injurious. Our author very pithily remarks, pour les maladies chroniques apyretiques, medicaments secs; et pour les affections aiguës, medicaments liquides: the remark would apply better to food than to medicines. Steel and vegetable bitters are by far the best remedies that we can administer, more especially when there is any leucorrhoeal or chlorotic ailment. Rhubarb is the preferable aperient medicine in such cases. If the patient be subject, as occasionally happens, to attacks of nervous or spasmodic vomiting, Dr. D. always has recourse to the Colomba powder. If much pain accompany this unpleasant symptom, a small portion of opium should be added to the Colomba. Ice too will often be both grateful and useful, not only in allaying the irritability of the stomach, but also in giving it tone. When Leucorrhea accompanies this atonic state of the digestive organs, Dr. Debreyne recommends the use of the following pills : : q. s. ut fiat massa in pil. Dose: one or two to be taken, along with some bitter tincture or infusion, twice or thrice a day. A somewhat similar formula will be found very efficacious in most cases of Chlorosis. Dropsy. The following extract gives a good summary of our author's views respecting the treatment of this disease, when it is not dependent upon any organic visceral lesion. "We should always make sure of one of the outlets, by which nature usually seeks to evacuate the serosities effused within the splanchnic cavities. Now, as in the cure of Dropsies, the serous evacuations most frequently take place by the bowels and kidneys, it will be prudent to act upon both of these emunctories, by combining the use of diuretics with that of hydragogue purgatives. At the same time, we should prescribe a dry and tonic diet, consisting chiefly of broiled or roasted meats, bread, and a certain allowance of light wine. The patient should be directed to take as little fluid food or medicine as possible, and he should therefore seek to quench his thirst with fruit, ice, and such like things." The favourite medicine of Dr. D. in dropsy is a medicated wine, composed of Rad. Jalapæ contus. Scillæ contus. Pot. Nitratis Dose: from one to three tablespoonfuls thrice daily. 3iiss. 3iiss. 3v. tbj. The number of alvine evacuations need not exceed six or eight in the 24 hours. The remedy acts in some cases chiefly on the bowels, in others chiefly on the kidneys, while in a third set of cases both emunctories are powerfully affected at the same time. When patients object to the use of this wine, or when it appears to disagree with the stomach, we may have recourse to the use of the following pills: Dose from one to two pills three times a day, washing them down with three or four spoonsful of white wine, in a bottle of which half an ounce of nitrate of potash has been dissolved. Dr. D. says that he has found these pills especially serviceable in cases of Hydrothorax and Hydropericardium. He is too experienced and candid a practitioner not to admit that we can seldom, or never, hope to effect a permanent cure in such cases; still it is an important thing to relieve our patients for a time, and prolong, if it be not given us to save, life. In cases of Organic Diseases of the Heart, our author mainly relies on the internal administration of the nitrate in combination with tincture of Digitalis-given in much larger doses than are usually recommended-and on the application of leeches or blisters over the cardiac region. He seldom varies his plan of treatment, and assures us that, with these simple means, followed out for a due length of time, he has succeeded in relieving a great many patients, who had derived no benefit from a variety of other remedies. In the closing Chapter of his Work, Dr. D. lays down some excellent general rules for the treatment of disease in the members, male and female, of those austere religious orders, who insist so rigidly on the observance of numerous and prolonged fasts, in addition to other modes of penance. Of these orders, the most conspicuous are the Chartreux and the Trappists, "whose establishments," we are told, are now so numerous, and whose moral and religious influence, along with the benefits of agricultural improvement which they have introduced, are every day more and more felt and appreciated in many of the finest districts of France." A vast deal of harm has been done for many years past by the too common adoption of Broussaian principles by the medical practitioners of the Provinces; but now, thank God, the errors of Physiologism are most fully acknowledged and repudiated. As a general truth it may be asserted that the diseases of austere religionists will not bear well much depletion. Even in acute disorders, the lancet should be sparingly used; and, instead of repeated bleedings, recourse should be had to the internal use of antimonials, and to blisters, &c. In fevers, when there is no distinct inflammatory localization, general bleeding should very rarely, if ever, be practised. Of chronic diseases, by far the most common among the Monastic Community are Gastro-atony and its usual concomitants of Dyspepsia, Colic, Gastralgia, general weakness, and so forth. As for Gastritis, the term might be erased from the peculiar nosology