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true, and the constant sense of hunger be produced by the preSence of the gastric juice, perhaps in a vitiated state from some disease of the secreting organs.

The treatment to be pursued in adopting this theory, is thus detailed.

"In the commencement of this disease, every thing should be done to turn the cuticular discharge into its proper course; this is to be effected by bleeding, the warm bath, and the administration of nauseating doses of tartarised antimony, ipecacuanha, and other medicines that possess the power of acting on the skin, without proving diuretic. Thus, the acetite and nitrate of potash would be bad medicines in this case. This treatment is to be assisted by a spare diet of animal and vegetable food. Having thus restored the natural secretion to the skin, nothing more remains than to moderate it, and to adopt the prophylactic measure, to prevent a recurrence of the same disease. But should this plan not succeed, and the disease baffles our means, it must be considered chronic," and now depending on a laxity or debility of the extreme vessels in the kidney; which opinion, the appearance of the kidney, and the state of the blood vessels, tend very much to confirm. It is then to be treated by astringents, tonics, blisters to the loins, the warm bath, and nourishing diet."

Next follows an interesting case of Hemicrania, which proved fatal. Upon dissection there was discovered in the posterior lobe of the cerebrum a bard tumour, which measured, after the contents had been evacuated, in length two inches, in breadth one inch and a half, and in depth one inch and a quarter; it was firmly attached to the tentorium.

Dr. Clarke speaks of the advantage of a clear diagnosis between tumour in the brain and hemicrania; we should rather say, in cases of hemicrania it would be very desirable to ascertain if it. depends upon organic disease of the brain; for whether there is a tumour or not, the symptoms still constitute hemicrania, of which, the cause may be various.

Two cases are then given, in which Dr. Clarke's treatment appears to have been very judicious, and was attended with success. They are denominated Cases of Water in the Brain; but some doubts may reasonably be entertained if water was actually contained within the brain, especially in the case first described, since the symptoms are equivocal, and not decidedly diagnostic of that affection. The same observation applies to the next and last casecontained in this Report, A Case of Dropsy in the Pericardium.

In cases of such ambiguous nature as these, conjecture is often the utmost we can attain to, and our treatment must be founded. rather, upon experience of what has been found useful in similar cases, than deduced from our actual knowledge of the real nature of the discase. The paper is concluded with a few observations on. the importance of accurate attention to the circumstances necessary to be observed in the gathering and preserving Digitalis, in which

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which we entirely coincide. Physicians are frequently disappointed in their expectation of the effects of this medicine, from want of its being dispensed in a sufficiently active state by those to whom this branch of the art is entrusted.

ART. 2. On Apparitions. By JoHN ALDERSON, M. D. Read to a Literary and Philosophical Society at Hull, January 1, 1805.

Dr. Alderson, while he allows the belief in ghosts, spectres, and apparitions to be well founded, has endeavoured to controvert the popular opinion of their existence depending upon supernatural agency, by bringing forward several instances where such appearances were to be accounted for by natural causes only, from some bodily disease in the persons by whom these spectres were seen. It is foreign to our purpose to enter into any metaphysical disquisitions; we may only observe, that in those cases he mentions, where a deceptio visus was produced by a temporary disorder of the animal functions, we will readily allow such appearances to have been fallacious, and the offspring of a distempered imagina-. tion. But this negative evidence is necessarily confined to those inindividuals mentioned. Dr. Alderson's explanation will go far to diminish the actual number of supernatural appearances; but the possibility of such an occurrence, or even the existence of it, cannot be completely overturned, unless he is prepared to disprove relations which have hitherto been considered as perfectly true and authentic. Have not some of these spectres, whether real or ima- . ginary, occasionally uttered prophetic predictions, which have been afterwards realised? If we deny the reality of the spectre, we must allow the existence of a degree of prescience in the individual, which it is no less difficult to explain. Dr. A. admits it to be perfectly natural that Brutus should see a phantom; his imagination might be disturbed by "mental anxiety, inordinate ambition, or guilt; but was it equally natural that, in this perturbed state, he should, at the same time, foresee the event of the battle of Philippi?

