appropriate references, and an anatomical description, by Mr. Laurence. This work, which when coloured, is offered at the price of 21. 12s. 6d. does honour to the artist and anatomist. It comprehends almost the whole of the surface covered by the sneiderian membrane, and is in all respects finished in such a style, that we are not afraid to recommend it to our readers.

Mr. WISHART, has given us an “English Translation of Professor Scarpi's Treatise on the Anatomy, Pathology, and Surgical Treatment of Aneurisins." It is not a little remarkable, that this important subject has never before been thought worthy of occupying the labour of a separate treatise. It is hardly necessary to remark, how competent both the writer and translator are to the task they have undertaken. But happily the improvements in operative surgery do not rest, and in none have bolder under takings appeared than in the cure of aneurism. What Mr. Abernethey attempted in the lower extremities, and what Mr. Cowper has accomplished in the carotid artery, would have been deemed incredible by no very remote antiquity.

The number of Diseases of the Heart, which have been related in the various journals, made us examine with some eagerness, Mr. BURN's Observations on soine of the most important diseases of that organ. It is indeed difficult to say, what diseases of the heart are not most important. The work appears to us by far too systematic; at least we are ready to confess, that we have not been able to make distinctions during life which have turned to much account. We trust, how ever, the examination of this part of the human frame, will never be omitted in any future dissections.

Strictures being among the calamities of declining life, and by no means uncommon in the early period, have always been a prolific source of emolument to practitioners of all descriptions. So much has at different times been promised by empirics, and so carefully did some of the French surgeons conceal their practice, that that there was some danger, lest this irksome complaint should be altogether consigned to irrregulars. Mr. Hunter first gave us rational notions on this subject, which have been greatly improved by his successor, Mr. Hume. Whether that gentleman has really shown too great a partiality to the child of his

own adoption, we pretend not to deterimine; nor whether that child has proved as disobedient, mischievous, and perverse, as some pretend. The opinion has, however, become pretty general, that the caustic has been resorted to more frequently than was necessary. Mr. W. WADD has produced a performance equally candid and respectable on this controversy.

Dr. PARR, of Exeter, has edited a complete (if any thing of the kind can be complete) Medical Dictionary, which he has called "The London Medical Dic tionary." When we consider the immense labour of such an undertaking, we can only express our surprise, that a man so competent to the task could be found, who could have patience to execute it so well,

Dr. HOOPER'S "Physician's Vade Meeum," is another attempt at simplifying an art which must always be complex. However, a manual of this kind may be useful in teaching the young practitioner what symptoms he is to look for, and in reminding him of the appropriate reme dies for each.

We have perused with no small satisfaction, "Mr. WATT's Treatise on Diabetes." The boldness and novelty of the practice here recommended, and countenanced by able and experienced practitioners, may give us courage in the use of evacuations under all stages of disease, and without doubt, they will prove successful> in many, in which at present they are rarely thought of.

Dr. LAMB has produced a work, in some measure explanatory of his last, in which he advised the constant use of pure or distilled water. In the present, he saves the rich the trouble of distilling, and the poor the mortification of drinking, water dangerously impregnated. In short, he assures us, that man has no busi ness to drink at all; and as to eating, that he should confine himself to vegetables; that his canine teeth are of no more use to him than to the ape, whose conformation in this, and in most other re spects, are more exactly similar than in most other animals. Yet the ape is graminivorous. It is indeed admitted, that to man animal food is often, not only the most grateful, but even the only digesti ble, food. But such is the force of habit, it seems to destroy all our natural propensities. One should think that the same habit might also alter the functions, so as to accommodate them to these new ha

bits. And so it seems admitted it does;

,for.

