The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-03 00:00:00

DOLMAN.

An earnest article by the editor about the destitution
of his co-religionists in %Vales commences the Mai
number of the Roman Catholic magazine. As the
organ of a section of the population of Great Britain
Dolman still continues to occupy a prominent position•

THE SOURCES OF THE NILE.—The problem of the
position of the sources of the Nile, which during so many
ages has eluded all inquiry, seems at length in a fair we/
of being solved. The Rev. Mr. Rebmann, of the Church
Missionary Society, who is resident near Mombas, on
the east coast of Africa, four degrees south of the equa-
tor, has recently penetrated about 100 miles inland,
where he came to an elevated table-land, and saw before
him a lofty mountain named Kilin2andjaro, the suinm
of which is covered with perpetual snow. In the course
of last summer, Dr. Bialloblotaky left England on an ex-
ploratory journey into Eastern Africa; and it is pre-
cisely in the above- mentioned direction that he purposes
seeking the sources of the Nile, in accordance with the
hypothesis of Dr. Beke, the Abyssinian traveller, at
whose instance his journey has been undertaken. The
discovery of Mount Kilmandjaro promises well for the
success of the enterprise, as there is reason to regard it
as forming a portion of the "Mountains of the Moon,
the snows of which, according to Ptolemy, give rise to
the Nile. The expenses of Dr. Bialloblotzky's journey
are defrayed by subscription, raised among the friends
of geographical discovery; and his Royal Highness
Prince Albert has just been pleased to contribute the
sum of 101. in support of the undertaking.
GRAY'S INN, MAY 2.—William Devoy, Esq., and
John Raymond Grace, Esq., were this day called to the
degree of Barrister-at-law by the Honourable Society of
Gray's Inn.
LORD'S DAY OFFERcEs.—Magistrates' clerks are
being called upon by the Home-office to make return of
convictions for offences committed during last yea,: under
the law oiled 4' the Linci'v Day

LITERA T URE.
REPORT OF FACTS NARRATING RECO-
VERIES OF THE DEAF AND D UMB.

By A. Turnbull, M.D.
Although this pamphlet has fallen into our hands
as it were accidentally, being " printed for private
distribution only," we conceive ourselves to be autho-
rised to direct the attention of the public to the cir-
cumstance of its appearance for two very simple, but,
as we regard them, very forcible and conclusive rea-
sons. First, the subject-matter contained in these
sixty-five pages is altogether too replete with facts
bearing upon the misfortunes of the multitude, and
upon the possibility of their alleviation, to admit of
their being concealed from general examination.
Secondly, the document has been already commented
on in one of our morning Contemporaries, and in
terms of sufficiently emphatic eulogium to justify
our subsequent reference to its revelations. To those
Who have familiarised themselves with our sentiments
it were superfluous to say that we are altogether
devoid of sympathy for the contemners of every new
system on the naked score of its novelty. To
others we would observe, that in our esti-
mation such prejudgment is not less unjust
to originators than it is odious and con-
temptible on the part of their contemporaries.
At the same time we are as far removed in our tem-
perament from that silly credulity which swallows
unthinkingly any theory, however crude, and any
speculation, however chimerical. Caution in the
acceptance of new facts is, we take it, not less essen-
tial for the happiness of mankind, and for the steady
advancement of knowledge, than their blind and
Ignorant rejection would be injurious to the great
causes of the welfare of society, and of the progress
of civilization. And especially is this caution re-
quisite in regard to any innovation in the treatment
of disease. The exquisite value of life, and of the
Organs of life, and of the senses, whose healthy pos-
session constitutes the material enjoyment of life,
renders it imperative on every rational man to receive
Only after the most exacting scrutiny any of those
novel schemes of medical treatment which are occa-
sionally brought under consideration. Nevertheless
it would be equally as frivolous to reject as to
receive those schemes precipitately—it would be
LWorse than idle, it would be prejudicial to the in-
terests of the world, to deny to those projects
that calm, and careful, and dispassionate
Investigation to which they are for a thousand
reasons entitled. And the more is this incumbent
upon us whenever the medical or surgical innovator
lays
before us his discoveries in all their nude beauty
or deformity, without decking them out iniderArydry
rags of empyricism, or eudeavouring to &ail the
Imagination into belief by clothing his arguments in
Some mysterious and incomprehensible jargon.
Theoretic propositions should, in the same way, be
treated as of no account whatever when weighed in
the scales of judgment against practical demonstra-
tions. One fact should outbalance one hundred
thousand hypotheses.
Dr. Turnbull is himself clearly impressed with the
force of such reflections. For he here explains him-
self in the simplest language with regard to his
discoveries relating to the organs of hearing and
speaking. He altogether eschews anything at all
approaching to mystery. He betrays only a remark-
able solicitude to have the truth or fallacy of those
discoveries tested by scrutiny, and to that
end he speaks only in a diction comprehen-
sible to the most shallow understanding. He
indulges in no theories, in no wire-drawn
conjectures, in none of those fascinating
but pernicious vagaries of the mind, which are only
the day-dreams, the mirages, and the fata xaorganas
of philosophy. His pamphlet is plainly and frankly
a " Report of Facts, narrating the Recoveries of the
Deaf and Dumb in 1840, 1841, and 1848." As FACTS
they must be received. There is no alternative.
Either we must look upon them as " facts," or we
must come to the conclusion that a vast number of
people scattered over all parts of the United Kingdom
are in a conspiracy together to deceive the judgment
of those who may be induced to pay the matter any
consideration. A thing more than improbable. A
thing altogether impossible—seeing the number of
Witnesses and testimonies of unimpeachable integrity,
and observing the perfect uniformity and congruity
of their statements. The contents of the pamphlet
Would be sufficiently remarkable for the candour they
evince in the circumstance that they are the disinte-
rested effusions of third parties, and not the interested
composition of the discoverer of the remedy. They
consist principally of letters penned by the patients
themselves,
or by witnesses resident at Glasgow,
Aberdeen, Edinburgh,
Manchester, Leeds,
elsewhere, including many and
ny
besides magistrates, physicians of eminence,
journalists, and clergymen of the
Establishment. Dr. Turnbull allows himself no op-
portunity to dilate upon his system of treatment;
he permits its effect to show itself in the impar-
tial vouchers of those who have either witnessed or
experienced its influence. And the importance of the
present publication, in as far as it bears upon this very
isu ee innovation upon aural surgery, is peculiarly,
heightened by the fact that the pamphlet affords con-
clusive evidence that most of the cures effected by the
Doctor in 1840 and 1841 prove, on investigation, to
have been permanent, and not, as was conjectured
Would be the ease—evanescent. The experience of
Seven years has attested the efficacy of the treatment;
and the result of his inquiries during the summer of
348 shows very clearly that Dr. Turnbull acted
Judiciously in desisting, as he tells us he has pur-
posely done for several years, from attendance on
"eaf and dumb cases, in order that the experiment
might be fairly made as to the permanency of the im-
provement in the organs of those who were originally
this to the treatment. The nature of
Is process—peculiar alike for its rapidity
and its simplicity—is easily explained. It
aPPears to be nothing more than the dropping of a
very small quantity of a certain liquid into the orifice
eepducting into the ear, and the subsequent rubbing
of the membrane of the tympanum with a soft piece
of leather. A plug of jeweller's cotton is subse-
quently inserted. The cotton is withdrawn within a
!Plaster of an hour or twenty minutes, and the effect
Is clearly perceptible. Numerous conjectures have
been made as to the exact nature of this liquid, one
0t the latest being that it is nothing less than an
alkaloid in solution. Whatever it may be, we cannot
but look forward with anxious curiosity to the disclo-
sure of the real character of the discovery, a disclo-
sure which must materially affect the reputation of the
discoverer, and one which, we are gratified to oh-
serve, is here announced to be in preparation for pub-
lioation in a work of a more extensive
description. With this, however, notwithstanding its
interest, we have nothing whatever to do at present.
O
a 111 immediate duty is to examine into the peculiarity
tt, authenticity of the facts narrated in thepam-
phlet. As to their authenticity, there remains no
room fer hesitation for the reasons already enume-
ra'l,. As to their peculiarity, it is scarcely possible
to afford any accurate conception without recapitulat-
Lg_ details of every) separate case submitted to
Dr- Turnbull. Individuals of all ages and of both
sexes have derived through his instrumentality that
Precious faculty which enables us to commune with
each other ; and the earnest expressions of their gra-
titude to the man whose benevolent genius has, under
God, conferred upon them that inestimable blessing
imparts to almost every
jpnatfie a tone strangely and
touchingly beautiful. the appearance of the
larger work, which, as we have said, Dr. Turnbull
declares to be preparing forof Ptuhlieseoation, we can only
proclaim the existence
facts " as to the cures effected bvye?r remarkable
hies upon the
deaf mutes commonly called "deaf and r
do so with a profound sense of thosesacruemdbcli claims ofWe
justice which should ever be the inspiration of a
journalist.

