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Co Correspondents.WEST LONDON ASSOCIATION AND Pt.OSrITUTIOd.

OUR correspondent who addresses us on this subject is quite right in thinkingthat for the radical cure of prostitution we must look to social rather thanto police measures. The more extensive employment of women will dosomething to prevent prostitution, but not very much. Marriage as wellas employment is necessary to this end. We wish every success to theWest London Association, and commend the subject of the emiaration ofwomen to its consideration, as well as all plans for increasing the facilitiesand inducements to marriage at home. Our business with the subject ofprostitution is in its more medical aspects; and though we must decline topublish our correspondent’s communication, he may rely on our efforts inour own way to further the ends of the Association.

THE SOCBCE OF MUSCULAR POWER.

To the Editor ofTHE LANCET.SIR,—In a short letter in your journal of June 23rd, a correspondent,"J. P.," has attempted to overthrow the generally received theory of thesource of muscular power, and has even ventured to accuse Liebig and thosewho uphold that theory of upholding it in opposition to the " dictates ofcommon sense." He begins thus—" It is strange, nay, ’tis passing strange,’tis wonderful, how great minds are led astray by science from the dictates ofcommon sense," referring to those who support the theory that "the sourceof muscular power was the oxidation or consumption of muscles." And he

proceeds to demolish that theory in one sentence. "The simple fact," sayshe, "that the more muscles are exercised the larger and stronger they grow,is sufficient to prove that muscular power is not the result of oxidation orconsumption of the muscles."Now, first, I must remark that "J. P.’s" proposition, "the more muscles

are used the larger and stronger they grow," is not absolutely correct, butis only so under certain conditions and within certain limits, which I shallhereafter point out. Secondly, that " J. P.’s" argument does not disprovethe theory. In truth, it forms no objection to it whatever; for it has beenwell explained by that theory, and really forms part and parcel of it, whichyour correspondent does not seem to know.To explain my meaning, I will give shortly a rough sketch of this theory.

It is that every muscular contraction involves a consumption of musculartissue; but that this contraction, by causing increased afflux of blood (i. e.,increased means of nutrition), not only repairs the waste, but it does more-it actually makes the muscle grow larger and stronger. This applies as wellto the whole muscular system as to any particular part of it when speciallyused. It is this increased demand for nutritive material which accounts forthe appetite after exercise. But if food be not taken, or if time enough is notallowed for the repair of the waste, by reason of incessant contraction, then,instead of increasing, the muscles waste.

" J. P." again brings forward the same argument in another form at theend of his letter, by instancing the arms of smiths and legs of public dancersas sets of muscles specially used, but increasing in size and strength. Lastly,11 J. P." puts forward a theory of his own. He says-" If required to stateanother theory more in accordance with facts, it would be this : that mus-cular power is generated by the nervous system from the blood, and impartedto the muscles by an act of volition."As I have shown that your correspondent has entirely failed to prove that

the ordinary theory is not in accordance with facts, I do not feel called uponto criticize the new one which he ha3 put forward; and I the more readilyavail myself of this excuse, inasmuch as his theory is not set forth in termsdefinite enough to be clearly understood. I will only therefore ask him inwhat state he thinks the materials for the formation of muscular power existin the blood? and what is the process of its "generation" by the nervoussystem ? and to explain how this power, when generated, is imparted to themuscles by an act of "volition" ?

July, 1866. I remain, Sir, yours obediently,

J. S. F.July, 1866. J. S. F.

*** We have done justice now in this matter both to common sense and tochemistry; neither of which, we apprehend, as interpreted by " J. S. F.,"is quite equal to the explanation of the profound physiological problem ofthe nature of muscular action.-ED. L.

H. S.-Opium and belladonna are antagonists in some respects, and the onemay be used with advantage in combating the toxical effects of the other;but first employ the stomach-pump.

A Metropolitan Guardian is requested to forward more detailed particularsin confirmation of his statement, which in its present form is too vague.

THE PROPOSED MEDICAL CLT,B.

To the -Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—As I perceive that it is proposed to establish a Medical Club, to becalled "The Sydenham," the announcement of which is advertised in yourvaluable periodical, perhaps you or some of your numerous readers couldinform me and many others (who, doubtles:,like myself, knowlittle or nothingabout Clubs), what are the advantages supposed to be derived by becoming amember of a Club. Ilany medical men would probably be induced to assistthis movement if they knew more about the privileges they will be entitledto. I mean more particularly as regards the country members. How far willthe Club supply the means of a temporary home ? We are informed by theadvertisement that steeping accommodation will be provided for a limitedperiod. A little further explanation of the accommodation intended to beprovided might induce many country practitioners to become members, andthus assist what appears to me to be, if properly managed, a good step in theright direction. Your obedient servant,

July 4th, 1866. INQUIRER.

