"

strangers is removed, he again lapses into imbecility, | against the evidence of all the subscribing wit- |
exhibits moroseness, peevishness, and want of self-nesses.-Lowe v. Jolliffe, 1 Sir W. Bl. Rep., 365.
control, and, though the Commission may have re-
lieved him from collateral guidance, he may get
into most absurd and wicked and indiscreet scrapes,
or may even commit suicide. In every action and
wish he forms a complete contrast to his previous
habits and character; a perfect metamorphosis or
change has more or less gradually occurred; he is
no longer the same man.

Now, such a person requires some restraint, but not confinement; a judicious butler may be often sufficient to check any indiscretion, but the distribution of property should never be left to the disposition of caprice, of whim, of imbecility; and, while a jury should decide as to the degree of incapacity necessitating interference, the medical man should properly direct the degree of necessary restraint.

Idiots, lunatics, and those of unsound mind are incapable of making wills, and if made by such persons they are not valid; but if a rational will is dictated by a person, even though generally supposed to be an idiot, this is considered to afford strong evidence that he is not idiotic.

Proofs of partial insanity will defeat a will, as in the case of Mr. Greenwood, who laboured under the delusion that his brother had given him a potion to destroy him, he therefore disinherited this brother; the fact being, that when in delirium from fever he had received some medicine from his brother's hand. Mr. Greenwood permanently retained the delusion he had assumed in delirium, and a verdict against the will was obtained in the Court of Common Pleas. On a second trial, by advice of the Judge, the jury, however, found in favour of the will. A compromise was subsequently effected.

A person having written a testamentary paper when in sound mind, and subsequently becoming insane, although he may not have signed such a will, yet it is considered valid, because the supervening insanity is held to be sufficient to account for the non-execution of such a paper.

The act of suicide three days after instructions had been given for a will did not invalidate it, there being no evidence of the insanity of the deceased at or during the time of giving the instructions.

In some cases of habitual intemperance the mental powers become much enfeebled, so as to impair the judgment and prevent the individual from thinking or reasoning correctly upon any question. In other instances, the reason is only affected when under the influence of inebriety. Of course any will made when a man is actually drunk, if this be proved, would necessarily be held invalid; but should the habitual drunkard be considered fit or capable of such testamentary right? If he be constantly intoxicated he must be incapable; but if locked up, in some instances, the right might be generally, but not always, safely accorded to him.

In England there is no power to interfere in these drunken cases, but in the State of New York, such a person's property is placed under the care of the Chancellor, and, should the drunkard feel aggrieved, the circumstances are referred to the opinion of six freeholders, and the case is decided by their verdict. Could not such a law be with advantage introduced into this country? With respect to drunkenness invalidating a will, if a will be made and signed in a state of inebriety, it is invalid, but as soon as the excitement has passed away, and sober reason returns, it may be exe

cuted.

If a man become from age so imbecile that he cannot remember his own name, he cannot make a will; nor can a drunkard, if by habitual intemperance he be deprived of the use of his understanding and reason; but, if when sober, reason returns, he can then dispose of his property.

All persons, but especially medical men, should be aware that any one who attests a will should have some knowledge of the testator, as one who signs his name as witness to a will, certifies by that act that he considered the testator of sound mind. A will, however, may be valid though both the attesting witnesses depose to the incapacity of the deceased.-Le Breton v. Fletcher, 2 Hagg. Ec. Rep., 568. And a will may be established even

for me here to enter into the various points upon
It is impossible, and it would be also unnecessary,
which a will may be disputed, and I shall merely
been set aside where the testator was not proved
content myself with stating, that several wills have
pally benefited had been comparative strangers;
to have been insane, but where the persons princi-
in the relation to each other of client and at-
or, what is worse, had even in some instances stood
torney.

of Sir Henry Halford, is, in many respects, so in-
The following case, which came under the notice
structive, that I consider no apology necessary for
giving it in somewhat lengthy detail.

provision for the natural children, with sufficient

correctness; but he stated that he had left a namewhereas he had left him five thousand pounds only, sake, though not a relation, ten thousand pounds, and there he paused. After which, Sir Henry his real property, when these legacies should have thought it proper to ask him, to whom he had left estate should be vested after his death, if he died been discharged; in whom did he intend that his sure," was the reply. Who is your heir-at-law? without children? "In the heir-at-law, to be "I do not know," was the answer.

laboured, according to Shakspeare's test, under his Thus he "gambolled" from the matter, and madness still. This gentleman died intestate of also his friend, was throughout strictly honourable. course; and the conduct of his solicitor, who was (To be continued.)

