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conducive to the public health which would allow un-qualified and ignorant men to practise any branch of thehealing art, and that any measure of medical reformwould be defective and injurious which did not protectthe community from the pernicious effects of illegalmedical practitioners."The resolution was then put and agreed to.Mr. R. WALLACE moved the next resolution,-« That

the charter recently granted to the College of Surgeons,contains powers and provisions derogatory to the respec-tability and interest of about twelve thousand membersof the college ; that the granting of charters to any of themedical corporations previous to the question of medicalreform being brought before Parliament, contrary to thememorials and petitions of many members of the collegesand of the profession, is a prejudgment of the wholesubject, and will injuriously interfere with the necessaryprovisions of an equitable and useful medical bill." Heconsidered that resolution a very important one, and they Imust endeavour, in every possible way, to carry out itsrecommendation.

Dr. GEORGE HALL seconded the motion, which was putand agreed to.Mr. W. SELF moved,—" That a reform committee be

appointed, with full power to co-operate with other asso-ciations and societies in carrying out the great principlesof medical reform, to watch all parliamentary proceedingsconnected therewith, and, if necessary, to petition to beallowed to employ counsel to be heard at the bar of theHouse of Commons in opposition to any objectionablemedical bill." It would be quite necessary to watch, verystrictly, any measure that might come before the House;the transactions of the past year proved that such was thecase.

Mr. D. FRAZER thought it highly desirable that theyshould be provided with counsel, if necessary, to arguetheir case at the barof the House; such parties having noprivate influence, they would not be afraid of speakingthe straight-forward truth. (Hear, hear.)The CHAIRMAN, in submitting the motion for adoption,

said that in consultation with Dr. Grant, that gentlemanhad referred to the expense which the employment ofcounsel would involve, but he (Dr. W.) felt that theymust be prepared to take every step to oppose a measureneither just nor right. He had received applicationsfrom two associations to know whether this associationwas about to take that step, and offering to join in it.The Apothecaries’ Company were drawing up their case,and they would pray to be heard at the bar. If it were ameasure likely to meet the desire of the profession atlarge, it was not probable that so much secrecy would beobserved. Mr. W. LINNECAR considered that this was a most im-

portant resolution. The great body of the members ofParliament were unacquainted with the real bearings of themedical question, but he thought that counsel might beable to lay the case so clearly before the House that mem-bers would not be led away by any statements of SirJames Graham. Sacrifices must be made, if necessary,in order to accomplish the object in view.

Dr. GRANT felt that the principal point of difficultywas that the British Medical Association was not a cor-

porate body. It could scarcely be said to have rights todemand in law, and, therefore, he did not know that theycould appear before the bar of the House.The CHAIRMAN observed that there were the common

rights of the profession, and as this society was acting intheir behalf, he thought they had a persona standi.The resolution was then put and agreed to.Mr. R. L. HOOPER moved, — " That the poor-law com-

mittee be re-appointed, to watch parliamentary proceed-ings, and to assist in carrying out the effective plans ofmedical relief so long advocated by this association." Itwas the oppression of the poor-law commissioners thatbrought this association into existence. The commis-sioners, seeing that the profession were disunited,thought they could crush it ; but he was happy to saythat they had discovered that they were not the weakbody that was first imagined. (Cheers.)

Mr. EDWARD EVANS, in seconding the resolution, borer testimony to the beneficial effect resulting from deputa-

tions of this association waiting upon the poor-law com-missioners.

Dr. MARSHALL HALL wished to bring before the meet-ing one of the most flagrant instances of injustice on thepart of the poor-law commissioners which, he believed,liadoccurred. He did not feel at liberty to state the nameof the party, but a gentleman was chosen as a medicalofficer to the poor on the 20th of December, 18.12, andcontinued to discharge his duties up to the 19th of Decem-ber, 1843. During that time he had had under his care5:s6 cases, of which 511 required 7450 attendances, andfor which he was paid the sum of 451. There had been24 cases of midwifery and surgery, for which he hadreceived 171. No complaint had ever been made as tothe mode in which he had discharged his duties, but atthe close of the year he was dismissed on the allegedground of having given orders for food for the poor whenit was not required, and having sent pregnant women tothe board of guardians who otherwise would not haveapplied. The latter had only taken place in one case. Itwas true that the number of cases which he had attendedhad been greater than those of his predecessor, but heresided in the middle of a populous district, whereas hispredecessor had lived at the extremity of it. On thatreason being assigned, one of the guardians observed, " Iwish you had lived 100 miles off!" They had now ap-pointed a gentleman who resided at a distance of twomiles. (Cries of "shame!")Mr. E. EvANS then said he was present at the time

that fact was mentioned before the committee of theHouse of Commons, and he felt bound to state that thechairman of the board of guardians denied the facts.The CHAIRMAN, in submitting the resolution, said that

there were many cases as bad, and he was inclined tothink that it bore the mark of truth upon its face.The resolution was then put and agreed to.Mr. GEORGE PILCHER then delivered the annual

oration on medical reform. It elicited strong expressionsof approbation from the members of the association.A vote of thanks having been passed to the orator, the

business terminated. The annual dinner was then held.We must defer our report of the proceedings until nextweek.

