PRELIMINARY EDUCATION IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.?

Language is the vehicle, and, to some extent, the producing power, of thought. It may be too much to claim that a good thinker of necessity presupposes an adept in language ; but we

may safely assume, other things being equal, that the accuracy and force of our thought will be in proportion to our knowledge and skill in language. Single words have such diversity of meaning, ?md phrases such variety of import, depending on their relations to other words and phrases, and often varied by the subject on which they are employed, that two minds of equal^ capacity, and giving equal heed, may draw different conclusions from the same lecture or the same chapter, and yet both be wrong. A very little know- ledge of Latin, my own experience has proved, greatly facilitates our apprehension of the force and import of English words. It so

much is not attained already, it should be attempted. A little

success will amply repay all the sacrifice it may require. A large number of professional terms in medicine are derived from the

Greek ; and these often compounded from several roots, of diverse import. Being wholly ignorant of Greek myself, as a consequence I have probably expended more time, during my life, in turning the leaves of all sorts of lexicons, to attain the required elucidation, than goes to the legal term of medical pupilage ; and what was very dis-

heartening, sometimes my search was unsuccessful. Though I am far from regarding ignorance of Greek and Latin as an insurmountable bar to fair attainments in our profession, I have little doubt that six months devoted to the study of these languages, under a competent teacher, during pupilage, or even in the early years of practice, would

764 MEDICAL NEWS. [FEB.

be amply repaid, by increased facilities in learning aright the prin- ciples of medicine. The benefit is not all comprised in the dis- closure of the literal import of terms compounded from Greek and Latin roots ; but in the subjugation of the mind to the power and I

significance of cultivated language, pervading and irradiating the whole range of study. Indeed, if there be one indispensable pre- requisite for the successful study of medicine, it is knowledge and skill in the language in which it is presented to the mind of the student; the master key to all the learning which the same lan- guage furnishes for its elucidation.?Dr J. L. Chandler, in Phila- delphia Medical and Surgical Reporter.

On the Use op Biniodide of Mercury Ointment in Splenic Enlargement.?In regard to this, a correspondent writes as fol- lows :?" I see it is objected that, in the treatment of splenic en- largement by the biniodide of mercury ointment, friction has as

much, if not more, to do with the cure than the drug. This view is not borne out by the history of the application, which is curious. About 1855 or 1856, Major Cunningham, at Belliah, a cavalry sta- tion near the Terrai, where spleen abounds, was using some oint- ment of the iodide of mercury to reduce a splint on one of his horse's legs. One of his servants asked for some of the ointment to

apply to a friend's spleen. Major C. laughed, and said it would be of no use. " Oh," said the man,

11 if it will take away bone (al- luding to the splint), surely it will take away spleen." The oint- ment was given. Some time after he again begged a supply of ointment for two friends; and, on being questioned, stated that the former patient had been cured / These also were cured ; and soon

Major Cunningham found every morning after breakfast a number of candidates for the application sitting in front of his house. As the simplest way of doing this, the ointment was kept in a pot, and with a large brush a dab was put over the enlarged organ. Natives not being much pushed for time, and fond of gossip, they used to sit for an hour or more in the sun comparing notes, with their stomachs exposed to the sun in order not to soil their clothing. It was soon found that this generally produced vesication, and that such cases did best. Major Cunningham let his plan be known ; it was adopted in all spleen localities, and with very wonderful success. Ptyalism ver// rarely occurred; and, when it did, was not found to be injurious."

Smallpox still prevails amongst us. During December it con- stituted 17*3 per cent, of the entire mortality in Edinburgh, 31 per cent, in Leith, and 38*8 per cent, in Dundee?the other principal towns suffering to a much smaller extent, Paisley and Greenock having no fatal cases at all. Upwards of 200 smallpox patients arc now in hospital, and its treatment is costing the city ?1000 per month. Is prevention a myth ? or is it simply not believed in ? The introduction of smallpox from Leith, Dalkeith, etc., into the

1?72.] MEDICAL NEWS. 765

Infirmary and King's Stables Hospitals cost certainly no little

money ; and we are now paying handsomely for the treatment of an

epidemic, the advent of which has assuredly been hastened, if not caused, by want of faith in preventio n.

We have much pleasure in presenting to our readers the follow- ing report of the Alloa Cottage Hospital for the past year. This

hospital has been in existence for three years, and the.number of the cases treated during last year is just double that ot the first, showing the acceptance in which it is held by the population among whom it is placed. The economy of these small hospitals may be learned from the fact that the expense per case has been always little above ?3; this year it is only ?3, 10s.

