EDITORIAL. 
285 
Secretary  announced  that  it  would  probably  require  three  years  more  to 
complete  Gmelin's  Chemistry  and  the  Index.  The  information  is  derived 
from  the  March  number  of  the  Chemical  News. 
Maisch's  School  of  Practical  Chemistry  and  Pharmacy.— -The  attention 
of  our  readers  is  called  to  the  advertisement  of  Mr.  John  M.  Maisch,  in 
our  advertising  sheet.  Mr.  M.,  in  devoting  his  time  solely  to  scientific 
objects  and  teaching,  is  prepared  to  instruct  young  men  in  the  details  of 
chemical  analysis  and  those  of  pharmaceutical  manipulation.  Pharma- 
ceutists desirous  of  perfecting  themselves  in  the  practice  of  the  more  diffi- 
cult processes  of  their  art,  and  medical  students  who  wish  to  acquaint 
themselves  with  the  elements  of  pharmacy,  in  view  of  a  country  practice, 
will  do  well  to  avail  themselves  of  the  tuition  of  Mr.  Maisch.  Practical 
analyses,  for  commercial  and  medico-legal  purposes,  as  well  as  of  ores, 
minerals,  etc.,  can  be  obtained  by  application  to  the  laboratory,  800  Arch 
street,  S.  W.  cor.  Eighth  st. 
A  Medico-Legal  Treatise  on  Malpractice  and  Medical  Evidence,  comprising  the 
elements  of  Medical  Jurisprudence.  By  John  J.  Elwell,  M.  D.,  member 
of  the  Cleveland  Bar.  New  York,  John  S.  Voorhies,  No.  20  Nassau 
Street  ;  Cleveland,  Alfred  Elwell  &  Co.,  1860. 
It  is  not  often  that  the  author  of  a  medico-legal  treatise  happens  to  be 
a  member  of  both  the  professions  to  which  its  teachings  are  directed. 
The  difficulties  that  constantly  arise  in  the  reception  of  medical  testimony 
in  our  courts,  owing  to  a  mutual  misunderstanding  of  the  technicalities  of 
the  two  professions,  by  which  the  lawyer  is  at  fault  in  asking  questions 
and  the  physician  or  chemist  in  answering  them,  so  as  to  be  most  intelli- 
gible to  the  jury,  make  it  very  desirable  that  some  well  digested  method 
of  proceeding  should  be  adopted,  by  which  medical  and  chemical  evidence 
can  be  couched  in  language  easily  understood  by  men  of  average  common 
sense  and  judgment.  For  want  of  this  method  an  ignorant  witness  may 
mistifyajury  with  absurd  technicalities,  or  an  unprincipled  lawyer  may 
impose  on  both  judge  and  jury  by  marshalling  forth  an  array  of  testimony, 
so  nicely  covered  with  scientific  verbiage  as  to  pass  for  weighty  learning 
and  stubborn  facts.  The  chief  novelty  of  the  book  of  Dr.  Elwell  is  the 
direction  he  gives  it  to  surgical  and  medical  malpractice,  in  both  civil 
and  criminal  suits,  including  also  the  pharmaceutical  bearing  of  the  sub- 
ject involving  the  responsibilities  of  druggists  and  apothecaries.  This 
class  of  cases  have  not  heretofore  been  digested  into  a  regular  treatise  and 
were  scattered  through  law  books,  rendering  it  a  laborious  work  to  consult 
them.  The  medical  education  of  the  author  seems  to  have  fitted  him  well 
for  the  task  he  has  assumed.  The  increased  frequency  of  civil  suits  for 
damages,  for  alleged  malpractice  in  surgery,  medicine  and  pharmacy, 
renders  it  a  matter  of  great  importance  that  judges  and  lawyers  should 
