There is abundant evidence that this medicine succeeds in the worst forms of disease, and sometimes in a very short period, when all the usual modes of cure had failed. Dr. Ferguson's patient had been for nearly two years under treatment, but unsuccessfully; yet in two months, the liquor of hydriodate of arsenic and mercury succeeded, when no more than two and a half grains of arsenious acid had been administered. Dr. Hamilton's patient had been under treatment for eight years, without any apparent benefit; but when put on the use of the liquor, she recovered in a few months. Dr. White's patient, for years under the use of various remedies for an excruciating psoriasis, was cured by the liquor in seven weeks. On Mr. Jones's case nearly the same observation may be made. Dr. Hickson's patient had laboured under a disease for ten years, which was cured in less than three weeks by the liquor. Dr. Graves's patient suffered, from what he denominates superficial lupus, for four years, and had been treated in various hospitals with the usual remedies, both internal and external, and with sulphur baths-but all failed. The liquor of hydriodate of arsenic and mercury cured him within seven weeks, when he had taken but two and a half grains of arsenious acid. Dr. Kirby's case of pityriasis had been treated by various practitioners, and resisted every variety of treatment, general and local; after six months' perseverance in the use of the liquor, the disease gave way. The child treated by Sir Henry Marsh for tinea capitis had resisted various remedies during several months, but recovered perfectly under a three months' course of the liquor used internally and externally. Some of Mr. Stokes's patients had also resisted various modes of treatment. The power of this medicine over lupus is evinced by the cases of Mr. Carmichael, Mr. O'Ferrall, Mr. Jones, and Dr. White. In Mr. O'Ferrall's case, local means were also necessary. Dr. White found the liquor itself adequate as a local application.

That the external application of this medicine, in the form of lotion, is useful, there is sufficient evidence; and this is a property of importance to those whose irritability of stomach and bowels will not permit its internal exhibition. The case of Dr. Croker clearly proves its power as an external agent. The same seems to be evinced by Sir Henry Marsh's second case, in which perseverance in small doses during thirty-nine days did no service, although when the internal use of it was assisted by the external application, the patient speedily began to get well. Mr. Jones's and Dr. Hickson's cases seem also to have received benefit from the local application. I have known several instances in which the external use of the liquor alone was successful, but they were slight affections.

From the various statements it appears, that slight ptyalism sometimes supervenes on the use of the liquor of hydriodate of arsenic and mercury. This might be expected, inasmuch as each of the three elements of which it is composed, is separately capable of producing this result. Arsenic is not so generally known to possess this power; but that it does was proved by Girtanner of Gottingen, who exhibited arsenious acid largely in syphilis. More lately the fact has been again observed. That iodine possesses the same power is now almost as well known as that mercury does. I have observed, however, that when the liquor of hydriodate of arsenic and mercury produces ptyalism, it does so with less previous soreness of the gums than any other mercurial preparation, and often with none.

Mr. O'Ferrall found the effects of this medicine to be coincident with its mercurial action on the gums. Mr. Cusack observed the mouth to become tender in two instances only. And more generally a cure has been effected without soreness of the gums, or ptyalism, as appears by the silence on this symptom, of those practitioners who have furnished the preceding reports. The dose has been variously represented. Dr. Kirby is disinclined to doses exceeding twenty minims, and this quantity he conceives sufficient to

secure its curative effects. Sir Henry Marsh, in the case of a boy, twelve years old, began with fifteen minims twice a day; and gradually pushed it to half a drachm; and at length the patient got half an ounce in divided doses during twenty-four hours, which only produced "very mild in salivation." In venereal eruptions, Mr. Cusack found one or two scruples three times a day sufficient; but even when larger doses were given, he did not observe any unpleasant consequences. Dr. Irvine's patient took 3ss. three times a day, for seventy-six days, and was only twice obliged to discontinue it for two or three days, owing to headache and sickness of the stomach. Dr. Graves's patient, a woman 60 years old, took 3ss. four times a day for two months, with only two interruptions, owing to disagreement. These instances show how differently the medicine can be endured by different constitutions. It is certainly prudent to begin with Dr. Kirby's doses; but after a while, as in the case of tartar emetic, a state of tolerance is induced, and then the medicine may be gradually increased at discretion. The smallness of the quantity of arsenic and of the other elements, that sometimes effects a cure is striking, and affords an additional proof of the energy which they acquire by combining chemically. In one of Dr. O'Reilly's cases, three drachms of the liquor were successful, containing three-eighths of a grain of arsenious acid, three-fourths of a grain of peroxide of mercury, and about two and a half grains of acidified iodine; in another, one-third more of these elements was required. One of Dr. Ferguson's patients was cured by two and a half grains of arsenious acid. Dr. Osbrey succeeded with about a grain of arsenious acid, Dr. Graves with two and a-half grains, and Sir Henry Marsh, in an obstinate case of tinea capitis, with a quarter of a grain. Cases, however, occasionally prove of a very obstinate and tedious nature; and, generally speaking, skin diseases offer lengthened resistance to curative measures; thus Dr. Irvine's patient was under treatment seventy-six days, and required seven ounces of the liquor, equivalent to seven grains of arsenious acid; Dr. Graves's patient, of sixty years old, required ten and a-half grains; Sir Henry Marsh's, a child of 12 years, required a far greater quantity; some of Dr. Kirby's patients were a year under cure; and I know a lady, who being troubled with psoriasis almost all her life, is now after a year's treatment only beginning to improve.

