and condylomata of the modern surgeons, are excrescences about the podix, totally different from piles, in cause, appearance, and mode of cure. Wiseman divides them from the piles by a different chapter, in which he gives the various names, and describes some of the tumours as arising at a distance from the verge of the anus. Heister and Turner

use a similar language. Astruc, as was the fashion in his days, imputes these tumours to syphilis, an error very prevalent till Mr. Hunter's time; but Astruc, who wrote in Latin, is careful to describe them about the podix. In short, this distinction was continued with much care from Wiseman to Pott, when the nosologists, none of whom were practical surgeons, undertook the task of simplifying science by methodical systems. The business now became, not, as heretofore, to point out certain well marked distinctions between diseases confounded from locality, but requiring a totally different treatment. On the contrary, in order to prove the beauty of simplicity, analogous symptoms were to be noticed, so as to include as many diseases as possible in the same or der, class, or genus. These are the misfortunes we derive from complete systems, from nosologies, from dictionaries, from cyclopædias; nor does it appear that we are at all assisted by oriental literature.

An important consideration still remains. The parts subject to these diseases are not only que invitissimus quisque alteri ostendit, but quæ invitissimus quisque in altero spectat. Hence, it sometimes happens, that an unfortunate patient, particularly if a female, supposed to be afflicted with piles, may suffer for months or years an inconvenience which might be removed in as many days. Wherever, therefore, such cases prove obstinate, we advise the young practitioner, instead of referring to a nosological table or an oriental root, to request the patient to examine, by means of a lookingglass, or trust to a confidential friend or servant to make an accurate report.

We are always backward in noticing any grammatical errors or inelegance of expression which do not materially af fect the sense. The following, among others that have oc curred to us, unnoticed in the errata, we submit to Mr. Good's better judgment in a future edition. Ulcus, by some oversight, is made a masculine noun. Under the article Odontia, the reader will recollect O. senilium. As we have puerorum and adolescentum, this must have been intended for senum. The same occurs in salacitas, where the addition of a juvenilis might have led to ß senilis, instead of senilium. The great length of the ERRATA shews the trouble the author had to get his work through the press; and this, when we consider

the

the complexity of subjects, and the number of languages, cannot surprise us. We are even willing to make a further allowance. We conceive that a work of such labour may have rendered the author weary of perpetual alterations, and have determined him at last to send it to the world with all its faults: and, doubtless, of all these, the gender of a noun, or the awkwardness of a Latin phrase, when neither of them obscure the sense, are the most venial.

Errata in this Article in our last Number.

The hurry with which it was printed, and the numerous alterations made by the writer, must apologise for the following

errata:

Page 218, 1. 9 from the bottom, for a read a.

219, for morbus read morbis.

219, near the bottom, dele Dr. or add it to the other names. 228, for synopsis read synopses.

239, 1. 9 from bottom, add to after brought.

224, note, the reader will correct the quotation from Hippocrates or Mead.

A Treatise on the Physiology and Diseases of the Ear; containing a comparative View of its Structure and Functions, and of its various Diseases, arranged according to the Anatomy of the Organ, or as they affect the external, the intermediate, and the internal Ear. By JOHN HARRISON CURTIS, Esq. Aurist to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, Surgeon to the Royal Dispensary for the Diseases of the Ear, Lecturer on the Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathology of the Ear, Fellow of the Medical Society of London, &c. &c. 8vo. pp. 92. Sherwood and Co.,

THE modes of book-making are more various than some of our readers are, perhaps, aware of; and it may be thought bad policy in authors to expose one another. But the work now before us is really too bad for us, who have been so long witnesses of this traffic. It would be in vain to express our feelings at seeing the splendid work of our deceased countryman* *thus dwindled into a mere vehicle for announcing a new lecturer on the ear. We know not by what name to call this work. A paraphraze, it is true, might be a fair designation, but we are so apt to expect an illustration

* For our account of Mr. Saunders's "Anatomy of the Ear, il. lustrated by a series of Engravings of the natural size, with a Treatise on the Diseases of that Organ, and their proper Treatment," see our xviiith vol. page 5.

in a paraphraze, that we might deceive our readers by such a term; for Mr. Saunders is always perspicuous, and Mr. Curtis, when he ventures to leave his type, is often obscure. We are unwilling to hint at any thing more than obscurity, and have no objection to suppose ourselves mistaken when Mr. C. now and then speaks with great familiarity of a case which the modesty of Mr. Saunders induced him to describe as something remarkable.

It must, however, be admitted that Mr. Saunders is not entirely overlooked by this writer; and we can hardly fail to applaud the manner in which Mr. Curtis contrasts the views of one with the other. "Mr. Saunders's work," he tells us," is more adapted to the profession than for general reading;" that is, to those who are capable of appreciating its value. Still, however, it would not do for Mr. Curtis to explain things too clearly; he therefore concludes his Preface with the following well-timed invitation.

"The work," says he, "is necessarily concise [we presume that he could not venture beyond what he could find in Mr. Saunders]; but any gentleman desirous of farther investigating this interesting subject, may have an opportunity of so doing, by attending the lectures of the author, and the practice of the Royal Dispensary."

But it is time we should explain the manner in which the work is got up.

Mr. SAUNDERS

"The meatus externus and auricle are sometimes affected with an herpetic ulcerous eruption. It always produces a great thickening of the integuments, and the passage is often so much closed, that a great degree of deafness ensues. The ichor which exudes from the pores of the ulcerated surface inspissates in the meatus, and not only obstructs the entrance of sound, but is accompanied with a great degree of fetor. This disease is not unfrequent."

