action, and it is therefore of the last importance, that you resolve to start in the race, for honourable success, under the guidance of just and proper views. The most valuable of these, I hold to be, an unflinching adherence to moral rectitude and duty.

"A distinguished writer observes, that 'the principle of unyielding rectitude is commended by the fact, that it is of invariable and universal application. It changes not with times and circumstances; is the same yesterday, to-day and forever. It extends to all beings, to all actions; binds the beggar and the prince, the man of learning and the illiterate. Nor is it a rule so difficult of observance, as many suppose.'

"To know what is right, is, in nineteen cases out of twenty, by no means difficult; but the temporising man finds it exceedingly perplexing, to decide what will best promote present interest or popularity. False principles rarely fail to involve their possessor in perilous straits, from which his ingenuity and management do not always extricate him. His path becomes, every day, darker and more tortuous, and his life is a constant state of suspicion and apprehension. Conscious of his own aberrations, and the glaring obliquity of his moral sense; aware that habit has made it a kind of second nature for him to misrepresent, and give a false colouring to every story, and stung to the soul with a conviction that he is held to be void of integrity, he seeks relief from the upbraidings of conscience, by incessant efforts to impugn the motives of others, and to stain their characters with the peculiar dye of his own. And although such individuals do seem, occasionally, to be successful, in accomplishing their purposes, yet truth will not bear concealment long; and, bursting out at length like the swelling torrent, drives before it the worthless and the vile, and scatters their machinations to the winds. Such, gentlemen, are the persons who are perpetually disturbing the tranquillity of our profession, and their dereliction is always the result of a gradual, but continued departure from the straight path of moral rectitude.

"How different is the man, who aims at the strictest moral honesty! To bend his principles to his interest, never enters into his calculations and forms no part of his policy. His course is straight forward, open, plain; and when once fully convinced of the path of duty, he swerves not, through fear of consequences, but comes up fearlessly to the mark, with an honest front and a fixedness of purpose, that cannot be intimidated.-And, what though, for a season, he be less successful in business than his unprincipled neighbour, whose code of morals is sufficiently pliable, to suit the entire range of character around him! Suppose the latter scruples not to violate the dictates of conscience, to trample on the rules of honesty, and to laugh at the idea of fair dealing, and as a result to attain wealth and distinction; admit it all. But mark the real estimate of his character among the virtuous, and calculate, if you please, how much peace of mind he enjoys. His pillow, perhaps, is full of thorns; it may be, that his children grow up to curse him, and his ill-gotten riches prove his ruin.

"Be assured, gentlemen, that if strict integrity be not always the shortest way to success and respectability, it is ever the most certain, the happiest and best. He who makes unbending rectitude his motto, may experience difficulty in his efforts to get business, in the midst of dishonest competitors and rivals. But, mark his course; though slow in ascending the rugged steep, he gains, at length, the lofty summit. Around him gather the warmest patrons, the most substantial friends, and he rises steadily in the confidence of all who know him. Nor is this all. He respects himself, for he has a conscience void of offence. He feels that the motives by which he is governed, are right and safe; and he escapes the self-degradation which the unprincipled man, sooner or later, realizes as the consequence of his unworthy course. And if he fail to accumulate a large fortune, he feels that he has gained a more substantial portion. For while it continues to be true,

that riches take to themseves wings and fly away, it is equally certain, that the path of the just man is like the dawning light, that shines brighter and brighter, till the splendour of perfect day bursts upon it."

MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES.

Clarendon Springs, Vt.-A pamphlet, by Dr. Joseph A. Gallup,' draws attention to those springs, which are situate in the town of Clarendon, Rutland county. Their composition, as given by Mr. Hayes, of Roxbury, is as follows-carbonic acid gas, azote, carbonate of lime, muriate of lime, sulphate of soda, and sulphate of magnesia-the saline matter being only 5.75 gr. in the gallon. They are admitted to "contain no sensible properties over those of other simple, pleasant waters." A trial of these "gaseous waters" is suggested by Dr. Gallup in phthisis pulmonalis, and in the slow typhoid fever of the region "and of Europe!" We doubt not, that if patients, labouring under various chronic ailments, were sent to the springs, that good effects might result, but a question might still arise as to whether any portion of the benefit was owing to the waters.

Transylvania University.-Medical Department.-The annual announcement contains the names of 257 students; of whom 117 were from Kentucky; 35 from Tennessee; 25 from Alabama; 13 from Georgia; 10 from South Carolina; 12 from Mississippi; 8 from Indiana; 7 from Missouri; 7 from Ohio; 5 from Virginia; 3 from North Carolina; 3 from Illinois; 3 from Pennsylvania; 2 from Louisiana; 2 from New York; 1 from Maryland; 1 from Michigan; 1, from Wisconsin; 1 from Arkansas; and 1 from Texas.

