struggling with difficulties, who is able, willing to offer a thousand acts of attention, of kindness-who does it by manner, by feeling, yet is able to offer little else. Should the poor man fall into such hands, his situation is bettered, because the power of benevolence has been extended by a slight remuneration, a part of which the poor man will partake, for it is the very nature of such a character to expand, Look at it in the interested man's hands,-you apply to him his only stimulus; then surely, in either case, the poor are benefited. Even in the hands of the man in extended practice, it enlarges his sphere of charity.

Though it may be questioned by some whether my opinions may be correct, yet I should think there could be no dispute of the hard operation of the poor-laws, as they now stand, as they regard numerous manufacturers, who have found employment far from home. When overtaken by sickness they apply not to the parish for relief, for they well know, when their own parish are to be put to expence, they are removed. The man pines in sickness, for his situation does not become known: he is unwilling to put himself to the expence of medical attendance, or, perhaps, unable. In asking a remedy for such an occurrence, are we consulting the poor's benefit, insulting the profession, or endeavouring to put such an event out of the pale of accident? or are we seeking to provide medical attendance for every one on its surest basis-interest?

As to the quantum of remuneration, that is left perfectly to the wisdom of Parliament. A public remuneration never can be commensurate to the duties of such an office; but there is no reason why some should not be afforded,—and any means that can contribute to the better attendance on the poor maintains, instead of lessens, our dignity. No man of any respectability ever refuses his aid: I can feel my own duty, and I should never have questioned that of Humanitas, had he left out his gratuitous services-they are not uncommon-we ourselves may be silent; the poor will record them.

But on what principle we are to be more studious of the poor-rates than the butcher, the baker, or any other dealer, I I am at a loss to guess. Our commodities are purchased by time, by expenditure, anxiety, by constant exertion; all our substance is embarked in the venture; yet the profession are to be the men (as a body so well remunerated) that are to be the only gratuitous contributors. In point of argument, 1 cannot understand this necessity.

Had the profession been accused of lowering its dignity by suffering the churchwarden to put up the diseases to the

lowest

lowest bidder, or the county magistrate for the prison-this was an attack not to be defended, for here, alas, interest operates, and all diseases not immediately affecting life are neglected, and those that do bring it into danger are scantily supplied. Better far would every parish fare to find its own medicine, and trust to the benevolence of the profession to supply a gratuitous attendance. Wherever a call of this kind occurs, there is always competition, and, no doubt, parish situations would be as respectably filled as other public institutions.

I trust the Medical and Surgical Worcestershire Society will not be found either offering an insult to the profession, or lessening their dignity; but that they merit thanks for their humble exertions for the bettering the best interests of the poor. As a member of that Society, I cordially signed the petition, and would again sign it, in spite of the cry of want of feeling.

Worcestershire; August 27, 1817.

** We suspect that Humanitas, in his zeal for the profession, bas overlooked the difference between town and country practice. In London a poor wretch is always within the sphere of a medical man. In the country he may be at the distance of several miles, and the parish officer not feel himself at liberty to make the remuperation he may wish. There appears to us no more reason why medical men should give their time and labour for nothing, than that they should be charged higher for poor-rates. Every man's time is his money, or the most important part of his stock in trade. Let us compare the charges of country solicitors on these occasions with those of surgeons, and recollect the difference of time and labour.-EDIT.

For the London Medical and Physical Journal. An Optical Natural Curiosity; by THOMAS RENWICK, M.D. THE notice you have taken in the Medical and Physical Journal for April last, of a curious optical phenomenon which has appeared at Liverpool, as well as the remarks upon the same subject in July, have not escaped my observation. I am sorry the public have been led to expect an account of this case sooner than it could with propriety be given.

My patient, Miss M'Avoy, who has been made an object of public curiosity by the powers she is supposed to possess of distinguishing colours, reading, &c. has been subject to repeated attacks of disease, which have occasioned great interruption to the examinations which were thought necessary

before her case could be presented to the public. The ge nerality of persons who have visited her are satisfied that Miss M'Avoy really possesses the powers attributed to her. She has failed, however, in one or two examinations, when several respectable individuals of the profession were present, and they have generally expressed not only doubts, but a few have given a positive opinion, that Miss M'Avoy can see, and that the powers ascribed to her are deceptive. On the other hand, many gentlemen, both in and out of the profession, of equally respectable talents, have been convinced she does possess the powers ascribed to her. Whatever may hereafter be proved, it will be sufficient, until the case be published, to say, that Miss M'Avoy became blind on the 6th or 7th of June 1816, and that she continued so for several months. The symptoms which had occurred previous to that period were indicative that such an event might reasonably be expected. The pupil contracts and dilates, although not in the most perfect manner; but this was not perceived to be the case, until the middle of October, and is not a certain proof of Miss M'Avoy's possessing the power of vision. My own observations satisfy me, that, whether Miss M'Avoy can see or not, the modes adopted to blindfold her have been sufficient for that purpose, and that she has distinguished colours, read, and shown herself possessed of powers still more extraordinary. Miss M'Avoy, after distinguishing colours, reading, &c. often suddenly loses the power, and every thing appears black; the fingers become cold; and the power often returns as suddenly as it was lost, upon the fingers becoming warmer. In those trials where the eyes were uncovered, she has as frequently failed as when the eyes are covered.