to which we are at present alluding. Opium, either alone or in conjunction with other remedies, according to circumstances, is an admirable remedy in a vast number of the gastric and enteric disorders to which the Trappist brethren are liable. It would seem, from the statements of our author, that these monks are singularly exempt from the epidemics which prevail in the neighbourhood of their establishments. Even the cholera, in 1832, did not enter one of them throughout the whole of France. This exemption he attributes to the temperance of their diet, and the calm unruffled tenour of their lives. He paints in glowing terms the joys of the peaceful life of the pious Cenobites. "How greatly mistaken," exclaims our worthy author, "are they who suppose that religious penitents are gloomy, melancholy and hard-hearted men, or that they become the early prey of a tedious and painful death! No; their life is one long and blessed repose; or rather, as the Prophet says, it is a river of peace which calmly bears them on to the everlasting rest of God. They seem to the eyes of the worldly, who are altogether absorbed with the frivolities of the passing scene, to languish and die; and yet they are full of health and life, for they taste a peace and happiness of mind which the world cannot know: Visi sunt oculis insipientium mori; illi autem sunt in pace.” A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON THE DISEASES OF THE EYE. By William Jeaffreson, late Surgeon to the Bombay Eye Infirmary, in the Hon. East India Company's Service, &c. &c. London. Renshaw, 8vo. pp. 307. THE author tells us that "the present work has been undertaken chiefly with the motive of inculcating the necessity for regarding ophthalmic practice as but a branch of the whole science of practical medicine, and in order to modify those more violent notions respecting the treatment of diseases of the eye, which are as yet even but too prevalent." We had really thought that no such necessity existed; and that no one in the present day even dreamed of practising as an "oculist" in the acceptation of the term as it was understood fifty years ago. It is true that certain parties are prone to adopt exclusive and violent extremes in practice at least if we may believe their writings, although our own experience has often shown us that many are more prejudiced on paper than when adapting their opinions to individual cases-yet we think that we shall prove in a subsequent page that our author would conduct any, who were blind enough to trust him, from one grave error into another as dangerous, if not more fatal to vision. Have the Travers', Lawrence's, Middlemore's and Tyrrell's of this country written in vain? that it is left to Mr. Jeaffreson to write a work chiefly to inculcate "the necessity for regarding ophthalmic practice as but a branch of the whole science of practical medicine." We had thought, indeed, that the profession were now fully persuaded that-in the words of Dr. Hocken*-" No one can possess scientific views of ophthalmic disease unless its study be based on comprehensive views of disease generally-hence all was dark and erroneous as long as this department of medicine was monopolized by the charlatan, and it has only within the last few years acquired its present clearness and accuracy. In the eye we may behold a miniature representation of all diseases; for here, says Dr. Latham (Med. Gaz. Vol. iii., * A Complete Condensed Practical Treatise on Ophthalmic Medicine, Part 1, p. 1. p. 216) "Nature has displayed, as in a glass, all the little intimate details of her own wonder-working powers; her modes of disorganizing, and her modes of repairing; and the aids which she receives, and the impediments she sustains, from the right and wrong application of medical agents." Our author goes on to remark that, "in the multitude of other occupations, and the studies which the regulations of the present day have imposed upon the general practitioner, it is hardly possible for him to have devoted much time and attention to the consideration of this particular branch of medicine during his pupilage, and yet, in after-life, the responsibility of many serious forms of disease of the eye will probably fall to his lot. It has been the author's endeavour so to simplify his subject as to render assistance to this highly valuable and intelligent body of practitioners." Taking it for granted that there exists a large class amongst the medical profession who are desirous of acquiring a clear correct knowledge of ophthalmic disease and the best modes of treatment, without having either the time or the inclination to wade through the voluminous publications of British and Foreign authors on the subject; it becomes a question what kind of work would best supply the wants of this particular class—viz. students and medical men actively engaged in the practice of their profession. It is of no use to tell a person thoroughly ignorant of the subject that" when the iris is the chief seat of inflammation or much implicated in the process, another important adjunct in the treatment deserves attention," unless you give him some clear directions by which he may distinguish iritis from conjunctivitis. Of what benefit then is