Tabulated List of Cases treated in the Alloa Cottage Hospital from October 1870 to October 1871.?Peter Brotiierston, F.K.C.S.Ed., Surgeon.

Name.

wTd. K. T.

J. A. A. M

M. S. J. D.

H.C.

J.S. G.II.

T. S.

G. A.

J.S.

II.L. W. L P.M. W. H.

A. D.

J.K. A.C.

M. S.

R. R. W. M J. F.

E. S.

R. F.

J. D.

Sex.

Hale

Female Male

Female Male

Female Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Residence. I Disease.

Clackmannan IDisease of knee joint?joint] excised

Blairingone |Compound comminuted frac-| ture of left humerus, and simple fracture of radius] and ulna, and extensive] wound of right ham

Alloa lUlcerofleg Alva |Compound comminuted frac-l

ture of left thigh and right arm?both amputated

Sauchie lAcute ulcer of right leg i\lloa (Fracture of both bones of leftj

leg Fracture of forefinger, and injury to hand?finger am- putated

Varicose ulcer of right leg Sauchie |Left leg destroyed and right]

knee lacerated?leg am pit- tated

Alloa [Destruction of three fingers of] right hand, and laceration

of forefinger?fingers ani-| putated

Collyland [White swelling?amputation of right leg

Alva | Whitlow?amputation of right] i middle finger

N'o fixed resid. Inflamed bunion

8, 17,

20,

SR'ichie Amputation of thumb Alva Concussion of brain Alloa Destruction of middle and

ring fingers of left hand? fingers amputated

Whins Destruction of right arm amputated

Clackmannan Morbus coxarius Whins Exostosis of distal phalynx

of left great toe?exostosis excised

Sauchie Phlegmenous erysipelas of] right hand and arm

Devonside Ovarian dropsy Dollar Amputation of finger Alloa Stone in the bladder?litho-

tomy Clackmannan Two fingers destroyed, and

amputated Clackmannan Open joint of middle finger ofl

left hand?amputation of| finger

Sauchie Gelatinous degeneration of] ? 7, ?

left knee joint

Date of Admission.

July 28,1869

2, 1870

Aug. 9, 16,

Sept. 7, 7,

Oct. 15,

24, 28,

Nov. 8,

15,

15, Dec. 3,

Died Nov. 14,1870.

Cured Nov. 14, ?

Nov. 1, ?

Oct. 20, ?

Jan. 4,1871 9.

Feb. 7, ? 14,

Jan. 26,

Mar. 4,

4,

Result.

Nov. 15, ?

Jan. 5, 1871.

Dec. 2,1870.

, Dec. 3, In Hospital.

Cured Dec. 20,1871.

In Hospital.

Cured Jan. 20,1871.

, Nov. 29,1870. , Jan. 2, 1871, , Dec. 19, 1870. ? Feb. 9,1871.

,. Mar. 13, ?

Reliev'd Jan. 21, '71. Cured Jan. 21, 1871,

, June 20, ?

Incurable. Cured Mar. 11, ?

? May 5, ?

? Mar. 29, ?

? Mar. 25, ?

In Hospital.

766 MEDICAL NEWS. [FEB.

27 J. P. 2S;\v. r.

20 T. K.

J.H

H.M.

J. D.

J. A.

M. M

A.G.

J.M'B,

L.A.J S. H. J. F.

W. D A. P.

J. S.

A. F.

II. P.

J. P.

M. M

J. S. J.VV.

W. P.

L.U. W. P. D. M. G. W.

J. M.

H.B.

J.C. A.M. J.S.

J. W. T.M.

Female Male

62 J.F.

83 i J.B.

841 H. S.

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female Male

Male

Female Male

Residence.

Collyland Alloa

Fishcross

South Alloa

Blairlogie

Seaman

tVlloa

Seaman

Alva

Alloa

(U.S. America) Tillicoultry

Tillicoultry

tVlloa

Tillicoultry

Devonside

Clackmannan Alva

Devon village

Sweden Alva Alloa

Coalsnaughton

Alva

Fishcross

King o' Muirs Tullibody

Alva South Alloa

Sauchie

Alloa

Morbus coxarius Carbuncle of riglit liip, ending in fistula?operation for fis- tula

Rupture of lateral ligaments of right ankle joint

Encysted tumour of left thumb ?excised

Extensive contusion of right elbow, with fracture of con- dyles of humerus

Irritable sloughing ulcer of

right ankle joint, extending up the leg?leg amputated above knee

Fissure of anus, with contrac- tion of sphincter muscle? division of sphincter muscle

