teguments and a dense fascia from the inflamed subjacent parts: a delay of twenty-four hours, in some species of this disorder, will often terminate in the destruction of the bone; and it is not improbable that the life of this patient might have been the sacrifice.

I had almost omitted to state, that at one period some apprehen sions were entertained that locked jaw might supervene. She suffered much from continual and distressing constriction about the pit of the stomach, and was violently convulsed: but these symptoms may with more propriety be considered an hysterical affection.

I have long employed the oil of turpentine in the treatment of epilepsy with the happiest results; but a case of this kind has presented itself, in which it had been ineffctually tried by a most respectable practitioner, who was consulted before me. Having witnessed the beneficial effects of this remedy in so many cases, I conceived either that some irregularity had been practised in its administration, or that the combination under which I usually prescribed it, might have some share in producing the salutary effect. I therefore directed a draught, containing fifteen drops of liq. subcarb. potassæ, and the same quantity of oil of turpentine, to be given three times a-day, with purgatives of scammony and calomel on alternate mornings. After a perseverance in this treatment for the period of nearly three weeks, no amendment was observable: the fits returned as frequently, and with as much violence as ever. Valerian, nitrate of silver, and bark, were then prescribed. A period of six weeks has since elapsed, and the patient has had neither the fits nor the head-ache which usually attend the intervals between them.

Among the diseases which seem to be influenced by the state of the weather, may be reckoned an unusual number of acutely painful affections of the pectoral and abdominal muscles. These are generally aggravated on strong inspiration, because the muscles. are then brought forcibly into action. In some they are mistaken for pulmonary inflammation; but this is generally of no consequence, since bleeding is frequently serviceable. I consider the complaint to be a species of rheumatism, which is also very pre-valent at this time. The most effectual remedy, according to my experience, is a plaster of strained galbanum, sufficiently large to cover the whole of the affected part. If the pain after this shifts its seat, it must be followed by another, and sometimes it may be necessary to have recourse to internal remedies. The guaiacum and nitre are here very serviceable. But the practice must be varied according to circumstances.

CORRESPONDENCE.

J. W.

Mr. Thompson's Medical Sketches; the Review of Mr. Carmichael's Second Essay on Venereal Diseases, &c.; the concluding Part of the Review of Mr. Hodgson's Treatise on Arteries and Veins; and Mr. Cross's Sketch of the Medical Schools in Paris; together with several other Papers, are unavoidably deferred till the next Number; which will close our tenth Volume, and also the First Decade of our labours; vide Wrapper.

A few cases of Pertusis still remain. A very general but mild form of Ophthalmia prevails throughout the town and neighbour hood; from the manner of its attack, there seems no doubt concerning its contagious influence. Cholera has been mild and not very frequent; this is a disease, however, which, under the head of Atmospherical Disorder, deserves no mention, as it possesses no properties capable of reproduction through atmospheric media, season alone stamping its character with all the grades of activity.

History and Dissection of a Case of Chronic Peritonitis, terminating in Disorganization of the Colon. By SHIRLEY PALMER, M. D.

To the interesting and unfortunate case, upon a relation

of which I am about to enter, allusions were made in the August number of our Journal.* The publication of it was then opposed by obstacles apparently insuperable. They have now ceased to exist.

On Tuesday evening, May 2d, of the present year, I first visited the young woman who forms the subject of this communication. The following is the statement delivered to me by the relatives, respecting the origin of the malady, and its progress to that period.

She was now in her eighteenth year. Till within a few months, she had been a remarkably blooming, robust, and active girl. At that time, she suffered severely from scarlet fever: her constitution had never since completely recovered from its ravages. The action of the bowels had become irregular, commonly torpid; the appetite delicate and uncertain. The abdomen gradually assumed a prominent appearance, while weakness and emaciation proceeded with rapid strides. At length, the poor young woman be came utterly incapable of supporting the fatigues of her occupation, that of a servant in a most respectable family here. She had been addicted to the pernicious, but too fashionable, habit of girding her clothes very tightly around her.

* See the case recorded at page 116 of our present volume, and parti◄ cularly the seventh, eighth, and concluding notes appended to it. 3 N.

No. 62.

During the last seven weeks, she had been almost invariably confined to bed, incapable of supporting her own weight; tormented by incessant vomiting and occasional hiccough. Her appetite had not been worse than usual, but the aliment was commonly rejected soon after it had been taken, and always more or less intermixed with the biliary secretion. The expulsive efforts of the abdominal muscles and diaphragm were generally, in these paroxysms, vehement and exhausting. Thrice, at distinct intervals, mercurial ointment had been employed upon the region of the liver, so as to display its operation on the salivary system; and the vomiting, as often signally relieved, had speedily re-appeared upon the decline of the mercurial influence. Swelling about the ankles, (whether ædematous or not I was unable distinctly to ascertain) and a sort of erysipelatous eruption, which arose in the earlier part of confinement to bed, had disappeared under this treatment. The bowels had been evacuated once or twice daily, by purgatives. The urinary secretion scanty and high-coloured. No dietetic restrictions had been observed. The relatives believed the illness of the young woman to be diseased liver and dropsy.*

I shall now state from memoranda in my own note-book the results of a first examination. It lasted nearly two hours, and was as minute and comprehensive as I knew how to institute.

Physical characters. She is somewhat tall of her age, and well-formed; chest rather narrow; skin delicately or ganized and fair; a faint relic of former bloom yet lingering upon the cheeks; hair dark; eye-lashes long and dark; pupil large and black; eyes full and expressive; the whole countenance, although shaded by protracted suffering, indicative of uncommon sensibility and intelligence.

This report of the relatives I, for obvious reasons, preserve distinct from my own direct observations. The accuracy of a well-informed and intelligent, a though not professional observer, respecting the sick, may commonly be relied on as far as evidence of such a nature can be ad mitted.

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Moral dispositions. Precisely such as her appearance indicated warm hearted, affectionate, unsuspicious, sprightly, and sanguine in health; in disease, patient, tranquil, unrepining.

Morbid predispositions. Subject to no glandular. or cutaneous diseases; had never suffered from jaundice or spontaneous hæmorrhage. Family, in general, healthy. Both parents living. A maternal uncle died more than a year since of chronic affection of the chest, probably diseased heart. Her paternal grandmother, in the commencement of the present year, of general dropsy, consequent on complicated lesion of the heart and liver.*

External morbid phænomena. Emaciation very great; skin no where exhibiting the presence of effused scrum, extremely dry, harsh, and shrivelled. Finger-nails beginning to curve: blood-vessels of the membrana conjunctiva of the eye scarcely visible. The chest sonorous throughout. Abdomen exceedingly tense and tumified; pressure intolerable upon the epigastrium and whole track of the colon, particularly where the latter descends into the hollow of the left ilium. The course of this intestine might be distinctly traced from the middle of its arch to the sig moid flexure by its irregular knotty projection, consequent, as I then believed, and as the event proved, on an enormous accumulation of indurated fæces. During the deepest effort of pulmonary inspiration, no enlargement or induration of the liver could be discovered; indeed, pressure on the region, principally occupied by that organ, was much more tolerable than elsewhere. The prominence of the abdomen was evidently not produced by effused fluid. The temperature of the integuments there was many degrees higher than that o the extremities, or even of the other regions of the trunk. Respiratory organs :Breathing was performed twenty-eight times in the minute, easy and unembarrassed. There was irritative cough without heat, pain, or soreness of the chest; expectora

* This case was examined by myself.