S. S., æt. 28. F. Admitted on the 28th July, 1873.

Among the crowd of reports with which we have been favoured this year, it is only necessary that we should notice a few, taken almost at random, and extract from these any passages which may be of special interest. Of all their official duties, the writing of the annual report must be to the majority of medical superintendents their most disagreeable one. They are supposed to be written for the information of Committees of Visitors, and, such being the case, need not contain more than the most meagre medical details. Yet it is advisable that each superintendent should utilise, for his own benefit and that of his brethren in the speciality, his asylum experiences, and place them on record. Now, it is more than questionable if it is a judicious plan to incorporate medical topics with those usually submitted to the perusal of Committees of Visitors, and which constitute in their eyes the only matter of importance. It is an undoubted fact that many asylum reports contain medical observations of the highest importance; but they are really lost, for we do not possess any method for facilitating reference to their contents. No man when working up a subject can afford the time to wade through all the asylum reports issued in the United Kingdom during the last twenty years. What becomes of all the reports issued annually? To obtain the true answer it is only necessary to enter the library of almost any superintendent in the country, where we may see these documents—in many of which much trouble had been bestowed in the preparation—lying in a heap of confusion at the bottom of some cupboard specially reserved for the reception of the “dead dogs,” as they have been called. Now, though it is gratifying to find in reports the records of medical experience, it is also a matter much to be regretted that good medical work should not be recorded in a more appropriate and convenient place.

In the “Zeitschrift für Psychiatrie,” xxix. Band, 1 Heft, Dr. Meschede gives a long, careful, and somewhat diffuse article on the Pathology and Pathological Anatomy of Pyromania, the tendency or impulse to set fire to objects. Dr. Meschede is not aware of any cases of pyromania where the morbid appearances found after death have been described.

In the January number of this Journal for 1872 Dr. Anstie's book on Neuralgia was reviewed, and now we have a larger volume on the same subject by Dr. Chapman. Dr. Anstie put forward the theory that the disease means weakness of the body, and especially anæmia and atrophy of certain nerve centres in the brain; Dr. Chapman thinks it has but little to do with weakened vitality, and results from hyperæmia of the nerve centres. Anstie says the general health of nearly all his patients was bad; Chapman avers that neuralgic patients “live on often to a ripe old age, the term of their existence not being appreciably shortened by the disease.” Anstie thinks it is a very hereditary disease indeed; Chapman does not think it very often so transmitted. The former treats it by all sorts of nutritive and tonic means; the latter treats it by “spinal ice bags.” But we shall allow Dr. Chapman to state his own theory on the whole subject.

Professor Betz, of Kiew, has lately produced brain sections, which have attracted very considerable attention in Vienna. His specimens are of vast extent. He appears to be able to produce thin sections of an entire hemisphere. We append his method of hardening and cutting as it is stated in the “Correspondentze Blatt der deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychiatrie und Gerichtlich Psychologie, Jan., 1873.” The method of hardening which we wish to bring into notice is as follows:—observing that differences exist in the treatment of the spinal-cord, cerebrum and cerebellum. The spinal-cord—after tbe careful removal of the dura mater, it is placed in spirit of from 75 to 80 per cent., which is tinged a clear brown colour by the addition of Iodine. After from one to three days, during which the preparation must stand in a cool temperature, the Pia Mater and the Arachnoid are also removed; the specimen remaining in the spirit, to which a few drops of Iodine must be added daily for three days, maintaining an ordinary temperature. It is then transferred to a three per cent. solution of Chromate of Potass, and back again to the cool temperature. Here it hardens thoroughly, which is known by the fluid becoming turbid, and by the formation of a brown deposit upon the preparation. When this occurs, it must be immediately thoroughly washed with water, and immersed in a solution of Chromate of Potass, from a half to one per cent. strength, in which it will not become too hard or brittle.

On the occasion of the annual festival of the Royal Albert Asylum for Idiots, the Earl of Derby, who presided, made the following thoughtful remarks concerning idiocy and insanity, and the establishments necessary for the care and treatment of those afflicted with defect or disorder of mind:—

In Numbers CII. and CIII. of the “British and Foreign Medico-Chirurgical Review,” Dr. J. Batty Tuke publishes the results of investigations made in ninety-two Autopsies as bearing “On the Morbid Histology of the Brain and Spinal Cord as observed in the Insane.”

In the “Lancet” of November 15th last, Dr. Bucknill has propounded a new classification of insanity. The criticisms which he passed upon the etiological system of Morel in a former number of this journal (No. 38, p. 286), may be applied in the main, he thinks, to Skae's similar but more elaborate one. He had at one time intended to criticise the system of natural groups which has been proposed by Dr. Skae, but, on re-consideration, he determined to construct a system of his own, “which might more fully answer the purpose for which we needed it—namely, as a nosological scaffolding of form for the guidance of treatment.” We append Dr. Bucknill's preliminary remarks, and the scheme which he has constructed:—

The Council met at the Royal College of Physicians at 10.30 a.m. Dr. Harrington Tuke, President-Elect, in the Chair.

Mr. George Darwin contributes to the Contemporary Review of August last a very thoughtful paper on beneficial restrictions to the liberty of marriage. The following extracts which we make will serve to exhibit the author's stand-point, and to stimulate reflection upon a vastly important question which mankind will sooner or later have to face and answer. We do not think it has been proved that insanity has increased out of proportion to the population; but there can be no doubt of the influence of hereditary predisposition in the causation of such insanity as exists.

The proper treatment of mental disease must always be considered as involving two distinct divisions. In the one, “moral” management, it is necessary to gain regard and willing obedience, to check wayward impulse, to beat away disturbing fears, to cheer the despairing, to restrain, not by force, bat by patience and firmness, the angry and the violent, and to catch the moment in which the swiftly wavering mind may be brought to rest, and its balance permanently retained. The other division embraces the correct employment of hygienic and purely medical remedial agents.