The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-01-18 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, TUESDAY, JANUARY

fears take an exaggerated shape, but I can't shake off the
impression that this is the hardest trial I had ever to go
through. I know her in most of her moods, Tom, and
have got a kind of way of managing her in each of them—
not very successful, perhaps, but sufficiently so to get on
with. I have seen her in straits about money ; I have
seen her in her jealous fits ; I have seen her in her mo-
ments of family pride ; and I have repeatedly seen her on
what she calls her " dying couch"—an opportunity she
always seizes to say the most disagreeable things she can
think of, so that I often speculate what she'd say if she
was really going off—but all these convey no notion to me
of how she'd behave if she thought herself rich. As for
our poverty, we never knew anything else ; the jealousy
I'm getting used to; the family pride often gives me a
hearty laugh when I'm alone ; and I am as hardened
about death-bed scenes as if I was an undertaker. It's
the prosperity I haven't strength for, Tom ; and I feel it.

Rheumatism, Rheumatic Gout, and Sciatica : their
Pathology, Symptoms, and Treatment. By Henry
William Fuller, M.D., Cantab, Fellow of the
Royal College of Physicians, Assistant Physician
to St. George's Hospital, &c., &c. London :
John Churchill, Princes-street, Soho.
This work supplies a desideratum in medical
literature, namely, a standard work, of high autho-
rity, combining the recorded opinions of eminent
men, with the recent experience of one well quali-
fied, by his position and attainments, to form a cor-
rect judgment on the many moot points connected
with rheumatism and rheumatic affections of the
heart. As one of the physicians to a large metro-
politan hospital, Dr. Fuller has had abundant op-
portunities of observing the disease under every
form, and he seems to have entered on his task
earnestly. He first treats of the nature and seat of
the disease, and disproves the old notion that
rheumatism is but the local effect of external cold
or damp. Then, after discussing various circum-
stances which tend to influence the development of
the disease, he passes under review the different
modes of treatment now in use. These he examines
seriatim, sifts the principles on which they are
founded, and gives his reasons for adopting or re-
jecting them. He himself considers the best and
only rational plan of treatment to consist in a com-
bination of several remedies ; and the plan he pro-
poses, which has been largely tried at St. George's
Hospital, has shortened considerably the dura-
tion of the attack. Those only who have suf-
fered severely from rheumatism can thoroughly
appreciate the importance of this fact ! Dr.
Fuller has devoted particular attention to rheu-
matic affections of the heart, a class of diseases
dangerous in their attacks and distressing in their
after effects. He has treated this part of the sub-
ject in a masterly way, and has laid down rules,
which, if carefully observed, will materially assist
the practitioner both in the diagnosis and treatment
of the disease. Rheumatism, gout, and chronic
rheumatism are also fully considered, and the work
ends with an able chapter on sciatica and other
forms of neuralgic rheumatism. Dr. Fuller's
volume has afforded us much pleasure and instruc-
tion, and we strongly recommend its perusal to
every one who wishes to understand the subject, or
to rid himself of an obstinate and painful disease.
The treatment proposed is illustrated by cases ob-
served in the wards of St. George's Hospital, and,
therefore, bears the highest impress of authority.
This of itself is a great recommendation, and
considerably enhances the importance of the
volume.