ART. VII. Bibliotheca Medicinæ et Hifloria Naturalis. Tomus primus. Continens Bibliothecam Botanicam ; qua, fcripta ad Rem Herbarian, facientia, a Rerum initiis recenfentur, uttore Alberto Von Haller, &c. &c. Pars prima. Temtora ante Tournefortium ---A Biblio. theque of Medicine and Natural Hiftory. Vol. 1. Containing the first Part of the BOTANICA BIBLIOTHEQUE; or the Botanical Writers, from the Commencement of the Science down to Tournefort. 4to. 155. in Boards. London. Heydinger. 1771.

HE very learned and indefatigable Haller, has already finished his great phyfiological work; comprchending every thing hitherto advanced on phyfiological fubjects, and executed on fuch a plan, as cannot fail of rendering it extremely ufeful to the medical ftudent.

The Baron's defign, in his Biblutheque of Medicine and Natural Hijtery, is to point out the difcoveries, inventions, and improvements in the feveral branches of the medical art; and to give a fhort review of the authors, in the order of time. When this very extenfive plan, therefore, is carried into execution, it will furnish a general and valuable medical library.

Our Author propoles fift to review the botanical writers ;next the anatomical;-afterwards the chirurgical;-then the clinical or practical;-and laftly the writers on these parts of natural philofophy, which are more immediately connected with medicine. To each divifion is to be added a fhort catalogue of felect authors, for the ufe of those who would form a library. And if two indexes likewife were drawn up for each divifion, the one of names, the other of Jubjects, in the manner of thofe at the end of VANDER LINDEN's Scripta Mia, they would be a valuable addition to the work.

Our learned Baron has been collecting materials, and has followed a regular plan of reading, ever fince the year 1725. He has made himself master of most of the modern languages, that he might read the works in their feveral originals. He has reviewed above eleven thoufand volumes, and digefted his obfervations in his Adverfaria.

With refpect to the prefent publication, it contains only a part of the Botanical Billiotheque; comprehending the botanical literature from the earlieft writers down to Tournefort.-This part is divided into eight books. The Greek and Arabian writers form the two first;—the Arabista, or thofe who adopted the doctrines of the Arabians, and whofe learning was chiefly derived from them, are included in the third book;-the reftorers, inventors, and collectors, make the fourth, fifth and fixth books ;-the next proceeds from the two Bauhins to Ray; and the laft includes the botanical writers from Ray to Tournefort.

* In eight volumes 4to.

In executing this work, our Author mentions the different editions, gives a fhort and pertinent review of the authors; and points out what doctrines and obfervations are original, and what are adopted from preceding writers.-Upon the whole, Baron Haller is in every refpect abundantly qualified for completing, in a mafterly manner, this very extenfive defign.-We earnestly with him, therefore, health, fpirits, and length of days.

ART. VII. A Decad of Sermons, preached at Chesham in Buckinghamfire: intitled, I. The Miracle of Languages. II. Salvation brought by Grace. III. IV. The returning Flock of Chrift. V. The Allegory of new Wine. VI. The Allegory of concealed Jewels. VII. The Requests of the Righteous granted. VIII. IX. Happy Affli&ions. X. Glorious Adoption. By Thomas Spooner, Minifter of the Gofpel. 8vo. 5 s. bound. Dilly. 1771.

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LTHOUGH this peculiar little befpeaks fome fingularity in the Author of thefe difcourfes, yet we muft acknowledge that he appears to be warmly affected by, and interested in, religious truth, however he may be mistaken as to his particular views and explication of fome parts of it.

