The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-30 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF TILE BRITISH PRESS.

Ste,--Elaving observed in your paper of the 18th inst. a para.
graph, by an anonymous writer, making some animadversions an
my speech at the Anniversary 'Meeting of the Friends and Swp.
porters of the Asylum for Scrofula, ikc. at the City of London
Tavern, I should have deemed it scarcely worth while to notice
anything of the kind, had not the paragraph contained the assertion
of my having used language which I neither said nor intended.
I made no charge whatever against the medical officers of the
31arylebone workhouse. I expressed my gratitude to those me-
dical gentlemen in this country, as well as in America, who had
extended their friendship to me. At the same time I stated a feet
that the guardians and directors of the poor of the parish of 3lary-
lebone had placed a number of children, suffering under scrofulous
affection under my care; that whatever might be their motive I
could not say, but I found myself ensnared by the conduct of the
nurse; for, when some of the wounds were healed, and the wounds
of other patients nearly healed, I discovered that corrosive subli.
mate and red precipitate had been applied to the wounds, greatly to
the injury of those children. The medicines I had administered
were powerful absorbents' and thereby occasioned a coaskierabls
quantity of these mercurial preparations to be taken into the systen.
The consequence was, as I have affirmed, that the patients were not
far from losing their lives.
farther stated that I had written to the Board of Directors, and
that they took no notice of my application for an inquiry into the use ;
that the Committee had afterwards applied to the Directors in a
more formal manner for an investigation into the matter, which
they deemed of the greatest importance to the public, and also to
the patients themselves. To this application the Directors returned
an answer declining such investigation. It therefore is not fact, as
the writer of the paragraph in question asserts, " that the Direetots
will be ready to give any (urtiter information ;" nor can I believe
that paragraph has been presented to you by any of the gentlemen
of the direction.

I can clearly show that the patients were making rapid progress
towards a perfect cure; and to them it may be a great misfortune
through life that they were not allowed to proceed.
An investigation might have discovered the authors of such mis.
chievous directions. I make no charge beyond the fact of the wawa
having used ingredients which 1 consider to be injurious, and the
responsibility of course rests with her superiors.
What I stated as matter of complaint against some gentlemen of
the faculty. applied to the circumstances in which I was placed on
my arrival in the United States. It appeared that the medical
journals of this city had reached the city of New York, con=
illiberal abuse, and stating that Dr. Thornton's name was
from the list of the Royal College of Physicians, for aiding the
Whitlaw imposition on public credulity.
Inaugural addresses were delivered by Dr. Hoseack, President
of the aledical Society of Sc. York. and Dr. Coventry, President
of the College of the Western District. These addresses were
printed and industriously circulated to such an extent, that a great
proportion of the Faculty were prejudiced against me; and it was
only by the success of my experiments on the vapour bath, joined
to the efficacy of my medicines, that the effects of prejudice were
surmounted to such a degree, that I became supported by some of
the first characters in the United States, and in different parts of
that country. These vapour baths are in full operation, under the
direction and immediate superintendence of 28 Physicians.
The Committee having noticed the favourable progress of the
patients under my care in the workhouse of St. Marylebone, held a
special meeting or. the 17th November, 1824—the Hon. and Rev.
Anchitel Grey in the chair—when they passed several tesolutiooe,
inviting the Governors and Guardians of the Pour of the parish to
cooperate with the Committee in the most minute investigation of
the case respecting those patients who had been wider Mr. Whit.
law's care. To this request the Secretary received an answer,
dated the 29th November, 1824, that they were of opinion " that it
was not necessary for them further to consider the subject."
The resolutions of the Committee and the answer received were
published in the Report of the Committee of last year, and haring
stood uncontradicted, it is somewhat too late to assert that the VG
rectors are ready to give information, &c.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
C. IVIIITLAW.

IMPORTANT TO MERCHANTS AND SHIP-OWNERS.--.
The Bill introduced into the House of Commons last week, by Mr.
C. Grant. to " regule:e the importation of silk goods," contains
the following important clause—" That it shall not be lawful to
import ioto the United Kingdom any wrought silks, or silks mixed
with any other materiel. except into the port of London, and in
ships of the burden of seventy tons or upwards." From this cinuse
it appears that the importation of silk goods is intended to be con-
fined exclusively to the port of London. We trust, however, that
the merchants of this town will be able to convince Ministers of the
necessity of a modification of the dame, and that immediste mea-
sures will be adopted for carrying their intention into effect. Lord
Liverpool stated in the House of Lords, a few days ago, that the
trade of this port contributed one-fourth of the Custeens' revenue of
the whole kingdom. After this admission, we think Ministers
could not refuse to listen to such an application, it being, in our
opinion, perfectly,connistent with the principles of f►ee trade, which
they USW 60 powerfully support—Liverpool Aitvrtiser.