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the lips were very corroded, and he was collapsed. Acid fluidwas drawn from the stomach by the pump, and along with thepipe of the instrument portions of shreddy mucous membranewere removed. The patient died collapsed about nine hoursafter the accident.On post-mortem examination, the mucous membrane of the

tongue was but very slightly affected ; but that of the faucesand œsophagus was highly injured, being very congested,and in a great many places quite altered, so that it could,without any force, be removed in flakes, of a thick, white sub-stance. Here and there this loose, altered mucous membranewas of a deep-brown and black colour. There were also foundin one or two places masses or patches of extravasated bloodbeneath the mucous membrane. The mucous membrane of thestomach was in a very similar condition, being in several parts(chiefly along the smaller curvature) quite black, as if charredby heat ; in other places it was of a dark-red colour. Part ofthe duodenum was in a similar state. The ileum and jejunumwere very congested, but not otherwise affected. The lungswere also congested, and the mucous membrane of the air-passages, especially of the upper part of the larynx, &c., was

very highly congested.

III.-A PECULIAR TUMOUR OF THE UTERUS, FORMEDAPPARENTLY BY A RETAINED PLACENTA.

This specimen consisted of a cylindrical, brownish-colouredmass, filling the dilated cavity of a uterus, to the walls ofwhich it was unattached, except at the fundus, whereit was united to the inner wall by short and very firm ob-liquely-placed fibres. This mass was continued at its lowerextremity into a shreddy substance, which projected throughthe os uteri, and, when divided, was found to contain an elon-gated cavity, lined by a distinct membrane, and continueddownwards into a channel which terminated openly amongstthe shreddy material in the os uteri. The inner surface of theuterine cavity was, moreover, lined by a thick layer of " falsemembrane." On minute examination it was found that, alongwith a good deal of blood, the chief mass of the tumour, whichwas at first mistaken for an ordinary fibrous polypus, was com-posed of true placental structure, the ordinary villi, althoughfor the most part greatly altered and degenerated, being clearlyrecognisable. The cavity in the interior had, doubtless, beenproduced by the doubling on itself, as it were, of the placentalstructure which had remained adherent at the fundus of theuterus, and owing to the contraction of this organ had beenmoulded into its existing form. The bands by which its ad-herence to the uterus was maintained were found, micro-scopically, to consist of true uterine muscular fibres. The masswas obviously of very old standing, and no changes injuriousto health had taken place as are generally looked for in casesin which portions of placenta after delivery are retained. The

specimen was removed from a middle-aged woman, who diedof peritonitis, &c., shortly after an operation for strangulatedhernia, and was found accidentally after death. No historywas known of the woman; but it was presumed from the stateof the uterus that this organ had been impregnated. It wasjust possible that the placenta-like structure might have beensome form of irregularly-developed ovum. Dr. Ogle had neverseen or heard of a similar case.

Reviews and Notices of Books.The Causes and Treatment of Imperfect Digestion. By ARTHUR

LEARED, 1I’LD., M. R. I. A. , M.R.C.P.L., Physician to theGreat Northern Hospital, and to the Royal Infirmary forthe Diseases of the Chest, &c. pp. 224. London: Churchill.

THE subject of dyspepsia, like that of phthisis, is a never-failing recipient of literary patronage. For this, no doubt, thereare more reasons than one; but, out of them, the following maybe not the least important-viz., everybody is presumed to betroubled by either the one or the other. But it is a curious fact,that we may live in the same place for many years, and yet notvisit our next-door neighbour; so we may have pile upon pileof " mémoires pour servir," and yet be sadly in want of anauthentic history. So it is with "consumption" and "dys-pepsia ;" they are our constant neighbours, and yet we parti-cipate in no friendship. We could point to heaps of familyrecords. and vet not know the birthdav of the first of the

family we meet. But if we own not to any friendship, it mustbe confessed we have been forced into preserving a tolerableacquaintance with these disturbers of our health and tran-quillity. The consequence is, somebody must be for ever re-cording his particular "experience." Dr. Leared, it will be

seen, adds his offering to the already considerable heap. Wehave not any fault to find with it; on the contrary, it is a clearand sensible essay, and well worthy of perusal. The author

discusses "imperfect digestion" under the following heads :-"The Causes of Dyspepsia," "The Symptoms of Dyspepsia,""Accidental Dyspepsia," " Habitual Dyspepsia," "The Treat.ment of Dyspepsia by General Hygienic Agents," " The

