On dissolving this saccharine mass in warm spirit, and again precipitating it by anhydrous alcohol, it will still be found to contain a certain amount of urea; in fact, I have detected urea after the operation has thrice been effected, and I find that sugar can only be obtained from urea by allowing it to crystallize spontaneously from its spirituous solution. In consequence of the difficulty of separating these substances, I proceed in the following manner: the solid residue of the urine is first accurately determined; a weighed portion of urine is then evaporated, mixed with spirit, and the solution filtered. The filtered solution is evaporated to the consistence of a syrup, and, when cold, mixed with a sufficient quantity of concentrated nitric acid to allow of a few drops remaining on the surface of the crystalline mass. It must be submitted to a low temperature, and the crystals placed on blotting paper and compressed till they cease to communicate moisture. The fixed salts must be determined from a separate portion of urine. If we deduct from the known quantity of solid residue the portion insoluble in spirit (from which the uric acid is determined), the urea, and the fixed salts we obtain, as the difference, sugar and alcohol-extract which appears to decrease in diabetic urine in proportion as the sugar increases."-Vol. 2, pp. 297-8.

Urines containing fat, milk, an excess of hippuric acid (of which Dr. Day has collected three singular cases), urostealith, and semen are then considered, and these are succeeded by observations on "urine of peculiar colours," "urine during pregnancy, " and on "the passage of medicinal and other substances into the urine." The chapter terminates with "the urine of animals."

There is nothing in Chapters VIII. and IX. to call for especial remark. The former is devoted to the consideration of the secretion of the lachrymal meibomean and ceruminous glands; the latter, to the secretions and fluids of the generative organs, including the seminal and prostatic fluids, the amniotic and allantoic fluids, and the vernix caseosa. The tenth Chapter treats of the intestinal excretions. We have full accounts of the meconium and the fæces of infants and of adults, in health and in disease. The diseases especially noticed as influencing the fæces are diabetes, dysentery, enteritis, abdominal typhus, diarrhoea, cholera, enteropthisis and jaundice. The effects of calomel on the evacuations are then considered; and the chapter terminates with the chemistry of vomited

matters.

The component parts of the animal body form the subject of the Eleventh Chapter. The article on bone is re-written by the Editor, the matter being chiefly taken from the recent work of Von Bibra on the subject. Teeth, cartilage, cellular tissue, tendon, ligament, skin and hair are then considered. From the observations of Van Laer it appears that the hair consists essentially of:

66

(1). A connecting medium consisting of a tissue yielding gelatin, and represented by the formula C13 H10 N3 O5; and (2), Of bisulphuret of protein, C40 H31 N 012 S2.

5

"The large amount of sulphur in hair (averaging 50) is the cause of its colour being affected by various metallic salts. As there is no constant difference in the results obtained by the analysis of hair of various tints, it is to be presumed that the colour is dependent on peculiar arrangements of the ultimate particles.”— Vol. 2, p. 419.

In the crystalline lens, Simon finds, in addition to albumen, a peculiar substance closely resembling casein, to which he applies the term crys

1846.] tallin.

CHEMISTRY OF VARIOUS MORBID PRODUCTS.

499

When the lens becomes opaque (in cases of cataract), it is found to contain an excess of phosphate of lime.

on mak

The muscles next claim our attention. Simon observes that, ing incisions in the warm flesh of an animal just killed, we obtain by pressure an acid fluid, which rapidly coagulates in consequence of the presence of a little fibrin if the flesh has been kept for some time, the fluid obtained by pressure no longer coagulates, although it exhibits an acid re-action," We quote these lines to draw the attention of our chemical readers to the nature of this acid. Hoffman (op. cit., p. 13, note) observes, that from this acid fluid he obtained a zinc-salt, having the crystalline form of the lactate of zinc. The obscurity which rests over the question regarding the existence or non-existence of lactic acid in the animal body, is disgraceful to the science of chemistry. The brain, spinal cord and glands occupy the remainder of the chapter.

The two remaining chapters are devoted to solid and fluid morbid products. The former contains full instruction for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the various concretions occurring in the animal body, together with a good account of their physical and chemical characters; it likewise embraces the chemistry of tubercle, scrofula and cancer, in so far as it is yet known. The latter contains analyses of the fluids in various cysts, the fluids of pemphigus, hygroma, hydrocephalus, ascites, hydrocele, thoracic effusions, the subcutaneous serum in Bright's disease, and the fluid effusions found in the body after death.

There are two Appendices, the former containing the ultimate composition of the proximate constituents of the human organism, the latter embracing the most important additions to animal chemistry made during the course of publication.

