stated as facts what every apothecary's apprentice here knows to be the merest and most ludicrous fictions.

MEDICAL EDUCATION SCHOOL.

An establishment for the education of medical men's sons, whether designed for the medical profession or not, has been proposed by Mr. Martin, of Reigate, and warmly received by the Provincial Association. It is an admirable suggestion. Medical practitioners have often more difficulty in procuring good primary instruction for their children, than food and raiment for themselves and families. Such an establishment, therefore, would be an inestimable boon to a large portion of our hard-working brethren, especially in the country, where education is much more inaccessible than in the metropolis and large provincial cities. We think a general appeal to the whole profession, of all ranks and classes, could hardly fail of great success. Let energy, prudence, and liberality combine with strict impartiality in this great and good proposal.

IRISH MEDICAL BENEVOLENT FUND SOCIETY.

No liberal profession suffers so much from temporary loss of health as the medical. The Bishop can order a substitute to do the duty of the sick clergyman, without injury to shepherd or flock. The attorney can direct his clerk, even when he is prostrate on the bed of sickness-but the physician, surgeon, and general practitioner lose their income the moment they are rendered incapable of personally attending to their patients! It is a wonder that some extensive association is not formed for raising a sum that may meet such melancholy contingencies. The Widows and Orphans Fund in London-the Provincial Association in the country-and various other local institutions, though productive of good, in proportion to their means, are quite inadequate to the relief of a hundredth part of the distress that is perpetually existing in the ranks of the profession.

The Institution at the head of this article is a meritorious one. The second Report lies before us, and informs us that

"It is not intended either to be a Benefit Society, or an Assurance Club; but, strictly speaking, a Benevolent or Charitable Institution, founded and promoted for the express purpose of assisting our professional brethren, when struggling under the pressure of disease or other calamities. It is likewise proposed, under circumstances of peculiar urgency and distress, to administer relief to the widow or family of a professional man, who may have been deprived of the support and protection of a husband or parent. While, therefore, the sole design of this Society is to hold out the hand of charity and benevolence to a suffering and afflicted brother, or his family, it will not countenance improvidence or idleness, or evil habits of any kind."

The following are the chief rules of the Society.

"1. That a Charitable Fund be created by Donations and Subscriptions of Physicians and Surgeons to be called the Medical Benevolent Fund of Ireland.*

"The Society will not acknowledge any one as a fit object of relief, who has not received a regular professional education, and is either a Doctor of Physic, or a Licentiate or Member of a College of Surgeons."

"2. That Contributions be received from all persons friendly to the objects of the Society, though not belonging to the profession.

"3. That the object of the Fund be the relief of Medical Men under severe and urgent distress, occasioned by sickness, accident, or any other calamity. "4. That any Medical Man labouring under such afflictions be considered a fit object for the Charity.

"5. That the claims of Contributors shall, as far as possible, have the preference; but that contributions to the Fund give no claim of right to relief, the Fund being one of pure charity, and that each case be judged according to the urgency of the distress.

"6. That under circumstances of peculiar emergency, relief may be extended to the Widows and Orphans of Medical Men, it being understood that it is not the design of this Fund to relieve Medical Men from the necessity of providing for their families by ordinary life insurances, and such other means as prudence dictates.

"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he is worse than an infidel."-1. Tim. v. 8.

"7. That the management of the Fund be conducted by Committees of the contributing members, annually appointed; the Central Committee to be at Dublin, and local committees, subordinate to the Central, in each of the principal cities and towns; the Central Committee having power to appoint local committees, wherever they may be required."

On the 22nd February a third meeting took place, Sir H. Marsh in the chair, and, from the report of the Secretary, the Association wears a thriving and prosperous appearance. The members of the profession in Ireland cannot too zealously support this young institution. We wish it every success.

NORTHAMPTON AND SHIRE.