our author's work likely to be to those who are practically unacquainted with the subject for whose convenience the book is professedly written-when they turn to its pages and find that not the slightest information is given of the symptoms or diagnostic indications, beyond some general remarks, in such important diseases as those of the iris, cornea, sclerotica, and retina. Passing by these matters, which we presume he considers unnecessary, he proceeds at once to the consideration of treatment. acute inflammations then of the iris, cornea, sclerotica and retina (if indeed such ever occurs in an isolated form), the first object of the practitioner is to check or subdue the violence of the inflammatory action." "In We have received for review within a recent period two Works on the Diseases of the Eye, written to supply the wants of those whose time is much occupied. One of these-Mr. Walker's Oculist's Vade Mecum-we noticed in our April Number; the other is by Dr. Hocken, and is entitled "A Complete Condensed, Practical Treatise on Ophthalmic Medicine," to be completed in three Parts-the first Part having only yet appeared. Another work, on a similar plan, has been advertised as in course of preparation by Mr. W. Jones. These works differ-and we have little doubt that Mr. Jones's will differ from our author's, inasmuch as they give a clear, condensed, practical account of the diseases of the different tissues of the eye, —so divided as to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, previous to any remarks on the value of remedies and the direction of treatment: and hence are of much greater use to those who are desirous of acquiring information which will prove valuable in the hour of need. The work which is really calculated to supply the wants of the student and actively-engaged practitioner, should be in truth a just medium between the voluminous works already in circulation, and those small, incomplete volumes, which are nearly, if not altogether, useless-and should contain a careful digest of the opinions and practice of foreign as well as British authors. Dr. Hocken's Work is written on this plan-his object being to give a complete digest of all that is known of the Diseases of the Eye, both from his own experience and from all sources, British and Foreign." 'He has condensed his chapters as far as was compatible with a complete practical view of the subjects treated of," and, "at the same time, has endeavoured to introduce every useful, practical and interesting fact." "As the main object has been to render the volume a faithful guide in treatment, the author has introduced a chapter on the best modes of examining the eye in various diseases, of arriving at a just diagnosis, and of directing treatment on the most successful principles." We fully believe that to examine an eye properly, to diagnose its diseases readily, and to have some clear general principles by which treatment shall be guided, is more than half the battle; and that common sense will generally be sufficient to guide the intelligent practitioner in the adaptation of remedial measures to particular cases, who is otherwise ignorant of ophthalmic practice; and, on the contrary, that no one is competent to treat the diseases of the eye who is unable to form a proper opinion of their nature and of the tissues involved. " Our author's " Contents" consist of eight chapters, whereof the 1st is introductory; the 2nd treats of " Acute Non-specific Inflammation.” 3rd. "Chronic and Specific Inflammation." 4th. "Structural Changes the result of Inflammation-Affections of the Humours, &c." 5th." Affections of the various Appendages of the Eye." 6th. "On the Affections of the Nerves of Vision." 7th. Cataract. 8th. "Malignant DiseasesMechanical Injuries, &c.-Means of Preserving the Eyesight." Of this mode of arrangement we may remark that, had we to compose a work on the diseases of the eye, we should certainly take a lesson from it-a lesson, however, which would lead us to avoid and not to copy our author's kaleidoscope plan. Our author gives a table of 53359 cases of ophthalmic disease which came under his care during the ten years he was surgeon to the Bombay Eye Infirmary-viz. from 1824 to 1834. "This table, constructed simply with the view of affording to Government a rough record of the total amount and leading characters of the cases which came under treatment, must not be considered in the same light, as if it had been drawn up for scientific purposes, in which respect it is certainly defective in many points of view." p. 12. "But of this number nearly seven thousand utterly blind persons were restored to perfect sight; namely, one thousand four hundred and thirty-two suffering from amaurosis, and five thousand five hundred and seventeen afflicted with cataract; the subjects of sixty-seven of which last were born blind." p. 16. In another publication of the author's we find that the amaurotic cases were principally cured by internal remedies, and by the use of a native preparation, which, "strange to say, instead of being applied to the eye, is dropped into the ear!" At p. 47, the author tells us that "the natives of India are in the habit of using a liquid which they drop into the ear, |