for by degrees animal food becomes more digestible than vegetable. But still the "poison is thrilling through the veins." "A second cause, (says Dr. Lamb) which is common to all climates, and which will be found to be still more powerful, is the use of watery liquids, as a substitute for the fruits and vegetable juices, with which man would, I believe, in a state of primæval simplicity, at once satisfy the appetite of hunger, and prevent thirst. The poison thus introduced into his body, directly deranges the sensorium, alters his feelings, and gives a new and unnatural direction to all his propensities. It produces a great change on the powers of digestion; and with this, it effects a corresponding change in the desires and aversions. Vegetable matter, which, to the stomach of a healthy child, is the most delightful, the most nutritive and strengthening aliment, gradually seems to lose its power; it ceases to impart either strength or pleasure. In a state of manhood, to many it is an object of disgust, to almost all, of indifference. It excites flatulence, and often gives pain and uneasiness; and the power of digest, ing it becomes more and more destroyed. To render it tolerable, it must be heated and macerated: by these means it is made more soluble, and digestible with greater speed. But by these same means its sweet and nutritious juices are either decomposed or extracted; and weighty reasons may, I think, be given, to shew that, in this condition, it neither Jmparts the strength nor the nourishment that it would do, when used, as it is by the animals, without any preparation. How astonishing is this revolution! How inconceivable, that the only species of food, which, previous to the invention of arts, it was in the power of a human being to obtain;-that the only species of food, on which the primeval race subsisted, during the silent lapse of ages;---that the species of food, which we know affords a healthy nourishment at this present day to many races of men,-how inconceivable is it, that in all civilized and crowded communities it is not merely disregarded, but seems to become truly indigestible, and on many to assume the force and activity of a true poison!

"Now, that this is truly the effect and consequence of using water in its ordinary condition, is not an imaginary hypothesis, but a serious truth, the result of careful and repeated experience. It will be found experimentally true, that by

using distilled water, the power of digeting vegetable matter will be restored and improved; that the stomach will gra dually be enabled to digest it, even raw, and without any condiment, or other preparation; that with the power of diges tion, the inclination to vegetable food will be renewed; that it will be easy, under such a system, entirely to subdue the desire and craving for animal food; that, finally, what was at first looked upon with antipathy and disgust, will, by ha bit, be rendered most easy and most delightful."

Happily then there is a means of resto. ration. We would not be thought, in these remarks, to treat our author with disrespect, on the contrary we feel the highest sentiments of respect for him. Nor is there any thing absolutely repugnant to experience, in supposing, that men are pursuing a plan, which, though apparently agreeable to themselves, is leading them to certain destruction. Bus it is impossible not to be struck with the novelty of the doctrine; nor can we fail to remark how very few men are afflicted with cancer, considering how many are swallowing this habitual poison; or that, in countries where animal food is rarely tasted, and in communities who never use it, life neither appears greatly pro longed, or peculiarly exempted from disease.

The subject of Contagion is, perhaps, the most important of all others in medicine; it assails us every where, and for the most part without assuming a tangible shape. In vain do we promise ourselves security, by even monastic seclusion, when disease may be conveyed by whatever forms our dress, our domestic furniture, if not our diet, at least the effluvia from those by whom it is conveyed to us. Nor are we certain that the mischief will be confined to ourselves; not only the same means may affect all round us, but we ourselves may become sources of contagion to others. As there is no fixing any bounds to contagions, so there is no means of ascertaining the degree of mortality which may attend them. Under some constitutions of the air with which we are totally unacquainted, a contagion shall be almost universal, yet few may be destroyed by it; at other times, we scarcely hear of the disease but by the deaths it occasions.

In the midst of all this, we remain in the most profound ignorance, not only concerning the degree of contagion in

