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The mean temperature of the three spring months was 54.67 degrees, which is about 4 degrees above the mean average temperature of last year.

ence the course of the wind upon our Atlantic border during the spring months. Strengthening this view, is the fact we have alluded to, that no such floes have been encountered the present season. We will add, that for the whole three spring months, there have been 20 days only in which there was any E. in the wind for any observed portion of the day; and that in the same period, the wind was easterly on seven whole days only. While in the spring of notwithstanding an evident increase of 1851, the season of extensive floes, an population. easterly wind prevailed 34 days; and for

19 days the wind was easterly all day.

The effect of the warm spring upon the health of our community is quite apparent in the bills of mortality; for while the whole number of deaths for the three spring months of last year was 2657, this year it was reduced to 2294, or 363 less; and this,

P. S.

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FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

Accouchement of Queen Victoria-Chloroform employed.-We find the following article in the Lancet of May 16, 1853:

it has been given without injury, but inas. Imuch as it has destroyed life in a considerable number of instances, its unnecessary inhalation involves, in our opinion, an amount of responsibility which words canpot adequately describe.

"A very extraordinary report has obtained general circulation connected with "We have felt irresistibly impelled to the recent accouchement of her most gra- make the foregoing observations, fearing cious Majesty Queen Victoria. It has al- the consequences of allowing such a rumor ways been understood by the profession respecting a dangerous practice in one of that the births of the Royal children in all our national palaces to pass unrefuted. instances have been unattended by any pe-Royal examples are followed with extraculiar or untoward circumstances. Intense ordinary readiness by a certain class of soastonishment, therefore, has been excited {ciety in this country." throughout the profession by the rumour that her Majesty during her last labour was placed under the influence of chloroform, an agent which has unquestionably caused

instantaneous death in a considerable number of cases. Doubts on this subject cannot exist. In several of the fatal examples, persons in their usual health expired while the process of inhalation was proceeding, and the deplorable catastrophes were clearly and indisputably referable to the poisonous action of chloroform, and to that cause alone.

Notwithstanding the above statement we find the following announcement in the Association Medical Journal of April 15:—

from the first.

"Her Majesty's Accouchement· Chloroform.-On Thursday, the 7th instant, at half past one P. M., the Queen was safely delivered of a prince. This announcement has, we feel assured, inspired among all classes feelings of interest and sincere gladness; but there are circumstances connected with the event which have likewise imparted to it no small degree of medical im"These facts being perfectly well known portance. We refer to the employment of to the medical world, we could not imagine chloroform having been sanctioned by Her that any one had incurred the awful re- Majesty's Physician in Ordinary, Sir James sponsibility of advising the administration Clark, Her Majesty's First Physician Acof chloroform to her Majesty during a per- coucheur, Dr. Locock, and Her Majesty's fectly natural labour with a seventh child. other Physician Accoucheur, Dr. FergusOn inquiry, therefore, we were not at allson; to its having been administered by Dr. surprised to learn that in her late confine-Snow; and to the fact of the Queen and ment the Queen was not rendered insensi- {the infant prince having gone on favourably ble by chloroform or by any other anæsthetic agent. We state this with feelings of the highest satisfaction. In no case could it be justifiable to administer chloroform in perfectly ordinary labour; but the responsibility of advocating such a proceed. ing in the case of the Sovereign of these realms would, indeed, be tremendous. Pro- "The responsible position, and the acbably some officious meddlers about the knowledged skill of the physicians who Court so far overruled her Majesty's re-sanctioned the inhalation of the chloroform, sponsible professional advisers as to lead to the Royal Majesty of the patient, and the the pretence of administering chloroform, excellence of her recovery, are circumbut we believe the obstetric physicians to stances which will probably remove much whose ability the safety of our illustrious of the lingering professional and popular Queen is confided do not sanction the use prejudice against the use of anesthesia in of chloroform in natural labour. Let it not midwifery, even when sanctioned by combe supposed that we would undervalue the petent authority, and induced with requisite immense importance of chloroform in sur- precaution. It is for this reason that we gical operations. We know that an incal-chronicle the recent accouchement of Her culable amount of agony is averted by its Majesty as an event of unquestionable mediemployment. On thousands of occasions cal importance.

"We understand that chloroform was administered by Dr. Snow during the latter part of the labour, with very satisfactory effect; and that the Queen expressed herself as grateful for the discovery of this means of alleviating and preventing pain.

