pecacuanha, the gripings were violent, and the discharge of blood. frequent, and in large quantities.

On such practice, we cannot be expected to give a decisive opinion; but it is very fortunate that the dysentery of this country does not require such violent methods of treatment. Case of Empyema. Communicated by Mr. Wastell.- This is a well-marked and well-described case of empyema success fully treated.

Effects of Arteriotomy in Cases of Epilepsy. By Anthony Fothergill, of Bath, M. D.-This paper contains only a short notice of the good effects resulting from opening the temporal artery, in two epileptic cases. How the operation was per-.

formed, we are not told.

Observations on Human intestinal Worms; being an Attempt at their Arrangement into Classes, Genera, and Species. By Robert Hooper, M. D.-The animals generated in the human intestines, though frequent objects of practice, have not been much regarded, in this country at least, as subjects of natural history. Dr. Hooper seems to have attended successfully to the task of arranging them; the execution of which may ultimately produce more accuracy in the description, and more certainty in the method of expelling the different genera. For the particu lars of this memoir, we must refer to the book ;-it is illustrated with coloured engravings.

Memoir on the Antivenereal Effects of several Acids, and other Remedies which have been lately proposed as Substitutes for Mer cury, in the Cure of Syphilis. By Mr. Blair, Surgeon of the Lock Hospital, &c.-Mr. Blair here announces the failure of the acid of nitre, and of the oxygenated muriate of potash, in a great number of syphilitic cases. On this subject, it is our duty to record experience, as its results are offered to the public, without (as yet) interposing our own opinion.

Case of fatal Termination after the Bite of a mad Dog. By Mr. John Haynes, Surgeon, Chipping Norton.-In this case, excision of the bitten parts, performed four days only after the bite, failed in preventing the disease; though Mr. Haynes employed the proper means very judiciously, as soon as he saw the patient.

Case of the Bite of a Mad Dog. By Mr. Norris.We shall extract from this narrative an account of the symptoms in the dog, which Mr. Norris had an opportunity of observing:

• Her look was downcast and sullen; her eyes, from which a clear fluid trickled, appeared heavy and languid, by no means red or inflamed; her tail was drawn between her legs; and she seemed to be extremely anxious and uneasy, frequently going to the length of her chain and lying down, then, in the course of a minute after, rising and changing her posture. Two or three times she went to some REV. MARCH, 1800.

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water that had been placed near her, took a lap or two and then quitted it. Some bread being thrown to her, she chewed and swal lowed it, but it was immediately after vomited, and she again swallowed and threw it up as before. During a quarter of an hour that I staid examining her appearance and motions, I observed that she dunged three or four times, and immediately after swallowed, or attempted to swallow, the fæces, which were soft, whitish, and frothy."

The case related is that of a gentleman who was bitten by this dog, and who had his finger amputated, as a preventive, on the sixth day after the accident. He continued well.-A pig, which had been bitten by the same animal, a few days afterward, was attacked with symptoms of hydrophobia, and died.-Even al though excision, at the distance of some days, from the bite, should not prove an infallible remedy, it is surely always adviseable; and we are glad to see this case brought forwards, to strengthen its recommendation.

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History of an Empyema terminating fatally. By J. C. Lettsom, M. D. &c. This is a particular detail of a case of empyema, in which paracentesis of the thorax was performed, with temporary relief: but a return of the symptoms brought on a fatal conclusion

Extract of a Letter from Dr. Paterson, of Londonderry, dated July 26, 1793.-This letter describes a rheumatic disorder, at Londonderry, in which the diaphragm seemed to partake of the inflammatory affection of the habit.

Case of an Ophthalmia cured by the Application of Oleum Terebinthina. The inflammation in this case was chronic, and the cure was complete, after a very tedious previous duration of the

illness.

An Obstruction of the Oesophagus removed by a Tobacco-glyster, on the third Day after the Accident. By Mr. Blair, Surgeon of the Lock Hospital.-A striking instance of the efficacy of the practice here recommended.

Case of a Child born with variolous Pustules. By Matthew Flinders, Surgeon, Donnington, Lincolnshire. This case furnishes an additional proof, if any be wanting, that the foetus in utero is liable to receive variolous infection from the mother, and to undergo the disease before its birth.

On the Fever of Demerary. By Beane, Surgeon in the Army. The only remarkable part of these observations consists in the author's account of the effects of a mercurial course, in preventing and curing the yellow fever:

• Salivation from Mercury.

In the month of August the disease was so fatal, that to all the patients mercury was given. When salivation came on, they were

perfectly

perfectly safe; I never knew a patient under salivation die. The dozes were gr. iv. vel v.-ad j. 3ia quâque horâ, of calomel in a bolus according to the urgency of the case; I have known a patient spitting within twenty-four hours. In some patients it did not produce salivation, but hemorrhagy from the mouth; it often would keep waver-: ing about the mouth, shewing one day strong signs of an approaching salivation, which would be gone the following day; in such a state, if the patient ultimately died, he lived very many days longer than in the usual course of the disease.'

Diarrhea from Calomel..

Sometimes the calomel was combined with opium, sometimes the opium was given occasionally, as diarrhoea required; but if it did produce purging, it was under the command of opium, unless allowed to go to very great excess. In general it produced no purging: I remember one case in which there was previously diarrhoea, and another in which there was an urgent diarrhoea, and also a vomiting; each; of the patients took large doses of calomel; these symptoms gave way during its exhibition. In a lad, a remaining troublesome pain at the scrobiculus cordis, was gradually relieved after the commencement of the salivation.'