-1. B. C., (Hackney.)—There is no legal necessity for the medical practitionerto attend to give evidence unless he has received a summons under theMedical Witnesses Act. This he is bound to obey, and will render himselfliable to penalties if he fail to appear at the inquest.

THE communications of Dr. Leishman and Mr. C. Ricketts shall appear inan early number.

SHORTHAND.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—I observe in your impression of June 23rd a suggestion that short-hand writing might be rendered much more common and more generallyuseful than it is at present. Will you permit me to adduce my own expe-rience in support of your proposal ?For the last four years I have constantly employed the system of shorthand

to which you refer, and I am satisfied that there is no reason in the nature ofthe ease why that or some similar system should not take the place of our-ordinary method of writing for all purposes whatever. I always write mylectures in it, and read them with at least as much facility as if they were-written in longhand, and that not only immediately after they have beenwritten, bat vhen they have been lying by for months. I take all my notesand memoranda in it, and find myself able to refer to them at any distance oftime with ease and certainty. As a still greater evidence of its general utility,I constantly correspond with a friend in it. Everyone will appreciate theadvantage of thus, in a manner, conversing, instead of writing, by letter, andwe have never experienced the slightest inconvenience from any misappre-hension of each other’s meaning. This example may serve to support your-suggestion, that printers might learn to compose from shorthand, and theywould certainly find tolerably written shorthand quite as easy to read as theirregular scrawls into which the tediousness of longhand is corrupted by rapidwriters. You justly remark that to acquire shorthand for ordinary purposesis quite a different thing from lea ning to follow a rapid speaker. The latteraccomplishment requires not only immense practice, but great manual dex-terity and unusual intelligence. But to write only half as fast as an averagespeaker would be an immense gain upon the tediousness of our present sys-tem of writing. Ofootuse the art cannot be learnt, even to this extent, with-out some patience and time; but patience is the principal requisite. It is amatter of the eye and hand, not of the intellect, and after a little time per-severingly given every day, the further acquirement of the art is rather anamusement than otherwise.

It cannot, however, be too constantly urged that everything depends uponthe system selected. The great fault of most systems is, that, though easilywritten, they are very hard to read, at least if the writing is left as it gene-rally comes from the pen; and whatever may be their value for the purposeof reporting, they are practically useless for the general purposes which Ihave been considering. I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

July, 1866. S. H.

A Poor-law Medical Officer ought first to make a temperate statement inwriting to the Board of Guardians. If this be not attended to, he shouldforward a copy of his letter to the Poor-law Board, and state that it hadbeen disregarded.

Nemo.—The "extras" are given in the Consolidated Orders.

THE GRIFFIN TESTIMONIAL FUND.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—The following subscriptions have been further received on behalf ofthe above Fund, the balance-sheet of which I hope to forward next week:-

Yours obediently,ROBERT FOWLER, M.D.,

Treasurer and Hon. Sec.145, Bishopsgate-street Without, July 9th, 1866.

Amicus.—" Physic and Physicians" was written by Dr. Forbes Winslow ;y"A Book about Doctors," by Mr. Cordy Jeaffreson. The " Gold-Headed

, Cane" was the production of Dr. Macmichael, who was Librarian of theCollege of Physicians.

Civilian.—See advertisement in this week’s number of THE LANCET.

A M E R I C A N A R M Y S U R G E O N S.To the Editor of THE LANCfiT.

SIR,—In perusing the Report from the Surgeon-General’s Office in Wash-ington of the Medical and Surgical History of the Rebellion, I observed thatbrevet rank was bestowed on the medical officers of that army.

I think this shows a proper appreciation of the services of medical officers,which it would be well for the administrators of the British army and navyto follow. The honorary rank of Inspector- and Deputy Inspector-Generalat present granted to officers on retirement is a simple absurdity, and not ofthe slightest use at any period to the recipient. No one, as far as I canlearn, ever thinks of availing himself of it as a social distinction.The plan followed in the American army would, I think, tempt many into

the service, and have one great merit in the eyes of our rulers : it would beinexpensive. The boon I would bestow on officers only when they retired,and I do not think it would be objected to by the military mind.

Yours truly,July, 1864. A CONSTANT READER.

57

A Manchester Fellow.-From an analysis of the votes of the Fellows at therecent collegiate election, it appears that only 36 attended from the pro-

vinces ; from Manchester alone there were 5.

Mr. Richard Henry’s (Pomeroy) case of "Caesarean Section" shall have earlyinsertion.

