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"The arrangement of Plenck is founded upon the same princi ples as that of Dr. Willan, namely, upon the external appearances of the eruptions: but, in filling up the scheme, he has deviated widely from the strict laws of classification, which naturalists have established. Nine of his fourteen classes very nearly correspond with the eight orders of Dr. Willan. These are, 1. Maculaæ; 2. Pustula; 3. Vesiculæ ; 4. Bullæ; 5. Papulæ; 6. Crustæ; 7. Squamæ; 8. Callositates; and 9. Excrescentiæ. But the five remaining classes comprise, 10. Ulcera; 11. Vulnera; 12. Insecta cutanea; 13. Morbi Unguium; and 14. Morbi Capillorum, which are less judiciously devised. But such a classification must fail to answer its end, because it requires the different stages of the same disease to be considered as so many distinct maladies, and to be arranged in several classes."

Yet, after these remarks, we find the same writer, when speaking of two diseases on which medical men are most frequently consulted, acknowledge the impossibility of distinguishing either of them from almost any of the numberless appearances enumerated throughout the whole of his book. Speaking of the itch, he says,

"This troublesome disease, which, from its affinity with three orders of eruptive appearances-pustules, vesicles, and papulæ, almost bids defiance to any attempt to reduce it to an artificial classification, is not easily characterized in few words."

And afterwards

"In the course (says he,) of this synopsis, I have made only cursory allusions to a very important class of cutaneous eruptions, which are often the source of considerable embarrassment to the practitioner; I mean those which are the result of the venereal poison. The subject, indeed, is difficult, and not yet sufficiently investigated: for these eruptions assume such a variety of forms, that they bid defiance to arrangement according to their external character; and, in fact, they possess no common or exclusive marks, by which their nature and origin are indicated."

Yet, it is certain, that these eruptions have been reduced to laws since the days of Mr. Hunter. We are ready to admit, that to comprehend the whole, requires that minute and candid attention which can only be expected in enlight

ened

ened and honest minds. But we find they were sufficient to enable Mr. Wilson, surgeon of the Porpoise,* satisfactorily to determine, that syphilis did not exist in Otaheite. In this decision too, he was anticipated by a physician who could only collect the imperfect descriptions of other travellers. On all these accounts we applaud the prudence of Dr. Bateman in omitting, as we are informed he has done, in his edition just published, all that is contained in the former on the subject of syphilis. But still the same difficulties and uncertainties must continue, unless some discrimination is introduced in every other part of the new edition, because, in the former, the author tells us that "there is, perhaps, no order of cutaneous appearances, and scarcely any genus or species of the chronic eruptions, already described, which these secondary symptoms of syphilis do not occasionally resemble.”

So much for the "Orders of cutaneous appearances, and the genera and species of chronic eruptions." We shall now add a few words on the merits of artists. In France they seem greatly to exceed ours, or "M. Alibert has indeed been particularly fortunate in those he employed." We are led to these reflexions by a third case of Elephantiasist which has occurred in England, and an account of which is given in the last number but one of the MedicoChirurgical Journal. The description is exceedingly accurate, but the engraving depicts a countenance more like a freckled sun-burnt clown of our northern climate, than of one labouring under lepra arabum. We are ready to admit that the disease, though chronic, varies in its external appearance, but less than almost any other; and, if even this cannot be faithfully represented in a single engraving, how can we expect it in any other still more variable disease? Happily, however, there are diagnostic symptoms unconnected with visage, which we transcribe from Dr. Lee's

account.

* See our Journal, vol. xvi. p. 172; and Edin. Journ. vol. ii. p. 274, and vol. viii. p. 157, and p. 146.

† See our Journal, vol. xxxiii. p. 107 et alibi.

"The

"The features are very much swollen and deformed, and on the cheeks, nose, lips, and chin, as low down as the os hyoides, there are hard tuberculated elevations of the cutis. These tubercles on the cheeks and chin are so crowded together, as to form large, irregular, and, in some places, rather deep-seated lumps; and over these are placed a few smaller prominent and rounded tubercles, about the size of a garden pea; the whole presenting an appearance very similar to the rough tuberous elevations occasionally observed in potato-peel. These masses have an unctuous appearance and feeling, are of a dark brown or dusky colour; but those apparently more superficial are of a lighter and shining complexion, with some small florid blood-vessels ramifying on their surface. The temples retain their natural aspect, but on the forehead, which is very much wrinkled, there are situated a considerable number of flattened tubercles, varying in size from one to two lines, with general thickenings of the skin. The superciliary ridges are more than usually prominent, and the hairs are few and scattered. The upper eye-lids are thickened and tuberculated, but the cilia remain, and are of their usual appearance. The ears, particularly the lobes, helix, and anti-helix, are enlarged, and occupied by a number of small tubercles."*

We transcribe the following extract from a paper which appeared in our Journal, vol. xxiii. p. 107.

