TRANSACTIONS OP THE SECTIONS. 83 



Notice of Dr. Martin Barry's Researches on Fibre, published in the Trans- 

 actions of the Royal Society. By Prof. Owen. 



Observations on the best Mode of expressing the Results of Practice in Thera- 

 peutics. By Dr. Fowler. 



The tabulating and recording all observations in accordance with some recognized 

 physiological laws were strongly urged for this purpose. 



Further Particulars respecting a Young Woman Deaf, Dumb and Blind, 

 of whom a full Account was given last Year at Plymouth. By Richard 

 Fowler, M.D., Salisbury. 



In consequence of Mr. Tyrrel's attention to her eyes and syringing her ears, she 

 can now get a glimpse of shining objects on the floor (a shilling), can sometimes 

 catch a ball on its cup, be made sensible of the return of Sunday, by counting her 

 fingers and putting her hands and knees in the attitude of prayer. She starts at loud 

 sounds, and expresses pleasure at the sound of a Jews'-harp between her teeth. By 

 such exercises of the senses and constant communications by touch with two young 

 girls, both her intelligence and comfort have been improved. 



Now, as our thoughts are expressed by muscular adjustments, and as these reci- 

 procally excite thoughts (ideas) similar to those they express, is there not reason for 

 hope that, by the frequent exercise of the muscles, some pleasurable thoughts may be 

 excited even in minds as torpid as this poor girl's ? 



Cases of enormous Hydropic Distension of the Abdomen, and of sudden Death 

 from tlie Rupture of an Aneurism of the Thoracic Aorta. By Sir David 

 J. H. Dickson, M.D., F.R.S.E., F.L.S. 



Mr. James Frazer, superannuated boatswain, aged 65, stated that he had been 

 affected with general dropsy for nearly two years, and that the disease had super- 

 vened on a severe attack of rheumatism. He had only returned from Jersey within 

 the previous week. He was received into the hospital on the 16th of April, at three 

 o'clock p.m., and died early next morning. Besides the great distress, dyspnoea and 

 cough, &c. resulting from the enormous distension of the abdomen, the lower extremi- 

 ties also were so loaded with serous effusion, that the integuments of the left leg 

 (which from the knee to the ankle were of a fiery-red colour, in some places very 

 dark and fast running into gangrene and sloughing) had given way, and thus some- 

 what relieved the turgescence of the limb by a very profuse discharge of serum. 



The following are the principal morbid appearances elucidated by dissection, 

 twenty-three hours after death : — 



The abdomen contained fifty-nine imperial pints of very viscid straw-coloured 

 serum, which coagulated firmly on being heated. The visceral peritoneum was of a 

 deep red or livid colour, and much thickened; the intestinal canal was dilated. The 

 liver was about the natural size, but dense, indurated, and so much altered in shape 

 as to resemble a very large kidney. The spleen and kidneys were nearly normal. 

 The heart was considerably enlarged, and the pericardium was universally adherent ; 

 the left ventricle was hypertrophied, and the mitral valves were thickened and carti- 

 laginous, so as to narrow the corresponding aperture, reducing it to a transverse slit. 

 The lungs were congested and slightly cedematous. This is supposed to be the largest 

 accumulation on record. 



Mr. John Anderson, boatswain, aged 64, who had been admitted for obstinate con- 

 stipation a few days previously, and whom I had left sitting on his bed a few minutes 

 before, suddenly becameffaint, fell back and expired. 



Sectio Cadaveris, twenty-four hours post-mortem.— The cavity of the right pleura 

 was found to be almost filled with blood, which had separated into serum and cras- 

 samentum ; the former amounted to three pints, and the coagulated portion, which 

 was exceedingly firm, weighed about three pounds. The haemorrhage had proceeded 

 from a large aneurism of the thoracic aorta, and the tumour, which resembled a cocoa- 

 nut both in size and shape, corresponded to the three last dorsal and first lumbar 



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