ART. 3 An Account of the Epidemic Dysentery which prevailed among the Dutch Troops at the Cape of Good Hope, in 1804 and 1805; with Remarks on the Use of Calomel in the Treatment of this Disease. By Dr. HENRY LICHTENSTEIN, of Helmstadt. THIS paper contains a good description of the epidemic dysentery, as it appeared at the Cape of Good Hope. The treatment at first was very unsuccessful, founded upon the stimulant plan of the Brunonian system. Calomel was at length given to the patients, at first sparingly, and afterwards more freely. "It was constantly observed, that the crises of the disease were accelerated by the calomel." The sequelae of the disease were principally suppuration of the liver, induration of that viscus, and chronic diarrhoea. The Author mentions it as a remarkable fact, that the Hottentots ac

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customed,

customed to the climate, suffered much in the army, although better clothed, better fed, and more cleanly than in their agricultural occupations; while those who remained in the employment of the colonists, exposed to all the unwholesome weather, undergoing much fatigue, and being badly fed, were much less affected by the epidemic.

ART. 4. ·Case of Herpes Exedens Vermiculatus. By A. B. GREN

VILLE, M. D. Surgeon to his Majesty's Sloop Arachne. THIS at first was a very troublesome and obstinate disease. Dr. Grenvilie produced a similar ulcer in a distant part by inoculation with the discharge. On examining a drop or two of the pus by an excellent compound microscope, he discovered in that fluid "a swarm of insects, of various length and size, and differently agitated."

"The cause of this scabies being now plausibly discovered, the therapeutic indication readily occurred to my mind. The sores were washed with diluted nitrous acid, for three consecutive mornings, and cerate applied, to defend them from external irritation. On the first of November they were anointed with ung. hydrarg. with which the cure of both the original and artificial eruption was finally obtained, within the space of another week. No allowance of spirits or wine was granted to the patient during his illness; and though entirely local, I frequently administered sweet acidulated beverages, and a grain of opium at night to faciliate rest."

ART. 5. Reply to Mr. Goodlad's Observations on Mr. Barlow's Theory "On the Origin of Urinary Calculi." By JAMES BARLOW, Surgeon.

In this Reply, Mr. Barlow endeavours to justify his former opinions, and to obviate some objections, and what he conceives to be misapprehensions on the part of Mr. Goodlad.

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The whole matter in dispute must be left to the parties themselves, who, most probably, as generally happens in controversies, will each retain his own opinion, unconvinced by the arguments of his opponent. ART. 6. - Convenient Method of constructing a Steam Bath, with an Account of its Effects in a Case of Gastritis. By WILLIAM FORBES, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons in London. Ir is here proposed to convey steam by means of a tube communicating with a common tea kettle, and inserted into an aperture at the bottom of a slipper bath, in which the patient is to be placed; all the advantages of a warm bath may in this way be obtained, and more speedily than by heating sufficient water in which to im merse the body. Great relief was obtained by this bath in the case of Gastritis related, but the cure was effected by bleeding ad deliquium on the eighth day of the disease.

The Inquirer, No. 19.

After a fair and candid comparative view of the advantages and disadvantages, as to his means of improvement in the situation of

a Naval

a Naval Practitioner, the Inquirer concludes, that "if the list of naval surgeons be said to contain few illustrious names, the cause must be sought for somewhere else than in the nature of their situ ation." This is true so far as regards the opportunities they enjoy for increasing their medical knowledge, and correcting their theoretical opinions by accurate observations; but how few persons enter into the service, who have laid a sufficient foundation, whereon to erect a goodly superstructure, or who are endowed with that talent of observation so requisite for improving the science of me, dicinę? A man of liberal education, and of real talent and abilities, finds nothing inviting in the situation of a sea surgeon; respectability of rank does not tempt him, and he is frequently subjected to treatment from persons of less cultivated minds, and less refined feelings, which at once mortifies and disgusts him. No prospect of future honours cheers his labours, and his sole motive of choice is generally a present maintenance. The service is also commonly entered into by youth, at an age when it requires no little degree of ardour and love of science to overcome the temptations to pleasure and indolence which exist around them. The following sentiments are so correct and judicious, that we cannot but repeat them, with a wish to impress them upon the mind of every one who is really solicitous for the improvement of medical

science.

