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and he entirely concurred with me in the propriety and fair- Iness of mv claim. Mr. refusal brought down the secretarv,Mr. Marshall. In an interview-, he asked me if I understoodthe office he represente 1 was a mutual society, and that a feeto me must come from the assured. I told him it matterednot to me what the office was, or what it pleased to call itself;whenever its directors thought prop.’r to " desire" their

secretary to "request" me to give them certain informationfor their advantage, I should also require and receive a feebefore I complied with tiieir wishes. He then asked me if Ishould object if my patient sent me a fee. I replied mostdecidedly I should. I was contending for a great principle,that concerned the medical profession as well as the public,and I was not to be allured by any such manoeuvre, on thepart of the directors, to avoid a precedent that might proveinconvenient to them upon a future occasion. He then statedthat my patient would have to apply to some other office lessadvantageous to him. I have been anxiously waiting theissue of this difference, but hitherto I have heard nothingmore, and my patient remains uninsured. I have lent him

your number of the 27th October to read, which has openedhis eyes to a full understanding of the subject, and he heartilyrejoices at the determination I have shown. The nature ofthe assurance office, be it what it may, mutual, proprietary, ormixed, does not affect the question of the equitable demandof the profession for payment of a fee for their opinion, or the proper and legitimate position they occupy with regard bothto insured and insurers. It would aid us much in procuringour just rights, if physicians and surgeons engaged as refereesto insurance companies refused to act, unless their profes-sional brethren were paid fees.

Pray, Sir, add the Metropolitan Assurance Society, No. 6,Princes Street, Bank, to your list of " disputables."

I am. Sir. vour obedient servant.GEORGE TATHAM.Marine Parade, Brighton, Nov. 13, 1849.

Medícal News.

OBSTETRICS AT COURT.—In the panegyric of Antoine Dubois,the celebrated accoucheur, delivered before the Academy onthe lltli ult., by Dr. Dubois, (d’Amiens,) we find that the ob-stetric attendant of Napoleon’s empress had, in his youth, thegreatest difficulties to contend with, and that he rose by hisown indefatigable efforts and zeal. Strange to say, the pre-sentation, in illaria Louisa’s case, was by the hip; and our ob-stetric friends will easily judge of the dismay of Dubois, whenhe found, on examination; that a presentation which, accord-ing to Merriman, occurs once in 1800 cases, had just takenplace in this momentous instance. Dubois requested fromNapoleon a consultation, but the emperor made the well-known reply—" Sir, if you were not here, you would be in-stantly sent for. Go back to the empress’s chamber, and treather as you would a baker’s wife." Dubois proceeded toeffect the podalic version, but when the head reached the inletof the pelvis it got completely locked. Instead of using gentletraction, as advised by some, the accoucheur introduced theforceps, glided the blades by the sides of the head, seized the latter, and brought it happily into the world. Respirationwas, however, not established until seven fearful minutes hadelapsed, during which all the means of restoring animationwere used; at last the child breathed, and by a cry put anend to the emperor and Dubois’s anxiety. The latter wascreated Baron, and received a present of £4UU0.THE DEAF AND DUMS IN PARIS.—The deaf and dumb of

the French metropolis recently held a numerous meeting, inorder to elect a committee, who are to proceed forthwith tothe formation of a provident society, which has been plannedfor these afflicted individuals by Dr. Blanchet, Surgeon to theDeaf and Dumb Institution. The end the society has inview is twofold—1st, Improvements in the system of education ;and, 2nd, Affording assistance to those who, from misfortune,or this peculiar bereavement, may require the same.CHEAP LITERATURE.—L’Union Médicale mentioned the

other day, that a new hi-monthly medical paper was on theeve of being started in Paris, the subscription to which willbe half-a-crown per annum!

TO CORRESPONDENTS.Guido must re-investigate the subject. We do not think that he has been

correctly informed.Veritas.—The paper was received. An action for libel would foilow the

publication of such an article.

[NOTE FROM MR.. SQUIBB.]SIR,—In your report of the interview of the deputation from the medical

conference at the College of Surgeons, on the 19th ult, you have imputedto me sentiments which I do not entertain, and words which I did notutter; upon that occasion I made no remark whatever. I request that youwill fio me the favour to insert this m the next number of Tun LANCET.

I reliaiii, Sir, your obedient servant,Orchard-street, Portman-square, Jan. 1850. G. J. SQUIBB.

M.D. Edin., may be quite content with the qualifications he now holds. Itis utterly impossible that the :S )Clety of Apothecaries should outrageprofessional feeling and pdblie opinion, by instituting a prosecutionagainst a gentlemau who is a graduate of medicine of the University ofEdinburgh, and a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

IF An Occasionial Reader were to convert himself into A CovsTarT Reader,we feel confident that he would derive much benefit and consolation fromthe change. As it is our intention to comply with the hint of an " Occa-sional Reader," we hope that he will adopt our suggestion, and concludehis next communication with a more satisfactory signature.

