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February 1st, 1841.

A special meeting of the faculty being convened at the college this day, in consequence of the death of Dr. Jacob Green, late Professor of Chemistry in this institution, the following resolutions were adopted:

The professors have heard with grief and deep regret of the sudden death of their beloved and respected colleague.

Resolved, That the lectures be suspended until the day after the funeral; that the professors will attend the obsequies, and that they will wear the customary badge of mourning for the remainder of the session as a testimonial of their friendship and respect for the memory of the deceased. Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be enclosed to the family of the deceased, as an expression of the sympathy and condolence of the members of the faculty. JOHN REVERE, M. D., Dean of the Faculty.

February 1, 1841.

The melancholy news of the sudden death of Professor Green having been announced this morning, a meeting of the class was immediately convened. The meeting was organised by calling J. P. Woods, of Virginia, to the chair, and appointing J. Stuart Leech, of Pennsylvania, secretary. The chairman having briefly stated the sad and unexpected calamity which had befallen them and the institution at which they are in attendance, it was on

motion

Resolved, That a committee of twelve be appointed to draft resolutions expressive of the feelings of the class, occasioned by the sudden bereavement of their much esteemed and endeared professor, Dr. Green.

Whereupon the following gentlemen were appointed said committee:Messrs. J. A. Chilton, of Va., Wm. H. Scott, Pa., C. A. Harding, Md., S. D. Mullowny, M. D., Mo., Irby Dunklin, S. C., Z. T. Chunn, M. D., Va., John Pattison, Pa., J. F. Gaylord, N. C., A. Hepburn, Pa., R. W. Christy, Pa., Wellington Bird, Pa., G. T. Mason, Va.; and on motion the chairman and secretary were added to the number. The committe reported the following resolutions, which were adopted:

Resolved, That the death of our esteemed teacher has been heard with the deepest regret and sorrow, and that we lament most sincerely the loss thus occasioned to his family, to society, and to science.

Resolved, That his kind and gentlemanly manners, which secured to him the warmest affection of his class; his generous friendship, which attached his numerous students to him with a feeling akin to filial love; and his scientific attainments, which have ever commanded for him a high place in public estimation, are stamped upon our memories with too deep an impression ever to be effaced, so long as virtue is honoured, friendship cherished, and knowledge admired.

Resolved, That we duly appreciate the loss sustained by the college in his death, and lament the vacancy in the faculty thereby occasioned.

Resolved, That our deepest condolence is tendered to the sorrowing family of the deceased, with an assurance that although no tie of relationship existed, our hearts respond to their anguish in melancholy submission to the will of Him who rules in wisdom and in mercy.

Resolved, That the dean of the faculty be requested to transmit a copy of these resolutions to the family.

Resolved, That as a testimony of respect and sorrow, the class wear crape on the left arm during the remainder of the present session.

Resolved, That we will meet at the college on Thursday, at 24 o'clock, P. M., and proceed thence in procession to attend the funeral obsequies of our lamented friend and professor.

Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be published.

J. Stuart Leech, Secretary.

J. P. WOODS, Chairman.

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ART. I.-CASE OF CONFLUENT SMALL-POX, ATTENDED WITH OPISTHOTONOS.

BY JOHN S. ROHRER, M. D., OF PHILADELPHIA.

June 13th, 1840. Was called to see a child aged twenty months, son of Mr. L, a respectable mechanic in the city of Philadelphia, labouring under an attack of convulsions. The child had been unwell a few days before, but no medical aid was called for. The convulsions had commenced half an hour previous to my arrival. I immediately had recourse to the warm bath, which soon allayed the spasms. Supposing the convulsions to have originated from irritation of the bowels, I ordered a warm poultice of bread and milk over the stomach and bowels, and prescribed a few grains of hydrarg. submur. joined with pulv. ipecac. and cret. ppt. to be followed in a few hours after with castor oil. Plenty of mucilage of gum Arabic was also ordered. In the course of a few hours the medicine operated, and the child was much relieved.

3 o'clock, P. M. Found the pulse rising, with some degree of tension, eyes turned up, with an increase of heat on the surface. Ordered bleeding at the arm, which was not attended to on account of a supposed change for the better.

14th, A. M. Was called in a great hurry, found the child in convulsions. I immediately bled it at the arm to the extent of four or five ounces, and put the patient into the warm bath; the convulsions soon ceased, and the child was again relieved. This proved, however, but temporary relief, for in the course of an hour the pulse rose to one hundred, with considerable hardness. The pupils of the eyes were contracted, and a great determination of blood to the head seemed to be the result of the last convulsion; insensibility and stertorous breathing soon followed. P. M. same day, ordered leeches to the temples and ice water to the head. Gum water continued.

