The Sun.
London, England, 1832-11-27 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING. NOVEMBER 27, 1832.

INQUEST ON THOS. HOLLIS, CHARGED

WITH FORGING BANK NOTES.

Yesterday evening, an inquest was held in the House of
Correction, before Mr. Baker, Coroner, on the body of
the late Thomas Pelham Hollis, who stood charged with
extensively forging and circulating Bank of England
notes, and who dreading, it is supposed. to meet his ac-
cusers on the re-examination appointed to be held before
the Magistrates at Bow-street this day, in a fit of des-
peration put an end to his existence by hanging himself on
Saturday morning last, in the prison cell. The deceased
was committed to the gaol on Thursday. He was very
reserved, and principally engaged himself in writing. On
Friday morning, Mr. Chesterton, the governor, asked
him if he had any communication to make respecting the
treatment, when tears started in his eyes, and he said,
" To-morrow, perhaps, I may have something to say to
you." Mr. Chesterton, on going round the gaol at seven
on Saturday morning, found him hanging from a hook in
the wall of the cell. On the table was a letter addres.ed
to Mr. Chesterton, containing one directed to his wife,
Mrs. Hollis, 33, Miles-street, Belfast, Ireland.
The letter, which was composed of several sheets, allu-
ded to the charge preferred against him by Mr. Beards
worth, of Birmingham, and to his (the deceased) having
on the morning of his apprehension, seen his Colonel that
was to he, and who had promised him a majority in Don
Pedro's First Regiment of Dragoon Guards. The letter
alluded to various family matters touching the deceased's
circumstances, and concluded in a last and tnost affection its
farewell to his dear wife, whom he wished to kiss his be-
loved children for his sake. He expressed his resolve to
put an end to his existence, and that when his unhappy
wife, whose forgiveness he hoped for, received his letter, he
would be no more.

The letter to Mr. Chesterton was merely a request to
him to forward the inclosed letter to his (deceased's) wife
[lie complained of the money, &c., he had about him
having been taken from hiai in the prison ; but Mr.
Chesterton explained that it is a custom in the prison to
take property, &c., from prisoners on their entering
the prison, giving them an acknowledgment, and
restoring the property ultimately, should it prove to be
theirs on their discharge from the prison.] The letters
were left open, apparently as if with a desire or a know-
ledge that they would be read; and they were perfectly
rational.

Gardner, an t,fficer of Bow-street, who searched the
prisoner's apartments at Pimlico, produced a forged 501.
Bank of England note, about ninety of which the officer
found at the same time, with plates, tools, &c., fur manu-
facturing the forgeries. The officer explained the inge-
nious manner in which the deceased had made a 50/. note of
a good 10/., namely, by cutting out the " Ten," and sub-
stituting the word " Fifty" in a manner that could scarcely
he perceived, by means of gum, &c. Gardner further
described the state of the deceased's portmanteau, which
had secret depositories, containing various illegal property,
and so closed and gummed over, that an ordinary person
would never think of looking for such places of con-
cealment.

Mr. Chesterton deposed that a person, who represented
himself as related to the deceased, called at the prison in
the course of the day, and represented that the decease.,
had been much abroad, and had been engaged as a mili-
tary man in numerous actions, in which he acquitted
himself with great bravery.
Gardner added, that he was informed that the deceased
Ind served in the East Indies, and that the East India
Company allowed him a pension of 1001. a year for some
brave act which he performed in a moment of great peril.
The following is the letter which he addressed to his
wife :

" Nov, 23.

