bottoms might not be found, in which the articles could be legally imported. The real effect of the old law was not, therefore, to cause the employment of British ships, but to oblige foreigners to assort their cargoes less advantageously than they might otherwise have done, and thus to lessen their intercourse with our markets. The new law will obviate this inconvenience; while, by restricting the importation of European goods to the ships of the build of the country of which the goods are the growth, or to those of the build of the country or port from which the goods are shipped, and which are wholly owned by the inhabitants of such country or port, it is rendered impossible for the people of a particular country to become the carriers of the produce of other countries to our markets.

The third new regulation is of such obvious and unquestionable utility, that it is surprising it was not long since adopted, at the suggestion of the shipowners themselves. By the old law, all articles, which are the produce of Asia, Africa, or America, could only be imported directly in a British ship from the place of their production. This law had already been repealed in so far as respected the United States, whose ships were allowed to import their produce directly into this country; but it was maintained with respect to Asia, Africa, and South America. And hence, although a British ship happened to find in South American, African, or Asian ports, articles the produce of any other quarter of the globe, suitable to our markets, and with which it might have been extremely advantageous for her to complete her cargo, she was prohibited from taking them on board under penalty of forfeiture and confiscation, not only of the goods, but also of the ship. This most absurd regulation is now repealed, and it has been made lawful for British ships to take on board articles whose

importation is not prohibited, wherever they find them, without regard to the country where they were produced.

The fourth grand regulation in the new navigation law, is that which goes to regulate our intercourse with South America. Instead of excluding from our markets all the products of the free states, now forming out of the ci-devant Spanish colonies, that are, not imported in British ships, it is enacted, that the ports of Britain shall be opened to South American ships, on their paying the same duties as the ships of this country. This is one of the very few instances, from the reign of Richard II. down to the present day, in which we find an enactment, relating either to commerce or navigation, bottomed on a fair principle of reciprocity. In this case we have set a good example; and if the naval intercourse between this country and the South Americans continues to be fettered and restricted, the presumption is, that the fault is theirs, not ours. Had we always acted thus, we should never have heard of the navigation laws of North America and Russia.

The exclusive privilege of importing the products of Asia and Africa is still reserved for our own shipping; but they may now be imported from any port in Europe, it being no longer required that they should be brought direct from the place of their production. By these wise and liberal regulations the operations of the merchant will be freed from a considerable portion of that perplexity and uncertainty with which they were formerly embarrassed. One of the bills introduced by Mr Wallace has repealed several hundred antiquated and contradictory statutes on the subject of commerce and navigation, passed previously to the reign of Charles II.; and it is said to be the intention of Government still further to clear and simplify the existing law.

the

1821, ****

1822, 1823,

Foreign and Colonial Merchandise.

3

£. 10,555,912 10 10,629,689 9,227,589 6 11

58

according to the real and declared value thereof, in years ending the 5th of January

year 1822:

1822, by nearly four millions Sterling, and that though the quantity of foreign and colonial merchandise imported was somewhat less than in the two prece

ding years, the amount of home consumption was, upon the whole, augmented.

UNDER this head we purpose giving a succinct account of the general diseases prevalent throughout the year, with a few observations on those which were epidemic.

The first quarter of the year was remarkably mild in London and its neighbourhood, the temperature having varied little, and the thermometer having but twice or thrice fallen to the freezing point, and only once so low as 30°, so that the three early months were peculiarly healthy. A few continued fevers, some mild puerperal fevers, a similar number of rheumatic affections, chiefly chronic, and a considerable number of colds attacking the nose, throat, and chest, were the prevailing diseases. All of these complaints, however, were mild, and yielded easily to the usual remedies. A few cases of small pox and chicken pox, fashionably called Modified Small Pox, occurred, and were equally mild. Not so, either the state of the weather or the diseases which prevailed in Edinburgh and its environs. The temperature was extremely variable, the thermometer ranging from 29° to 50°, with alternate frost and thaw, and showers of rain, hail, and snow; the latter never lying on the ground for any time. Fevers, bowel complaints, colds, and pectoral affections, chiefly prevailed. Rheumatism did not occur so often as in the following quarter. Of the fevers the majority were continued, a few were

intermittent, but the most dangerous were puerperal.

Puerperal fever raged to a considerable extent, but not so much or so fatally as in the last quarter of the preceding year. It occurred chiefly among the lower ranks, apparently in consequence of their being unable to protect themselves against the inclemency of the weather, either within or without doors; and of a prevailing idea, not only among them, but in the higher ranks, and even among obstetrical practitioners, that a woman should live well after parturition. The lower orders carry it the length of feasting and rejoicing. This dreadful malady, puerperal fever, presented no peculiar features, but run its destructive course too often in defiance of the vigorous measures of the practitioner. A few hours' delay rendered all his efforts ineffectual. It was only when the disease was caught at its very outset, that bloodletting arrested its progress; and this required to be performed largely, and to be frequently repeated, for the affection is purely inflammatory. It did not appear to possess any contagious quality. We had an opportunity of witnessing several of the cases under the judicious treatment of that excellent practitioner, Dr Campbell, to whose work on the subject we beg leave to refer our readers for a further account of this interesting and fatal disease.

