ANTIQUITY OF PHRENOLOGY.

IT is very evident that the ancients attri- (buted cfrtain moral attributes to certaindevelopments of the brain; or what’amonnts to the same thing, they invaria.blv represented their heroes, poets, andpriest with such heads as they supposedto be in perfect correspondence with theircharactei s ; and how could they have ar-riwd at this, if they had not observedsomething peculiar in the general forma-tion of the heads of such persons ? The

minute study of the cerebral functions isa work of modern times, and the localiza-tion of ttie mental powers to certain or-

gans is generally supposed to have origi-nated with the present Dr. GALL. We

have lately, however, seen a very cnriousdornment printed at Rome in 1632, re-

presenting among other things, the hu-man head, on which are drawn three cir-cles, subdivided in their perpendicnlar 1diaiiieters, and within each of the semi-circles thus formed is written the mental

posscr supposed to reside in the corres-

ponding part of the brain. The powersthns matked are as follows:—Sensus *

communis; imaginativa; phantasia; cogita-a; memoria; vi-tus motiva: thus exhi

biting what the author supposed to besix elenientat-y or primitive powers -Common sense, and the imaginative fa-culty, are placed on the lateral and upperpart of the forehead, just where No. 20,or ideality, now holds its seat. Memory.n:d vitriie occupy the place of No. 5,inclining a little to No. 4. Phantasy,and the cogitative power, are placed inthe line between the two preceding, iz.,IIhere Iso. 12, or circumspection is mark-Id on the modern phrenulogical bust.Between this line of organs and the sum-mit of the head, is the sentence, " Homoqui ad nniversi ordinem confoi-mattis,Dr. µ&kgr;&rgr;&kgr;&sgr;µ." The whole engravingoccupies a large folio sheet,t represent-ing, in a tabular manner, the crude no-tions of the times respecting the actionsof the elementary physical agents on themind and body of man.

* We have copied the words literallyperhaps the substantive facultas is un-

derstood to be connected with the ad-jectives imaginntiva and cogitativat The title is worked np in a very

Inj’,tified manner, with Hebrew and!;reek tftters, the symbols ot the Trinity,c.; but beneath all this we find thewords " ordo universi et humanarumtetentiarnm prima mouumenta."

It is a fact yet more curious, that thisplate was engraved by a THEODORUSGALLENS, at Antwerp, in the Nether-lands, and was taken to Rome to havtthe impression struck off. The presentDr. GALL is, we understand, a nativeof Holland, and his family is the onlyone of that name in the kingdom, so

that the said Theodore Gall must havebeen one ot the Doctor’s ancestors ; but

we do not mean to say that the Doc-tor acquired his notions of phrenologyfrom hun. There may be hereditarymodes of thinking as well as hereditarybodily shapes, and so the Doctor may bea phrenologist without plagiary, in virtueof his phrenological descent. The out-line of the head, engraved on the sheetjust mentioned, may be termed a goodfamily likeness of the present Dr. Gall,now residing at Paris.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,---From what I have been able to

observe since the establishment of THELANCET, I am induced to believe that thewelfare of the junior branches of themedical profession is a principal motivewhich has stimulated the conductor ofthis journal to persevere in his labours;and, supposing any subject which is con-ducive to that end may find a place inyour pages, I intend making you ac-

quainted with an abuse which exists insome, if not all, of our Metropolitan Hos -pitals, and certainly must be prejudicialto the students attending the practice ofthose establishments. At the piesenttime, when a patient presents himself atan hospital, and his appearance leads the

presiding surgeon to suppose he can possi-bly pay a private practitioner for his at-tendance, he is recommended by the sur-geon to go to Mr.— (whoever it maybe), a friend of the surgeon’s, residing inhis neighbourhood, and he will do all thatis requisite for him. Thus many caseswhich would frequently prove instructiveto the students, and conseqnently bene-ficial to the public, are thrown front the

inspection of the junior branches of theprofession to increase the revenue of someprivate practitioner. This is not an evil

occurring casually, or once a month: no,

it occurs daily, I am informed, in most of

the hospttats, and I know, from my own,observation, in two ot them. Let thesurgeons look to this, or I shall be cnm.pelled to bring forward the subject again,and then name the principal offenders.I can imagine that a dresser in a hos-pital may take opportunities to send away