The number of graduates at the last commencement was 62.

Notwithstanding the new and flourishing school at Louisville, the students in attendance this year at the Transylvania Medical School are more numerous than they have been since the session 1835-6.

Medical College of South Carolina.-This prosperous institution numbered 194 students, during the last session, of whom 133 were from the state of South Carolina; 32 from Georgia; 15 from North Carolina; 11 from Alabama; 1 from Mississippi; 1 from Florida, and 1 from Virginia.

The number of graduates was 65.

University of Pennsylvania.-Medical Department.-The number of matriculates was 444; of whom 24 were from Alabama; 2 from the British Provinces; 2 from the District of Columbia; 7 from Delaware; 17 from Georgia; 2 from Ireland; 1 from Illinois; 2 from Indiana; 2 from Kentucky; 5 from Louisiana; 12 from Maryland; 7 from Mississippi; 3 from Missouri; 8 from New England; 18 from New Jersey; 12 from N. York;

'Observations made during a visit to the Clarendon Springs, Vt., in relation to their character and properties, in a part of July and August, 1839. With an analysis of the waters. By Joseph A. Gallup, M. D. 8vo. pp. 14. Windsor, 1840.

63 from N. Carolina; 6 from Ohio; 44 from Pennsylvania; 55 from Philadelphia; 9 from S. Carolina; 29 from Tennessee; 111 from Virginia; 1 from West Indies, and 2 from England.

The number of graduates was 163.

Spirit of Turpentine in Iritis.'-Mr. Arnott strongly recommends the internal administration of the spirit of turpentine in iritis, after the more active inflammatory symptoms have been reduced by bleeding and tartar emetic. This remedy he has found to succeed in curing the disease when mercury and the strictest antiphlogistic regimen had failed. The spirit of turpentine was administered, as recommended by Mr. Hugh Carmichael, in emulsion, in the dose of a dram three times a day; and the only objection to the employment of the remedy was the difficulty or even impossibility of some stomachs retaining it beyond a certain length of time. This, however, might be obviated by diminishing each dose, but increasing their frequency.

BOOKS RECEIVED.

From Professor Mitchell.-Annual announcement of the Medical Department of Transylvania University, containing the Circular for the ensuing session; the catalogue of pupils, and the graduating class, for 1839–40, and the valedictory delivered to the graduates on the day of Commencement. 8vo. pp. 22. Lexington, Ky., 1840.

From the Author.-An Inquiry concerning the diseases and functions of the Brain, the Spinal Cord, and the Nerves. By Amariah Brigham, M. D. 12mo. pp. 327. New York, 1840.

From the Author.-Observations made during a visit to the Clarendon Springs, Vt., in relation to their character and properties, in a part of July and August, 1839, with an analysis of the waters. By Joseph A. Gallup, M. D. 8vo. pp. 14. Windsor, 1840.

From the Author.-An Address on American Literature, delivered before the Philomathean Society of Indiana University at its Annual Commencement, Sept. 25, 1839. By James Conquest Cross, M. D. 8vo. pp. 86. Bloomington, 1839.

From Professor Henry, of Princeton.-Introductory Lecture before the Albany Medical College, delivered Nov. 12, 1839. By Thomas Hun, M. D., Professor of Institutes of Medicine. 8vo. pp. 30. Albany, 1839. [For a Bibliographical notice of this, see the last volume, p. 314.]

From Professor J. B. Beck, of New York.-State of the New York Hospital, and Bloomingdale Asylum, for the year 1839. 8vo. pp. 20. New York, 1840.

From the Same.—Annual Report of the Interments in the city and county of New York, for the year 1839, with accompanying remarks. Presented by. Wm. A. Walters, City Inspector. 8vo. New York, 1840.

'Lond. Med. Gaz., 13th April, 1839, and Edinb. Med. and Surg. Journal, January, 1840, p. 247.

ART. I.-EXTENSIVE CONTRACTION AND CONTORTION OF THE LOWER EXTREMITIES IN A GROWN PERSON, SUCCESSFULLY TREATED BY DIVISION OF THE CONTRACTED MUSCLES AND TENDONS.

BY ALBERT G. WALTER, M. D., OF PITTsburg, Pa.

The case narrated below is a very curious one, and certainly seldom met with. The success which attended the operation-the division of muscles aud tendons will be of great interest to the profession in general, and particularly to those who are cultivating the newly invented operation of Strohmeyer.

