Notices respect hg New Books, 7 1 



into the general relation between hydatids and cancer, 

 5th. The locality of the disease. 6(h. The peculiar kind of 

 pain, which is soanetimes compared by the patient to tlie 

 gnawing of an animal. 



^* Such are the facts,'* concludes Mr. C, " that lead 

 mc to adopt the unnatural hypothe:^is that cancer enjoys an 

 independent animal existence in the body on which it preys; 

 and when another theory offers itself that so precisely meets 

 every circumstance, and so perspicuously disentangles every 

 difficulty of this obscure and intricate disease, 1 shall with- 

 out hesitation relinquish opinions that I confess are difficult 

 to digest, and most difficult to him whose reading has been 

 most extensive. Vain indeed would be any effort to render 

 then) palatable to minds versed in systems of every branch 

 of philosophy, if they had not previously learned the vanity 

 of all human knowledge, and the futility of attempting to 

 embrace within systems the infinite variety of nature." 



We cannot help remarking, that most if not all these ar- 

 guments in favour of the vitality of cancer are urged by 

 Vr, Adams. The second indeed — that carcinoma arises in 

 parts naturally endued with little life, is somewhat diffe- 

 rently stated by that author. In accounting for the breasts, 

 ovaries, uterus, and testicles becoming the nidus tor hy- 

 datids in general, as well as for what he calls carcinomatous 

 hydatids. Dr. Adams assumes as a cause, that such parta 

 are not necessary for the existence of the supporting ani- 

 mal, and that after a certain time they becon»e useless for 

 those offices for which only they are destined. — 7'hat by 

 injury that uselessness may be anticipated, and that in some 

 females who are barren, the parts ab initio being useless, 

 the breast becomes the nidus for cancer at a very early pe- 

 riod. — ^The last argument produced by Mr. Carmichael we 

 think might be omitted. Gnawing pain is a very common 

 term for rheumatism — darting is a nmch more usual de- 

 scription for cancer among the unhappy sufferers. We 

 mean not by these remarks to detract from the candour 

 or merits of the author. He seems to have omitted scarcely 

 any other opportunity of introducing Dr. Adams's name, 

 and always with respect : and as to his own opinions, it 

 must be admitted that they stand on the fairest ground — 

 the success of a generally adopted practice. *s. 



Mr. C. next enters on the " treatment of cancers.'* In 

 this most important part, and which, notwithstanding the 

 envy of some of our contem{)oraries, we thmk we may 

 truly call his own, as far as any philosophical view of the 



E 4 subject 



