664 Suicides in France, 78 Sulphuric ether, Ellsworth on the Sulphuric ether, inhalation of, 243 254 699 51 290 331 Ship fever at Bellevue Hospital, 615 Sulphuric acid, arsenic in, 394 Shoulder, dislocation of, 49 Sulphate of quinia, note on the ex- Sickness at Algiers, 78 Side, pain in the, 254 Sick and disabled seamen, 258 Simpson's principles and treatment of placental presentations, 517 Society, Massachusetts medical, 52 693 Society, Massachusetts medical, Springs, Grayson, Yandell's notice Southee on the internal use of the 455 205 700 Small pox, influence of vaccination Small pox and typhoid fever, M. Serres on, Spina bifida, two cases of, hibition of, by Dr. Donovan, 583 644 147 Surgery and medicine, free trade in, 140 Society's works-the 220 149 345 458 265 701 67 460 633 317 solid bodies in, by Dr. Bidder, 583 710 578 Spinal cord, functions of, Spontaneous dislocations of the knee, 637 Strangulated femoral hernia, case of, 129 Syphilis, relative value of different 635 successfully treated by opium, by 649 648 Starvation, death from, 376 635 Statistics of suicides in Paris on, 737 231 Transylvania university, Treatment of cancer, Treatment of young permanent teeth that require plugging, by Dr. Tumour, extirpation of, from the Tumour fungus of the bone, by Prof. 274 450 68 101 266 Vaccination, influence of, in dimin- 637 142 665 69 pox, 39 Vade Mecum, the medical students, 117 189 Vagina, obliteration of, 499 243 Tumour, ovarian, cases of, Typhoid fever, M. Serres on mercu- Typhoid fever and small pox, M. 370 Van Valzah's cases of presentation Varices, on the radical cure of, dedu- surgeon, Variations in the quantity of fatty Velpeau's new elements of operative 79 200 434 434 14 666 585 647 712 285 University of Pennsylvania, 412 Vesico-vaginal fistula, Prof. Pan- 213 matic fever, treated in 1816, a sequel of scarlatina, successfully 587 13 Upshur's case of retention of a dead Use of the salivary secretion, by M. 621 213 20 576 Von Behr's handbuch of human ana- 34 647 293 Uteri, cervix, on the constitution and Warren, Prof., resignation of, THE MEDICAL EXAMINER AND RECORD OF MEDICAL SCIENCE. NEW SERIES.-No. XXV.-JANUARY, 1847. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. Remarks on the Urinometer. By W. S. W. RUSCHENBERGER, M. D., U. S. N. U.S. NAVAL HOSPITAL, New York, December 5th, 1846. MY DEAR SIR,-Those members of the profession who may be engaged in investigating the changes induced in the constitution of urine by disease, may be led into error by using a gravimeter or urinometer, manufactured in Philadelphia, and known as Prout's, for ascertaining the specific gravity of the fluid. The instrument to which I allude consists of a copper ball, surmounted by a graduated stem of box-wood, balanced below by a brass wire and pea. The point at which the stem floats in distilled water is marked at zero, and the point at which it stands in a saturated solution of common salt, forms the opposite extremity of the scale, the interval being divided into sixty degrees. If placed gently in a fluid under examination it will stand, say for illustration at 30°, but immerse the instrumeut entirely, so as to completely wet the stem, it will rise and fall, and become quiescent at 20°. I have repeated the experiment very frequently with the same result, in the same fluid, after wiping the stem dry, and in different fluids. I have also compared the specific gravity of fluids ascertained by this gravimeter, with the specific gravity of the same fluids ascertained by an accurately made specific gravity bottle, and found the result different in every instance, and without any corresponding ratio of difference. Supposing it possible that the error might be confined to the particular instrument in my possession, I submitted it to the manufacturer for adjustment, and took the opportunity to compare it with four other instruments then on sale in his shop. We found that no two of the five instruments corresponded in their respective indications of specific gravity; and further, that every instrument varied from 6 to 10 degrees in its indication of specific gravity, according as it was gently permitted to subside into the fluid, or entirely immersed so as to wet the whole stem or scale. The price of the instrument with the case is seven dollars; its value for practical purposes is not a cent. The indications by it are too uncertain and too irregular to be even proximative to accuracy. This instrument was exhibited at the fair of the Franklin Institute in 1845, but whether it received approval or not I do not remember. The objections to it might possibly be removed, if, instead of box-wood, metal were used for the gratuated scale or stem of the instrument. The hydrometers of Beaumé and Gay Lussac are almost equally fallacious. After very numerous experiments the conclusion arrived at is, that the only true way of arriving at the specific gravity of urine or other fluid, is by means of the thousand-grain bottle and counterpoise. If you consider the above information of any interest, it may be worth a place in the "Medical Examiner." Very respectfully, PROFESSOR R. M. HUSTON, Philadelphia. W. S. W. RUSCHENBERGER. Three cases of presentation of the Face to the Sacrum, successfully treated without turning. By T. VAN VAlzah, M.D., of Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Shively, on the 12th day of February, 1828, sent for me in great haste, on account of a very profuse hemorrhage. When I entered the room, I found her lying on her back near the bedside. With as little delay as possible I made an examination, and found the face low in the hollow of the sacrum. Under these unfavourable circumstances, according to the directions of Dr. Dewees, I determined on turning and delivering by the feet. So without changing her position, I directed an assistant to support her left knee, and supporting the right one myself, I introduced my right hand into the vagina, and placing two fingers on each side of the nose, having the forehead in the hol |