lieve in the power of particular agents to destroy particular morbid conditions.

The following brief extract affords a favourable specimen of Dr. Brainard's style.

"The profession, gentlemen, which you have chosen, is one of very great responsibility, and it imposes on you great anxiety and great labour, both mental and bodily. Henceforward, if you continue in it, most of your time must be devoted to study and contemplation. With distressing scenes you will have to become familiar-disease will baffle your best laid plans of action, and pestilence which walketh in darkness will set you at defiance. You are doomed to see pain and anguish, misery and death, without the power of affording relief." There is, however, another and more pleasant view of the picture, which will reconcile you to all you may have to encounter. The resources of medicine are great, and you will have the pleasure of seeing numerous diseases submit to your skill. You will enter dwellings where you will see pain and distress, fear and apprehension, and will convert all into ease and happiness-tears into smiles, fear into hope, pain and agony into health and strength. These are the rich rewards for your hard toils and troubles, and they can be gathered in as great abundance from the humblest cot, as from the most splendid mansion. The consciousness of having relieved pain and distress, of having averted imminent danger, and of having cured threatening and violent disease, by prudent and judicious means, is a compensation greater than the opulent can bestow. For this reward, how many do you see, the most eminent in our profession, labouring with the most persevering zeal and the most untiring industry. Their labours, it is true, are for the most part required by the wealthy, but let them get once engaged, and wealth and poverty are immediately forgotten-gold in all its forms loses its power. It can neither advance nor retard them in their pursuit. In this enterprise the young physician can always engage to advantage. In all large towns the poor are his first patients; but let not the proud and haughty sneer. His diligence and attention are more than an equivalent for the extra skill and limited attendance, which his more experienced brother could bestow, and his labour will surely meet with its reward.

Minor troubles you are destined to encounter, and smaller compensation you are destined to receive. You will sometimes be censured when you do right, and applauded when you are entitled to no praise. You will find the majority of mankind not always the best judges of medical ability, and hence it is, that so many pretenders gain reputation and wealth by their cunning and address. This cannot be easily avoided or very cheerfully submitted to; but the best consolation for you will be always so to act, as to be fairly entitled to your own commendation. But however easy this may seem at first view, it will take much exertion on your part to effect it. And the first requisite I shall mention is industry, which will do more for the advancement of any person, than the young and inexperienced will believe. This is a subject, as we all know, which is always held up to them, and for the most part it makes an impression in proportion to their ages, and the older they grow, the firmer will be their belief in it, which is sometimes not fully established, until increased years have rendered its truth of but little consequence to them. All I can say is, the sooner a young man believes it the better.

The effect of this truth has been so great, that many distinguished for high talents and extensive acquirements, have doubted the advantage of genius. Well they may, if they see it go hand in hand with indolence. But industry, to produce its best effect, should be properly directed. The reading of one medical book and then another, in the shortest possible space of time, without regard to system or some definite object, is not the best way of gaining the reward of your labours. A better method is, to take up

a subject and read the best authors, and compare them. Never be in a hurry, but always be attentive, and always have the object of pursuit in view."

MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES.

Preservation of Bodies for Dissection. BY THOS. MARSHALL, M. I).'— Having lately observed in the Medical Gazette an account of some experiments performed by Drs. Babington and Rees, with the view of preserving the human body for the purposes of dissection, a desideratum, which, if attainable, would be of no small moment, not only to the student of anatomy, but also to the practical anatomist; however, the last and best of the experiments described by these gentlemen, appear to be so much loaded with trouble and expense, as to prevent its ever becoming generally useful to either the one or the other.

Permit me, therefore, through your means, to offer to those who desire it, a much more simple, a far less expensive, and equally efficacious remedy for this purpose. When the body is first received into the dissecting-room it must be punctured over the whole surface with acupuncture needles, or the point of a narrow bistoury, scalpel, or scissors, the punctures being made pretty closely together, and deeply over the fleshy part; and, if for a dried arterial or venous preservation, the punctures ought to be made with very fine needles, and after injection; as, if done with bistoury or scissors, the wax, when exposed to heat, exudes from the punctures made in the vessels. This being done, the body is brushed over with acetic acid-specific gravity 1.048, which must be brushed into it slowly and repeatedly, so that the acid may fully penetrate the innermost parts; a small incision may likewise be made in the thoracic and abdominal parietes, through which a sufficiency of the acid, slightly mixed with water, may be poured.

Repeating the application of the acid to the surface of the body, for six or eight days, will not only preserve it free from putrefaction, but, at the same time, remove incipient greenness, and every species of odour, except the pungent, yet volatile odour of the acid, which, I should think, could be easily borne by the most fastidious student.

