In the second and fifth volumes of the _Archives Generales de Medecine_, Dr. BOUILLAUD has related many cases of partial and general dropsy, which undoubtedly originated in obstruction to the venous circulation, from adhesion of the parietes of the principal veins. It is true that Dr. A. is compelled to admit this among the causes of dropsy; but faithful to his theory, he supposed the supervention of an arterial reaction resulting in an effusion of serum. It does not appear to us, however, that this arterial reaction is admissible in all cases of the sort, and we prefer on the whole the explanation of the mechanism of the effusion, originally given, by DONALD MONRO, and lately by Drs. BOUILLAUD and BROUSSAIS, who refer it to an obstruction in the venous circulation and to a consequent deficient venous absorption. By admitting this explanation, it is readily perceived, that we admit a passive dropsy, and we think the view well exemplified by a case which occurred last summer. The individual had recently recovered from a violent attack of disease, and was left much debilitated. Induced by this circumstance to travel to the north, he had occasion to notice that when seated long in a stage with his feet depending on the veins compressed, oedema invariably came on, and that it as invariably went off the next day if he did not ride. This occurred so often as to lead us to think there could not always be an arterial reaction occasioning the effusion, and that this effect arose from the mere obstruction to the venous circulation. In making these remarks we are not actuated by the desire of detracting from the merits of Dr. A.'s views of the pathology of dropsy; convinced as we are, that the great majority of cases of the disease, which are thought by many physicians to arise from debility, do not owe their origin to this condition of the system, but to an increased excitement of the membranes or cellular tissue. Were it otherwise, how could we account for the fact, that dropsy is generally _local_, whilst the _debility_ to which it is in most instances referred, is general?