GAZETTE OF HEALTH. No. 73. To JANUARY 1, 1822. VOL. VII. MEDICAL OBITUARY. WITHIN the last two months, four members of the profession, who have been long actively engaged in endeavouring to cure the maladies, or to alleviate the sufferings, of poor humanity, and in promoting medical science, have discharged their debts to nature; namely, Dr. Bancroft, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Chevalier, and Mr. John Ring. The mortality among the surgeons and apothecaries, both in London and the country, has been so great, that many hypochondriacs are afraid the rot is got among the medical profession. If three-fourths of the members were to fall a sacrifice to an epidemic, fortunately for the country, there would be more left than real invalids would require. The late DR. BANCROFT.-This scientific physician died at Margate, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. He commenced his medical career in the West Indies, as physician in the army. Of the useful works he published, we may notice the following, as highly creditable to him,-An Essay on the Natural History of Guiana, in South America, experimental Researches concerning the Philosophy of Permanent Colours, and the best Methods of producing them for Dying and Calico Printing; and an Essay on Yellow Fever. A novel, entitled The History of Charles Wentworth, in three volumes, which he published in the year 1794, shews, that he possessed, in an high degree, that peculiar exercise of the imagination, for which nearly all the physicians of France, and but too many of this country, possess, termed "chimerical invention." The doctor entered warmly into the late dispute, respecting the military inquiry, and published an animated letter to the com missioners, on the fifth report, which he, and some of his colleagues, supposed to be a refutation of the statements which had been pub lished by Drs. Mac Gregor and Jackson. The late Mr. WILSON was a native of Ayrshire, in Scotland. He commenced the study of anatomy and surgery, under the late Mr. Cruikshanks, who, after being librarian and assistant to the late Dr. Hunter and Dr. Baillie, became lecturer. On the death of Mr. Cruikshanks, Mr. Wilson succeeded to his appointment; soon after which, he became sole teacher and proprietor of the theatre, for which he was much indebted to the liberality of Dr. Baillie. He continued to give lectures till the year 1812, when he disposed of his interest, in this once celebrated school, to Mr. Charles Bell, who continues the principal teacher, and, we believe, proprietor. Mr. Wilson was considered, by his brethren, so able an anatomist and physiologist, that he was, with the approbation of every member, appointed Professor of Anatomy to the Royal College of Surgeons of London. He devoted so much time to anatomical preparations, &c. and to the instruction of his pupils, as to neglect his practice as a surgeon. He was a man of too generous and liberal a mind, to submit to the little mean arts, or to comply with the caprices of patients, which some have found necessary to ensure a practice in this metropolis worth attention. Many practitioners, whom Mr. Wilson_taught, and whom he had assisted in early life, observes Mr. Bell, knew better than he did by what means fortune is to be attained. The collection of anatomical preparations which he made, evinces that although his discoveries were neither numerous nor important, they extended to the demonstration of every department of anatomy. He had, for some time, complained of a pain in a particular spot of his head, the frequent return of which he had lately attributed to a severe shock he had received on the breaking down of his carriage, when he was in it. On the morning of the day of his departure, he complained of being unwell. He felt his hands unsteady. After taking his breakfast, he sat down to write a letter to a patient; when, finding his indisposition to increase, he sent for his son, observing, that he felt exceedingly unwell, but that he wished it not to be communicated to Mrs. Wilson, or his daughter. His son, Dr. Wilson, finding him in an alarming state, dispatched a servant to Dr. Baillie, to request his immediate attendance. In the mean time, blood was abstracted by cupping, and from a vein, under the idea of approaching apoplexy. On Dr. Baillie's arrival, he was scarcely capable of speaking. He laid his hand over the region of the heart, as the seat of his uneasiness, with a countenance strongly expressive of the conviction of his mind, that it would soon terminate his existence. On the propriety of the practice which had been adopted previously to the arrival of Dr. Baillie, we do not find that any observation was made. Dr. Baillie wrote a prescription, and a blister was applied to the nape of the neck, and mustard poultices to the feet. The vital powers continued rapidly to decline; so that, in the course of a few hours, he took his final leave of the numerous physicians, who had voluntarily assembled, in the hope of devising some plan of treatment, to prolong so valuable a life. He arranged his worldly affairs, and met his fate with the cool fortitude of a practical christian. Mr. Wilson, having insured his life at different offices, it was deemed proper, by his medical attendants, that the cause of his death should be ascertained, by opening the body. This was done by Mr. Charles Bell, in the presence of many of his pupils, who made the following report:-" The heart and blood-vessels were found unusually empty, and a serous effusion had taken place on all the surfaces of the brain; with the exception of some ossifications of the valves of the heart, all the viscera appeared natural." It is a very common practice in a case of sudden attack of disease similar to the above, to have recourse to bleeding, under the idea of its arising from an overloaded state of the blood-vessels of the brain or lungs. The effusion of serum "over all the surfaces of the brain," as stated by Mr. Bell, was not in such quantity as to occasion death; and as the dura mater, pia mater, and brain, were in a natural state, |