tions, Encyclopædias and Scientific Dictionaries, Education, and Nations lately become Literary. A more connected arrangement of his materials would probably occur to an acute inquirer; and we can perceive no good reason for placing the mechanic arts at such a distance from mechanic philosophy, nor for anticipating the general division of Politics by giving an account of Political Journals. The tabular view of the departments of knowlege, prefixed to the French Encyclopédie, might have furnished the author with a more philosophical disposition of his general and particular titles.

Of French, German, and Italian writers, the notices are scanty and meagre: but this deficiency seems to originate in want of access to the sources of information, rather than in any undue partiality to British and American names. It would, indeed, be unjustifiable to insinuate unfair prepossesion or bias on the part of a strenuous advocate for Christianity, who can thus distinguish between faith and intellectual talents:

Should any reader be offended by the language of panegyric, which is frequently bestowed on the intellectual and scientific endow ments of some distinguished abettors of heresy or of infidelity, he is entreated to remember that justice is due to all men. A man who is a bad Christian may be a very excellent mathematician, astronomer, or chemist; and one who denies or blasphemes the Saviour, may write profoundly and instructively on some branches of science highly interesting to mankind. It is proper to commiserate the mistakes of such persons, to abhor their blasphemy, and to warn men against their fatal delusions; but it is surely difficult to see either the justice or utility of withholding frem them that praise of genius or of learning to which they are fairly entitled.'

Mr. Miller's regard, however, for every thing connected with the Scriptures, sometimes warps his estimate of comparative merit; as when he dwells with complacency on the writings of Hutchinson and his followers, though he terms their opinions. wild and fanciful; and when he appeals to the Mosaic cosmogony as containing the true principles of geological knowlege. If, in other instances, more attention is bestowed on the state of science and literature in North America than strictly suits its proportion of notice in such a very general survey, the European reader will be disposed to pardon the minuteness of the information on account of its novelty and authenticity.

After having distinctly enumerated the five Medical Schools in the United States, Mr. M. thus concludes his review of Medicine during the eighteenth century:

The happy influence of these institutions has been much aided by the formation of Medical Societies in almost every state, which have all come into being within the last forty years. The effect of such establishments in exciting a thirst for the acquisition of knowledge;

in producing a spirit of generous emulation; in cultivating a taste for observation and inquiry; and in combining the efforts and thè skill of physicians in every part of our country, must be obvious to every attentive mind. Many of the Inaugural Theses, defended and published by the students in the American medical schools, would be considered as honourable specimens of talents and learning in the most renowned univer ities of Europe.

Within the last fifteen years of the century under review, medical publications have greatly multiplied in the United States; many of which do equal honour to their authors and their country. Among these the numerous and valuable works of Dr. Rush hold the first place; and to no individual are we more indebted for promoting, both by precept and example, that laudable and enlightened zeal for medical improvements, which has been so happily increasing, for a number of years past, among American physicians. In a catalogue of our medical writers, also, Drs. Maclurg, Mitchill, Barton, Ram say, Caldwell, Currie, and several others, would be entitled to parti cular notice, did not the limits of the present sketch forbid an atTempt to do justice to their respective merits.

In the year 1797 a periodical publication, under the title of the Medical Repository, was commenced by Drs. Mitchill, Miller, and Smith, which, from the peculiar circumstances of the country, may be considered as an important event, in noting the successive steps of medical improvement in the United States. In the premature death of the last-named gentleman, who bade fair to attain the most honourable eminence in his profession, this work sustained a great loss. It is still, however, prosecuted with undiminished excellence and success; and furnishes at once very reputable specimens of the learning, talents, and zeal, of many American physicians; and a highly useful vehicle for conveying to the public a knowledge of every improvement in the science of medicine."

Many interesting particulars, connected with the state of literature on the other side of the Atlantic, will also be found in the third section of the twenty-sixth chapter. It is, however, admitted that what is called a liberal education in the United States is, in common, less accurate and complete; the erudition of their native citizens, with some exceptions, less extensive and profound; and the works published by American authors, in general, less learned, instructive, and elegant, than are found in Great Britain, and some of the more enlightened nations on the eastern continent.' This inferiority is ascribed to defective plans and means of instruction, to want of leisure, want of encouragement for learning, and want of books :

Such are some of the causes which have hitherto impeded the progress of American literature. Their influence, however, is gradu ally declining, and the literary prospects of that country are brightening every day. Letters and science are growing more important in the public estimation. The number of learned men is becoming rapidly greater. The plans and means of instruction in their seminaries

of

of learning, though by no means improving in all respects, are, in some, receiving constant melioration. The emulation of founding and sus taining a national character in science and learning begins to be more generally felt, and, from time to time, will doubtless be augmented. A larger proportion of the growing wealth of their country will hereafter be devoted to the improvements of knowledge, and especially to the furtherance of all the means by which scientific discoveries are brought within popular reach, and rendered subservient to practical utility. American publications are every day growing more numerous, and rising in respectability of character. Public and private li braries are becoming more numerous and extensive. The taste in composition among their writers is making very sensible progress in correctness and refinement. American authors of merit meet with more liberal encouragement; and when the time shall arrive that they can give to their votaries of literature the same leisure and the same stimulants to exertion with which they are favoured in Europe, it may be confidently predicted, that letters will flourish as much in America as in any part of the world; and that they will be able to make some return to their transatlantic brethren, for the rich stores of useful knowledge which they have been pouring upon them for nearly two centuries.'

It would be an easy but invidious task to note many omis sions in the several divisions of this retrospect, or to call for more elevated language, and for greater depth and acuteness of remark. Where much has been effected in a very wide and diversified range, it is unreasonable to expect perfection.

