1
241 giving an impression that the head of the femur was displaced from its cavity, which it really was not. The slightest pressure over the great trochanter caused sudden and piercing pain in the interior of the joint. All remedial treatment having failed in procuring that amount of ease which was so earnestly desired, Mr. Price had the little fellow placed under the influence of chloroform on the 10th of January last, and having opened the articulation by slitting up one of the two sinuses which existed about the joint, readily discovered that the head of the bone was deprived of its cartilage, and the cavity of the joint filled with unhealthy- ’, looking pus. Not a vestige of synovial structure existed. The ligamentum teres was destroyed; but the floor of the aceta- bulum was but slightly affected. The leg, which was flexed at the joint, was forcibly straightened, some ligamentous bands giving way with a sharp crack. The wound was closed with two points of suture; a long side splint, such as recommended by Mr. Price for these cases, applied (vide THE LANCET, vol. i. 1858, p. 286), and the patient removed to bed. Dr. W. P. Price, who had the daily management of this case, as well as the former, writing regarding it six weeks after the operation, says : " I have no particular notes regard- ing F-’s case after operation, for the relief has been so great, and the reparation so rapid, that not a single bad symp- tom has arisen to cause me the least annoyance. His health and strength have much improved, and it is one of the most satisfactory results we have had." The boy is now out of doors, and there is every probability of his gaining in time a most useful limb. The history of these two cases thus rapidly detailed will at a future time be referred to, so that the actual state and utility of the limbs may be recorded. Reviews and Notices of Books. The Madras Qucerterly Jourrzal of Medical Science in all its B7,anches: i)iclitdi?2,y Original Essay, Reviews, Reports, and Medical Intelligence. No. I., July, 1860. Madras: Gantz Brothers. London: Bohn. WE have here a new caterer for public information and an aspirant for professional support. Each of the three Presidencies of India has now its first-class journal-viz., Calcutta, the Indian j4MH6:/ Bombay, the Trarzsactions; and at length comes Madras with its new Quarterly. We wish them all success, but we fear it may turn out rather a hard struggle for the proprietors of each of these journals to make their venture good as a cominei-cial undertaking. We should be sorry if such should be truly the case, for we think that whilst three serials may not each " pay the piper," one might. It is true that the Transac- tions belongs to the Medical and Physical Society of Bombay, but still Societies do not like to be losers any more than private individuals. Our own special leaning is towards the Indian Annals, and we shall be very sorry if an imprudent competition should be the means of diminishing the prosperity of that admi- rable publication. Our new friend does not, we need scarcely say, agree with this view of the case, but " believes there is ample room for all." "The prospects of local periodical literature have never been so bright as at the present time. India has never, prior to the mutinies, been occupied by so many European troops as are now likely to be permanently stationed in the country; and the field of observation and inquiry as to the influences of tf epical climates on the European constitution is proportionately widened. The number of medical readers in India has in- creased considerably of late years. Men who enter the various branches of the medical service now-a-days find that they must read to keep themselves acquainted with the progress of medi- cine and the allied sciences, in order to be prepared for the examination, now compulsory, before promotion. We have heard a story told of an Indian surgeon of the old school, whose medical library, sold, with other effects, after his decease, con- sisted of a ’Cooper’s Dictionary’ and an odd volume of THE LANCET. It is not very many years ago that the regulations for the admission of assistant-surgeons into her Majesty’s army contained a clause to the effect that candidates were required to produce before the examining board copies of certain standard books, with their own names written on the title-page as bond-fide proof of ownership. These times, we are happy to think, have passed away for ever."-p. 167. The editorial voice of the new journal, however, freely pro- claims the fact, that medical periodicals in India must neces- sarily be more precarious as to their chances of existence than similar publications at home. " So much do they rely upon individual exertions in a country where members of our profession are few and far between, that the success or failure of a journal may depend entirely upon the zeal and energy of one or two persons, who, as a matter of course, are liable at any moment to be removed from the sphere of their undertaking by sickness or the call of duty." Hence, according to the Madras Quarterly, the majority of Indian journals have been short-lived because their originators or promoters have been unable, from the circumstances above mentioned, personally to superintend the labours of the press, and not from want of support or deficiency of material. The new journal contains four divisions. The first includes Original Essays;" the second, "Reviews and Notices of Books;" the third, a " Medical Miscellany;" and the fourth, " Medical Intelligence." The last part contains a " Medical Directory for Southern India ;" whilst the third division is ac- companied by four illustrations relative to osteo-sarcoma of the jaw and elephantiasis of the scrotum. The general impression we have received from the perusal of our Indian contemporary is, that the journal is well edited. On the Benefits likely to Accrue from the Fornaation of an Agri- cultural Museum, in London. By EDWARDS CRISP, M.D. Pamphlet. THERE is not an institution in this metropolis, unless of a very limited kind, where a student can obtain useful informa- tion upon the science of agriculture and its collateral branches. In the present pamphlet, the author clearly shows that the establishment of an Agricultural Museum in London is an object of great national importance. A general outline of the proposed Museum is given, which would not, it is believed, in any way interfere with the Agricultural Society’s annual exhi- bition of live animals and implements. Whether the proposed scheme will ever be carried out is a question which remains to be decided. The author, at any rate, is entitled to the thanks of all lovers of science for his efforts in bringing the subject under the notice of the public. THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTAL POISONING. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,-In a recent leader you called attention to the advan- tage of employing bottles with contracted necks, and of a quadrangular fluted configuration, in storing and dispensing all poisonous or potent medicines of which the dose is a teaspoon- ful or under. Although that article and the subsequent corre- spondence to which it led have been elsewhere reprinted, and produced considerable sensation, I am not aware to what ex- tent the changes which you advocate may have been adopted. A patient of mine nearly poisoned himself last week by an error which your suggestion would have prevented. He was supplied at a first-rate dispensing establishment at the West- end with a solution of iodide of potassium which I had ordered for internal use, and a soluticn of atropine to be applied to the eye. They were dispensed in similar bottles, and in a moment of hurry he poured out for himself a dose of the solution of atropine, containing about one-sixth of a grain. He became insensible, and owed his ultimate recovery very much to the energy of Dr. Halford, who was at hand. Had the solution of atropine been furnished to him in an angular, fluted, narrow- necked bottle, he would have felt on grasping the bottle that he was handling a lotion for external use; and if this had not aroused him to a sense of error, he would have been still fur- ther warned of his mistake by finding that the solution dropped slowly from the bottle. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, September, 1860. AN HOSPITAL SURGEON.