"My dear Wife,—T write this to prepare your mind to meet
with fortitude the sad tidings which will soon appear in the
public news ; it will require all your energies as well as fortitude
to overcome the distress which my present situation will occa-
sion you and my dear children. Yesterday morning I was in
high spirits, visited my Colonel, who assured me that I might
consider my appointment as Major in Don Pedro's Ist regiment
certain. But, oh how soon was my sanguine hope blasted!
Returning home, a person named Beardsworth, a horse-dealer
of Birmingham, swore on my examination that I bought a
grey mare of him in November last, and gave him a 501. note
that was forged. I was remanded till next Tuesday, and the
Bank of England is to prosecute. Such charges will produce
serious consequences. I therefore entreat you, my dear wife,
as well as all my family, to make your mind up to the worst
that can befall me. I have one great consolation, that neither
you nor my family know any thing about it; therefore the
world cannot reproach you. Your struggles will be great; you
most likely will be forsaken by your brother and sister, and
will become a prey to poverty and distress; but whatever their
conduct may be, may I entreat you to submit patiently. There
is in my portmanteau a 51. note, and another cut, and the word
ten put in place of the five; there is also a note with the word
fifty inserted, but it is a ten." Here the letter went on with
great minuteness to state what was in the portmanteau, and
concluded thus :—" This is my last farewell, and may it be
with God's blessing to you, my affbctionate wife. I ask your
forgiveness of my faults and vices, I have so frequently be-
trayed in your presence. Adieu for ever—for ever adieu, my
dear wife; and, my dear children, accept the last farewell and
blessing from " YOUR FATHER."

The Jury, after conferring together during an hour,
hrought in a verdict of "Febo de se," in which the Co-
roner said he most fully concurred, for a more deliberate
act of self-murder he never knew, the deceased having
committed it in the full possession of his faculties, and to
anticipate the law. According to Act of Parliament, the
Coroner isstud his warrant for the interment of the de•
ceased forthwith, so that he was interred last night after
the inquisition broke up—it being then between eight and
❑ine o'c!ock.

The deceased was respectably connected, and had moved
ist the first society. He would not have been punished
with death for his crime, the law inflicting capital punish-
ment for forgery having been altered ; but it appears evi-
dent he preferred destroying himself to the exposure of a
public trial.

Lord BROUGHAM is, we are assured, actively
engaged in devising a plan of Church Reform; Earl GREY
will of course have the credit of it, for be is the Prime
Minister ; but if there be anything really liberal in the
plan we shall thank Lord BROUGHAM ; for although Earl
GREY is as anxious as any man can be to purify the Church
of its abuses, and to cut down the incomes of the lazy plu-
ralist, in order to give the working parson his share of the
good things of this life, the Chancellor is the only man
who has the art of plucking another's beard of its super-
fluous hairs without having his shins kicked for his pains.
Although a Whig, and as the Tories say, even a Radical,
the Lord Chancellor contrives to effcet his reforms with
less of resolute opposition than any other member of the
Cabinet ; though to say truth, the present Cabinet, much
as it has done collectively in general reform, has furnished
,ew instances of individual exertion in that way, Lord
BROUGHAM and Sir JAMES GRAHAM being the only per-
sons who have stirred, and we may expect something good
from such a source. The high dignitaries, and the plu-
ralists, however, are a powerful body, and the Church Re-
formers will have a severe task. We are anxious to learn
exactly what is intended. If the reform is to be sweeping
—that is to say just to the public, and liberal—that is to
say just to the clergy at large, it will have our cordial, al-
though perhaps feeble support.-211erle's Church Register.
RAIL ROADS AND STEAM ON THE CON-
TINENT.—A rail road between the Weser and the Rhine
is about to be commenced ; it has received the sanction of
the KING and States of Hanover, and a Company, sup-
ported by Government, has been formed to carry it into
effect. Several hundred shares, of 500 thalers each, have
been taken. The execution of this plan will be of great
advantage to the trade of the North of Germany, parti-
cularly of Bremen. It is proposed to connect Lubeck and
Hamburg by a rail road. and steam-carriages. A steam-
coach is now in construction at Copenhagen, which is to
run on the new road between Kiel and Altona. The Da-
nish Government intends to establish shortly a communi-
in Zealand,
and A
cationabryhuns, in j
steam-packetsutiand.between Kalundborg,

IMPORTANT COMPANION TO THE BIBLE.

—We cannot refrain from speaking warmly in favour of
" The Biblical Annual," just published, uniform with " The
Geographical Annual ;" without exception it is the neatest
in its execution, correct in its graphic delineation, and
classic in its usefulness, of any work we have seen for a
long period. The reader of the Old and New Testament,
or the commentators on the Sacred Volume, will find in-
formatio❑ in the scholar-like Index which is comprised in
this volume, and we scarcely know which most to admire,
the perspicuity of the maps, or the laborious intelligence
comprised in this portion of this beautiful volume.—
Hampshire Telegraph.

PROGRESS OF MEDICAL SCIENCE I

EGYPT.

