OBSERVATIONS ON THE ACTION OF MERCURY. 34 L 
giate system (excepting the doubtful question of residence) are 
now more abundant ; and that, thanks to the principles inculcated 
by that noblest of institutions, the Established Church of the realm, 
the clergy, a body so peculiarly fitted for such duties, often under- 
take the task of teaching. Still, too many parents can ill distin- 
guish between the accomplished preceptor and the academic quack. 
How useful would it be, then, to place at the proposed portal of our 
profession a means for sifting the knowledge of those who seek to 
enter, and thus to determine on their fitness for such an honour ! This 
might be effected by a comprehensive matriculation examination, 
the passing of which should be considered as giving the sine qua 
non right of stepping on our threshold. How far better would this 
be, what a better class of educated youths would knock at our 
door for admission, if such a plan were adopted ; instead of deferring 
such a task until the application for a license, and then limiting it 
to the poor farce of translating half-a-dozen lines of Gregory or 
Celsus f 
EXTRACTS FROM THE “ OBSERVATIONS ON THE ACTION 
OF MERCURY,” OF HENRY SMITH, M.R.C.S, 
[From “ The Medical Times.”] 
In the beginning of 1845, I read before the Medical Society of 
King’s College a paper in which I endeavoured to prove that mer- 
cury acts beneficially in inflammation by becoming absorbed into 
the blood, and altering the quality of its constituents. Formerly it 
was thought that mercury acted chiefly through the salivary secre- 
tion, and drove out at that point the morbific poison, “ and was 
therefore always given,” as John Hunter informs us, “ till that 
evacuation took place ; and as its effects in the cure were imagined 
to be in proportion to the quantity of this evacuation, it was 
pushed on as far as possible without endangering suffocation.” 
* * * When taken in moderate doses, mercury increases 
the action of the various secreting glands and organs, and stimu- 
lates some in a particular manner. The salivary glands and the 
liver are stimulated to increased secretion. After the exhibition 
of large doses of calomel, a considerable flow of bile is observed to 
take place ; it also directly increases the secretions of the intestines. 
* * * The chief characteristics of inflammation are, that 
the relative quantity of the constituents of the blood is altered, and 
that these constituents are thrown out in abnormal products. The 
fibrine is increased in quantity, and it is the fibrine that is thrown 
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