Reviews and Notices of Books

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

241

giving an impression that the head of the femur was displacedfrom its cavity, which it really was not. The slightest pressureover the great trochanter caused sudden and piercing pain inthe interior of the joint.

All remedial treatment having failed in procuring thatamount of ease which was so earnestly desired, Mr. Price hadthe little fellow placed under the influence of chloroform onthe 10th of January last, and having opened the articulationby slitting up one of the two sinuses which existed about thejoint, readily discovered that the head of the bone was deprivedof its cartilage, and the cavity of the joint filled with unhealthy- ’,

looking pus. Not a vestige of synovial structure existed. Theligamentum teres was destroyed; but the floor of the aceta-bulum was but slightly affected. The leg, which was flexedat the joint, was forcibly straightened, some ligamentous bandsgiving way with a sharp crack. The wound was closed withtwo points of suture; a long side splint, such as recommendedby Mr. Price for these cases, applied (vide THE LANCET, vol. i.1858, p. 286), and the patient removed to bed.

Dr. W. P. Price, who had the daily management of thiscase, as well as the former, writing regarding it six weeksafter the operation, says : " I have no particular notes regard-ing F-’s case after operation, for the relief has been so

great, and the reparation so rapid, that not a single bad symp-tom has arisen to cause me the least annoyance. His healthand strength have much improved, and it is one of the mostsatisfactory results we have had." The boy is now out of

doors, and there is every probability of his gaining in time amost useful limb.The history of these two cases thus rapidly detailed will at a

future time be referred to, so that the actual state and utilityof the limbs may be recorded.

Reviews and Notices of Books.The Madras Qucerterly Jourrzal of Medical Science in all its

B7,anches: i)iclitdi?2,y Original Essay, Reviews, Reports, andMedical Intelligence. No. I., July, 1860. Madras: GantzBrothers. London: Bohn.

