To the same general principle ticed. The difficulty of distinguishing this disease from internal inflammation is, according to Dr. Hawkins, "the less to be regretted, since, when rheumatism attacks the parietes of the thorax, it is so apt to be communicated to its contents, that the treatment must be nearly similar. To guard in such cases against internal inflammation, blisters should instantly be applied; since these, which are of use in any stage of the disease, have ever been found the best preventive remedy." may be referred the observation, long since made, and well established, that when the pain and inflammation of external or primary rheumatism shift their situation capriciously from one limb to another, they are then most liable to be transferred to some internal organ; for the debilitating treat ment before alluded to is undoubtedly calculated to give to rheumatism this migratory character." The author has taken much pains to determine what is the usual condition of the heart after repeated attacks of a rheumatic kind, and he tells us that the tendency of this disorder is to produce simple dilatation, without thickening. He is inclined to suspect that, in a certain proportion of these cases of enlarged heart, the pericardium was the seat of the first attack. In cases of enlargement with hypertrophy, he thinks, that the heart itself was primarily attacked. These speculations seem to us very open to objection. The author quotes largely from LAENNEC. We were rather surprised at the mention of one of that author's cases, in which "the heart, on dissection, presented evident marks of having been shrunk and reduced from its former size." Dr. Hawkins appears to credit this tale, but we confess it passes our belief; the more so, as we find it brought forward, not as an insulated fact, but to support a particular practice, which Laennec had undertaken to recommend. On the means of treating these rheumatic affections of the heart, we do not find anything in this work which is not generally known to the profession. Pleurodyne, or rheumatism of the thoracic parietes, is next no The author will excuse us if we venture to differ from hin here, both in observation and practice. We are disposed to say, that rheumatis:n affecting the thoracic parieties is, for the most part, a transitory and subacute affection, and by no means likely to affect the subjacent viscera. Again, instead of recommending blisters, we are in the constant habit of employing the warm bath, which we can affirm, from ample experience, to be extremely useful in this form of rheumatism. By the way, we regret that the author, who is a hospital physician, and who must have had many opportunities of using this remedy in the different kinds of rheumatism, has said so little about it, either in the way of praise or blame. It has already been mentioned that, according to our author, metastasis to the heart chiefly occurs from diffuse rheumatism, and metastasis to the head from bursal or synovial rheumatism; cases illustrating which position. were given by Dr. Chambers in the Number of this Journal for last August. With reference to rheumatic ophthalmia, a suggestion is thrown out, that, when fibrous rheumatism prevails, the plie ces s not dish ely; an e syste of ca iting all sat tort suff thers satisfied Tery can the fire А преал the di preven ray b s by the throu had ced Shas explosion, and of the elevation of their heads above its level. He who supplied the fire had his head and fauces so much swollen, that he could not speak; the moonshee and English writer were suffering severely; and a European writer, whose system had resisted forty grains of calomel a day, had been spitting all night. The two who had sat below the level of the retort suffered much less than the others. My friend, Dr. DUCAT, satisfied himself that they were cases of mercurial salivation, and of very unusual severity particularly in the person who had supplied the fire. "It appeared that, in the progress of the distillation, some lime had got into the tube of the retort, and thus prevented the passage of the mercurial vapor, which had forced its way by the side of one of the screws by which the tube was fixed to the retort, and, diffusing itself through the air of the apartments, had been inspired by the men. "The retort originally contain ed about six pounds of mercury, whereof half had escaped in the form of vapor. "This is the twenty second day since the accident occurred, and all the people are well, with the exception of the man who supplied the furnace. "Our medical men produce salivation in twentyfour hours, by fumigation; and I have heard of a recent instance of salivation being produced in seven hours, by fumigation. "My Shastree, a learned Bramin, asserts, that the practice of producing salivation by means of mercurial vapor inhaled by the Jungs has been used by the Hindoos from time immemorial. Bees' wax is melted, and spread over strips of thin cotton cloth; an equal quantity of cinnabar, in the form of powder, is spread over the waxed strips of cloth, which are then rolled up in the shape of candles. The person to be salivated is seated on his haunches on the ground; a blanket is thrown over him; the lighted cinnabar candle is placed under the blanket, so that he inhales the mercurial vapor. A finger's breadth of the candle is burnt to salivate a boy; three or four fingers are requisite for a lad, and six for a robust man. "When I expressed some doubt of this practice being of such antiquity among the Hindoos, my Shastree pointed out a passage in the 'Shaarungn Dhur,' an ancient Shanscrit work, in which the process is described." I remain yours truly, W. SOMERVILLE. CHOREA. It is now beginning to be acknowledged that Dr. Hamilton's plan of purgation will not always prove successful in chorea. That the disease depends on irritation in the primæ viæ, in most instances, we have little doubt; but the causes of this irritation would not produce the disease, if there did not exist a morbid sensibility, or susceptibility, in the nerves of the alimentary canal. By purgation, therefore, we only perform half our work. We clear away all irritating matter; but we do not remove the morbid sensibility of the parts to which the irritants had been applied. On this account, the best practice is to follow up the purgative plan by tonics-or, at least, to combine