss to his family entailed by illness, that he could go andbe nursed by those dearest to him, or revisit his native landin case he might see it no more, blessed with health andfortune, is compelled to cast his lot among strangers at theCape, or the Straits, or China, or New South Wales. This isinconsiderate, if not unjust; and we sincerely trust that theserules for the uncovenanted service have been merely re-published in their present form, with regard to absence onleave, because the question is, generally, before the homegovernment."—Star, August 10th.

MEDICAL NEWS,FACTS, NOTICES, AND REMARKS.

MIDWIVES’ MIDWIFERY. - WINCHESTER. - An in-.quest was held by Mr. Todd, in this city, on Saturday, Oct. 3rd,and continued by adjournment on Monday and Tuesday, uponthe body of Eliza C-, aged twenty-two years, the wife of aprivate in the 40th regiment, who died early in the morningof the same day, under the following circumstances:-The de-ceased, being near her confinement, arrived from Canterbury,with part of the regiment, on the Thursday previous, andslept that night in the barracks, without appearing to be muchfatigued by the journey. About five o’clock on Friday after-noon, she was taken in labour, and having no place to be con-nned in, except the barrack-room, which was full of soldiers,her husband advised her to apply to the wife of one of hiscomrades for permission to occupy a room which she hadhired in the town. Between six and seven o’clock she partedfrom her husband, and, accompanied by another soldier’s wife,went in search of the friend to whom she was to look for an.asylum. Neither of them knew where she lodged, but, for-tunately, they met her in the street, and she immediatelyacceded to their request. With some difficulty the deceasedwas then conducted to the house, and assisted up two pair ofstairs into the room, which contained no furniture, except twoor three chairs and a small bedstead, with nothing but thebare sacking for her to lie upon. The women who accom-,panied her, however, did their utmost to supply all defi-ciencies. One ran off to fetch a midwife and some coals, whilethe others, not being able to obtain even straw to make a bed,opened their boxes and made use of their own and theirchildren’s clothes for that purpose. There was no time tcmake any further preparation, so the poor woman laid downjust as she was, and in about ten minutes gave birth to a finegirl, her second child, who is still alive and well. The midwife, an old woman of the name of North, seventy-two year:of age, was there in time to superintend the birth, which waias favourable as possible under the circumstances. But, unfortunately for her, and still more so for the deceased, a difficulty afterwards arose, which the midwife entirely misunder

stood; and persevering for several hours in the most lamentable maltreatment, she left her unfortunate patient, abouttwelve o’clock, still unrelieved, without calling in or suggesting the propriety of further aid. The consequences were fatalto the deceased, whose sufferings were terminated by deathat the dawn of the following day. The details of the case, aselicited by the evidence, left no doubt that the life of the de-ceased had been sacrificed to the gross ignorance of the mid-wife, and her still more gross neglect to call in medical as-sistance when the case had evidently baffled her own ability.The result, therefore, was a verdict of "manslaughter" againstMrs. North, who was immediately committed for trial,Hampshire Advertiser, Oct. 10th.MEDICAL CERTIFICATES RELATING TO ILLNESS AND

DEATHS.—The Registrar-General of Births and Deaths (MajorGraham) has just issued his " Seventh Annual Report" of thebusiness of the office over which he presides. On the abovesubject, in relation to "the circular letter which he addressedsome time since to all the authorized medical practitionersthroughout the country, impressing upon them the import-ance of attention to this matter," he presents the followingremarks:-"To be enabled to make deductions from the causes of

death recorded in the registers, combined with the ages andprofessions of the deceased, I have considered it my duty toinduce medical practitioners to give written statements of thecause of death, for the purpose of registration, in all caseswhere fatal diseases come under their notice. I have accord-ingly furnished them with books of blank certificates, to befilled up and placed in the hands of those persons who willbe required to give information of the death to the registrar.My appeal to the medical profession has been responded to,and I am happy to report that, with rare exceptions, themembers of that liberal and enlightened profession nowgenerally state in writing the fatal diseases which come undertheir notice. From their exertions I hope that a correctknowledge may be obtained of the comparative prevalence ofvarious mortal diseases, of the localities in which they re-spectively prevail, and the sex, age, and condition of lifewhich each principally affects. The abstracts which in futureyears I shall publish, may form a useful addition to the vitalstatistics of this kingdom. Perhaps fifty persons of themedical profession have refused to return the causes of death,for very various reasons: one gentleman, because a factoryinspector had displeased him; another, because he had notbeen elected a medical officer under the new poor-law; an-other, because the remuneration under that law is insufficient;another, because he is not specially paid for signing thewritten certificate. That it is the duty of the state to requirefrom the medical attendants, and to register, the cause ofevery individual’s death which takes place in the country,appears to me incontestable; and, as I have stated, I havefound that the profession as a body, comprising more thanten thousand qualified medical practitioners,-physicians, sur-geons, and general practitioners,-have expressed their readi-ness to return the causes of death in the best way the presentstate of medical science, and their means of procuring infor-mation, will admit, I have determined not to attempt at presentto compel the few medical practitioners who have refused tosign certificates, to return the causes of their patients’ deaths,as the information they would be induced to furnish mightbe of little comparative value."

