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the needle, but here the parts were more solid, as only a dro{or two of blood escaped.Mr. Wilkinson, surgeon to the prison, to whom we are in.

debted for these details, considered, after this puncturing, thatthe tumour was composed of a number of cysts, that some 01these contained serum, and that the other portions of thetumour were steatomatous. Mr. Wilkinson would have hadno hesitation in extirpating the tumour, had he not been pre-vented by certain prison regulations, as he considered thetumour subcutaneous, and external to the muscular parietes.The patient’s health remained good up to his release from

prison, on which day he was received at Charing-crossHospital.The tumour was then found occupying, as we stated above,

the whole inguinal region, from the crest of the ilium to thepubis; it was larger than an adult head, gave no pain on pres-sure, was elastic and yielding in the lower part, but nodulatedand more resisting in the upper, and large veins were coursingin the integuments covering it. The patient’s countenancewas rather anxious, but his general health seemed pretty good.After he had been a few days in the hospital, Mr. Hancockmade a puncture into the lower part of the tumour with anexploring-needle, and gave exit to a small quantity of serum;the latter was examined by Mr. Canton, and found to containnothing but the usual constituents of that fluid; the exploring-needle being used a second time with the same results, thetumour was looked upon as a multilocular one, and Air. Han-cock, yielding to the request of the patient, consented to re-move it.On the 25th of August the man was placed under the influ-

ence of chloroform, and Mr. Hancock made a longitudinal in-cision through the integuments covering the tumour. Aftera little dissection a tough texture came into view, on dividingwhich a large quantity of clots and fibrinous concretionsarrested the operator. A portion of the internal obliquemuscle was now perceived, and as Mr. Hancock removed theclots and fibrinous masses, he found that he had penetratedinto the abdomen. It now became evident that the tumourwas mainly composed of these soft materials, that it had grownOutwards and inwards, and had destroyed the abdominalparietes. It was therefore thought prudent to carry the ope-ration no further; the lips of the wound were brought togetherby sutures, and the man carried to bed. He rallied prettywell for a few days, but it was evident that the sloughing andpartial haemorrhage which were going on in the groin, were etelling very unfavourably upon his frame. He died about aweek after the operation.On a post-mortem examination, it was ascertained that the

tumour had originated in the walls of the abdomen, and hadtaken, probably at the time it increased rapidly, a directionboth towards the groin and abdominal cavity. The decompo.sition of parts and sloughing were considerable, and the clots,fibrinous masses, and proper substance of the tumour, hadbroken down to such an extent as to leave more a cavitythan a swelling. It was, however, found that the parietes ofthe abdomen had been, in that region, quite destroyed, thatthe tumour lay on the omentum, and was attached to thecsecum and transverse colon. The adhesions were, however,easily broken down; and when these viscera were examinedit was discovered that they were not involved in the disease.No morbid alteration was noticed in any of the larger vesselspassing over the brim of the pelvis, and no tumour or depositwas made out in the principal cavities of the body. Some ofthe substance forming the bulk of the growth was examinedunder the microscope, and found to contain numerous can-cerous cells. IThe deceptive characters which were presented by this 1

tumour were:-lst, the fact of its having originally beenmoveable and distinctly lodged in the subcutaneous tissue;2nd, the very slow development of the growth (except for thelast twelve months), and the almost complete absence of pain;3rd, the serum which escaped upon puncturing the lower por-tion of the tumour; 4th, the excellent state of health which thepatient enjoyed up to the time of the operation; 5th, the non-appearance of that tendency to ulceration which malignanttumours almost always show.Now as to the first of these characters, it may be that the

swelling was originally of a simple kind, but that it took on,at a late period, (when its increase became very rapid,) amalignant nature. The explanation of the second characteris the same as that of the first, though it still remains a verystriking exception, that a medullary tumour should havetaken a rapid development for a twelvemonth, without givingrise to any pain.The serum vhich t’/e mentioned in the third place, was

certainly very puzzling, for the idea of a fibro-cystictumour immediately presented itself, since these tumourshave been known to take their origin from the subcutaneoustissue of the abdomen. But now that we know that thetumour was malignant, it may perhaps be inferred that itsvessels, having become very thin, had given way, that hsemor-rhage had taken place, as happens with the medullarytumours formerly called fungus haematodes, and that theserum obtained had merely separated from the clots.As to the good state of health which we mentioned in the

fourth place, it must be looked upon as an exception, thoughpatients are sometimes met with who do not exhibit the can-cerous cachexia for a long time. Touching the tendency toulceration, which was here absent, (fifth character,) it wouldseem that the pressure, which generally gives rise to it, wasexerted towards the abdomen. The complete destruction ofthe walls of this cavity is certainly a feature which pointsvery strongly to malignancy, but the existence of this destruc-tion could hardly be suspected, as there arose no symp-toms of any abdominal disturbance.