FIRST NOTICE.

following letter:—
We have received with this contribution the

shire, about thirty-five years of age, sent for his
A gentleman of considerable fortune, in Oxford-
solicitor to make his will. He was in habits of
he wished to add £500 a year to his mother's
strict friendship with him, and stated that
jointure, if she got well, she being then, to
the knowledge of the solicitor and himself only,
confined as a lunatic; he wished, also, to make a
trifling legacies; and then, if he died childless,
provision for two natural children; to leave a few
[To the Editor of the Medical Times.]
pressed his gratitude, but added, that he could not
to make him, the solicitor, his heir. His friend ex-
SIR, A new edition of Baron Liebig's work on
accept such a mark of his good opinion, until he will agree with me in saying, it is of the utmost
Animal Chemistry is announced for publication,
and the first part has made its appearance. You
was convinced that it was his deliberate judgment importance that every theory upon this subject
communicated to him six months afterwards.
so to dispose of his property, and that decision ought to be carefully examined. With a view to
deranged, and continued in such a state of excite-heat. Should it be suitable to the columns of the
In about six weeks time, the gentleman became tinguished writer's views on the sources of animal
this end, I send you herewith a paper on this dis-
ment for a whole month, during which time he was
visited constantly by Sir Henry Halford and Sir
[The non-restraint system had not then been con-
George Tuthill, as to require coercion every day.
sidered practicable, or I am convinced the late
among the first to have exercised and advocated so
excellent Sir Henry Halford would have been
philanthropic and so humane a change.]

and comfortable; but his languor and weakness
At the expiration of a month he was composed
bore a proportion to his late excitement, and it
was very doubtful whether he would live. On
him how he found himself? he answered, "Very ill,
entering his room one day, on Sir Henry asking
Sir; about to die, and only anxious to make my
will first." This could hardly be listened to under
his circumstances, and he was persuaded to forego
that wish for the present. The next day he made
the same answer to the same question, but in such

a tone and manner as to extort from common hu

39.66

his theories on animal chemistry which I shall Medical Times, I have several other papers upon send you, after I have adapted them to the new

edition of his work.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant, ROBERT RIGG. Greenford, Middlesex, Dec., 1846.

OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS ON
THE SOURCES OF ANIMAL HEAT:
Showing, in Opposition to the Theory of Baron
Liebig, that there must be some other Source or
Sources of Animal Heat, besides the Process of
Combustion.

By ROBERT RIGG, F.R.S.

The generation of animal heat is so important a feature in the economy of animal life, and ciple of life itself, that it has long engrossed the seems to be so intimately connected with the prinattention of chemists and physiologists.

fering widely in their general conclusions on the and ingenuity have been baffled, and, though difeven with these powerful auxiliaries, their research subject, they have all agreed in this, that the production of animal heat is the most recondite of all the functions.

been put forward on high authority; and we are A solution of this problem has, however, of late

manity, even at the probable expense of future
litigation, an acquiescence in his wish to disburden
his mind. The solicitor was sent for, and, having
been with his client the preceding evening, met Sir different views, and have called to their aid che-
Henry Halford and Sir George Tuthill at the con-mistry, electro-chemistry, and mechanics; but,
They have approached the subject with very
sultation in the morning, with a will prepared ac-
the attack of disease, as well as to those given the
cording to the instructions he had received before
preceding night. He proposed to read this to the
gentleman in the presence of the physicians, and
that they should witness the signature of it, if they
were satisfied that it expressed clearly his intentions.
It was read, and the patient answered, "Yes,"
yes," yes," distinctly to every item, as it was
with Sir George Tuthill and the solicitor, to con-
deliberately proposed to him. On going down stairs
told that "the mutual action between the ele-
sider what was to be done, Sir Henry expressed some
ments of the food and the oxygen conveyed by
regret that Sir George Tuthill and himself had, as
the circulation of the blood to every part of the
body, is the soURCE OF ANIMAL HEAT"; (a) and at
physicians, been involved in an affair which could page 35 we are told that "the heat evolved in the
in a court of law, where they would necessarily bejected in the body, is amply sufficient to explain
hardly be expected to terminate without an inquiry process of combustion, to which the food is sub-
good gentleman, under such circumstances, to make
called upon to justify themselves for permitting this
a will. It occurred to Sir Henry then to propose
to his colleague to go up again into the sick-room
to see whether their patient could re-word the
matter, as a test, on Shakspeare's authority, of
his soundness of mind.