The value of the work is much increased by three accurate and wellengraved illustrative plates, and by a very copious and most useful index extending over eighteen pages. The length to which our review has extended, and the numerous extracts we have made, afford sufficient evidence of our opinion respecting its great merits. It is in the highest degree creditable to the Author, the Editor, and the Sydenham Society. We believe that the publication of this work, and of Hasse's Pathological Anatomy (noticed in our last number), will tend-provided always the re-printing of some of the standard old medical works be not forgotten-to instil into the minds of their medical brethren a confidence in the proceedings of the Council, which some of their acts have gone far to undermine; and we most sincerely trust that this may be the case. We cannot, however, help remarking upon the singularity of the fact, that for both these works we have been indebted to the suggestions of their respective editors, and not to any intimate knowledge of their contents by the twenty-four learned gentlemen forming the aforesaid body.

Of Dr. Day's Reports on the Progress of Chemistry in relation to Physiology and Pathology, we need merely add that they are written in the same spirit of research and impartiality which characterises his extensive additions to Simon. Every medical man is expected to be conversant with the recent advances of physiological and pathological chemistry, and these reports afford the only means in the English language of meeting these expectations. We regard them as one of the most important features in Ranking's Half-yearly Abstract.

Hoffman's Elements are clearly written, but present no claim to originality. His principal fault lies in the undue importance he attaches to subjects of little intrinsic value, or, at all events, hardly bearing, even in a remote degree, on Animal Chemistry; thus, nearly six pages are devoted to the glands for the most part to their development and uses; while the space occupied by the blood-the most important subject in the whole work is considerably less than ten pages.

Of the manual of Dr. Griffith, his own title-page (a work we opine of no small labour) gives a full, and we may add, a true and correct account. It is the only portion of the book that would bear much abbreviation; indeed, in many points, we think that the system of condensation has been carried a little too far. The work commences with the protein and gelatinous compounds, and the extractive and fatty matters. We have already (see page 482) had occasion to notice his introduction of a new formula for protein; we must now take him to task for the opposite fault-for retaining obsolete chemical opinions. In page 15 we find that "gelatine occurs in the bone, skin, serous membranes, cellular tissue, tendons, ligaments, and ossified cartilages." Gelatine no more occurs in these structures than does tritoxide of protein in albumen. It is obtained from them by ebullition.

Organic acids next claim our attention-lactic, acetic, hydrocyanic, formic, benzoic, oxalic, oxaluric and tartaric acids. This list is rather more extensive than need be; the development of hydrocyanic acid in the animal body is more than doubtful; formic and oxaluric acids have never been discovered in any of the secretions, and benzoic acid, when present in the urine, is a result of decomposition; and regarding tartaric acid, which we are told," has been found in diabetic urine in combination with lime," we would suggest that the diabetes had nothing to do with the question, further than that the patient, being thirsty, probably drank imperial—a solution of bitartrate of potash-which would fully account for the phenomenon in question.

The rules for the detection and separation of the inorganic matters are concise, and at the same time clear; we would, however, observe, that Dr. Day has given a more delicate test for the presence of carbonic acid (Simon, vol. ii. p. 120) than Dr. Griffith. It would perhaps have been better not to have alluded to the supposed discovery of titanic acid in the renal capsules. There can be little doubt that there was some fallacy in the experiment, and even if it really were there (and from the frequent association of titanium with iron, the thing is not altogether impossible), it must have been altogether an accidental occurrence, and would have afforded no just grounds for the statement that the renal capsules contain titanic acid more than any other part of the body. Dr. Griffith's manual shows that he is well acquainted with the processes he describes; and if, in several points, he has not carried his subject to quite the latest date, his readers may at least be assured that he will never lead them into serious error. Considering the limited space he had at his command, most of the subjects he treats of are handled in a very satisfactory manner. We have, therefore, pleasure in recommending his work as a useful introduction to the more elaborate writings of Simon and Day.

1846.]

SEARLE, LEESON AND FORBES.

501

I. THE WHY AND THE WHEREFORE, OR THE PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE, HEALTH, AND DISEASE. By Charles Searle, M.D. M.R.C.S.E. 8vo. pp. 266. Churchill: London, 1846.

II. LIEBIG'S PHYSIOLOGY APPLIED IN THE TREATMENT OF FUNCtional Derangement and OrGANIC DISEASE. Part I. By John Leeson. 8vo. pp. 216. Renshaw: London, 1846.

III. HOMEOPATHY, ALLOPATHY AND YOUNG PHYSIC. By John Forbes, M.D. F.R.S. 12mo. pp. 121. Philadelphia Edit. 1846. WE place the titles of these publications together at the head of the present article, not because they treat of any subject in common, or resemble each other in either object or execution; but inasmuch as each of them, although in very different degrees, furnishes us with the opportunity of animadverting upon the tendency, by no means rare at the present time among medical writers, to pay undue homage to the advantages derivable from various forms of quackery, and to most unfairly depreciate those which the legitimate practice of physic has at its command.

