whom the most scientific and careful attendants have considered to be in no kind of danger.

This case teaches with what suspicion the reports of friends should be received with reference to the state of a patient's secretions, and how important that, at least in all doubtful cases, the practitioner should judge for himself. If he be too careless, too fastidious, or too delicate to do this, he has mistaken his vocation.

CASE III.

Mr. R. of W., had an ulcer on the leg which he was very anxious to have healed up. Upon examination I found that he was what is absurdly called a bon vivant; that he ate enough for two men, and drank enough for three. I explained to him that this ulcer was nothing more or less than a kind of sluice or drain which nature had kindly set up, to get rid of his superfluities, and that I would have nothing to do with suppressing it. Being well drugged and purged with sulphur water, he left, much better; but returned in a few months in the same state, and insisted upon having his ulcer cured, which, owing to a contemplated

change in his domestic circumstances, he declared to be an intolerable nuisance. I still declined to meddle with it, and strongly advised him not to attempt to dry it up, without substituting an artificial issue in lieu of it: but he pronounced the remedy to be worse than the disease; and seemed bent upon having his own way. Some weeks after this I saw his death in the newspaper. It might be otherwise, but I never could get it out of my head, that he had got his ulcer healed up, that some vital organ had thence become affected, and that death had been the consequence of his imprudence.

CASE IV.

Miss H. of F., applied to me with a tumour about the size of a large egg, on the shoulder, or rather between the shoulder and the neck. She had been previously assured that there was no remedy for it but the knife. Finding that of the three medical men who had recommended this peculiar preparation of steel, two were hospital surgeons, and knowing that sometimes gentlemen are naturally apt to pride themselves more upon

their dexterity in performing than their skill in avoiding operations, I took the liberty, though with some misgivings, of opposing my opinion to theirs. In this I considered myself justified by the appearance of the tumour and my previous experience; besides being perhaps somewhat influenced by a strong desire to alleviate the apprehension and terror with which my patient regarded the operation; and which evidently was injuring her general health. She was pale, sallow, and bilious; with furred tongue, impaired appetite, and disordered digestion; nervous and dejected. There was at that time no mesmerism nor æther inhalations to render cutting a pleasurable, or at least a painless process. I administered therefore, large doses of that strongest of all cordials, Hope.* I told her there was nothing malignant about the tumour-that there was no occasion at all for an operation, so long at all events as it was stationary as to size; and that after her digestive organs were put into good order, I had little doubt that means might be used to induce it to disappear of its own ac

* "Spes bona dat vires, animum quoque spes bona firmat, Vivere spe vidi, qui moriturus erat."

cord. It was astonishing how under the influence of this new expectation, pure air, and alterative medicine, this sickly and dispirited young person improved in health and appearance. The lancinating pains in the swelling disappeared; and after a fortnight's use of an ointment of which Iodine with a strong stimulant was the Basis, the tumour was perfectly dispersed, and has never since in the slightest degree returned.

CONCLUSION.

I

I must now take my leave of the reader. I have unfortunately no new theory to set up -no new ology, or pathy, or ism, to propound, which might make plain all crooked things, and clear up all mysterious things. Neither have I any new plan or remedy to propose which is to cure all diseases upon the principles of the theory aforesaid, or any other principle whatever. cannot point out any mode of treatment applicable to all sorts of people and all kinds of complaints. My object has been merely to supply the public with a popular and practical treatise on these waters. In medical matters I have always endeavoured, though with no overweening contempt of the authority of others, to form my own opinions, and been

"Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri."