Miscellanies. 181 



ical periodical, we believe, by the present editor, when he published 

 the Recorder, and he elicited, by that means, some of the best med- 

 ical essays that have been published in this country. 



The editor premises that he is not pledged to support the doctrines 

 of any medical school, or of any individual or class of physicians, 

 but that he will, with the best assistance that he can procure, dis- 

 seminate useful information, on all branches of the medical profession. 



Medical periodicals are useful to the profession, not only to give 

 information of all real improvements and new facts, that are con- 

 stantly unfolding, but also to expose error, and to inform the mem- 

 bers of the profession of the false pretensions of many writers, who 

 make new books as apothecaries make new mixtures, by pouring in 

 a little from one bottle and some from another. 



From the figure of a lancet on the cover of the periodical, we may 

 probably infer, as well as from the express declaration of the editor, 

 that the knife, and probably the cautery, will be used, when neces- 

 sary. These measures, although harsh, are necessary in some cases. 

 A physician at a distance from a large town, and of course from book 

 stores, and who is disposed to keep up, his knowledge of the progress 

 of the medical profession, may be induced, by the lofty pretensions 

 and high sounding titles of various productions, especially when duly 

 puffed by some periodical, to purchase books, either of no intrinsic 

 value at all, or in which the valuable matter of a large volume may 

 be contained in a few pages of a periodical. 



A periodical which will judiciously analyze works of this descrip- 

 tion, separate the chaff from the wheat, and expose the unjust pre- 

 tensions of certain book-makers, may do great service in this way 

 to the profession. 



The first paper of No. 1, on Medical Ethics, although not new, 

 is valuable, and it is proper that the attention of the profession should 

 be frequently called to it, to prevent any violation of its precepts. 

 The other papers in this number are respectable, and on the whole 

 judicious. We wish the publisher* success in his undertaking. 



* Mr. Webster, under whose nnrae the work appears, although he is not of the 

 medical profession, yet he has had extensive experience in the publication of med- 

 ical books. The tact which he possessed of availing himself of the best medical as- 

 sistance, as the editor of the Medical Recorder, is a guaranty that he will take care 

 that the best talents shall be elicited in the present work. 