Charlatanism always has existed, and probably always will prevail in the world; and certainly, in spite of our advance in a quasi education, which furnishes the learner with the means of perusing, without the power of judging of the value of the lucubrations of pretenders, at no period of time has it ever been, professional and non-professional, more rife than at the present. One remarkable feature in the history of its modern progress as distinguished from that of former times deserves our especial notice. Heretofore, quackery received no favours, or even quarter, at the hands of the regular members of the profession. In fact these, in the shape of the various authorities in the different parts of Europe, as Faculties, Universities, Colleges, &c., prosecuted an open war against quacks with unrelenting vigour and energy. We do not say that such proceedings did not occasionally lack discretion; for, by their indiscriminate, and therefore sometimes unjust and vindictive character, they often had the mischievous effect of arousing public sympathy in favour of the proscribed, furnishing a notoriety which was the one thing desired. The very fact of the existence of such errors, however, proves the utter absence of connivance at, or encouragement of, these irregular proceedings on the parts of those who had been enrolled members of an important and highly responsible profession. How stands this matter at the present time? Our incorporated medical bodies, hypothetically supposed to represent the interests, the honour, and the dignity of our profession, neither possess, nor have shown themselves desirous of possessing, the requisite power for the suppression of quacks and impostors of any kind, however flagrantly these may invade the rights of educated practitioners, or, however widely they may spread abroad their desolating mischief amid the community. More than this: they do not even reprove, discountenance, or expel any of their own members who encourage, or even take part in, any of the impostures of the age.

But, besides this apathy and indirect encouragement thus offered to impostors by the corporate bodies, various individual members of the

profession have, from time to time, by act, word, or book, added not a little to such encouragement, and to the perpetuation of the delusions prevailing in the public mind upon the subject. There is, perhaps, scarcely a quack medicine in existence which has not at one time or another been prescribed by members of the faculty, and proh pudor! sold by others of them; while each of the arch-quackeries of the present day, whether it be mesmerism, homœopathy, or hydropathy, has received open encouragement from members of the profession, whose acquirements and prior position taught us to expect better things at their hands. And, whether it arises from the contagious influence of a few great names, the involvement of the medical mind in, or its submission to, the fashionable delusions of the day, or its easy gullibility by specious appearances and unauthenticated facts, we know not; but certain it is that it is as common as possible to find medical writers furnishing their more or less complete approval of certain forms of quackery, and deprecating the treatment which is pursued by the non-illuminati. For, let it be observed that, approval of the new schools and abuse of the old one, proceed pari pasu, and that eloquent tirades upon the evils inflicted by the demon of polypharmacy, and cutting sarcasms upon the presumptuous and dangerous individuals who would fain endeavour, by means of some poisonous, horrid, filthy drug, given too in imaginable quantities, to cut short the course of a disease which should have been left to Nature's all-restorative power, are standing topics of discourse with this class of writers. The works we have in hand contain specimens of this injudicious procedure, one or two of which we proceed to exhibit. Dr. Searle, after stating what he considers to be the two principles of the operation of hypdropathy, [viz. 1, the purification of the blood, and the reduction of præternatural excitement-and 2, the exciting and giving tone to the skin, and thus invigorating the entire system] goes on to say that, he considers it a most useful practice in gout, rheumatism, scrofula, various cutaneous diseases, dyspepsia, general debility, &c.; and adds,

66

Although open to some objections, it assuredly embodies principles which, if judiciously carried out, are of most useful application in the treatment, not only of the large class of affections previously adverted to, but many others also; inasmuch as it, in an eminent degree, developes and augments all the natural powers of the system-and these are the only curative means in any case. hydropathic practice, it will be well to observe, embodies in it the system of the

*

*

*

*

*

*

The

*

trainer. The system of Preissnitz, I am however bound to say, does more than this, as it includes, in addition to active exercise in the open air, the mind's repose by abstaining from all active mental employ; with abstinence also from all warm fluids and exciting beverages, a plain, wholesome diet of meat, bread, vegetables, fruit, and cold water, being only allowed, with early rising, and early return to bed; and last, though not least in amount of beneficial consequences, preserving the blood from contamination and further deterioration, by excluding physic altogether! or when the blood is so contaminated, or by other causes deteriorated, as we have previously spoken of as being the case in gout and many other affections, purifying and divesting it thereof, by washing out the impurity with cold water, and expelling it from the system through the agency of the skin and kidneys.

"This system, I must avow in conclusion, embodying as it assuredly does, if not all the requirements of a complete system of treating disease, yet including so many pre-eminently useful principles, deserves most undoubtedly great com