"Ecstasy!

the evaporation from the skin and lungs."
the constant temperature of the body, as well as

This theory is sanctioned by the name of Liebig,
a name entitled to great respect; but Science is
can only claim for its theory a stricter scrutiny
not a province of Faith, and the greatest name
and closer investigation. It is through the ordeal
of experiment alone that the most ingenious
theory can take its place amongst the acknow-
ledged principles of natural philosophy.
To this ordeal Baron Liebig seems ready to

My pulse as yours doth temperately keep time,
And makes as healthful music. It is not madness
That I have utter'd: bring me to the test,
And I the matter will re-word which madness
Would gambol from."-Hamlet, Act III., Scene 4.
He repeated the clauses which contained the ad-
dition to his mother's jointure, and which made | page 17.

(a) Liebig's Animal Chemistry, second edition

that this combustion is the only source of animal heat, depends upon another question, namely, whether the heat evolved by an animal is all the heat that is required by, or produced in, the animal economy. For, if Liebig's first conclusion be true, that the heat evolved by the animal compound is just about equal to the heat which the constituents of the compound would yield in direct combustion; and, if it should further appear that the animal functions require and in juxtaposition, as shown in the two following tables :

THE MEDICAL TIMES.

The excretions weighed 14,750 grains; but owing to the vapour of water and a little ammonia which passed from them, and a small loss of urine, their weight was not accurately determined: the parts collected, however, comprised most of the carbon and hydrogen. But, that the experiment may be represented as favourably as possible for the theory under consideration, it is assumed in the following analysis that the loss of urine and vapour of water from the execretions made the whole quantity equal to 40 per cent. of the weight of the food consumed.

The 14,750 grains of excretions, when brought by drying to the state in which they were analysed, weighed 4,080 grains, constituted of— Carbon.... Hydrogen:. Nitrogen

Nitro.
90.4

110.
90-6

In Dulong's experiment with the kitten 1.025 grains of hydrogen would combine with the 24 cubic inches of oxygen, which disappeared, and form 9-225 grains of water during each hour. In Despretz's experiment with the rabbit, the oxygen which disappeared, on combining with hydrogen, The rabbit, on being placed at different times forms 14-422 grains of water; and the same was in an apparatus, content 5,250 cubic inches, the case with the rabbit upon which I experiformed upon an average 125 cubic inches of car-mented, during the period it was kept in a conbonic acid, and decreased the volume of oxygen fined atmosphere. If this combination went on 37 cubic inches per hour. uniformly during the experiment, day and night, the hydrogen in the food of the kittens for twelve days would hardly have been sufficient for the cat upon which Dulong experimented for forty hours; and the hydrogen in the food consumed by the rabbit in seven days would only have been sufficient for the consumption of six hours.(a)?)

So also, with respect to the carbon in the food of these animals, it would appear, from the results of Despretz's experiments and of my own, that the carbon in the food consumed during a given time would only be sufficient to keep up the formation of carbonic acid one-third of that time. Allowing for the carbon in the increased weight of the animal, the carbon in the food of the rabbit which went to the formation of carbonic acid formed only 34.5 per cent. of the weight which would have been required for the formation of carbonic acid actually formed, supposing that the animal gave off as much at all times as it did during the period Despretz kept it under experiment. The same applied to a much greater extent to the experiments with the kittens.

Consequently these animals, and particularly the kittens, must either have evolved an extraordinary large quantity of carbonic acid when kept in confined atmospheres, when compared with the quantity they give off at other times; or they must have the power of forming or secreting carbon out of other bodies.

Experiments made with tame animals favour the latter inference, and those made with wild animals (b) and birds disposejus to draw both these inferences. A cat, for example, when kept in a confined situation for two or three days, varying with the violence of the animal, without any other food than water and pure atmospheric air, will give off a volume of carbonic acid containing more carbon than is comprised in another cat of the same weight and size with it. And proportionately to the exertion of the animal is the formation of carbon, the disappearance of oxygen, the evolution of heat, and the loss in weight. Hence the volume of carbonic acid which was given off by the animals in the experiments conducted by Despretz and Dulong may be regarded as exceed ing the volume which would be given in the same time, if the animals were free.

and causes; for, although erysipelas shows itself as
a local disease, the inflammation on the skin is
merely an external manifestation of an inward
complaint, and the constitutional symptoms pre-
sent those forms which are generally noticed in the
above-mentioned disorders. But it is more par-

ticularly in the idiopathic form of erysipelas, at-
tacking the head and
head and face, that we see the similarity
between it and the exanthemata,

The person who is so attacked has a rigor, followed by heat of surface; and constitutional disturbance, which lasts for some time; in a few hours a specific eruption breaks out on his face, lasts for some days, and then disappears. There is also another similarity between erysipelas and the disorders caused by these specific poisons, namely, this, that the symptoms for the most part have a tendency to assume a low form, if not during the whole of their course, at least during the greater part of it. In traumatic erysipelas there is not the same regularity in the course of the complaint. As in the idiopathic variety, therefore, we cannot so strictly liken it to the exanthemata; although we hay be certain that idiopathic and traumatic depend upon the same poison, therefore we may class all erysipelatous cases under the head of discases caused by specific poisons.

