1831.] Affairs in General 547 



ever, the following case, stated in a periodical work by Mr. Joy, a 

 surgeon, of Norfolk, may lead to some important investigation. 



" A chaff-cutter, about twelve years of age, apparently in good health at the 

 time when he was exercising his occupation, so injured one of his fingers as to 

 render immediate amputation of it at the first phalanx necessary. Although 

 the wound went on very favourably, locked jaw carne on when it was nearly 

 healed. Notwithstanding the usual remedies as, opium in large doses, mer- 

 cury, musk, and other anti-spasmodics were actively employed on the first 

 appearance of the disease, the spasms increased in violence, and extended to 

 the muscles of the back, producing the convulsive contractions of the muscles, 

 termed opisthotonos. The anti-spasmodics and warm bath having totally failed 

 to afford the slightest relief, after pushing them to their fullest extent for 

 ten days, Mr. Joy determined to give the muriated tincture of iron a trial. 

 He accordingly ordered ten drops to be administered every hour in a little 

 water, which the loss of a few teeth allowed of being done without much 

 difficulty. After continuing this medicine twenty-four hours, the spasmodic 

 affection of the muscles was evidently much diminished. The following day 

 he was nearly free from pain. The medicine was continued in the same quan- 

 tity, and at the same intervals ; and the disease so rapidly decreased in vio- 

 lence, evidently under its influence, that he was perfectly well in the course 

 of a few days." 



The public are tired of the vulgar ravings of such fellows as Hunt 

 and Hume, as of course those people have no other object than to talk 

 themselves into notice. But why does not some honest and plain- 

 spoken English gentleman, who dabbles in neither Greek Loans nor 

 Liquid Blacking, apply himself to the consideration of the enormous 

 waste that occurs hourly in public matters ? Whoever that man may be 

 he may be assured that, by this line of conduct, he would be of more 

 use to his country, do more honour to himself, and, if such were his 

 object, gain a more extended and enduring popularity than any and all 

 the prating patriots of the day. Let such a man take up the following 

 extract from the speech of Lord Althorp, his Majesty's Chancellor of 

 the Exchequer. 



" The original estimate for Buckingham Palace, sanctioned by Parliament, 

 was 496,000., to which was to be added a further sum of 3,500. for sculp- 

 ture, making a total of 499,500. The expenditure on the palace up to the 

 midsummer of 1830 the latest period at which those accounts were made up 

 was 576,353. ; thus leaving an excess above the estimate sanctioned of 

 76,000. in round numbers. As about 5,000. of this, however, could be 

 realized by a sale of the machinery, &c., the excess might be taken at 

 71,000. ! Notwithstanding this excess of expenditure over the income, he 

 did not mean to say that Buckingham Palace was at all in a situation, or even 

 nearly so, to be inhabited by any one. The estimate of the works not yet 

 began was 21,000 ; the estimate of the works ordered by the late king, and 

 not included in Mr. Nash's estimate, 25,000 ; the garden, 4,000. These 

 items remained still to be provided for, not being calculated in the estimate of 

 Mr. Nash, who, however, had exceeded his own estimate in the sum of 

 46,000." 



Thus by the Parliamentary paper, the money actually expended on 

 building the shell of the Pimlico Palace was at the lowest computation 

 71,000 above half a million of pounds sterling ! with works to be done 

 estimated at 50,000 more. But every body knows that the estimate 

 is always under the expense in matters of this order, and as Mr. Nash 

 has exceeded one estimate by no less than 46,000, it is to be presumed 

 that a handsome allowance must be made here also. 



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