Órthopedia of the old school and its principles have undergone a material reform since Strohmeyer sent forth his experience, to which some of the advocates of this branch of surgery at first entered strong objections, unwilling either to investigate the matter in the proper spirit, or to give up a doctrine handed down to them from the oldest days of surgery with authorities sufficient to warrant its correctness. But a few years experience, based on true pathological and physiological principles, established Strohmeyer's doctrine beyond all doubt, and orthopedia of our forefathers is sinking to the grave of oblivion, over which a new and ingenious operation is expanding its branches, attended with a success not to be met with in the history of any other surgical operation.

A few years more, and this operation, the very ornament of modern surgery, will be fully tested and approved by the profession of every country, and even the advocates of orthopedia founded on mechanical means, will have to abandon a practice which has been seldom if ever successful in their hands, and to resort to the skilful use of the knife-the best and most approved orthopedial instrument.

There is not any human suffering, except the loss of sight or the destruction of parts of the face, more humiliating and distressing, which claims a greater share of sympathy for the unfortunate sufferer, and for which relief is oftener demanded from the profession, than that of deformities; and the benefit the community is now deriving from a simple and expedient operation is incalculable, and extending over the world.

Dieffenbach's experience is, I presume, the largest with respect to this new operation; for in a letter I received some months ago from him, he stated, that in the course of a few years he had cut more than three hundred tendons and muscles, and has restored persons as useful members to society, who had been considered lost to it for ever.

My experience in this branch of surgery, in whose investigation and culti

vation I take a particular delight, convinces me that every deformity merely depending on muscular contraction is remediable; and I have no doubt that even old cases of luxation of the humerus and some other joints might admit of being reduced by the division of the contracted muscles, which while contracted are often the only cause that mechanical means are of no avail. I want to be understood, however, that I speak only hinting at the practicability of reducing luxations of long standing by the previous use of the knife. Experience does not yet enable me to give any decided opinion, but I believe it is worthy of being fairly tried, as it will not inflict any injury on the patient.

I intend to give a full history of this case, and hope I will be excused by the professional reader for its minute narration, inasmuch as the case is one of paramount interest.

Frederick Ferdinand Hoeke, glass cutter by trade, born August 19, 1811, of healthy parents, in Schluesselburg, on the river Weser, Prussia, passed his infancy without any sickness, except an affection of scabies, for which external remedies were used. But when arrived at the age when children generally try to make use of their limbs, he appeared to be too weak to use his, though apparently in the full enjoyment of health. Various external and internal remedies along with mineral baths and douche, were resorted to in succession for many years without any benefit, for he remained unable either to stand, walk, or sit, unsupported; while a marked contraction of the adductor muscles in inguine and of the flexores in poplite took place. At the age of six years, baths of the boiled intestines of the calf were administered with a better effect, for after a continued use of them the patient was able to sit without any support, and to walk along chairs; and when seven years old he could go on crutches, and even with a cane only, for a short distance. To prevent the increasing contraction in inguine, and the inclination of the thighs to cross each other, riding on horseback was used, but without any effect, for the thighs became permanently crossed, the knees and heels contracted, and sitting was the only comfortable position for him. Every attempt to separate the thighs and place them parallel caused violent pain in the lower part of the back and in the groins. Sudden jerkings of his lower extremities supervening on the least excitement, or even without excitement, and cramps contracting the knee joints, under which he laboured from infancy, became more conspicuous and frequent.

Walking with crutches was practicable in a slight degree till the 16th year of his age, although the close contact of the knees made it very tedious. From this time, however, Hoeke gradually lost the use of his extremities, and from the 20th year walking was out of the question; voluntary separation of the thighs could not be effected, and the knees and heels contracted more. The only way of moving about was by throwing forward both feet at a time while supported by crutches.

His general health has been undisturbed, though a furunculous disposition seems to be present, and every sore assumes a tedious character with regard to cicatrisation. All medical practitioners consulted in this case agreed upon some derangement of the nervous system being the cause of his deformity; yet it is not unlikely that the contraction of the muscles existed when he was born.

Present state. About a year ago I accidentally met this patient moving about in a miserable and pitiable way supported by his crutches, and had to acknowledge that I never saw a more wretched deformity, without scarcely thinking at the instant, that relief might be procured by surgical means. Struck with the misfortune of the poor sufferer, I could not help, by repeated consideration, entertaining some hope of remedying his deformity, in case it should depend merely on muscular contraction, and the oftener my mind was engaged with this case, the more I became convinced of the practicability of an operation. In the latter part of last year I called on the patient