These diseases appear as epidemics, and also spread by contagion ; so, also, we see that erysipelas rages as an epidemic, and there is very little doubt that it is propagated by contagion; and I will proceed to consider this point, as it is doubted by some, whether the disease is contagious or otherwise.

pelas, but the disease did not attack the part
which we should have expected, it attacked the
head and face, which were in a sound state. If
the disease had been part of an epidemic, and in-
fluenced by atmospheric changes alone, it is extra-
ordinary that the open sores were not affected, in-
stead of a sound part of the body. The beds were
next to each other. The probability is, that care
was taken in the dressing of the sores not to ex-
pose them to contagion, and that the poison, not
being able to attack them, was transmitted from one
patient the other through the air, and thus
showed itself on the head and face. orbing ad
About the same time another patient, who lay
nearly opposite to the one originally attacked, and
who had undergone an operation, the wounds
made in which were almost entirely healed, was
seized with the disease and died. As far as I can
recollect, there had been no cases of erysipelas in
that ward for some time before; but from this
time it was seldom free from it, until it was cleaned
out; and the most disastrous cases happened in this
ward.

to

My friend Mr. French, the surgeon to the St. George's and St. James's Infirmary, tells me that erysipelas never spreads in the wards, when the beds are very close together, as he takes the precaution of moving the patient away when any case occurs.

Mr. Hyde, house-surgeon to St. George's Hospital, related to me a fact which will show the contagiousness of erysipelas. Two persons came to see a friend of theirs, who was attacked with the disease in his head. They were both well at this period; within the space of one week, they were both attacked with the disease in the head and face.

Although some writers have denied, or at least doubted, the contagiousness of erysipelas, many have testified to the contrary; but Mr. Nunneley, in his excellent work on Erysipelas, well observes: I shall not multiply these facts, by quoting re"It is still an unsettled question amongst the corded cases, but shall content myself with having profession, whether erysipelas be a contagious or related what has fallen under my own observation, an infectious disease." One of the highest autho- as I shall do in every part of this essay, and my rities on the subject, Mr. Lawrence, says, "Erysi-readers can draw what inferences they wish. pelas arises from many causes, amongst which it is doubtful if contagion is to be included." Mr. Startin, in his lectures on Diseases of the Skin, published in the Medical Times, states that "his experience of five or six years has failed to satisfy him on this point." Amongst those who affirm that it is contagious are Copland, James, Elliotson, Watson, and Liston; and the cases quoted by some of them, and by others, are, I should think, almost sufficient to convince any unbiased mind; but, as a large number of facts are necesssary to settle such a point as this, I shall add some which have fallen under my own notice, for the purpose of strengthening my argument that this disease is contagious.

That erysipelas spreads as an epidemic, and is is much influenced by atmospheric changes, there can be no doubt. One state of the air produces one poison, and one another; as an instance, I may produce the existence of the diseases which have prevailed during the last twelve months. During the last winter, which was very mild, fever raged to a great extent amongst the lower orders of the metropolis; this continued for some months, and at last gave way. During the spring and ensuing summer, erysipelas was very prevalent in London, both in the public institutions and in private houses; this gave way, and now fever is raging to a great extent amongst the poorer classes, and causing a large mortality.

At the time the patients in the hospital were so much attacked with it, I noticed that several persons who had received injuries, and whose wounds were dressed by myself, were affected with it at their own homes, chiefly in a mild form.

poor woman, and that I unconsciously became the cause of her death; facts such as these are sufficient to make the most careless think, and endeavour to obviate such occurrences for the future.

It has been considered by many, that the disease may be carried by the practitioner to his patients, and may produce affections of a different nature, as regards locality, but similar in their pathological bearings. It has been pretty well proved that puerperal peritonitis may be caused by the umconscious practitioner, who, first having dressed erysipelatous sores, has aftewards attended women inclabour, Many cases of this kind have been related, and the connection between erysipelas and puerperal fever has been distinctly shown by the best modern authorities on the latter disease, amongst whom I may mention Clarke, Fergusson, Lee, Gordon, and others. From the statements of these gentlemen, we learn that, whilst puerperal fever was raging in populous towns and lying-in hospitals, erysipelas was also prevalent in the same neighbourhoods; and we also learn that the prevailing character of the two diseases were similar, that they presented the same type, that the products of inflammation were the same, and that they required the same treatment. I bave seen cases when this most subtle poison has propagated itself from one party to a second, and has produced most fatal forms of disease; and which are similar to the original disorder only as regards the low form of the symptoms, and differing from it in there being no external inflammation. I can relate one very interesting and melancholy case of the kind. In the summer of 1845, a child was operated upon for harelip in King's College Hospital. The mother of the child, an exceedingly healthy countrywoman, was allowed to remain in the ward with it, and to

