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jects discussed in the progress of the course, are more than Ishall ever live to do justice to, or sufficiently to express mygratitude for."The bare enumeration of the foregoing topics will show

that some of them are altogether untouched in the commoncourses of physic and surgery, and that others cannot be fullydiscussed within the ordinary period of an academic session,without the exclusion of other all-important subjects. Noman who has listened to the details given in this class can failto see the immense field which England and her coloniesaffords for the successful cultivation of this branch of medi-cine, and we cannot doubt that "much valuable informationis lost to the public, by there not being in the other metropo-litan schools the same facility and encouragement to the armyand navy surgeons to preserve, to record, and to make knownthe results of that experience which, in the course of service,they necessarily acquire."As to the extent to which the students of the Edinburgh

school have availed themselves of attendance on the class ofmilitary surgery it is sufficient to state, that the averagenumber who have entered, annually, during seven-and-twentycourses delivered by the present professor, has been forty-eight. We question whether there is any instance of such at-tendance on any other medical class which is purely optional,which is not rendered imperative by the regulations of anylicensing body whatever, and which, although patronizedand encouraged by the heads of the medical departments ofthe public service, is not rendered compulsory, even by theirregulations.regulations.

We are, Sir, your obedient servants,J. Dempster, Staff-Surgeon, First Class, P.M.O., N.B;

J. Young, Surgeon, 13th Light Dragoons; WilliamSale, M.D., Surgeon, 93rd Highlanders; Alex. Cock-burn, Surgeon, R.N.; J. H. Balfour, M.D., Professorof Botany; W. R. Cockburn, Surgeon, R.N.; DouglasMaclagan, M.D., F.R.C.S.E., Surgeon to the RoyalInfirmary; Wm. D. Kerr, M.D., Surgeon, R.N.;James Dunsmure, D.D., F.R.C.S.E., Assistant-Sur-geon to the Royal Infirmary; J. W. Pagan, M.D.,F.R.C.S.; Robert Bowes Malcolm, M.D., F.R.C.P;J. Wintersole, late Surgeon, 2nd Dragoons; John

° Lightbody, Staff - Surgeon, First Class; JamesMorison, Surgeon, H.P., 67th; James Johnston, M.D.,F.R.C.S.E., late Surgeon, 26th Cameronians; A. Hal-liday Douglas, M.D., Physician to the Royal Infir-mary, Edinburgh; J. A. Wishart, M.D.: James A.Sidey, M.D. Thomas B. H. Wood; John M’Gilchrist,M.D.; William H. Bone; George Bruce Newton;Arthur J. Frame; David Ogilvy Horn; J. C. K.Bond; James P. Harris; Charles C. Leitch; HenryRoome; George J. Douglas; William Arthur Thom-son ; Robert Gray; James M’Grigor Maclagan, Hon.Sec. Roy. Med. Soc. Ed.; John C. Messer; WilliamPuckerton; James Elen; John Angus; AlexanderChristison, Hon. Sec. Roy. Med. Soc. Ed.; ThomasKnox Birnie, M.R.C.S.E.; Wm. Reid, M.D.; Wil-liam A. White, M.R.C. S.E.; J. Madlen, M. D.; H.F. C. Cleghorn, M. D., Madras Army.

Edinburgh, July 25, 1850.

[In our next, we shall make some observations upon thisimportant document.ED. L.]

Medical News.

THE FELLOWSHIP.-It is stated that there are severalcandidates for this distinction, who will offer themselves for theexaminations on Monday and Wednesday next. We have heardthat few junior members are among them, not choosing to risktheir reputation on the examinations for classics, mathematics,&c.NORFOLK AND NORWICH HOSPITAL.—At a special

general meeting of the governors of the Norfolk and NorwichHospital, held July 27, Dr. Ranking was elected physician. Thenumbers polled were as follows :—Dr. Ranking, 364-Dr. Cope-man, 236.

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—We, learn that appli-cations have been already made to the secretary for commissions toexamine into epidemics prevailing in certain parts-amongstothers, from Guildford, in Surrey ; The Yeterinarian adds its duenieed of approbation on the foundation of the Society.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.—The followinggentlemen having undergone the necessary examinations forthe diploma, were admitted members of the college at themeeting of the Court of Examiners on the 26th ult.:—

CHALDECOTT, THOMAS ANDREWS, Montague-place, Russell-square.

