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tice, and we shall withdraw all esteem from you. Now,confess to me, are you not a cat’s-paw in the hands of someone?" Upon this unexpected interrogation, I desired liewould name to me the high authority by whom I was im-peached. To this he merely replied in vague insinuations,and left me to seek redress as I best could. Hearing that hehad made these injurious statements to another previously toleaving the hospital, I felt it my duty to write and demandan explanation, and the name of the "high authority" bywhom I had been traduced. To this note I received a mostuncourteous reply, refusing the information I required.

I then addressed a second letter to Dr. F. Bird, urging stillmore strongly the necessity for a reply; and to this I wasfinally answered by a servant that Dr. Bird had no time towrite to me.

I would ask the profession, through your widely-circulatedjournal, whether this is the treatment which an old pupilshould receive from the hands of his late teachers, or likely toincrease the respectability of the School.-I am, Sir, your

J. F. WILLIAMS.

POOR-LAW UNION SURGEONS AND GUARDIANS,AND PROSPECTS FOR MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SiR,—The three kings at Somerset House having, by theirencouragement of the "tender" system, greatly promotedmanslaughter, and woman-slaughter too, for several years, atlength, finding that coroners’ verdicts were too frequent andtoo uncomplimentary for their dignity, were obliged to issue afirman to prevent the practice. What followed ?-Why, theguardians said " the doctors must not tender to us, but we maytender to the doctors," on the principle of the Dutch auction;and so, in their wonted liberality, they fixed their own price,and hawked about their proposals to the doctors; and as thehungriest mouse bites hardest, the cheapest and least expe-rienced doctor swallowed the bait. In this way have most ofthe unions been furnished with medical attendance; in oneworkhouse, where the poor of all ages and all infirmities arecongregated from more than thirty parishes, the guardianscompel the doctor to visit it daily, to find all medicines, tovaccinate, and attend all midwifery cases, and to meet allsurgical cases and operations, for the moderate sum of 40l. ayear.The great defect is in the manner in which the poor law is

carried out: the guardians are judges, jury, and executionersin their own cause; there is no appeal: they are sent fromparishes with no qualification of head or heart. He who paysthe largest rate, and has of course most interest in " grindingthe faces of the poor," is generally put into office, and whileit gives him self-importance, it hardens his heart against hisfellow creatures. But such men ought not to be entrustedwith making contracts which involve the health and lives oftheir poorer neighbours, who are allowed no choice in theirmedical man, and are often driven away from one in whomthey have confidence, and who has, under God’s blessing, oftentreated them kindly and successfully on many former occa-sions. Nor ought such men to be permitted to dictate de-grading terms to men who of all others in society are moreamenable to the law of public opinion, the law of the coroner,and the Christian law of charity, every hour of their lives,night and day, and who, I am proud to say, never withholdtheir services, in all kinds of emergencies, from their afflictedbrethren. The medical man is brought under the operationof several acts of parliament also; by one he is compelled tosubmit to severe examination, after eight years of expensivestudy; by another, to act (in self-defence) under the poor-lawcommissioners, who are the most rigid, because irresponsible,task-masters, on worse terms than menial servants are ex-posed to, (not a month’s wages and warning, but a bond for ayear, the guardians reserving the power to dismiss in a month;; ;and by a third, to pay a property-tax on an income derivedfrom daily exertions, depending not only on his life but on hishealth, both which are more exposed to danger and diseasethan any other individuals encounter.Well may parents withhold their sons from adventuring ir

such a profession now-a-days, when time, talent, and the moslarduous and beneficial duties which one human being cairender to another are so lightly esteemed, and so ungraciouslyacknowledged, by all classes of persons, and more especiallyby those who, by a great misnomer, are called GUARDIANS oTHE PooR.—Yours,Bucks, July, 1846. A COUNTRY DOCTOR.

AMMONIA AS A VESICANT.M. GONDRET, of Paris, has written to us, requesting the inser-

tion of the following formula for making the ammoniacal pom-made, which bears his name (Pommade de Gondret): "Insummer, take lard, 6 drachms; oil of sweet almonds, 2 drachms;tallow, 4 drachms. Melt by a gentle heat, and pour into a wide-mouthed phial with a glass stopper. Then add 12 drachms ofliquid ammonia at 27° or 280; put in the stopper, and shake it up.It shonid be kept in a cool place; but as the temperature getslower, put 2 drachms less tallow, and 2 more of lard. Thispommade produces vesication in three, four, or five minutes,instead of ten, as stated in the article in THE LANCET forAugust 1, p. 131."

