size of peas, of a bright red color, and to be hatched are placed upon little racks made of willow twigs, which are fixed in the troughs so as to be covered with water, and a gentle current is kept playing over them. I saw them in every different stage of development, from the simple egg to the fish just bursting from it. It is a curious sight, and seems to promise much benefit to man, by supplying fresh and wholesome food. It has, however, its difficulties. Like other orphans, a large portion of these fish brought up by hand, die before attaining maturity, and it is yet doubtful whether the plan will be successful, excepting with regard to those fishes found in the waters where the breeding is carried on; in this case there seems no reason to doubt its full success.

An interesting fact has incidentally been noticed by those engaged in observing this process of hatching; it is that a great number of monsters occur amongst the newly-hatched fishes, a number much larger in proportion than occurs in the mammalia.

In speaking of the scientific men of Paris, you will naturally expect me to say something of Lebert: he does not reside here at present but holds a professorship in a German University. His great work, however, on which he has been engaged for many years, is about to be put to press, and it is confidently expected that it will be by far the most perfect treatise on morbid anatomy which has ever been published. Bailliere, the great publisher, showed me some of the drawings which are in his hands to be engraved, and they are indeed magnificent. The work is so expensive that it was difficult to find a publisher to undertake it, but as the Minister of Public Instruction advances a certain sum towards the expense, and the Prussian government subscribes for a certain number of copies, Bailliere was induced to undertake it. The first number will be issued soon. While speaking of forthcoming works, I may mention that Guerin has one in hand and far advanced, on the subject of deformities, which is to be illustrated in the most perfect manner by beautifully-executed and colored plates. M. Guerin has devoted a great part of his life, and a considerable sum of money to this object, and has collected a museum comprising about 3000 pieces, illustrating every different point of the subject. This collection, which may be regarded as a national

one, is now offered for sale, and it were greatly to be desired that it should be transferred to some institution in America; as may be supposed, from the labor and money expended upon it, the price at which it is valued is not small. It may be interesting to some of your readers to know that M. Guerin, who was appointed by the Academy of Medicine some years since, to make a report on the subject of cholera, has nearly accomplished his task, and is about to submit it. After the fullest investigation and the examination of innumerable documents and publications of every kind, he assures me that he is fully convinced of its communicability, but only in certain conditions, and in a manner peculiar to itself. I think this opinion is beginning to have great influence here, since the cholera patients, which were at first carried into all the wards, have lately had particular halls assigned to them, separated as much as possible from the others. So long as they were carried into the general wards, the number of cases regularly increased, but so soon as the change was made, they diminished. As this is a doctrine which I had advocated for many years, it is gratifying to find its truth at length being recognized, more particularly as it is the only means by which the spread of the disease can be explained, and its ravages, to a certain extent, controlled. If time and space permitted. I should still have much to say of societies, journals, medical doctrines and men, past and present, but as I have occupied enough of both, they must be deferred to another time, or entirely omitted.

Very truly yours,

B.

ARTICLE II.—A Case of Caries of both Hip Joints-Uncertainties of Diagnosis-Memoranda of Treatment. By A STONE, M.D.

BUT few men are endowed with that genius and that penetratin power of observation and combination, indispensably requisite for a revolutionary movement in science, and but few have inherited the lot of being placed in such an advantageous position of developing and applying those gifts of benevolent nature. At any rate, the writer hopes not to range under either category; he may, however, become the instrumentality for the advancement of

science, by serving as an exponent of the scientific inquiries, experiments and results, made and attained by others.

The polite invitation extended to me by Drs. Bauer and Barthelmess, physicians to the Orthopedic Institution of this city, has afforded the writer the rare opportunity of daily witnessing, for several months past, cases under treatment, developing some of the most instructive principles of pathology and cure pertaining to deformities and joint affections. From among the number of highly interes ing cases, the communication of the following, it is thought, may be very acceptable to the press on account of its instructive character in diagnosis, as well as the treatment adopted:

William Carter, aged 5 years and 8 months, had enjoyed excellent health up to April, 1852, when he was observed to assume a peculiar manner and gait in walking. According to the statement of his attending physician, Dr. Kalt, both hip joints were immovable, sore, and the legs firmly kept in abduction; in consequence of which the patient, when walking, was obliged to turn his body on the longitudinal axis of that leg which was then on the ground, thus succeeding in putting the other about six inches forward, and the same operation was then repeated by the first leg The symptoms increased, however, with such rapidity, that locomotion became altogether an impossibility.

and so on.

The pain within the affected hip joints grew more intense, and the separation of the limbs wider. The opinion previously entertained by the attending physician of the case, was that the synovial membrane was affected by a scrofulous rheumatic inflammation, and the treatment pursued had been in accordance. Baths, superficial derivation, constitutional treatment and constant rest, alleviated the severity of the symptoms-the left leg, especially, approaching more towards the perpendicular of the body. The new position of the limbs, however, being totally fixed. afforded no advantage as far as locomotion was concerned. Other symptoms made their appearance in spite of the greatest care and attention from both physician and relatives. The affected joints became distended, and fluctuation apparent. The left leg was rotated outwardly and flexed both in hip and knee joints, the latter resting on and across the middle of the right thigh, while the right leg

remained almost straight, but at the same time being rotated outwardly. In this state the patient was received into the Orthopedie Institution.

The case-book of this establishment contains the following notes on the case: Great pallor and emaciation; hectic fever, appetite good, digestion regular; dermoid surface dry and sluggish; sleep undisturbed; pain in the affected joints when moved, but not otherwise; general strumous appearance; induration and enlargement of lymphatic glands; discharge from one ear; thorax rather flat; ausculation and percussion discovered no abnormal sound; pelvis in a state of declivity, the left side lowered, the right elevated; the left leg consequently elongated, and the right shortened, in conformity with which the spine shows an inflexion towards the left, and the rima natum oblique towards the same side; the angle of the inclination of the pelvis normal, therefore no anterior curvature of the spine; both hip joints exceedingly painful, both as to pressure and attempted movement; indistinct fluctuation, no redness or heat, no visible sign of abscess; the left bent up in hip and knee joint, and in opposition to the right; the toes turned inwardly; the right leg rotated outwardly, nearly straight; both legs immovable within their respective sockets, all motions being made in the lumber portion of the spine; the adductor and flexor muscles of the right thigh in a state of great tension. Under the influence of chloroform, the legs could be moved in their joints, but no crepitus perceptible.*

Treatment: liberal quantity of animal food, wine, ale, brandy, cod liver oil, alternated with iron and quinine; extension of the affected limb and proper placement of the same. This operation was easily performed with the aid of chloroform, and the patient felt perfectly comfortable afterwards. The patient was placed in his apparatus, which consisted in a double inclined plane, ingeniously constructed to fix the pelvis anl limbs, at the same time allowing any passive alteration as to degree, extension, abduction, or adduction. Patient continued comfortable; appetite and sleep undisturbed. The apparent inconvenience of the new position,

*The affixed diagram, taken from a cast in plaster. illustrates the peculiar de formity which the patient presented on his reception into the Institution.

did not have the least unfavorable effect upon his general health, on the contrary he continued to improve rapidly considering his past enfeebled state of body.

The opening of the joints for the purpose of assisting nature more speedly to throw off the morbid mitter and thereby reestablish a recuperative action was at this time, (the time of stretching the limb) a mooted question by the able surgeons of the institution, but postponed on account of the probability of the purulent matter becoming absorbed, after the parent cells having bursted and rearranged to other organisation capable of absorption, - an opinion.