Editor's Table.

Portrait of Prof. George B. Wood.-It affords us very sincere pleasure to be able to present our friends with the excellent portrait of Prof. Wood, which accompanies the present number of the Lancet and Observer. This is a fitting time to make a compliment of this kind. For nearly forty years Prof. Wood has occupied a position as a teacher of medicine; for a great portion of that time he has made one of the Faculty of the University of Pennsylvania. During the past twenty-five years he has been connected with the Pennsylvania Hospital. While occupying these responsible and honorable positions, Prof. Wood has from time to time been the recipient of complimentary testimonials that clearly show the strong hold he has long occupied in the warm regards of the American medical profession and scientific public. Thus he has at different times been called to preside over the American Medical Association; the American Philosophical Society; the General Convention for Revising the U. S. Pharmacopoeia; the Philadelphia College of Physicians, etc., etc. As an author Prof. Wood has occupied an enviable position. His work on Practice has been a standard text-book throughout the Union and his work on Materia Medica will doubtless take a like rank. Dr. Wood now withdraws from his honorable position as a public teacher, still in the midst of honors and in the prime of his mature intellect. He will retire with the sincere admiration and good will of thousands of ardent friends all over the continent thousands who will pray for his length of days, happiness, and continued usefulness.

Deaths from Vaccination.-Some vaccinations recently in the vicinity of Boston having terminated fatally, much excitement has prevailed, and considerable newspaper comment, of course, has followed, and some misrepresentation. We glean from the Boston Medical Journal the following as the essential facts in the case. It appears that a solution was made by dissolving fresh crusts in water and placed in a vial for use; "from this solution twenty-eight persons were vaccinated on the day it was prepared (February 11), and no bad results followed. On the

18th, one week after, twenty-seven or eight others were vaccinated with the same material. Five of these were seriously affected with constitutional symptoms, followed by violent erysipelas of the whole arm, both external and cellular, and sloughing. Three days later two more persons were vaccinated from the same vial, both of whom have since died.

"It was the opinion of nearly all present at the time of this report, that the cause of these results arose from the decomposition of the animal matter in the solution; and that to this, and not to any inherent peculiarity in the matter, nor to the mode of its application, were to be attributed the unlooked-for and dangerous results which have followed.

"That the symptoms were due to some change in the matter subsequent to its preparation, is evident from the fact that those first vaccinated exhibited nothing unusual, while the symptoms of blood poisoning were most marked in those last inoculated with the virus."

To Correspondents.-We must ask the indulgence of contributors. Several articles were placed in the printer's hands for the present number, but were necessarily laid over from the unexpected space occupied by the elaborate and interesting article of Dr. Hibberd, which makes the leading paper this month. Amongst the papers crowded out is a valuable communication from Dr. Kersey, of Indiana, on Diphtherite this will appear next month. Also, we have received, through the courtesy of M. B. Walker, Esq., and J. C. Reeve, M.D., of Dayton, an interesting report of a trial for rape, in which chloroform is alleged to have been used, and involving some important considerations in medical jurisprudence.

Nashville Medical Record. This journal announces that at the close of its present volume in August, it will enter upon a new arrangement. The Record will give way for a new quarterly of 120 pp., to be known as the Southern Medical Quarterly, to be published at $3.00 per annum, payable on receipt of first number, and to be under the editorial management of Dr. Daniel F. Wright. The Faculty of the Shelby Medical College will also issue a a monthly publication in newspaper form, to be called the Nashville Medical Bulletin and Hospital Gazette, to be especially

devoted to general medical news, reports of operations and cases in the Shelby Medical College; and, in brief, to be the recognized organ of the Shelby Medical School: the Quarterly to be issued from 1st January, 1861, the Bulletin from 1st July, 1860.

Medical College of Ohio.-This old and distinguished institution closed its fortieth session March 3d. The Commencement exercises were held in the large amphitheatre of the College, in the presence of a large audience of gentlemen and ladies, and medical gentlemen. The Hon. John P. Foote conferred the degree of Doctor of Medicine on the following named gentlemen:

After the delivery of the diplomas, Prof. Graham gave the customary valedictory address, on behalf of the Faculty. It was highly appropriate in matter and manner: the speaker frequently rising to more than usual earnestness and eloquence.

The class numbered 128, and though not as large as the advantages of the school deserve, yet in intelligence and attention to study it gained the good opinion of the Faculty. It is customary to stretch the truth in speaking of the advantages of various medical schools, yet we think and speak within the bounds of truth when we say that the clinical advantages of this city during the past winter were of the very best kind, both in variety and quantity. Indeed, we know from friends who spent a portion of the winter in other cities, that they surpassed those of several.

There is no city in the country which is growing so rapidly as Cincinnati. Our profession and school feel the advantage of this growth in its larger and more interesting clinical advantages. The truth is, no second-class city or inland town can ever approach a large city, like ours, in clinical opportunities. The school which does not present a large field for the study of clinical medicine and surgery, is not by any means a first-class one. Students must see medical and surgical cases in their beds, and must follow them as they are relieved by treatment, and study the ravages of disease, when treatment fails, or they can not become good physicians. We do not, therefore, say too much when we recommend this city to students of medicine.

Dr. Ignatius Langer and the Scott Co. Medical Society of Iowa.Our readers will remember that we published the proceedings of the above named Society, warning the profession of the country of the fact, that Dr. Langer had been expelled from its membership for unprofessional conduct.

It will be remembered that he was charged with "indecent experiments on a pregnant female, with a view to correct malposition of the foetus, and a violation of the code of ethics."

Some time since we received the 28th January No. of the New York Medical Press, containing a communication from Dr. Langer in defence of his course. On reading it, we felt as if the Society had done Dr. L. injustice, but determined to wait to hear from the Society before saying any thing on the merits of the

case. In the February (25th ) No. of the Medical and Surgical Reporter of Philadelphia, we find a long, able reply to Dr. Langer, in defence of the Scott Co. Medical Society. We should be pleased to publish the defence of Dr. Langer especially, as well as the reply of the committee of the Society, but our crowded pages forbid. The whole point in the case is as follows:

Dr. Langer claims, and brings authority to support him, that he can rectify unnatural presentations or positions of the foetus in utero, before labor, by manipulations.

The Society does not deny the possibility or propriety of turning or rectifying the position of the foetus by manipulation, "at the time of labor;" "it condemns the practice of requiring females to submit to examinations of their persons, during the period of gestation, for the purpose of making attempts to correct supposed mal-positions of the foetus, previous to the commencement of labor. When the expelled member brings forward authorities in support of the practice of turning by external manipulations, after labor has commenced, and has the characteristic mendacity to affirm that we discredit such authors, and convey the impression that he was expelled for such practice, he is manifestly endeavoring to make a false issue, in order to obtain the sympathy of those who can thus be deceived."

These quotations are from the report made by a committee of the Society. We can not resist the opinion, after a careful reading of the report of the Society, that Dr. Langer has played the quack, and been guilty of indecent conduct and violation of the code of ethics. As we have already said, the reports are too long for our pages. The Scott Co. Society has strong letters from several distinguished professors of obstetrics in the country, supporting its action, and strongly condemning Dr. Langer.

We are strangers, personally, to all the parties interested in this unhappy affair. We published the proceedings of the Society at the time, for the reason that they were sent to us signed and sealed by its proper officers. We have no wish to do injustice to Dr. Langer, but take the liberty, after a careful reading of all the documents, to express the opinion already given. We go farther, and say, that the proceedings of a society, in such cases, are generally to be taken as just and proper; for it is a very difficult matter to get a majority of members to inflict so severe a punishment as expulsion, without good and sufficient cause.