NAtITBAL SHEBBT.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—The long reply of Messrs. Williams and Co. to the note which I ad-dressed to you on the above subject evades my assertion. I never said that

:Spain produces no natural wine. That would have been an absurd statement,for it is obvious that every wine-producing country must produce naturalwine. What I did write was this. No natural sherry is imported and soldin England, and in support of this opinion I quoted Dr. Gorman, as I mightalso have quoted many more of the highest authorities to the same effect. Itwas not necessary for me in saying this to discuss the vintages of Spain, orto give at length what Dr. Gorman said in their praise. The question isnarrowed to this: are natural sherries imported and sold here, or are theynot Now, I assert, upon evidence which I can readily adduce, that the en-deavours which have been made to import natural sherry have failed inva-riably; that no Spanish wine is kept for exportation without being periodicallyfed with spirit; and that all the importers and buyers of natural sherries tothis country have been obliged to fortify them. I challenge Messrs. Williamsand Co., for the onus probandi clearly rest with them, whose experience differsfrom that of everybody else, to refer to a Spanish shipper of any reputationwho will guarantee the soundness and capacity for remaining sound of Spanishnatural wine, by which I mean not merely " unbrandied" wine, but wine whichhas never been fed by spirit of any kind, potato, beet-root, grain, or grape spiritincluded. In order that I may not appear to speak from my own experiencemerely, I will, on the other hand, refer them to importers and shippers ofwine to prove that even in the most recent and careful efforts which havebeen made to introduce them, and more particularly in a late instance ofsome natural Seville wines, in which, I believe, they were themselves in-terested, they had to be fortified above twenty-six per cent. to prevent theirbeing spoiled. Messrs. Williams and Co.’s error as to the real question atissue between us is obviously the cause of their charging me with garblingDr. Gorman’s evidence ; for the paragraphs which Messrs. Williams and Co.add to my quotation detract nothing from my argument. Sir, I am as inca-pable of garbling evidence as I am of garbling wine-a practice unfortunatelyT.ery general in this country, and not of late years accounted dishonourable.I will not attribute the one act or the other to Messrs. Williams and Co.,although they hesitate not to fling about certain ugly words in very recklessVtay. ! prefer to believe that they are themselves deceived as regards thenaturalness of Spanish sherries. are themselves

In conclusion, I will only say that, even after having tasted the new sherriesfrom Crosby Hall, my former opinion remains unshaken, and I reaffirm thatn natural sherry is imported and sold in this country.

I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,Piccadilly, London, July 12th, 1866. JAMES L. DENMAN.

Mr. F. Wells.-There is, of course, very little, if any, chance of the MedicalAct passing this session. It will probably not be brought into the House.

A. F. Y.—We cannot recommend the person named.

A CASE OF DISTRESS.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—The following further contributions for the Widow of a deceasedSurgeon have been received by Dr. Letheby and myself :-

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,W. SPENCER WATSON.

27, Montague-street, Russell-square, July 11th, 1866.

An Inquirer (Tring) should send the letter through the Austrian Embassy,Chandos-street, Portland-place.

nS’tudens must pass the preliminary examination.Mr. Mordey Douglas, (Sunderland.)-Messrs. Robbins and Co., 372, Oxford-

street.ROYAL MEDICAL AND CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—In the account of the debate on my paper at the Royal Medical and

Chirurgical Society, published in THE LANCET of last week, I am made tosay in my reply that I thought it not unlikely that the facts I had broughtforward (in my paper) were mere coincidences; whereas I said that I thoughtit most unlikely.As the usual accuracy of your reports would cause what must appear a very

awkward confession to be attributed rather to myself than to an error on thepart of the printer, may I beg the favour of your correction of this misprint ?

I am, Sir, yours obediently,Wimpole-street, July 10th, 1866. B. SQUIRE.

Enquirer.—Mr. Brooke’s School of Anatomy was in Blenheim-street. Brodielectured at the School in Windmill-street.

Pater.—All the "regulations" respecting medical education will be found inthe Students’ Number of THE LANCET.

CHEMICAL N O M E N C L A T U R E.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Writers on Chemistry frequently use the term " hydrate," as " hydrateof phosphoric acid." I propose as an amendment phosphate of hydos;" forif the aeid be the active principle, and water be a base, the rules of chemical.nomenclature will be thus more justly applied.

I am, Sir, yours respectfully,July, 1866. MATHETES.

A Student.—No such reason for exemption can be pleaded by any student.The registration at the Office of the Medical Council is not admitted orrecognised by the College of Surgeons or the Apothecaries’ Society.

Dr. Cartwright Reed.—By applying to Mr. J. B. Cargenven, Hon. See. to theHarveian Society.

HYDROPHOBIA.To the Editor ofTHE LANCET.