15th, 8 o'clock, a. M. No convulsions, but delirium and symptoms of encephalic inflammation; pulse quick, with slight tension; difficulty of drawing blood from the arm; had leeches applied to the temples, behind the ears, and neck; about three ounces of blood taken; cold application to the head continued. Tongue furred and red round the edges.

15th, P. M. Fever somewhat abated; bowels freely open; spt. Mindereri administered at repeated intervals. Gum water continued, of which the patient drank freely.

8 o'clock, P. M. Heat and arterial excitement increased; ordered more blood to be drawn by leeches; objected to by the family.

16th, A. M., 8 o'clock. Fortunately for my little patient, one of the leechbites was discovered bleeding this morning, which must have bled all night,

as nearly four ounces of blood were found between the folds of the bedclothes. Patient much better, looks around lively, and calls for food; bowels, however, too open; ordered small doses of cret. ppt. and cinnamon water at repeated intervals. Cold applications to the head discontinued.

16th, P. M. An eruption now begins to show itself all over the body resembling measles.

17th, A. M. The eruption assuming the form of vesicles; fever much abated; pulse soft, but rather frequent; head relieved; tongue clean. 18th, A. M. Pustules forming; head and face somewhat swollen. 19th, A. M. Swelling of the face and head increasing, and fever considerable; patient sensible; no preternatural determination of blood to the head. 19th, P. M. Confluent variety of small-pox; eruption very great, extending all over the body; restlessness very great; much anxiety evinced, and throwing about of the limbs.

20th, A. M. One extensive mass of eruption; eyes closed from swelling; symptoms of opisthotonos.

20th, P. M. Opisthotonos more marked; patient swallows fluids; great restlessness; throws its arms and legs about incessantly; starts occasionally.

21st, A. M. Head drawn back between the shoulders, the muscles of the neck and back extremely rigid; bowels opened with castor oil.

22d, A. M. Spasms of the muscles of the neck, back, and of the lower extremities. One leg drawn back in the direction of the spine, and raised from the other. Patient lies on his side altogether. Head and hips thrown backwards, forming a curvature of the back, and describing an arch. Abdomen tympanitic, and abdominal muscles extended.

23d, A. M. The pulse frequent, and almost imperceptible; eruption extensive; head and feet drawn back; spasms of the muscles of the back and neck. The child rests now almost on the back part of the head and on the left side of the pelvis; face and chin thrown backwards from the breast; jaws rigid, but the patient still capable of swallowing fluids; plenty of slippery elm tea administered; grinding of the teeth; thirst great; extreme restlessness. It is with difficulty that the patient can be kept from seizing hold of his legs and bed-clothes. This grasping of the legs appears to be the effect of involuntary action. Tongue swelled and full of pustules.

24th, A. M. Hot fomentation to the spine, and mucilaginous drinks continued. Great action of the carotid arteries; bowels irritable; frequent discharges of mucus, dark in colour.

P. S. Spasms of the muscles of the back and neck; swelling of the face decreasing.

8 o'clock, P. M. Muscles of the neck and back rigid, but no spasms; snores; eyes still closed.

25th, A. M. All the symptoms better, one eyelid elevated so that part of the eye can be perceived; less determination of blood to the head; pulse less frequent; no spasms of the muscles of the neck and back, but some rigidity; the head thrown more forward in the natural position; still grinding of the teeth; mucilaginous drinks continued; bowels open, and a watery green fluid with mucus discharged.

25th, P. M. Return of spasms of the muscles of the neck and back, producing great agitation of the whole body. Head thrown back, hips elevated and inclining backwards, producing a curvature of the spine backwards as before. Heavy breathing and apparent insensibility; frequent watery discharges; prescribed the following:

. Hydrarg. submur. gr. iij.

Pulv. ipecac. gr. ij.
Cret. ppt. gr. vj.

Pulv. Doveri, gr. vj.

M. ft. pulv. No. iij.

One every three hours.

26th, A. M. Patient better; hopes of recovery entertained by the family; rigidity of the muscles of the neck and back softened and relaxed; eyes open; patient takes notice of surrounding objects; extremities rather cold, pulse extremely weak; no spasms during the night; diarrhea stopped; ordered beef tea and mucilaginous drinks, principally elm tea; warm emollient poultice applied to the stomach, and warm cloths to the hands and feet. 26th, P. M. Patient more feeble; pulse small; eyes turned up when asleep.

27th, A. M. Return of spasms; head and trunk thrown back; throat contracted, and a difficulty of breathing and swallowing fluids; a choking sensation observed; tongue swelled; bowels discharging a watery fluid; a dozen of evacuations during the night; prescribed the following:

. Cret. ppt. gr. xv.
Pulv. Doveri, gr. viij.
Hydrarg. submur. gr. j.
Sacch. albi, gr. x.