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Dr. FRANCIS T. STRIBLING, of the West.
ern Asylum, Virginia. Dr. T. S. KIRK-
BRIDE, of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the
Insane, Philadelphia. Dr. N. D. BENE
DICT, of the New York State Lunatic Asy-
lum, Utica. Dr. TYLER, New Hampshire
On motion of Dr. Kirkbride, it was-
Asylum, Concord. Dr. JOHN CURWEN, of
the Pennsylvania State Lunatic Hospital, Resolved, That each member be author-
Harrisburg. Dr. C. H. NICHOLS, of the ized to invite such individuals and friends
U.S. Hospital for the Insane, Washington. as he may think proper to attend the meet-
Dr. H. A. BUTTOLPH, of the New Jerseying of this Association.
State Lunatic Asylum, Trenton. Dr. J.

On motion of Dr. Fonerden, that a com-
FONERDEN, of the Maryland Hospital, Balti-mittee be appointed by the chair to prepare
more. Dr. W. H. STOKES, of the Mount and arrange business for the meeting, the
Hope Institution, Baltimore. Dr. R. J. President named Drs. Fonerden, Kirkbride,
PATTERSON, of the Indiana Hospital for the and Buttolph.

A resolution moved by Dr. Tyler, that a a part, Dr. Stribling said he thought that committee be appointed to nominate a place in a Southern climate they were objectionfor the next Annual Meeting, was unani- able; Dr. Benedict thought that in no climously agreed to; and Drs. Nichols, Cur- mate were they expedient. wen, and Tyler were appointed such committee.

Dr. Kirkbride laid before the Association the plans of the Alabama Hospital for the Insane, now being erected at Tuscaloosa, which had been designed by himself, and drawn under his supervision. Dr. K. accompanied the exhibition of the drawing, with some details of the improvements made in its arrangements. The Association warmly approved of the plans.

Dr. Nichols then requested the attention of the Association to the plans of the proposed new Asylum for the Insane of the Army and Navy, and of the District of Columbia, designed by him, and wrought out by R. U. Walter, Esq., and which had been approved of by the National Government. Among other things, Dr. N. called attention to one point, viz., that the water and waste pipes, &c., are so arranged and combined that in the event of any repairs being needed they are easily accessible. The limited appropriation made by the Act of Congress which provides for the erection and establishment of this Hospital, rendered it impossible, or at least inexpedient, to lay the foundation of the whole structure at once, and it was therefore proposed to lay out and finish one wing only, at present, leaving the erection of the remainder, the centre building and the other wing, to be provided for by farther appropriations.

Dr. Kirkbride regarded the arrangement of the water, waste, and other pipes made by Dr. Nichols, as one of the greatest improvements lately introduced. He (Dr. K.) thought that much credit was also due Dr. Nichols for the mode he has adopted in the erection of the Hospital, viz., by commenc ing at the extremity of one wing, and thus doing practically what the Association believes in theoretically. He (Dr. K.) thought it should be always borne in mind that if the funds appropriated to an Insane Hospital are insufficient to finish it according to a most liberal estimate, or doubtful, and that if it is found necessary to neglect any portion of it at the outset it should be the centre building and not the wings.

In the course of a conversation as to the advisability of basement kitchens, in which Drs. Fonerden, Benedict, and Nichols took

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Dr. Jarvis announced that he had received two papers from Dr. Galt, of the Eastern Asylum, Virginia; one On the Lincoln Lunatic Asylum (England), and the Method of Treatment there," the other on Pledges by the Insane," which on motion of Dr. Fonerden were referred to the Business Committee.

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On motion of Dr. Kirkbride, Dr. Galt's paper on "Pledges," was read by Dr. Nichols.

On motion of Dr. Steuart, President of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Hospital, Mr. Niernsee, the architect of the New State Hospital for the Insane of Maryland, laid the plans of that edifice before the Association. Complied with.

Dr. Steuart explained that the "Proposi tions as to the Construction of Insane Hos. pitals," adopted by the Association, had been kept in view in designing the present Institution, but that owing to the site, and other local or State causes, it had been found necessary to modify, without entirely departing from, some of its details.

The plan combines both the single and double range of rooms, a corridor and single rooms for the best and worst patients, and rooms on both sides of the corridor for the intermediate class. This combination seemed to meet with the approbation of the Association.

