only were there applied (in addition to masks) thick velvet pads and bandages, fitting as tightly to the face as the very skin itself, but the boy's eyes, after being, as it were, sealed by magnetic manipulations, were covered to the extent of two inches around, and half an inch in thickness, with plaster of Paris, and other opaque cements; and yet did the patient receive impressions enabling him to read, play at dominoes, and so forth." The substance of a rejoinder by Dr Smethurst may be seen in the Medical Times of 2d March, page 402.

"

IV. Our Library Table.

1. The Medico-Chirurgical Transactions, vol. xxvi., contains a valuable paper, by Dr John Webster, entitled, "Statistics of Bethlem Hospital, with Remarks on Insanity." The author points out a uniformly increasing proportion of patients discharged cured, along with a diminished ratio of mortality, in cases of mental disease in that establishment, during the period which has elapsed since the middle of the last century. In the three years 1750-51-52, 461 patients were admitted; 145, or 31 per cent. were cured; and 118, or 25 per cent. died;—while, in 1840-41-42, 897 were admitted; 492, or near 55 per cent. were cured; and 51, or 5 per cent. died. Such are the triumphs of improved treatment!-The common opinion, that in this country insanity is more prevalent among women than among men, is shewn by Dr Webster to be wellfounded; and it farther appears that mania is more curable in females than in males. During the twenty years ending 31st December 1842, the number of females admitted exceeded that of the males by 47 per cent. ; yet, while only 463 per cent. of males were cured, the rate of cure in the case of females was 554. The deaths were-males, 6 per cent.; females, 41. And, as the same facilities regarding the admission of patients into the hospital prevail, without any reference to sex, provided the cases are recent, the above results must be pronounced conclusive. The statistics of St Luke's Hospital confirm them.-We learn also, that "instances of self-destruction are now much less frequently met with in public institutions for the insane than formerly; notwithstanding the fact that patients enjoy at present greater freedom, are more frequently engaged in varied occupations, and even sometimes are allowed to use dangerous tools in their respective handicrafts, than in the olden time, when restraint and coercion were more commonly employed." In the twenty years ending 1st January 1770, the number of suicides was, to

the number of admissions, as about 1 to 202; whereas in the twenty years ending 31st December 1842, it was only as 1 to 925, or less than one-fourth of the former proportion. Of the persons who committed suicide during the former period, six were males and twelve females; of the five who destroyed themselves during the latter period, all were females; the latter sex thus being indicated to be more prone to this act than males. That restraint and strict confinement do not secure the patients better than the improved modern treatment, but the reverse, appears from the fact, that, during the former of the periods above specified, forty-four males and eleven females "ran away," being one escape for every sixty-six admissions; while, during the latter period, only eleven men and five women made their escape, being one for every 292 admissions, or less than one-fourth the previous amount. These details farther shew, that females, though more prone to suicide than males, less frequently run away. Insane females are found more likely to attain old age, although their mental disease may be considered incurable, than males, under similar circumstances. One of the most valuable features of Dr Webster's paper is a "Synopsis of the Principal Pathological Appearances met with in 72 Insane Patients, examined in Bethlem Hospital since the 1st January 1837, by William Lawrence, Esq., F.R.S., &c." From this it appears that " some pathological changes of structure, more or less evident, were found in the brain or membranes of the whole 72 dissections reported, of which it may be stated, as a summary, that 55 cases likewise exhibited diseased alterations of structure of some kind or other in the organs of the chest, whilst only 14 patients shewed any morbid appearances in the abdominal viscera. Undoubtedly, this peculiarity may perhaps have been owing to the circumstance, that the abdomen was not opened in every instance, although the presumption is otherwise in the great majority of the cases now detailed." The synopsis, it is added, does not comprise only selected dissections; since the table, in reality, forms a consecutive series of cases, drawn up in the exact order in which they were originally entered on the register of the hospital by Mr Lawrence; the only omissions being two cases in which the brain was not examined. The pathological changes of structure observed in the head were as follows:- "In 59 cases, there was infiltration of the pia mater. In 59, turgidity of the bloodvessels of the brain and membranes. In 41, effusion of water in the ventricles. In 27, water was met with at the basis of the brain. In 19, bloody points on the cut surfaces of the medullary substance. In 16, thickening and opacity of the

arachnoid coat. In 14, the colour of the medullary or cortical substance of the brain was altered from its natural hue to brown, pink, grey, violet, ochre, or white. And in 13 cases, there was an effusion of blood in the brain. Besides these diseased appearances, various other alterations of structure were met with in particular patients; such as effusion of pus on the brain; changed consistence of its texture; greater dryness than usual of the membranes; flattening, a shrunk, or a swollen state of the organ itself; with other changes different from a normal condition." As to the rationale of the morbid appearances usually met with in the brains of lunatics on dissection, Dr Webster expresses a strong inclination to concur with the Anatomists, in opposition to the Vitalists; but we subjoin in a note what he has said more fully on this subject in another work.*

