AS we have already very fully (and we trust candidly) given an account of the discovery of the use of acid vapours in contagion, and of the respective claims of Dr. Johnstone, M. de Morveau, and Dr. Carmichael Smyth, (See Vol. I. p. 813, and Vol. II. p. 794, of this Review,) we can only add in this place that we see no reason to retract in the smallest degree the opinion that we then expressed. The controversy between Drs. Smyth and Johnstone assumes more of a personal form, and has been carried on to the extent of a reply and a rejoinder. With regard to the two points insisted on by Dr. Smyth (the one, the comparatively small reliance which he chooses to suppose Dr. Johnstone senior placed on his own disco

very, and the other the great superiority of the nitric over the muriatic fumigation) we find it proved by irrefragable evidence that Dr.Johnstone so far from undervaluing the importance of muriatic fumigation, was in the habit of resorting to it and depending on it as his sheet-anchor in cases of the greatest urgency for a considerable number of years; and on the other hand we have from the testimony of Morveau and Dr. John Johnstone a number of facts collected, which render it extremely doubtful to which acid the preference is to be given, and which fully prove that the muriatic fumigation (when performed with proper caution) is equally tolerable to the patient as the nitrous.

8vo.

THE first of these cases was a young man, in whom the polypus had been about three years in forming, which at the time that the operation was undertaken, nearly blocked up the whole of the right nostrilaud extended into the throat, forming a large tumour behind the palatum molle and uvula. After many very severe and fruitless trials at extirpation with the forceps, ligature, and scissars, Mr. Whately at last cut it through by means of a probe-pointed bistoury guarded with a sheath while passing up the nostril, the exact construction of which is illustrated by a plate.

The hemorrhage was considerable during the operation, but soon stopped by using compression, and never returned.

The second case of polypus was removed by a forceps bent at the edges, which the author had made for the purpose.

In both the above cases a remarkable degree of drowsiness attended the disease, so that the patients would suddenly drop asleep in performing the common employments of their situation.

The above cases are valuable, and likely to afford assistance to the surgeon in this embarrassing operation.

The instrument proposed by the author for the fistula in ano, is a bistoury with a sheath to protect the sinus from being wounded till the moment that the incision is to be made; when the sheath is withdrawn.

THE ample title-page given to this little work sufficiently explains its use. The different articles of the materia me

fica are arranged under their known or

supposed medical qualities, and the formulæ are added to each class. Tables of new and old names (now unfortunately become so voluminous) are added,

THE title-page of this work would mislead the student. It is not a manual of physiology, but of anatomy only; the physiological part being confined to very short descriptions of the uses of particular parts, and most of the great functions of the animal economy being altogether

omitted.

As a manual of anatomy, it is sufficiently

fall for the purpose, contains no superfluous matter, is correct as far as we have examined it, and will doubtless answer all that can be expected from a work of this kind. Indeed, from the thickness of the volume, and closeness of the type, a very large portion of what is useful in anatomy is included.

810.

SINCE the publication of our last vofume a new edition has appeared of the Medical Reports, which, as it contains an additional chapter of considerable value, it will be necessary for us to notice. The new matter principally relates to the treatment of a typhus which broke out among the French prisoners at Stapleton, a fever which occurred in the horse-guards at Canterbury, and the fatal epidemic at Gibraltar. The disease at Stapleton assumed a highly malignant form; the symptoms

were,

"Head-ach, dull, and sometimes bloodshot eyes, much disturbance of the functions of the mind, great prostration of strength, and very generally petechia. The pulse was not very strong, in frequency it ran from 90 to 120 in the minute; the skin was dry; the heat various in different patients."

"I had not an opportunity," says the author, "of measuring it, but it did not seem immoderate in any, the state of fever considered." The disease commenced on the 10th of January, 1805, and did not cease until the 20th of April.

"The whole number of cases of fever was 815, of these between 3 and 400 were cut short by the cold affusion, many of them in the second, third, and fourth days of the disFrom 4 to 500 ran their course, and of

ease.

these 41 died."

stances. It is to be remembered, that many of the patients at Stapleton were unfavourable subjects for fever; they had suffered from long confinement, poor diet, bad clothing, foul air, and depression of spirits. We entirely agree with our author, that probably no other instance can be found" of 815 prisoners being seized with jail fever, and only 41 falling victims to the disease."

