Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

E.

his thoughts with lefs labour: but eafe in writing comes from prac-
tice; and the writer is a young man.
Art. 46 On vifitatorial Furisdiction in Colleges of the Universities.
A Letter to the Right Honourable the Earl of Mansfield. 4to. 15.
Rivington.

The purport of this pamphlet is, to afcertain the extent of the power which is lodged in the vifitors of Colleges, and to prove that they are bound, by virtue of their office, to receive, judge, and determine the appeals of all who are interested and concerned in the focieties over which they prefide, either by themselves or their affeffors; that they are required impartially to judge and determine according to the plain and obvious meaning of the ftatutes of founders, where thefe ftatutes are exprefs; and that they are empowered to interpret in doubtful cafes. The Author is mafter of his fubject, and writes clearly and forcibly.

Art. 47.

NOVEL S.

The Letters of Charlotte during her Connection with Werter. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5s. fewed. Cadell. 1786. This Novel is in general both interesting and pathetic; but the judgment of the Author is not equal to his feelings. The texture is too flimfy, and the imagery is frequently extravagant. のーん Art. 48. Edwin and Anna; a Northumbrian Tale founded on Facts. Written by Edwin himfelf. 12mo. 3 3 Vols. 7s. 6d. fewed. Scatcherd and Whitaker, 1785.

This is not Dr. Beattie's Edwin; nor doth he appear to be of the family, though he bears the name.

This Edwin is both a " vulgar" and a conceited " youth;" and while he feems to flatter him felf with an idea of his wit and his knowledge, we affure him that he will gain no credit for either among readers of tafte and judgment. His defcriptions are inelegant; his humour is coarse and infipid; his style is fpiritlefs; and his obfervations are trite and fuperficial. Art. 49. Melwin Dale

Do

In a Series of Letters. By a Lady.
12mo. 2 Vols. 5s. fewed. Lane. 1786.
Trifling and dull.
Art. 50. Warbeck; a pathetic Tale. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5s. fewed.

Lane. 1786.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Fiction is here made to embellifh fome hiftorical facts; and the Author hath executed his defign with confiderable addrefs. It is indeed a pathetic tale; and the Reader of fenfibility will be inftructed and entertained by it. Art. 51. Moreton Abbey; or the fatal Myftery. By the late Mifs Harriet Chilcot, of Bath, afterwards Mrs. Meziere, Authorefs of Elmar and Ethlinda, a legendary Tale, &c. 12mo. 2 Vols. 3s. fewed. Bew.

Moreton Abbey is but little fuperior to Melwin Dale. If it be more inftructing, it is alfo more extravagant: and if it is contended that the language is more elegant, many will think it more affected.

MEDICAL.

Art. 52. An Effay on the Waters of Harrogate and Thorp Arch, in
Yorkshire; containing fome Directions for their Ufe in Difeafes.
To which are prefixed, Observations on Mineral Waters in general,

and

[ocr errors]

and the Method of analysing them. By Joshua Walker, M. D. Phyfician to the Leeds infirmary. 8vo. 3s. fewed. Johnfon. 1784.

This performance contains many judicious and ufeful remarks. After enumerating the various fubftances which have been found to enter into the compofition of mineral waters, the Author points out the most proper methods of making experiments, in order to afcertain the contents of fuch waters. These methods are exemplified by an analyfis of the waters mentioned in the title-page, and from the contents of them Dr. Walker infers their medical qualities; confirming his reafonings with the detail of fuch difeafes as have either been wholly cured by them, or in a great measure removed. This Effay is peculiarly adapted to the patients who wish to be relieved by these waters, as the Author gives ample practical rules how they ought to be used in every particular difeafe, with the regimen proper to be obferved. R-m. Art. 53. Obfervations on an extraordinary Cafe of ruptured Uterus. By Andrew Douglas, M. D. Member of the College of Phyficians, London. 8vo. Is. 6d. Johnfon. 1785.

This is an extraordinary cafe indeed! But as we cannot give our readers an abridgment of it, we must refer them to the book itself. We learn from it this material fact: That when a rupture of the uterus takes place, we ought not to confign the patient to death; fince this dangerous accident is not, as hath been generally conceived, always mortal.

D:

Art. 54. Confiderations on the dangerous Effects of promiscuous
Blood-letting, and the common prepolterous Administration of
Drugs; with other coincident Subjects medical and moral. By
William Stevenfon, M. D. Newark, printed; London, fold by
Dilly. 8vo. 35. 6d. fewed. 1783 *.

We have on a former occafion + obferved, that we feldom meet with a writer who puts together fo much rambling, extraneous matter, felf-conceit, petulance, and abfurdity, as this Author. His prefent performance, however, outdoes all his former publications; for here he goes on, cutting and flafhing at all around him, without exception. Phyficians, furgeons, apothecaries, &c. are chiefly the objects of his abufe. go Art. 55. Reports of the Humane Society, inftituted in the Year 1774, for the Recovery of Perfons apparently drowned. For the Years 1783 and 1784. 8vo. 25. Dodfley, &c. 1785.