Treatment of Dyspepsia by Medicines." An introductorychapter is prefixed, having for its subject "A brief Statementof the Physiology of Digestion." Some original matter is givenby the author in an appendix upon " Flatulency," " Heart-burn," and "Pepsin." Upon the cause of "heartburn," Dr.Leared thus expresses himself :-

" In certain weak conditions of digestion, or when it is over-taxed, butyric acid is set free from food in which it existed, orelse it is formed out of the elements of starchy food, as is wellknown to be possible. The acid being in excess, but not pure,or else it would be soluble, rises to the surface of the contentsof the stomach, where it probably combines with melted fat,with which it is so miscible that it appears to possess anaffinity; when, by the motions of the stomach, presented at thecardia, the acrid mixture is instinctively rejected into theoesophagns, and is then, by a reversal of its proper movements,transmitted to the mouth, accompanied by the sensation ofheartburn. The miscibility of fat with butyric acid will ex-plain the relief of heartburn by cod-liver oil. It acts by dilu-ting the acid."-p. 210.The result of the author’s experiments in relation to "pep-

sin," and of his experience of it in the treatment of disease,have led him

" To the conclusion, that any advantages derived from theuse of ’pepsin’ have been through the medium of the mind,rather than of the body. An organ so impressible as the stomachwould probably be sometimes thus indirectly benefited by aremedy of such plausible intention. That, however, is not thelegitimate action of medicines. "-p. 216.Some experiments were instituted in respect to the possi-

bility of a sudden and copious " flatulence" being produced byexpansion of gases. From them the author inferred that no

pressure can possibly be exerted on the gases in the alimentarycavities sufficient to produce by its withdrawal the phenomenaof marked and sudden flatus. The medical practitioner mayrefer with profit to Dr. Leared’s little book.

Practical Observations on the Prevention of Consumption; withStatistical Tables of the Prevalence of the Disease, and ofthe Comparative Salubrity of various Places at Home andAbroad. By JOHN HOGG, M.D. Edin. pp. 226. London:Hardwicke.

DR. HoGG appears to have bestowed much attention and

thought upon the causes and hygienic treatment of pulmonarytuberculosis. He strives to show that whilst deep and earneststudy has been devoted to the etiology and pathology of thedisease, to the nature and quality of tubercle, to the composi-tion of the blood and of all the secretions of the body, its pre-ventive treatment has not engaged the attention of physiologistsas much as the importance of the subject demands. The

object of the essay, therefore, is prevention rather thancure. As Dr. Hogg truly observes--"The collective evidence of eminent men of all times goes

to prove that if good is to be done, it must be done quickly.When the physical signs of consumption are so palpable as tobe distinctly recognised and traced by the aid of the stetho-scope, the balance is sadly against the patient. Active mea-sures must be adopted long before matters have arrived at thispass. It is in predisposition, in diathesis, that the change isto be worked. "-p. vii.The chief preventive agents argued for by the author are,-a

dry, bracing atmosphere; free exercise of the lungs and limbs

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in the open air; capacious, well-ventilated dwellings and work-rooms ; nutritious diet, embracing a full proportion of animalfood; and temperance. To take out a game certificate andhie off to the moors, is not a bad prescription for threateningphthisis-that is, when the patient is a man, and a rich one.Dr. Hogg’s work will afford the inquirer much valuable statis-tical information, and many hygienic hints, in connexion withpulmonary tuberculosis.

Foreign Department.RUPTURE OF THE UTERUS AND VENTRAL HERNIA DURING

PREGNANCY, IN A PATIENT WHO, ONE YEAR BEFORE,HAD UNDERGONE THE CÆSAREAN OPERATION.

A WOMAN, whose inlet of the pelvis measured only two inchesand a half, and who had had the Caesarean operation performed,(with what result to the fœtus is not mentioned,) became preg- Inant one year afterwards. At the fourth month, she had severe iabdominal pain and vomiting. On the next day, she noticed a peculiar tumour at the lower portion of the abdomen, and inthe mesian line. The pain and vomiting continued for a week,with occasional intermissions.On examination, M. Bourgeois found a globular tumour pro-

jecting immediately under the skin of the abdomen, of the sizeof the head of a full-grown fœtus. When the patient stoodupright, the tumour fell forward over the pubis like a sac, andwas herniated between the muscles of the abdomen. Whenshe lay down, the mass could be returned under the muscles.By the hand being placed on the attenuated skin, the promi-nent parts of a fœtus could be made out: the feet could beseized one after the other, and followed up to the knees, andit was easily felt that the fœtus was separated from the skinonly by the resisting and globular uterus. The child did notevince any life when tried by auscultation.M. Bourgeois considered that the fœtus had left the uterus,

and that hernia of the linea alba existed. A belt was ordered,to keep up the mass; and the patient soon improved by keep-ing her bed, and using a very simple line of treatment.

