V 
ON THE CHARACTER OF u THE VETERINARIAN / 5 &C. 19 
worth, and individual excellence, the name of Castley will be 
preserved from oblivion, and embalmed with the most pleasing 
reminiscences in the memories of his surviving brethren. It is 
pleasing when too many are allowed to put their feet in our 
professional bark who can neither row it onwards in the course 
of respectability or steer it with the rudder of improvement; it is 
pleasing, I say, to have one beacon to guide us,—to have a name 
like Castley’s to point to,—one who would do honour to any 
profession. 
I have just looked through the last twelve numbers of The 
Veterinarian; and l would recommend those who, like 
myself, have been too much in the habit, on its monthly arrival, of 
giving it a cursory perusal, to cull its choicest flowers, and then to 
put it on the shelf to be forgotten,—I would recommend any such 
to peruse it again and again, and to make what is valuable their 
own* 
In the last volume of The Veterinarian, besides the 
excellent lectures which grace the beginning of each number, 
there are many valuable papers; and none more so, in my 
opinion, than the communications on the diseases of cattle from 
Mr. Friend : I, for one, must acknowledge myself much indebted 
to him for the statement of his mode of treatment of redwater, 
and some other diseases; and which are the more valuable, as it is 
apparent to most men that his views of pathology are founded 
on anatomical knowledge, and are in strict accordance with 
physiological facts. He points out in a very able manner the 
different idiosyncrasies of the ox and horse, the peculiarities of 
the structure of the digestive apparatus of cattle, and their 
liabilities to particular diseases. 
Mr. Pritchard’s observations on the diseases of the heart do 
credit to his ingenuity and research : it is much to be regretted 
that the maladies he treats of should still be incurable. Mr. 
Brown’s observations on the spasmodic contractions of the 
diaphragm are interesting and original: I have met with a few 
cases that bear out his remarks. 
Mr. Harrison has recommended a new medicine, the “decoc¬ 
tion of the common broom,” in cases of anasarca; but I cannot 
discover, even from his own cases, any particular advantages it 
has over other well known and more easily prepared medicines. 
I have never had any difficulty in removing anasarcous swellings 
by exciting the bowels or the kidneys, or both ; and, where the 
engorgement has been considerable, punctures with a lancet, fol¬ 
lowed by fomentation and bandaging: to this treatment tonic 
medicine has been occasionally added. 
I see there are some cases recorded of the operation of neuro- 
