Mr. Drummond for saying that he has observed them all passing into each other, by insensible gradations, from the common none-so-pretty to the smooth, the hairy, the saw-leafed, the tooth-leafed, and the kidney leafed. The Hookeria lætevirens, we are told, grows 66 on bogs; but where Mr. Gray learned this, we know not. We have gathered it, in its only known habitat, in the course of a small stream in a wood. Gymnostomum conicum is said to grow "in fields;" it ought to be" cultivated grounds."

We cannot spare room to be more particular; but, upon the whole, though there has been prodigious research and labour spent upon the work, we think it a com plete failure, both as a text-book and as a cabinet book. Those who wish to begin the study, we should recommend to get the Flora Britannica, or the Compendium of it, with Smith's Introduction, (not his Grammar,) or the work of Withering, with any of the smaller publications of Salisbury, &c. Mr. Gray's work would only frighten them from the science, by making it appear formidable and incomprehensible.

We are very sorry to have all this to say of a work from the author of the very useful Supplement to the Pharmacopoeas, which is now as indispensable an appendage of the apothecary's shop as the Dispensatory itself. No apothecary, indeed, can do without Mr. Gray's work, and we think it little less important to the surgeon and the physician. The analyses of patent and quack medicines, and the recipes for perfumes, &c. are both very curious and useful. Almost the only fault which it has, is its frequent encroachments upon the Pharmacopæias and the Dispensatories, which, like a similar method in the work before us, has increased the size and price of the book, while it has diminished its real value. Mr. Gray would do well to throw out a third of the matter from his Supplement in his next edition.

11.-Cases illustrative of the Diseases of the Ear, &c. By J. H. Curtis, Esq. &c. Pp. 93. 8vo. London, 1822.

THOSE who are acquainted with Mr. Curtis's former book will be at no loss to know the character of this one, which is a series of cases treated upon Mr. Abernethy's plan, of attending to digestion in the first place, and to local means in the second. Mr. Curtis, of course, was successful in all his trials, which are here published. Perbaps it is prudent to be sparing in the publication of unsuccessful

cases.

III.-Remarks on Cutaneous Diseases. By J. H. Wilkinson. Pp. 87. 8vo. London.

THE author justly considers this subject to be still very imperfectly understood, though he is "perfectly satisfied with what has been already written concerning its anatomy and physiology." He has an aversion to cases, and therefore has given very few, contrary to the practice of some authors, who "have, or ought to have, the power of filling a few pages with their own observations and reflections," bat who fill their books with cases and quotations, in order “to gain a little notoriety, by having their names as often as possible before the eye of the public." The author, from this, seems to feel a little sore at the notoriety of some quoting and casegiving authors. What was our surprise, after this preface, to find this brochure of 87 pages literally overflowing with cases, by whole families at a time! We doubt not indeed, though we did not take the trouble to reckon, that there is a case for every page of the book. He is perfectly satisfied with Dr. Willan's descriptions and classification, but objects to his incessant quotations of Greek, Latin, and German, and to his want of success in pointing out remedies. Mr. Wilkinson, who is an old practitioner, gives, however, many useful remarks on remedies, intermixed with such singularities as we have mentioned. He says, for instance, that he is happy to declare that he has never lost a patient for seventeen years, in erysipelas,

rubeola, scarlatina, urticaria, roseola, or erythema, by employing Dr. Pearth's formula

R. Ammon. subcarb.

Plumbi superacetat. aa zi.
Aquæ rosa Oj. M.

IV. A Dictionary of Practical Surgery, comprehending all the most recent improvements from the earliest times down to the present period, &c. By Samuel Cooper, formerly Surgeon to the Forces, &c. &c. Fourth edition, with many corrections and additions. Pp. 1226. London, 1822. Price 27s.