It is with fincere fatisfaction that we obferve the growing fuccefs and extended plan of this TRULY Humane Society; the proceedings of which are here fully detailed,-with a great number of cafes of recovery, not only from apparent death by drowning, but from other caufes-the frozen, the banged, and those who were in a state of faffocation from noxious vapours.' See alfo our account of the Reports for the years 1781 and 1782, Review, Vol. LXIX. p. 173. Art. 56. Remarks on the Difeafe lately defcribed by Dr. Hendy, under the Appellation of the Glandular Difeafe of Barbadoes. By John

*This publication has been accidentally miflaid. Vid. Monthly Review, Vol. LXVIII. p. 279.

Rollo,

Rollo, late Surgeon in the Royal Artillery. 8vo. 25. Dilly. 1785.

Dr. Hendy favoured the Public with an ingenious account † of this + peculiar disease, which feems to be endemial in the island of Barbadoes. Being fettled there, and practifing phyfic in the island, he was at confiderable pains to perfect the hiftory of this irregular diforder, by compiling the hiftories of a great many cafes of which he had been himself a witness. Mr. Rollo, who visited Barbadoes, prefumes, on the ground of two cafes which he faw, and which in this pamphlet he lays before the reader, to enter the lifts against this refpectable phyfician, and to arraign the juftnefs of his opinions on this fubject. Dr. H. gives a definition of the difeafe, founded upon extensive experience, to the following purpofe: That it is a local inflammation, feated in the lymphatic fyftem, that often produces a fymptomatic fever. Mr. Rollo defcribes it to be a fever accompanied with a partial affection of the lymphatic glands, and an inflammation and fwelling of the extremity, whofe lymphatic veffels lead to thofe affected glands, appearing towards the termination of the fever. We leave it to future experience to decide which is the moft juft account of this diforder; but we cannot conclude this article without expreffing the difguft we felt at the rude, and frequently ill-grounded, contradictions of Dr. Hendy by Mr. Rollo. We would recommend to this gentleman to be somewhat lefs bold in his affertions on a subject of which his knowledge and experience muft neceffarily be more limited than thofe of a physician who conftantly refides on the fpot, and who probably has daily occafion of noticing the disease in queftion. M-n Art. 57. Obfervations on the acute Dyfentery, with the Defign of illuftrating its Caufes and Treatment. By John Rollo, M. D. late Surgeon in the Royal Artillery. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Dilly. 1786. Dr. Rollo gives an accurate and a juft account of the dyfentery. It feems to be drawn from nature and obfervation, and not collected from books. From the facts ftated, he draws the following conclufions, which they appear to warrant, viz. That the intermittent and remittent fever, and the dyfentery, occur in the fame season, affume appearances effentially the fame, and are produced by the fame caufes; only that these are neceffarily affitted in the production of the dyfentery by cold and moisture. This is perfectly agreeable to the opinion of Sydenham, who defcribed the dyfentery as a febris introverfa, a fever turned inwards upon the bowels. After the dyfentery has been thus produced, Dr. R. thinks it may be further communicated, in certain circumstances, by contagion. In one particular, he feems, with good reason, to differ from Dr. Cullen, who doubts whether the application of cold does ever produce the disease, unlefs where the fpecific contagion has been previously received into the body.

There being nothing very peculiar in Dr. R.'s method of curing this disease, we fhall not enter into any further account of his prefent publication; but fhall content ourselves with giving it the praise of being, upon the whole, a judicious performance.

Now of Woolwich.

+ See Review for Auguft 1784, p. 92.

[ocr errors]

п

Art,

1

Art. 58. A Differtation on the Theory and Cure of the Cataract; in which the Practice of Extraction is fupported, and the Operation in its prefent improved State is particularly defcribed. By Jonathan Wathen, Sorgeon. 8vo. 35. fewed. Cadell. 1785. Mr. Wathen defcrites in a scientific manner the nature, caufes, and fymptoms of the cataract; and, after making fome general remarks on the cure of the difeafe, he very judiciously points out the particular cafes and the fymptoms in which the operation is likely to fucceed. This part of his performance we think highly interefting, both to the operator and patient; fince an unfuccessful event brings the operation into difrepute, and gives the patient unneceffary pain, with, perhaps, confequences of the most dangerous nature. The operations of couching and extraction are minutely defcribed, efpecially the latter; the fuperiority of which over the former is clearly pointed out. Our Author gives a full account of the various methods practifed by most of the eminent furgeons, with the improvements that have been made by each of them; and concludes with fome ufeful remarks relative to fpurious cataracts, and the method of cure, which we do not recollect to have met with in former writers.