"In the upper and anterior part of each thigh there is a cluster of enlarged lymphatic glands, forming a moveable, rather soft, prominent swelling; in the left, about the size of a small hen's egg, without any discolouration of the integuments, or any pain."

"The organs of generation appear to be nearly in the same condition as they are usually observed to be in boys before the age of puberty, with the exception of the scrotum, which, though nearly empty, is considerably larger. The testicles are small and soft, and are situated high up, near the external abdominal aperture. He reports that they have diminished nearly one half in size, and are still becoming smaller. There are no hairs on the pubis or chin. The prepuce is covered, both on the inner and outer surface, with tubercles, and is so much contracted that the glans cannot be completely uncovered.

«The disease, in this case, does not appear to be infectious, as

* Medico-Chirurgical Journal, p. 361.

this boy has slept in the same bed with his brother during the whole period that he has been affected with the complaint, and in bim none of the symptoms have occurred."

We shall now conclude the subject of engravings by transcribing a passage from the introduction to the last edi tion of Mr. Stevenson's Treatise on Cataract.

"The same disease, (says this gentleman,) in different persons, and in the same person at different times, varies so much as to baffle every effort to

"Catch 'ere she change the Cynthia of this minute.”

Mr. Stevenson proceeds to remark, that, to convey to the eye a correct idea of such diseases, a number of plates would be necessary, equal to the changes the same disease undergoes.

That most pitiable class of patients, many of whom have hitherto been considered almost out of the pale of medicine, have lately met with the attention to which their unfortunate condition entitles them. Not only have physicians of every description been diligent in inquiring into the causes and mode of relieving what were considered maladies of the mind, but the legislature has taken the objects under their more immediate protection. Hitherto, however, not much light has been cast upon the medical arrangement of deranged intellect, although much ingenuity has been called into exercise upon this most interesting subject. It remains to be proved how far the new organology of Dr. Spurzheim will be brought to bear practically on this point. In the mean time we have to announce, from the pen of this au thor, an interesting work on "the Diseased Manifestations of the Mind." Dr. S. first treats of the disorders of the "external functions of the mind," including convulsions, epilepsy, catalepsy, and palsy; and then proceeds to notice the internal derangements,-under which division he includes apoplexy, phrenitis, hydrocephalus, and, lastly, insanity— its causes, varieties, prognosis, and treatment. In this last division of the subject, Dr. S., with propriety, objects to the empirical

empirical practice of treating mental affections as always of a similar nature, and urges the necessity of attending, as well to the part of the brain affected, as to the kind of affection present, and to the constitution and former habits of the sufferer.

Haslam will always be a name of authority in relation to mental disorders. His last pamphlet will be perused with interest by such as are in possession of his former publications: there is nothing, however, of much novelty in the tract to which we now allude, on "the Moral Management of Insane Persons," which, indeed, is a mere expansion of a section in one of his former publications.

Two pamphlets have appeared on the subject of Mr. Rose's Bill, as it is called, the one by an anonymous author, entitled "Observations on the Laws relating to Private Lunatic Asylums," &c.; the other by Dr. Burrows, which takes nearly the same ground, and advances the same objections to the legislative act, framed in consequence of the late investigations, by a Committee of the House of Commons, into the abuses of private and public receptacles for the insane. The scope and tenor of these pamphlets are to show that the severity of the projected laws, while they will bear hard upon the managers of institutions for the insane, will necessarily prove destructive of their own intent. Our legislators, we think, ought to pay due attention to every thing in the way of stricture which comes from such respectable sources as those now alluded to. Both the pamphlets are productions of able writers and practical men.

"On Hypochondriasis and Nervous Affections," Dr. Reid has published a small volume, which cannot fail to command and rivet the attention of its readers by the force and fascination of its style. It is, however, rather a popular than a strict medical production, and does not profess to go into the minutiae of pathological doctrines.

Mr. Parkinson has published a small pamphlet on the "Shaking Palsy," which he supposes to have an origin in the cervical part of the spinal medulla. He very modestly apologises for the hypothetical nature of his speculations on

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