SIR,—I read with much interest an extract in the Standard from yourjournal with respect to the cases of hydrophobia and the bites of dogs.About ten days ago a lad died in our infirmary from the bite of a mad dog,

and several other persons have lately been bitten by stray dogs. Last week aclient of mine was bitten by a dog. In fact. the number of dogs now at largeand untaxed has become a perfect nuisance, and, as you say, no notice istaken by the Government. Surely some steps ought to be at once taken, as weare now verging on the dog-days, and more particularly as there is at presentno redress in law, unless it be proved that the dog is accustomed to bite.Cannot something be done to prompt the Government to pass some Act toredress the evil, without, as you say, some member of the House of Commonsbeing bitten, and dying of madness, to rouse the House to act promptly? I aa;. Sir, your obedient servant,

June 30th, 1866. LEx.

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND INFANTICIDE.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—With reference to your remarks in a late number on the proposed

"Abolition of Capital Punishment in the Case of Women," allow me to pointout the probable results of such an alteration in the law. Practically itwould tend to increase the number of the already numerous cases of infanti-cide, inasmuch as women are, scarcely without an exception, the perpetratorsof that crime. If secondary punishment for child murder were to becomelaw, the effect would be to lower still further the value of infant life in thepublic mind, and the results would be most disastrous. It is to be hopedthat the Committee on Infanticide, formed recently under the auspices ofthe Harveian Society, will watch the progress of legislation as regards thepoint to which I have referred.

I am unwilling to occupy much of your valuable space, and I thereforecontent myself with this brief allusion to the subject.

I am, Sir, yours obediently,July, 1868. M. A. B.

TREATMENT OF CHOLERA BY STRYCHNINE.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—Might I venture to draw the attention of your readers to the fact that

strychnine administered in doses of one-twelfth of a grain would, by the effectit has on the gall-bladder, &c., prevent that reversal of the natural action ofthose members which takes place in a person attacked with cholera Asiatica.

Yours, &c.,July, 1866. F. P.

HALL’S CONSTANT ELECTRO-MAGNETIC INSTRUMENT.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Can you or any of your readers inform me where in London I canpurchase one of Hall’s constant electro-magnetic instruments, as describedin an American work, "Medical Uses of Electricity," by Garratt ?

I am, Sir, yours truly,,

Rye, Sussex, July llth, 1866. R. C. N. DAViES, Surgeon.

EVERY communication, whether intended for publication or otherwise, mustbe authenticated by the name and address of the writer. Papers notaccepted cannot be returned. Articles in newspapers, to which attentionis sought to be directed, should be marked. Communications not noticedin the current number of THE LANCET, will receive attention the followingweek.

COMMUNICATIONS, LETTERS, &c., have been received from - Dr. Layeock,Edinburgh; Mr. Hampton: Mr. Taylor; Mr. Ray; Dr. Eames; Mr. Hill,Canterbury; Dr. Thomson, Carluke ; Mr. May; Dr. Jones, Waltham Abbey;Dr. Gailey, Annan; Mr. Spencer; Mr. Kelly; Mr. Walkden; Dr. Fowler;Mr. Watkins ; Mr. Robins; Dr. Allan, Bonar; Mr. Fawthrop; Mr. Moore;Mr. Fry; Dr. S. M. Beale; Dr. Herz, Vienna; Mr. Dick, Harrington;Mr. Wickers; Mr. Scott; Dr. Scholefield, Pickering; Dr. Cregeen, Peel;Mr. Copleston; Mr. Griffin ; Mr. B. Clarke; Mr. French; Dr. Morrison,Glasgow; Dr. Henry, Pomeroy; Dr. W. S. Watson; Dr. Cartwright Reed;Mr. Peel; Mr. Sargent; Dr. Allbutt ; Mr. Rae; Mr. Scaife ; Mr. WatersMr. Davies, Rye; Mr. G. Williams ; Dr. Henson; Dr. Moorhead; Mr. Green ;Mr. Turner; Dr. Heginbotholy; Mr. Kerswill, Plymouth; Dr. Sheraton;Mr. Shrapnel; Dr. Davey, Northwoods; Dr. Morland; Mr. Hilliard; Mr.Down; Mr. Acott; Mr. Cooke; Mr. Nicholson; Mr. Cornfield, Redland;Mr. Herbert, Uttoxeter; Mr. Crofts; Mr. Whalley, Bradford; Mr. Sewell;Dr. Williams, Menai Bridge ; Mr. Duncan; Mr. C.; A. E. L.; Inquirer;M. A.; W. H. B.; Sigma; A. P. Y.; J. K.; E. H.; Civilian; A Subscriber,Kent; Lowestoft; B. J. R. ; E. C.; L. G. ; A Constant Reader; &e.&c.

THE Brighton Guardian, the Hamilton Evening Times (Canada), the LiterpoolMercury, the Cosmopolitan, and the Brighton Herald have been received.

TERMS FOR ADVERTISING IN THE LANCET.

The average nimber of words in each line is eleven.

Advertisements (to ensure insertion the same week) should be delivered atthe Office not later than Wednesday; those from the country must beaccompanied by a remittance.