such unfavourable circumstances, I was chary of local interference, and advised a residence by the sea side, or in the country, while pursuing a course of mineral and bitter tonics, and general corroborating regimen. An astringent infusion was directed to be used as a wash for the external ears twice a-day, with attention to position in its employment, so as to avoid its penetrating to, and prematurely stimulating the diseased and feebly organized parts. After the lapse of a fortnight, the patient reported his health much improved, and his hearing also bettered. A weak zinc lotion and ointment were employed during another interval of a fortnight, and yesterday, the 12th instant, I had opportunity of examining the ears, when interesting changes of their condition were displayed by the auriscope, and at same time the patient expressed high satisfaction that the day before he had been able to join in the psalmody of the church, which he had previously been incapable of, such was the deficiency of hearing. The external passages of both ears, which at first had a general sodden and oozing surface, were now almost free from moisture, compact and regular in texture, and some ceruminous secretion showed itself in the right ear. The fungus seen at first examination, had shrunk and disappeared, and a pretty uniform dusky structure filled the cavity of the tympanum. In the left ear, the relict of the membrane of the tympanum, formerly seen opaque and unorganized, had lost a little of its superficial area, but what remained had a healthy pinky vascularity and translucence like red jelly. Moreover, the white head of the malleus was seen in situ and in connection with this important fragment, although its handle stood in bold outline in the dark chamber of the tympanum.

"It is not to be expected that a case having such a history, and where essential parts of the auditory apparatus are deficient, should admit of any highly satisfactory issue in the way of cure. But it may be confidently anticipated that the same means which have been attended with such a measure of advantage, will be of yet greater service in process of time. A more vigilant inspection of the state of the parts affected will now be necessary, that the remedies adapted to their visibly more active condition may be employed, and their effects observed.

"Case 4.-I owe to your kindness my opportunity of seeing this and other such interesting cases under your charge in the Royal Infirmary. J. C. aged 20, a native of Sutherland, of strongly marked scrofulous constitution, has had a running from both his ears since he was eight years of age, attended with growing dulness of hearing: about 20 months ago the deafness became complete, after exposure to cold, which induced the symptoms of acute inflammation, with profuse suppuration, and the discharge of hard lumps from the ears. Since that time all his communications with others have been carried on in writing, a channel of intelligence of which happily he has ready command, as well as a power of expression beyond common. In his descriptions he essayed in no mean terms, pingere sonum-the rushing of the wind-the rustling of the leaves:- and the murmuring main was heard, though scarcely heard to flow.' Having come to Edinburgh in the hope of recovering his lost hearing, he was fondly persuaded the impressions belonging to the sentient nerves were referrible to, and indicative of some feeble power in the proper auditory function. A watch, however, applied to the auricle and to the pericranium, or held between the teeth, gives no sense of hearing, neither do the loudest tones of the voice attract any attention; but what is still more conclusive of the entire abolition of that sense, his own voice is unperceived as giving sound, although he speaks with strong intonation. After washing the auditory passages, which were covered with an abundant slimy secretion, the view of their interior by means of the auriscope gave ample exhibition of the extent of the injury inflicted by continued disease. Not a vestige of either of the membrana tympani remained. The chamber of the right tympanum was partially occupied by pale granulations, which were seen immediately to become more vascular, and studded with bloody points on being lightly brushed with a hair pencil. The left tympanum was wholly empty, and its posterior wall

was covered with a glairy pellicle, through which the fenestra ovalis was distinctly visible. An active seton had been some time in operation on the nape, and had relieved the head of oppression and other uneasy feelings; I therefore ventured on an attempt to alter the diseased surfaces, and to check the discharge, but action habitually morbid, manifested itself, in fungous granulation, and no benefit resulted. The case, contrasted with the former, serves to exemplify the ruling influence which the state of the general health and constitution exercises over diseases of the ear, and the remedies employed: and they are sufficient to argue the important aid to be derived from the prismatic auriscope, for revealing the features of disease, for dispelling the pernicious mystery in which the affections of these important organs have been hitherto invested, and for bringing them within the pale and protection of enlightened science.