Dr. W. H. Stokes, on behalf of the Sisters of Charity of the Mount Hope Institution, tendered an invitation to the Association to visit that establishment on Wednesday afternoon. Referred to Business Com. mittee.

Adjourned to 1 P. M.

Afternoon Session.

At 1 F. M. the members reassembled, when Dr. Luther V. Bell, of the McLean Asylum, the president, Dr. Isaac Ray, of the Butler Hospital, the vice president, and Dr. Stewart, of Blockley, appeared and took their seats as members of the Association.

An invitation to visit the Maryland Almshouse, and the site of the New State Hospital for the Insane having been accepted by the Association, and carriages being then in waiting to convey the members thither, no session was held.

criminate admission of visitors, supported by the author, he thought very hurtful. While no respectable institution would object to the admission of visitors under proper regulations, and within certain bounds, he (Dr. K.) would never allow any visitor to enter a hall inhabited by patients of even the best class without having an officer in attendance upon him, in the institution that he was connected with.

The Association first proceeded to the { Dr. Kirkbride objected to some of the Almshouse, which is located about two miles sentiments of the paper. The almost indisfrom the city, amongst very pleasant grounds, and upon a beautiful farm of some 300 acres in extent. The General Hospital appears to be very well conducted, but in the wards set apart for the Insane was seen a type of the treatment which this unfortunate class of our fellow beings were subjected to in the darkest periods of their history. The Members of the Association keenly felt the reproach their condition is to the age in which we live ; and, consequently, could not but express themselves strongly in reprobation of the treatment that obtains there.

Dr. Benedict thought that everything good, as regarded the treatment of the Insane, recommended in the paper has been adopted and practised for a great number of years in every institution making any pretensions to respectability in the country. He (Dr. B.) felt bound to express his entire dissent with the author of the paper on many subjects treated of in the paper just read. He most cordially concurred with Dr. Kirkbride's remarks relative to the admission of visitors, and must state that in his opinion a too free admission of visitors instead of proving beneficial to the patients, resulted

From the Almshouse, a ride of some four miles took the members to the site of the New Asylum for the Insane. A violent storm of rain which occurred prevented the members from walking over the site, but the drive through the grounds, and a short space of clear weather when on the site, enabled them fully to appreciate the discrimination which had selected this spot for the new structure. The prospect on all sides of a highly cultivated country, dotted within a positive injury. villas and country-seats, of Baltimore, lying} After some farther remarks from Drs. about five miles distant—of the moving pa- Stribling, Stewart (of Blockley), and Bell, norama, presented by the shipping on Chesa-following the same line of argument, and peake Bay-of the Eastern shore of Mary-deeming the views advanced rather retroland, and of the Atlantic Ocean beyond, gressive than otherwise, the paper was laid with its contiguity and accessibility by rail on the table. road, in addition to the water privileges it enjoys, and other desiderata, combine to make the location a most desirable one. Dr. Steuart, the President of the Board of Directors, on whom was delegated the very responsible trust of selecting the site, had visited and inspected a great number of places with this view, but found none that agreed so fully with the requirements of the "Propositions on the Construction of Hos pitals." Great credit is due Dr. Steuart for his untiring and most philanthropic exertions in the cause of the Insane of his native State.

Evening Session.

Dr. Kirkbride read a paper "On the Night Care of the Insane."

The Association then adjourned to 9
A. M.

Second Day-Morning Session.
Dr. Smith, of the Missouri State Lunatic
Asylum, took his seat as a member of the
Association.

Dr. Ray exhibited two specimens of Jones's Compression Faucet-one being the old, and the other a much improved one, having the advantage of being easily packed, &c.

Dr. Bullock laid on the table the plans of At 6 P. M. the members met at their the new Asylum for the Insane of King's Session Room.

Dr. Bell read Dr. Galt's paper "On the Lincoln Lunatic Asylum," (England.)

In this paper, the writer expresses himself as much pleased with various modes of treatment adopted there, quite dissonant with the views and sentiments entertained by the Association.

County, New York, which met with the unanimous approbation of the Association. The paper read by Dr. Kirkbride the evening before, "On the Night Care of the Insane,' was then taken up and discussed.

Dr. Benedict concurred most fully in the views expressed by Dr. Kirkbride in his paper. He thought that the night care of

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