The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-14
DIR. MOTIFS TRAVELS.

|
| In Dr. Motifs Travels in Europe and the East, y
recently published by the Harpers--a work whose
value consists entirely in the information il communi-
relative to the present state of the medical sci
ences in the several countries visited by the author
we find several interesting paragraphs, of which We
give our readers few specimens;
THE GOITRE.
| Throughout the extended Yalais region Of Stcii-
.erlald scarcely an individual is to be seem male or
female who is not less affected with this
lamitous deformity lthe Gotre or deformity of the
thyroid gland, much more frequent, as Il appeared
to me, in the female than in the male sex To such
frightful magnitude does this growth sometimes at
tan that il actually disqualfes the unfortunate sui-
ferer from preserving an erect position In one IN
stance indeed, at .Martigny the size OF the tumour
was of such colossal dimensions, that the poor wo-
man obliged TO crawl along the floor upon her
hands and feet, dragging the gigantic dewlaP and
pendulous mass after her !"
The affection is frequently accompanied with i'd
ocy, and the doctor thinks it is imputable to I" the
cold and sepulchral dampness of low valley re.
gions.n
DISCOVERY OF THE ART or PETRHyEG.
At Florence, in Tuscany, the Doctor found Sig
nor Sgato who possessed wonderful art, unique
and unknown to all the world beside
Incredible, if not marvellous, as it may seem, he
had discovered chemical process by which he could
actually PetrJy, in very short time, every animal
substance, preserving permanently, and with minute
accuracy, its form and internal texture and in state
Of such stony hardness that could be saoed into slabs
and elegantly polished :"
g He had in this way formed museum of various
animals such frogs fishes oads, snakes and great
variety of parts of the human body in natural and
diseased state. In my presence he threw the human
liver, lungs heart, and other parts thus petrfed,
about the floor with perfect impunity, and without
the least injury being done to them. Still more Gu
rous, he had, with Italian taste, cut them into small
polished squares. and arranged them in COM
plete tables Of mosaic ,cork-so that it gave him as
much delight it did me establishment, to find that
could with my finger designate to him, on this pre-
cous centre-tabie for surgeons drawing-room, the
appropriate name and character of each individual
object thus spread out before me in pathological
chart of real specimens. Thus pulmonary t,lbercie
ulcer here, hyiatid Of the tirer there, cicair in
the brain in another compartment and calculus in the
kidney ossfaon Of The hearts aurices and raires in
fourth.n
This extraordinary man died soon after the Doctor
him, and his secret persisted with him. He
would never diyuge the least part of his marvellous
process but merely ntmated that he had acquired it
in his journies to remote eastern countries
PUBLIC CEMETERY FOR THE POOR, AT NAPLES.
Inc gives lDe interesting
ton of the Campo Santo Public Cemetery for the
Poor in Naples situated between the city and Mount
Vcsuyils
1t is large enclosure, surrounded by massive
wall at least twelve to fifteen feet high and the
most simple and chaste order is observable in its in
terror arrangements. Nothing was seen but long
rows of fiat stone labs with the single inscription on
each that denoted the day of the year to which
it appropriated Thus there are 365 vaults,
of large dimensions and OF great depth, and one Is
opened for each day Of the year. The great advan
tage to public health of this mode is that each vault,
with all the bodies deposited in it, is at the close of
the day secured and cemented for the whole suisse
quent year. On the day that visited the Campo,
eeren had already been deposited in the vault for that
day, and, upon my looking into it, found all those
bodies in perfect state of nudity, and of both sexes
and all ages. With the aid OF small douceur
succeeded in having the vault of the previous day I'M
sealed for me- where the appearance of the bo-
dies was presented, there being fifteen in number
which was the amount OF lnterments for that day.
Naples contains over 100000 inhabitants | con-
ess that to me, habituaed from early life to the
sight Of dead bodies, i'd to of agony and su
erng in the living subject, the irreyerence shown
to the poor and friendless dead, by divesting
them of all covering, and throwing them pell-mell
into confused heap, was revolving in the greatest de-
gree to my feelings, however much might approve
OF the general plan OF the construction OF the Gene
terry. | yet more shocked when, upon looking
uoWh INTO the vault winch hau peeh opened lor me,
beneath the bodies and all around countless
quantities of bones, the harvest Of Deaths conqucss
in years gone by, and the more rapidly, doubt,
dlsencumbered of their flesh by the quantities of quick
lime thrown in, and by the thousands of crawling
reptiles, which, to add horror to the spectacle,
seen blsy engaged in their dreadful ayocation in
every direction"
The Doctors style is stiff and awkward, and stoI'
Of his observations extra-professoe are trite
and dry. Yet his opportunities, were enylable, and
he has given the public many facts and observations
connected with the progress of medical science and
practice that are interesting and useful. He con
sumed some eight years in his travels, which ex-
tended through most all the countries of Europe, and
as far east as Asia Minor.