"Case 5.-Mr. P., aged 45, has suffered from deafness for many years, resulting from chronic inflammation of the organs of hearing. In 1838, when hearing was all but completely lost, he repaired to Berlin to obtain advice of Dr. Kramer, and placed himself under his care for a considerable period. That eminent practitioner, according to his narrative of the case now before me, judged that the right ear was incurably deaf, owing to paralysis of the auditory nerve and other causes. The left ear alone, therefore, was subjected to treatment, in the opinion that the disease there consisted in and depended on stricture of the Eustachian tube, and an altered condition of the membranes therewith connected. According to this view, the measures employed were wholly aimed in one direction, namely to the quarter of the Eustachian tube: Dr. Kramer at same time noticing as his reason for abstaining from interference by the more accessible and important route of the external ear, that thickening of the membrane of the tympanum as a consequence of chronic inflammation, was an affection by no means curable. His efforts were directed to the dilatation of the stricture by a strong stream of air injected upon it by the air-press and catheter: afterwards the use of the catgut bougie was attenpted, but the irritation excited forbade its being persevered with. Through the daily use of the air-press, hearing was ultimately amended to the extent of the patient's hearing Dr. Kramer's watch at the distance of from one to two inches from the ear. This slight improvement was regarded as a great benefit at the time, and Mr. P. who has subsequently experienced a gradual amelioration of his hearing, is disposed to attribute this to the effect of the air-press as employed by Dr. Kramer. In expectation of more complete recovery, Mr. P. recently applied for my opinion of its probability, and the appearances presented by the auriscope enabled me to conclude that there was the fairest prospect of this in the remediable nature of the morbid state of the membrane of the tympanum. The appearances which I ascertained were these: -The lining of the auditory canal was healthy, but without ceruminous secretion. The membrane of the drum in about one half of its extent bore a perfect resemblance to the common integument of the body, being smooth, dense, and of uniform rosy vascularity; the remaining portion of the drum was of an opaque white colour, assuming a dark semi-translucency in its centre, not larger than a mustard seed. This darker spot had been mistaken by several observers for a perforation in the membrane, and this error had given occasion for a much less auspicious prognosis than the actual state of the case warranted. With the opportunity which is afforded by the prismatic auriscope of ascertaining the state of disease, and of watching and observing fully the effect of the remedies employed, I think that attempts may be safely made in this case to promote absorption in the opaque portions of the membrane, and to restore to a greater extent its natural elasticity and serviceableness for conveying the vibrations of sound.

"These few cases must serve in the mean time to illustrate the service afforded by the prism in revealing fully the characters of darkly seated disease,—a sequel to them I defer to another opportunity. I am, dear Sir, &c. ADAM WARDEN, M.D."

Spirit of the Foreign Periodicals.

DEATH OF M. GEOFFROY ST. HILAIRE.

AFTER a long and distinguished public career, this eminent philosopher was gathered to his fathers on the 22nd of June last. His funeral was attended by an immense number of the leading Savans of the French Metropolis, and many touching and eloquent orations were made over his grave.

The cords of the pall were held by Baron Dupin, President of the Academy of Sciences; M. Dumas, Dean of the Faculty; M. Ferrus, President of the Academy of Medicine; and M. Chevreul, Director of the Museum of Natural history. Among the mourners were MM. Arago, Flourens, Dumeril, Mathieu, Jomard, Rayer, Blainville, Pariset, David, Victor Hugo, &c. When the procession had reached the gates of the Pere la Chaise Cemetery, a number of the work-people belonging to the Jardin des Plantes, spontaneously unyoked the horses, and drew the hearse to the place of sepulture-a touching homage to the worth of the deceased.