DEFECTS IN THE PRACTICE OF LIFE
ASSURANCE ; with Suggestions for a Remedy.
Fourth Edition. By Alexander Robertson,
fr.S.A.I.A.
‘ This clear and well-written pamphlet, which has
%ready reached a fourth edition, fully explains the
state of the law, and the practice with respect to the
IMPortant principles of life assurance. It points out
forcibly and distinctly the great benefits to be de-
rived from a judicious and well-devised system of
insurance. Persons in possession of moneys derived_
from their own exertions sufficient to provide for
the comforts and welfare of wives or children,
110 ling as life is spared to the husband and father, will
anxiously desire to render a continuation of these ad-
vantages certain, and not contingent upon the preca-
rious tenure of life: Portions of the annual income
_
may easily be allocated for such a purpose, and i
sheered to accumulate steadily at compound interest,f
the object may in time be attained. The process of
ace object
is, however, necessarily tedious, and
VII tem-
, ptation3 may occur to induce parties to
funds;ea '1 upon what should be regarded as " sacred
tie " Many will refrain from setting aside
du-e datipulated sums, or may even be n-
u e 'the in a season of difficulty, to encroach
greatest Pen then a Season of difficulty, to encroach
greatest former
Tiler_ . r ions savings, who. would make the
to pay up their annual premiums.
a single life
bet of
' 13
n°
IrttitintY- either as to the continuance o
sueh'ilve °ugh the average duration of a nurn-
precision ; the
13cb therefore, by
8 may be calculated with the utmost
dept may be defeated,
°- a not very improbable contingency;
and. the anxiety of the provider for the interests
these dependent on him will therefore necessarilybe
continued
for many years. By effecting an insurance
on his life this anxiety will be at once and for ever
removed. The moment the policy is ef-
ected future provision for die f is
secured. Adthough he should die within a
4 few weeks he will be enabled to dispose by will of
as much property as if he had for twenty years or
upwards steadily set aside an amount equal to the
annual premium with all accumulatluus. The author
Well sums up these advantages in the following able_
passage :-
94 the applioatiou 9f a porticu of annual income,