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Effay I. Lapis calaminaris, blende, zinc, brafs; containing the natural hiftory of the two firft-mentioned fubftances, the hiftory of the discovery of their being ores of zinc, the methods of extracting zinc from them, the preparation of them for the brassmaker, the manufacture and commerce of brafs, &c.

II. On Orichalcum; an enquiry into the orichalcum of the ancients; from which it appears, that the art of making brass was known to the Romans, but was derived to them from fome other country; that brass was made, in the moft remote ages, in India and other parts of Afia, of copper and calamine, as at prefent; and that in the early ages, when iron was little known, it was valued higher than gold*.

III. Of gun metal, ftatuary-metal, bell-metal, pot-metal, and fpeculum metal. The compactness of a mixture of copper and tin, which adapts it for making fpeculums, is attributed, with great probability, to the thinness of its fufion. I have obferved' (fays the Author) at Sheffield, that the fame weight of melted fteel will fill the fame mould to a greater or less height, according to the degree of fufion the fteel has been in; if it has been in a ftrong heat and thin fufion, the bar of caft fteel will be an inch in thirty-fix fhorter than when the fufion has been lefs perfect. On breaking one of the bars made from steel in an imperfect fufion, its infide was full of blebs; a fhorter bar of the fame weight and diameter, which had been in a thin fufion, was of a closer texture.'

IV. Of tinning copper, tin, pewter.

V. Of tinning iron. Plating and gilding copper.

VI. Of gilding in or moulu. Of the ufe of quicksilver in extracting gold and filver from earths. Boerhaave's experiments on quickfilver. Silvering looking-glaffes; and of the time when that art was difcovered. Though this art is commonly fuppofed to be of modern difcovery, we here find it to have been. known, probably in the firft century, and with certainty in the fecond. A paffage in Pliny gives good ground to believe that it had been discovered before his time, by the Sidonians.

VII. Of the transmutability of water into earth. The facts and arguments on both fides are ftated, but the point is left undetermined.

VIII. Of Weftmoreland, flate, and fome other forts of ftones.. From a particular examination of the gravities of different forts of the flate, and a comparison with lead and copper as used for covering buildings, it is concluded that 42 fquare yards will be. covered by 4 hundred weight of copper, 26 of fine flate, 27 of lead, 36 of coarfer flate, and 54 of tile. By ftrong fire, the flate was reduced into a black cellular glafs, fo hard as to ftrike

*This Effay is fimilar to that in the Manchefter Tranfactions; fee our Rev. for Oct. Iaft, p. 252.

fire

fire with feel. Very good glafs, the Author obferves, might probably be made from the flate alone, for the cellular texture would difappear by continuance of fire; but certainly it might be made from the flate mixed with fern afhes, or with kelp ashes, or with other fubftances containing fixed alcali.' We hope, with the Bishop, that this hint will not be given in vain; and we beg leave to hint alfo, that if the certainty of vitrification with alcalies has been only inferred from the known effect of thofe fairs upon fome other earthy bodies, fuch conclufion cannot be depended on. There are earthy compounds, fufible by themselves, which refufe to unite with alcalies: we have mixed vitrefcible stone with glafs itfelf, and found the vitrification impeded, and the alcali of the glafs fpued out. Whether the Weftmoreland flate is, or is not, of this nature, can be ascertained only by trial; but, in either cafe, we perfuade ourselves that the candid Author will be rather pleafed, than offended, with our remark.

To this volume is added a very useful appendage,—a general Index to all the four.

ART. VII. A Syftem of Surgery. By Benjamin Bell, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons, one of the Surgeons to the Royal Infirmary, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Vols. III. and IV. 8vo. 12s. Boards. Illuftrated with Copperplates. Elliot, Edinburgh; Robin fons, London. 1786.

HE continuation of this ufeful work, fully fupports and confirms the reputation Mr. Bell had acquired by the two preceding volumes.