Some

some well known diseases, but actually whether they are contagious at all. Dr. CHISHOLM, who has always maintained the contagious property of yellow fever, has published a letter to Dr. Haygath, of Bath," exhibiting further evidence of the infectious nature of the pestilential (usually termed the yellow) fever in Granada, during the years 1794-5, and 6, and in the United States of America, from 1798 to 1805; in order to correct the pernicious doctrine promulgated by Dr. Edward Miller, and other American physicians, relative to this pestilence." It is not a little remarkable, that whilst the Americans are becoming more and more convinced, that the yellow fever is indigenous among themselves at certain sea sons of the year, the learned author should so pertinaciously accuse them of ignorance. It is true Dr. Chisholm has resided for many years in the West Indies, and has also visited America. This may therefore entitle him to form his own opinion; but we cannot help thinking that it would better become him to pay some deference to the observations of others, who are so much interested in the question, who once were of the same opinion with himself, but whose judgment may be matured by the perpetual occurrence of facts, and corrected by mutual opposition. To us in England, the question is less important, in as much as no one pretends to assert, that the disease has ever been climatized among us. We must therefore leave the question to those who have the largest opportunities, and who from necessity must improve them. But though the variable climate of England may protect us from this epidemic, yet such is not the lot of the south ern parts of Europe, the summer heat in which is sometimes permanent above 80°. Gibraltar and Cadiz have experienced all the horrors of this dreadful calamity; and the question is still at issue, whether the disease was imported or indigenous. It has been discovered, as appears by a letter from Dr. Robinson, of Bristol, that the general opinion at Gibraltar was in favour of the contagious property of this fever, in opposition to Dr. Nooth, the principal army physician of that place. Some families, we are told, who secluded themselves, escaped the danger to which those who exposed themselves fell a sacrifice. In Dr. Haygarth's letter too, appears by the account of Dr. Fellowes, that one Sancho arrived from Cadiz at Gibraltar, where he kept a grocer's shop in the heart

of the town; that he fell ill of the fever after his arrival, and that in that part of the town the malady first appeared. All this is highly probable. Whether the disease appeared first on Sancho, or some of his neighbours, it is not easy to determine; but the heart of a populous town is the usual seat of the commencement of every epidemic. Those who secluded themselves, of course absented themselves from every crowded part. But in all these cases, as we shall presently see, it is not enough to ascer tain the probability of contagion; we must mark carefully the period at which the diseased state of the town commences and declines. If the commencement is during that temperature which is found necessary for the existence, if not for the production, of such fevers, and if the cessation has occurred as soon as that temperature ceases, we shall then at least admit, that such fevers are only contagious under certain seasons and tempe ratures, which will be one point gained in distinguishing them from the more common contagions, to which we are accustomed in England.

We have been led to these last reflections by the perusal of Dr. ADAMS'S "Enquiry into the Laws of Epidemics," a work of much greater importance to the English reader. In this we have a comprehensive view of those diseases which, from their universality, are pretty generally deemed contagious, Our author distinguishes these into such as are only produced by some changes in the atmosphere, as the influenza; such as arise from a peculiarity of soil, which is only injurious at certain seasons, as the ague; such as may be excited by the accumulation of the sick, or the want of ventilation in close chambers, as the jail, or hospital fever; and such as can only be excited (as far as the evidence of our senses informs us) by their own specific matter, or effluvia from it: of these small-pox, measles, and scarlet fever, are the most remarkable. These last, he considers only as contagious. This distinction he urges is of the greatest importance, because the means by which we may extinguish the infections, that is hospital, and some other fevers, will be found insufficient to protect us from the contagions. This rule he extends to all the other epidemics. The plague, it is well known, has never raged in London during the winter season. The ague is only known in marshes, during spring and autumn. Yellow fever has

its necessary temperature, and hospital fever, he shows us, can only spread in situations similar to those which gave it birth. But the true contagions may be communicated at all seasons, in all climates, in all situations. It is even asserted, that the very purity of the air which protects us from the other epidemics, will serve to render the effects of contagions more certain; that is, that small-pox, measles, and scarlet fever, will spread with more certainty, in proportion as the inhabitants of the place are accustomed to breathe a purer air. It must be admitted, that, though London is never free from these diseases, yet that they do not constantly spread with that rapidity, which is generally remarked when they are introduced into villages.

On these accounts, Dr. Adams takes much pains to call the attention of the public and individual families, to the consideration of those means, by which they are to protect the community, themselves, and families, from the different epidemics. A chapter is devoted to each disease; in which, after ascertaining the manner in which it is conveyed, the means of prevention are readily deduced. Such a work was much wanted, not only to teach matrons to conduct their intercourse with others, so as to protect their offspring, but to facilitate our connections with each other, by distinguish. ing between false alarms and real dangers. We are therefore pleased to find the whole written in that popular style, which must not only be intelligible to, but interest, every reader.

