The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-05 00:00:00

MINORITY-NOMS,, 74.

Adair,'llugh E. Graham, Sir J. Philips, Sir G. R.
Bailey, Joseph Greene, Thomas Price, Sir Robert
Bellew, R. M. Grey, Sir George Raw do n, Colonel
Bernal, Ralph Haste, Alexander Rice, IL R.
Bouverie, E. P. Hastie, Archibald Rich, henry
Bo wring, Dr. Hawes, Benj. Ruthe r turd, A.
Brotherton, J. Hayter, W. G. Seym el ~ Henry Ker
Buller, Charles Henry, Alexander Seym oc r, Sir H.
Cabbell, B. B. Hill, Lord M. Smitt L, M. Tacker
rardwell, Edward Hobhouse, T. B. Stant en , W.ll.
Carter, J. B. Ilume, Joseph Stoat t. Lord D.
Clerk Sir George Jervis, Sir John Talbc Lt, J. H.
Coles, 11. R. Lewis, G. C. Thici En. :sse, R. A.
Craig, W. G. Lincoln, Earl of Thor. ie ly, T.
Davie, Sir Henry M`Gregor, John Towr is head. Captain
Dawson, T. V. Marshall, William Trela v my, J. S.
Douglas, Sir C. E. Mitchell, T. A. DIM, 31 1, Henry
Duncan, Viscount Morpeth, Viscount War, 1, H. G.
Duncan, George Morris, David Waw 13 , J T.
Ebrington, Viscount Mostyn, E. Will .cc or, Brodie
Evans, William Napier, Joseph Wo c.l , %V. P.
Ferguson, Sir R. Norreys, Sir D. W 3 rvl 11, M.
Fordyce, A. 1). O'Connell, M. J.
Forster, M. Ogle, S. C.
Fox, W. J. Palmerston, Vls.
Gaskell, J. M. Parker, John

TELLZILS.
Hal 1, Sir Benjamin
Ell, .0 t, John E.

DEATH FROM AIR IN .A VEIN.
On Wednesday, March 29, an inquest w. as held at the
Red Lion, Barnes, before Mr. W. Cartel. , coroner for
East Surrey, to investigate the circumsta ns :es attending
the death of William Richards, aged 39, a (coal porter.
Sarah Richards stated that the dece a sed was her
husband, and resided with her at Hamm o,,rsmith. He
died on Saturday last at the house of Di Willis. He
had been for a long time unwell, but for ti m weeks past
suffering under inflammation of the vi indpipe. On
Saturday morning be left home about hi if-past eight
o'clock. He would not allow witness to acs company him,
but she understood he was to have a setor i put into his
throat. Witness waited outside Dr. Wilt is's house for
her husband,
,and had been there about a a hour and a
half, when she went into the house, and sa• r her husband
lying on the floor, and insensible. She eves informed
that his state was owing to the operation. She had no
charge to make against Dr. Willis.

