CASE 6th. September 11th, at 4 o'clock, A. M., I saw Mrs. E., of Roxborough, aged 37, in labour with her sixth child. She had been ill all the preceding day, but the pain had not been very severe till night, when the paroxysms became quite regular and continued so till I saw her. Her pulse was 84 to the minute. On making an examination, I found the head well down in the pelvis, the os uteri dilated to the extent of several inches, and the vertex presenting to the left acetabulum.

The membranes were entire; I ruptured them, and as she was suffering acutely, though there was not a prospect of its continuing long, I proposed to her the use of the ether, and she gladly embraced the proposition.

In less than two minutes she was completely under its influence, and in a lethargic state, the pulse falling to 72. She was partially roused from this by the recurrence of a pain, but the re-application of the sponge re-induced the lethargy, during the continuance of which, and without any further inhalation, she gave birth to a healthy and vigorous female child. She knew nothing whatever of its birth, and was delighted with the relief she had experienced, saying she had been in a dream from the time she took the vapour. The mother and child are doing well.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.

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A System of Surgery, by J. M. Chelius, Doctor of Medicine and Surgery, Public professor of General and Ophthalmic Surgery, Director of the Chirurgical and Ophthalmic Clinic in the University of Heidelberg, &c. &c. &c. Translated from the German, and accompanied with additional Notes and Observations. By JOHN F. SOUTH, late Professor of Surgery to the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and one of the Surgeons to St. Thomas' Hospital. In three volumes, 8vo. Lea & Blanchard: Philadelphia, 1847.

The foundation of the present publication is one of those admirable handbooks, for which several recent German medical writers have rendered themselves famous. The object of the author in its preparation was to supply a text book which should give a short

and clear description of Surgical Diseases and their treatment, and point out the best works on the several subjects. According to his plan, many things were slightly treated of, and others only hinted at, leaving the deficiencies to be supplied in his lectures. In subsequent editions, however, the author rendered his work more complete, and in the English translation Mr. South has supplied, very extensively, the omissions of the text.

In looking over the work, we have been particularly struck with the intimate acquaintance displayed with minute anatomy, and the changes and morbid products which occur from disease; the soundest views, both as to surgical pathology and treatment, are advanced on every subject, and generally in the clearest and most concise language. We meet with no affectation of originality; on the contrary, the best authorities are constantly referred to, and their very language quoted, where information or illustration is best attained in that way; we do not find the statements and opinions of others quoted, however, for the idle purpose of refutation and triumph, nor are the names of authors quietly omitted and shunned, lest the reader should discover the source from whence the most valuable materials are drawn. No such pettifogging is to be found in Chelius or his annotator; nor is it necessary for the interest of the work, for on every point treated of, evidence is afforded of a thorough acquaintance with the subject.

Diseases, according to Chelius, are either dynamic or organic. "This distinction can, however, only indicate a relatively predominant suffering of one or other phase of life, since the organic body presents in itself an entire whole, of which the several parts and phenomena are in the closest mutual connexion with each other.

"The organic diseases are especially those which originate in a destruction of the natural condition, form, and structure of organized tissues, and therefore may generally depend, 1. On the disturbance of organic connexion; 2. On the unnatural union of parts; 3. On the presence of foreign bodies; 4. On the degeneration of organic parts, or on the production of new structures; 5. On the entire loss; and, 6. On the superfluity of organic parts."

"Organic diseases must be distinguished," according to our author, "into such as have their seat in parts inaccessible to mechanical contrivances, and to our organs of touch, and whose cure therefore can only be attempted by dietetic and pharmaceutic reme

dies; or those whose seat permits the employment of external means, and regulated contrivances, and which in most cases can be brought to heal only by these contrivances, with the assistance of dietetic and pharmaceutical aids. We may therefore distinguish, as belonging to the province of Surgery, all those organic diseases which have their seat in parts accessible to our organs of touch, or which allow of the employment of mechanical means for their cure."

"Although inflammation is excluded from this general definition, we must, however, still enumerate it generally, and particularly among the manifold origins of surgical diseases, when it attacks external parts. Inflammation, in its course and results, produces for the most part organic changes, and requires, when attacking external parts, almost always the employment of the so-called surgical means; further, among the surgical diseases soon to be more particularly described, there is not one of which the cause is not inflammation, which in its course does not produce inflanimation, or the cure of which is not, to a certain extent, simply and alone possible by inflammation."

