338 CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



to test the accuracy of the precepts laid down to them for the regu- 

 lation of their conduct, that many persons begin by being bewil- 

 dered by the numerous discrepancies which they meet with between 

 facts and doctrines, between counsel and experience ; and end by 

 becoming entirely sceptical on the subject of all dietetic rules what- 

 ever, and by regarding them as mere theoretical effusions, based on 

 fancy, and undeserving of serious consideration. Now, the true 

 remedy for this state of things is, not to turn away in disgust and 

 despair, but to resort to a more rational mode of inquiry ; certain 

 that, in proportion as we advance, some useful result will reward 

 our labours. Such, accordingly, has been Dr. Combe's aim in the 

 present publication ; and, we may venture to affirm, in the execu- 

 tion of his undertaking, he has far excelled all his predecessors. 



Dr. Beaumont, an American writer, has published a singularly 

 valuable work, which contains an authentic record of some of the 

 most curious and instructive observations* that have ever been made 

 on the process of digestion. That enlightened physiologist had the 

 rare good fortune to meet with a case where there was an artificial 

 opening into the stomach, through w^hich he could see everything 

 that took place during the progress of healthy digestion ; and, with 

 the most disinterested zeal, and admirable perseverance, he availed 

 himself of the opportunity thus afforded of advancing human know- 

 ledge, by engaging the patient to live with him for several years, 

 and to become the subject of numerous and carefully conducted ex- 

 periments. From the results of these. Dr. C. acknowledges his 

 having derived the utmost advantage; and he has not scrupled to 

 make the freest and most ample use of them, both because they il- 

 lustrate almost every important point connected with digestion, and 

 because (since Dr. B's book is still inaccessible to the British pub- 

 lic) it is a bare act of justice towards him, and also the best way of 

 fulfilling the objects he has in view, to make its contents known as 

 widely as possible : for. Dr. C. delightedly avers, wherever they are 

 known, they will be acknowledged to redound to Dr. Beaumont's 

 credit, not less as a man than as a philosopher. 



All the writings of Dr. Combe, are distinguished by a 

 remarkable precision and perspecuity of arrangement. His "Phy- 

 siology of Digestion'^ possesses this excellent quality in a very 

 characteristic manner : it is distributed into two Parts, or primary 

 divisions, which again undergo a sub-division into chapters, or 

 natural sections. These altogether are twelve in number, and bear 

 the following dictinctive titles, — introductory remarks ; the appetites 

 of hunger and thirst ; mastication, in salivation, and deglutition ; 

 organs of digestion, the stomach and the gastric juice; theory and 

 laws of digestion ; chylification and the organs concerned in it ; times 

 of eating ; the proper quantity of food, and its kinds ; conditions to 



* We encourage the hope of being able to gratify our readers with a com- 



Srehensive analytical view of these observations in the next number of our 

 oumal. 



