EDITORIAL. 
197 
it ought to be anthrax, in its various forms, and Pasteur’s vaccine 
for anthrax fever has sufficiently achieved its proofs. 
A glance at the tables to be found in the “ Annales de l’ln- 
stitut Pasteur,’’ will prove the value of this mode of treatment, 
and the reports of the experiments made in England by Professor 
Rcrtiertson, which were laid before the Royal Agricultural So¬ 
ciety, also show that in that country, where anthrax in its various 
forms is sometimes so extensively prevalent, we cannot any longer 
afford to ignore the advantages of vaccination. A few of our 
friends here have, at our suggestion, already tried some of the 
vaccine of Professor Cornevin, and also that of Professor Cliau- 
veau, with which we had furnished them; and the result, to 
which we will refer in another issue of the Review, has been of 
a most satisfactory character. It will give us pleasure to furnish 
any of our friends who wish to make trial of it a supply of the 
vaccine for further experiment or use. 
A Hew Sutcjre Heedle.— Only those who have been taught 
by their experience of the annoyance, can testify to the vexa¬ 
tion they have sometimes encountered in the want of a proper 
needle or holder, by which they could make a firm and solid 
suture without painfully puncturing their own fingers and inflict¬ 
ing a wound which has continued sore and painful for days 
together. 
Our friend, Dr. C. IP. Peabody, whose inventive mind we all 
recognize, is one of those who has sometimes pierced himself 
with sorrow and forfeited his amiability under such circumstan¬ 
ces, and so has felt himself, as it were, pricked on to contrive an 
instrument which can hurt only at the right end. He has, there¬ 
fore, been at work on the invention of a peculiar needle, and has 
presented us with a number of samples for trial. Well, we like 
them. They have a peculiar bend, and a sort of double elbow 
towards the eye, which offers to the surgeon a very good hold and 
a strong support in pushing the needle through the tough tissue. 
We have tried them, and can recommend them. There is already 
something of the same description in use in human surgery, for 
sewing the skin of the cadaver in post mortems; but we think 
Dr. Peabody’s is of easier use, and therefore answers the purpose 
better. 
