low, or yellowish white. The upper side of the tail is diversified with spots; while the under side, and the ends of the hairs around, are of the same complexion with the belly.

This creature is by far the most beautiful of the whole squirrel family; surpassing by many degrees the elegant Sciurus Striatus, or ground squirrel. The striped squirrel is called ground squirrel, because he makes his habitation in the ground, (habitat sub terra.)

Brought by Professor Douglas, of the United States Military Academy, from the region bordering the sources of the river Mississippi, in November, 1820.

The Gopher, or Pouched Rat of North America, (Mus bursarius.)

MUS SACCATUS, juxta regionem circa Lacum Superiorem

sitam.

Doubts having been entertained, (Cuvier Regne Animal, vol. i. p. 199,) whether this animal, announced to zoologists by Shaw, was sufficiently and credibly established, I have the pleasure to assure naturalists, that a complete dried preparation, brought by Captain Douglas, Professor, &c. is now in my possession. It is undoubtedly the real mus bursarius of our continent. As it has been already introduced to the learned world, I shall content myself with noting some of its most remarkable characters.

Length about eleven inches, from the nose to the rump. In my specimen there is no tail, nor can a vestige be found. If a tail had existed, it was effectually destroyed and effaced.

The fore-feet are furnished with five claws, three of which are long and strong, as if intended for digging and burrowing. They are curved, acuminated, and semitransparent; the middle one being nearly an inch long.

They have some resemblance to the paws of the mole, (talpa,) though they are not palmated in the same manner. The hind-feet are comparatively small and diminutive, resembling those of the common rat, and armed, each also with five claws: the whole space from the heel forwards being a sole of the foot, or a walking surface.

Body thick; head obtuse; nose blunt ;-the most striking and remarkable character, is the pouched neck. There are two sacs, or pouches, jutting when distended, an inch or more from each side of the neck. The circumference of either, near the neck, is more than two inches. These pouches are covered with very short hair, finer and paler than that of the body. They give it a very peculiar and grotesque appearance; for the distance from the extremity of one pouch to the extremity of the other, measuring straight across the neck, is four inches and one quarter.

The upper teeth are grooved or sulcated on the outside. Each of the two teeth has a double furrow from the gum to the point, lengthways; one furrow passing along the middle of the tooth, and being deep, while the other passes near the inner edge or side, and is shallow. Hair very much like that of the mus decumanus, or common rat, but shorter, finer, and more uniformly brown on the belly, as well as on the back.

Brought from the region bordering on Lake Superior.

Clinical Hospital.

We are gratified to learn, that the Inspectors of the State Prison in this City, have acted with becoming liberality towards our College of Physicians and Surgeons. Upon application being made by that learned and respectable body, for the facilities of clinical instruction, which the hospital connected with the prison affords, the Inspectors

immediately passed a resolution, importing their acquiescence in the request of the College. The medical students. have now access to regular clinical wards, where their professor receives every accommodation for the regular execution of his collegiate duties.

The medical department of this institution now consists of two physicians and one surgeon-to wit:

WILLIAM HAMMERSLEY, M. D. C. Prof. Physicians,

JOSEPH M. SMITH, M. D.

CHARLES DRAKE, M. D. Surgeon.

A New Surgical Work.

To be published in quarto, in the course of next spring, The Surgical Anatomy of the Groin and Pelvis, as connected with the different species of Hernia; as also, the Operations of Lithotomy, and for Tying the External Iliac Artery. By William Anderson, Esq. Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

N. B. This Work is intended as the first part of a course of the General Surgical Anatomy of the Human Body. It will be accompanied with about six copperplate engravings, carefully executed, and attended by the most minute anatomical description, together with clear directions for dissecting the parts in the dead subject.

German Correspondent.

This interesting periodical work is principally intended to acquaint the people of these States with the progressive state of literature and science in Germany. When it is considered that similar undertakings have been successfully patronised in that country, for the purpose of noticing and reviewing all scientific American productions, and that the German genius and their literary labours have

largely contributed to the general improvement of useful knowledge, it is hoped that neither materials nor patronage will be wanting for the promotion and support of this work. We have perused the first six numbers, and take great pleasure in recommending it to the public.

CARD.

The following is the replication of Dr. Watts, to the Card of Dr. Neilson, which appeared in our last Number.

In answer to the Card of Dr. Neilson in the last Number of the Medical Repository, I send for insertion the following extracts of letters in my possession. They supersede the necessity of any remarks on the character and origin of the Card in question, and prove beyond doubt, that the cases of disease alluded to, were not "prescribed for and treated under the sole and immediate directions" of Dr. Neilson, as therein stated. Dr. Peter B. Helme, in a letter addressed to me, says, "In answer to your inquiries with regard to the cases of disease supposed to have originated from drinking cold water, which appeared in the New-York Hospital in the summer of 1818, I have conceived it to be my duty to state, that I was present about the time of the reception of several of those patients; that I was in the habit of visiting the Hospital frequently at that time and afterward. I recollect distinctly, that at the time alluded to, Dr. Neilson was the regular attending physician of the house; but that from a difficulty in finding Dr. Neilson at the time, and from the urgency of the cases, it is my impression you were sent for by the house physician, and that you recommended the course of treatment which was adopted with such decided success. I never heard a doubt expressed on this

subject, until the "Note of Dr. Neilson in the Medical Repository."

Dr. James M. Pendleton, in a letter to me a few days since, says, I 66 was house-walker at the time, but absent from town. I received from Dr. Campbell, the house physician, a letter containing all the details on the subject, and the extraordinary success which attended the mode of treatment adopted, and the credit of which he unreservedly gave to yourself, and mentioned your attendance at the time the remedies were administered. After my return to town, these cases were the subject of frequent conversations between ourselves, in which he always mentioned you as having first suggested the treatment, nor was any other person ever even alluded to as having any participation in it."

Dr. Campbell, the house physician referred to in the preceding extract, now of Charleston, South Carolina, writes to me, that "on the 30th June, 1818, about two o'clock, P. M. several patients were brought into the NewYork Hospital, evidently apoplectic, and said to be caused by drinking cold water. As was my duty, I sent to inform Dr. Neilson, the physician in attendance; but in order to have more immediate assistance, I sent to you, who were so much nearer. You came immediately, and were for the time of course the physician in attendance, by whom I was to be directed. You observed to me, that it was a disease of the head, and not of the stomach; that bleeding, and not laudanum, was the remedy; and by your advice the temporal arteries, and a vein in the arm, were opened, so as to abstract blood as rapidly as possible. You had them put into a warm bath, and its being ready at the time, saved the life of a little child brought in with convulsions. Sinapisms to the breast, and scrobiculus cordis, were applied by your direction. After you left the hospital, Dr. Neilson came, and resumed his situation; two or three more were brought in, for whom he prescribed bleeding, and of course continued his attendance on the Vol. 6.

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