HOSPITAL REPORTS.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC

HOSPITAL,Reported by Mr. WARD.

SCLERO-IRITIS.

i ALEXANDER FRASER, a middle-aged man, became an

out-patient under Mr. Scott, Dec. 12, 1843.The right eye presented in its conjunctival covering

several large tortuous vessels running in the direction ofthe muscles, the membrane itself being slightly swollenand superficially injected. The sclerotic zone was moreevident at the upper and inner part of the circumferenceofthe cornea than elsewhere. The pupil was contracted.The iris had lost its natural brilliancy, was inactive,and its inner ring appeared uniformly raised and thick-ened. He complained of pricking sensation, and a dull,heavy pain at night-time, extending from the globeacross the forehead. All vision for useful purposes was

destroyed. A very large print was legible with difficulty,and appeared dim and misty ; tongue furred and dry ;pulse feeble.He states that about five or six weeks ago he had an

attack of rheumatism, the symptoms of which were moreintense when warm in bed than under other circum-stances. Belladonna was ordered to be applied to theeyebrows, and mercurial ointment with opium to the*forehead. He was cupped to twelve ounces from thenape of the neck, and two grains of calomel, with eight ofscammony, were prescribed to be taken every night. Onthe 15th the treatment had been followed by a decidedimprovement in the aspect of the iris; the pain haddiminished ; vision was less obscure ; and the inflamma-tion of the external tunics was also lessened.

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The remainder of the treatment consisted in the occa-sional application of a blister to the nape of the neck,sesquicarbonate of soda with cinchona, a scruple, threetimes a day, and a scammony purge every alternatenight.On December 29th his vision was as good as ever. The

iris had resumed its former brilliancy and power of

action, and there remained no inflammation either of thesclerotic or conjunctiva.CASE 2.-William Richards, a watchmaker, Eetat. 38,

became an out-patient under Mr. Scott, August 1, )8t3.The conjunctiva of the right eye was slightly inflamed,and presented also several irregular large vessels, appa-rently in the submucous tissue. The sclerotic zone was

partially observed, the radiated vessels at the lower andouter part of the eye alone being obvious. Iris dull and

inactive; pupil contracted and irregular, with a slightquantity of flaky lymph occupying its centre. Great

supra-orbital and frontal pain, of an intermittent nature,occurring only at night-time ; throbbing sensation, also,referred to the interior of the globe. Tongue tremulousand furred; skin cool; pulse soft.The eye became affected about two months previous;

the primary symptoms were a smarting sensation anddimness of vision. Ordered, scammony, eight grains,with protochloride of mercury, two grains every night.Cupping on the right temple to six ounces.On the 8th the pain had entirely disappeared ; the

pupil, however, was irregular, and there existed a smallportion of adherent uvea at the lower part. Under theinfluence of belladonna vision is much improved.On the 25th the pupil was observed to be fixed except

at the upper part, where the iris acted slightly. In amonth from this period, and under the above treatment,with the occasional addition of one or two leeches tothe eyelids, the iris had regained its power of action, andthere existed only slight dimness of objects, owing appa-rently to the partial obstruction of the rays of light fromthe presence of the uveal membrane.CASE 3.-George Kirk, setat. 50, subject to rheuma-

tism, became an out-patient Sept. 29, 18-13. The righteye was affected. Several tortuous vessels appearedramifying irregularly over the ocular and palpebral con-junctiva, from which, however, no unhealthy secretionappeared to flow. The radiated rose-coloured vesselswere remarked only at the inner two-thirds of the eye, inwhich situation were observed several transparent vesicleson the conjunctiva. The pupil was contracted, and theiris inactive, of a dull green tint, having its internal ringelevated and convex. He complained of obscurity ofvision, objects appearing dusky and ill-defined, andsmaller than usual. He was annoyed also with supra-orbital pain, commencing about two or three o’clock inthe morning, and which gave rise to a sensation of pres-sure on the forehead, and of tension in the globe itself.Skin dry, tongue white. The disease commenced aboutthree weeks ago, and supervened on incautious exposureto damp during a wet evening.