M. ft. pulv. iv. One every three hours.

Injection of flaxseed tea with twenty drops of laudanum.

27th, P. M. Spasms ceased in half an hour after I left my patient this morning; bowels not been opened since 10 o'clock, A. M.; pulse feeble, feet cold, eyes turned up; stertorous breathing; some of the scabs falling off. 28th, A. M. At three o'clock this morning death closed this most painful and distressing scene. No spasms during the night.

For the American Medical Intelligencer.

ART. II.-ON THE USE OF THE CHLORIDE OF SILVER.

BY J. C. PERRY, M. D.

One of the Resident Physicians of the Philadelphia Hospital.

Philadelphia Hospital, January 27th, 1841.

Dear Sir, I would call your attention to a preparation of silver (the chloride) hitherto almost entirely unnoticed by physicians, but which I have used for the past eighteen months with such results as lead me to believe it possessed of properties deserving of further investigation.

It must be universally acknowledged, that the nitrate of silver administered by the mouth can never act as nitrate of silver on the system, since any dose which could be ventured upon must, immediately on entering the stomach, be converted into the chloride of silver, from the chloride of sodium of our food, or the hydrochloric acid of the gastric juice.

The chloride must then, a priori, be considered as efficacious equally with the nitrate, while it will be found less uncertain in its effects, more convenient for exhibition, less liable to decomposition, and free from its nauseous taste. It may be given, too, in any dose thought necessary to produce the alterative and tonic action of silver without danger.

In less doses than thirty grains no irritating or manifest effects result. Thirty grains given at once will generally produce emesis. The best form of exhibition is in pill. To children it can be given as a powder suspended in syrup.

Twelve grains administered daily for three months have produced no unpleasant symptoms, and none of my numerous and long-continued courses of the remedy have been followed by discoloration of the skin.

In epilepsy, three grains, given four or five times daily, produced effects similar to those of nitrate of silver, but more marked.

In chronic dysentery, half a grain to three grains thrice daily produces immediate diminution in the number of stools, and tormina, with amelioration in the character of the stools and other symptoms.

I have not ventured to use it freely in acute dysentery, but in the few cases in which it has been administered, its effects seemed equally beneficial. In chronic and colliquative diarrhoea, benefit was derived from its use in the same doses, but not so markedly, uniformly, or permanently.

The catamenia suspended for years have, without any adjuvant treatment, returned after its free exhibition for two or three weeks.

One case of secondary syphilis (the only one in which it has been tried,) improved rapidly under it.

Such are the results of my experience, and if you think them deserving of your attention, I will prepare the notes of the cases for your inspection. I am, very respectfully, yours,

J. C. PERRY.

Professor R. Dunglison.

For the American Medical Intelligencer.

ART. III.-NOTES ON THE DISSECTION OF AN ALLIGATOR.

BY C. G. FORSHEY, ESQ., OF NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI.

Dear Sir,-Agreeably to my promise, I copy for your use a few notes I made in the partial dissection of an alligator, on the 20th April last, with the aid of my respected friend, Dr. Samuel A. Cartwright. I was led to the examination from the circumstance of having noticed a transversion of the heart and lungs, spleen and liver of a very large alligator we had taken, and laid open for the purpose of getting the temperature of his blood at the fountain. The notes, as you will perceive, relate to only a few points, it being inconvenient at the time to complete the dissection.

Glossus muscles and tongue attached beneath the larynx. Larynx three to four diameters of the trachea. Cartilage covering the larynx beneath single, and shaped much like the back of a turtle. The capacity of this larynx will sufficiently explain their bellowing, which I have heard nearly two miles. Os hyoides attached on each side at an angle of 45° with line of trachea, depart on each side a semi-diameter of larynx, and having then an elbow or lateral articulation; direction thence parallel with trachea. The sternum a hard cartilage, with a lateral articulation in the centre, which explains their movement in seizing their prey. Relative position of the trachea and œsophagus as in the human body. Very powerful pectoral and brachial muscles. Scapula with a rib attached almost at sternum. Tendon extending from centre of scapula to the clavicle, which is united to the scapula as a single bone, without a joint or articulation. A powerful muscle is attached to the upper part of bones of pelvis, and extending to the viscera, to aid in expanding for the large supplies of air required in swimming rapidly. Heart in centre under trachea. Single ventricle and auricle. furcation of trachea one third of distance between fore and hind feet.

Bi

The habit here alluded to is their sudden lateral motion of the head, neck, and shoulders to meet the prey, which is at the same moment struck with almost irre. sistible force by the tail. The victim, whether a calf, hog, dog, or deer, is thus dis abled by the stunning blow, which drives him into the "dead-fall" mouth of his captor. This power of course is only available on land, and immediately the alligator plunges into the water to strangle the prey, which might otherwise revive from the blow and prove troublesome.

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