for thirty days, as a testimony of their feelings as expressed in the foregoing resolutions.

Resolved, That the members of the society will attend the funeral of the deceased, to-morrow afternoon at 3 o'clock, and that we hereby invite the physicians of this city to meet with us at our Hall, in order to join with us in the manifestation of due respect to the deceased.

Resolved, That a committee of three members be appointed to present a copy of these resolutions to the family of the deceased.

Chas. D. Meigs, M. D., R. Coates, M. D., and. Caspar Morris, M. D., were then appointed a committee, to carry into effect the object of the last resolution.

On motion of Dr. Caspar Morris, seconded by Dr. West,

Resolved, That Dr. Geo. B. Wood be respectfully requested to prepare the memoir contemplated in the above resolutions.

On motion of Dr. T. S. Kirkbride,

Resolved, That an account of the proceedings of this meeting be published in the medical periodicals of the city, and in the city morning papers of EDWARD HARTSHORNE, Junior, Recording Secretary.

to-morrow.

March 19th, 1840.

Resolutions expressive of the worth of the deceased have likewise been passed by the managers of Wills Hospital, over whom he had presided since the first organization of the charity.

Since furnishing the above we have received the following:

At a meeting of the former pupils of the late Dr. Joseph Parrish, held at the Hall of the Medical Society on the 21st of March, 1840, Professor Wood was called to the chair, and Dr. Norris appointed secretary.

The following resolutions offered by Professor Morton, were adopted: Resolved, That we contemplate with feelings of unfeigned sorrow, demise of our venerated friend and preceptor, Joseph Parrish, M. D.

the

Resolved, That we regard the death of this estimable man as a severe loss, not only to the medical profession, but to the community at large, and above all to ourselves, who have been instructed by his precepts, and fostered by his kindness.

Resolved, That an intimacy of many years continuance, has tended more and more to enhance our esteem for his many virtues, his amiable manners, and his professional skill.

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be presented to the family of Dr. Parrish, with the assurance of our sincere sympathy for the afflictive bereavement they have suffered in his death.

Professor Morton and Dr. Yardley were then appointed a committee to carry into effect the last resolution.

On motion of Dr. Yardley, it was,

Resolved, That this meeting cordially unite with the Medical Society in the appointment of Professor Wood, (one of our number) to prepare a biographical memoir of our lamented preceptor; believing that he will do full justice to his superior ability as a teacher of medicine and surgery, as well as portray his exalted and endearing character as a physician, his worth as a man, and his virtues as a Christian.

Resolved, That we will in a body attend the reading of said memoir at such time and place as Dr. Wood and the Medical Society may select. On motion of Dr. West:

Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be published in the Medical periodicals and newspapers of the city.

GEO. W. NORRIS, Secretary.

Baron Richerand.'-Baron Richerand, Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, Paris, died on the 23d of January last. M. Richerand was born on the 5th of February, 1779, at Belley, a small town in the department of Aix, which has already furnished the capital of France with some of its most celebrated physicians, Recamier, Bichat, &c. At the age of 17, Richerand left his native town for Paris, where he commenced the study of medicine, and such was the ardour of the young aspirant to distinction, that, after having studied only two years, he commenced lecturing as a private teacher. At the age of 22 he published the first edition of his "New Elements of Physiology." This work has continued, since the time of its publication, to enjoy a high degree of popularity; it has been translated into most of the European languages, even into Chinese, and is well known in our own country through Dr. Copland's excellent translation. Richerand dedicated his work to Fourcroy, and through him became acquainted with the most celebrated characters of the time. He was soon appointed assistan!-surgeon to the Hospital of St. Louis, and at the age of 29 became one of the Professors of the School of Medicine. During nearly half a century he continued his labours at the hospital without intermission, and sank at length full of years and honour, loved and respected by all who knew him. M. Richerand was Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, Senior Surgeon of the Hospital of St. Louis, President of the Medical Jury for Paris, and Knight of the Orders of the Legion of Honour, St. Michel, St. Anne, St. Wladmir, &c.

Professor Blumenbach.2~died at Göttingen, on the 22d of January, aged 88. Fourteen years ago (in 1826) he celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his professorship. For some years, however," says a correspondent at Hanover, "he has been dead to science, so that the University now loses only his illustrious name.”

John Frederick Blumenbach was born at Gotha, in the year 1752, and took his degree of Doctor of Medicine at the University of Göttingen in 1775. On the following year he was appointed Conservator of the Museum of Natural History; in 1778, Professor of the Practice of Medicine; and in 1812, Secretary of the Royal Society of Sciences. Blumenbach wrote his inaugural thesis in 1775, on "The Varieties of the Human Race," and thence continued to labour with unwearied zeal in this interesting field of observation. His collection of human skulls was the richest in the world. In the year 1787 Blumenbach published the first edition of his "Elements of Physiology." This work once existed in an English form; now a travestied copy is sold under the title of "Elliotson's Physiology."