Fracture of sternal end of

right clavicle Severe laceration of left

thumb?amputation Destruction of right little

finger and distal phalynx of right ring finger?ampu- tation

Injury to right ear and temple Pneumonia Blind from amaurosis?bursal

swelling of right knee, and disease of right elbow joint

Hydrocele?tapped Disease of lumbar vertebra ?the actual cautery applied

Extravasation of urine?deep incision into the perineum

Simple fracture of right tibia and fibula through upper third

Fracture of fore arm and de- struction of left thumb?

amputation of thumb Rupture of left saphena vein, and extensive extravasation of blood

Strangulated hernia of omen- tum and bowel

Compound fracture of right ring finger?amputated

Chronic rheumatism Chronic enlargement of right

testicle with sinuses?ex-

tirpation of testicle Double fracture of tibia and

fibula of left leg Injury to tibiae Varicose ulcer of right leg Fracture of left thigh Cancerous tumour of right cheek?excised

Epithelial cancer of lower lip ?removed by excision

Necrosis of distal phalynx of right forefinger phalynx removed

Constitutional ulcer of left leg Disease of left elbow joint White swelling of left knee? amputation of thigh

Poriostitis of both tibiss

Compound fracture of meta- carpal bones of fore and middle fingers

Deformity of both tibias?ap- paratus applied

Disease of left ankle joint- amputation of leg

Chronic bronchitis

Mar. 14, 1871 Jan. 23, ?

Mar. 28, ?

29. ?

Date of Admission.

? 29,

April 1,

? 8,

? 21,

27, May 2,

13,

15, 2,

17,

22,

July 6,

May 10, June 20,

July 25, Aug. 7, ? 15, ? 23,

Sept. 6,

? 6,

11. 11, 14,

18, 27,

Oct. 2,

? 9.

Sept. 13,

Result.

Cured July 31, 1871 , Mar. 21, ?

, May 13, ?

, April 7, ?

, May 17, ?

Died June 18, ?

Cured April 21, ?

? April 28, ?

? May 12, ?

, May 1, ? , May 6, ?

Died June 14, ?

Cured May 24, ?

Relieved July 6 ?

Cured July 12, ?

? July 29, ?

? July 18, ?

? Aug. 9, ?

? July 18, ?

? May 18, ?

Much relieved. Cured Aug. 9, ?

? Aug. 11, ?

? Aug. 4, ?

? Sept. 7, ?

In Hospital. Cured Sept. 4, ?

? Sept. 9, ?

? Sept. 9, ?

In Hospital.

Relieved Sept. 23. In Hospital.

1872.] MEDICAL NEWS. 767

Remarks on the foregoing Cases. !??Died of Bright"? disease of the kidney.

No. 2.?This patient injured by a railway waggon which knocked him down and passed over him. No. 4.?This patient, knocked down and run over by a railway train at Menstrie, was

conveyed to the Hospital, and made a wonderful recovery. No. 9.?This patient, injured by the fall of a mass of coal upon him, made an excellent

recovery so far as concerned the amputation, but cicatrization of right leg being prevented hy extensive sloughing, transplantation of skin was resorted to with satisfactory results, and the wound is now healing. No. 11.?This boy's amputation has long since healed ; but he has a scrofulous diathesis, and has been long in Hospital in the hope that he may improve under nutritious diet. No. 15.?This patient injured by falling into the graving dock, and was .conveyed to the

Hospital in a state of complete coma. No. 17.?Machinery accident. Entire integuments of arm from shoulder to wrist torn oil, along with the hand. Arm amputated at shoulder joint. No. 23.?The operation of lithotomy performed in presence of Dr Gillespie, President Jt-C.S.E., and Drs Duncanson, Walker, and M'Fadyen, and patient made a rapid recovery. No. 2G.?This boy is gradually improving, with a stiff joint. No. 31.?This case made an excellent recovery. It would have been impossible to have

treated him properly in his own lodgings. .

. No. 32.?Amputation of the leg was necessary, but from the age of the patient and his irritable constitution, sloughing took place, and he died three months after the operation. No. 35.?Out-patient. No. 38.?Dr Duncanson's case. No. 39.?Died of Bright's disease of the kidney. No. 42.?This patient made an excellent recovery. No. 45.?This lad was injured by a piece of wood, thrown out from a saw-mill, which

struck him with great violence on the thigh under the right groin. An immense thrombus was the result. He made an excellent recovery. No. 49.?This patient made a good recovery. No. 61.?Dr Duncanson's case.