600

patients to his young friends in prac-tice, but dressers are young in ex-

perience, and do not look to the conse-quences which would ensue if such liber-ties were universally allowed ; but I can-not forgive a surgeon of such an esta-blishment who, alike regardless of hisown reputation and the improvement ofhis student, sends a patient from the

hospital to oblige any one. I say re-

gardless of his own reputation, becausethe world is so censorious that thereaie persons who would not scruple toinsinuate a pecuniary arrangement be-tween the hospital surgeon and any oneto whom he may send the patient: ofsuch an imputation I acquit them, for Ido not really think they deserve it. I amaware there are cases which require toto be seen frequently, where perhaps itwould be too far or injurious to the pa-tient to be constantly running to the

hospital, and also that sometimes peopleapply whose circumstances do not rea-sonably entitle them to charitable relief;these are not what I complain of; it isthe abuse of a practice, which is some-times but very rarely necessary

July, 1826. J. !.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

PAUL HANDBRUSH.

SIR,—As you are about to introduce tothe notice of the public Mr. ProfessorColeman and his " College," I should bevery sorry to see him wince under the

pressure of a saddle that don’t fit ; andtherefore I hope you will not style him astable-keeper; tor although it is perfectlytrue that what you designate the Pan-cras Livery Stables, have materially con-tributed to the wealth he has accumulated,I am sure those best acquainted with thesematters will acquit him of all interferencewith Stable management ; indeed, withsuch multifarious duties as are imposedupon him, how can it be otherwise ; as,for instance, Professor to the VeterinaryCollege; Veterinary Surgeon General tothe British Cavalry ; Veterinary Surgeonto the Ordnance ; Druggist General andContractor for the Government Horses;Lecturer to the Farriers at the WoolwichDepôt; Lectnreron " Veterinary Science"At the College; and Receiver of Fees fornis own use from Pupils of the "College,"the paid Teacher of the Business of Shoe-ing, yet the Patentee,iu triplicate, of fan-ciful horse shoes; it is true nobody thinksthese fancies worth using, but still theattempt to keep for his own exclusivebenefit a part of that art he has beenpaid, and amply paid, tor teaching, re-the same.

,

Anxious on every subject that concerntthe welfare of my oid and esteemed friendthe horse,

I am, Sir,Your obedient servant,

PAUL HANDBRUSH.- Stables, Melton,

July 22, 1826.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SiR,-As a friend of Mr. Coleman, Icannot be an uninterested spectator ofthe veterinary war, at present carriedon under your regulation. Your declara.tion of strict impartiality, and a fair field,is highly creditable to you, and I trustthat you will not allow any of the partiesconcerned in the contest, to nse the im.

proper weapon, vulgar abuse; in all dis.conrses in which science is concerned,coarse language should be reprobated.In fact, such language weakens accnsa-tion, and defeats its own purpose. Theeducation of veterinary surgeons has, oflate years, been so much improved, thatthey now rank with gentlemen, and oughtto speak and write like gentlemen. Ihave read in your last number, with sen.timents of the strongest disapprobation,the letter of Mr. Beard ; the lofty figura-tive style which he assumes, his shafts,and his flashes. and his showers, are

laughable enough, and hariiiless,btit his ill-natured accusations brought against llr.Coleman, without a shadow of proof. arein the highest degree reprehensibte. Ifsuch vague invectives be tolerated, whosecharacter can be safe ?The whole amount of allegation

against the College, as far as I can

collect it, is, that in its interior it is

corrupt, and that its Board of Examinersare incompetent. In answer to the firstcharge, nothing can be said, for nothingspecific or tangible is adduced; but withrespect to the second, I beg leave to

make a few remarks.From the medical part of the Board of

Examiners, no one could expect a prac-tical knowledge of the veterinary art,nor do they themselves pretend to anysuch knowledge ; but with veterinaryscience, with the theory of veterinary me-dicine, and with the nature and propertreatment of those diseases of the horsewhich are analogous to the diseases of thehuman subject, they may be, and I haveno doubt they are, well acquainted. Someof the present members of this Board, arealso eminent as general physiologists, andcomparative anatomists. That part ofthe examination which relates to prac-tical veterinary knowledge, seems chiefly

