MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.
Dec. 13th and 20th, 1828.
Dr. Haslam in the Chair.
The subject of discussion, at the first of these meetings, was stricture of the rectum, when the diagnosis and treatment of carcinoma of that part came under consideration. There was a remarkable discrepancy in the opinions of Messrs. Lloyd and Salmon as to the symptoms and management of carcinomatous affections of the rectum. Mr. Lloyd maintained that these affections of the intestine were sometimes attended with pain and sometimes not, and that the patients were often materially benefited by the use of bougies; while Mr. Salmon affirmed, that the disease was always painful, and not to be mitigated by the employment of these means.
A variety of subjects came before the society at the next meeting. The president read a letter from Mr. Wansborough, of Fulham, describing the "original stomach-pump," a specimen of which accompanied the letter: the instrument Mr. W. stated to be of 25 years' standing.
Mr. Shearly exhibited, among other morbid specimens, a uterus, on the external surface of which the disease termed the "white tubercle" was in progress: there was also a small polypus near the os uteri. Mr. Pereira exhibited to the society a fine specimen of medullary sarcoma of the liver. The organ was so enlarged as to have occupied two-thirds of the abdomen. The other viscera were not involved in the disease. The progress of the disease, as far as it could be ascertained, was excellently detailed by Mr. Smith, a visitor. The symptoms were obscure.
Mr. Armstrong read an extract of a letter from Mr. Morgan, of the Bristol Infirmary, a corresponding member of the Society, describing a curious conformation of the œsophagus in a child, which lived 106 hours only, during which period every attempt to swallow food produced considerable distress. The œsophagus was found to be divided into two portions; the upper or pharyngæal extremity terminating in a cul de sac behind the bifurcation of the trachea; and the lower or ventricular extremity arising from the trachea at this point, between the bronchi, proceeding down the spine, and terminating, as usual, at the cardiac orifice of the stomach. Mr. Drysdale mentioned a somewhat similar malformation occurring in two children in one family. Mr. Callaway related a case of concussion of the brain, which terminated fatally, after the restoration of the intellectual functions. The whole of the anterior lobes of each hemisphere of the brain was broken down, and mixed with effused blood. The remarkable feature of the case was, the return of consciousness, and the possession of this power for six days, under the disorganization of the brain described; and the questions particularly agitated were, Did this extent of mischief exist immediately after the concussion? What was the degree of laceration of the brain at that period? and, How could the recovery of the intellectual faculty be reconciled with so much injury of the brain?
The Society then adjourned to the 12th of January, 1829.
COOPER v. WAKLEY.
Notes of the Cause, Cooper v. Wakley—We understand that Mr. Cooper is about to publish a verbatim account of the above trial, from Mr. Gurney's short-hand notes.