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE QUACK WHO SUCCEEDSBY DISTRIBUTING HAND-BILLS, AND THE TRADESMAN WHO OPENSA DOCTOR’S-SHOP AND TRUSTS TO THE BLESSING OF HEAVEN.—To the Editor: SiR,—Whilst passing Gloucester-place, yester-day, a boy, with a large bundle of hand-bills, put one in my

hand. The following is the identical bill :-" Mr. H. BURSEY, SURGEON,

MEMBER OF THE

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, AND OF APOTHECARIES HALL," His practice of DRY-CUPPING so eminently successful inLiver Disorders, Tic-touloureux, and as a most effective stimu-

, lant to those labouring under (from too close an application tostudy, or by any other action), an impaired Sight, Deafness,

Headache, Nervousness, and as a local remedy for weakness ofparts, as now practiced by F. BURSEY, Mechanical Dentist

and Cupper, (brother of the above), may be co?2sitlted in either- of the above branches of his profession, daily, at No. 9, Dloa-

TAGUE STREET, MONTAGUE SQUARE."TEETH AND GUMS.—Their preservation indispensable- to health, comfort, and appearance. Mr. B.’s ArtificialTeeth, &c.-

" SCALING.—The Tartar, the effects of which on the Gums

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and Sockets are often erroneously considered as arising fromScurvy in the Gums, and which as well as being the cause ofoffensive and fœtid Breath, destroys not only the tee,th butalso their Sockets, causing the front ones to become loose andfall out, and the larger ones to decay,-is removed by Mr. B.in a few minutes, without the slightest pain," &c.

"TERMS MODERATE.

"No. 9, UPPER MONTAGUE-STREET, MONTAGUE-SQ.,"Near Crauford-street, Marylebone."

The Advertiser, whose name I need not publish here, is sofar a private practitioner, that he has no shop. His door isseemingly a private one. Now, I keep a shop, and, in myopinion, a respectable shop. You pronounce me to be a manthat degrades the noble profession of physic and surgery. In

my defence I urge, first, that I must live on material, not im-material and ethereal things; which, secondly, are to be se-

cured by a good connexion; which, thirdly, must be collectedby me, who am a comparative stranger in London, and with-out any thing to aid me but honesty, perseverance, a littleknowledge, and an humble confidence in God; having no re-lations, no influential friends, to pusli me on. And for thisend, I long since complied with ancient usage, by opening ashop, and, by the Almighty’s blessing, am thriving. Pointout to me any more honourable or sensible course than this,for supporting a young beginner, with a young wife, and ayoung family; and if practicable, or practical, we will considerit. Meanwhile, what is to be done with this man, whom Iunhesitatingly affirm to be the real delinquent, and all such,in degrading the profession ? Let the Council of the Collegeauthorize a communication, warning him to desist, on pain ofremoval from the membership of the College, or at least ofsuspension. (By-Laws, 1831, sec. xx., 1 and 3.)-Your obedientservant, RHADAMANTHUS.October 27th, 1846.

. The LONDON MEDICAL DIRECTORY for 1846 contains thefollowing ltem :—" BURSEY, HENRY, 11, Chandos-street, Strand.Gen. Pract. Qual. M.R.C.S. Dec. 9th, 1839; L.S.A. July 29th,1840.

STRANGULATED HERNIA.—In all cases, the stric-tured parts should be liberated without delay. If, from anycause, delay have occurred, and the parts be tender, or in riskof sphacelus, the operation should be performed forthwith,without previous attempt at reduction by other means. Incases which would seem to justify the taxis, it should be care-fully and judiciously attempted once only, the patient havingbeen placed previously in the most favourable state for itstrial. This state is relaxation, general and local; the formerbeing induced by such means as do not permanently diminishpower, and are adapted to the age and the other concomitantconditions ; and the latter, by well-regulated posture. If,thus conducted, the taxis fail of success, the operation is de-manded without further loss of time. Reduction of strangu-lated hernia has been effected by a great variety of means,and this has induced the employment of many in succession,with the hope of averting operative interference. Withoutenumerating them, or attempting a comparative estimate oftheir value, it is believed that the greatest ratio of successwill follow their almost entire abandonment. The patient

’ may be brought to the side of the bed, the stricture be divided,and the whole completed, in little more time than is requiredfor an ordinary venesection. Much evil has resulted from ex-

citing the fear of a dangerous operation, and by the distress-ing ceremonies of preparation. The strictured parts havingbeen liberated, and the wound adjusted, the utmost quietudeis needful, the after-treatment being essentially soothing.The cardinal points, in brief, are, early operation and sedativeafter-treatment, to the exclusion of multiplied appliances andmanipulations before operation, and disturbing agencies, es-pecially of purgatives, afterwards. See the papers by Mr.Macilwain, recently published in THE LANCET.—Mr. George.lfay’s Statistical Report of the Surgical In-patients of the BerksHospital, 1839 to 1845.THE PRISONS OF ENGLAND.—" I have conversed

with a great many intelligent prisoners under my care, menwho, from previous character, were entitled to no small

