copy from the Toronto Leader. In May, 1862, the number of patients in the Beauport asylum was 418; in May, 1863, it was 444; in May, 1864, the number had increased to 534, and, in September of last year, it had reached 556. Let it be remembered that the building is considered full with 400 inmates. It is true that new wings have been added to the building; but in spite of increased accommodation the crowding was deemed by one of the commissioners, Mr. Hamilton, to be" prejudicial to health, both of mind and body, from the circumstance of so large a number being huddled together."

In the name of our common humanity, we would ask how long is this state of things to be allowed to contine. If the Government are unwilling to assume the responsibility, let them so state, and give to private individuals the power of erecting an asylum to be under Government inspection. We have good reason to know that offers have been made to the Government by private individuals to build an asylum and provide the necessary accommodation for this afflicted class of persons. The bare idea of endeavouring to adapt a rejected private residence, as was proposed, a short time since, in the house of the late Mr. Harwood, or the other schemes for acquiring college buildings which have not been found to answer the purpose for which they were intended, or even making use of the barracks at St. John's is absurd in the very last degree; it is a line of conduct which lays the members of our executive open to the suspicion of a question of their own sanity, and we doubt very much whether they do not themselves deserve to have issued a commission de lunatico inquirendo for the purpose of deliberating on their own state of mental calibre.

If reference be made to the imperial paper on "Colonial Hospitals and Lunatic Asylums," it will be found that in temperate climates 1,000 cubic feet of breathing space are necessary for each inmate of associated wards, and that in single rooms not less than 1,500 cubic feet are necessary. It appears that not over 300 cubic feet of breathing space are allotted to the inmates of the Beauport Asylum-a state of things which precludes all hope of beneficial results from treatment; in fact, it is little superior to the black hole at Calcutta, and we have little hesitation in believing it is very little better, and accompanied by almost an equal amount of death, though not half as merciful; for, in the one instance, the death was speedy and sure, in this it becomes a lingering but equally certain result.

We write thus urgently. It is a subject which has engrossed our attention for years; and, we would ask, is there not occasion for earnest and concentrated action? The fact is apparent to every one who chooses

to observe, for in our own streets may be daily seen many unfortunate wretches who should be taken care of in an asylum. But it is not done. And why? Because there is no asylum. With a population of 120,000 in our city, and a large populous surrounding county, there is no asylum. There is nothing but the cells of our common gaol, where these unfortu nates would be far worse off than by allowing them to roam at large, with the possible alternative of their committing some desperate act for which the law cannot hold them accountable.

Since the above was in print, the tragedy enacted at St. Damase has occurred. We take the account from the daily papers. This lamentable affair proves more fully than words can express the culpable negligence of the Government in not providing means for the care of this afflicted class.

HORRIBLE MURDER AT ST. DAMASE.-On Friday last a dreadful tragedy was enacted at St. Damase, by Jean Baptiste Drolet, the unfortunate victim being his own mother. It appears that the murderer, about two o'clock in the afternoon, asked his mother for some milk. She sent him to where it was kept in an outhouse, but fearing that he might spill some of the cans, followed him. She had no sooner reached the place than her son seized an axe, and struck her a fearful blow on the head. The poor woman died an hour afterwards. The son was immediately arrested; an inquest was held on the body; and a verdict rendered that the deceased had come to her death by a blow inflicted by her son Jean Baptiste Drolet, and accusing him of wilful murder. It appears that the son is insane, and must have committed the act in one of his wilder moments. He has a wife and five children living. This sad affair has east a gloom over the village St. Damase, where the deceased and her family were highly respected.

In a private letter received by Dr. F. W. Campbell, from Dr. William Frazer, lecturer on materia medica in the Carmichael School of Medicine, Dublin, and author of "Elements of Materia Medica, &c.," occurs the following passage, alluding to the several articles published in this journal, on the unfortunate case of accidental poisoning at Quebec some few months ago: "You had a curious discussion about a case of poisoning; your correspondents were a little bitter, but, in spite of all the evidence, I feel disposed to think that aconite was the tincture used." Dr. Frazer also remarks: "Much excitement has been caused by the reports of the Russian epidemic. At the College of Physicians, a few evenings since, Professor Houghton read a letter from one of the leading St. Petersburgh

professors, and, from it, it would seem that the epidemic is simply severe. typhus, and relapsing fever, such as we had in Ireland in 1848, but that it was declining. He scouts the idea of a plague.

MEDICAL NEWS.

On the 10th of May Mr. Syme, for the second time, performed the formidable operation of excision of the tongue. The patient was a female about 56 years of age, who had been affected with malignant disease of the tongue for about two years, the affection implicating almost the whole organ, extending to within a short distance of the hyoid bone. Having made an incision in the median line from the lip downwards, Mr. Syme sawed through the lower jaw. The two portions being held apart, he readily and rapidly dissected out the whole tongue. Only two ligatures were required; and but little blood was lost. The operation lasted twenty minutes. The patient upon whom Mr. Syme operated some six months ago, is still well and there has not been any return of the disease. Sir David Davies, M.D., died on the 10th of May. He was the domestic physician of His late Majesty King William IV and Queen Adelaide. Dr. Clark, of Rockford, Illinois, recommends the internal administration of sulphur in large doses, frequently repeated, for the cure of indolent ulcers of long standing. One case took thirty grains five times a day, with most decided benefit. Typhoid fever is the cause of the greatest number of deaths in the French army, being, for 1862, 185 per 10,000 of effective soldiers.

