455

IODIDE OF POTASSIUM IN LARGE DOSES

D. STEWART. M.D.,Depôt Staff-Surgeon.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SiR,—A writer in THE LANCET of April 21st surprises me bysaying that he has "never been able, in public or privatepractice (in England of course), " to go beyond half a drachma day, in three equal doses," of iodide of potassium; and attri-butes the greater tolerance of the drug by Frenchmen to"climate and nationality." May not the difference which he has observed in the effects

of the agent be attributable more probably to the mode ofadministration ?

I think I could quote for him a hundred cases in this hos-pital (of secondary symptoms, gonorrbceal rheumatism, indolentbuboes, &c.) within the last two years, where iodide of potassiumhas been used in scruple doses three times a day, with perfect tole-rance, and without any unpleasant symptoms either attendingor following it, when given in the way recommended by Mr.Acton*-namely, largely diluted in a tumblerful of an extem-pore bitter infusion, and backed up with a full diet.

I am, Sir, yours most obedientlv.

Warley, April, 1860.

MEDICAL TRIALS.

VICE-CHANCELLORS’ COURT, APRIL 28TH.

(Before VICE-CHANCELLOR SIR W. P. WOOD.)COX V. THE PRINCIPAL AND COUNCIL OF QUEEN’S COLLEGE,

BIRMINGHAM.

SIR HuGH CAIRNS and Mr. FREELING moved, ex parte, foran injunction in this case to restrain the defendants from

closing, or allowing to be closed, the medical department ofQueen’s College, Birmingham, and from refusing to receive thestudents thereof upon their return to the College for the

ensuing term.The bill, which was filed by the professor of surgery in the

College, after stating the royal charters under which the Col-lege was founded, and the bye-bws for regulating its affairs,stated that on the 17th of April a meeting of the Council of theCollege was held, at which a resolution was carried by thecasting vote of the chairman for closing the resident (medical)department during the ensuing term, which was to commenceon the 1st of May, on the ground of an alleged deficiency offunds. The plaintiff, who submitted that the resolution wasirregular and not warranted by the bye-laws, and that greatand irreparable injury would arise to the College and to him-self if the medical department were closed for the ensuingterm, had filed his bill against the principal and Council, andnow moved, ex parte, for an injunction.The VICE-CHANCELLOR granted an interim injunction, ex-

tending over the next seal-day, upon the usual undertakingby the plaintiff as to damages.

THE LONDON SCHOOL OF DENTAL SCIENCE

THE inaugural meeting took place at 32, Soho-square, on theevening of Monday last, under distinguished auspices, and wasTery fully attended.Mr. SAMUEL CARTWRIGHT delivered a very able address,

the principal subjects of which were, the present state of

dental surgery and its future prospects-such as it is hopedthey will be when the late measures adopted by the College ofSurgeons shall have come fully into play. Mr. Cartwrightalluded to the want of a recognised system of education here-tofore and its consequences, and to the advantages which willaccrue to those who are pupils by the practical knowledge theywill acquire of their profession in the operating-room of thehospital and the lecture-room of the school previous to theircommencing practice. He judiciously defined the legitimateconnexion between surgery and dental surgery, and stated thereasons why the dentist should be acquainted with generalanatomy and physiology, as well as the principles of medicineand surgery; and referred to the value of the Dental Hospitaland School as places for professional statistical record. Afteia few words specially directed to those who have entered a,

* Vide page 563 of his Treatise on Urinary Organs, 2nd edit., 1851.

pupils-urging them to consider the calling they have selectedas a pure and honourable profession, and strictly to uphold itas such,-the address was concluded as follows : " Those who,whether members of the College of Surgeons or not, devotetheir time and energies to the diseases consequent on the de-praved condition of the teeth, are not likely to practise as sur-geons or medical practitioners; but they know from experiencethat the practice of dentistry, special as it may be, cannot becarried on with credit or efficiency without a knowledge ofthe principles of surgery and an intimate acquaintance withanatomy and physiology."The rooms were filled with microscopes, preparations, models,

instruments, &c., which were objects of interest to the visitorsafter the address. The lecture was heard with great attentionand well received throughout. Amongst the gentlemen presentwere the majority of leading dentists in London and many fromthe provinces. We noticed Mr. Tomes, Mr. Saunders, Mr.Hodgers, Mr. Bigg, Mr. Ibbetson, Mr. Sercombe, Mr. Under-wood, Mr. Adolphus Hart, Mr. Parkinson of Brighton, Mr.Oxley of Leeds, Mr. Martin of Portsmouth, Mr. Palmer ofCheltenham, Mr. Bridgman of Norwich, and others. Amongstthe visitors not dentists we observed Mr. Coulson, Mr. Partridge,Mr. Hilton, Mr. Ure, Mr. Shaw, Mr. Nunn, Mr. Flower, Dr.West, Dr. Hawkins, Dr. C. M. Babington, Mr. Dallas, andmany others.

THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON.

THE anticipation of the result of the election to the Senateis most favourable to the views of the medical graduates. Thecandidates nominated are Mr. Greenwood, B.A., Mr. Jessel,M.A., Dr. Miller, and Dr. Quain. The signatures to Dr.Quain’s nomination-paper, as representing the medical ele-

ment, greatly exceed in number all the others put together.Dr. Miller, having been appointed Examiner in Chemistry,is virtually disqualified; for within a few months of the presenttime no member of the Senate can hold an examinership. Weare glad that it is so; for whilst we learn that the medical

graduates fully appreciate Dr. Miller’s personal and scientificcharacter, they could not accept him as a medical represen-tative. If there be need for the addition of a purely scientificmember to the Senate, there are now two Crown vacancies,one of which may be thus very properly filled up.

Parliamentary Intelligence.HOUSE OF COMMONS.

FRIDAY, APRIL 27TH.CAVALRY CHARGES.

MR. DEEDES asked the Secretary of State for War upon whatprinciple a deduction of 8½d. per diem was made from the payof the surgeon and the assistant-surgeon of a cavalry regimentfor each horse kept by them for the public service, when therate of pay of those officers was precisely the same as that ofthe medical officers of infantry regiments, who, under the 21st;paragraph of the 1st of October, 1858, are expressly exemptedfrom any such deduction, the words of the paragraph referredto being these, "shall not in future be subject to any stoppageout of their daily pay for any ration of hay, straw, or oatssupplied for the horse or horses kept by them for the publicservice ?"

Mr. S. HERBERT said it was quite true that those stoppageshad been made, but the matter was under the consideration ofthe War-Office.

Poor-law Medical Officers: Petitions for the consideration oftheir case, from St. Luke’s, Old-street; Kington; KingtonUnion; Cheltenham; officers of the Walsall Union; St. Thomas’sHospital, and the Newark Union.

Poor-law Medical Relief: Copies ordered, "of all orderswhich have been issued from the Poor law Board relative tomedical relief, since the report of the Committee which satupon the subject of medical relief in the year 1854." (Sir Wm.Miles.)

Coroners Bill, (Sir George Lewis): Second reading deferredtill Wednesday next.