In an eloquent address to the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, by that distinguished Physician, Dr. Robertson, of Northampton, there are many interesting remarks on the medical topography and diseases of that inland county. The shire itself is somewhat in the form of a wedge, the thick end of which (almost the highest table-land in the kingdom) is to the westward, while it slopes away eastward towards the Fens of Lincolnshire. From its great elevation it is very unfavourable to the pulmonary apparatus, and consumption is very prevalent and fatal. The habits and employments of the people, too, are unfavourable to health. In all the towns and most of the villages, the bulk of the artisans are busied in sedentary employments-the men in making boots and shoes-the women in binding them, and making lace. They are often huddled together in confined apartments, breathing a heated and contaminated air-or rushing out into the cool atmosphere in the evening, while jaded and exhausted. The effects of such habits, too often exasperated by beastly intemperance, may be easily conceived. Glandular obstructions, tubercular deposits, visceral congestion are the most prominent features of the diseases of the people here. The agricultural labourers escape but little more than the artisans, though their employments are so different. In them, the evil influence of cold and damp displays itself in the forms of rheumatism, dyspepsy, and disease of the heart, or acute rheumatism. Functional disorder of the stomach and organic disease of the liver are also frequent. All these Dr. R. refers to the keen air and damp. These when combined are extremely deleterious to the human frame. The subsoil of the greater part of Northamptonshire is a stiff clay that tenaciously retains the wet. The country in question is remarkably free from epidemics. Typhus, erysipelas, and the like, sometimes occur sporadically, but

are never extensively prevalent. In 1828, ague was epidemie; but in that year it prevailed all through England. In that epidemic the inhabitants of higher grounds were more frequently affected than those of the lower. This has been observed in Tropical climates, and is evidently owing to the ascent of the miasmata, and their impinging against elevations of ground.

Dr. R. introduces an eloquent eulogy on the motives which draw the Provincial Association annually together, and the good effects which result from such meetings.

"The mere fact of our assembling in this manner, for purposes partly scientific and partly social, is infallibly productive of great benefits to the profession. It brings us together; it makes us personally acquainted; it enables us to know, to appreciate, and to esteem each other. It transmutes into harmony, right feeling, and mutual regard, those jealousies, estrangements, and heartburnings, which have been too long the reproach, I might say the disgrace, of our noble profession. The Provincial Medical and Surgical Association is thus gradually bringing about a great and salutary reform; a reform, too, for which we are not indebted to the Legislature, nor obliged to court the smiles of any Minister of state. Gentlemen, I am second to no one in my anxiety for the real improvement of our profession; which, to say nothing of its rank as a science, is unquestionably to be classed as the noblest and best of the arts. But, although the honour, dignity, and prosperity of the profession, in all its branches, are dear to my heart, and although I do not undervalue discreet and well-considered reform, I have never been what is called a keen medical reformer. I have always felt that the greatest evils of the profession are such as no legislation can reach or remedy. It may be said of us, as has been said by some one, (I forget whom, for I quote from memory,) in a more general

sense:

"How many ills the race of men endure

That kings and laws can neither cause nor cure!""

Dr. Robertson despairs (as well he may) of uprooting quackery from the land by any penal statutes; but this is a very different thing from throwing open the practice of medicine to every pretender, without enforcing a rigid examination upon all who undertake the cure of bodies, as well as of souls.

The Orator feelingly deplores the illiberality which the members of the profession too often exhibit towards each other: here is the grand field for reform. If we do not amend our conduct among ourselves, we need expect little from the Legislature. This address from the talented and excellent writer is replete with moral sentiments that do equal honour to his head and his heart.

BIRMINGHAM ROYAL SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, &C.

By a letter from the Rev. V. Thomas to the Rev. Dr. Warneford, we perceive, with pleasure, that an educational and subsidiary establishment is about to be added to the Medical School, by which great improvements will be introduced

* We believe it ought to run thus :

"Of all the varied ills that men endure,

How few are those that kings or laws can cure!"

Bad kings and bad laws (Napoleon and Cæsar for example) have caused innumerable evils; but they have cured very few of those to which human nature is liable!-Ed.

in the system of boarding, lodging, and private tuition, whilst the moral and religious education of the pupils will be carefully attended to. It is curious that this great desideratum should be first called into actual existence by a provincial town. The Schools of London, Edinburgh, Dublin, are all destitute of a collegiate establishment, where the health, morals, and religion of medical students might be watched over. The scattered, isolated, and uncontrolled manner in which young medical pupils live, is too often destructive to mind, body, and professional prospects in after-life.

There will be one great difficulty, however, in the formation of such a collegiate establishment, whether at Birmingham or elsewhere-RELIGIOUS CREEDS! "This, as well as all other regulations appertaining to religion, should be based upon the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, one of whose Ministers ought to be the resident Warden or Principal of the College." Here is the difficulty! The Catholic, the Dissenter, the Israelite who choose to study medicine, cannot avail themselves of the discipline and protection of the collegiate establishment, and must shift for themselves! This is, and is likely long to be, the great stumbling-block in the formation of colleges attached to Medical Schools. It is one over which the London "UNIVERSITY COLLEGE" itself could not get, with all its talents and ingenuity!

MALARIA-TEETOTALISM.