Dr. Gondret remarks, that he has employed this vesicantwith much advantage in the treatment of cataract, applying iton the mastoid process, or forehead; but little favourable changehas been perceptible in less than a month’s persistence in theuse of the remedy. As auxiliaries he has also employed cup.ping on the nape, dry cupping to the back or loins, ammoniacalether or spirit to the eyelids, &c. M. Gondret states, that hispommade is still employed by M. Lisfranc for cataract andgutta serena in the Hopital la Pitie, Paris, and that he him-self practised on these diseases with it at the Ophthalmic Insti-tution, Moorfields, for several months, in 1838, during whichperiod, he adds, Messrs. Turner, Grace, and several other Lon-don chemists, " prepared it for him in perfection."

NAVAL MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE.

APPOINTMENTS.—Surg. D. G. Miller (1834), to .S’idon.-Assist.surgs. : W. T. Domville (1842), to Excellent, v. Findlay pro-moted; G. S. Roberts (1841), (Addit.), to Excellent; W. Evans(Act.), to Vindictive; A. Armstrong and C. R. R. Preston(1846), (Addit.), to Caledonia, for service of Plymouth Hos-pital ; A. Clark (Addit.), to Victory.

POSITION OF AssISTANT-SuRGEONS IN THE NAVY.—In a recentletter to the Naval and Military Gazette, signed An Assistant-Surgeon," are the following remarks:" We have been calledthe dry nurses of the navy by some heartless individuals whowould fain be witty at our expense; that is to say, we areplaced in the midshipmen’s mess to keep the youngsters inorder, to regulate their mess affairs, and see that the expendi-ture does not exceed the income. This is literally the fact,although I have no doubt it will appear quite incredible toshore-going people, that highly-educated gentlemen, membersof an honourable profession, should be so degraded in herMajesty’s service in the nineteenth century.

" Not one out of every fifty of the assistant-surgeons thatenter the navy has the most remote idea of the privations andpetty vexations they will be exposed to, until they are fairlyentered into it, and have expended large sums of money onthe purchase of uniform, instruments, &c. When they findtheir mistake out they are ashamed to retreat. Four or fiveyears are passed on foreign station; there is no chance ofkeeping up a knowledge of their profession, much less of ac-quiring additional information; for how is it possible to studyin a narrow doghole of a berth, often crowded to suffocation,where, if you want to make yourself heard, it is necessary tospeak at the top of your voice. From four A.M. to eight P.M.the hurly-burly continues, then the lights are put out, and allis dark and silent until the same hour next morning, and so itcontinues to the end of the chapter."It may be a matter of surprise to some, that persons who

have served one commission should ever be induced to tryanother. My own reasons for doing so are these :-On beingpaid off, I felt conscious that I had retrograded in my profes-sion, and saw if I should try and get into practice on shore, itwould be absolutely necessary to return to the medical schools,to regain what I had lost in the service; then, an unwilling-ness to throw away so much time after having chosen thenavy of my own free will, and the hope that I would not havemuch longer to wait for my promotion, have induced me toreturn to a position which casts discredit on the whole profes-sion."

EAST INDIA MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE.

HOSPITAL STAFF.-Deputy Inspector-General of HospitalsJ. Robertson, M.D., to be Inspector-General of Hospitals.

APPOINTMENTS.—BENGAL AND AGRA PRESIDENCY.—Assistant-surgs.: J. R. Bedford and T. C. Hutchinson passed exam. in