COCKCROFT, WILLIAM, Colne, Lancashire.Cox, JOHN ANDERSON, Hon. East India Company’s Service.Davis, EDWARD WILLIAM STEPHEN, Merthyr Tydvil,

Glamorganshire.KITCHING, ALFRED, Hull.LOBB, HARRY WILLIAM, Aldersgate-street.MARTIN, FREDERICK, Clare, Suffolk.NBWNHAM, CHRISTOPHER ATKINSON, Farnham, Surrey.ROWLEY, CHARLES OCTAVIUS, Barnsley, Yorkshire.

, WILLIAMS, GEORGE GORDON LAWRENCE, Llandovery, SouthWales.

Admitted on the 30th ult:—

BEAUMONT, JOSEPH WILSON, Sheffield.BOURNE, WALTER, Dublin.BROWN, THOMAS, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.EvERET, THOMAS DENNY, Stepney-green.FITZGIBBON, RICHARD EDWARD, Killiny, co. Cork.MARRIOTT, JOHN, Kibworth, Leicestershire.RHODES, GEORGE SAMUEL, Earlsheaton, near Dewsbury,

Yorkshire.SCOWCROFT, JAMES PARKINSON, Bolton-le-Moors.APOTHECARIES’ HALL.-Names of gentlemen who

passed their examination in the science and practice of medi-cine, and received certificates to practise, on

Thursday, July 25, 1850.CAREY, THOMAS, Midhurst, Sussex.GonrIOH, FRANCIS.HELPS, WILLIAM, Gloucester.HuDSON, FREDERICK, Stockport, Cheshire.LOBB, HARRY WILLIAM, Southampton.PETTINGER, GEORGE WILLIAM, Suttoii-upon-Trent,, Notts.WRIGHT, HENRY GooDE, Hereford.WRIGHT, JOHN KENYON, Stockport, Cheshire.CHOLERA.—At the Western General Dispensary,

New Road, seven cases of cholera have been admitted during thelast month. One of them proved fatal.

CHARING CROSS HOSPITAL SCHOOL.—The prizesobtained by the students of this school were awarded on the26th ultimo. There was a very numerous assemblage to wit-ness the distribution. The following is the list of those whoreceived medals and honours :—

Chemistry. Silver Medal: Mr. Thos. Boor Crosby, Gosberton.Certificate: Mr. T. W. J. Goldsboro, Welchpool:— MateriaMedica. Silver Medal: T. B. Crosby.—Anatonay (Senior).Silver Medal and Book: John C. Savery, Hastings. (Junior).Bronze Medal: Thos. B. Crosby. Certificate: T. W. J. Golds-boro.—Midwifery (Senior). Silver Medal: J. C. Savery. Cer-tificate : Jas. M’Cann, Parliament-street. (Junior). BronzeMedal: D. T. Morris, Carmarthen. Certificate: John Wil-liams, Cardiff. - Physiology (Senior). Silver Medal: J. C.Savery. (Junior). Bronze Medal: T. B. Crosby. Certificate:

T. W. J. Goldsboro.-Medicine (Senior). Silver Medal: J. C.Savery. (Junior). Bronze Medal : J. Williams. Book andCertificate: D. T, Morris. Book: H. B. Lingham, Tulse Hill.- S‘urgery (Senior). Silver Medal: D. T. Morris. Book: JohnWilliams. (Junior). Bronze Medal: H. B. Lingham. Book:E. J. Lempriere, St. Olave’s.-Botany (1850). Silver Medal: eJ. Williams. Certificate : T. B. Crosby. (1849). Silver Medal:

Leicester Atkinson, Peldon, Colchester. Book: H. B. Ling-ham. Certificate: J. N. Willes, Pentonville.—Medical Juris-prudence. Silver Medal: D. T. Morris. Book and Certificate:. John Williams. Certificate: Chas. Rickets, South Lambeth.,