ACADEMY OF MEDICINE, PARIS, NOT'. 13.

PRESENTATION OF CLOT-BEY AND HIS TWELVE EGYPTIAN

PUPILS.

This was a striking scene. At an early hour, two of
the most commodious benches were occupied by the Eqp-
tians who have come to study medicine in Paris, and in
the midst of them, distinguished by the brilliant magnifi-
cence of his costume, sat Dr. Clot, physician-general to
the army of the Pacha of Egypt, director and founder of
the school of Abouzabel. All eyes were turned on this
interesting group. The young foreigners have dark,
strongly-marked features, and wear no beards. They-
have a distinction of rank among them—a chief, with his
assistants and sub-assistants ; these were clad in a scarlet
vest and pantaloons, richly embroidered with gold ; on
their heads a red cap, in the Grecian fashion. The re.
mainder of the pupils wore a simple blue dress, and cap
of the same colour. M. Clot, in addition to the richly
embroidered scarlet costume, wore a splendid cachmere
for a turban, and a superb damask for a girdle ; on his
breast were diamond stars. He looked perfectly oriental ;
one should know beforehand that he was a native of Franc,
otherwise it would be difficult not to suppose him an

Egyptian.
The Academy was in the highest degree anxious to

hear from M. Clot an account of his -proceedings in
Egypt, and the President, as interpreter of the general
wish, invited the visitor to gratify it. M. Clot accord.
ingly approached the bureau, and began his story in the
midst of profound silence. After a few words of apology
for his want of habit in addressing as audience in the
French language, he thus proceeded :
" I lived at Marseilles, a practitioner of some years
' standing, when I was applied to by an agent of the Vice-
roy of Egypt. I was invited to undertake the organiza-
tion of the service of health in that country. I consented.
and, with a few attendants, embarked in January 1825 I
was charged at first with the military service. The troops of
the Pacha, at that time in Lower Egypt, amounted to about
25,000 men; the remainder of the army was in the Mo•
rea. The officers of health were all of the lowest and
meanest description—persons who had risen, from being
hospital attendants, to the rank of practitioners-in-chief—
and all without any examination into their abilities. The
Pacha entreated me to organize the service after
the French mode. I found, in the first place.
a supreme board of health, consisting of the first
physician of his Highness, his physician in ordinary, and
a practitioner of the Court. I did not join this board ; I
was appointed physician-general to the army. I then set
my plans to work ; the first of which was to examine
every officer of health, and to reject those it ho should
prove insufficient. Of course, this made me many an
enemy ; for many an ignorant person was dismissed. I
❑arrowly escaped death from the hand of an as-assin who
struck me in the amphitheatre. My officers of health
were honoured with military insignia, which contributed
at first very much to increase the jealousy conceived
against them ; hut that also passed away. The Pacha's
army now amounted to 60,000 men, and there was a
:,.rievons want of medical officers. To remedy this want,
I proposed to convert the hospital of Ahouzabel, which is
near Heliopolis; and within about four leagues of Cairo,
into a medical school. I collected a hundred young Arabs
for my first pupils. But now began my real difficulties.

How was I to teach these young people, with whose lan-
guage I was unacquainted ? I happened to find at Cairo
three individuals who understood French, Italian, and

Arabic; but they knew nothing of medicine. I said
to them, ' Come, you shall he physicians ; but
first you must be scholars.' I gave them a lec-
ture, and said, ' Now you have had your first lec-
ture; study it, and write it for me in Arabic.' To
assure myself of the correctness of the translation, I had
retranslated into French. It was then dedicated to the
young Arabs, who wrote it down, and were examined
through the interpreters. In this way I got through a
course of anatomy. Our theoretical mode of instruction
soon began to fail us; we found that we should proceed
practically to work with the dead body. This, however,

looked like an insurmountable difficulty. The Viceroy
would not undertdie the responsibility of permitting it ;
. _

the Minister of War was equally unwilling to give his
sanction. One method alone remained for me, and that
I resolved to try. I visited the Ulemas. the Mahotnme-
dan priests. These functionaries were long sensible of the
decline of their influence, and saw that it could only be
recovered through the study of medicine—the people having
such a veneratio❑ for the Francs, all of whom they con.
ceive to be physicians, and whom they generally accost
by tendering them their pulse to feel. The chief of
the Ulemas, a superior man, did not refuse to reason
with me on the matter. His principal objections
were these : How was it possible to remove the
idea of profanation which the Egyptians attached
to the violation of the dead ? And how could we
sstisfy the theological notion that the dead are sen-
sible of the tortures inflicted upon their inanimate remains ?