D. Willis said-the deceased applied to me for advice
a fortnight before the day of his death. I ae was labour-
ing under inflammation of the upper par' of the wind-
pipe. I first treated him by leeching, tb Len by blisters;
and lastly, proposed another method of counter-irrita-
tion—viz., a seton. This is a method which I have
cured similar cases. Setons have been i ntroduced hun-
dreds of times in the same part for the disease termed
goitre. Deceased came to me on Sat srday morning,
about nine o'clock. I set him in a chair. I pinched up
the skin with the finger and thumb of the 3 Left hand, and
immediately thereafter thrust in the setor i-needle, armed
with a strip of lint. The needle entered two-and-a•half
inches above the breastbone, and not at all near the
jugular vein, or other large blood-vessel. • At the moment
of its entrance I heard a slight, momenta: ry hissing sound.
For an instant I fancied that I had open e d into a subcu-
taneous abscess communicating with th e windpipe; but
almost at the same moment, when I looileed in the man's
face, I saw that another and far more se. rious event had
occurred—that the rushing of the air wa S not out from
the windpipe, but into some small vein Is hick had been
necessarily implicated in the operation. The man be-
came pale, fainted, and then became rigid said convulsed.
I sent for Mr. Coppleson, the rector, my nearest neigh.
bour ; and dispatched a servant to Putney for Dr. Cor-
mack, who was with me in half an hour. He entirely
concurred with me as to the nature of till t accident. We
consulted together, and resolved on blot ►d-letting, as in
the circumstances the best thing which 'could be,done.
We wished to relieve the right side of the heart. Dr.
Cormack bled him. Before the bleeding: he was almost
pulseless. After it the pulse became good, and he
seemed, in every symptom, a little better.. Dr. Cormack
was with deceased when he died, at twenty minutes past
four. My opinion is that death resulted from the con-
vulsions excited by the entrance of air into a vein divided
by me in the trifling operation of the seton. This is a
very rare kind of death. It has however occurred seve-
ral times, and in the hands of Dupuytnen and of Sir
Astley Cooper.
Professor Syme said, I was sent for to see deceased.
Dr. Willis made to me, the same statement as to the
case, which he has now made. I concurred as to the
nature of the accident, and approved of what- had been
done to save the man. Passing a seton in this situation
is quite common; and it was a proper measure in this
disease. In performing the operation it was impossible
to avoid wounding small veins; but no foresight could
have anticipated such a result, or any danger. I exa-
mined externally the wound of the seton with reference
to the situation of the large vessels, and am satisfied that
it was so remote from them, that they could not by
possibility be implicated. In my judgment, there was
no want of skill or care on the part of Dr. Willis. He
had no control over what took place. I never saw such
a case before, but have read of them, and have seen ex-
periments on animals. _ _

Dr. Cormaek corroborated Dr. Willis's testimony.
This witness (who stated that he had written and expe-
rimented on the subject) was of opinion that the deceased
died from convulsions, produced by the admission of air
into the veins. The treatment used to deceased was
that sanctioned by recent scientific research. lie
thought a post modem examination ought to take place. Thejury consulted for a few minutes, and then re-
turned the following special verdict:—" Accidental
death from the entrance of air into a vein in the neck
during an operation performed by Dr. Willis; but the
jury cannot separate without expressing their opinion
that such operation was cautiously and skilfully per-
formed; and as it appears by the evidence adduced, the
said operation was fully warranted by present practice."
After the inquest the body was examined anatomi-
cally. It was found that the large vessels of the neck
were uninjured; that the right auricle and pulmonary
artery were distended with frothy blood; and that the
lungs were emphysematous.
It is the intention, we believe, of Dr. Willis to lay
before the profession the whole particulars of this very
remarkable and most interesting case.

HEAT AND VEGETATION.—The rapid progress
which vegetation has made within these few days has
astonished many; yet, when it is considered that on
Monday at Chiswick, while the thermometer in the
shade indicated 78 degrees, the heat of the soil one foot
below the surface was 51 degrees, and at two feet the
instrument showed 49- degrees.
(ADVERTISEMENT.]--THE EARL OF ALDBOROUGH
AND IIoLLOwAY's PILLS.—An astounding care by this miraculous
medicine, after every other means had failed. Sea extract from his
Lordship's letter, dated " Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21, 1845.
Professor Holloway—Sir : I beg to acquaint you that your pills have
effected a cure of a disorder in my liver and stomach all the most
eminent of the faculty, at home and all ever the consinent, had not
been able to effect ; nay, not ever till; waters of Carlsbad or Ma-
rienbad. (Signed) " Aumoaounn." These wonderful pills will
cure any disease of the liver or stomach.—Sold (also Holloway's
Ointinant) at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, and
by dl medicine vendors throughout the civilised world.

BIRTHS.

On the 2d inst., at Tnrvey Cottage, Beds, the lady of 11.
Thornton, Esq., of a daughter.
On the 2d inst., at Eaton-square, the wife of the Rey. G.
B. Moore, of a daughter.
. .

On the 2d inst., at Hampstead, tke lady of W. B. Cooper,
Esq., of a son.
On the 2d inst., at Taunton, the wife of the Rev. F. J.
Smith, Incumbent of Holy Trinity, of a son.
On the 3d inst., at Everingliam-park, the lady of William
Constable Maxwell, Esq., of a son.
On the 3d inst., at Stratton, near Cirencester, Lady Tan-
cred, of a daughter.