History of an Aneurism of the Aorta. By W. Hunter, Esq. Surgeon in the East Indies.-This interesting case is extremely well described; and the candour with which Mr. Hunter has conducted his remarks on it will command the respect of every reader, though little may be added to our knowlege of aneur isms by the recital.

Pathological Remarks upon various Kinds of Alienation of Mind. By James Sims, M. D. Pres. Med. Soc. &c.-This essay of the worthy President is rather desultory, and not altogether so clear in its explanations as we could wish. Dr. Sims's definition of insanity, for instance, applies rather to singularity of manners than to mental derangement:

Were I to hazard a definition, I should call it, the thinking, and therefore speaking and acting differently from the bulk of mankind, where that difference does not arise from superior knowledge, igno-" rance, or prejudice.'

The principal defect of this definition is that it does not imply a morbid state of the intellects.

Case of a Gun Breech penetrating the Cranium, and remaining within it two Months, previously to the Death of the Patient. By Mr. John Waldron, Surgeon, of Great Torrington, Devon. The remarkable circumstance, which this case presents, is the. length of time which intervened between the intrusion of the foreign substance, and the death of the sufferer.

Sketch of a Description of a Species of Scarlatina Anginosa, which occurred in the Autumn of 1798. By James Sims, M. D. &c.From this paper, Dr. Sims appears to have entertained great

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fears of the occurrence of a malignant epidemic, or some great pestilential disease;' which, however, has not taken place. The species of Scarlatina Anginosa here described is only the severe form of the disease, which physicians generally find curable by the exhibition of Peruvian bark, opiates, blisters, and wine; and in which we are surprized to observe that Dr. Sims can recommend nothing from his own experience. Our surprize is increased by a passage in p. 427, where the Doctor informs us that

As to the bark, both in this disorder and in typhus, or any other fever, I think it seldom serviceable where the tongue and lips are dry and dark coloured, and the teeth covered with a black fur. Nay, where there has only been a dryness of these parts, I have sometimes seen the use of the bark speedily produce that black furring, which is ever so bad a sign, and which the common people denominate the black thrush.'

We believe that the ideas contained in this paragraph are inconsistent with the opinions and practice of the best physicians of the present time. On a subject of such immense importance. to the lives of individuals, we cannot sacrifice any thing to false delicacy; and we must enter our protest, in the strongest manner, against Dr. Sims's opinions.

Physical Hints and Queries. By James Sims, M. D. &c.This essay evinces an inquiring and active mind, but shews unacquaintance with the elementary parts of natural philosophy, and particularly with the new chemistry; which, whether destined to be permanent or not, cannot now be safely neglected by any philosophical inquirer.

History of a Case of Incysted Dropsy, with an Account of the Appearances on Dissection. By Sayer Walker, M. D. &c. The cyst which was discovered, on the dissection of this patient, was composed of different layers, probably the effect of successive inflammations. Dr. Walker seems to think that life might have been prolonged by puncturing the abdomen, and giving free vent to the effused fluid.

The last paper, printed in an Appendix, relates a Case of Casarean Section. By William Wood, Man-Midwife in Ordinary to the Lying-in Hospital in Manchester.-This operation, like all others of the same kind which have been performed in this country, was followed by the death of the patient. Mr. Wood, however, seems inclined to account for the fatal event by an adventitious circumstance, a gangrene of the cervix uteri, which he supposes to have been produced by the pressure of the child's head.

From a review of the case, there is very great reason to suppose that the patient's death was not occasioned by the operation, but by the

gangrene that had taken place in the cervix uteri, which in my opinion must have been occasioned by the pressure of the child's head upon that part, prior to the operation; and I am induced to believe, had the operation been performed earlier, and at the patient's house, she would have stood a great chance of recovering.'

When we consider Mr. Wood's previous declaration, p. 472, that the os uteri and child's head appear to have been forced upon the right side of the pelvis, and to have remained considerably above the superior aperture, which prevented their being discovered upon an examination per vaginam,' we think that his supposition is very improbable, both from the situation of the parts, and the short period [twenty hours] during which the woman had been in labour. The nature of this operation sufficiently accounts for the death of the patients; and in this instance, there was a large extravasation of bloody serum, and some coagulated blood, in the cavity of the abdomen. Would not this appearance satisfy a dissector, as to the cause of death, in an accidental wound of the abdomen and uterus?

Having recently delivered our opinion on the impropriety of performing this operation, we shall not here resume the discussion of its merits. We are sincerely sorry that an additional proof of its fatality has been brought before the public.-The child, in this case, was extracted alive, and continued well when the report was written.

ART. IX. Mr. Marsh's History of the Politics of Great Britain and France, from the Peace of Pilnitz.

[Art. concluded from the last Review.]

THE first volume of this work led us to the most important link in the history; viz. the communications between the Ministers of his Britannic Majesty, and M. M. Maret and Chau velin. The author states that a French gentleman obtained an introduction to Mr. Pitt, as a person empowered by the French Executive Council to demand an audience of him, but insisted on with-holding his name, till he should have a positive assurance that he should be received, and a rendezvous given. When the meeting took place, and his instructions were demanded, it appeared that he had no authority whatever; and he presented M. Maret, as the person authorized to treat: but, on being asked for his powers, he also acknowleged that he had none. Mr. Pitt, sacrificing his feelings to his desire of preserving peace, very civilly dismissed the soi-disant ambassadors; saying to M. Maret, that it would give him great pleasure to treat with him as a confidential person from the French Executive Council. That confidence was accordingly requested by M

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Maret: