TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 
99 
There are three diseases of the thoracic viscera in which this in¬ 
jury of muscular action takes place from the inflammation of a con¬ 
tiguous structure , namely, bronchitis, pleuritis, and pericarditis, and 
in all there is evidence of this paralysis taking place. 
The author dwelt principally on the lesions of the intercostals and 
diaphragm, and showed that in emphysema the characteristic smooth¬ 
ness of the side and depression of the diaphragm were to be attri¬ 
buted to this paralysis, resulting from the previous inflammation. 
He showed that it was commonly absent in Laennec’s emphysema, 
even where the chest was much enlarged; that it did not occur in 
enlargements of the liver, and was often absent in hydrothorax. 
Dr. Stokes suggested that in bronchitis this paralysis affecting the 
circular muscles of Reissessen might be the cause of fatal accumu¬ 
lations in bad catarrhs, and further, that dilatation of the bowels might 
in some instances arise from it. He offered an explanation of death 
in pericarditis, by referring it to this paralysis affecting the heart, and 
suggested a new explanation of the succession of hypertrophy with 
dilatation to pericarditis, in which the yielding of the heart and ca¬ 
vities during its weakened state caused the dilatation, while the sub¬ 
sequent hypertrophy was due to the efforts made by the heart, on 
recovering its tone, to propel the blood into vessels not proportion¬ 
ally dilated. 
Lastly, the stethoscopic phaenomena of accumulation of air, as in 
Laennec’s emphysema, were shown to be greatly modified by the 
yielding of the chest. The author came to the conclusion that the 
feebleness of respiration in this case is more an indication of com¬ 
pression of the lung than a direct sign of the muscular emphysema 
of Laennec. 
On Aneurism by Anastomosis. By R. Adams, A.M., Member of 
the Royal College of Surgeons. 
The subjects treated of were divided into two sections. 1. On 
aneurism by anastomosis of the capillary arteries and veins. 2. On 
the pulsating form of the disease. The structure of these different 
forms of aneurism was described as far as is yet known, many cases 
being detailed and drawings referred to ; a mode of investigating the 
ultimate arrangement of the minute arteries was recommended; and 
a short allusion made to the subjects of diagnosis, prognosis, and 
treatment of the disease. 
Abstract of a Case of deficient Development of the right Hemi¬ 
sphere of the Brain , with Congenital Malformation of the Hip and 
Wrist Joints , and Atrophy of the Members of the same Side. By 
Dr. Hutton. 
The subject of this observation was an idiot of adult age, and was 
only three or four days under the writer’s notice when he died of an 
acute inflammation of the larynx and lungs. The author confined 