Six weeks afterwards, labour pains came on, and uterinehaemorrhage took place, fœtid clots being expelled. Severeperitonitis set in, which was allayed by belladonna and calo-mel. The hæmorrhage continued, and the foetid discharge fromthe vulva was observed up to the seventh month of gestation,when it was very abundant, but the patient was free from pain.The abdomen became smaller, and the ventral hernia lessmarked. At the eighth month, the foetid discharge was veryslight.At this period, a committee was appointed by the Surgical

Society of Paris to examine the patient, and decide as to thetreatment to be adopted. The committee considered that noactive intervention should be resorted to, and that the fcetus hadprobably retained a certain amount of connexion with the uterus.If the symptoms became urgent, the child should be reachedby the application of caustics to the abdomen. The terminationof the case has not yet been published.

TARTAR EMETIC IN TÆNIA SOLIUM.

M. PASSOT publishes, in the Gazette Medicale de Lyo7t, thecase of a patient to whom he gave pretty large doses of tartaremetic for an attack of pneumonia. The man, who was twenty-three years of age, thereupon had numerous alvine evacuations,which brought away a tænia. The patient had never takenany anthelmintic medicine, as he was not aware of the exist-ence of the parasite, though he had passed fragments. M. Passottakes occasion to pass in review the substances generally usedto expel tsenia, amongst which he of course places pomegranatebark, the etherial tincture of male fern, and kousso in the firstrank. Tartar emetic, however, might, according to him, beused in certain cases.

DEVELOPMENT OF HEAT DURING MUSCULAR CONTRACTION.

11. T. BÉCLARD lately read a paper before the Academy ofSciences of Paris, wherein he relates a series of experimentsmade upon himself, and with peculiar instruments. These

experiments show that statical muscular contraction alwaysgives rise to an amount of heat superior to the contraction fol-lowed by external mechanical effects. He concludes from this

fact, that muscular contraction is not a source of ordinary heat,

as supposed by physiologists; but that the only apparent heatis that which follows muscular contraction unaccompanied bymechanical exertion.ABSENCE OF THE BLADDER ; ENLARGEMENT OF THE PELVIS OF

THE KIDNEY.

M. SCHMIDT states, in the Jour. de -LI16d. de Bruxelles, thata woman, aged thirty, died at the Central Hospital of theGreat Duchy of Luxemburg, who presented, on a post-mortemexamination, a complete absence of the bladder. The rightkidney was very large, and its pelvis so increased in size, thatit could contain from four to five ounces of fluid. It had e-vi-dently performed the office of a bladder. It was terminatedby a very long ureter, which opened at the meatus. The leftkidney was quite atrophied, and seemed to be affected withtubercular degeneration. The woman had stated that she hadsuffered from incontinence of urine since her twelfth year-acircumstance which can hardly be credited when the congenitaldefect is considered.

New Inventions.IN AID OF THE

PRACTICE OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY.

A NEW EYE DOUCHE.

EYE DOUCHES are eminently useful in many affections of theeyes, but their utility has been much restricted in consequenceof the defective and inconvenient kind of instruments hithertomade for the purpose.The chief objections to the old form of instrument are, that

the liquid cannot be kept directed to the same spot, therebeing nothing to steady the hand; and also that the impossi-bility of applying it without splashing the face and head, andsaturating the clothes about the neck and shoulders, causesthe person using it much discomfort and unnecessary trouble.The new Douche effectually provides against these draw-

backs. By keeping the glass close over the eye, the fluid isdirected upon the exact locality intended, and no deviationcan occur; neither can a drop of the fluid used escape from theglass otherwise than through the proper tube which leads intothe waste basin.

WAR-OFFICE, MARCH 27TH.- Her Majesty has beengraciously pleased to approve of the following gentlemen beingappointed Professors of the New Army Medical School atChatham :-Clinical and Military Surgery: Deputy Inspector-Gen. T. Longmore, M.D.-Hygiene: E. A. Parkes, Esq., bl.D.-Pathology: William Aitken, M.D.