WE have here a new caterer for public information and anaspirant for professional support. Each of the three Presidenciesof India has now its first-class journal-viz., Calcutta, theIndian j4MH6:/ Bombay, the Trarzsactions; and at lengthcomes Madras with its new Quarterly. We wish them all

success, but we fear it may turn out rather a hard struggle for theproprietors of each of these journals to make their venture goodas a cominei-cial undertaking. We should be sorry if such shouldbe truly the case, for we think that whilst three serials may noteach " pay the piper," one might. It is true that the Transac-tions belongs to the Medical and Physical Society of Bombay,but still Societies do not like to be losers any more than privateindividuals. Our own special leaning is towards the IndianAnnals, and we shall be very sorry if an imprudent competitionshould be the means of diminishing the prosperity of that admi-rable publication. Our new friend does not, we need scarcelysay, agree with this view of the case, but " believes there is

ample room for all.""The prospects of local periodical literature have never been

so bright as at the present time. India has never, prior to themutinies, been occupied by so many European troops as arenow likely to be permanently stationed in the country; andthe field of observation and inquiry as to the influences of

tf epical climates on the European constitution is proportionatelywidened. The number of medical readers in India has in-creased considerably of late years. Men who enter the variousbranches of the medical service now-a-days find that they mustread to keep themselves acquainted with the progress of medi-cine and the allied sciences, in order to be prepared for theexamination, now compulsory, before promotion. We haveheard a story told of an Indian surgeon of the old school, whosemedical library, sold, with other effects, after his decease, con-sisted of a ’Cooper’s Dictionary’ and an odd volume of THELANCET. It is not very many years ago that the regulationsfor the admission of assistant-surgeons into her Majesty’s armycontained a clause to the effect that candidates were requiredto produce before the examining board copies of certain standardbooks, with their own names written on the title-page as bond-fide

proof of ownership. These times, we are happy to think, havepassed away for ever."-p. 167.The editorial voice of the new journal, however, freely pro-

claims the fact, that medical periodicals in India must neces-sarily be more precarious as to their chances of existence thansimilar publications at home.

" So much do they rely upon individual exertions in a countrywhere members of our profession are few and far between, thatthe success or failure of a journal may depend entirely upon thezeal and energy of one or two persons, who, as a matter ofcourse, are liable at any moment to be removed from the sphereof their undertaking by sickness or the call of duty."

Hence, according to the Madras Quarterly, the majority ofIndian journals have been short-lived because their originatorsor promoters have been unable, from the circumstances abovementioned, personally to superintend the labours of the press,and not from want of support or deficiency of material.The new journal contains four divisions. The first includes

Original Essays;" the second, "Reviews and Notices of

Books;" the third, a " Medical Miscellany;" and the fourth," Medical Intelligence." The last part contains a " MedicalDirectory for Southern India ;" whilst the third division is ac-companied by four illustrations relative to osteo-sarcoma of thejaw and elephantiasis of the scrotum. The general impressionwe have received from the perusal of our Indian contemporaryis, that the journal is well edited.

On the Benefits likely to Accrue from the Fornaation of an Agri-cultural Museum, in London. By EDWARDS CRISP, M.D.Pamphlet.THERE is not an institution in this metropolis, unless of a

very limited kind, where a student can obtain useful informa-tion upon the science of agriculture and its collateral branches.In the present pamphlet, the author clearly shows that theestablishment of an Agricultural Museum in London is anobject of great national importance. A general outline of theproposed Museum is given, which would not, it is believed, inany way interfere with the Agricultural Society’s annual exhi-bition of live animals and implements. Whether the proposedscheme will ever be carried out is a question which remains tobe decided. The author, at any rate, is entitled to the thanksof all lovers of science for his efforts in bringing the subjectunder the notice of the public.

THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTALPOISONING.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SiR,-In a recent leader you called attention to the advan-tage of employing bottles with contracted necks, and of aquadrangular fluted configuration, in storing and dispensing allpoisonous or potent medicines of which the dose is a teaspoon-ful or under. Although that article and the subsequent corre-spondence to which it led have been elsewhere reprinted, andproduced considerable sensation, I am not aware to what ex-tent the changes which you advocate may have been adopted.A patient of mine nearly poisoned himself last week by an

error which your suggestion would have prevented. He was

supplied at a first-rate dispensing establishment at the West-end with a solution of iodide of potassium which I had orderedfor internal use, and a soluticn of atropine to be applied to theeye. They were dispensed in similar bottles, and in a momentof hurry he poured out for himself a dose of the solution ofatropine, containing about one-sixth of a grain. He becameinsensible, and owed his ultimate recovery very much to theenergy of Dr. Halford, who was at hand. Had the solution ofatropine been furnished to him in an angular, fluted, narrow-necked bottle, he would have felt on grasping the bottle thathe was handling a lotion for external use; and if this had notaroused him to a sense of error, he would have been still fur-ther warned of his mistake by finding that the solution droppedslowly from the bottle.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,September, 1860. AN HOSPITAL SURGEON.