Extract from the 3d edition of Dr Webster's Observations on the Admission of Pupils to Bethlem Hospital, p. 56.-" Speaking generally, most medical practitioners in France who make mental diseases their practical study, are at the present moment divided into two sects, the Anatomists and the Vitalists. The former section affirm this principle, that lunacy always exhibits specific alterations of structure in the brain and nervous system, which characterize the disease; on the other hand, the Vitalists assert that the changes of structure met with in the brains of certain lunatics, so far from being characteristic, or the real cause of the symptoms met with during life, are merely effects. Among the supporters of the latter doctrine, Pinel, Esquirol, Georget, Lélut, and Leuret, occupy the first rank; whilst the anatomists possess the authoritative names of Foville, Parchappe, Belhomme, Calmeil, Moreau, and others. But this is not the place to enter into the arguments with which both divisions support their particular opinions; however, it may be interesting to state this much in regard to the management and remedies which each party think judicious, and ought to be employed; that the anatomists place much dependence upon the physical treatment of the disease, both by remedial means, and the employment of the patients in some bodily occupation, whilst the vitalists depend with great confidence upon moral treatment and mental recreation; or, to quote the dictum of one of their greatest authorities in the cause, rely on the power of logic and the force of reasoning in the treatment of lunatics;' or perhaps, as a less enthusiastic advocate would say, endeavour to convince the patient in the first place that he is actually insane, and then try to reason him out of his delusions. This is certainly putting an extreme case; but it may shew the absurd conclusions violent partizans of any particular theory will even arrive at, when only looking upon one side of the question. Each party think their opponents are quite wrong, and of course, that they are themselves the only promulgators of true doctrines, whilst both sections bring forward plenty of arguments and illustrations in support of their respective opinions regarding insanity. For my own part, I confess both facts and reasoning greatly preponderate in favour of the anatomists; and seeing such scientific and experienced physicians as MM. Foville and Parchappe entertaining such opinions, that of itself is, in my estimation at least, a strong argument in favour of the conclusion, that the doctrines of the anatomists rest on the most stable foundation."

In the same volume of the Transactions, Dr Webster reports an interesting case of paralysis, without loss of sensation, but, on the contrary, an increase, during the latter stages of the disease, of acuteness of the sense of feeling.

2. The Phrenological Library-Gall on the Functions of the Brain, Parts IV. and V. London: G. Berger. 8vo.Gall's second volume is commenced in Part IV. Many improvements of style continue to be made on the American translation, though occasionally at the sacrifice of minute accuracy. Care should be taken to avoid this in future, and also to spell names correctly.

3. Thoughts on Physical Education and the True Mode of Improving the Condition of Man. By CHARLES CALDWELL, M.D., &c. With a Recommendatory Preface by George Combe. 2d British Edition. Edinburgh: Maclachlan & Co.; London: Simpkin & Co. Royal 8vo.-Our high opinion of this work has already been repeatedly expressed. (See ix. 481, and x. 170.) In an advertisement prefixed to the present edition by Mr Cox its editor, he says "The reception of the previous edition of this treatise by the British public was so favourable, that already the work has been nearly six years out of print. Encouraged by this result, and believing that the principles so clearly and forcibly expounded by Dr Caldwell are calculated to increase, in no trifling degree, the health and happiness of those who shall act in accordance with them, the Editor has thought it desirable to publish a new edition, in a form which enables him to adapt its price to the resources of a less wealthy but more numerous class of readers than that for which the former edition was more especially designed by the publishers. It gives him pleasure to add, that Dr Caldwell has expressed his entire satisfaction with the manner in which the work has been enlarged and improved by the addition of passages from his other writings."

4. The Zoist, No. IV. In a well-written and ingenious article published in this Number by Mr Herbert Spencer, and entitled "A New View of the Functions of Imitation and Benevolence," it is maintained that sympathy is the function of the former (as Mr Hudson Lowe, unknown to Mr S., had suggested in our 14th volume), and that sensitiveness, or the sense of pleasure and pain, is the function of the organ to which the latter name has hitherto been applied. Notwithstanding Mr Spencer's clever pleading for this view of the function of Benevolence, we think his theory at variance with

the result of wide experience, which fails to discover so constant a relation between the size of the organ and the sensitiveness of the individual, as he says he has found. We retain the opinion that each faculty is sensible of pleasures and pains in its own sphere; and that in proportion to the size and excitability of its organ (the excitability being materially affected by temperament, to which Mr Spencer denies all influence in the production of sensitiveness), is the acuteness of those pleasures and pains. Did space permit, we might urge also some weighty theoretical objections to Mr Spencer's doctrine; for, with his eyes wide open to facts that favour it, he is not very clear-sighted with respect to such as have an opposite tendency.-The chief other articles in this Number of the Zoist are on "Education as it is" (i. e., what nobody is now bold enough to deny, very defective, both in quantity and quality); on the Cerebral Development and Character of the late John Constable, R. A., by Mr Hering; on the Organ of Size, by Mr Atkinson; and "Cures of Epileptic and other Fits with Mesmerism," by Dr Elliotson.

5. The Illuminated Magazine, No. VII., for November 1843, contains an article in an ironical strain, intended to ridicule Phrenology, and illustrated by amusing woodcuts. The satire is perhaps deserved by some who call themselves phrenologists. In the December Number, p. 79, a curious anecdote is related by a medical gentleman who writes under the name of "Luke Roden, M. D.," of a boy who, from a most affectionate brother, changed to a most tyrannical and malicious, in consequence of cerebral injury produced by a spicula of bone, growing from the inner surface of a part of the skull which had been depressed by a blow inflicted at school with the end of a ruler. After an operation on the skull by Mr Cline, which disclosed and removed the cause of the evil, the boy's attachment to his brother returned, and he, moreover, got rid of strong platonic passion which had seized him for a lady, the mother of five children, of whom the eldest was older than himself. We have reason to believe that this anecdote is perfectly authentic.

6. The Phreno-Magnet.-The first volume was completed in December, and is decorated with a portrait of its editor, and a view of the cottage in which he was born. He announces the intention of henceforth publishing the work, not as hitherto in monthly Numbers, but as an annual volume, to be issued about the end of each autumn. This arrangement will afford him more leisure for the digestion of his theories.