have the goodness to state, in your Journal, whether or not I can be admitted to an examination, you will confer an obligation upon Your humble servant,

Chester; 31st of July, 1817.

A STUDENT.

[In answer to our Chester Student, we could remark that all reasonable people are dissatisfied with the clause to which he refers, and we believe the most favourable construction of it is always made. If a gentleman is five years in a shop, it is considered sufficient. Probably the clause will be altered whenever the Bill is revised.

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We are much obliged to Xaguyos, and much pleased with his good intentions. But we have always thought it best to avoid the subjects to which he alludes.-Our early motto was Quod Medicorum est Promittant Medici." The great extent of our matter is more than enough to occupy our monthly pages. For that reason, we avoided noticing the work of which he tenders us a critique, conceiving it best passed over, as the controversy in which we should have found it necessary to engage could be of no service to our readers.-EDIT.]

Since the accounts of extraordinary union by the first intention have appeared in our Journal, we have been favoured with so many others, that our correspondents must allow us to epitomize. - Mr. W. D. ROLFE, surgeon-accoucheur in Bristol, informs us, that in year 1790, he succeeded in restoring the finger and thumb of a shoemaker's apprentice, which was so nearly separated by an axe as to induce the whole neighbourhood to laugh at the attempt.

Dr. BALFOUR, after several compliments for our candour, which we hope are not misplaced, favours us with a letter from Mr. CLOUGH, of South Shields, containing the two following cases:

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The subject of the first was that of a youth, about sixteen years of age, who had one of his great toes struck off entirely, with the exception of a small thread of skin at the under side, but which could be of no manner of service in supporting circulation; I replaced the parts, and in a month re-union was complete.

"The second case was that of a youth also, aged fifteen years, who had his fourth and fifth toes struck off almost entirely, with the addition of an extensive wound above the roots of the toes; the instru ment, an axe, which inflicted it, having fallen on the foot in a slanting direction. With my success in the former case before my eyes, and which I candidly avow far exceeded my expectations; I, with the utmost confidence, pursued the same plan of cure in this as in that case, and with the same happy result.

"I have seen both young men frequently since the completion of the cures, and both of them have the same use and command of their toes as they had before they met with the accidents."

We should remark, that in neither of these cases was the separation entire; but Mr. Clough assures his correspondent, that, encouraged by his success, he shall in future make attempts on cases

4

which

which frequently occur in his neighbourhood, but which he has hitherto thought beyond relief.

We receive the following from Paris, which we acknowledge we should not have admitted, but from the respectability of our correspondent, and inasmuch as the authority on which they rest is unreservedly stated.

Examples of the Re-union of Parts totally separated from the rest of the Body; by H. DUTROCHET, D. M. (Translated from La Gazette de Santé of 21st March, 1817.)

SIR,

Chareau pres Chateau Regnault; 5 Mars, 1817.

The Number of the 1st of March of your interesting Gazette, offers two examples of re-union of parts totally separated from the rest of the body. This physiological phenomenon is at present so well proved, that one may, without exposing oneself to ridicule, so unjustly cast upon Garengeot, relate analogous facts. Those I am about to narrate are almost incredible, but they are attested to me by an ocular witness,-by a man too much above the vulgar to be led away by popular tales,-by General P***, my brother-in-law, who commanded in chief, during a long time, the regular troops of Daoulat-rao-Scindiah, Sovereign of the Mahrattas of Berar.

The amputation of the nose being a very common punishment in India, every means has been had recourse to, to remedy the hideous deformity resulting from it. Two methods are practised in operating the restoration of the nose cut off. The first consists in drawing down a portion of skin from the forehead, which has been employed with so much success by Mr. Carpue, of London. The second method consists in grafting, in the place of the nose cut off, with a piece of skin and tissu cellulaire subjacent from the parts about the hips.

A sub officer of cannoneers in the army of General P. was particularly hated by one of his officers, who, profiting by the absence of his general, and of a slight fault committed by the sub-officer, cut his nose off. The mutilated object had recourse to the Indians known for operating the restoration of the nose. This was their method:-The amputation of the nose not being recent, and the wound beginning to cicatrize, they refreshed it, and cut away the edges. They then selected a part of the upper part of the thigh, which they struck repeatedly with an old shoe, until they produced a considerable swelling: they then cut off from this part a triangular piece, which they applied to the nose, and affixed it with adhesive plasters. This animal grafting succeeded perfectly, and the man served several years after in General P.'s army.

The following, from the same source, is still more extraordinary. General P., crossing a friendly country, had strictly forbidden all pillage. A man was brought before him taken in the fact. He instantly ordered one of his ears to be cut off. This man was a Brahmin, as are nearly all the writers attached to the Indian armies; and this punishment, being infamous, excited a great tumult, which

Kk 2

which was kept down by money. In the mean time the question was to replace the ear, which had been thrown away and lost. The ear of a Paria was purchased of him: it was cut off, and grafted in the place of the Brahmin's ear, and it succeeded. We may observe, en passant, that on this occasion the Brahmins do not appear to have felt the horror that the presence of a Paria ordinarily inspires them with.

Many attempts have been made to operate this grafting on animals. I have myself made several experiments of the kind on rabbits, but without success.

On an additional Test for Arsenic; By JOHN SPENCER HARRISON, Surgeon, Alstonefield, Staffordshire.

