502 
ON A Work on tetanus. 
sonally, entreated the indulgence of the 
members, as he had been lately suffer- 
ing from a severe attack of ophthalmia. 
Dr. O’Beirne then read the following 
Report of the Dublin Committee on the 
Pathology of the Nervous System ; — 
“ The Committee appointed in Dub- 
lin to investigate the Pathology of the 
Brain and Nervous System, feel com- 
pelled on the present occasion to con- 
fine themselves to an analysis of the 
cases of nervous affections, which have 
come under their observation, during 
the short period which has elapsed since 
they have considered themselves to be 
regularly appointed. 
“ They are of opinion that, in order 
to arrive at accurate Pathological con- 
clusions on a subject so extensive and 
on which the most eminent authorities 
are found to disagree, a very great num- 
ber of cases should be first submitted to 
their examination— then, the symptoms 
of each case carefully registered, and, 
subsequently, accurate postmortem ex- 
aminations made, in the presence of the 
Committee, to ascertain the structural 
lesion or lesions which with the symp- 
toms co-existed. 
As far as their investigations have 
yet extended, they see that the subject, 
if considered in all its details, will re- 
quire a considerable length of time be- 
fore they can accumulate such a num- 
ber of cases and matured observations, 
as would justify them in drawing general 
conclusions. 
Further they have to state, that 
they have collected some valuable facts 
relating to injuries and diseases of the 
nerves, which seem to throw light up- 
on the disputed points of the physiolo- 
gy and pathology of this portion of the 
nervous system. They ate of opinion, 
however, that more extended observa- 
tions the branch of the subject, are re- 
quired to be made. They would also 
submit the necessity of repeating those 
experiments on animals, upon which so 
many authorities rely as a foundation 
for their doctrines. 
** The Committee, influenced by the 
above considerations, have decided on 
avoiding for the present, any attempt 
at drawing general conclusions. They 
consider it more judicious to collect and 
arrange for a future Report, should 
they be re-appointed, the abundant 
materials, which their opportunities ena- 
ble them to supply. 
“ In furtherance of this object, they 
have been for some time engaged in re- 
gistering the history and symptoms of 
cases of nervous affections in the wards 
of the House of Industry, Dublin, and 
the different hospitals connected with it. 
This Institution contains, indepen- 
dently of crises of paralysis, (estimated 
at about 150), the following cases of 
mental and nervous affections, arranged 
as follows : — 
Males. Females 
Chronic Insane.. .. 14: 179 
Epileptic ditto ... 21 33 
Congenital Idiots. 69 63 
Epileptic Idiots... 14 20 
178 294 Total, 479 
“ The number of cases which the 
Committee have hitherto been enabled 
to examine with sufficient accuracy, 
amounts to 4-1. Of these they have made ! 
analysis. They also have some cases 
of affections of individual nerves. 
(Signed') 
James O’Beirne, M. D. 
George Greene, M. D. 
John Macdonnell, M. D. 
R. Adams, A. M.T. C.D.” 
“ Dublin, August 17, 1836.” 
Dr. O’Beirne then read a paper 
entitled, ‘ An Abstract of a Work on 
Tetanus,’ in which he pointed out the 
use of tobacco enema, and dwelt at con- 
siderable length on the differences be- 
tween the spurious tetanus and the 
true. 
At the close of the paper. Dr. O’ 
Beirne, in reply to questions put to 
him by some of the members, observed, 
that with respect to arguments deduced 
from the exhibition of poisons, he 
thought they must be drawn from ana- 
logy, and be unsatisfactory ; there was 
no poison which produced tetanus, 
without producing other symptoms not 
peculiar to tetanus, and that all cases 
referred to in illustration of the subject 
ought to be shown in all their bearings. 
One gentleman in relating a case had 
stated, that there was tenderness of the 
abdomen, whereas in real tetanus there 
is no such symptom ; and he believed 
that many others referred to as tetanus, 
were far from genuine. — Mr. Bracey 
Clarke stated, that he had observed 
some remarkable appearances in the 
bodies of horses which had died of te- 
tanus. The intestines were always 
constricted, and he uniformly found on 
dissection, either great congestion, or 
positive inflammation, of the lungs. 