In the next quarter, including the

months of April, May, and June, the weather around London became gradually better, the thermometer progressively rising, and the air, excepting in the beginning of April, becoming dry and wholesome. In the early part of April, sore throats, catarrhs, croup, and pectoral complaints were prevalent, but all of a mild character. A few cases of fever and other diseases, particularly liver, urinary, and mental affections, appeared when the weather became warm, but all of them were of a mild nature. The mildness of these colds, at this season of the year, is often very treacherous; frequently a simple sore throat or cold in the nose extends its inflammatory influence along the larynx and trachea to the lungs, and either proves shortly fatal, or lays the foundation for consumption.

́ ́ In Edinburgh and its neighbourhood, the same variable weather continued all April and onwards to the latter end of May, when it became more settled, and continued warm but changeable in June. Puerperal fever still prevailed, but was neither so extensive nor so severe in its aspect. Continued fevers were fully more numerous. In April a few cases of scarlet fever appeared; and in May and June some cases of intermittent fever, apparently from the prevalence of our east wind. Intermittent fever is rather a rare disease in this part of the country. Of all the remedies for the cure of this disease, there is none so effectual and so simple as the warm bath. When the patient expects the approach of a paroxysm, for he is as well aware of it as the seafowl of the approach of rain, he should be put into a warm bath as hot as he is able to bear it, and kept in it until perspiration or fainting ensues. In general from 95° to 105° is the temperature that can be borne. The individual should be taken out of the bath, carefully dried, put to bed, have warm drink, as wine-negus, tea or coffee, and

bottles of hot water, or bags of hot sand applied to the hands and feet. This repeated for two, three, or more times, when the paroxysm is anticipa ted, or even when the cold stage has commenced, will cure the most obstinate ague. This method of treatment is not mentioned in any medical work, and may be an excuse for its insertion here. Rheumatism, this quarter, was more frequent, as already mentioned. Pectoral complaints were on the decline, but there were some cases of hooping cough in May and June, which were purely inflammatory. Cutaneous diseases were more numerous in this, than in any other quarter; and so were mental affections; both probably owing to the change of temperature from cold to heat. Urinary affections were somewhat more numerous, from the same cause.

About London, the weather became variable in July and August, particularly in the former month, and continued nearly the same during September; the thermometer varying between 53° and 80°, so that cholera, dyspepsia, and diarrhoea were tolerably frequent. Neither of them, however, were so severe as not to yield to active treatment. A few individuals, nevertheless, fell victims to cholera in the country. This disease, being generally mild in this island, sometimes steals a march on the medical practitioner. In the East Indies, where it proves so fatal, the physician is on the alert, and uses the lancet and other remedies at once. Several cases of fever occurred, mild in their character, and favourable in their termination; also, afew mild cases of small pox. It may be here remarked, that vaccination continues to gain the confidence both of the public and the profession; daily experience evincing, that it is fully as sure a preventive of small pox, as inoculation with variolous matter,

During this quarter, in Edinburgh and its neighbourhood, every disease

was mild and less frequent, excepting stomach and bowel complaints, which were more numerous than in any other quarter, owing to the unsettled state of the summer weather, and the indulgence in fruits, vegetables, and malt liquors. Fevers, equally mild, were prevalent. Urinary complaints were more numerous both in London and Edinburgh, as also diseases of the eyes. The division of labour in the medical profession, into physicians, surgeons, accoucheurs, oculists, aurists, dentists and cuppers, must injure the profession, and still more so the public. It is not the case with the practice of physic as with the other arts; the more they are subdivided the better; whereas the more medicine is divided, the worse both for the advancement of the art, and the benefit of the patient.

The weather in the last quarter of the year in London and its environs became better than in the quarter immediately preceding. The thermometer varied little, and did not begin to fall till the latter end of November, nor reach the freezing point until the 10th of December. The barometer kept stationary nearly the whole of the quarter. In the beginning of October, and also towards the end of November, there were passing showers. Stomach, liver, and bowel complaints prevailed in the beginning of October. As the weather became cold, catarrhs, and bronchitic, pneumonic, and consumptive complaints began to appear. With regard to the consumptive affections, it is scarcely necessary to observe, that sooner or later they prove fatal. The climate is so unfavourable, that medicines and regimen are of no avail. We have been particular about the state of the weather throughout this report, because we are convinced, that it not only causes this scourge of our island,

but may be said to be the chief and sometimes the sole cause of the greater portion of diseases. It is the vicissitudes of the weather that produce all kinds of fever, the type being also chiefly dependent on the same cause. Thus the yellow fever of the West Indies, of Bulam, and of Spain, is simply our continued fever, modified by the powerful solstitial heat, and is caused almost invariably by cold. The bilious remittent is ascribable nearly to the same cause; and all of them appear non-contagious.

To recur to consumption, we have to observe, that this is a disease generally consequent on inflammation and suppuration of the bronchial glands, and that no remedy is equal to a removal to a dry, warm, congenial atmosphere, either as a preventive, or after the disease has begun its mortal career*. But the climate must not be too sultry. It is observed that negroes, and those born in tropical climates, when they come to this island, become extremely subject to glandular affections, as scrophula and consumption. It is also worthy of observation, that animals, as oxen, swine, geese, turkeys, and common fowls, which are confined in stalls and cribs, and fed to gratify the appetite of the epicure, have invariably their glandular systems enlarged and diseased. To prevent scrophula and consumption, the two greatest banes of this climate, exercise in the dry open air is undoubtedly the best antidote.

In Edinburgh the weather assumed a wintry aspect so early as the middle of October, the thermometer having, by the 15th of the month, fallen to 31°. The wind continued chiefly south-east, so that the days were dull, with rain, sleet, and hail. It became drier and warmer in the beginning of November, but again lowered about the middle of