With regard to the ftyle of these fermons, it is diffuse, inaccurate, and fuch as a perfon, who had any tolerable knowledge of language and fome readiness in expreffion, might be fuppofed to ufe in extempore difcourfes; yet, we must own, it feems to us better calculated to inftruct, imprefs, and improve the greater part of Chriftian audiences, than that which is more carefully formed according to the rules of art, and is therefore fitted to please a nicer ear, or to pay an implicit compliment to the understanding or tafte of the hearer; for, if merely to amufe or entertain, be all that is aimed at, or effected by a public fpeaker, the great end of preaching is, no doubt, loft. Not that it would be right for thofe who appear in the character of religious inftructors, to be utterly careless of their ftyle; which, though plain, fhould not be low; but properly animated by the importance of the fubject, fo as to unite true dignity with a freedom approaching, occafionally, to the ease of converfation. Such a manner, we apprehend, promifes much fairer for usefulness, than thofe cold and ftiff, though well-corrected periods, with which perfons of the clerical character appear often folicitous to addrefs their auditors. - We do not, however, propofe to recommend this writer's manner as a model; fince, befide other defects, he is too much addicted to tautology and repetition; efpecially for difcourfes which are committed to the prefs. And yet, even as to this point, it may be juftly questioned whether there is not too great fear and caution in many preachers; for a repetition of the

fame

fame thought, in proper parts of a difcourfe, and when it is important either for information or deep impreffion, may greatly contribute to the affiftance and benefit of a congregation, or, at leaft, to many of the individuals of which it is compofed.

We were led, almoft undefignedly, into these reflections by the prefent publication; to fome farther account of which it will proper we fhould now proceed.

As to the manner in which this writer treats the particular fubjects he has chofen, and the fentiments which he discovers, we may in general observe, that he appears to have some acquaintance with particular branches of learning, with ancient writers, and ecclefiaftical hiftory; but he is confined and limited in his views, and will not allow himself any free scope of thought and enquiry, beyond that particular fcheme and fyftem which he has adopted. He is in the high Calvinistical principles, and no doubt firmly perfuaded of their truth. His fermons are defigned for the elect; to them they are addreffed; and by this term he means, fuch, from among mankind, whom God predeftinated or decreed, from all eternity, through his own power, to make holy, and unfpeakably bleffed, world without end.' As to other perfons, they have little fhare in these discourses, except the being briefly reminded, that dying in that which he calls a natural flate, they must endure the divine vengeance, and will fuffer the WRATH of God to all ETERNITY! Indeed it would have been very contradictory in our preacher, (though a contradiction that has been fometimes fallen into,) to endeavour at exhorting and perfuading the immoral and irreligious to repent and reform, when he knows, or at least believes, that, if they are elected, they will certainly, at fome time, be reclaimed; and if they are not among the chosen vessels, it is impoffible that they ever should be reclaimed.

We may farther remark, that thefe fermons are much in the fame ftrain with the writings of feveral ancient divines, at and fome time after the Reformation; and we are fully perfuaded, that Mr. Spooner might, confcientiously, and with a cordial affent and confent, fubfcribe the Articles of the Church of England; that is, with the refervation of thofe few which are relative to church rites and difcipline, which it is known cannot be agreed to by a diffenter and fuch we take this gentleman to be. But we must add, that when we compare thefe difcourses with others that are preached or publifhed by modern bishops and other minifters of our church, we find fuch a difagreement, that we cannot but wonder how they could fubfcribe, and at the fame time difcourse so differently!

ART. IX. An Effay upon the Effects of Camphire and Calomel in continual Fevers. Illuftrated by feveral Cajes. To which is added, an occafional Obfervation upon the modern Practice of Inoculation. And from the Whole is deduced an Argument in Support of the Opinion, that the alimentary Canal is the principal Seat of a Fever. By Daniel Lyfons, M.D. Phyfician at Bath, and late Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford." 8vo. I s. 6d. Wilkie. 1771.

