h, residing
near Jefferson avenue and Sixty-eighth street, had been subject for
years to convolutions of the cerebral hemispheres, and had been obliged
at various times to submit to partial amputations of horn-like
excrescences on the divisions of her manual extremities," Mr.
PUNCHINELLO was of opinion that this young lady, who could be easily
recognized from the hints (?) of her name and residence, might possibly
object to the announcement, to all her friends and acquaintances, that
she had cerebral hemispheres, and still more to the fact that they were
convoluted. But this dreadful truth is published, under the merest film
of concealment of her identity, to the whole world, and her physical
condition and subsequent surgical treatment may be town-talk for the
rest of her life. Where is the "sacred confidence" here?

There are dozens of similar cases in the publication referred to, and
medical journals are, in general, full of them.

Will it therefore be wondered at if we don't want all the world to know,
every time we call in a doctor, that we may have a "parenchyma of the
lung," or a "sub-conjunctival cellular tissue," that we will begin some
day to insist as much upon medical honor as medical ability? Mr.
PUNCHINELLO thinks not.

* * * * *

"FIAT LUX."

We learn that our Third Assistant Postmaster-General has been indisposed
for some days, owing to his excessive labor in breaking envelope
contracts. Why does the Postmaster-General allow his subordinates thus
to overwork themselves? We wish he would shed a REAY of light on the
subject.

* * * * *

SCIENCE AND ENDURANCE.

When people undertake any thing in the cause of Science, or indeed in
any other cause, they might as well do their best while they have a
chance. This is an axiom of social economy which is presented, gratis,
to the world.

Now, the three scientific men who intend passing the winter on the top
of Mount Washington, might certainly find some other manner of spending
the cold months in the interests of science which would be much more
difficult and disagreeable. They expect to be snowed up at the Tip-top
House, from December until March, and will spend their time in a room
lined with felt, where they will burn twenty tons of coal during their
sojourn.

Almost any one could do all this. If the scientific gentlemen in
question desire to undergo some really notable hardships there a