The only trials as yet made in the above way, have been, 1st, Catharine Daimond, courtesan, aged 26, cause of death not known, brought into the University dissecting-room on the 18th of May, three days after death, where, being Saturday night, the body lay till Monday morning, when it was placed in warm water for the purpose of arterial injection; after the body had become cold it was punctured with a pair of scissors, then brushed with the acid, as already mentioned; and by night the body (and during the day those parts not being dissected) was covered with damp cloths to prevent evaporation and consequent dryness: after three brushings, the abdominal muscles, which had become perfectly green, were restored to a fine natural colour; and the abdominal cavity, into which the diluted acid had been poured, though not opened for twenty-four days, was quite free from odour or the slightest appearance of putrefaction. The body remained on the table from the 18th of May till the 4th of July, fully exposed to the heat of a powerful sun in a room well lighted from the roof; and had it been necessary, by the same meaus it might have been preserved soft and beautiful throughout the warmest summer.

2d, John M'Caskle, labourer. aged 45, died 4th of November, in the Royal Infirmary, where the body had been inspected, received into the University dissecting-room on the 6th, where the body lay till the 16th, when the whole of the face, trunk, and upper extremities, became altogether green, and fast

'Lond. Med. Gaz., Dec. 20, 1839, p. 472.

tending towards decomposition. On the 16th the discoloured parts were closely punctured with a pair of scissors, and three gilis of acetic acid slowly brushed thereon; damp cloths were then placed upon the parts till the 18th, when the acid was again applied. On the 19th the remainder (altogether five gills) of the acid was used, and on the 20th the whole of the parts into which the acid had been brushed were perfectly restored to whiteness; and, indeed, the changed colour of the parts could be easily perceived after each application of the acid, more especially when the cloths were moistened with the acid, and closely applied to the parts.

The dissection of the body was commenced on the 20th November; and, on removing the skin of the face, neck, trunk, &c. small portions of the muscles of the trunk and upper extremities were a little green, but they were firm, and wholly free from odour, which last circumstance formed a broad contrast to the smell of the cranial cavity, where none of the acid had been used; the muscles of the face and neck having undergone less change, were entirely free from colour.

The punctures made in the skin, when large, give the body a somewhat odd appearance, but beyond this they are harmless, as the subjacent parts are thereby not at all injured for common anatomical pursuits; yet, if the cloths are wetted with equal parts of acid and water, and closely applied to the body, the finest long needles may be used; by this means the punctures are hardly perceptible, and two days' application in this way will beautify any subject.

The second subject was undergoing dissolution so rapidly that no student thought it worthy of dissection; however, on beholding the magical influence of the acid in restoring the natural colour and removing incipient putridity, the parts so improved were eagerly sought after.

For the above method of using the acid I am indebted to a pupil of my own, Mr. Daniel Wilson, of the Royal Navy, who, having formerly witnessed my many fruitless and expensive attempts to preserve the body, even for a short period of time, by injecting it with pyroligneous acid; and, moreover, having seen the antiseptic virtues of this acid fully and beneficially tested within the tropics, by preserving recently killed animal food for an indefinite length of time, was induced to give it a trial, in the manner now described, and the trouble, as already mentioned, was very trifling; and the expense did not exceed, in the first instance, five shillings, in the second, little more than two, although buying the acid at the retail price.

Medical Society of the State of New York.-At the annual meeting of the Medical Society of the State of New York, held at the capital in the city of Albany, on the 4th, 5th and 6th inst., the following gentlemen were elected officers for the ensuing year.

DR. SUMNER ELY, of Otsego, President.

Dr. John B. BECK, of New York, Vice President.

DR. PETER VAN OLINDA, Secretary.

DR. PLATT WILLIAMS, Treasurer.

Censors Southern District.-Drs. Edward G. Ludlow, James R. Manley, John C. Cheeseman.

Censors Eastern District.-Drs. Joel A. Wing, Jonathan Eights, Peter Wendell.

Censors Middle District.-Drз. E. B. Burroughs, Augustus Willard, Thomas Good sell.

Censors Western District.-Drs. Lansingh Briggs, Lyman Clary, William Taylor.

Committee of Correspondence.-Dr. Chandler R. Gilman, 1st senate district; Dr. William Horton, 2d do.; Dr. Robert G. Frary, 3d do.; Dr. William Tibbitts, 4th do; Dr. Thomas Goodsell, 5th do.; Dr. Augustus Willard, 6th do.; Dr. Phineas Hurd, 7th do.; Dr. Henry Maxwell, 8th do.

Permanent Members.-Dr. John McClellan, of Columbia county; Dr. Chas. S. J. Goodrich, of Rensselaer county.

Honorary Members.-Dr. Placido Portal, Palermo, Italy; Dr. George B. Wood, Pennsylvania.

Committee on Prize Questions and Dissertations.-Dr. James McNaughton, Dr. Jonathan Eights, Dr. T. Romeyn Beck, Dr. Robert G. Frary, Dr. Eli Pierce.

Committee of Publication.-Dr. T. Romeyn Beck, Dr. Joel A. Wing, Dr. James McNaughton.