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vernac. lang.; J. Hilliard to remain on duty at iThow until ,October; J. N. Tresidder to proceed to Mirzapore, and join 62nd regt. N. I. dur. abs. of Hilliard.-Surgs. : A. C. Duncan, ’BM D., to join 49th regt. N. I. at Benares; C. Finch, M.D., re- Itire from ser. on pension of 1911. per ann.-Assist: surgs.: J.T. Glover, M.D., is doing duty with 9th light cav.; H. B. Buckle posted to 4th troop 2nd brig. horse artill. at Muttra ;J. W. Fletcher to Punjaub div. on duty; J. T. Glover, M.D.,app. to med. aid of troops at Petoragurh; A. Fleming, M.D.,acq. colloq. prof. in vernac. lang. ; J. Harrison, M.D., to visitSimla, on med. cert. with leave till November; J. S. Morrie-son, M.D., to proc. to Phillour to join 63rd regt. nat. inf. duringabs. of White on leave; J. Young and C. M. Smith, to proc.on duty to Punjaub div.; W. G. Goodridge app. to 16th regt.irreg. cav.; C. T. Warneford, M.D., acq. colloq. proficiency invernac. lang. of men; A. White to hills north of Deyrah, andNynee Tal, on med. cert. till 30th of November; J. S. C.Symons, and St. G. W. Tucker, M.D., acq. colloq. knowledgeof Hindostanee lang.; C. Harland has leave in extension till1st November to visit Nynee Tal and the hills north of Dey-rah, on priv. aff.; F. Douglas, M.D., app. to med. charge of12th irreg. cav.; R. Hodgson proceeded on duty to Lahore ;M. Richardson, M.D., to be surg. v. Finch ret.; W. C. B. Eat-well, M.D., to officiate as dep. apothecary to East India Com-pany ; C. F. Warneford, M.D., is doing duty at presidency ;W. F. Mactier, M.D., appointed to med. charge of 1st and 3rdcomp. 6th battal.-Surg.: J. Duncan, M.D., to visit CherraPoonjee, on med. cert. till March next.-Assist: surgs.: F. M.Clifford, and R. Phillipson, passed colloq. exam. in Hindos-tanee.

ASSISTANT-SURGEONS ADMITTED TO THE SERVICE.-Messrs. H.Baillie and T. Maxwell, M.D.MADRAS PRESIDENCY.—Assist.—surg., H. T. W. Harper, to do

duty with a detachment 27th regt. nat. inf. at Madras.-Ve-ter.-surg. T. Philips, to do duty with 3rd light cav.-Surg.J. Kellie on leave at Neilgherries; J. G. Coleman, M.D., garri-son-surg. Trichinopoly, to proc. to Amherst and to sea, on med.cert. for two years.BoMBAY PRESIDENCY.—Surg.: B. P. Rooke appointed to the

29th regt. nat. inf. at Poona.-Assist: surgs.: W. R. Dimockapp. to 28th regt. nat. inf. at Ahmednuggur; B. A. R. Nichol-son to be surg. v. Gray, ret.-Surg. : J. Burnes, M.D., andK.H., to be superintending-surg. and assist: surg.-Peter Grayto be surg. v. Inglis. decd.—Assist.- surgs.: T. Carris with the1st regt. lancers at Rajcote; Dimock and Dent passed colloqexam. in Hindostanee; W. T. B. Johnstone doing duty a1Poona until the season will admit of joining corps at Scinde.

ASSISTANT-SURGEONS ADMITTED TO THE SERVICE.-Messrs. CJ. Sylvester, W. Davey, and J. McAlister.

It is, we understand, the intention of his brother officers topresent Dr. Burnes with a piece of plate, or some other sub-stantial token of their esteem, on his approaching departurefrom the Presidency-a testimonial alike honourable to thedonors and the recipient: Indian News.THE seaport of Kurrachee, formerly one of the healthiest

military stations, has, ever since it became known to us, beenvisited triennially by cholera. In 1839, and again in 1842,the amount of suffering occasioned by it was terrible, yetslight compared to that which it has just endured. Betweenthe 13th and 23rd June, above 8000 human beings were cutoff by it, including 895 Europeans, of whom 815 were fightingmen, 595 sepoys, and, it is believed, about 7000 natives, be-cides camp-followers, and inhabitants of the town, have died.The pestilence had quitted Kurrachee, and was apparentlycreeping up the river. Fever of a very fatal kind had madeits appearance amongst the European soldiers at Sukkur: itstriennial visit is to be looked for next year. Her Majesty’s17th had chiefly suffered: it was said they were to be moveddown, while her Majesty’s 86th were to move up to Hydra-bad.An extremely dry season has been followed by an unusually

wet one; between the 9th of June and the 17th of July up-wards of thirty-five inches of rain fell.The Kurrachee A dvertiser states that 7000 of the inhabitants

have been cut off by cholera,-nearly 9000 victims in ten days’time.

" Of the 60th Rifles there died 4 sergeants, 101 men, 4women, and 3 children. Total, 112.

" Of the 86th Regt.: 1 officer, 24 sergeants, 329 men, 17women, and 16 children. Total, 387."Of the Company’s Artillery: 4 sergeants, 19 men, 2 women,

and 6 children. Total, 31."Of the 1st Bombay European Regt. (Fusiliers): 1 officer,

18 sergeants, 314 men, 9 women, and 23 children. Total, 365

" Of the 3rd N.1., 310 sepoys; of the 12th N. I., 236 sepoys;of the Belooch Batt., 49. Grand total, 1490; independent ofthe inhabitants.’’—Naval and Military Gazette.