The account of the fever which broke out among the blues at Canterbury was transmitted to the author by Mr. M'Greeffects of the cold affusion, when applied gor; besides illustrating the usual good to those actually labouring under the disease, its preventative operation was pecu liarly striking, and in this respect the communication is more especially deserving

of attention.

The ravages committed by the epidemic which occurred at Gibraltar, in the latter end of the year 1804, are but too well known; it appears that out of 18,000 inhabitants 12,000 were affected, and of these 6,000 died. Most unfortunately, at the first appearance of the complaint, an idea prevailed that it was not contagious, in consequence of which no means were taken to prevent its spreading, until the evil had increased to the most alarming extent. At length, when its infectious nature became so apparent, as "to convince even the most sceptical," the usual precautions were enforced; but the conta gion was already so widely disseminated, as to render them almost inefficient: the disease did not cease until the middle of January, a period at which similar fevers have disappeared, when left to pursue their destructive course without controul. Different practitioners adopted different

methods of treatment, but they were all very unsuccessful; yet strange to relate, neither the cold bath nor the cold affusion appear to have been tried even in a single instance; we can assign no reason for a neglect so fatal and so reprehensible.

The concluding paragraphs of this chapter, which also terminate the body of the work, we shall quote at full length; they contain an account of the motives which directed the author in the conduct of his work, motives which display equal sagacity and benevolence, and leave us unable to determine whether the head or the

heart of this celebrated and much lamented character were more worthy of admi

ration.

66

Having had an apparently hazardous, but, in my judgment a nighly salutary practice to recommend to the world,-a practice contradictory to long established and almost universal prejudices, I reflected beforehand with the utmost seriousness on the duty imposed upon me, to avoid in my manner of presenting it all possible grounds of offence. If my matter was alarming, if my object was bold, I have endeavoured to make my manner calm and temperate. The claims of my contemporaries to merit on this occasion, so far as I was acquainted with them, I have studiously brought forward. I have been

desirous of treating them not merely with justice but generosity; and many series of experiments which I myself have undertaken, and I may say undergone, especially in investigating the effects of perspiration on animal heat, I have suppressed in the detail, and only given in the result. In a word, it has been my endeavour to suppress all personal considerations, and all petulant expressions, where I could employ the authority of others, to do it freely and respectfully; and where I have been fed by my subject to controvert opinions before the world, to use the language of civility and candour.

disarm personal opposition, and to avoid con"By these means I have endeavoured to troversy controversy which some philosophers liave invoked, but I think unwisely : and which on a science so imperfect, so iinportant and so difficult as that of medicine, seems to me to have almost uniformly involv ed consequences of an injurious and melaucholy nature.

"On the whole my endeavours have been successful. I have encountered little opposition; I know not that I have provoked any man's enmity; while the medical writings of the day, both in Britain and in America, bear evidence that considerable changes have been effected and are effecting on the opinions and conduct of medical men, quietly and insensibly, on points of no mean importance, in physiology, as well as practice.'

IN a short preface the author enters into an explanation of the object of his work, and the motives which induced him to undertake it. He disclaims all pretensions to originality, and professes to aim solely at collecting into a well-digested form the scattered testimonies in favour of the me

dical employment of cold, and by this means to give to the public mind a degree of confidence respecting a remedy of great efficacy, but hitherto of somewhat doubtful character. To accomplish this object he begins by an attempt to ascertain "the general effects of cold upon the human system." On this subject totally opposite opinions have been adopted: by some writers cold has been considered as a sedative; by others, of equal respectability, it has been regarded as a tonic; while a third class have imagined, that according to circumstances, it might operate in either way, at one time exhibiting a sedative, at another a stimulant operation.

Our author, however, conceives that its effects are uniformly sedative, an opinion which he derives from the following considerations.

"First, from the paleness and contraction of the skin, which succeed the application of cold.-Secondly, from its diminishing or weakening the action of the heart, and artevity observable in the inhabitants of cold ries.-Thirdly, from the debility and inacticountries.--Fourthly, from the gradual diminution of the vital powers, which commences with its first application, and which, if its operation be long continued, terminates in their entire extiuction, either in particular parts, or in the whole body.--And lastly, from the accumulated excitability which it in

duces to the stimulus of heat."