We had in preparation an elaborate review of the additions to this useful and well-known work; but upon hearing that the demand for the new edition was considerable, we deemed it almost superfluous to make an abstract of what must be in the hands of so many of our readers. The additions are very extensive, there being above a hundred additional pages, independent of what has been left out of the old matter, and, so far as we have examined the newer portions, seem equally valuable with the former. The articles relating to the surgery of the eye,—or Ophthalmology, as it is barbarously called,-struck us as being particularly laboured; some of them appear to have been entirely re-written, or at least materially altered and enlarged. It is to he regretted, however, that Mr. Cooper or his publishers can find no other way of furnishing the purchasers of the former editions with the new improvements, than by publishing an augmented edition of the whole work. Would it not be both more lucrative to them, and to former purchasers more accommodat ing, to republish the work verbatim, with a supplement, to be sold separately? We need not recommend a book so well known and so highly appreciated.

V.-The Philosophy of Zoology, or a General View of the Structure, Functions, and Classification of Animals. By John Fleming, D.D. &c. 2 vol. 8vo. With Plates. Edinburgh, 1822. Price 30s. DR. FLEMING is well known as a respectable naturalist, particularly by some able papers in the Edinburgh Encyclopædia and the Wernerian Transactions. The present work, which has been announced these several years, will, in all probabi lity, determine the rank which he will hereafter maintain as a philosopher. The design, indeed, seems to be excellent, though he has attempted a few innovations, with which we are not quite pleased. Upon the whole, however, it is a very sitperior work, and is almost the only one of the kind which we could recommend to the professional reader, there are so many interesting details of physiology, which are so preposterously omitted in the common works. We shall take an early opportunity to make a more extended critique upon it, while in the mean time, we strongly recommend it to our readers.

VI.-The London Dispensatory; being a Practical Synopsis of Materia Medica, Pharmacy, and Therapeutics: illustrated by many useful Tables, &c. &c. By A. T. Thomson, F. L. S. &c. 3d edition. Pp. 962. London.

WE merely announce this work to say that this edition is in every respect worthy of the author, who is too well known to be affected either by our praise or our censure. He has very briefly noticed some of the novelties now or lately in fashion, such as Prussic acid, Colchicum, Iodine, Croton oil, &c. &c. The botanical part of the book is more ample, and we believe more accurate, than in any similar work

VII.-Practical Rules for the Restoration and Preservation of Health, and the best means for invigorating and prolonging Life. By George Cheyne, M.D.F.R.S. &c. 12mo. London.

We are happy to see this useful little work reprinted in so cheap and neat a volume. The study of such subjects as diet, clothing, and exercise, are but too little attended to among the profession. Those who wish for a clear, philosophical, and brief view of this important branch of medical knowledge, cannot have a better guide than Dr. Cheyne.

VIII.-An Inquiry into the Comparative Forces of the Extensor and Flexor Muscles connected with the Joints of the Human Body. By Julius Jeffreys, M.R.C.S. &c. Pp: 51. 8vo, London, 1821.

THIS essay seems to be rather ingenious, and, in so far as the anatomical and mechanical reasoning is concerned, it manifests very praise-worthy talents in so young a man as we understand Mr. Jeffreys to be. He has also, as we have heard, received some very high compliments on the merits of his first production, from the highest names in the profession; such as Sir Astley Cooper, Mr. Travers, &c. The book is, in fact, a criticism on Richerand's assertion that the flexor muscles are in general stronger than the extensors, which he proves from the position of the limbs during sleep-when the will ceases to act. We disagree in this point, both with Richerand and Mr. Jeffreys; for it is not the fact that the will ceases to act during sleep. If it were so, it would be impossible to awake anybody who was asleep. We would ask them why we often toss and turn during sleep if the will does not infiuence our members to remove us from an uneasy posture? We know that it is one of the dogmas usually taught in metaphysical books, in Stewart on the Human Mind, for example, that the will sleeps. It is not, however, on that account, the more likely to be correct, but the contrary, for such works conWe refer Mr. tain more hypothesis than fact, and ought never to be trusted to. Jeffreys, for accurate illustrations of this subject, to Cabanis' Rapports Phys. et

Morales.

IX.-The Nursery Guide; or "Remarks on the Conduct of a Nursery," containing Information likely to be useful to those who may shortly take upon themselves the Duties of a Mother, and particularly offered to the notice of the Females in general. By Henry With a Thompson, Surgeon, Enfield, Middlesex. Pp. 56. 8vo. blue plate. London, 1821.