66 In every large town there are professional men in extensive practice, who hurry from patient to patient, who write an old prescription because it is familiar to them, or a new one because it is fashionable, receive their fees, and think no more of their patient or his disease. That the public should suppose such men possess→ ed of much experience is a natural mistake; but it is our duty to controvert the absurd idea, too prevalent among professional men themselves, that it is necessary to see very many patients to become an experienced practitioner, or that, in walking the wards of a crowded hospital, much practice is to be seen. On the con

trary, a limited practice is most favourable for reflection and professional improvement. A multitude of patients only serves to dise tract the student, and to confound him; and the remarkable cases, which he may never again meet with, attract his whole attention, and lead him to neglect those common diseases, which, in future, it will be his chief employment to cure."

A Letter in Reply to the Report of the Surgeons of the Vaccine Institution, Edinburgh; with an Appendix, containing a Variety of interesting Letters on the Subject of Vaccination, and including a Correspondence with Dr. Duncan, Dr. Lee, and Mr. Bryce. By THOMAS BROWN, Surgeon, Musselburgh. Edin. 1809. A Correspondence with the Board of the National Vaccine Establishment, By the same Author. London, 1810. Mr. Brown's opposition to vaccination is sufficiently known by his former publication on the subject, and the present two indicate no abatement

abatement of zeal in the cause. . Zeal, however, sometimes oversteps discretion, and that appears to have been Mr. Brown's case, if we are to judge by his correspondence with Mr. Bryce, which is here given; wherein Mr. Brown endeavours to evade the HOME questions put to him by Mr. Bryce, thereby admitting that some of his assertions in his former book cannot be maintained. As to the FACTS contained in that book, we cannot refrain from giving an extract of Mr. Welsh's Answer to Mr. Brown's Letter, soliciting information, and Mr. Brown's SINGULAR Reply thereto.

I cannot conclude my letter, without expressing my regret that your Queries were not addressed to the medical practitioners here, prior to the publication of your book; the result of all the information I have been able to obtain in this town and neighbourhood being completely at cariance with that stated by you to have been received from this place. I remain, &c.

"Haddington.

"JOHN WELSH."

To this Mr. Brown replies, "Far from regretting that I did not communicate with the medical gentlemen at Haddington, before I mentioned in my book that such cases had occurred there, I have daily reason to congratulate myself on the opinion I had formed of the extensive and alarming effects of system on the human mind; for had I done so, and afterwards had been regulated by the information I would certainly have received, undoubtedly no such opinions would have been promulgated, and which I now find many very respectable characters, both in and out of the profession, consider as entitled to attention and respect.”

We think it unnecessary to enter minutely into a consideration of the main question; we would rather leave the decision of it to fair and candid discussion and future experience. We do not expect Mr. Brown's books to make many converts; defective arguments seldom derive much real strength from warmth of language, and personal abuse generally fails to operate conviction on the mind of an opponent. If Mr. Brown is perfectly satisfied of the justness of his own opinions, and is only solicitous for the public welfare, we do not see why he should be so very angry that the favourers of vaccination do not enter the lists against him, and defend what he thinks an untenable doctrine; or why he should complain, when speaking of the National Vaccine Board, that he "perceives in their conduct a design to allow the facts themselves silently and gradually to produce the extinction of the practice," seeing the “ extinction of the practice” is the sole object he proJesses to have in view.

A Memoir on the Physiology of the Egg. Read before the Linnean Society of London, by J. A. PARIS, M. B. Physician to the Westminster Hospital, London, 1810.

THIS interesting and philosophical Essay commences with a few cursory observations on the opinion that all animal and vegetable productions proceed from eggs or seeds.

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