The third volume contains, in the former part of it, the theory and practice in affections of the brain from external violence. The very intricate nature of these disorders has excited the attention of practitioners from the time of Hippocrates downward; bet although fome material improvements have been introduced into this branch of practice, by the industry and obfervations of modern Surgeons, yet whoever is accuftomed to the treatment of thefe complaints, muft allow that our knowledge of them is ftill very deficient. Our Author, fenfible of the great difficulties of attaining a certain knowledge concerning the nature and treatment of them, points out the means beft calculated to extricate this part of practice from fuch uncertainty; but before he proceeds to do fo, he gives a concife anatomical defcription of thofe parts which are more apt to fuffer from injuries done to the head.

Mr. Bel confiders all the fymptoms of difeafes of the brain from external violence, to originate from one of thefe three circumftances, from compreffion of the brain, from commotion or concuffion, or from inflammation.' Or thefe he treats in

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feparate fections, and, as far as the intricate nature of the fubject will admit, he confiders them, as diftinct and unconnected with each other. The appearances which are induced by their various combinations, can be known only from practice; but an accurate knowledge of them, as they occur in a feparate and unconnected ftate, will contribute much in directing the proper treatment of them, under whatsoever form or combination they may appear.

The compreffion of the brain can only be caufed by a depreffion of the fkull, or an extravafation of fluids between it and the brain. In the former cafe, the elevating the depreffed bone, and in the latter, the evacuation of the extravafated fluid, are indications for perforating the skull. The operation is accurately described, and feveral judicious remarks are added, which tend to render it much more fimple, fafe, and fuccefsful, than we remember to have met with in any former work. The Trepan is, for evident reasons, preferred to the Trephine; and the Levator of Monf. Petit is recommended before any other. Several ufeful obfervations concerning the propriety of performing the operation, or not, are here laid down, which merit peculiar attention.

The concuffion and commotion are next confidered. We admire the Author's diagnostics; and though the event of his method of cure is not always attended with fuccefs, yet it is rational, and ought not to be neglected, especially fince no other feems calculated to afford more relief.

An inflammation of the brain may arife from depreffed portions of the cranium irritating the dura-mater, from contufion of the head, from fimple fiffures or fractures of the fkull without depreffion. The firft and laft of thefe are removed by the trepan; in the treatment of contufions, the indications are, To employ thofe means which are known to prove most effectual in preventing inflammation; when this is found to be ineffectual, To attempt the refolution of the inflammation by general remedies and topical applications; when the inflammation cannot be carried off by refolution, or when fuppuration has taken place, a free vent ought to be procured for the matter.

The fubject of the next chapter is the treatment of the eye, and the parts immediately connected with it; hence it comprehends the confideration of thofe affections to which the lachrymal paffages are liable. Mr. Bell begins with an anatomical defcription of the eye and the parts adjacent; and, in order to render it more intelligible, he has added a very accurate delineation of the parts defcribed. We have, on former occafions, bad reason to mention the Edinburgh engravings in an unfavourable manner; but we muft in juftice acknowledge, that these are executed by a masterly hand.

Inflammation

Inflammation of the eyes fo frequently occurs, and is productive of fo many diforders to which thefe organs are liable, that it cannot be too much infifted on. Our Author has therefore fully treated of it; pointing out its various caufes, the indications of cure, and the moft rational method of performing the various operations required. He afterward proceeds to the confideration of the following difeafes and operations; namely, Wounds of the eye-lids and eye-ball;-Tumours of the eyelids, fuch as abfceffes, melicerous and fteatomatous collections, warts, &c. ;-Inverfion of the eye-lids;-Everfion of the eyelids;-Concretion of the eye lids;-Fleshy excrefcences on the cornea;-Abfcefies in the globe of the eye;-Dropfical fwellings of the eye ball;-Blood effufed in one or both of the chambers of the eye;-Ulcers on the cornea ;- Specks or films on the tranfparent part of the eye;-Protrufion of the globe from the focket;-Cancerous affections of the eye, and the extirpation of the eye-ball;-Artificial eyes;-Cataracts, and the treatment of them by the different methods of depreffion and extraction;-Obliteration of the pupils by the concretion of its fides, and the adhesion of the iris to the capful of the cryftalline and vitreous humours;-and laftly, the Fiflula lachrymalis. Thele are all fully explained, and the manner of operation requifite for curing them is accurately and minutely defcribed. It would much exceed our limits, to follow the ingenious Author through the whole defcription; we muft, therefore, refer our Readers to the book; in which they will not fail to receive full fatisfaction with refpect to every particular relative to operations on the eyes. This volume abounds with inventions and judicious remarks, nor are the old methods of treatment rejected without fhewing fufficient caufe why other more rational ones are preferred.