Mr. Morris, who practises at Spalding, in Lincolnshire, states that, from observation among the fenny and malarious parts of that country, the TEETOTALERS are more liable to suffer from malarious affections, as fever and intermittents, than those who take a moderate portion of stimulants. This is consonant with universal experience in all unhealthy climates, whether inter or extra-tropical. If, however, moderation in vinous or malt liquors be exceeded, the opposite effects are produced. The excess predisposes to malarious impressions even more than the total abstinence from stimuli. Mr. Morris illustrates his proposition by allusion to Irish labourers (Teetotalers) who come over in the Autumn, and who are apt to get ill till they break Father Mathew's pledge, and drink some English stout.

UNITY OF Sentiment.

Our respected cotemporary of the GAZETTE, thinks he has at length discovered unity of sentiment in the medical profession from the Pentland Frith to the Cliffs of Shanklin-from the Lizard to the Goodwin Sands-REPROBATION Of the "New Medical Reform Bill." But our contemporary is rather premature. The Dublin “ MEDICAL PRESS" has taken up the cudgels in favour of Sir James Graham's "free trade in physick," and Dr. J. Davies, of Hertford, has stept into the field, as a valiant Lieutenant to the Hero of the Green Isle. With the latter advocate of things as they are to be, we shall not meddle; and with the columns of Dr. Davies in the Provincial Press, we shall not occupy much space. The gist of the Doctor's arguments lies chiefly in this fact-that legal restrictions, pains and penalties have not, hitherto, been found equal to the eradication of quackery-and, ergo, such pains and penalties should be erased from the Statute-book, as disgraceful to modern freedom in trade. All that we shall say in answer to this is that as the pains and penalties-including a swing on "Tyburn tree"-which have been enacted against MURDER, have not, hitherto, erased that foul crime from the long lists of our criminal calendars-ergo, all punishments for such offence should be sponged away from our legal tablets!

Did it never occur to our sapient doctor, that although crimes cannot be completely eradicated by human or even Divine laws, they may be checked and lessened by them; and that, at all events, they ought to be held up to general reprobation by penalties however inadequate to their entire prevention.

But it is not open undisguised quackery alone that should come under the operation of legal enactments. Sir James Graham's "voluntary system" of examination and registration will let in a flood of half-educated practitioners who will do more harm to the practice of physick and surgery than all the quacks of the land. This is THE evil of the contemplated measure!

DR. DALTON.

It is an old and trite remark, that the lives of literary, scientific, and philosophic men seldom present such important epochs and events in their mortal career as to greatly interest the general mass of mankind. The Nelsons, the Napoleons, the Wellingtons, whose genius or talents decided the fate of battles, or even of nations, are the grand subjects for popular biography, and their eventful lives are sure to fix the attention of all readers.

The late Dr. Dalton, of Manchester, the father of our chemical philosophers, of modern times, occupied no small space in the scientific world, and has recently paid the debt of Nature at the mature age of 78 years. He was born at Cockermouth in September 1766, and little is known of his early history, except that he was fond of mathematics. Between 1784 and 94, his name appears as a frequent contributor to the Gentleman's and the Lady's Diary. In 1788 he commenced his meteorological observations, which were continued to the day of his death. In 1799 Dalton began to teach mathematics and natural philosophy. A small circuit round his laboratory, in George Street, appears to have been the limits of his peregrinations for many many years. The Memoirs of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester have presented almost unbroken records of Dr. Dalton's labours till nearly the close of author and books. The greatest of his discoveries was the atomic theory-1803. His whole life seems to have been spent in teaching chemistry; but the longest life will come to an end. In April 1837, Dr. Dalton experienced an attack of paralysis, which deprived him of the use of one side, and also, for a time, of speech. After this, he had repeated attacks, together with other illnesses, which greatly impaired his physical strength and intellectual energy. On Saturday, the 26th July, he appeared in his usual health, but in the night breathed his last, without a struggle or a groan! The Manchester Guardian says:-" Science has lost one of its most devoted sons-England, one of its greatest scavans -and humanity, one of its brightest living examples of the wisdom of the philosopher, united with the purity and simplicity of the child."

FREE TRADE.

If Ministers have been unable or unwilling to throw open a free trade in Corn, they seem determined to do it in Physic! The MILLENNIUM MEDICUM is fast approaching. In the year of grace, 1845, unlawful medical practice will cease throughout Great Britain. In that year all preventive checks on the noble art and science of medicine and surgery will vanish into air-thin air! We do not allude exclusively to Charlatans. They have always been respected by the community at large in this country, and are now to be under the especial patronage of the Legislature. But we look to the half, or the uneducated me