THE CHOLERA AT KuRRACHEE.—From the Private Correspon-ience of The Bombay Times.—″ CAMP KURRACHEE, June 30th,1846.-As various accounts of the ravages the cholera hasmade far and wide will be sent home, perhaps a short descrip-tion from one cast in the midst of the scene may notbe deemed uncalled for by you or your home readers.Sunday, the 14th instant, the enemy first assailed us.

There was divine service on the eve of that day at thechurch for as many of the Fusiliers as could be accom-modated. I was there. The day had been strangely hot;during prayers, a hurricane arose, bringing columns of dust,which swept through and hung about the church. As theFusiliers marched back from church the wind fell as suddenlyas it had arisen, the clouds of dust remained; the very heavensseemed drawn down upon our shoulders; the feeling was suffo-cating-all were under its influence. The 86th regiment wereat roll-call; many were carried thence to the hospital, andwere never more seen alive outside. The cholera had beenhanging about in the bazaar, but up to this day I am not awarethat any European had been attacked. The 86th and Fusilierswere in tents pitched within a quarter of a mile of each other;disease and death that night began their busy work. HerMajesty’s 86th suffered first, and throughout have sufferedmost. That night Sir Charles Napier issued an order for themto strike their camp and move three miles nearer the sea.With daybreak they were away, leaving many dying and deadbehind. By the wayside many were attacked, never to rally.For five days sorely did the destroying angel press on thisregiment; 235, or thereabouts, fell victims to this scourge.The Fusiliers and Rifles suffered to a less extent; each regi-ment has buried about eighty-five Europeans. Who shall de-pict the scene in the hospitals ? I speak more of the Fusiliers,because of that I saw much; every cot was filled-deliriumhere, death there: the fearful shrieks of pain and anguish.Men whom you had seen but a short time before hale andstrong, were rolling in at every door, crowding every space-countenances so full of misery, eyes sunken and glaring,

I shrivelled and blackened cheeks! This, too, the work of fiveshort minutes, or less! So sudden was death with some thatthey were seized, cramped, collapsed, dead, almost as fast as Ihave written the words. Previous health and strength wereno guarantees; men attending the burials of their comradeswere attacked, borne to the hospital, and themselves buriedthe next morning. Pits were dug in the churchyard morningand evening; sewn up in their beddings, coffinless, they werelaid side by side, one service read over all. Public works weresuspended during the 15th and 16th. Medicine seemed powersless: nothing that medical science could suggest took effect- ’they were, in fact, dealing with corpses. It was not until thethird day that medicine assumed any sway; since it has doneso, I should say two-thirds of the cases have been saved. Twoofficers have been swept off; Captain Seton, Fusiliers, was oneof the first seized. He was a man of great strength, andpowerful frame; he struggled for three days. LieutenantDawson, of the 12th regiment, N.I., died this day. His end,poor boy, was sudden. He was seized yesterday, and will beburied to-night. Nobly have the soldiers behaved to theirsuffering comrades; great devotion have they displayed inwatching over and attending them. Sir C. Napier’s conductduring this fearful trial is beyond all praise. Noble old man!no fatigue did you spare that aged, time-worn frame; where-ever aid was required, there were you to see it rendered. Manywere the grateful blessings breathed for you by the sick andsuffering, for your exertions for their comfort. It was a goodlysight to see the grim old warrior passing up and down quietlyfrom bedside to bedside, whispering gentle words of hope andcomfort. He seemed to take no rest. "Whatever differenceof opinion there may be respecting Sir Charles upon otherpoints, humanity rejoices at such conduct as this. The same

good spirit actuated the authorities. Requisitions of all kinds! were complied with on the instant. What death has done’

amongst the natives I cannot precisely say; several thousandsare reported to have died in and about Kurrachee. The 12th

: regiment Native Infantry have suffered much; the 3rd butlittle. The loss of Europeans must be upwards of 450. This

’ throws the bloody work of Meanee and Hydrabad into a nut-shell. I trust I may now say the scourge has ceased. The

, hospitals are again tolerably clear; those who remain are re-covering. We have had much thunder, accompanied by

, heavy and frequent falls of rain, since which time the atmo-. sphere has been clear."