-Governors’ Clinical Prize. Silver Medal: John Williams,D T. Morris.—General Professional Knowledge. Gold Medal:J. C. Savery.-Diligence and Good Conduct. Honorary Tes-

timonial : H. B. Lingham.In the evening, the students, to the number of fifty, supped

together at the Albion Tavern. Mr. E. Canton presided. The’ vice-chair was taken, at the special request of the students, by

a gentleman connected with this journal. After the usual loyal’ toasts, the hospital and the medical officers were given; and

the enthusiasm displayed showed that the teachers of the in-creasing school were most popular. The chairman’s health3was given, and responded to in a neat speech. The health of

the vice-chairman was proposed, in a very complimentary

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speech, by Mr. M’Cann, who took occasion to speak in terms ofmuch approbation of the labours of THE LANCET in the causeof the medical students. The vice-chairman, in returningthanks, alluded to the independent and fearless course whichTHE LANCET had pursued from its commencement, more thana quarter of a century ago. The present race of students wereindebted to that journal for many of the advantages they atpresent enjoyed. When THE LANCET was started, not a singleclinical lecture was given in the metropolis, and the complaintof the student had no means of coming before the public.THE LANCET had been ever the students’ friend; and had advo-cated their interests at all times, and at all seasons. Themajority of them afterwards practised generally, and THELANCET might emphatically be called the journal of the generalpractitioners of the kingdom. (Much applause followed thisspeech.) The conviviality was kept up to a late hour, and theaffair altogether was most creditable to the students of thehospital, who intend to make the festival an annual one.HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK ending

Saturday July 27.-This Return, in connexion with the two pre-vious, indicates a continuous increase in the mortality of the me-tropolitan districts. The deaths which in the two preceding weekswere successively 781, 863, rose last week to 898. In the cor-responding weeks of nine years (1840-8) the lowest numberoccurred in 1843, and was 749 ; the highest in 1848, when it was1201 ; but last year in the same week the deaths rose to 1931,when pestilence rapidly multiplied its victims. The average ofthe corresponding weeks of ten years (1840-9) is 1022, which,with a correction for increase of population, becomes 1115. The898 deaths of last week, therefore, show a decrease on the latternumber, amounting to 217 ; but it will be observed that the aver-age is in part founded on the aggravated mortality of last year.The deaths from phthisis or consumption are still less numerousthan usual, having last week been 121; in corresponding weeksthey fluctuated between 120 and 156. In the class which com-prises other diseases of the respiratory organs, the deaths, amount-ing to 74, also fall below the average. The zymotic or epidemicclass numbers 272; and though this mortality is not yet excessiveas compared with that of the same week in some previous years, itshows a tendency to increase as the autumnal season approaches.Small-pox, measles, scarlatina, hooping-cough and typhus, showless than the usual fatality, or differ little from the average; butdiarrhoea, exhibits a rapid increase on the previous weeks, and hasnow risen above the average. The numbers from diarrhoea in thelast four weeks have been successively 40, 37, 51, and 104. Ofthe 104 persons who died of it last week, 84 were infants under 1year, 14 were 1 year old and under 60, and 6 were 60 years ofage and upwards. Last week 13 deaths were ascribed to cholera,showing an increase, when compared with those of the previousreturns; but an investigation of the cases, as detailed in the

Registers, proves that in a certain proportion of them it was thecommon English form of the complaint.At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the

barometer in the week was 29’691 inches. The mean tempera-ture was 63.4°, about 20 above the average of the same week for7 years. On Monday and Tuesday, when the temperature washighest, the means were respectively 69° and 72°, and were from8 to 11 degrees above the average of the same days. The tem-perature then declined, and on the last three days the mean wasbelow the average.

-ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.CORRESPONDENTS who may courteously forward newspapers and otherprinted documents, for reference, are earnestly requested to attach someslight mark to the passages to which they wish to direct our attention.

Anti-Egotist.—We are not aware that the doctor in question is a fool. Aselection of communications for insertion is a task of much difficulty, andit is not impossible that we may sometimes make an injudicious choice.Why does not Anti-Egotist try his hand at "something grand," and thusassist in ejecting some of the egotists from the field.

Inquirer.—We do not know who are the owners of the copyrights of Braith-waite’s Half-yearly Retrospect and Ranking’s Half-yearly Abstract. If oneof them be actually a piracy of the other, it is equally true that both of themare disgusting piracies from the weekly medical periodicals, and that theycould be stopped by injunction from the Court of Chancery; but we areinformed that the circulation of both is very limited. The half-yearlyvolumes of the weekly medical periodicals are found to be infinitely morevaluable and interesting than mutilated collections and abridgments ofthe articles which those volumes contain. All the pirates find in the endthat honesty is the best policy.

