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out, in the memoirs of the Caledonian Horticultural Society, divers means to obtain the juice of the lettuce, which he calls lactucarium he advises to use cotton, sponge, or pencils to collect it, when it escapes from the incision in the plant; but Mr. Probart, apothecary, at London, has made experiments much more extensive the results are recorded in the Pharmacologia of Dr. Paris; it is to this author that we owe them. "I planted," says Mr. Probart, rows of lettuce eight inches apart, that a person might pass between them without damaging the stalks. I commence my operations immediately before the time of flowering, and then cut an inch from the end of the stalk; the milky juice immediately runs out and is collected on pieces of cotton cloth about a yard square.

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"When these pieces of cotton become charged with the juice, they are put into a vessel containing a very small quantity of water: when this water is sufficiently saturated with juice, it is evaporated, at the ordinary temperature, by pouring it into very shallow dishes. Very soon, that is, after a few hours, the dried juice of the lettuce, lactucarium, is found adhering to the bottom of the vessel, and having the appearance of an extract, but different in its physical properties from all the extracts of lettuce ordinarily prepared.

By this method," says Mr. Probart, "I obtained with much facility the juice of lettuce; but this mode of preparation renders it very dear, on account of the small quantity, comparatively, which is collected.

further attempts to see if an extract of lettuce may not be obtained, which shall have all the properties of the lactucarium, and which will cost less than that I at first obtained. I found that the plant contained much more milky juice when in flower, and the leaves had commenced turning yellow, and I observed that when the plant was cut, the greatest part of the juice concreted in a deposit in the bark of the stalk and in the old leaves, a circumstance which explains how at this time these parts mentioned a quire an extreme bitterness.

"These observations led me naturally to choose this time for my operations, and only to take these parts to prepare my extract. I took care to reject the internal substance of the stalk and the young shoot. I then macerated in water for twenty four hours the parts retained; then I boiled them for two hours; I then strained the decoction without pressure; I then evaporated, as it could be done with safety, and then got rid of the rest of the water by pouring the concentrated decoction on plates, as with the lactucarium.' Mr. Probart has given to this preparation the name of concentrated extract of lettuce, to distinguish it from the other extracts of lettuce of the shops. This concentrated extract possesses, according to Mr. Probart, the same properties as the lactucarium or thridace; but it must be given in larger doses.

A concentrated tincture of the juice of lettuce is also prepared.

We should remark, that this extract of lettuce does not resemble at all the thridace obtained by the process of M.

"This induced me to make Caventou.

The following is the process of M. Caventou:

To obtain the thridace, he gathers the lettuce at the time very near its flowering; strips off the leaves and bruises the twigs lightly, and presses them to extract the juice when it is obtained, it is evaporated, at a temperature not exceeding 30 or 35 deg., (86 to 95 deg.,) to the consistence of a thick paste.

they were under the influence of thridace, and he found, on an average, that the pulse beat, before taking the medicine, sixtyseven times in a minute, and during the action of the substance it was reduced to sixty. In some patients, the diminution of the number of pulsations was from one to twelve: in one individual it was much As to the diminution of more. the temperature, it was estimatAction on the animal economy.-ed with the centigrade thermomeAccording to the observations of ter at one degree, and in one or Dr. Francois, the action of the two cases at one and a half. juice of lettuce is sedative; it diminishes the rapidity of the circulation, and, consequently, the natural heat it differs very much in this respect from opium.

"Those who use for the first time the thridace," says Dr. Francois, "experience at the stomach, as soon as the substance is introduced, a strange sensation, like cold, but not disagreeable. The viscus accustoms itself very soon to its action; also, to obtain an effect several days in succession it is necessary to double rapidly the doses, then to suspend the use of it for a day or two, and return to the first dose, which is ordinarily two grains to an adult. If this quantity is not strong enough to procure sleep, the patients, at least, pass the night free from agitation and pain; a calm which they appreciate the better, as it is not accompanied nor followed by drowsiness, stupor, constipation, suspension of the functions, desire, and other inconveniences inevitable to the use of opium or its preparations."