, jM.e mistake not, our readers will rise from the perusalof case with the conviction that the greatest care andattention do not shield from occasional error; and that, as arule, we ought to advocate and advise the early removal oftumours, although they may not create very great inconve-nience. This remark applies to growths both of an innocentand of a malignant kind.

Reviews and Notices of Books.

A Report of the Cctzase Jackson and Wife v. - Roe, Esq., M.D.,as tried at the Devon Slt7mner Assizes, 1852. With Remarks onthe Treatment of Diseases of the Wonzb. By EDWARD T. ROE,M.D., Plymouth. London: Whittaker and Co. Pamphlet,pp. 54.WE briefly alluded to the trial of which this pamphlet gives a

detailed account, at the time of its occurrence. At that period ouropinion, formed from lengthened reports in the local newspapers,was, that the charge against Dr. Roe was most unwarrantableand unfounded. A perusal of the more complete account of thetrial, which is given in the pamphlet before us, serves only tostrengthen that opinion. As is correctly observed by Dr. Roe,-

" The broad outlines of the case for the phintiff are, that

having been told by another medical man she had syphilis, sheapplied to defendant in a feigned name, to know if such was thecase. That during defendant’s attendance upon her, he examinedher, and stated she had also disease of the womb, although shehad never felt pain there."The defendant attended her for eleven months, without her

expressing any dissatisfaction until he sent his hill of twenty-seven guineas—E5 only of which she paid-and she then broughtthis action, affirming she had never told the defendant she hadany other symptoms than pains in the head, face, collar-bone,and arm, and that she never had anything the matter with herbut tic douloureux’ of the face."

It is unnecessary to wade through the mass of disgusting evi-dence adduced for the plaintiff, or to refer even cursorily tothat which was offered on behalf of the defendant. It will besufficient to say that the verdict was justly, in our opinion, givenfor Dr. Roe. There was not a tittle of evidence adduced to

prove the charge of mala-praxis. Would the trial have ever beenheard of, if the demand for payment by Dr. Roe had not beenmade?

Having said so much in defence of Dr. Roe, we should havebeen glad to have thus finished our notice of his production.But the addition which he has made to his report of the trialmust not pass unnoticed. His " Remarks on the Treatment of

Complaints of the Womb" are, in our judgment, most unjustifi-able additions to the report of the trial. The publication of thatproceeding might perhaps have been necessary to vindicate theprofessional reputation of the author in the eyes of the public.Even upon this point, however, a difference of opinion may exist.Surely the full reports which appeared in the local papers weresufficient for the purpose. It could scarcely have been necessary to drag before the public the disgusting narrative 3S"n.Admit that " some professional and private friends" might - desirethat the cause should be published"-can it be pebble that any

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friend of the author, professional or private, could wish to see the<’ Remarks" added to it? We cannot believe that their publicationhas the sanction of the highly respected physician to whom thispamphlet is dedicated. Recollect this is a work intended for the

public; it is issued, not from a medical publisher, but from apublisher of general literature, and is sold by booksellers in Bath,Bristol, Plymouth, and Devonport. Who can doubt the objectof Dr. Roe, in appending these remarks to his defence? Look atthe contents!

Our limits will not allow of our doing more than to glanceat some of the complaints of the womb, and we have thereforeselected those which are curable and most commonly met within practice.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.-On the Frequency of Complaints of the Womb. I,CHAPTER Il.-On Physical Examination in Complaints of

the Womb.CHAPTER III.&mdash;On the Local and General Symptoias of

Complaints of the Womb.CHAPTER IV. - own the Treatment of Complaints of the

Womb."

In the name of the profession, then, we strongly protest againstthe proceeding adopted by Dr. Roe. It is not to be justified on anyprinciple of professional ethics, and is more calculated to injurethe author in the eyes of his professional brethren, than anyinjury he could have sustained from the public by withholdingthis report of his trial from publication. The " remarks," too,are quite contemptible, when considered with reference to theirstrictly professional character.

New InventionsIN AID OF THE

PRACTICE OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY.

DR. FITCH’S Patent Abdominal ’Mpp0}’6’.THIS is an invention, as its name implies, for the purpose of

giving external mechanical support to the lower part of theabdomen. It consists of an anterior pad, six inches by two and ahalf, which is connected with two steel springs that pass around andabove the crista ilii, and terminate posteriorly in four circular pads,which rest on the base of the sacrum. Two straps are attachedto these pads, so that the wearer can either lessen or increase thepressure. Dr. Fitch, who is an American, strongly recommendsit should be worn during and after pregnancy, and by femalessuffering from prolapsus uteri. It is an ingenious instrument,and is constructed upon correct anatomical principles.

WOLVERHAMPTON POOR LAW UNION.INFRINGEMENT OF THE RIGHTS OF POOR LAW MEDICAL OFFICERS.