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BOUT ten years ago an epidemical fever prevailed in Gloucestershire, and in fome of the adjacent counties. Its firft fymptoms, fays our Author, were heavinefs, great laffitude, pains in the head or back, and a lofs of appetite. The patient, having continued in this ftate for a day or two, was then deprived of all his ftrength on a fudden; infomuch that the ftrongeft men have been rendered as helpless as children in fo fhort a fpace of time as four days. This fever frequently run through whole families, efpecially amongst the poor; and was fo well known, that every body dreaded the event of it upon the very appearance of its first tymptoms.

The fymptoms attending the first ftage of this fever were fufficient inducements for me to believe that the perfpiration was obstructed. And the weak irregular pulfes, fudden proftration of ftrength, fetid colliquative ftools, and purple fpots, which were often obferved in its more advanced ftate, have generally been allowed to be certain indications of a very confi derable tendency to a putrid habit.

Upon this occafion no medicine appeared to me fo proper as camphire, which is efteemed by Hoffman as the principal of all alexipharmacs, and therefore recommended by him in malignant and petechical fevers; and alfo against fuch violent internal inflammations as are productive of fphacelation, and the greatest danger.

In the laft inftance we are advised to join nitre with the camphire, which I have found an excellent addition upon all occafions, as it makes the camphire fit eafy upon the ftomach in much larger dofes than it otherwife will by any means that I am acquainted with.

A variety of forms for the exhibition of camphire, either in a liquid, or folid ftate, are given us by Hoffman as elixirs, effences, powders, &c. But as thefe are compounded with other ingredients, that might render the operation of the camphire rather dubious, I chofe to give it without any other ma

terial addition than that of nitre.

As to the time of the difeafe moft proper for the adminifration of camphire, inftances are produced from Riverius, where it had wonderful fuccefs in malignant fevers, when given in the quantity of twelve grains, on the eighth, ninth, and cleventh

eleventh days of a fever, to patients labouring under deliria, fluxes, hæmorrhages, petechiæ, and other dreadful fymptoms. But Hoffman himself lays the greateft ftrefs upon, and very much urges, the giving it either in the beginning of fevers, or when a crifis is apprehended to be just at hand.

A crifis rarely happened in the fever, which is the objec of our prefent enquiry, which perhaps was the reason that I had not the fatisfaction to obferve any fignal benefit arifing from camphite when given in its advanced ftate; but in the early days of it I had the happiness to experience the most defirable fuccefs.

In that firft ftage of the diforder, proper evacuations being premifed, where neceffary, my practice was to order twenty grains of camphire, and ten grains of nitre, with a little conferve, or fome other inoffenfive glutinous fubftance, to be made up in a bolus. This bolus being taken at night, and repeated early the next morning, many, who have not been able to lift their heads from their pillows, and in all appearance were upon the verge of a long and dangerous fever, have been fo entirely recovered within the fhort space of twelve hours, as to go about their usual bufinefs as foon as they rofe in the morning.

Whenever I gave this bolus I ordered a draught of white wine whey to be drank after it, going to bed, and that a quart of balm tea, or fome other weak liquor, fhould be laid [fet] by the bedfide, becaufe the camphire commonly made the patient thirty, and a copious fweat was the moft ufual and falutary evacuation in fuch cafes. However, it frequently happened that the fever was removed without any thirft, or fenfible evacuation enfuing, but the patients found themfelves cured as it were by a charm.'

Dr. Lyfons, agreeable to the opinion of many practical phyficians, fuppofes that a morbid matter lodged in the ftomach and firft paffages, is a very general caufe of fever;-that camphire, adminiftered at the beginning of the difeafe, expels this matter by perfpiration; and that it produces this effect, by its immediate action upon the ftomach, and the fympathy which takes place between the ftomach and the whole furface of the body.

Calomel is recommended by our Author in the more advanced stages of fever, when the fame advantages are not to be expected from camphire and perfpiration, and when the morbid matter is to be expelled by ftool.

Without making any particular obfervations on the phyfiological or pathological reafonings of Dr. Lyfons, we fhall refer our Readers to the Eflay itfelf.

ART.