Dr. Francois examined the pulse of twelve patients, with a second watch, and took the temperature of the body by placing a thermometer in the armpit, while

Cases in which the thridace has been administered.-During the month of August, 1824, eleven patients were chosen in the wards of St. Raphael, St. Leon, and St. Michael, at the Hospital de la Pitié. Dr. Francois gave them thridace, prepared by M. Caventou: some were afflicted with rheumatism, others with phthisis, or convalescent from acute diseases; all were deprived of sleep; ten experienced the calming action and somniferous influence of this remedy. From the 25th of September to the 24th of October, thirtysix patients in the same wards made use of it; they were observed with the greatest care; three had acute rheumatism; eight the same disease in a chronic state; one a quotidian fever; one gastro enteritis; three organic affections of the stomach; two chronic peritonitis; two chronic irritation of the bladder; three phthisis pulmonalis; two hypertrophy of the heart; one a phlegmonous deposit in the arm; the others were convalescents tormented with want of sleep and fatigued with pains in the members. All experienced from its use a relief more or less sensible and durable; their pains were

calmed, and they were enabled to enjoy a quiet sleep, of which they had been deprived for a long time. That contraction of the pupils, so evident in persons who take opium, was not observed in any of these.

Dr. Francois observes, also, that persons exhausted by nocturnal spermatic ejections, have been cured by the use of thridace continued six weeks or two months. The dose was 2, 4, 6, 8 grains in the twentyfour hours, in two, three, or four takings.

SEAT AND NATURE OF FEVER.

An Inquiry into the Seat and Nature of Fever, as deducible from the Phenomena, Causes and Consequences of the Disease, the Effects of Remedies, and the Appearances on Dissection.-By HENRY CLUTTERBUCK, M.D., &c. Second Edition. London. THE former edition of this work appeared nearly twenty years ago, and though the antiphlogistic or cooling plan of treatment had at that period more or less obtained, and the author's doctrines in their full extent have been but feebly supported; it is easy to observe that they have considerably influenced the practice of physicians, contributed much to discourage the indiscriminate use of cordial and tonic medicines, and to establish a rational method of treatment in febrile diseases. Though few will go the length with our author to assert, that in every case of idiopathic fever the brain is inflamed, it cannot be denied that delirium, or some degree of mental alienation, indicating, at least, some functional derangement, or erethism, as it has been called, of this organ is usually present. How far does this

state differ from inflammation, which is often transitory, evanescent, and, to the dismay of the morbid anatomist, leaves not a trace behind! Bichat is a strong authoritory on this point; he says, -Anat. Gen. Vol. I. 570,-"A serous membrane may have been considerably inflamed during life, and yet present nearly a natural appearance after death; and it is just the same in erysipelas. I should frequently," he adds, "on dissection have been induced to pronounce the nonexistence of an affection which had actually taken place. The same remark is ap plicable to the cellular tissue and mucous surfaces, affected with inflammation." Wanting this know. ledge, he remarks, he was ofter led into error respecting the in tensity and even the existence & acute inflammation. The fact is well established and therefore the objection that the brain often appears healthy after death from fever, which has been urged against our author's theory, cannot be maintained; and if morbid appear ances do present themselves to the anatomist, it must not be in ferred that they caused the symp toms which were observed during life, but are to be received as evidence only that disease has existed in the part, or, in other words, of an effect.

"This," as the author justly observes, "is clear, when we refer to cases of epilepsy, mania, or other periodical affections of the brain; where alterations of cerebral structure are frequently found, which, having once taken place, must of necessity be permanent, though the symptoms are of occasional occurrence only. And the same conclusion may be drawn from the great similarity

observed in the morbid appearances, after different diseases of the brain; so that in fact it would puzzle, I believe, the best anatomist to indicate, from post mortem appearances merely, the disease under which the patient had labored; or, on the other hand, to predict, with any tolerable certainty or precision, what the appearances would be after death, from any given set of symptoms manifested during life. The essence of disease, in short, consists in something far more subtle and fleeting than the gross changes that are to be detected by the knife of the anatomist."

Pathological researches, observes Dr. Good, rarely give the student" any information concerning the elementary changes that have taken place in the animal fluids; and may lead him, in a thousand instances, to mistake effects for causes, the results of symptoms or accidents for that of idiopathy, even in morbid changes of structure," implying, that as we know nothing of the first link in the chain of diseased action, that is, the state bordering on, and interchanging with health, so we cannot, in any rational manner, run through the series of changes up to dissolution, or draw any practical inference from what may be found afterwards.

