Dept.] 
NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 
23 
of cinclioiiia ; one of these dated his first improvement from the use of these 
inhalations, in which he persisted every other day, for more than two weeks ; 
no other treatment was used until he had been much aided by the means 
above described. He learned after a time to employ the cinchonia without 
my aid. The other patient submitted to one inhalation, but declined any 
further proceedings of a similar character, declaring, that the remedy was 
worse than the disease, only shorter. When we are successful in volatilizing the 
alkaloid without decomposition, the process of inhalation is not very disa- 
greeable ; but when the heat is too high, and the cinchonia becomes altered, 
it is extremely difficult to continue to breathe it. 
The salts of cinchonia are also volatile by heat, but they offer no advan- 
tages which do not equally belong to pure cinchonia. The sulphate is quite 
inadmissible for inhalation use, since sulphuretted gases are given off in small 
amounts when the heat is too elevated, and decomposition takes place. 
Dr. Woodward read a paper entitled ' ' Remarks on the Anatomical Marks of 
Cancer." The Standing Committe-e on Pathology, to which this paper was re- 
ferred, reported in favor of its publication in a medical journal to be selected 
by the author.* 
Dr. Mitchell submitted a short preliminary report on the subject of the 
changes undergone by the white race in America. The object of this report 
was, principally, to suggest the proper manner of proceeding in this research. 
A form of letters to be addressed to different eligible persons, for the purpose 
of receiving their assistance in making this report, was communicated, with a 
copy of the table they are desired to fill. 
The Committee appointed at a former meeting to prep-^re a series of tables for 
the Registration of Diseases, &c., to be used by members of the Department and 
others, reported that they had performed their duty by adopting the tables 
submitted to the State Medical Society by Dr. H. Haetshorne, and approved 
by that Association. Owing to want of funds these tables never were pub- 
lished. Mr. Price, of this city, is willing to issue these tables in book form 
at his own expense, and to supply members and others at a slight cost. 
They will be bound with his visiting list for physicians, and also issued separate- 
ly. The Committee asked leave to print the approval of the Department, 
with these tables, and in its name to recommend them to the profession. 
This report was accepted, and the permission asked was granted. 
Dr. Woodward submitted the following resolutions, which were adopted : 
1. Resolved, That every author of a paper hereafter read before the Depart- 
ment, not designed for publication in the Proceedings, shall at the time of 
reading furnish a full abstract of the same to the Recorder, in order that it 
may be laid before the Academy with the monthly report. 
2. Resolved, That Committees having referred to them papers read before 
the Department, accompanied with illustrations, shall be required to report to 
the Department whether such illustrations are indispensably necessary for 
the thorough elucidation of the subject considered; and when in their opinion 
such a necessity exists, the entire cost of such cuts, engravings or lithographs 
shall be borne by the Department, on a vote of the majority of the members 
present at any stated meeting. Provided, that the author shall present at the 
time an estimate of the cost of such illustrations. 
Dec. 6th. — Dr. Walter F. Atleb read the following communication upoa 
Relaxation of the Abdominal Walls, as a cause of Ilcemorrhoids.^^ 
A cause of haBmorrhoids, at least what we believe may be one, which has 
been neglected by all writers with whom we are acquainted, is weakness or relaxa- 
tion of the muscles of the anterior wall of the abdomen. 
* See American Journal of Medical Sciences for January, 1859, 
1858.] 