The diseases in which practitioners have hitherto found the liquor of hydriodate of arsenic and mercury to be useful, as appears by the foregoing testimonies, are the various forms of psoriasis, impetigo, porrigo, lepra, venereal eruptions, both papular and scaly, pityriasis, sycosis, ephelis, lupus, sibbens, and some uterine diseases.

Dr.

Those who have continued to take this medicine during a long period, often lose flesh; but this is by no means a constant effect. In Dr. Croker's second case, the condition of the patient was much improved; and the lady mentioned by Dr. Kirby had become inconveniently corpulent. White's first patient was left in "excellent health and spirits," and his second was "much improved in general health." Dr. Ferguson reports his first case as having left the hospital in greatly improved, indeed excellent health," and his second as "improved" in general health, In Sir H.Marsh's third case the girl's health was much improved, and she appeared to have acquired considerable increase of flesh."

Sometimes the liquor occasions disturbance of the stomach and bowels. This occurs during the first two or three days of its exhibition; and also when by continuance of its use its effects are accumulated; and then it often affects the head. But these disagreeable results are far from being constant; in none of Mr. Stokes's many cases was there the "slightest derangement of the alimentary canal;" and the same is observable in Dr. Graves's, and several other of the foregoing reports. Future experience, will, perhaps, show, that long continued treatment with small doses

answers better than urging with large ones; the beneficial effects of arsenic are rarely in a direct ratio to the magnitude of the dose.

We have evidence that this medicine may be administered to patients of almost all ages. Thus, one of Sir Henry Marsh's patients was but five years old, while both of Dr. Graves's had attained their sixtieth year, and Dr. Croker's her sixty-eighth.

It cannot be too much impressed on prescribers of this medicine, that they incur great risk of destroying its powers by mixing it with other articles intended to modify its effects. It ought not to be conjoined with opium, nor with acetate, muriate, or sulphate of morphia. When opiates are necessary they should not be administered at the same time with the arsenico-mercurial liquor. In general the best mode of exhibition is simply to prescribe it with distilled water. And I take this opportunity of once more suggesting to the profession, that the doses of this medicine should be ascertained by the minim measure, and not by the very variable standard of drops, no two of which are alike.

11, Clare Street, Dublin.

THE SALE OF DAMAGED TEA IN PARIS.

On the night of the 12th of November, the "Reliance," an English vessel, was wrecked on the coast of Merlimont, having on board a cargo of 2700 chests of tea, which was advertised for public sale on the 25th instant. M. Dubail, after having examined the quality of the article, addressed a letter to the Faculty of Medicine in Paris, remonstrating against the circulation of a commodity which is frequently employed medicinally, and which had lost its properties by maceration in salt water. He stated, that its appearance was not much altered, but that an infusion made with it possessed none of the aroma, astringent quality, or colour of good tea. The predominant flavour was that of salt, and although the colour and form of the leaves had suffered but little change, it was entirely worthless either as a beverage or a remedial agent. M. Dubail stated, that the quantity was sufficient to supply the French market for twelve or fifteen months, and, therefore, remonstrated against its circulation in the market.

THE SALE OF DRUGS TO BREWERS.

A CORRESPONDENT has written for information respecting the penalties to which Druggists are liable for selling drugs to brewers. In order to give the most explicit answer, and at the same time to enlighten other readers on the subject, we subjoin the section of the Act of Parliament which applies to the case :

56 GEO. III, c. 58. s. 3.

"And be it further enacted, That from and after the said 5th day of July, 1817, no druggist or druggists, or vendor or vendors, or dealer or dealers in drugs, or chymist or chymists, or other person or persons whatever, shall sell, send, or deliver, or cause, procure, permit, or suffer to be sold, sent, or delivered to any licensed brewer or brewers of, or dealer or dealers in, or retailer or retailers of, beer, knowing him, her, or them to be so licensed, or to be reputed to be so licensed, or shall sell, send, or deliver, or cause or procure to be sold, sent, or delivered, to any other person or persons, for or on account of, or in trust for, or for the use of any such brewer or brewers, dealer or dealers, or retailer or retailers, any liquor called or known by the name or description of, or sold as colouring from whatever materials 2 R

VOL. II.