It is true that the study of pathological anatomy has sometimes led to the neglect of symptomatology, and to the introduction of bolder plans of treatment than circumstances should appear to warrant; but on the whole, it is the proudest distinction that modern medicine can boast of, and, more than anything else, a cause of the present advanced state of Generally it will nei

surgery.

ther support nor discountenance the author's hypothesis, nor indeed does he seem to rely much on it, for he says, "I do not know how to explain the salutary effects of bloodletting in the cure of fever, now so generally admitted, without referring to the supposed inflammatory nature of the disease."

We have reason to know that bloodletting as here recommended, has been sufficiently successful in the practice of Clutterbuck, and that with some practitioners it has been improperly employed, and carried to a dangerous excess. While therefore we recommend the work to the notice of the profession, we entreat our junior friends to study it attentively, ere they employ that general plan of treatment which, prima facie, it might appear to inculcate. Dr. Clutterbuck's ideas of fever have been extensively circulated through the medium of this journal, which is our excuse for the hasty view we have taken of the present erudite and clever performance.-Lancet.

INTELLIGENCE.

BITE OF THE RATTLESNAKE.

An article has been published in several journals, giving the account of a remarkable cure of the bite of a rattlesnake, by cupping with a common porter or black bottle. The plan resorted to was, to fill the bottle half full of spirit of turpentine, made quite warm, and after scarifying the wound made by the snake, to apply the mouth of the bottle to it, and then pour cold water on the bottle till perfectly cooled. It is said, in the case above alluded to, that the patient was in the most excruciating agony, previous to

the bottle being applied, but soon. became easy, and fell into a sound sleep. The next day he was able to walk about and work as usual. Spirituous liquors of any kind, or even warm water, will do very well, as a substitute for spirit of turpentine.

The writer of this article thinks any kind of spirit would do as well as spirit of turpentine. This we apprehend may be a great mistake. The latter spirit is exceedingly active and penetrating, and it may be, if the above statement is true, that the turpentine, which seems to have been applied to the wound, prevented the too frequent effect of the bite of the rattlesnake. It might have destroyed this animal poison by chemically decomposing it. We throw out this idea in the hope that those who may have an opportunity of observing the effect of the turpentine in accidents of this kind, may decide whether it has any preventive or counteracting effect in these cases,

or not.

We have seen many punctured wounds of the feet, to which the spirit of turpentine was applied. The orifice of the puncture was enlarged. No accident followed in a single instance. Whether the turpentine acted as a preventive in any, or all of these instances, it is impossible to say; that it did so, in some of these cases, considering that several of the punctures were deep and painful at first, and made by rusty nails, is only presumptive evidence, more or less probable. The turpentine is coming into frequent and good use, as a remedial substance, both externally and internally, and is well

worth a trial in punctured wounds, and in the bite of insects and poisonous reptiles, when something better known and more to be relied on, is

not at hand.

M. Ude, the celebrated French Hotel of Mr. Crochford, in Loncook, has been engaged at the don, with a salary of £1200 a year. He is fitting up a house for his own family, in Albermarle Street; near the scene of his future operations.

Fifty thousand dollars per annum is certainly a handsome salary for a cook, and yet for a good cook in a large establishment, it is nothing too much; for the cook of a great boardinghouse is the very life and zest of the whole community. This stipend is a foundation for a good standing society, and such a basis as ever scientific cook ought to stand o We wish to see this profession du honored and duly estimated. This art indeed, like every other, may be perverted to mischievous purposes,

but this is no argument against is use. Thus if the art of cookery should be made in the first instance to administer to the excesses of the rich and luxurious, and fill the upper class, as it is called, in society, with gout, hypochondriasis and dyspepsia, it may afterward, assuming its more legitimate office, descend to the middle and lower ranks to teach them the important but much neglected art of rightly preparing their daily food. In these productive and pacific regions we have animals and vegetables in abundance for the sus tenance of man, but as for cooks, a good culinary operator is a more

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