Mr. CURTIS

Herpes.--Another disease of the external ear, more frequent than the former, is Herpes, or an herpetic eruption, affecting it either in the form of an ulcerous sore, or a thickening of the integuments; and, in the worst cases, these two states are combined, when the passage becomes nearly closed, and temporary deafness is the consequence; the ichorous discharge issuing from the sore, and collected in the passage, hardens and becomes solid, thus obstructing the entrance of sound, and is accompanied also with a disagreeable smell or fetor."

Some remarks follow concerning typhus, and the correction of "constitutional acrimony." If we had attempted to keep our acrimony in check, the next chapter would, we fear, have undone all.

Mr.

Mr. SAUNDERS

"The passage of the meatus externus has occasionally been obstructed by an unnatural septum, originating from an elongation or diseased growth of the cutis. I believe these cases are rare, unless the tympanum be diseased, but are not unfrequent after a suppuration and puriform discharge:" of which Mr. S. gives the following instance:

"J. Hallum applied at the Dispensary for a very considerable and sudden increase of deafness, with which he had been many years afflicted. The deafness had originally been produced by a suppyration of the tympanum, and he recollected that, during the discharge, air had occasionally passed through the meatus in the act of blowing his nose. The discharge had ceased to flow outwardly; and he was no longer capable of forcing air through the meatus. He now spoke of a particular sensation, similar to what people experience when they inflate the tympanum. By placing the patient in the light of the sun, I perceived a septum, which I pierced and lacerated, after which the patient could hear, at nine inches, the tick of a watch, which he was before obliged to place in contact with his ear. Some difficulty arose to prevent the reunion of parts. It was at last accomplished, and the patient's hearing improved to the degree in which it is usually possessed by those who have lost the membrana tympani." P. 27.

Mr. CURTIS

"Morbid Septum of the Passage.-An unnatural septum some times obstructs the passage of the ear, proceeding from an elongation of the common skin. As the sound is hereby communicated no farther than the external ear, and cannot reach the labyrinth or internal cavity, deafness must be the consequence. But this defect more frequently arises from a diseased tympanum, than from any other cause, where the suppuration is considerable, and much matter has been forced out into the passage.

"The following is the usual progress of the disease:-The patient, after a puriform discharge from the ear, feels a sudden and considerable increase of deafness, to which he has been in a certain degree subject, in consequence of the original complaint. During this original state of deafness, he has been also sensible, on blowing -his nose, of air passing at times through the meatus; but, the puriform discharge having now ceased, and the patient being also no longer able, on blowing the nose, to feel air escape through the passage, the existence of a septum becomes undoubted. To this may be added the sensation of a particular fulness of the tympanum. "If, under these circumstances, the patient be placed in a clear light, and the ear examined, a septum will be perceived. To remove this impediment, the septun is to be pierced and lacerated, when the hearing will be restored to the same degree in which it prevailed under the diseased tympanum, and before the septum was formed.

"So quick is the hearing restored, that, immediately after the operation,

operation, the ticking of a watch has been heard at a considerable distance, which could not have been perceived before, even when close to the ear.

"After the operation, much attention is necessary to prevent the closing of the sides of the aperture, and the septum being re-produced."

Mr. SAUNDERS

On deafness from the accumulation of wax, Mr. S. says, "But the most common impediment to hearing that depends on the state of the meatus externus arises from the inspissation of the cerumen. The quantity which may be collected without impairing the power of hearing, cannot easily be determined. In many persons the quantity is naturally considerable; but, unless its proper consistence be altered, the functions of the passage are not much injured, whereas a small portion of inspissated cerumen lodged in the mem brana tympani, will deprive a person of his hearing. The symptoms which are attached to an inspissation of the cerumen are pretty well known, The patient, besides his inability to hear, complains of noises, particularly a clash or confused sound in mas ication, and of heavy sounds like the ponderous strokes of a hammer, &c." P.28. Mr. CURTIS

"Inspissated Cerumen.-The most frequent cause of deafness, connected with the state of the external passage, is that arising from collected cerumen or wax; a due secretion of the passage is absolutely necessary to keep it in a healthy condition, as well as to preserve it from external injury. A defective, or too profuse, secrétion is equally the cause of deafness, and the cerumen frequently be comes indurated and inspissated to such a degree as to cause obsti nate dullness of hearing. The actual quantity to produce this ef fect cannot be determined: in many persons the secretion is very copious, compared with what it is in others; but, unless it be consi derably altered by stagnation, it does not seem materially to affect the functions of the part. When accumulated on the membrane of the tympanum, it frequently obstructs the sense of hearing.

"The symptoms that particularly mark this complaint are the following:-With the general sense of deafness, there is combined the impression of noises in the ear, consisting either of a particular clash or confused sound, or a heavy sensation like the noise of a hammer: these sounds prevail most while eating."

And now for our friend Juvenis, who, we can assure him, is never entirely out of our mind. Let us advise him to go to the fountain-head, and consult Saunders and other original writers, when he wishes for information. But, most of all, let us advise him to remember the poor author mentioned by our English Aristarchus, and the fate he underwent from clipping and coining. There are already books enough in the world, without such a mode of multiplication. But do not let him suppose that, by purchasing Mr. Curtis, he may save the expence of Mr. Saunders. The plates in the latter NO. 224.

are