The blue baby in the frontispiece of this curious production made us imagine, at first glance, that we were to be treated with a dissertation on the blue disease, or morbus cæruleus, (See page 379, above,) but upon looking further, we discovered that the blue baby was not even alluded to in the book. What business it has in the frontispiece we cannot divine, except it be a personification of Mr. Thomson's Muse; for the book is written in a sort of hobbling prosaic blank verse, with notes in poetic prose. It was to have been dedicated to the Princess Charlotte; but while the author was writing the word dedication, his hand was arrested by her death-knell, and he has therefore printed the word Dedica...... as a piece of wit.

M. M. MAYER, AND KUMMER, ON POLYPUS AND STEATOME OF THE UTERUS.*

In a former number we gave an analysis of Mr. Clarke's excellent work on the diseases of females, attended by discharges. We believe that an accurate knowledge of the symptoms and treatment of female diseases in general is of great importance to every practitioner, and a very much neglected part of the education of our students. For this reason we think that we shall perform an acceptable service to many of our readers in presenting them with a comprehensive account of some untractable diseases of the uterus, beginning with uterine polypus, its peculiar and diagnostic symptoms, with comparative observations on the different modes of treatment recommended for its relief. The treatise before us is the production of M. Mayer, Assistant to the Lying-in Hospital in the University of Berlin. It is dedicated to the celebrated Siebold, Professor of Midwifery and Director of the Hospital, and may be considered as containing his opinions and the results of his experience.

We have neither space nor inclination for following M. Mayer in his conjectural history of the disease from Hippocrates, Celsus,

* De Polypis Uteri Commentatio Medico-Chirurgica. Auctore C. G. Mayer, M. et C.D. Cum Tab. Aen. 4to. pp. 56. Berolini, 1821.

De Uteri Steatomate annotationes quædam insignis ejusmodi tumoris observatione illustratæ. Auctore Georgio Frederico Kummer. Lipsiæ, 1819.

and Aritæus, down to Ruysch and Levret, since whose time there has been but little new added to the history or treatment.

Uterine Polypi vary very much in their STRUCTURE. They may be soft, spongy, cellular; or hard with a solid, compact, cheesy or cartilaginous texture: they sometimes include a cavity containing a mucous or lymphatic fluid. Polypi differ from sarcoma and steatoma of the uterus, which are met with in the substance or on the external surface of that organ. Polypi on the contrary appear to originate under the mucous membrane, from coagulating lymph effused by the minute vessels, and gradually increasing from its accumulation, and are still covered by that membrane. When examined by the finger they present the same smooth surface as the uterus, excepting in those cases in which the polypus has reached a very large size, their surface being then often rough and irregular from distention. There are very different opinions as to the vascularity of polypi. Levret, Astruc, Pallas and others, assert that they have felt the pulsations of arteries in them whilst applying the ligature, &c. and have even discovered these vessels after the disease has been extirpated. On the other hand Stork (Annals of Midwifery and diseases of Women and Children) who has tied many polypi, never observed this pulsation, nor was able to detect vessels in the neck or body of the tumour. Laumonier, Roux, Heing, Siebold, and our author, coincide in this opinion. The latter suggests, not very probably, that operators may have mistaken the pulsation in their own fingers, for one occurring in the tumour. He concludes that vessels have rarely if ever, been felt in them during life; and that' it is very doubtful if ever they have been discovered after the removal of the tumour. Hence it is very desirable that this subject, of much importance in the treatment, should be investigated, particularly by dissection of the injected uterus when the polypus has not been removed.

When the uterus is distended by the formation and increase of a polypus, the SYMPTOMS of various disorders in its functions shew that it suffers from the presence of a foreign body. Sometimes the catamenia disappear, and other marks of pregnancy are present, such as nausea, vomiting, and enlargement of the breasts. More frequently irregular menstruation occurs, particularly an excess at the customary periods. By degrees the uterus, and sometimes even the abdomen is distended; the cervical portion of the uterus is shortened, and becomes thick and tumid, but instead of the softening peculiar to pregnancy it remains hard. Sensations of weight about the genitals, and of bearing down are also present; frequently the bowels are constipated, and there is difficulty in passing urine. The os uteri