I readily disposed of the latter objection. Suppose,' said
1, that the dead do really feel the torture of dissection,
how are they better off if they wait to be gnawed by the
worms? their pains can only be anticipated by a few hours;
and should those pains he any objection, when the health
and well being of thousands of the living are depending
upon them ?' And as to the general utility of anatomy, I
asked, How would you best make yourself acquainted
with the mechanism of a watch ? should you not take it

to pieces and examine every part in detail ?" Well, well,'
replied the chief priest, go on, dissect ; but mind Ido not
give you leave ; I will only say nothing ; I will not tinder
my children from dissecting.' It now only remained to
overcome the repugnance of the pupils, and to se-
cure myself from the dangers of popular prejudice.
The pupils I gradually habituated to the contact of
the dead body ; and before three months they were all
warm advocates of dissection. Through them also I ob-
viated the risk that might arise from popular abhorrence.
The pupils persuaded their parents and friends, and they
the rest of the people ; after which every thing went on
smoothly. I even invited the Ulemas to witness our pro-
ceedings. The chief Ulema attended ; and even Lrahim
Pacha himself, with some of the officers of his Court, as-
sisted at an entire lecture on anatomy.—( General murmur
of approbation through the Academy.) Five years thus
rolled on, consecrated to the business of instruction. The
land forces were now supplied with medical officers, but
the navy was still deficient; the expedition into Syria also
required a supply. There was thus a rapid demand for
my pupils ; and when the cholera came they were all put
in requisition. '['he cholera, as it ravaged Cairn, was a
far more dreadful scourge than was ever known there be-
' fore. In 28 days it cut off 60,000, out of a population of
260,000. The utmost that the plague ever cut off was
40,000 in the course of six months. All my pupils,
as I said, were employed during the epidemic. One
of them, now present, was attached to the household of
the Pacha, and treated sixty cases with success. I lost,
however, twenty or thirty of my pupils (out of 150)
during the ravage of the cholera. Abouzabel, which
contains about 1,800 inhabitants, lost one-half its popu-
anion. It was after the visitation of this pestilence, when
the pupils reassembled, that I sent out a hundred of them
to join the expedition to Syria. I attribute the wonderful
progress made in the school of Abouzabel to the method 4, f
mutual instruction which we adopted there, and mainly to
the excellent capacity of the Arabs, who are very intelli-
gent, smart, and possessed of great powers of retention.
But to conclude. It was in consequence of observing the
little stability of strangers in Egypt, and of being persuaded
of the paramount advantages of native teachers, that I pro-
posed to the Pacha, to whose inexhaustible benevolence I
was so much indebted, to send into Europe a certain num-
ber of young men to be instructed in the schools of medi-
cine, and who should bring back with them a store of
professional information. Mehemet Ali readily acceded to
my request. He chose France ; and commissioned
the to select twelve of my pupils, whom I should
conduct to my country. I only regretted that I could
not take them all. With regard to myself, I have
been requested by the Paella to wear in France
the oriental costume, that my countrymen might see that
I was raised to the rank of Bey. I have sacrificed nothing
for this dignity ; I have waived no opinion ; I have com-
promised no duty of conscience. The toleration of my
kind patron is without bounds ; and, however true it may
be that certain Frenchmen have attained the dignity of
Paella, by changing their religion and becoming Turks, I
have made no such sacrifice : it was not even demanded
that I should. lam both a Bey and a Christian ! I ac-
cepted, with pleasure and gratitude, a title which I did not
solicit, and one, I may add, which is worth much to me
in a pecuniary point of view. My appointments, which

(PRICE 71).)

were originally fixed at 8,000 francs, were afterwards
raised to 12,000 ; hut, by the addition of the title, I am
the possessor of 36,000 francs per annum. Nor iv the
title of Bey all : the Pacha insisted also upon giving me
the rank of a Gtlonel. lie wished, he said, that I should
be distinguished from my professional brethren by the de-
coration of a star ; and in bestowing it on me, he tapped
me familiarly on the shoulder, and said with a smile,
This will make you less a Christian !' "

M. Clot's interesting recital was followed by the mos,
marked applause from all parts of the Academy.---ifedi.
cal Gazette.