The following is the author's division of the subjects embraced in his work.

1st DIVISION.-Of Inflammation-general, peculiar, and of special organs.

2d DIVISION.-Diseases which consist in a disturbance of physical connexion.-Solutions of continuity; fresh-wounds and fractures; old solutions-false joints, hare lip, &c., ulcers, fistula, &c. &c.

3d DIVISION.-Diseases dependant on unnatural adhesion of parts-Anchylosis, adhesion and closure of natural openings, as the mouth, nose, rectum, vagina, &c. &c.

4th DIVISION.-Foreign bodies-introduced externally into our organism; formed in our organism by the retention of natural products; accumulation of unnatural secreted fluids, from the concretion of secreted fluids.

5th DIVISION.-Diseases which consist in the degeneration of organic parts, or in the production of new structures-Enlargement of Tongue, Clitoris, &c., Bronchocele, Warts, Bunions, &c.

6th DIVISION.-Loss of organic parts.

7th DIVISION.-Superfluity of organic parts.

8th DIVISION.-Display of the elementary management of Surgical operations.

Prefixed, we have a notice of all the prominent works relating to surgery which have appeared from the earliest period of its literature, including Journals and Periodicals, the value of which can hardly be estimated by any one who has not occasion for extensive reference; but what is of more importance to most readers is a most complete analytical index at the end of the work, occupying upwards of seventy pages closely printed, in double column. It is the most perfect performance of the kind we have ever seen. We are informed, that the work has gone through six editions in Ger many, and been translated into seven different languages-an evidence of general appreciation which few authors live, like Chelius, to see bestowed upon their works, but which all who examine this production will admit to be fully merited.

To Mr. South, the profession is certainly under very great obligations, not only for a good translation of an excellent work, but for the extensive and valuable additions he has made to it, and with out which, the author's short notices of many subjects would have been unsatisfactory to either the student or practitioner. With the exception of Diseases of the Eye and Ear, which are omitted in consequence of the author having comprised them in a separate volume, this edition of the Hand Book of Chelius, with the notes and comments of Mr. South, and the references of Dr. Norris, may be regarded as the most comprehensive work on Surgery ex

tant.

Lectures on the Principles and Practice of Physic; delivered at King's College, London. By THOMAS WATSON, M. D., Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians; late physician to the Middlesex Hospital; and formerly Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. Third American, from the last London edition. Revised, with additions. By D. FRANCIS CONDIE, M. D., Secretary of the College of Physicians; Author of a Treatise on Diseases of Children, &c. 8vo. pp. 101. Philadelphia: 1847. Handbuch der Medicinischen Klinik; verfasst von Dr. CARL CANSTATT: königlich-bayerischem Gerichtsarzte und Mitgliede mehrerer gelehrter Gesellschaften. Zweite vermehrte Auflage. Svo. Erster Band, S. 370: Dritter Band, S. 911. Vierter Band, S. 798. Erlangen, 1843.

Lehrbuch der speciellen Nosologie und Therapie. Von CONRAD HEINRICH FUCHS, Professor zu Göttingen. Svo. Erster Band, S. 674. Göttingen, 1845: Zweiter Band, S. 1250: Göttingen, 1845-1847.

Handbuch der Pathologie und Therapie. Von Dr. C. A. WUNDER

LICH, Professor der Medicin; z. z. Vorstand der medicinischen Klinik zu Tübingen. Svo. Dritter Band, S. 616. Stuttgart, 1846-7.

There is no end to treatises on the Practice of Medicine. In our last number, we announced one from our own country and city; and we have heard of other indigenous productions, that are in course of preparation,-some positively at the full period of utero-gestation, and requiring but an enterprizing bibliopolical accoucheur to usher them into independent being,either to die of atelectasis, or to attain full development amongst the prized varieties of the species.

To-day, we have to herald a few exotics-one of which has been transplanted into our own soil; and under the fostering cares that have been bestowed upon it, and still more, owing to its own intrinsic life-powers, has become naturalized, extensively known, and as extensively appreciated amongst us.

Of Dr. Watson's Lectures we have spoken more than once,as often indeed as a new edition has appeared. We have now to