Ordered, cupping on the right temple to twelveounces. Powder of scammony and protochloride ofmercury (as in case 2), ten grains every night. Blister tothe nape of the neck.

In the course of four days, under this treatment, visionbecame much improved, objects appearing of their natu-ral size, and much clearer in outline. The tortuous con-

junctival vessels appeared less congested, and the frontalpain had materially abated.

Remarks.—These cases show the advantage of activepurging in the treatment of sclero-iritis, which seems tobe connected with, if it do not depend upon, an un-healthy condition of the mucous membrane of the

alimentary canal, as evidenced by the state of the

tongue, &c., and is thus speedily relieved. It generallyoccurs, also, in persons of feeble power, in whom,although the loss of blood is necessary to unload the dis-tended vessels, this remedy must be employed with cau-tion ; and on this account, also, the administration ofbark is usually followed by decided benefit. For thesame reason the exhibition of mercury to affect thesystem is not desirable, and, except in some protractedcases, is usually unnecessary ; for in general, as in these

’ instances, the inflammation may be subdued without any, salivation being produced. It is to be remarked, also,

that when the inflammation is thus arrested, the lymphthat had been deposited on the surface of the iris, alteringits brilliancy, and on its pupillary margin, which had thus

! become thickened, is absorbed quite as rapidly as ini those cases in which the free administration of mercury! has been employed to arrest the disease.

DISSECTION AT THE THEATRES OF ANATOMY.To the Editor 0/’ THE LANCET.

SIR,-In your leading article of last week, on theAnatomy Act, you state your belief that the generalcharge to students for the entire body is a little morethan 3l. At our school, for an uninjected subject, wehave to pay 3l. 14s., and for an injected one, 4l. I Os. ; andfrequently these are so much higgled and haggled"before they come to us, that parts are destroyed of theutmost importance to the surgical anatomist; or, fromneglect in other quarters, the subject comes in so far de-composed that the injection runs en masse into the cavi-ties, and the arteries cannot be injected. No matter, wehave still to pay the above exorbitant sum. I am surethe high price of subjects has these consequences en-tailed :-

First. The students really desirous of learning anatomy,have to ponder weeks and weeks over a limb which haslong since lost the colour, the consistence, and even theposition of nerves, muscles, and arteries. Why? Arethere no subjects to be had ? Oh no. It is the high pricewhich the teachers put on, to support the school.Second. From one end of the session to the other, not

a single subject is employed by the student for opera-tions solely. Is this from idleness ? The same high priceforbids such extravagant waste ; the students cannotthrow away ll. 2s. 6d., in practising the cuts which a fewyears afterwards they can do for nothing on the livingsubject, -somewhat, perhaps, to his danger.

Third. The excess of putrid over fresh subjects for de-monstration causes our lecturers to be absent a great dealtoo much from the dissecting-room ; what forbids theirpresence I do not know, but there are three substitutes,and these three substitutes are the whole and sole authori-ties from which we can acquire information. -

Let the legislature take from individuals the source ofderiving emolument from dissection ; let them make the

supply constant throughout the year, without referenceto heat and cold; let the frame that has lost vitality,without a friend to follow it to the grave, be looked aftermore sedulously, and brought at the slightest possible ex-pense to the licensed theatre, and there disposed of at aremunerating price only, and you will soon have a differ-ent vision in the dissecting-room. Old faces will be seen

returning to the scene of their former and forgottenlabours, to brush up their anatomical knowledge andpractise new modes of operating. The tyro will lay asidethe miniature dissecting for the more formidable operatingcase. The public will no longer be the persons to feel theuntaught direction of a surgeon’s knife, for he will beskilled now from practice on the dead subject. A newtone will be given to the health of those engaged in thepresent uncongenial pursuit of dissecting, for who canfail to ascribe the prevalence of a delicate frame in its de-votees, generally, to long poring over a decomposed ex-tremity. One can exist for twenty years in a dead-house,with the ceaseless change of bodies going on, whilst asmany days in the dissecting-room would be fatal. Andwhy should not a regular succession of bodies passthrough every metropolitan dissecting-room on the wayto the grave? In the thousand deaths which occurweekly throughout the year, can there not be found halfa hundred, unknown, fi iendless, and without a tear tomourn their loss, or raise a voice to say " you shall beburied ? " Is there not a spirit of opposition to the

Anatomy Act rife in the bosoms of the poor-law guardians,masters of workhouses, &c., which makes them hold backthe information which ought to be immediately, -given inthe proper quarters ; and does not this very circumstancecause the loss of many hundred bodies to the schools, if