A Medical Student, (Glasgow.)-If a new charter were to be obtained, theCouncil would not require an immediate change in the examinations, asit would be highly unjust to make the law operate retrospectively withregard to students who are about to qmt the schools. Two years at leastought to be allowed by any regulahon:, that may be issued for effectingany material change in the examinations at any of the Colleges or Uni-versities. We do not for a moment anticipate that any important changein the examinations will be made in the course of the present year.

A Looker.on.—The paragraph was evidently the work of a very indiscreetfriend. Such productions are always iujurious to the persons whom it isthe object of their anxious and well-meaning authors to selve.

Castigatorhad better select another object for his inflictions. The culprithe has now selected is unworthy of notice.

ltlr. Rue, (Great Yarmouth—The letter has been received, but not thecommunication alluded to therel11.

A Member of the College is quite deceived as to the course Mr. Guthrie hastaken. It is much to be regretted that the sittings of the council are notopen to the press, and at least to some of the members of the College. Asthe deliberations of the medical parliament in Lincoln’s-inn-fields areconducted with closed doors, the conduct of all the members of it are ex-posed to the effects of slander and misrepresentation. Sir BenjaminBrodie and Mr. Green have been equally exposed to much unjust criticism.Of the conduct of the whole of the council, it is likely that the profes-sion will be well and truly informed in the course of the next few months.

A Subscriber since October.—Our friend, a student, is evidently a hard-working and most industrious person. We advise him to continue hispresent plans, and we only wonder, not that he does so little, but somuch. He will find every month and every session vastly diminish hislabours in acquiring medical knowledge.

A Parochial Surgeon.—We cannot undertake to reply to the questions untilwe know under whose authority the papers in question were issued.If the papers are forwarded to us they shall be duly returned to our corre-spondent, and we will publish his smart note, and our answer to his que-

’

ries, in the next LANCET.Mr. Syme.-We shall examine, with great care, the " Heads of a Bill for

Medical Reform," which h?ve been forwarded to us by this gentleman,and we shall insert the sixteen propositions of which the "heads" consistin the next number of our journal.

J. G. T.-We regret that we are unable to give a satisfactory answer to thequestion proposed to us, and we advise our correspondent to address anote on the subject to the secretary of the Society of Arts, in the Adelphi.We believe, however, we are correct in stating, that there is no distinctwork on the subject mentioned by our correspondent.

A Biblical Enthustast has been misinformed. It is impossible that Mr .

John Churchill could willingly connect his name with a publicationwhich for so many years was stamped with so vile a character. It maybe true enough, that the respectable parties into whose hands the profit-less abortion has fallen are anxious to disconnect themselves from itsfinal struggles for existence, but surely Mr. Churchill is one of the lastmen who would voluntarily under take the charge of conducting theobsequies of so monstrous a production.

COMMUNICATIONS, have been received from- Dr. George Buchanan,(Glasgow ;) Mr. France; Mr. A. H. Bartlet; Mr. Squibb; The Medicaland Surgical Officers of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; Guido; M.D.Edin.; Dr. T. Thompson ; An Occasional Reader ; A Looker On; Casti-gator ; Mr. R. Eths, (Lincoln;) A Medical Student, (Glasgow;) Veritas;Dr Samnel Wilks. (Camberwell;) Mr. Francis Beiiiiett, (Gateshead;) Mr.Hntchinson, (Durham;) A. B. C.; Mr. W. T. Cox, (Bridgend, withtable of Ninety Cholera Case;) Dr. Henesy, (Lincoln;) Mr. C. Hum-phreys ; Mr. R. E. Craine, (Isle of Man,) A Governer; Dr. M. M’Gee,(Ire:and;) J. C. D.; Mr. Walter B. Gill, (Canonbury ;) Dr. Brooke; Dr.W. C. Markham ; A Parochial Surgeon; Dr. Gibb, (Montreal;) Mrs. AnnF. Glover; Mr. J. Ranald Nlariiii Mr. Syme; Mr. J. H. Ingram; Mr.Edward E. Roc , A Subscriber since October; Mr. E. W. Kidd, (Notting-ham :) A Sincere V-eh-vcisher to the Royal Colege ot Surgeons, of England;Mr. W. J. Cumm.ng, (Northampton J. G. T. Dr. J. Topham, (Wol-verhampton;, Dr. T. Williams, Swasea;) Mr. E. Wilson; Mr. Humby.

I THE. ll’isbetielt Advertiser ; the North Bristish Advertiser; the Edi7zbu)-gh, Weekly Register ; The Plymouth, Deport, and sthouse Herald; and’ the Dub,in Jledical Pres,, liave been received.