M. Dumeril, the organ of the Zoological section of the Academy, recapitulated, in language of noble simplicity, the great services which M. St. Hilaire had conferred on Comparative Anatomy and Zoology. M. Chevreul then spoke very feelingly in the name of the Museum, pointing out the deep obligations it was under to the zeal and generosity of the Founder of the Menagerie. M. Dumas and Pariset followed; the former recorded the high merits of the illustrious author of Philosophic Anatomy as one of the professors to the Faculty of Sciences; and the latter expressed, in the beautiful language which always characterises his style, the solemn regrets of the Academy of Medicine, which had the honour of ranking the deceased among its Associate Members. To these succeeded M. Serres, who, in a strain of heartfelt eloquence, proclaimed those lofty ideas of Unity of Composition, of Organic Analogues, and of the laws of Compensation in Animal Development, with which the name of St. Hilaire will ever be associated.

The following passages from several of these funeral orations will be found to touch upon the most memorable events in the scientific life of this venerable student of nature.

"Death, in striking down Stephan Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, has at length removed from the scene the last of those administrative professors of the Museum, whose nomination dates so far back as the 10th of June, 1793-the epoch of the re-organisation of the Museum of Natural History. Three months previously, under the auspices of the venerable Daubenton, and in the 21st year of his age, he had been admitted as sub-keeper and demonstrator-not of Zoology, of which hitherto he knew scarcely anything-but of Mineralogy in this establishment. How came it, it may be here asked, that a man, who for half a century was en.. tirely engaged in the study of organised and living matter, without recoiling before the most abstruse and profound speculations, should have commenced his career as a Mineralogist? The fact is that it was the result of the pressing recommendation of the fellow-labourer of Buffon, the famous Abbé Hany, who, having instructed the young Hilaire in the knowledge of Crystallography, had formed the highest esteem for his talents and character. The pupil, ere long, had a memorable opportunity of testifying his gratitude to his friend and teacher. The Abbé, falling under the suspicions of the Convention that was then in the plenitude of its power, was cast into prison, and would probably have fallen a No. LXXXII.

sacrifice to the popular fury, but-thanks to the noble daring of the young St. Hilaire-he, with some other ecclesiastics, made their escape from their dismal confinement before the fatal 2nd and 3rd of September. This act of generous devotion soon received a worthy recompense, by opening up to the youthful student's ambition the career in which he afterwards so highly distinguished himself. By the patronage of Hany, Daubenton, and Lacapede, he was elected their colleague at the Museum, although he had not yet passed the 21st year of his age.

"At first he devoted his attention, with the most unwearied zeal, to the examination of Vertebrate Animals, and so assiduously did he pursue his studies that, in less than four years after his appointment, he had already grouped and arranged the numerous collections of the Museum. He had moreover published a Memoir, in which the idea of the unity of Organic formation is clearly announced as a result of his anatomical researches. It was he that set the example of keeping live animals at this national establishment, so that not only their habits might be watched, but also the connection between these habits and the organisation of their bodies, as revealed by dissection, might be more accurately determined.

"Such was the commencement of that Menagerie, which, under the sole direction of M. St. Hilaire, has become the model of an institution that is the envy of every nation in Europe.

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Joining his acquirements and efforts to those of his friend and fellow-labourer, George Cuvier-whom he had invited to Paris-he became with him one of the founders of the Natural Classification of the first two families or groupes in the Zoological series, the Mammalia and the Birds.

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Animated by an enthusiastic love of his favourite science, he was one of that noble band of Savans, who accompanied Buonaparte to Egypt, and shared in all the dangers and glories of that memorable campaign. He travelled as far as the Cataracts of the Nile, exploring with the utmost zeal all the natural productions of the country through which he passed. His name is inscribed in the pages of that brilliant episode of our history, associated with those of Denon, Larrey, &c. "After the capitulation of Alexandria, when the English Commissioner claimed, in virtue of the terms of the treaty that had been formed between the two armies, the possession of all the scientific collections that had been made by the different Savans in the land of the Pharaohs, Geoffroy St. Hilaire, by a bold and eloquent appeal, succeeded in preserving his collection to his own country; and thus, by his energy and courage, he was the means of enriching the galleries of France with some of the most interesting souvenirs of the Egyptian Expedition."