BOOKS RECEIVED.

From Dr. Clary, of Syracuse, New York.-Transactions of the Medical Society of the State of New York. Vol. iv. P. 2. 8vo. pp. 56. Albany, 1839. From the Author.-The American Medical Almanac, for 1840, designed for the daily use of practising physicians, surgeons, students, and apothecaries, being also a pocket memorandum and account book, and general medical directory of the United States and the British Provinces. By J. V. C. Smith, M. D., editor of the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal. Vol. ii., continued annually. 24mo. pp. 152. Boston, 1840. (This work was sent to us by the editor months ago, but only reached us within the last few days.)

From Dr. Woodward.-Medical Superintendent.-Seventh Annual Report of the Trustees of the State Lunatic Hospital, at Worcester, December, 1839. 8vo. pp. 102. Boston, 1840.

I London Lancet, Feb. 8, 1840, p. 741.

Ibid.

As the practical consideration of any new remedy which may be proposed for the relief of disease, must be one of the useful purposes of a periodical journal, I trust that some further observations on the question of inhalation in tubercular phthisis pulmonalis, and in chronic bronchitis, may be offered to you as an acceptable contribution.

It was in 1830 that I published the first edition of my cases in illustration of the subject; and therefore I may lay claim to a very extended experience of this particular method of treatment, and to the consequent opportunity of forming a more mature judgment of its merits. But I wish, in the first place, to be understood as speaking of this remedy in the light of an auxiliary, and one not exclusive of other treatment. It is to be considered that every practitioner, in consenting to adopt this treatment, may at the same time employ those general means in which he is accustomed to confide. I believe that I have derived from this method of practice more success, and a larger share of satisfactory result, even where cure was not attainable, than the majority who have adopted it. This I can only explain from my greater study of the action of remedies administered in the way of inhalation; from my greater confidence in their power and usefulness; and consequently a more patient perseverance in their employment. Yet I do possess a large collection of professional testimony in favour of the inhaling treatment, and some of which I have already published. It is probable, however, that the larger part of the profession may not have paid any attention. to it. Some, from theory only, never having made trial of inhaling, or even witnessed its effects, condemn it, as a hurtful irritant to the lungs. Some, on the other hand, also from theory, regard it as a feeble, doubtful, and very troublesome method. Others assure me that they have given a very fair trial to the inhalation of iodine and conium in consumption, according to my recommendation, with eventual failure, as with all other means of treatment of this lamentable disease, although at first much pleased with the remedy, and greatly encouraged with the hope of success. There are a few who pass a strong censure on the mode of receiving the medicated vapour by the tubes of the glass inhaler.

I shall endeavour to offer a running commentary on the several points which I have here stated.

I affirm that the inhalation of iodine and conium, so far from irritating the air passages, either in tubercular phthisis or in chronic bronchitis, proves

'Lond. Med. Gaz., Feb. 7, 1840, p. 750.

more or less soothing, provided it be used of proper strength, and that inflammatory action be not present;-pleasingly soothing, I repeat, independently of its more remedial power, of which I shall have to speak. Notwithstanding the certain trouble of the process, the patient looks with pleasure to the hour of repeating it, from his confidence of receiving relief.

There may be some of the profession who, having witnessed very untoward effects from the internal administration of iodine, or occasionally, even from its excessive employment externally, dread its use even in the way of inhalation; and, as I now and then read in print, speak of the evils of this potent medicine so employed. But what remedy or treatment, either in the hands of the physician or of the surgeon, would not fall into discredit and even odium, if its merits were to be adjudged from the occasional accidents which arise, whether to be referred to the unfitness of the case, or particular symptoms temporarily existing; to error in the doses or mode of administration; or to idiosyncrasy of constitution in the individual, which renders him an unfair example of the merits of the remedy employed? This position might be illustrated by a thousand examples. Some declare they would endure any pain, or continued loss of sleep, rather than swallow the least portion of opium, having experienced, in their system, its distressing effects. Others, who from a few grains of blue pill have incurred a very severe salivation, would expect death itself to ensue from even a moderate use of calomel.

There are again others who call in question the efficacy of inhalation, and denounce it as a feeble and uncertain mode of practice, inferior to the routine administration of medicines by the stomach. Amidst such conflicting opinions and prejudices, who shall determine the truth?

"Utinam tam facile vera invenire possem, quam falsa convincere."-CICERO.

It might be supposed that time alone would serve to decide the real pretensions of any remedy introduced into general use; but in reality the influence of fashion extends even to medicines; as we have often seen that a favourite remedy, popular alike with the profession and the public, has, after no distant interval, been condemned, discarded, and forgotten. Yet it has again been the fate of several medicines so discarded to return into favour, and enjoy a fresh reign.