In cases of poisoning, the country is greatly indebted to Dr. Neale of Exeter, for proving that the tests usually employed for arsenic in the humid way, will produce precipitates similar in appearance to those which might happen where no arsenic had existed upon the stomach. The case now stands as follows:-1st, The contents of a stomach with arsenic, tested by carbonate of potash and nitrate of silver, produce a yellow precipitate. 2ndly, A stomach without arsenic, tested with nitrate of silver, also produces a yellow precipitate, in case it previously contained phosphate of soda, and this last exists in many animal fluids. 3rdly, A stomach with arsenic, tested by carbonate of potash and sulphate of copper, produces a green precipitate. 4thly, A stomach without arsenic, tested with sulphate of copper, would also produce a green precipitate, by adding a small quantity of decoction of onions, and dropping into it a solution of phosphate of soda; which two last might have been present on the stomach.

On conducting these experiments, I find, that, in both the yellow and green precipitates, a very conspicuous distinction may be made by one and the same agent. On adding the mild nitrate of mercury to No. 1, the colour is not altered, but even rendered more permanently yellow. On adding this test to No. 2, it instantly changes. the precipitate to a white, which gradually becomes a little grey. This test, added to Nos. 3 and 4, will change both precipitates to a white colour; with No. 3, an effervescence is produced, and the precipitate is somewhat flocculent; while, with No. 4, the precipitate is a more brown white, having a harsh feel. The mild nitrate is prepared by dissolving mercury in diluted nitric acid, keeping an excess of running mercury; it may be made in a phial, having its lower end plunged into cold water.

At a Meeting of the Associated Apothecaries and Surgeon-Apothecaries of England and Wales, held by Public Advertisement, at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, August the 20th, 1817; The EIGHTH REPORT of the General Committee was read, as follows:

Circumstances having rendered it expedient to convene a General Meeting of the Members of the Association, its Committee begs

leave to detail the events which haye occurred since the publication of their last Report, dated 24th of April, 1816.

By a reference to that document, it will be seen what steps the committee has taken to procure such alterations as appeared adviseable in the bill intended to be brought before parliament, by the College of Surgeons during that session; and also an amendment of the Apothecaries' Act. The Royal College of Surgeons did not, however, then introduce any bill. But the Court of Assistants of the Society of Apothecaries, notwithstanding the declaration of its bill-committee," that such practical inconvenience had not arisen from the alledged defects of the act, as to induce it to recommend to the court of assistants any immediate application to parliament," did immediately afterwards intimate, that as the secretary at war, Lord Palmerston, was about to bring in a bill to amend the act, as far as it affected army and navy medical officers, the court meant to embrace an obliging offer of his lordship of making such other alterations in the act as would correct its defects, &c.: and Dr. Burrows and Mr. Field met the bill-committee at the hall, to discuss the points which were stated as requiring amendment. This intention of the society was made known to your committee; and some resolutions relative to the subject were passed on the 15th of May. But the session closed; and the amending bill was not brought forward, either by Lord Palmerston or by the society.

In January last the chairman received a copy of a new bill which the College of Surgeons had arranged. This was submitted to the committee on the 21st of that month. The committee approved this bill, as far as it related to the practice of surgery; but reiterated its objection to the amount of fees for diplomas, as being too large; considering that by the act every person, henceforward practising surgery, would be compelled to apply for a diploma; whereas, under present circumstances, his coming before the college is entirely optional. A request was consequently transmitted to the college, that it would re-consider the subject of fees; accompanied with a copy of the following resolution: viz. "that this committee anxiously hope that the Royal College of Surgeons will not neglect the opportunities allowed by the intended bill of examining into the qualifications of candidates in the knowledge of Midwifery."

This bill was expected to be introduced early in the last session of parliament; but that has also passed without any application being made.

Five years have elapsed since your committee was appointed; during which, it has been reduced by the death of many valuable members, by secessions and other causes, from forty-five to about twelve or fourteen effective persons;-a number, by far too few to perform the ordinary business of the association, or to constitute a due representation of the great body of general practitioners.

The intended resignation of the chairman, Dr. Burrows, is a circumstance which your committee has most sincerely to lament; for in him, from the length of time he has so honourably and zealously laboured in that very ostensible and important situation, all the most

material

material details of the business have centered. His retirement in poses the obligation of appointing a successor. It would be an act of injustice to Dr. Burrows, if the committee withheld from the association, the fact, that so long ago as May 1816, he expressed, and for very sufficient reasons, his determination to retire from the chair: but under the impression that the duties of the committee would most likely be terminated with the last session of parliament, he ac; ceeded to the general wish of the committee, and was prevailed upon to extend his valuable services till that period. And, although no application has been preferred to parliament, either by the College of Surgeons or by the Society of Apothecaries, his anxiety and exertions have been unremitting to promote, as far as was in his power, the introduction of a bill for the regulation of surgery, and the administration of the Apothecaries' Act agreeably both to its letter and spirit.

By the subjoined statement of the funds of the association, the Committee confidently trust it will appear, that a just regard has been paid to so important a resource; and although it may be deemed right to appropriate a portion of it for especial purposes at this meeting, yet it should ever be respected and preserved as a means applicable (when real occasion exists) to the support of the interests of the general practitioners in medicine. Nor can the committee forbear expressing a hope, that the subscription book will still continue open, in order that the fund may be adequate to all possible exigencies.

The remaining members of your committee have thought it a duty incumbent upon them to convene this general meeting of the association; that they may render to it an account of their proceedings; and, with the utmost respect, they here surrender the trust which has been confided to them, and which they have endeavoured to execute faithfully and usefully.

Dr. Burrows having resigned the chair, James Parkinson, Esq. was unanimously elected to fill that situation; after which the fol lowing resolutions were passed:

1. Resolved, unanimously, That the most sincere thanks of this association be given to Dr. Burrows for the indefatigable zeal, ability, and disinterestedness, with which he has filled the chair since the formation of the association in 1812: and for the manly perseverance with which he met all the difficulties that were opposed

to