ART. II. An Inaugural Dissertation on STONE IN THE BLADDER, submitted to the public examination of the Faculty of physic, under the authority of the Trustees of Columbia College, in the state of New-York, the right Rev.Benjamin Moore, D. D. president: for the degree of Doctor in medicine, on the 13th day of November 1810. By HENRY U. ONDERDONK, A. M. member of the Royal College of Surgeons, London. New-York. 8vo. pp. 44. T. & J. Swords. 1810. An Inaugural Dissertation on the Medical virtues of the WHITE OXYDE OF BISMUTH, with some preliminary observations on the chemical properties of that metal. Submitted, &c. on the 13th day of November 1810. By SAMUEL W. MOORE, A. B. New-York. 8vo. pp. 39. T.& J. Swords. 1810. WHEN an author voluntarily offers himself to the public, it becomes us to inquire with a rigid impartiality into the utility of his labours, and the manner in which they are executed. But with respect to another class of writers, who may be considered as performing no more than an indispensable duty, and whose compositions are published in compliance with a collegiate statute, it is sufficient barely to mention the subject of their exercises, and to notice such facts or circumstances as may appear of special moment. We shall not on the present occasion enter upon the consideration of a long agitated question, what particular advantages or disadvantages result to medical science from our seminaries of learning, permitting those exercises to be published in the English language, which are to furnish evidence of their author's classical learning, as well as professional attainments. Believing as we do, that collegiate distinctions are honourable, so far only, as they are purchased by solid and extensive acquirements, we hope the day is not far distant, when a tolerable acquaintance with the learned languages, will be considered as essentially necessary to every candidate, for the degree of doctor in medicine. Such acquirements will be best evinced by a certain number of examinations, being conducted in the Latin language, and by the publication of a Latin thesis. MR. ONDERDONK while in London, having had frequent opportunities of observing the use of the Bistoury, in the operation of removing the stone from the bladder, was induced, from a conviction of its superiority over other instruments, to make choice of Lithotomy, as the subject of his inaugural dissertation; especially, as it afforded him a full opportunity of making known the peculiar advan tages which that instrument possesses. Introductory to the more immediate objects of his dissertation, Mr. Onderdonk has given a general history of the disease, the recent arrangements which have been made of urinary calculi, according to their chemical analysis, and an account of the most approved methods of operating for the stone. He then concludes with some remarks on instruments, in which he confines himself cheifly to a comparison between the bistoury and the gorget. The thanks of the profession are due to Dr. Onderdonk, for his endeavours to make known and extend the advantages resulting from the use of that instrument; an invention which cer tainly adds to the reputation of its author, Mr. Thomas Blizard, one of the surgeons of the London Hospital. Dr. Onderdonk's observations on this part of the subject we subjoin, accompanied with an engraving of the bistoury. ments. "INSTRUMENTS. "Certain accidents not unfrequently occur during the operation, which should make the surgeon very careful in his choice of instruSome of these untoward occurrences may be the effect of a want of anatomical knowledge, or of proper caution. But it is evident, that some must be occasioned by using a faulty instrument. My remarks on this head shall be entirely confined to a comparison between the gorget and bistoury. These are the instruments which chiefly divide the opinions of surgeons at present. "The accident most generally feared, is the thrusting the gorget between the bladder and rectum, in making the second incision. This, it may be said, cannot take place if the instrument he passed in the direction of the axis of the bladder. As I have not witnessed the occurrence, I cannot say whether this point has been attended to. But it has happened in the hands of surgeons who had a large share of public confidence, and whom we cannot reasonably suspect of deficiency. The accident is not so unfrequent as has been imagined. Mr. C. Bell relates that he has known it in two cases ;* Mr. A. Cooper in his lectures, states, that'near a dozen' instances have come within his knowledge; and I have myself been informed of others. "This occurrence has been explained by Mr. C. Bell, from some appearances observed on the dead body. The gorget had not gone off the groove: it had only not cut the neck of the bladder, it had pushed the prostrate gland onwards upon the staff, and had not pierced the neck of the bladder nor the prostate gland.'t Mr. J. Bell probably has this explanation in view, when he speaks of forcing off the neck of the bladder and prostrate from the urethra ;' but he also thinks it * Operat. Surg. vol. 1. page 344. + Ibid. |