THE CAUSE OF RAMADGE v. RYAN.

(From Merle's Medical Register.)

The glorious uncertainty of the law, or the injustice
arising out of proceedings in cases of libel, we think, has
never been more fully exemplified than in this case. The
long anticipated application for a new trial has been made
and refused, and thus has Dr. Ryan in his laudable endea-
vours to uphold the respectability of the profession to
which he belongs, been made the further victim of the
most unprecedented and extraordinary legal proceedings
that ever occurred in a British Court of Judicature !
It will be recollected that, in July last, an action was
brought in the Court of Common Pleas, Westminster, by
Dr. Ramadge, a physician of acknowledged talent, against
Hr. Wakley, the spirited Editor of the Lancet, for a libel,
published in that Journal, imputing to the plaintiff, mal-
practice in a case of typhus fever, and irregular and un-
professional conduct, owing to the countenance and support
he was known to give to that prince of quacks and im-
postors, the notorious St, John Long. A verdict for tht
plaintiff was returned, with one firthing damages.
Proceedings were instituted on the following day in
tile same Court before a different Jury, against Dr. Ryan,
the Editor of the Medical and Surgical Journal, for re-
puhli•hing the same libel, and the surprising verdict, con-
victing him in time penalty of 4001. and costs, was found
against him, for this minor offence. Scarcely ever do wt
recollect public sympathy and indignation being more
strongly expressed than it was universally at this mons-
trously ab.urd, unjust, contradictory, and disproportionate
verdict. A public subscription was entered into for the
purpose of defraying the enormous expenses which have
been incurred by Dr. R. in the proceedings, but we re-
gret to state, that up to the present moment only about
1361. has been contributed. For th;ti apathy on the pt.
of a liberal profession towards one of its most talentev
members, and most manly champions, we are unable t•
account, except that many have been waiting the result
of the application for a new trial, and anticipating, as
every one must have done, that the verdict would havt
been set aside.

Nothing, however, can afford a more striking exempli.
fication of the justice that is itften to be obt iined by those
who seek it through the medium of the law. The appli
cation was made in the Court of Common Pleas or
Thursd ty last for a new trial, principally on the ground tit
excessive damages and the tainted character of a Juror.
It was alleged and sworn to that one of the Jurors, names
Ifart, who hod been an attorney, and who was present it
the Court on the previous day during the trial against Mr.
Wakley, had been heard to express dissatisfaction at that
verdict, and to say that if he had been on the Jury hi
should have given much larger damages ; and he wa-
stated to have added significantly, " I am to be on the
.jury to-morrow." The affidavit of Hart denied this 'rate-
ment, and the Court considering this to be a full answer
the rule which had been previously granted to show caul
why the verdict should not be set aside, was discharge,'
We feel so indignant at the result of this business, that wt
fear to trust our pen to the guidance of our feelings, lee
it should occasion us to hive to trust ourselves to chi
mercy of a similar Jury. The subject too, has been to.
often and so ably cornmente I upon by the whole indepen
dent press of the country, that it can scarcely be necessary
further to expose the hardships and injustice of the pro-
ceedings. But one word for Dr. Ryan ! Now no h.q..
from an appeal to the law is left him, we earnestly app. al
to all who are concerned for the liberty of the press, as
matter of justice to render him that assistance which an)
one connec,ed with it may soon be made to want himself:
To that profession which ranks him among its must to
lented members, we strongly urge all classes of it to con-
triltute, each according to his means.
In his attempt to disarm the wily and audacious quack
of the shield which he found in the countenance and en-
couragement of a legalized and educated physician, Dr.
Ryan has suffered severely by thus becoming the champion
of the profession, but we sincerely hope that the liberal and
humane members of it, will not long withhold from him
that relief, which his case so justly claims from them.
Indeed, from every one who has the liberty of the subject
or the interests of society at heart, Dr. Ryan has the
strongest claims for assistance, and we sincerely hope that
he will not be long suffered to remain the victim of his
attempt to deprive the manslaughtering Charlatan of the
disgraceful protection and support that was affirded hint
by an educated member of the profession.