CORRESPONDENCE.

West Coast Times, Issue 46, 19 September 1865, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

[Tho Editor does not hold himself responsible ifor any opinions expressed by his correspondents.

TO TIIB EDITOR OF THE WEST COAST TIMES;

Sir, — A lotter appeared in your paper of this day's date, bearing tho subscription of H. W. Bracken, to which I Bolicit your kind indulgence whilst I reply. I am totally at a loss to stato which is tho most prominent characteristic of tho production referred to, its mondao'ty, its cowardice, or its ignorance, aud did I belicvo that it emanated from tho party whoso namo it bears I think I should havo felt inclined to treat it with silent contempt, fooling convinced that my professional reputation would bo in no danger, but as lam satisfied that tho Bcribo and tho author are not identical, but that tho former has allowed his namo to bo used by the latter as a stalking horse behind which ho hoped, undiscovered, to disohnrgo his slnndor, I would beg to trouble you with ft fow words which, porlmps, may throw eomo littlo light upon tho matter therein referred to, oven totfhoso whom I am nccussd of attempting to mystify by tho "unnecessary uso of medical technicalities."

My reply to this fs simply tho report of tho inquest, published in tho " Evoning News" of tho 13th instant, whioh I believe to be almost a verbatim transcript of my dvidence, and I ask you or any olhor sonsiblo man what thoro is in that which any poison of ordinary intellectual capacity could not coinpveliond, but must deci-

declly object not only to furnish the author or authors of this letter with information, hut to ho compelled to find him or them bruins to understand it.

I appeal to every Briton whether a more dastardly mode was ever attempted even by a little mind to injuro a medical man than that of holding up his nationality as a reason why ho should be overlooked in his profession, although ho may have attained such a standing therein as his detractor can never hope to realise. May I ask whether the ordeal through which members of Foreign Universities havo to pass is not as searching as that of any collego in Great Britain ? Is not tho diploma of ono received in all civilised communities as upon a par with tho othor ? and do not the medical boards of eyery colony in this hemisphere recognise tho same with equal respect ? Yet, Sir, in the face of all this, in spite of thnt lovo of fair play which your nation boasts, and in defiance of all manly feeling, I regret to sco that two individuals can bo found who aro willing to sacrifice all I havo pointed out, to obtain for ono of them that which his abilities havo signally failed to secure, cither hero or wherever else it lias been my misfortune to be brought into contaot with him. It is as unworthy as beating a young wife. I am afraid I must occupy a little more of your timo in pointing out, by reference to an undoubted authority, the gros3 ignorance displayed. Thore are many cases on record where neither fatty degeneration of tho brain or tumors, as in tho present case, or softening or abscess of the brain, havo shown any marked symptoms during life ; in fact, without having caused any serious disturbance of the patient's general health, either physically or mentally. Dr Robert Mayne, a celebrated physician, relates in the " Dublin Hospital Gazette," May 1861, a case of a.labourer, where very extensive disorganization — consisting of turnouts and softening of the brain— even to tUo extent o£ assuming tho sippearanco of whipped cream existed, without any marked symptoms during life ; and in roferenco to this and other cases, ho remarks— "Many cases of chronic tumors of tho brain havo been presented to the Pathological Society which attained considerable dimensions without having caused, during their early growth, any serious disturbance) of tho patients' general health, or having giving rise to any symptoms calculated to create a suspicion of theii existence." If I were not afraid that I havo already trespassed to a much upon your valuablo space, I could quote cases almost ad infinitum. With tho decision of the jury I have nothing to do. I simply stated facts as I found them. Still I must be pardoned if I express my surprise that any man should be found base enough to stigmatise as a murderer ono who has a very heavy charge to meet alroady, and thoreby endeavor to influence tho jury beforo whom tho accused has to appear. 1 remain, Sir, Your obedient servant, Adolphus Beundt, M.D. University of Goothingen ; M.D. University of Melbourne ; Member of the Medical Board, Vi6toria 5 and duly registered Medical Practitioner for Southland and Canterbury. 10th Sept., 1865.

Dn. Macadam. — An inquest was hold in Duucdin on tho remains of Dr. Macadam on tho sth instant. It appeared from tho ovidonco of Captain M'Lean that iho deceased on coming on board appeared to bo in his usual health, though moro dolionto than usual. Ho complained of having worked severely in Molbourno. On tho 31st, ho scorned vory weak and cold, and asked if sea sickness caused woaknoss of tho limbs. Ho was advised to go below, as tho woathor was boisterous. On Friday morning ho said his pulso was ton degroos botlor than yostorday. That same night ho handed witness his watch and diamond ring, and requested them to bo given to his wifo, alluding at tho same timo to other property on board. On Saturday, on being sent for by tho deceased's assistant, witness wont and found him apparently doad. Tho body was put into not wator. Ho had previously complained only of cold and woaknoss in his limbs. Ho took a good deal of bcof tea. On Friday morning ho took a littlo brandy and water, and moselloand soda water. He scorned ploascd to have it, thinking it was tho best thing for him. Ho had a littlo shorry through tho voyage, but not so much as witness wanted him to havo, knowing tho fatigue ho wont through. Witness had a coffin mado ifor tho body, and put him in himself. Ho suffered much from soa sickness from the timo of sailing, and was much depressed by it. — Mr John Drummond Kirkland, Dr. Macadam's assistant, said : On coming on board tho health of decoasod scorned ,much improvod, and ho seemed quito oblo to undertako tho voyage For somo months previous, in consequence of having fractured three of his ribs on board tho Hero, which caused groat prostration. Dr. Robortson, who examined him, said it caused pleuritis, which confined him to his bed for a considerable- time Ho appoarcd to havo recovered from this, and was engaged in his usual pursuits for a month f previous to his doparturo from Melbourne Shortly . after coming on board ho complained of sea sickness, gront debility, and coldness in tho legs and foot. Witness gavo him two opium pills in accordance with his own dosiro, which did not scorn to agrco witli him. Ho saw him last alivo about 4 a.m. on Saturday morning, when ho seomod to be lying very quietly in a composed sleep. His pulso was then natural, about 80. Ho saw him again about 6 a.m. ; ho was thon apparently dead. During tho last three months tho deceased had boon overworked in tho laboratory for ono in his delicate stato of hoallh. Ho drank vory littlo on board, and that was administered by witness to sustain him. Tho causo of death was, in his opinion, general oxhauslion and excessive debility. Ho was about thirty-eight years of ago. He loaves a widow and ono son. The jury roturnod a verdict in accordance with tho cvidenco of the last witness.

PuusiDENT Lincoln's Conrsn. — Thoro is now no blood in tho body ; it was drained by tho jugular vein and sacredly preserved, and through a cutting on tho msido of tho thigh tho empty blood vessels woro charged with a chemical preparation which soon harcloncd to tho consistenco of stone The long and bony body is now hard and stiff', so that boyond its proseut position it cannot bo moved any moro than than tho arms or logs of a statut. It has undergone many changes. Tho scalp has boon removed, tho brain scooped out, tho chest oponod nud tho blood emptied.' All this wo sec of Abraham Lincoln, so cuuniugly contemplated in this splendid coflln, is a moro shell, an effigy, n sculpture JIo lies in sleep, but it is tho sloop of innrble. . All that mndo this flesh vihif? senlimentgf, and iiflectionalo, ia gono for over.— Now York World. -*•