The History of the Moral World, and of Political Principles and Establishments, remains to be treated in the second and third parts of the plan: but the author is chiefly solicitous to discuss the fourth and last division, which relates to the Literature, Science, and Revolutions of the Christian Church during the last century.

ART. V. Memoirs of the Medical Society of London, Vol. VI. 8vo. pp. 623. 128. Boards. Longman and Co.

ALTHOUGH this volume furnishes us with papers of unequal

degrees of merit, it must on the whole be considered as a valuable addition to our stock of medical knowlege. We shall at least enumerate the subjects of all the communications, and shall state more particularly the result of those which are distinguished by their novelty or importance.

The first article is by Dr. Falconer of Bath, and is intitled Sketch of the Similarity of Ancient to Mcdern Opinions, and Practice concerning the Morbus Cardiacus. This similarity is fully proved by numerous quotations from the antients, compared with the pinions of the most approved modern authors. It appears

that

that the old practice was discontinued in consequence of its counteracting an hypothesis that was altogether unfounded, respecting the proximate cause of the disease; and that, as experience gradually gained the ascendency over theory, the original treatment was revived, and is now generally adpoted.

We have next a case of Angina Pectoris, by Dr. Black of Newry. On dissection, the coronary arteries were found completely ossified through their whole course.-The 3d article contains a case of Hydrocephalus Internus, by Mr. Edmund Pitts Gapper, Surgeon at Ewell, cured by profuse salivation.-Dr. Thomas, of St. Kitt's, next gives an account of a Child who, when about 5 months old, became of a blue color, resembling that which is observed in those instances in which the respiratory organs are defective: the color gradually disappeared. We cannot agree with the author in supposing that it depended on a bilious fever which attacked the mother while she was suckling the child.

Dr. Lettsom furnishes a history of an obstinate hepatic disease, which, after having resisted a great variety of remedies, was removed by the occurrence of a smart feverish attack.-In the 6th article, Dr. Lee, of Jamaica, relates the case of a Negro, who, after an operation for strangulated Herma, was left with an artifi cial anus in the groin. He remained in this state for about 12 months, when an inflammation came on in the part, the opening was closed, and the fæces were again carried off by the natural canal. In articles 7 and 8, Mr. Smith, of Philadelphia, presents an account of the cure of Croup by emetics; and of the removal of Tetanus, succeeding to a wound in the tibia, by reproducing a discharge from the part by caustics. In the oth article, Dr. Marshall adduces a fact in support of the supposed origin of Cow-pex from the grease of the horse.

A very ingenious dissertation next occurs on the Yaws, by Dr. Adams; being one of the papers which obtained the Society's medal. The symptoms that occurred in a case which fell under the author's notice, while at Madeira, are minutely detailed, and the effect of remedies on them is correctly related. The quantity of mercury given in this case was so small, that it cannot be supposed to have any influence on the cure Dr. Adams enters into a disquisition on the leprosy with which the Jews were affected during their abode in the wilderness; and from the nature of the symptoms, he concludes that it must have been the yaws.

In the 11th paper, we have an account of an extra uterine Fetus, by Dr. Fothergill of Bath. The symptoms were at first supposed to proceed from dropsy in the ovarium, although the real nature of the case was ascertained for some time before

the

the period of pregnancy was accomplished. It ended in the death of the mother, which event was preceded by a discharge of putrid matter from the intestinal canal; and on dissection, the skeleton of a dead child was found behind the uterus. Dr. F. concludes with some judicious observations in favour of the long controverted point, how far it may be proper, in such instances, to have recourse to the Cæsarean operation.

Mr. Dyson gives a case of inverted Uterus after delivery; which was safely returned into its natural state, and at a subsequent period again performed its usual functions.-Mr. Carden, of Worcester, rather vaguely relates the history of a fatty Tumour in the Thorax, together with a large cyst, contain ing serum and coagulated blood, which had produced pectoral complaints that terminated in dropsy.-The 14th article is by Mr. Field; detailing a case in which, after the patient had experienced great bodily hardship, together with a scanty supply of food, the health gradually declined, and death was produced, as the symptoms seemed to indicate, from a disease in the stomach. On dissection, however, the malady was ascertained to be in the ileum, 18 inches of which were found in a cancerous state. We have next an account of a mal-conformation of the Heart, in consequence of which the blood could not become properly arterialized, and that blue color of the skin ensued, which is known to exist under similar circumstances. -Mr. Carn, of Bath, relates an instance in which the Peroneal Artery was wounded in a part that lies so deeply between the bones of the leg, that it could not be taken up until a portion of the fibula had been removed; amputation, the usual resource on such occasions, was thus rendered unnecessary, and the limb was restored to its former sound and healthy state.

The 17th article, communicated by Dr. Marcet, is of considerable importance. It contains a recommendation of the white Oxyd of Bismuth for chronic pains of the Stomach. Dr. Odier, of Geneva, has for some sime employed this mineral with success, but we believe that it had never been before used in this country. The paper relates some cases in which its good effects seem very apparent; and we think that it promises to be a valuable addition to the materia medica.

We now arrive at what we consider as the most valuable communication in the whole volume, an Essay on the Use of the Bath Waters in Ischias, by Dr. Falconer. The Docter begins by giving a full account of the symptoms of this disease, through all the stages of their progress, from their first commencement, when they are so slight and transient as to be little noticed, until their termination in an abscess of the hip joint; one of the most painful affections to which the human frame is inREV. FEB. 1807. cident,

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