The following were adopted as Prize Questions, and the sum of fifty dollars voted to the successful candidate on each question:

1. The Medical Literature of Cholera Morbus ; previous to the appearance of the Epidemic Cholera.

[It is expected that the medical history of cholera morbus in this country will be particularly examined.]

2. An Analysis of the Discoveries concerning the physiology of the Nervous System, from the publications of Sir Charles Bell, to the present time; both inclusive.

[The report of Dr. Wm. Charles Henry (in the 2d vol. of report of the British Association of Science) made on this subject in 1833, may be freely used, but it is required to continue the analysis down to the present time.] The dissertations must be forwarded to the Secretary, on or before the 1st of January, 1841.

Albany, February 17, 1840.

P. VAN OLINDA, Secretary.

Louisville Medical Institute.—This flourishing Institution, which has been in action but three sessions, counts 204 students:-of these there are from Kentucky, 67; Tennessee, 48; Alabama, 24; Indiana, 18; Mississippi, 15; Illinois, 9; Missouri, 7; Ohio, 7; Virginia, 3; Louisiana, 1; Georgia, 1; South Carolina, 1; North Carolina 1; District of Columbia, 1; and England 1.

Beck's Statistics of Medical Colleges.-Our estimable and distinguished friend Prof. T. Beck, has concluded his statistics of the Medical Colleges of the United States, which will afford valuable data for all future chronographers. They will appear in the Transactions of the Medical Society of New York.

Practical Obstetrics.-Dr. Warrington.-The members of Dr. Warrington's practical obstetric class of the Philadelphia Dispensary, have passed resolutions extremely complimentary to the Doctor, and his system of instruction. We shall insert these in our next number.

BOOKS RECEIVED.

From Professor Hooker, of New Haven.-The annual Address to the candidates for degrees and licenses in the Medical Institution of Yale College, Jan. 21, 1840. By Dyar T. Brainard, M. D., member of the Board of Examination. Published at the request of the class. 8vo. pp. 16. New Haven, 1840.

From Professor Short, of Louisville.-Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the Medical Institute of the city of Louisville, Jan. 1, 1840. 8vo. pp. 12. Louisville, 1840.

From. Dr. Welch, of Stark, Ohio.—Annual Report of the Directors of the Ohio Lunatic Asylum to the 38th General Assembly. Presented Dec. 5, 1839. 8vo. pp. 31. Columbus, 1839.

BY JAMES M. GREEN, M. D., OF MACON, GEORGIA.

Continuation of the case of T. L. S., published in the Medical Intelligencer, for Dec. 1, 1839, p. 262 He with great difficulty acquired strength enough to walk about, which he continued to do for about a month, and would do, in the very worst weather, in defiance of all expostulation, notwithstanding he had severe attacks of dyspnoea and difficult expectoration several times daily, and several quite severe exacerbations-he occasionally had exhausting perspirations, he complained that he did not "breathe in his right lung," and the respiration became more and more indistinct, and the heart I thought moved higher up in the chest-his temper became so irritable that he frequently rejected all advice, professional or other. On the 9th of December, I was sent for in haste, and found him again prostrated, and on inquiry ascertained that he had exposed himself much lately by going out and remaining frequently a long time in the rain and damp. He was most evidently labouring under inflammation of the brain-he complained of great pain in his head, with frequent and sudden "darts" of pain in his right eye, great difficulty in expressing himself, every few minutes his breathing became "catching," very restless-sometimes delirious-skin hot-pulse very quick-he also had great pain in his chest under the sternum. I did not notice any changes in the respiratory phenomena worth relating, though from his extreme restlessness and constant exclamations it was imperfectly done. Notwithstanding the immediate adoption of as vigorous an antiphlogistic treatment as I thought proper in his case, by moderate general depletion; local depletion from various parts of the thorax; blistering to the back of the head and neck, and to the breast, right side, epigastrium, and subsequently to the extremities; he soon sank into a hopeless condition, although his life was prolonged for two weeks-during the last week of which he was much troubled with ocular spectra and floccitation, he saw thousands of beautiful,, white cattle," "smoke arising from a pincushion," "gold dust rising in. clouds from the floor," "white bedbugs on the ceiling," &c.—last four days had retention of urine requiring the catheter-involuntary alvine discharges -and the last day, he spat up and discharged by stool a considerable quantity of matter resembling coffee-grounds-muscular strength considerable and voice strong. I forgot to mention in the preceding report that he was also troubled with hydrocele in the left scrotal cavity, which I tapped in April, 1839, and again four weeks preceding his death, as it caused a good deal of irritation in his urinary organs. He died about 5 o'clock on the evening of the 23d December.

Post mortem examination, eighteen hours after death, assisted by Doct.. John B. Wiley. In consequence of my own indifferent health and great asperity of the weather, the examination was rapidly and imperfectly con