water; he felt no effect from it until half past two in the morning; at that time a glow of heat broke out and he went into a refreshing sleep, which continued till eight o'clock, when he awoke and expressed himself easy, and slept again till ten; at this time he was well enough to sit up, and whilst drinking coffee he suddenly became sick and vomited; the sickness soon abated: during that and the following day (Tuesday) he was purged smartly, but he had no other ailment; the pain had quitted both his feet and hand. On my visit to him in the evening of Monday, I found him sitting up, cheerful, and free from uneasiness of every description; he said, if it were necessary he could walk out; his feet and hand were a little stiff, but in other respects he was, in his own opinion, as well us ever he was in his life. it This, Gentlemen, is the history of one case, and as far as goes, is certainly in favour of the nostrum. I am not an advocate for quackery, but I feel every disposition to render praise where it is due. Your correspondent under the pseudonymous title of Reprehensor shews a laudable feeling, in wishing to collate the opinion of medical men, as far as it regards the character and effect of Eau medicinale; there is no doubt, 1 conceive, that the wishes of this gentleman will be fully satisfied, as the medicine is undergoing a very extensive probation, in the hands of some of the first medical and chemical characters in the metropolis. I remain, Gentlemen, Very respectfully, Yours, JOHN BAILEY. Harwich, Dec. 6, 1810. To the Editors of the Medical and Physical Journal. GENTLEMEN, IN looking over the three volumes of "Medical Histories and Reflections," by Dr. Ferriar, second edition, lately published, I found in the third volume under the head of Hooping Cough," page 221, the following observations."I believe that the only remedy, which promises to shorten the disease effectually, is the solution of white arsenic. I have employed this medicine in several cases of infirmary patients, with tolerable success; and I have occasionally given it in private practice, with so much advantage, that I think it deserving of farther trial. The dose with which I generally Q 2 ་ generally begin is one drop, daily, for an infant; and for children under seven, two drops, repeated according to the state of the symptoms. It requires some caution, to avoid the accumulated action of this medicine. The exhibition of the solution should be suspended occasionally, for a day or more, and the bowels should be gently opened by means of a little calomel." As there are no marks by which one can judge, whether the above extract is given as the result of Dr. Ferriar's experience, since the publication of the former edition of these volumes, or whether it now remains as it was in the first edition, I shall be much obliged to any of your correspondents who may be in possession of that edition for information on the subject. If the above observation be now for the first time published, the reputation of the author will undoubtedly induce other practitioners to make a trial of the remedy proposed; hut if, as I suspect, this passage is to be found in the former edition, there cannot be reasonably entertained much expectation of advantage from the use of arsenic in the hooping-cough ;-for it amounts to this: Dr. Ferriar's third volume was originally published ten years ago, during which time he must have had repeated opportunities of exhibiting this medicine in the hooping-cough; of course, if after ten years additional experience, in so common a complaint, he still speaks doubtingly, we may fairly infer, that the solu tion of arsenic is not to be depended upon, and consequently, as Dr. Ferriar admits that it is a hazardous medicine, it would be wise to discard it. I observe likewise in Dr. Ferriar's second volume, a recommendation of an infusion of digitalis to be used as a lotion, in cancerous cases: Has this been tried for cancer? It does not appear that Dr. F. used it as a remedy for cancer, but he says, that the simple infusion of digitalis gave relief in a very painful and ulcerated herpetic affection of the face, which was irritated by the most simple applications, and which would not bear the mildest preparations of lead ;' and hence he is led to suppose that it might relieve cancerous ulcers. Information from any of your Correspondents on these points, will much oblige December 12, 1810. Your constant Reader, M. 117 To the Editors of the Medical and Physical Journal. GENTLEMEN, Queries on Cancer. PERMIT me, by means of your Journal, to request from such of your Readers as have paid attention to the Diseases of Animals, Replies to some or all of the following Queries, which, I doubt not, will be acceptable to others of your Readers, as well as to Your's, &c. S. M. Is Cancer a disease to which animals are liable? Is the Cancer of animals characterized by the firm white lines of Dr. Baillie; the firm whitish bands of Mr. Abernethy; the ligamentous lands of a whitish colour of Mr. Home? Do any medicines relieve the Cancer of animals? Is the Cancer of animals curable; and by what means? The uterus of women is liable to very different diseases, which pass under the common name of Cancer: Is the uterus of animals equally liable to diseases of these different