_ credit, and from what I have heard from them, (each confirm-ing the other’s statement in every leading point, though ofcourse entirely ignorant of it,) I have come to the conclusion,that prisons, as they exist throughout the country departmentsof England, generally speaking, are schools in which every-thing wicked, deceitful, impious, and abominable, is practised,taught, and propagated, at the great expense of public money

and public morals. It is a remark constantly made to me bymen who have been several times in confinement:—’I learnedmore wickedness in one month there, than I did all my lifebefore."’-Report of a Prison Chaplain, 1846.On Monday, Nov. 9th, W. PHILPOT BROOKES, M.D.,

was elected Surgeon to the Cheltenham General Hospital andDispensary, by a majority of 409 votes.CUMBERLAND INFIRMARY.—Dr. Henry Lonsdale,

F.R.C.P. Edin., was unanimously elected Physician to theCumberland Infirmary, on the 4th instant, in the place ofDr. Goodfellow, resigned.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.Gentlemen admitted Members on Friday, November 6th, 1846 :-R. H.

Leach, T. W. Bradley, W. B. Beatson, R. Gething, J. Rambaut, H. Mumey,J. Bland, J. Barber, F. Hope, H. Sandwith, and J. T. Brooke.

APOTHECARIES’ HALL, LONDON.Names of Gentlemen who passed their Examination, and received Certi-

ficates to practise, on Thursday, November 5th, 1846 :-John Elliot Snow;Richard Norris Bower, and John Archibald Jones Martin.

CORRESPONDENTS.A. 0. S.-The election did not take place until February, 1839.We unhesitatingly advise Mr. F. Solly to have nothing to do with a pro-

fession which his communication shows him to be utterly unfit to join.There are many other honest avocations in which success might attendhis efforts.The communications of Dr. F. T. Wintle, and Dr. Dick, will be inserted.Dr. R.-The statement that the assertions were incorrect would be value-

less, in print, as a denial, because it is general, and does not descend to par-ticulars. Such remarks and declarations cannot be satisfactorily met inpublic by sweeping denonncements. They could only be usefully contra-dicted sentence by sentence. The word " appointed" is not used in error.True, the day is not appointed for the magistrates, but it is appointed bythem. How it happens that the day becomes known to other persons wecannot tell. We need only further point out, that the insertion of Dr. R.’snote would at once convert the communication into direct charges againstan establishment which is not named in the indictment.To the Editor.— Sir: An old patient of mine was attacked with disorder of

the liver, attended with bilious diarrhoea, from which she was fast recover-ing, when some of her friends sent their own medical man to attend her,-Mr. Sulivan, of Guildford-street, Russell-square,—who, although informedof my previous attendance, and willingness to meet himin consultation, notonly visited her without my knowledge, but is still in regular attendance onher. I wrote to him on this day week for an explanation of this extra-ordinary conduct; but no answer has arrived. If, Mr. Editor, the aboveconduct is worthy of remark, and likely to show to my professional brethrenwhat treatment they may expect from Mr. Sulivan, of Guildford-street,Russell-square, a notice of it in THE LANCIIT will oblige, yours respect..fully, H. M. M. MEADOWS, L.S.A.

Windsor-place, Southwark-bridge-road, Nov. gth, 1846.** The post may have miscarried the letter of Mr. Meadows.-ED. L.It is not likely that the appointment which has been offered to An Old

Reader would be confirmed without his having passed the examination; butno information, in this place, could be more clear and explicit than thatwhich is contained in the STUDENTS’ NUMBER. If "the course of study "

required has been fulfilled, and is characterized by possession of the neces-sary knowledge, the final step could not long prove an obstacle to theappointment.

0. B.-" Beeberine " is an alkaloid contained in the bark of a tree foundin British Guiana. It is said to be highly febrifuge, but is a non-crystallinesubstance, the true composition of which can scarcely be said to be known.The analyses of Drs. Tilley and Maclagan make it isomeric with morphine,C35 H20 N O6 ; but this formula requires confirmation.The letter of Philiutrus, relating to Mr. Griffin’s paper, and Mr. Owen’s

subsequent inquiries relating to the mammary glands of the monotremata,was not inserted because it was anonymous. All communications fromour correspondent must be authenticated, at least confidentially, with hisname and address.

We had the honour of receiving the communication from the Ethno-logical Society, but not until after Nov. nth.To the Editor.-Sir: If what Dr. Forbes says, in his Review, for October,

respecting hydropathy and the other things, be correct, why then thefees which professors receive from us must fall under the class of " moneyobtained under false pretences."-Your obedient servants,November, 1846. THE MEDICAL STUDENTS OF ENGLAND.A correspondent, from the vicinity of Manchester, has favoured us with

a communication without appending his name, which we will beg of himto do at an early opportunity.Mr. Foster’s letter shall receive due attention.Communications have been received from-Mr. Milligan, (Keighlen)

Mr. M., (Cornwall;) Dr. Robert Barnes ; Mr. John Lyell, (of Newburgh ;) Mr. Embling; and an Edinbro’ Druggist.We must postpone answers to other correspondents until next week.