or alternate them. The case of Dr. M'Andrew was a girl, nine years of age, admitted to the South London Dispensary in March, 1826, her complaint having begun in January, in the form of slight convulsive movements in both sides of the body. These were always increased by mental agitation. She had occasional headache and diarrhoea. Her brother is subject to epilepsy. She herself had now the usual symptoms of chorea, but not in a severe degree. Purgation by calomel and jalap was assiduously employed, and leeches were applied to the head; but a month's treatment on this plan produced merely an increase of the convulsive movements. Ether, valerian, and opium were now conjoined with the purgatives, but under this treatment also the patient got worse. She could now scarcely stand or walk. The head was ordered to be shaved, and the tartaremetic ointment applied, which brought out a copious crop of pustules. The convulsive movements on one side now subsided. The pustulation was extended to the spine, and with beneficial effects. The bowels were kept open by calomel and jalap. She ultimately, though very slowly, recovered. It is evident that the purging plan failed here entirely, and the cure is to be attributed to the counter irritation on the head and along the spine. This removed the morbid sensibility of the nerves, on which the disease generally depends. We repeat it, that purgation is only half the cure. Tonics, sedatives, and counter irritants, must be alternated or combined with purgatives.-London Medical and Physical Journal. Danger of applying to incompetent persons for medical Advice.The following case appears very interesting, and well worthy of notice, though the circumstances have not hitherto been accurately detailed. It is the first characteristic. example we have read of the acute form of poisoning with digitalis; and it illustrates well the double narcoticoacrid properties of the poison. Jacob Evans, a herbalist and quack doctor, was tried at London for manslaughter, by administering to an apprentice lad an over dose of foxglove. The lad had been troubled for some time with a trivial complaint, for which his mother consulted the prisoner Evans. He recommended a strong decoction of digitalis to be taken as a laxative; and, accordingly, the lad took one morning about six ounces of a decoction prepared by the prisoner. Very soon afterwards he was attacked with sickness, vomiting, severe pains in the bowels, and afterwards with purging. Towards the afternoon he became lethargic, and slept profoundly several hours. About midnight he awoke still affected with vomiting and pain in the bowels. During the night he was seized with general convulsions. A medical man, who saw him early in the ensuing morning, found him violently convulsed, with the pupil dilated and insensible, and the pulse slow, small, and irregular. Coma soon succeeded, and death took place twentytwo hours after the drug was swallowed. On examining the body, the external membranes of the brain were found much injected with blood, and the inner coat of the stomach was red in some parts. But the other organs were in a healthy state. The prisoner Evans was found not guilty, the judges being of opinion that, as the friends of the deceased applied for his advice, the act did not come under the statute regarding manslaughter.London Morning rited. They accordingly, through a Chronicle. NEW BOOKS. Horner's General and Special Anatomy, Phila. 1826.-We cannot, without appearing invidious, criticise, at length, this elaborate work, nor would an analysis of the details of anatomy be profitable to our readers. We will not, however, withhold an expression of respect for the character of the work, as a digest of those facts which now constitute the science of Anatomy. In this particular we cannot agree with the New York Medical and Physical Journal, which complains of its not being comprehensive in its selections. Whatever its absolute character may be, it does not suffer by comparison, in this respect, with any work which our own language at present furnishes. We have referred to it for information on various subjects, with satisfaction, and think it the production of a correct anatomist. Its faults are chiefly those of phraseology. Sherrill on the Diseases of Duchess County, N. Y.-This work we shall notice more particularly on another occasion. It contains many valuable facts in relation to the epidemic of which it treats. Phil. Journ. of Med. and Surg. BOSTON, TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1827. THE BOSTON GYMNASIUM. It was natural and just that in taking leave of Dr. Follen as their teacher, the pupils of the institution should embrace the opportunity of expressing those grateful aud respectful feelings which his conduct had so constantly inspired and so fully me committee of their number, addressed to him a letter on the 2d instant, from which the following are extracts. "Dear Sir,-On the occasion of your retiring from the charge of the Boston Gymnasium, the pupils are desirous of expressing their obligations for the uniform attention which they have received at your hands. They are sensible that it must have been a heavy tax on your time, and an interruption to your habits of study. We trust, however, that you will not consider the time devoted to us as unprofitably spent. You have the pleasure of seeing the exercises which you introduced among us, and which our own experience has proved to be so conducive to bodily health and vigor, spreading rapidly through our cities and places of public educa tion, and likely to prove a national benefit. Our countrymen, of the class exempted from the necessity of daily labor, are notorious for the neglect of bodily exercise. The consequence is, that the diseases, which spring from muscular debility and the feeble action of the vital organs, are very common among them. We indulge the hope, that the manly and invigorating efforts of the gymnasium will induce them to shake off their languor. We hope to see the day when dyspepsia will no longer be tolerated in good society." "Now that the Gymnasium in this city may be considered as well established, we could have no reason to expect that you would deof teaching, provided your place vote yourself any longer to the task could be properly supplied. By your advice and assistance, Dr. Lieber, a gentleman whose reputa |