sleep in the same bed. In two or three days erysipelas attacked the child's face; the mother still nursed it and slept in the same bed with it; in a short time she was taken with febrile symptoms, which put on a very low form, similar to that which is seen in phlebitis. She died in a week, and on post-mortem examination the ovaries were inthe veins of the pelvis. If I recollect rightly, she flamed and disorganized, and pus was found îu was menstruating at this period. There was no doubt on the minds of those who saw the case and knew the history, that there was a direct communication between the erysipelas and her fatal

disorder.

I attended a female who died of phlegmonous erysipelas of the thigh, accompanied with very low symptoms. A young woman who attended her, both before and after death, and washed the body, was seized with a low fever and died in a week. The mother of this young woman, who attended When erysipelas attacks one patient in the ward upon her, was taken ill and carried off in three days. of a hospital which has hitherto been healthy, how Another stout, hearty woman, who also closely often do we find it rapidly spread from one party attended the woman who had the erysipelas, was to another, and in a manner which can only be shortly afterwards attacked with fever, attended laid down to contagion? A case of erysipelas is with a peculiar eruption, from which she happily brought into a ward; a patient in the same ward An important point connected with the subject recovered. I have every reason to suppose that undergoes an operation, or is affected with some of contagion, to which I wish to call particular this deadly disease owed its origin to the erysipelas, Wound; in a few days the disease attacks him, attention, is the possibility of the practitioner's so subtle is the poison, and so many various forms and others similarly circumstanced are attacked being able to carry the disease from one patient to of disease will it produce. Very interesting is the One after the other. In the accident ward of another, and thus become unconsciously the source study and record of such cases, and very useful, as, King's College Hospital there was a patient with of death or protracted illness to his patients. I by a proper knowledge of such facts, we may with erysipelas of the leg; there were three cases of have no doubt that many, very many, cases of ery-care, I hope, be able to prevent such frightful conrecent wounds in the same ward, which had been sipelas are produced in this manner, particularly sequences to those who are engaged in the humane hitherto particularly free from erysipelas; within in the public hospitals, where a great many per- office of attending to the wants of their sick fellowforty-eight hours every one of them was attacked sons are seen by one attendant, and where, from creatures. with the disease. There were only one or two various reasons, that strict precaution to prevent isolated cases in the hospital at this time, so that it anything of the kind taking place is not properly ye hardly likely that these cases depended upon the attended to, or is forgotten. I shall not refer to MR. BROWN'S CASE OF OVARIAN DROPSY. state of the atmosphere; it is most probable that published cases, but shall content myself with rethe disease was propagated from one to the other,lating the following unfortunate case :- On the sby the nurse or other attendants; and I more morning of August 18, I went to see a man who readily believe this, as the nurse in this ward was was attacked with severe phlegmonous erysipelas not so particular as she ought to have been, in of the leg, in which I made some incisions and - preventing the means of contagion. afterwards dressed it. About four hours after this, One curious fact I noticed in the hospital during I performed a slight operation upon the lower exthe summer, which I think will help to prove the tremity of a female, who was living in an airy point. A female, labouring under an attack of ery-house near Red Lion-square. On the third day ssipelas, was admitted into the Victoria Ward. In after the operation, erysipelas appeared around the the next bed, was a young woman, with a large wound, spread up the limb, involved the deepsulcer on the leg, and phlegmonous abscesses on the seated tissues of the thigh, and terminated in five inside of the thigh; her health was much broken days, fatally. I am afraid there can be little down by privation. She was seized with erysi-doubt that the poison was carried by me to this

(To be continued.)

*(To the Editor of the Medical Times.) SIR, I regret that I have not beside me any notes of the case of " Mrs. D.," alluded to by Mr. Isaac B. Brown, in the last number of your journal -a case which I am said to have called "dropsy in a tumour." I am not even conscious of having undertaken its treatment. I conclude, therefore, that Mr. Brown's patient must have been one of the many who come to me, as they do to other physicians, for an opinion, and, unless they receive great encouragement, may seldom return again. In their peregrinations they usually fall into the hands of some of the faculty who are remarkable for the