601

nd very properly entrusted to Mr. Cole-man, whose competence I believe no onedoubts, and whose faithful discharge ofhis dnty, without prejudice or partia-litv, has never, for nearly thirty years,been called in question. Bnt in this in-

te;tigatioll, Sir, by far the most importantcircumstance has been wholly overlooked.The Board of Medical Examiners con-sists of gentlemen, all of whom have been,or actually are, teachers of medicine, isurgery, anatomy and chemistry ; and10 their lectures, veterinary pupils areemitted gratis ; so that in addition to ithe practical knowledge obtained at the !College, they may, if they please, ac-romplish themselves in ornamental andusetiil science, and even qualify them-3elves to exercise the duties of generalsurgeons. Now, by any change in theconstitution of this Board, what advan-tages equivalent to these, could the vb-tel inarv pupil frain ? ?

I am no advocate, Sir, for abuses ofany kind; and if such exist in this institu-tion, let them by all means be reformed.For this purpose, let a representationot what is wrong in the system or prac-tice be in the first place made to the gene-ral managing committee, who have theappointment of officers, and the generalsuperintendence of the affairs of the Col-lege, and if they refuse inquiry, an ap-peal may be made to the public. I see

nothing in the present mode of’ proceed-icg, which appears calculated to answerany good purpose. On the subject ofthis letter I have had no cummunicationwhatever with Mr. Coleman, or the Boardof Examiners.

I am, Sir,Your obedient Servant,

London, July 26. ,

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

PAUL PRY.

SIR—Between ourselves, but it mustgo no further, I think (but you know it-5 no business of mine) that every thing: not " quite correct " about the apo-thecary’s department of St. Thomas’sHospital. I am qllite anxious to knowwhether it has alu’ays been customary toapply the parson, steward, and 7-egisti-arwith vinegar, for pickles and other cuti-nary purposes. If they are determined make pickles with hospital vinegar, whyI will find the jars. I have been ° dropperg in’ to the apothecary’s shop thismorning to taste some mulled wine. Youshall soon hear asain from

HOSPITAL REPORTS.

HOSPITAL OF SURGERY,

Panton Square, St. James’s.

TUMOUR OF THE OVARIUM.

This case excited unusual interest fromits leading to the discussion of one of the! most important practiral points of sur-gery.

The patient had been, previous to herapplication to this Hospital, under thecare of Dr. Tweedie.

July 25. Mrs. B., ast. 38, about nineyears ago, perceived accidentally a tu-

mour about the size of a small orange inthe left iliac region, perfectly moveable

I and free from pain. It slowly though

gradually increased in size, which inducedher to consult an eminent surgeon, whorecommended repeated leeches, the mo-derate but continued use of mercury, andscrict rest in the horizontal position. Un-der this plan the bulk of the tumour wasnot perceptibly reduced, but it remainedstationary for some time, when it againincreased till it acquired the size of amelon. On examination, this tumour isat present of a firm consistence, not pain-ful on handling, and occupies the centreof the abdomen, from the pubes to theumbilicus. It is perfectly moveable, andapparently unattached to the surroundingviscera.Her general health is somewhat im.

paired, the functions of the stomach arederanged, and she has frequent and vio-lent attacks of spasmodic action of thestomach, which the most powerful stimu-lants scarcely relieve.The menstrual discharge is irregular-

at one period there is scarcely any ap-pearance of the ordinary secretIOn, whileat another violent floodings come on.

Within the last six months she has twicesuffered attacks of the most profuse hae-morrhage, from the consequent debilityof which she has scarcely yet recovered.From the bulk, position, mobility, du-

ration, and suffering, occasioned by the

tumour, Mr. Lawrence and several othersurgeons agreed with Mr. Wardrop in

considering it a fit case for excision, ifsnch an operation ought to be performed.We have rt corded this case as an ex-

ample of diseased ovarium, but Mr. W.is doubtful on this point, and suspectsthat it may be a tumour attached to theuterus by a long and narrow neck, of