One object of the author, seems to be to set the public to rights, on the popular subject of exterminating the small-pox. If the premises we have already offered, are correct, it will follow that those writers, who assume the possibility of exterminating small-pox, because the leprosy is now but little known among us, and because the plague has not visited us for nearly a century and a half, have fallen into an error from not distinguishing the different manner in which such diseases are spread. With out expressing any doubts concerning the security derived from cow-pox, or rather without entering into the question, the author urges, that the only security to be depended upon from small-pox, is to destroy in the rising generation the susceptibility to the disease: that the plague ceases by a change of temperature, after which, neither the sick, nor their cloaths, nor furniture, are contagious; but MONTHLY MAG. No. 187,

that no such change arrests the ravages of small-pox, which only cease when none remain, who have not passed through it; and which, in the succeeding generation, may be revived by furniture, cloaths, and even burying-grounds: that therefore, though those who are satisfied of the security of vaccination, do right to recommend it to others by their example, which will be more powerful than any advice; yet that we are not to expect the extermination of small-pox, by prohibiting inoculation: that the public mind has, for the most part, judged properly enough on these subjects; inoculation having been almost universally practised in large towns; but in villages, not without some popular or implied restraint, excepting when the disease has been accidentally introduced, and spread beyond human controul, before any means have been used to prevent it.

On the means of avoiding what has of late been popularly called Typhous fever, Dr. Adams is particularly full, and also on the extermination of the disease altogether. This leads him into some very interesting enquiries, concerning the habits of the poor, the melioration of whose condition, he shows, has contributed greatly to lessen that disease, which may therefore be gradually exterminated, in proportion as society is progressively improved.

The subject of contagion leads us to a controversy, of which we never think without pain. Our readers must have been disgusted, as well as ourselves, with the various brochures which have issued from the press, on a discovery which required the most impartial, and patient investigation; but which has at last de generated into personality, and almost scurrility. It is with some satisfaction, however, that we announce a perfor mance on vaccination, of a different description. Mr. PEART'S "Account of an Eruptive Disease," is written with much candour, though it contains little information.

In an art so important to the comfort and preservation of the human race, we are glad to see an increase of those miscellaneous productions, which contribute so much to furnish the practitioner with useful hints for conducting and improving his own practice. Since our last has appeared, "The Annual Medical Register," by a SOCIETY OF PHYSICIANS. From the title we formed great expectations. The medical occurrences of a whole year, digested and regularly com 4 Q

piled

discovered in the writings of the accurate Sydenham, in any respect, comparable to what we have witnessed in our own days. When these gentlemen have more leisure, we wish them to compare SyDENHAM's "Histories of Epidemics," with Dr. WILLAN'S "Account of the Diseases of London."

If these gentlemen had been so early in their publication, as not to have had access to the annual bills of mortality, we could hardly have excused their not taking the trouble to cast up the weekly bills; even if the urgency of the public, or their publisher, had not allowed time for that dull species of labour, we cannot well conceive, how a Society of Physicians," in any part of Great Britain, or its dependencies, could be ignorant of the ravages of the measles, during the past year. By the annual bills, it is ascertained that, in London, the deaths by measles for the last year were equal, if they did not exceed, any three successive years, during the period when London was annually visited with those epidemics, from which she is relieved by the improved manner of life of the inhabitants.

CLASSICAL LITERATURE.

In illustration of Classical Literature little has been lately published of essential interest.

The passages selected in Mr. PITMAN'S "Excepta ex variis Romanis Poetis,” have been chosen, both with taste and judgment; and the work may be fairly recommended as likely to be of use in schools.

THEOLOGY, MORAL, AND ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS.

In our last Retrospect, we noticed the first part of Mr. WESTON'S "Sunday Lessons for Morning and Evening Service:" the concluding portion, containing the Second Lessons, has since appeared, illustrated, like the former, with a perpetual commentary, notes, and index. The nature of the work has been already touched on. The notes are very short and compact; and the index is of such passages only as have been explained, or are newly translated.

Another work of pious intention will be found in Mr. HAWKINS'S "Commentary on the first, second, and third Epis tles of St. John;" in which the author, "without calling any man on earth master, expresses his leading principles in reference to theological sentiments, as imbibed from the unadulterated Word of God."

Nor