Mr. Spencer Wells objects to the operation of incision of the mouth and neck of the womb, as performed by Dr. Marion Sims. In his opinion, the use of the speculum is neither necessary nor desirable in the performance of the operation. "The operation can be much better done with a proper instrument in a second or two by the touch alone, than it can by a complex process of speculum, assistant, hook, scissors, knife, and plugs, as advised by Dr. Sims." Further, he says that there is no necessity to do more than cut through the mucous membrane and the innermost layer of muscular fibres. Mr. Wells holds it "to be not only un. necessary, but dangerous and injurious, to cut into the thick middle layer of muscular fibres." Mr. Wells says he has seen two fatal cases of periuterine abscess after free incision in the practice of others. He is confident that very "free incisions are as unnecessary as they are dangerous."-Brit. Med. Jour.

CANADA

MEDICAL JOURNAL.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

Case of Aneurism of ascending portion of Arch of Aorta. By JOSEPH M. DRAKE, M.D., House-surgeon, Montreal General Hospital; Curator of the Museum of McGill College.

Paul St. Jean, aged 26, was admitted into the Montreal General Hospital on the 12th July, 1864, under Dr Reddy, complaining of a tumour on the front of the chest. He is of medium height, somewhat emaciated, and of a sallow anemic complexion. He states that about eight months since, while lifting he felt something "crack" in his chest. shortly after which he was conscious of a "lump" inside his chest: he did not feel any pulsation at the time nor since, nor was there any very noticeable swelling on the surface. He did not suffer from the slightest inconvenience in swallowing, neither had he difficulty of breathing at any time. He had occasional pain in the part of a pricking, burning, aching character, but not very severe. In this state he remained till about Christmas, last, when he observed the swelling externally to rapidly increase in size-within the past six weeks it has enlarged with yet greater rapidity, and he suffers at times excruciating pain-he has slight cough, cannot continue in a reclining posture-great orthopnoea,—and cannot make the least exertion, but has still no difficulty connected with deglutition or respiration. His pulse is 108, weak but regular-tongue moist, slightly furred-bowels constipated-appetite gone. He complains much of want of rest, being obliged to remain in a sitting posture continually. The pupils are of equal size, and equally affected by light. There is nothing more in his family or personal history which throws any light on his

case.

On examination an oblong tumour, soft, smooth and uniform, about six inches long by four and a half in width, the long axis directed trans

versely across the sternal region, the shorter axis extending between the third and sixth ribs. It extends nearly It extends nearly an equal distance right and left of the mid-sternum. The integument covering it is healthy in appearance, though somewhat reddened, which he attributes to the application of poultices he used before his admission. The intercostal spaces between the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth ribs appear considerably widened at the margin of the tumour; neither ribs nor sternum can be felt over the tumour. The ensiform cartilage can be felt about two inches below the lower margin of the tumour. The apex of the heart is displaced about two inches to the left of its normal situation. Pulsation synchronous with the heart's action is very evident over the whole surface of the tumour. The impulse, however, is neither forcible nor jerking, but conveys the impression that it is communicated through a fluid or semi-fluid substance. There is no thrill, and on applying the stethoscope not the slightest trace of "bruit" can be detected in it. The heart sounds at the apex are perfectly normal, a slight bruit is heard with the first sound at the third left costal cartilage and also at the right second costal cartilage. At the back about the fifth or sixth dorsal vertebra a systolic bruit de souffle (quite single) is very distinctly heard.

The lungs appear healthy. There is no history of pleurisy. The tumour is very tender, and its contents appear to be fluid or semi-fluid to the touch.

14th July.-Complains of severe pain in left side, which was relieved by the application of sinapisms. Pulse 115. He continnes the same in other respects, and is suffering so much that it is almost impossible to make any further examination. From this date his strength rapidly failed, and he died on the afternoon of the 22rd July. The immediate cause of death appeared to be syncope.

Sectio cadaveris.-On opening the pericardium the heart was found to be slightly adherent over its whole surface to the pericardium by a thin layer of recent lymph. The adhesions were very readily separated by the finger. All the valves were perfectly healthy and capable of performing their functions. The cavities were nearly empty. The right auricle and the ascending part of the aorta could not be separated from a large tumour which existed in the situation of the anterior mediastinum. The sac of the pericardium in this situation was therefore of course obliterated. On slitting up the aorta two large dilatations were observed in the situation of two of the sinuses of Valsalva, one of which had burst in to the anterior mediastinum by an opening about the size of a half crown. The edges of the opening were puckered but perfectly smooth. The other dilatation would have held a large walnut; its walls were thin and formed