We have some facts brought forwards in support of each of these positions; the second, which asserts that the action of the heart and arteries is diminished by cold, is the most liable to be controverted;

in proof of it he alleges the slow pulse of the inhabitants of cold countries, an experiment related by Rush, when the pulse was rendered slower by immersing the feet in cold water, and the experiments of Marcard, which were attended with the same result. The general truth of the position we shall not attempt to disprove; but we must remark, that we conceive it possible so to apply cold, as that the action of the heart and arteries shall not be diminished; and secondly, that a retardation of the pulse is not always a proof of the diminution of the action of the heart. The idea that cold is in certain instances stimulant, has been adopted, among others, by Dr. Currie; and our author could not permit the opinion of so celebrated a writer, when in opposition to his own, to pass by, without attempting to establish the grounds of his dissent. The opinion of Dr. Currie is built upon the modus operandi of the cold affusion, in the torpor of convulsion, and in the apoplexy produced by inhaling the fumes of charcoal; Dr. Stock endeavours to show that in both these cases a degree of stimulation had been excited, and that the benefit derived from the cold water must depend upon its sedative effect. Our author goes on to ask,

“Does not the affusion of a bucket of cold water upon the naked body, act from its weight and impetus as a mechanical stimulus, as well as by change of temperature and would not the sprinkling of a few drops of tepid water, rouse a person in syncope, as rapidly as the same quantity drawn from the coldest spring?"

To these questions we apprehend that only one answer can be returned, and that in the negative. We are indeed of opiniou that Dr. Stock has omitted a most important consideration in the view which he takes of the subject; he seems totally to

have overlooked the operation of the nervous system, and according to the plan adopted by the Brunonians, to have considered the animal body as one and indivisible. We are, however, decidedly of opinion, that though cold continued for any length of time may diminish the action of the heart and arteries, yet that its sudden application acts as a powerful stimulus upon the nerves, and in this way produces many of its most important effects. With this view of the subject we must differ from our author in considering the cold affusion as nothing more than a transient way of applying cold; it cer tainly has its effect simply as abstracting heat, but we consider that its action on the nervous system is often equally powerful, and equally to be held in view in our reasonings upon its effects.

After giving a short historical account of the medical application of cold from the earliest periods to the present time, our author enters upon the consideration of the particular diseases in which this practice has been considered as beneficial, arranging them, for the most part, according to the order of Cullen's nosology. We shall not follow him through this detail: we may remark in general that he has been successful in the collection of materials from a variety of quarters; but we observe in some places a want of discrimination in the selecting of his authorities. However we may admire the genius of Brown, we should never think of calling in his opinion to decide a practical question; and we cannot but consider Dr. Stock's unqualified assent to the speculations of Dr. Kinglake as rather proving his zeal in the canse which he has undertaken to defend, than manifesting that prudent caution with which every innovation in medicine ought to be received.

WE decline giving any opinion on the practical advantages of Dr. Shannon's entire new system of preparing fermented liquors, as it can only be adequately judged of by actual experiment. The chemical theories by which it is supported, and which are applied to explain the various phenomena of fermentation, are however, for the most part, singularly vague and unfounded as far as they are intelligible.

The leading principle of Dr. Shannon's system is, that the sole difference between barley and malt is, that the saccharine part in the latter is separated, in some degree, from the gluten and mucilage with which it is intimately mixed in the former, and thus is rendered more easy of fermentation: this we apprehend to be an entire mistake. The process of germination, by which barley is converted into malt, actually generates sugar, instead of merely disengaging it from gluten and mucilage: nor do we at all believe that ground barley, by being subjected to a vigorous fermentation, will produce as much alcohol as if it had been previously malted. The distillers indeed mix raw corn with malt, and find their advantage in it; but this is because the saving of the duty on malt more than

counterbalances the diminished produce of spirit.

Dr. Shannon endeavours to shew that the intoxicating quality of malt liquors is not in proportion to their relative quantities of alcohol. From equal quantities of weak porter and strong Burton ale, he procured, by the process of distillation, nearly the same amount of spirit; and as the latter contains a much larger quantity of carbonic acid than the former, he is inclined to attribute much of the intoxicating quality of malt liquors to the carbonic acid with which they abound. This, however, is not a perfectly fair deduction. Alcohol is very soluble in carbonic acid, and therefore the more of this acid a liquor contains, the less alcohol will be condensed in common distillation, except care has been taken, by the addition of lime or caustic alkali, to fix the acid previous to distillation.

It would be a most unprofitable task to discuss the wild speculations of this author, or to point out the grievous defects of his style, and his numerous sins against grammar. The professional distiller, brewer, or wine-merchant, may derive from this volume some useful hints; but, as a work of science, its value is very small indeed,