I am of opinion that Miss M'Avoy does not see, yet I am not surprized that other persons who have not examined into her situation as much as I have done, should express doubts on the subject. If it should be proved, however, that Miss M'Avoy does see, I shall have no hesitation in retracting an opinion which has not been formed upon slight grounds, nor without the due investigation, a subject of this importance demands. In a medical point of view also, this case is very curious, and I hope it will be in the possession of the public in the course of the next month.

Liverpool; August 23, 1817.

COLLECTANEA

293

COLLECTANEA MEDICA,

CONSISTING OF

ANECDOTES, FACTS, EXTRACTS, ILLUSTRATIONS, QUERIES, SUGGESTIONS, &c.

RELATING TO THE

History or the Art of Medicine, and the Auxiliary Sciences.

Quicquid agunt medici,

nostri farrago libelli.

THE memoirs of Madame de Stael, during the period of her more active life, have been detailed in so many different Journals, that we can scarcely suppose they have not fallen in the way of most of our readers. We had, however, prepared an epitome of the more striking events relating to her, and intended it as a part of a Biographical Collectanea: but, finding no readier means of explaining ourselves on one article in nosology than by offering the extract succeeding this communication, we have deferred our other Memoirs of dead and living Physicians till our next Number. Account of the long Illness of Madame de Stael, her Death, and Appearances on a subsequent Examination; by M. PORTAL, her family Physician.

The Baroness de Stael, daughter of the celebrated M. Necker, the last Minister of Finance to the unfortunate Louis XVI. was equally celebrated by her highly-esteemed writings and her political opinions, which had caused her to be exiled from France during the Revolution, and gained her a flattering reception by the principal princes of Europe.

Madame de Stael, whose physician I had been from her infancy, as well as that of her father, consulted me, on her return to Paris, for an œdematous swelling in her legs, with which she had been afflicted some time, and which gradually became worse. Her complexion, naturally dark, grew still darker; and her eyes even assumed a yellow colour. Her digestion was painful. She experienced great restlessness and want of sleep, which she had long been unable to relieve by the use of one or two grains of opium, which she had taken every evening. Although about 53, she had only recently ceased to menstruate.

I thought it necessary to prescribe aperitives, slightly diuretic pills, with medicinal soap; extracts of saponaria officinalis, hops, and gentian, in equal quantities, mixed with bullock's gall: four of these pills, of four grains each, were given in the morning, fasting, at twice, an hour elapsing between them; and two cups of a tisanne made with the roots of the rumex acutus and triticum repens, with

the

the leaves of scolopendra, in which was infused a pinch of chervil, and to which were added ten grains of salt of nitre.

This simple treatment, in a few days, restored the urine, and di minished the oedema. Having, however, experienced light alvine evacuations, and recollecting that she had some time before been troubled with a looseness, against which several tonics had been prescribed with effect, with a little more opium than she was in the habit of taking, in the evening she thought proper to consult another physician, who prescribed her very irritating powders, which soon made the alvine evacuations cease. Madame de Stael profited by this interval to make visits in Paris, and receive much society at her own house; but the cedematous state of the legs becoming even worse than before, and her complexion yellower, I was again consulted, and prescribed the same treatment as before, in order to restore the urine and stools. My prescription had a prompt success; but the patient was frightened at some slight bilious evacuations, though necessary, which the medicines produced, and she again consulted another physician, who advised her to take a larger dose of opium than usual. Costiveness ensued, the urine was considerably diminished, the skin became of a darker yellow than ever, and Madame de Stael fell into a profound stupor, which lasted so long as to create great alarm. I was once more consulted, and found in the pulse a decided fever: the urine was in a very small quantity, and very red, leaving a sediment still more so; the tongue was red; the lips and cheeks of the same colour; the rest of the face very yellow, and puffed; the hands and feet particularly oedematous. I prescribed strong lemonade, and in each glass a few drops of nitrous æther. Lavements, slightly purgative, were given. She recovered from the stupor, but the fever was really commenced, and became much worse in the evening. The urine was still in small quantity, red, and thick.

It appeared to me to be a real bilious fever, inasmuch as by the feel a swelling was discovered on the right hypochondrium. I was persuaded that the treatment ought to consist in mild medicines (the irritation being extreme) with aperients. The patient diminished the quantity of lemonade, to take, from time to time, chicken broth, with nitre, and a beverage of an infusion of triticum repens (dog's grass) and chervil, also with nitre, sweetened with the syrup of the five aperitive roots. This treatment was seconded by emollient clysters, and the patient was evidently much better. On the sixth or seventh day, I advised her drinking the waters of Vichy, at first mixed with chicken-broth, and afterwards pure, and at the end of the sickness to add acetate of potass.

This treatment completely succeeded, as the fever diminished daily, and ended about the fourteenth day. The urine gradually became more abundant and clear, and the alvine excretions had proportionally become yellow and bilious, instead of grey, as before. The puffing-up of the face, and the oedematous state of the hands and feet, were considerably diminished. The region of the liver was

2

neither