MARRIED.
On the 13th of November, at Meerut, W. lieberden, E., 27th Regiment, N. 1., to Henrietta, daughter of the Rev.sq P. M. Cumming, Rector of Prior and Dromore, Ireland.
On the 28th ult., at Freshford, near Bath, Edward Halhod
Beauchamp, Commander, R.N., to Anna Maria Louise, relict
of E. D. Ban,. ell, Esq., barrister.

Bleb.
On the let inst., at Rugby, George Blandford, Esq.
On the let inst., at Longueville, near Dieppe, France,
Henry F,rtescue Murton, late of the Royal Marines.
On the 2d inst., at Cheltenham, the Hon. Andrew Ram.. say, fifth son of George, eighth Earl of Dalhousie.
On the 3d inst., in Cannon-street, City, Emma, the only
daughter of Jobn Marchant, Esq., aged 20.
On the 3(1 inst., at Pimlico, Miss Louisa Ann Brooks.
On the 3d inst., at the Grove, Exeter, Janet Helen, eldest
surviving daughter of Dr. Miller.
On the 3d inst., at Stratford, Essex, Florence, the youngest
daughter of Dr. Elliot.
On the 2d inst., at Spetchley-park, Worcestershire, Maria
Rosa Louisa, daughter of the late Henry Swinburne, Esq.
On the Ist inst., at Green-park-buildings, Bath, the Lady
Frances Trail, daughter of the fifth Earl of Wemyss, and
relict of the late Rev. William Trail, LL.D.
On the let inst., at Westing Hall, Amelia, the wife of John
Angcrsteia, Esq.

London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG. at
No. 11. e, Strand, Pi iiiter, at The Sun Office, No. 112,
Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county of
Middlesex, Wednesday, April 5, 1848.