kinds? To the Editors of the Medical and Physical Journal Case of Premature Puberty. GENTLEMEN, A FEW FEW days after I had perused the very singular instances of premature puberty detailed in a former Number, the following most extraordinary instance oecurred, of which I have had ocular demonstration. Charlotte Mavor, of this city, born in the month of March, 1806, had an appearance of the catamenia at the age of three years and a half, which recurred at uncertain. and unequal periods till within six months; since which period she has had them regularly every four or five weeks. Of late they have flowed in considerable quantity, being of rich a rich florid colour. She experiences no pains or other symptoms indicating their approach, save a little stretching and yawning. She is a strong-built womanly kind of child, her nates and shoulders being as large and as broad as those of a grown-up woman. The mamma are uncommonly large and protuberant, and the pudenda as prominent as those of a girl of sixteen; the mons veneris and labia being furnished with a downy kind of hair. Until within these few weeks the child has enjoyed a good state of health, but since that time she seems to have drooped and languished, owing, no doubt, to the great periodical loss she experiences, and which her young and tender frame is unequal to sustain. I do not find that this girl has exhibited any particular marks of attachment to the other sex ; but have thought it right to caution the mother on this head; though I am apprehensive she will not survive many years. It may be a matter of curious speculation, whether this child could be impregnated, conceive, and produce her kind-I am inclined to think in the affirmative. I remain, Gentlemen, &c. Lincoln, December 10, 1810. A. COOKSON, M. D. To the Editors of the Medical and Physical Journal. Mr. Ramsden on the membranous Fence at the Extremity of the Urethra. GENTLEMEN, [In answer to Mr. Foot.] MR. FOOT having in the Medical Journal of the last month complained of a passage in my publication on the Sclerocele, &c. as an invasion of his claim to the discovery of a particular state of the Urethra, I hasten through the same channel of professional information, to disavow such construction, by observing that the "too small perforation in the glans penis," described by Mr. Foot, and "THE MEMBRANOUS FENCE" lately adverted to by me, although somewhat alike in principle, are very different from each other in appearance and in practical application. The "too small perforation in the glans penis,' men *This state of the orifice, if I have a just conception of Mr. Foot's meaning, has no membranous appearance. Although it is not very frequent, yet most surgeons of experience must have met with it. Mr. Foot, tioned by Mr. Foot in his book on Vesicæ lotura, has always seemed to me to mean a small aperture, the edges of which are of equal thickness, and consequently without any membranous appearance. This is treated of by Mr. Foot as a cause of disease to the BLADDER and KIDNEYS; whereas the "membranous fence" or fold, described in my book on the Sclerocele, is there treated of, as a cause of derangement to the TESTICLE. To shew that Mr. Foot and I mean two states of the extremity of the urethra which are different from each other, I have to remark, that in the year 1803, Mr. Foot's extensive practice, as appears from his own statement, had only supplied him with three instances of the "too small perforation in the glans penis," which could not have been the case had Mr. F. intended to speak of the same state of the extremity of the urethra as that which I have noticed under the description of a membranous fence-the latter being so very common that it will be found to exist "IN THE MAJORITY OF PERSONS who apply for assistance under complaints of the testicle or urethra, which cannot be traced to gonorrheal inflammation." As a farther distinction I might add, that the "too small perforation in the glans penis," on account of the POWERFUL resistance it occasions to the passage of the urine or semen, becomes the cause of PAINFUL and "DANGEROUS diseases" of the URETHRA, the BLADDER, and the KIDNEYS, while the "membranous fence," on account of its occasioning a more modified and gentle check to the passage of those fluids, seldom induces any farther morbid affection IN THE URETHRA, than SPASMODIC STRICTURE, OF THAT PECULIAR, SUBTLE, AND SECRET DERANGEMENT of its membrane, which I have ascertained to be a common cause of morbid alteration in THE TES TICLE. Having thus shewn that I have no wish to invade Mr. Foot's claim to the "feather" so fairly due to him for his practical remarks on the "too small perforation in the glans penis" as a cause of dangerous diseases to the urethra, the bladder, and the kidneys, he must pardon me if I retain Foot, indeed, has candidly acknowledged, that in the year 1803, "there were some among his friends who were apprised of the importance of the subject, and who treated it as he had done."--This fact, however, in no way takes from Mr. F.'s merit in having so publicly demonstrated such "too small perforation of the glans penis to be the cause of dangerous diseases of the Urethra, the Bladder, and the Kidnies. Vide Mr. Foot on Vesica lotura, second part, page 84, 85, and 86, cases. * Vide the same. to |