the same may have been made, or any other material or preparation other than unground brown malt, for the purpose of darkening the colour of worts or beer, or any liquor or preparation, such as has been heretofore, or shall hereafter, be made use of for or in the darkening of the colour of worts or beer, or any melasses, honey, liquorice, vitriol, quassia, coculus Indiæ, grains of paradise, Guinea pepper or opium, or any extract or preparation of melasses, honey, liquorice, vitriol, quassia, coculus Indiæ, grains of paradise, Guinea pepper, or opium, or any article or preparation to be used in worts or beer, for, or as a substitute for malt or hops respectively; and if any druggist or druggists, or vendor or vendors of, or dealer or dealers in drugs, or any chymist, or any other person or persons whatever, shall sell, send, or deliver, or cause, or procure, or permit, or suffer to be sold, sent, or delivered to any licensed brewer or brewers of, or dealer or dealers in, or retailer or retailers of beer, knowing him, her, or them to be so licensed, or to be reputed to be so licensed, or shall sell, send, or deliver, or cause or procure to be sold, sent, or delivered, to any other person or persons, for, or on account of, or in trust for, or for the use of, any such brewer or brewers, or dealer or dealers, or retailer or retailers of beer, any liquor called or known by the name or description of, or sold as colouring, from whatever materials the same may have been made, or any other material or preparation, other than unground brown malt, for the purpose of darkening the colour of worts or beer, or any liquor or preparation, such as has been heretofore used, or as shall hereafter be made use of, for, or in the darkening the colour of worts or beer, except as aforesaid, or any melasses, honey, liquorice, vitriol, quassia, coculus Indiæ, grains of paradise, Guinea pepper, or any extract or preparation of melasses, honey, liquorice, vitriol, quassia, coculus Indiæ, grains of paradise, Guinea pepper, opium, or any article or preparation to be used in worts or beer, for, or as a substitute for, malt or hops respectively, all such liquor, called or known by the name or description of, or sold as colouring and material, or preparation for the purpose aforesaid, and liquor or preparation used, or which shall hereafter be used, for or in the darkening the colour of worts or beer, melasses, honey, liquorice, vitriol, quassia, coculus Indiæ, grains of paradise, Guinea pepper, extract or preparation of melasses, honey, liquorice, vitriol, quassia, coculus Indiæ, grains of paradise, Guinea pepper, opium, and article or preparation to be used for, or as a substitute for, malt or hops respectively, shall be forfeited, and the same respectively shall and may be seized by any officer or officers of excise, and the druggist or druggists, vendor or vendors of, or dealer or dealers in, drugs, or chymist or chymists, or other person or persons whatever, so offending, shall, for each and every such offence, forfeit and lose the sum of £500."

REVIEW.

By

ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA AND THERAPEUTICS. ANTHONY TODD THOMSON, M. D., F.L.S., Professor of Materia Medica at the University College, London. Third edition, enlarged and improved.

THE former editions of this work are so well known to the profession, that it is scarcely necessary for us to analyse it in detail. The author states, that he "has adopted that arrangement of his subject which he thinks the best calculated to make the work useful, both to the student and the junior practitioner." The vari

ous substances used in medicine are classified according to their therapeutical effects, under the several heads of Vital Agents, Chemical Agents, and Mechanical Agents. This arrangement, it will be seen, differs materially from that which Dr. Thomson has adopted in his lectures, in which his classification relates more to the physical characters of the substances. For instance, in the lectures, the plants are arranged according to the natural system, and their component parts are classified as roots, barks, seeds, &c. &c., while in the work the same substances are treated of, in reference to their qualities, as purgatives, sedatives, diuretics, &c. &c.; and hence those articles which have more than one kind of action on the animal economy are noticed under each of these heads. Although the classification adopted in the lectures is more appropriate for the Pharmaceutical Chemist, there is obviously an advantage in studying the subject under every aspect, and thus obtaining a more complete acquaintance with the comparative power and efficacy of the various medicinal agents. The present edition of Dr. Thomson's work is considerably enlarged, and it is illustrated with a great number of wood-cuts, many of which are particularly well executed.

SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES.

ROYAL INSTITUTION.

THE first Friday evening meeting for the season took place on the 20th of January, and the attendance was extremely numerous in consequence of the announcement that Professor Faraday was to open the session with a communication on the subject of his recent researches on Electrical Phenomena. The anticipations of the audience were more than realized, as the professor was particularly felicitous in all his experiments and illustrations, and treated the subject in a manner which could not fail to interest and instruct every one present.

LONDON INSTITUTION.

JANUARY 18, 1843.

CONNEXION BETWEEN THERMOGRAPHY AND VOLTAIC ELECTRICITY-CONTACT THEORY OF ELECTRICITY.

At the soirée held at this Institution on Wednesday last, Professor Grove gave a Lecture on some discoveries in Physical Science during the last year. In the course of the lecture he stated, that he had himself made out the following facts with regard to metallic thermographs: 1st, When two portions of the same metal are juxtaposed at the same temperature, little