It is therefore extremely difficult to discover the truths of physic, and to establish on solid grounds the just claims to confidence which any particular medicine, or mode of treatment, may really possess. Preconceived opinion and prejudice too commonly stand in the place of reason and dispassionate inquiry, and oppose the advance of truth. The dangerous nature of consumptive disease, and its great fatality, should rather serve to stimulate our industry to discover some method of lessening the force of the Scourge, than to be passive spectators of its dire results. The high authority of Laennec may probably have had some influence in confirming the general opinion of the incurable nature of phthisis pulmonalis. The distinguished author observes (Forbes' Translation, p. 305) :-" The observations contained in the treatise of M. Bayle, as well as the remarks made in the present chapter on the developement of tubercles, sufficiently prove the idea of the cure of consumption in its early stage to be perfectly illusive. Crude tubercles tend essentially to increase in size and to become soft. Nature and art may retard or even arrest their progress; but neither can reverse it. But while I admit the incurability of consumption in the early stages, I am convinced, from a great number of facts, that in some cases the disease is curable in the latter stages-that is, after the softening of the tubercles and the formation of an ulcerous excavation."

The attempt, therefore, to treat tubercular phthisis by any novel mode, with the expectation of success, is thought probably to wear the appearance not only of presumptuous boldness, but of the vain pretensions of quack

ery' itself. Far be it from me to speak in any light terms of this fearful disease, or to boast that I have certain means of cure at my command, in any case which may present itself.

I have now enjoyed no short term of medical life, and can well remember the results of different methods of practice in this disease in former years, without any success resulting. For a long period it was a favourite practice to put the patient on very slender diet, perhaps of milk, vegetables, and fruits, exclusively; and especially on the use of digitalis at the same time; on the theory of procuring a quiet state of the circulation, and preventing irritation and over-action of the lungs, by keeping the formation of the blood within the narrowest limits, as to its quantity; and abating its stimulating quality also, by lessening the density of its red particles.

Finding the constant failure of this and other modes of treatment, about twelve years ago I first made trial of the inhalation of iodine and conium, not having then heard of any experiment of the kind being made by others. I was gratified by a degree of success which I had never obtained from any other means; and I published some of my results in November, 1830. But great as is the importance which I attach to this one remedial method, I should be sorry to have it supposed for one moment that I would depend on it alone. On the contrary, I am fully aware how essential a matter it is to treat the whole constitution; such treatment being modified according to the circumstances of the individual case. advocate for a very supporting plan of diet, and the use of corrective tonic As a general principle, I am an medicine, combining with it the occasional careful administration of alteratives. Good air, the avoidance of vicissitudes of temperature, while, at the same time, a due ventilation is well maintained in all the apartments which the patient occupies, are points of great importance. It is not sufficient that we attempt to relieve the lungs from the irritation of tubercles at present existing; but we must endeavour to remove the tubercular diathesis, and counteract the tendency to fresh formation of tubercles. Hence it follows also, that when a consumptive patient may have had the good fortune to be benefited by treatment to the extent of a tolerable recovery, it is incumbent upon him to lead a life of exceeding care afterwards, in regard to diet and regimen, clothing, place of residence, and in every material particular relating to health; in order that a relapse may be prevented.

It is a question of the highest interest to consider whether we may not, in contradiction of the gloomy declaration of Laennec, undertake the cure of the early stage of tubercles, with the hope of success? I have, in numerous instances, by means of inhalation, and combined treatment, succeeded in removing the early state of tubercular irritation, and which had been clearly manifested by the signs revealed by auscultation and percussion, by great elevation of the animal heat, and by the concurrent symptoms of cough, short breathing after quick exercise, frequency of pulse, hectic fever of greater or less amount, wasting of the body, and loss of strength.

As an example bearing exactly on this point, I will advert to the case which I published in the second edition of my work on inhalation, &c. p. 66. I stated, in the observations on the case, p. 73, that, from the several indications, it was reasonable to believe that tubercles existed. of the patient under the treatment adopted was most satisfactory. He reThe recovery mained quite well for upwards of a year, and continued so, with a slight

'I have occasionally met with observations of this nature applied to myself, with reference to inhalation; but they have always been either deficient in courtesy, or so stamped with scurrility, and vulgarity of style, that they have never called for my serious notice, or more than my silent contempt. Written in the same spirit of low detraction, some letters have lately appeared in the Lancet, doing equal discredit to the head and heart of the writer, respecting the London Dispensary for the diseases of the lungs. The prosperity of the institution will be the best refutation of such puny attempts to injure either the charity itself, or its medical officers.