The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-28 00:00:00

SIAGUIA.R SURGICAL CASE.

The following instance of a wound, in the heart,
which did not prove mortal, is reported by Pt ofesser
Brugnoli of Bologna, in the Bolletino delle Scienze
ediche, In 1835, a shoemaker of Bologna, named
Pietro de Luca, received a stab two inches below
the left nipple and not far from the sternum, the
weapon penetrating the heart. He was brought to
the hospital, where he remained under treatment for
the space of 78 days, at the end of which time his
wound was completely healed, and he asked for per-
mission to leave the hospital. At that period
he was still subject to violent palpita
tions, and by auscultation under the col-
lar-bone and the arm-pit an unmistakable wheez •
ing might be distinguished, which masked
the sounds of the heart. There was moreover a
double cardiacal pulsation, viz between the fifth
dud seventh, end between the third and fourth ribs.
A few months later this man was enabled to return
to his trade ; a tumour then appeared under the left
collar-bone, but disappeared through the agency of
a pulmonar bmmorragy. A long time after he was
subjected to a new medical examination on account
of another disorder, and on that occasion evident
signs of hypertrophia of the heart, with a whes•zing
which covered the natural sound of the organ, were
detected. He subsequently became subject to yeti
cue bilious affections, and ultimately died in the
Clinical Hospital on the 12th of April, 1855, that is
nineteen years and seven months after the infliction
of the wound. Upon dissection, the heart, which
has been preserved in the Museum of the Faculty,
presented the aspect of an eccentric hypertrophia,
a thickened pericardium adhering to the external
surface by numerous ligaments, some of which
were encrusted with osseous concretions. The right
ventricle presented a scar of a whitish colour. The
weapon had not only perforated the pericardium,
but also the anterior face of the right ventricle, and.
traversed the septum ventriculorum, wounding tho
valvula mitralis, and the endocardium on the poste-
rior and opposite face of the left ventricle behind
the valvula, so that the heart had very nearly been
pierced through and through.

IVETV LAW ON MILITARY OFFENDERS.

Among the acts of Parliament passed in the late session
was one for the more speedy trial of homicides committed
by persons subject to the Mutiny Act, on persons under the
same law. It will be recollected that some fearful crimes
were committed by soldiers on their officers ; and the object
of the law is to bring speedily to justice persons guilty of
murder or manslaughter, committed under similar circum-
stances.

The act declares that the offences mentioned shall be in-
quired into with all conven ent speed, and that the inquiry,
trial, and punishment, in certain cases, be more speedy
than the usual course of practice ; and it further declares
that it would contribute to the more speedy punishment of
persons guilty, and to the maintenance of good order and
military discipline if, when charged with murder or man -
slaughter committed in England and Wales, and out of the
jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court, such persons
NvL rc,, rendered liable t,i be indicted, and tried at the Central
Criminal Court, and if when charged with murder or man-
slaughter, committed in Ireland and elsewhere than in the
county or city of Dublin, they were rendered liable to be
tried in that capital.

Fortunately no case has occurred since the act was passed
to put it in motion, but it is provided that when a person
of the above description mentioned is charged 'with the
murder or manslaughter of another under the same law,
the Secretary at War may apply for, and a ju3ge of the
Court of the Queen's Bench may order, the accused tube tried
at the Central Criminal Court. Upon such order being
made the prisoner is to be removed to Newgate, and for an
offence in Ireland to Richmond Bridewell, in Dublin. Any
person when convicted may be sentenced to be punished
either in the county where the offence was committed, or
within the jurisdiction of the court by which he is tried.

Further, the act provides for the payment of expenses to
be incurred, and also of the prisoner's witnesses. The last-
mmtioned section states that whenever any prisoner is tried
at any court under the act, the judges of the court may
order the payment of the expenses of the witnesses on the
part of the defence, and the Commissioners of the Treasury
are to pay the sum ordered out of the law charges. Her
Majesty in Council may make orders to carry out the act;
and perhaps some means will be adopted to prevent parties
charged with cffences suffering by removal under the act
as to the expenses.

The cases which occurred before the passing of the pre-
sent act were of soldiers shooting their officers; and the
offenders being kept some time in prison before they could
be tried on the Circuit, the Government considered that;
such offences should be speedily tried, and the offenders
punished without delay. Hence the new law, and it is to
be hoped that a long time may elapse before it will be -
fury to enforce its provisions. But a knowledge of +A:renew
law is necessary, and both officers and soldiers in the army
should be informed that for either murder or ma•.rslaughter
an offender can now be speedily brought to trial, and, it
convicted, suffer the deserved punishment without delay,

RESULTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN E-YPLO-
RATION.

There are now four distinct routes laid down upon the
map of Australia as those which have been wholly or in
part explored. The route of the Burke and Wills' expe-
dition is the most westerly one, and is almost identical with
the 141st meridian of longitude. Landsbo rough's route is
somewhat less than half a degree more easterly. The line
which marks Walker's journey is still more easterly; and
we have then Leichardt's route tip the Burdekin, after-
wards re-traversed by Gregory, wad along which—as far, at
least, as the head of the Burdekin, pastoral occupation has
already extended. These mutes radiate from a common
point and range between a line drawn south from the head
' of the Gulf, and o.notber drawn in a south-easterly direc-
tion, and within these are included the country which has
been the subject of the north-eastern exploration. The whole
of the eastern half of the great island continent may now
be said to be explored. There are, of course, some minor
geographical details to be filled in, but they partake more of
the character of surveys than explorations. To the west of
the line, formed by Landsborough's route, there still lies the
western half of the continent, and over that area, about
one-third of the size of Europe, is a vast field of discovery.
Stuart has journeyed over that small portion which is
marked as lying between Adelaide and the Victoria River,
but there is still a western world to explore and the un-
known country which lies between Spencer's Gulf and the
Exmouth Gulf, at the north-west extremity. It is idle to
speculate upon the character of the country, but it is by no
means improbable that the travels over this vast area may
result in showing that Western Australia is not bounded on
its north by dreary desert, and that the western and north-
western shores may yet be destined to witness a prosperity
great as that which seems in store for the opposite bide of
Australia. It is now clear beyond dispute that the eastern
half of Australia is capable of being turned to account for
pastoral purposes. The country may not be the, rich pasture
lands that we are accustomed to see in the highly cultivated
districts of England. and residents in Australia tell of the
arid and parched appearance which the lands siready under
pasture present to those accustomed to look on the verdure
of English lands. But the stock thrive well on
b
onwehat,ac-
cording to an English grazier's notion, w
insuffi-
cient to support animal life.—Australian and New Zealauci
Gazette.