The fourth volume begins thus:

In the last volume of this work I treated fo fully of the diseases of the eyes, that it was not my intention to fay any thing farther upon them: but, fince the publication of that volume, a foreign oculift, M. Jean François Pellier, having appeared in this country, where he has already acquired much reputation, I confider it as a neceffary addition to the chapter on thefe diseases, to communicate fuch parts of M. Pellier's practice as appear to be of importance. Poffeffing the advantages of a liberal education, a found judgment, and much experience, M. Pellier has been enabled to fuggeft improvements in the treatment of almoft every difeafe to which the eyes are liable; and an un ommon degree of steadiness, conjoined to a quick eye-fight, gives him a command of himself and a facility of operating, which is not often attained. I think it proper likewife to remark, that M. Pellier communicated his knowledge of the dif eafes of the eyes in the moft candid manner; which puts it in my power to lay his obfervations before the Public, he alfo having given

me permiffion to do fo. While, by giving an early account of his material improvements, I thus acquit myfelf of an obligation to the Public, I at the fame time embrace, with much fatisfaction, the opportunity which it affords of announcing the merits of an operator, who, although a ftranger, and as yet not much known in this country, is perhaps one of the beft oculifts in Europe.'

Such recommendations from a man of Mr. Bell's experience and judgment have great weight; and from the account he gives of M. Pellier's methods of extracting the cataract, and curing the fiftula lachrymalis, we fee fufficient caufe for beftowing praise on a man, who, if he has not brought these operations, efpecially that for the fiftula, to their utmost perfection, has at leaft greatly improved them. We ought, in juftice to our Readers, to lay before them M. Pellier's method of operating for the fiftula; but as it, in a great measure, depends upon the new in vented apparatus he makes ufe of, we fear it would be unintelligible without the plates.

Mr. Bell next confiders the difeafes of the nose and fauces, after having, as is ufual with him, given an anatomical defcription of the parts. The fubjects treated of in this chapter are, Hæmorrhages of the noftrils;-the Ozana;-Imperforated noftrils-Polypus's ;-Extirpation of the Amygdala and Uvula ;— fcarifying and fomenting the throat.

Difcafes of the lips are few: the Hare-lip, and cancerous affections, being the only ones defcribed by our Author. In the operation of the former, he justly rejects the new method of ufing the uniting bandage, and recommends the old and fure method of futures; the fuccefsful event of the operation being certain by this means, while by the other it is frequently doubtful; and, in many instances, the furgeon, after having failed by the bandage, has been obliged to perform afresh, making use of futures at

laft.

Our Author next proceeds to the confideration of the difeafes of the mouth; and, after fome useful anatomical remarks, explains Dentition, and treats fully of the caufes producing a derangement of the teeth, fhewing at the fame time how they may be either prevented or removed. Gum-boils, Excrefcences on the gums, and Abfceffes in the Antrum Maxillare, are particularly attended to; the proper method of treating ulcers of the mouth or tongue is alfo laid down. But the greateft part of this chapter is employed on the difeafes of the teeth, and the different operations that are neceffary to be performed on them. Here the Surgeon will meet with a number of judicious obfervations and ufeful directions concerning the Tooth-ach, and the various methods of extracting, faftening, cleaning, and tranfplanting the teeth. This laft operation, however, is not admiffible in every cafe; yet the advantages of a found fet of teeth are fo confiderable, both with respect to beauty and utility, that it ought

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