"In 1808, he was appointed by Napoleon to execute the duties of a delicate mission to Portugal; and he succeeded admirably in effecting the object of his journey. Another person might have availed himself of the privileges of war to obtain possession of the rich collections of Natural History at Ajuda; but St. Hilaire, in accordance with the laws of the most strict justice, did not so abuse the power entrusted to him. All that he required was a mutual exchange, that could not fail to be of advantage to both countries; and thus the duplicate specimens of the Portuguese collection were obtained to enrich that of the French Museum, and those of our establishment served to fill up in part the deficiencies of the Ajuda Gallery.

"The events of 1815 brought into conspicuous view the tact, as well as the justice, that had regulated our compatriot's conduct; for at this period, when France was a second time over-run by the armies of the Coalition, the Portuguese minister declared to the Duke of Richelieu that he had no demands to make against the French government for the specimens which had been withdrawn, seven years before, from the museums of his country; expressly declaring

that they had not been taken away by any force of conquest, but had been readily exchanged for others that were now the property of Portugal."

(It is pleasing to find a French writer in the present day protesting, although in an indirect manner, against the robbery of the works of art and science that was perpetrated on a grand scale by his fellow-countrymen, during the wars of the Republic and Empire.)

"The science of organic relations and analogies in Anatomy, of which a few sparks did shine forth in some parts of Buffon's writings, was checked, and, as it were, drowned in the wearisome details with which Daubenton had subsequently overlaid it. It was Geoffroy who, by one of those bold and penetrating glances of genius which give rise to a new era in natural knowledge, disengaged it from the trammels of a long-established custom.

"It was when our illustrious countryman was seeking to explain to himself the mechanism of the bony head in the fish, and to reduce the numerous pieces, of which it consists, to the known type of the cranium in vertebrated animals, that he first caught a glimpse of that curious and most interesting Law of Organisation which he afterwards worked out in so beautiful a manner.

"When the happy thought suggested itself to him of comparing the various pieces, of which the cranium in the fish is composed, with the osseous nuclei in the head of the human embryo, it may be truly said that he took the first, the initiatory step in that memorable career, which subsequently led to the elucidation of a multitude of questions that had hitherto puzzled and perplexed all previous Naturalists and Comparative Anatomists."

"It is to Geoffroy St. Hilaire that we owe the important discoveries that the Embryo of animals is not primarily the mere miniature copy of their perfect and mature development; and that, before an animal assumes the permanent form of its organisation, it passes through a series of forms which are of intermediate and of transitory existence.

"It is to him that Comparative Embryology-so long neglected because it seemed to be almost objectless-has of recent years become one of the very fundamental parts of Zoogeny-that indeed which commands and over-rules all

the rest.

"The earth becomes to our contemplation a vast laboratory, where there is continually forming a succession of new beings in a progressive and ascending scale, and all of which are linked together in an unbroken chain, from the Infusoria, the starting-point of nature, up to the Mammalia and to Man himself, the highest limit of its efforts :-a thought, the depth and wisdom of which are every day confirmed by the discoveries of Paleontology. According to this view the entire animal kingdom is regarded as a single being; which, during its formation, is arrested at various periods of its development, and thus determines, at each epoch of its interruption, the distinctive characters of classes, families, genera and species."

*

M. St. Hilaire appears to have been truly happy in the social, and especially in the domestic, relations of life. For many years before his death he had become entirely blind; but he always retained a serenity and cheerfulness of character that endeared him to all his friends. The affection of a devoted wife, and the solicitude of a fond daughter were ever near, ready to soothe and comfort him :

"After having received," says one of his panegyrists, "so much instruction from this soul in its strength, it only remained that we should learn of him how we ought to die. Like Galileo, he had lost his sight; but the calmness of his disposition was never ruffled for a moment; he still smiled at the mighty wonders of Creative Wisdom in Heaven and in Earth, which he still saw and dwelt upon