We cannot but recommend the perufal of this differtation to the learned practitioner, as we are convinced he will meet with many things worthy his attention. a_ Art. 59. Chiropodologia; or a scientific Enquiry into the Caufes of Corns, Warts, Onions, and other painful or offenfive cutaneous Excrefcences, &c. the whole confirmed by the Practice and Experience of D. Low, Chiropodift. 8vo. 3s. London. Sold by the Author, N° 42, Davies Street; and Hookham, in Bond Street. The intention of this performance is evidently no more than to announce that the Chiropodist continues, as ufual, to difpenfe a number of valuable articles at nis own houfe, and that his days of confultation at bome are Mondays and Fridays. RArt. 60. A Traft upon Indigestion and the hyochondriac Difeafe; with the Method of Cure, and a new Remedy or Medicine recommended. By James Rymer, Surgeon. 12mo. IS. Evans. 1785. Although this, like the preceding article, terminates with an advertisement, respectfully informing the Public where the Author's tinctures, &c. are fold; yet the caufes of indigeftion are fully explained, and fome uteful dietetic directions are laid down, by means of which many inconveniencies arifing from indigeftion may be prevented, or greatly mitigated. R-m

-M

--

Art. 61. A concife Relation of the Effects of an extraordinary Styptic Jately difcovered: in a Series of Letters from feveral Gentlemen of the Faculty to Barth. Rufpini, Surgeon-dentift. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Johnion. 1725:

As it is impoffible to deny facts, we are under the neceffity of admitting the efficacy of the ftyptic here recommended: but as we have not been informed of its component parts, nor feen any account of experiments made to prove its fuperior power befide these of M. Rufpini's friends, we cannot pretend to reafon on it; and our readers can only expect to be told, that Mr. Rufpini has (accidentally) d fcovered a flyptic water, which in a few minutes, without a comprefs, flops the bleeding of the femoral artery of a calf, and

that

m

inftances

-M

that of an hog, in three minutes; with feveral other inftances, fome on the human body. Art. 62. Obfervations on the Typhus, or low contagious Fever, and the Means of preventing the Production and Communication of this Difeafe. By D. Campbell, M. D., 8vo. 25. Lancaster, printed; London, fold by Johnfon. 1785.

This treatife contains fome admirable directions concerning various methods of preventing the fpreacing of the contagion of putrid difeafes. As to the Author's method of cure, we think him too liberal in the adminiftration of opium, of which medicine (the molt excellent when given in proper doics and at proper times) he acknowledges he has experienced the bad effects in many cafes.

Art. 63.

An Efay on the Retroverfien of the Uterus; illuftrated with Cafes and Obfervations. By William Cockell, of Pontefract, M. D. 4to. Is. 6d. Law. 175.

In the difeafe here described (happily a very rare one), we can by no means approve of our Author's method of cure. The operation he defcribes as the only thing to be done in this cale, we think so very violent, that it may in feveral inftances (especially in weak patients, aud those who are far advanced in pregnancy) produce confequences worfe than the difeafe itself.

Be Art. 64. Rules for preferving Health; particularly with regard to ftudious Perfons. In three Treatifes. Tranflated from the Spanish of the Rev. Father Feyjoo, Matter-general of the Order of St. Benedict. 8vo. 25. Faulder.

As the vivacity of this writer always pleafes, fo do his learning and philofophy afford much real entertainment. A medical treatife from Spain, written by a friar, is a literary phenomenon that doth not often make its appearance; but the rarity of fuch appearances will not make them the lefs acceptable. As to the prefent publication, it is but juftice to declare, that the doctrines it contains are the effects of much experience, and founded on rational principles. In the first treatife, we have fome excellent strictures upoa the modern (we fuppofe Spanish) practice of phyfic, which may be true; and we fincerely with, that, for the honour of the art, there were lefs room for them. Our Author, in the,obiervations he makes on phyficians in different ages, gives a concife and accurate history of the Art, from its earlieit age; pointing out, with great judgment, the perfections and imperfections of the many theories that have been adopted and rejected, one after another.

The fecond lays down feveral ufeful dietetic rules for preferving health: a fubject which the writer thinks phyficians have not properly and duly confidered; becaufe it is not fo much their bufinefs to preferve the good health of their patients, as to cure their diseases, if the imperfections of the art will fuffer them.

The third treatife is a confutation of the commonly-received opinion, that application to ftudy is prejudicial to health. The chief argument which the good Father ufes is, That ftudy, when it fuits with our genius, and is not purfued with extreme rigour, rather pleafes than fatigues us: it cannot therefore be contrary to nature or prejudicial to our health; because thofe occupations only are hurtful which exceed our ftrength or contradi&t our inclinations. We fhall conclude

« AnteriorContinuar »