Miss Cobbe, in a, letter to the Times of October
15th, frankly admits that Dr. Shore's experiments were stated to be made under the influence of anwsthetics, and that the statement was omitted in her book by those whom she had employed, as explained in the book itself, to compile it for her. -She then proceeds to give her opinions on several points in the controversy, which amount to this,—that the state- ments about am:esthetics cannot be trusted, and that in some inquiries the temptation to avoid anwsthesia is very great. In Monday's Times, Mr. Victor Horsley replies after his old fashion, not arguing or producing evidence, but quoting each statement, and declaring it either " false " or a "lie." From a controversy so conducted, Miss Cobbe, who, so far from being a malignant person, is an Irishwoman with a fine sense of humour, naturally and properly retires ; but she gives her opponent a sharp dig as she goes, calling him a "bravo of science." That is a misuse of words ; "bargee of science" would, as far as these letters are concerned, be nearer the truth. Seriously, Mr. Horsley's method of controversy is worthy only of the fifteenth century, or of the Roman patricians who called each other " cadaver " as a sort of argu- ment; nor can we altogether exonerate the Times from blame for admitting such letters to its columns. Correspondents should be, at all events, as decent as Irish Members in the House. Mr. Horsley, in another letter, says his use of such terms in this controversy is deliberate ; but that only makes them worse.
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