546 
ON REMEDIES FOR DISEASES OF THE BRAIN. 
rectly — at least it is very difficult to 
find any other hypothesis on the sub- 
ject that is more probable — that the 
means of counter-irritation, such as 
rubefacients, vesicatories, and issues, 
produce their eflfect by lessening- an 
hypoplethoric state of the vessels in 
internal parts, and that they bring this 
to j)ass by increasing the fulness 
of the vessels in surfaces to which 
they are immediately applied. There 
are facts which it is very difficult to 
reduce under this sort of explanation ; 
as, for example, the relief obtained in 
cases of pneumonia or of bronchitis, by 
means of blisters applied to the parity 
of the chest, there being in these in- 
stances no continuity of structure that 
might render the proposed explanation 
in some degree intelligible. On the 
other hand, there is little doubt that 
such remedies are most efficacious 
when they are applied over surfaces 
nearly juxta-position with the seat of- 
disease ; and this fact, if not called in 
question, goes far towards establishing 
the notion before alluded to as to their 
mode of operation. 
A case has lately occurred in my 
practice at the Bristol Infirmary, which 
strongly exemplifies the efficacy of the 
treatment which I have recommended, 
and which I have fortunately an opportu- 
nity of bringing before the Medical 
Section in the most convincing way. 
A youth, aged about eighteen, came 
into the Infirmary, labouring under 
complete amaurosis, which had been 
coming on gradually for a week or ten 
days before his admission. At that time 
it had become so complete, that vision 
was entirely lost, and the pupils were 
totally insensible to light even when 
the rays of the sun were suffered to fall 
immediately into the open eyes. At 
first he was freely and repeatedly bled 
from the arm and temporal artery, had 
leeches applied to the scalp, blisters to 
the nape of the neck, and took calo- 
mel so as to render his gums sore. 
Finding that no effect whatever was 
produced by these measures, I gave up 
the expectation which I had at first 
entertained of his recovering sight, but 
was resolved to give the remedies a 
complete trial. I ordered him to be 
bled ad deliquium. This took place 
after a small quantity of blood had 
flowed from his arm while he was in an 
erect posture. After a few days (he 
was still perfectly dark) an incision was j 
made over the sagittal suture from the j 
forehead to the occiput. It was filled ! 
with peas. In three or four days, pre- 
cisely at the time when suppuration 
began to take place, the patient declared 
that he perceived light, but was scarce- 
ly believed, since the pupils were still 
widely dilated and quite insensible to a 
strong light. In the course of a few 
days it was quite evident that he saw — 
he could tell when two or three fingers 
were held up. For some weeks the iris 
was still quite irritable, though vision 
had become in a great degree restored. 
The subsequent treatment of the case j 
consisted chiefly in occasional leechings, j 
purging, and low diet. When the issue I 
healed, which was not till it had been ' 
kept open for some months, a seton in 
the neck was substituted ; under this 
treatment the case has terminated in a j 
complete recovery of the blessings of 
sight. j 
Dr. O’Beirne stated, that treatment I 
was perfectly new to him, and he should 
feel himself amply compensated if he 
derived no other benefit than hearing 
this paper from his attendance at the 
British Association. — Dr. Carson stated, 
rather as an objection, that if an animal 
were bled to death, the same quantity of 
blood would be found in the cranium, 
and that the doctrine of determination 
of blood to the head was unfounded, and 
frequently led to great errors in practice. 
The second paper read was by Dr. 
Houston, on a human foetus without 
heart or lungs. Several drawings were 
exhibited, and the reading of the paper 
led to a short discussion, in which Drs. 
Prichard, Carson, O’Beirne, Macartney, 
and Mr. Carmichael, took part. 
The third paper was by R. Carmi- 
chael, Esq., on Tubercles. — M. Carmi- 
chael commenced with some remarks on 
the great prevalence of these formations, 
and then proceeded to detail their ap- 
pearances according to Laennec and 
Carswell. He adverted to the use of term 
Scrofula, which he considered a cloak 
for ignorance ; and, having stated that 
Drs. Todd, Clark, and Carswell, believe 
in the identity of Scrofula and Tubercle, 
disputed this position, and likewise their 
opinion, that tubercles are inorganizable 
deposits. Among other objections he ur- 
ged the inconsistency of representing 
enlarged cervical glands and pulmonary 
tubercles as identical, since it is well 