H. J. F.-A dentist who professes to be nothing more may practise his artwithout possessing any surgical or medical diploma, without layinghimself open to the charge of being a quack.

’

THE PIRATE.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Your correspondents who are now so justly complaining of ThePirate can only recently have become acquainted with it, as it mustbe well known to all who have seen much of that journal, that for years ithas been merely the copyist of THE LANCET. I should be reluctant tomake this assertion were not its confirmation easily to be seen by any onewho will compare the two journals for the last few years. Had I them atpresent at hand, I could easily point out the grossest plagiarisms. The fol-lowing I can easily remember. As I state from memory, I may be excusedif there should be any error in the order in which I give them.

Translations of Schonlein’s Lectures appeared in THE LANCET; directlyafterwards Translations appeared in The Pirate,

Matteucci’s Lectures appeared in THE LANCET, directly followed by similarLectures in The Pirate.The Parliamentary Evidence appeared in THE LANCET; abstracts, after.

wards, in The Pirate.Your excellent "Mirror" has been copied, and now your" very form and

semblance," so that I shall not be very much surprised to see, next week,"THE LANCET," published by John Churchill.

Very fair, this, for a journal which so loudly proclaims its intention of up-holding the dignity and respectability of the profession. Let us see it firstdoing this office for itself, and then we may be disposed to trust it in doingso for the profession. It has been said that charity begins at home; so,undoubtedly, ought dignity and respectability. Probably, however, thatjournal may have for its motto, "Don’t do as I do, but do as I tell you."

’ Yours, very obediently,Manchester, July 16, 1850. BEDE.

UNTIL we read the paper entitled a " History of Widow Cox’s Labels," wehad no knowledge of the facts therein recorded. It certainly does appearthat the discreditable habit was contracted at an early period of life.

Mr. H. French-A paper was forwarded by Thursday evening’s post.WE cannot discover from the statement of facts which has been made to us,

that Mr. T. Jackson conducted himself with the slightest impropriety onthe occasion mentioned ; on the contrary, we consider that his conductwas both judicious and humane. The course that he took, in causing thebody to be removed to the residence of the deceased person, is pursuedalmost daily in Middlesex without eliciting any complaint from thecoroners of that county or from other parties. If the body had been de-livered into the custody of the constable, and a warrant had been issuedfor holding an inquest at the place where the death had happened, thecase would have been entirely different. We feel confident that thecoroner could not have condemned Mr. Jackson had he been correctlyinformed of the circumstances connected with the transaction. As the

case has been represented, it appears to us that Mr. Jackson was entitledto credit for his prompt and humane conduct, and he could not be cen-sured by any one who was well acquainted with the manner in which hehad acted. We feel confident that some misrepresentation must havebeen made to the coroner before Mr. Jackson attended at the inquest.

Mr. Evans will perceive that his request has not been neglected.A Subscriber.—The examinations at the Royal College of Surgeons in Lon-I don are suspended annually during the month of September.THE letter of A. B. C. shall be published next week.

THE MEDICAL AND SURGICAL SHOPKEEPERS.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Can you inform me in your next how many practitioners there arein London and the large towns in England and Wales " who keep shops ?"Because, Sir, I consider that you have paid them a pretty considerable com-pliment in publishing the infamous letter of " One who does not keep aShop"-a letter, not only implicating Mr. Hart and his contemporary, butcharging the whole body of practitioners "who do keep shops" with theworst of motives and the basest of actions.You must be aware, Sir, that the majority of successful men now in first-

rate practice in London began the world with keeping a shop, and that menwho do not keep shops, and charge for their mixtures, powders, &c., are justas much tradesmen as the butcher or baker.Perhaps your correspondent will keep his sympathy for us poor benighted

practitioners "who keep shops" until we ask it of him.I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

AN OLD APOTHECARY.

*** Our correspondent is mistaken. The Editor made no charge againstthe practitioners in question.

Lector ab Initio has not stated whether he objects to the publication of hisname with the brief report of the case.

A Man about Town.-The jeu d’esprit, entitled " A Night in a Cellar inLeicester-square," has afforded us much amusement.