AN APPEAL to the PUBLIC in behalf of the
WIDOW of WILLIAM THOM, Poet of Inverury.
COMMITTY.E.
Provost Thome Mr. John Watson
Rev. George GiMalan Mr. James R. Ower
Rev. J. R. 3l'Gavia Mr. William Boyac
Dr. Arrot k
Mr. William Bett
Mr. James Westland Mr. James Chalmers, jun.
Mr. Patrick Watson Mr. Arthur Begg, jun.
Mr. Thomas Saunders.
TREASURER—Mr. Patrick Watson.
SECRETARY—Mr. William Boyack.
The COrnmittee appointed to raise a fund for the relief of the
and Family of the late William Thom, the gifted but unfor-
the
!""e ''‘'oet of Inverury, beg leave bristly but earnestly to appeal to
o,tale, more especially to the Public of Scotland, in behalf of the
tills, which has been confided to them.
jT ile name and genius of Thom are well known and universally ac-
nwtedged ; many of the feeling and pathetic effusions of his muse
Ave been brought before the public, not only in a combined form,
taut in various periodicals. His talents attracted the attention of the
athaest judges; and the Messrs. Chambers, in their Journal, have de-
'voted a chapter to his autobiography, and to that favourable meed of
;praise to which they considered his merits entitled.
'The life of William Thom has, indeed, combined the vicissitudes of
a humble child of the Muses, having formed a scene of trials and dis-
appointments,, accompanied by an overflowing share of poverty and
distress.
Many of his earliest and best years were passed at the Hawkhill
of Dundee—the remembrance of which seemed deeply impressed on
his mina; for thither, to use his own emphatic language, he wished
to reran, like a bird that flutters round her forsaken nest, to spend
his latter days in comparative peace and quiet.
His wishes were fulfilled, for not many months ago he did return
Irons his wanderings, debilitated and impoverished, and breathed his
laston Monday, the 28th of February. He has left a widow and three
Infant children, the youngest but flue months old, totally unprevided
for; and, It has therefore been resolved to raise a fund, in order, if
,h);°°BslW-t, to afford them permanent assistance. A Committee has
"teen.'aftpointed, who have cheerfully undertaken this duty, and aI-'
~P-:ew,Y they are happy to announce that their call has been responded
in a prompt and liberal manlier. Lord Kinnaird, Lord Jeffrey,
T4eaars. Douglas Jerrold and Robert Chambers, and many others,
have ipontaneously sent their contributions ; and it is earnestly
honed that the charitable and the admirers of native genius and un-
obtrusive merit will support and encourage the laudable object which
the Committee have in view.
Dundee, March 10, 1848.
Contributions will be received by any of the Members of Commit-
tee ; and at the shops of Messrs. Chalmers, Shaw, and Middleton,
Booksellers, and Mr. Mills, Perfumer, Dundee.
DEATH OF WILLIAM THOM, THE INVERURY POET.
(To the Editor of the "Dundee Courier.")
Dundee, February 29, 1848.
Blr,—The painful task has been deputed to me of announcing to
'the public the death of William Thom, the Inverury poet. For
some time past he bad been in delicate and declining health ; and
his diseased state of body was doubtless aggravated by the uncer-
tainty of his circumstances, and the consequent anguish of his
honourable aid sensitive mind. Yesterday, in our city, at half-
past eleven A.m., he departed this life. He has left behind him
something more than a name—some true and beautitul strains.
which, as " a thing of beauty is a joy for ever," the world will not
willingly suffer, like the inscription en the coffin, to be buried in
the tomb. He has felt behind him, elm ! something of yet ten-
derer and mere mournful interest—a widow and three children,
th 7 eldest of whom is only four years, and the youngest but a few
/months old. These are " utterly destitute," and but for the kind-
ness of one or two private friends, might have bees cast out ere
this to the charity of the streets. I make no appeal in behalf of
the poet himself; " after life's fitful fever he sleeps well." He has
found what the most troubled and tempest-tossed wanderer will at
)East find, and which to him was peculiarly grateful—rest. Nor will
It indulge or express any vindictive feelings as to the treatment
l'fbieh he received while yet alive. A true poet, he met with truly
POOtic usage. He was caressed, but not fed ; as if one could sup
on incense, or as if one public dinner could keep a man alive for
Years f But I would bespeak general sympathy in behalf of his
destitute family. I Would implore every lover of literature—
.every one who has derived pleasure from the departed poet's
lyrics, or from the simple story of his life—to prove their pleasure
and their gratitude true by some more substantial evidence than ex-
clamations or tears. I would call especially upon those who saw
him at our late Watt Festival, and heard almost his latest breath
given forth in those brief, broken, but thrilling accents—accents how
far superior to the measured cadences of rhetoric—to testify by
generous deeds their sense of melancholy satisfaction that theirs was
9 e 1 privilege of meeting with and hearing him for the last time.
Notime ought to be lost. Indeed, no time has been lost. Intima • bons
to the above effect either have been, or are immediately to be,
dispatched to Douglas Jerrold, Charles Dickens, Lord Jeffrey, and
others. But as Dundee has had the honour of containing his death-
bed, let us follow the start we have accidentally gained by instant,
active, strenuous efforts in behalf of his widow and his fatherless
bairns,

,2Lessrs. Chalmers, Middleten, an 4 Shaw, Booksellers, and Mr.
4"113, Perfumer, have kindly undertaken to receive donations.
The smallest suns will be welcomed
• I am, Sir, yours truly.
GEORGE GILFILLAN.
his death
The last—
verses of the late William Thom, written shortly before
:
SONG OF THE DWELLERS IN DEAN VALE.
Tune—" Miller o' Dee."
While we laugh asd sing, in this happy ring,
With a bright and a brotherly glee,
May we never forget that the sun hath set
On the homes of misery.
•
For oh ! it may be that this chill night wind
Sweeps round some fireless hearth,
Freezing the heart of the homeless one,
With never a friend en earth.

Then aye, as we sing, may we closer cling,
In our bright and brotherly glee ;
Yet never forget that the sun may set
On the homes of misery.

Man was not made for this world alone,
The world was lent to man ;
'Tis a debt we owe to Heaven, you know,
Then pay it as well as you can.

Now winter rides mad in his carriage of snow.
With his pelting rain and his hail;
May it never be said that hunger and wee
Held abiding in bonny Dean Vale.

Then aye, as we sing, may we closer cling,
In our bright and brotherly glee,
And never forget that the sun may set
On the homes of misery.

W. THOM.

UNITED KINGDOM LIFE ASSURANCE
COMPANY.-8, Waterloo-place, Pall-mall, London ; 97,
Gee-street, Edinburgh; 12, St. Vincent-place, Glasgow.