THE Guardians present at the meeting of the Board onFriday week, were the Rev. J. B. Owen, and Messrs. J. Bald -win, G. N. Smith, J. Rowley, F. Cooper, J. Bradshaw, S.Griffiths, A. Thompson, R. Foster, W. K. Walker, H. Peplow,and W. Hobbins.

UNION TICKETS FOR THE HOSPITAL.

The following correspondence on this subject was read tothe Board :-

South Staffordshire Hospital, Wolverhampton, August 31, 1852.DEAR SIR,-The Directors of the South Staffordshire Hospital

have received a letter from Mr. W. Hancox, of which I sendyou a copy. The directors have no doubt that the subject willmeet with the attention of the Guardians, and perhaps youwill let us hear from you in due course.

Believe me to be, my dear sir, yours faithfully,GEORGE BRISCOE.

The Rev. J. B. Owen, Chairman of the Boardof Guardians of the Wolverhampton Union.

The letter referred to was the following :&mdash;

Bilston, August 25, 1852.

GBNTLE!m:N,&mdash;After much consideration, I am induced toaddress you on a matter deeply affecting the interests of the

medical profession. The Board of Guardians of the Wolver-hampton Union subscribe lOl. per annum to the South Staf-fordshire Hospital. The medical officers are entitled to bepaid for certain extra cases that occasionally occur, such asoperations, fracture, and dislocations. Now the Board ofGuardians, to relieve themselves from the payment of suchcases, have directed them to be sent to your hospital, therebydepriving the medical officer of the opportunity of treatingsuch casualties, and thus inflicting an injury upon him, not somuch in a pecuniary point of view, as by depriving him of themeans of extending his professional experience.

Surely your noble institution was never intended to ad-minister to such mean purposes. I therefore felt, if the sub-ject was properly brought under your notice, the grievancewould be at once redressed.

I enclose a note from the relieving officer, together withremarks from the Rev. J. B. Owen, illustrative of the con-tents of my communication.

I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant,(Signed)

WILLIAM M. HANOOX.The Committee, South Staffordshire Hospital,

Wolverhampton.

WILLIAM M. HANCOX.

The inclosures were a certificate that it was necessary toamputate a finger of a young woman ; a request from therelieving officer, Mr. Johnson, to Mr. Fellows that an hospitalnote might be given, and a memorandum from the Rev. J. B.Owen, that an out-patient’s note would do, and that the girlmight return to the Union house.On the suggestion of the Rev. Chairman, the following

answer to the letter from Mr. Briscoe was adoptedBilston, September 1, 1852.

DEAR SiR,&mdash;The question of the propriety of our Guardiansusing their tickets for the hospital after they have paid forthem, seems to my mind a very simple one. The Poor LawCommissioners sanction the Guardians’ subscription, as alsothat use of such subscription which Mr. Hancox describes as" mean,"but which we think honest, inasmuch as if we subscribe101. 10.?. of the rate-payers’ money to the hospital, we arebound to use the tickets purchased at their cost to the bestadvantage for them. The Guardians subscribe 101. 1Os. ayear, which at the most could but give them aid for ten poorcases for the whole Union, whereas the total extra cases forthe Union average above 300, so that the medical men haveno reasonable ground of complaint, nor does the Board seeany for altering either their subscription or the purposes towhich it is applied.

In respect to the interests of the hospital, it will beobserved that the cases usually sent by the Guardians arenot such as involve surgical operations, which is not intendedas a rule, but as the exception, the cases sent being generallyof individuals not in the pauper class, but such as may beprevented becoming so, by timely medical aid more suitablyrendered by an hospital than by the parish ; operating morecommonly rather as a relief to the medical officers than as atrespass upon their contract: the law of the case being thatthe Guardians make no agreement necessarily to send everyextra case to the parish surgeon, but covenant to remuneratethem according to a certain scale of fees, in such cases asthey think it expedient to call in their aid.

I have been thus explicit in replying to the directors’ note ofthe 31st. ult., from motives of respect between your Board andours. The Guardians beg me to add, that they do not regretthe question having been raised, as it afforded them theopportunity of this explanation, but they request your Board,and the medical gentlemen of the Union, in so far as Mr.Hancox’s memorial may represent their views, to considerthe above as embodying our final decision upon the subject.

I am, dear sir,JOSEPH B. OWEN:JOSEPH B. OWEN.

CHOLERA.-The New Prussian Gazette continues togive the most alarming accounts of the devastation by cholerain Warsaw and Posen. It states that at Farecham, Schrim,Nainslau (Silesia), it is making the most frightful havoc. Itfurther states that at Tabreez it has assumed a most malignanttype ; that in Orooniya 3000 have died, and in an adjacent town60 have been carried off a-day. The Posen Gazette describes

cholera as making great progress amongst the military, andthat in Prussian Poland all public meetings and all military, displays have been suspended, in consequence of the terrific

spread of this destructive disease in the different cities, towns,and villages.