802 
in the stagnant water, which they are obliged 
to drink in the summer months, when they 
quit the mountains, and inhabit the wood 
parts of their country. This disease termi- 
nates in a flow of saliva. It is known that 
lead occasionally excites a salivasion like mer- 
cury. It is much more probable, that the 
colic is caused by the spirits used to correct 
the water than by these worins, or any bad 
quality of the water itself. The Laplanders, 
itis true, distil no spirits, their country hardly 
producing grain of any kind. But they are 
abandantly supplied by their neighbours, and 
so much attached to the use of strong liquors, 
that a bottle of brandy is the customary pre- 
sent, exacted daily from the young men by 
the fathers of their intended brides. The 
spirits that are used among this rude people, 
cannot be supposed to be prepared with the 
smallest attention to nicety.” 
It is not easy to find an example of 
hypothesis carried to a more extravagant 
length. An ordinary observer would 
suppose that the vehicles of the lead, the 
brandy and whisky, might have full as 
‘much share in disordering the stomach 
of these jovial Laplanders asthe metallic 
poison, the very existence of which is 
purely hypothetical. 
The following is one of the author’s 
strongest cases ; let our readers judge of 
its validity. 
*€ In December, 1802, I visited Mrs. B—, 
the wife of a farmer, a person advanced in 
life. She had sufiered pains 6f the bowels 
about eight years. ‘The pain was of extreme 
severity, aflecting the whole canal, and at- 
tacking in paroxysms. It was relieved by 
pressure on the abdomen. During the inter- 
vals*there was always an uneasiness of the 
bowels. She was better after food than 
when the stomach was empty. ‘There was 
no fever; the urine was pale, as in liysterical 
women. 
«These paroxysms came on with such a 
violent tremor that three people were neces« 
sary to hold her. The attacks also left a tre- 
mor on her for some time. At my second 
visit I perceived asbaking of the head, which 
she had not when | firstsaw her. She had 
also in the beginning of the paroxysms an 
ejection of a watery fluid fromthe stomach, 
asin the disease called pryrosis. 
«« This disease I haveno hesitation in pro- 
Art. LXI. The Edinburgh New Dizpensatory ; containing I. the Elements of Pharma- 
ceutical Chemistry ; 11. the Materia Medica; or, the natural, pharmaceutical, and me- 
dical History of the different Substances employed in Medicine ; III. the pharmaceutical 
Preparations and Compositions, inchiding complete and accurate Translations of the octavo 
modern Chtiuistey. 
MEDICINE, SURGERY, ANATOMY, &c. 
_ from them.” 
Edition of the London Pharmacopwia, published in 1791 ; Dublin Pharmacepaia, pub- 
lished in 179%; and. of the new Ldition of the Edinburgh Pharmacopwia, pullished in 
1803.°. Ltustraied and. emplained in the Language, and according ta the Principles. of 
With many new aad useful sige and several Copper Plates, ex- 
nouncing to be purely saturnine. The only — 
way in which f can discover the poison te 
be introduced is by meat salted in a leaden 
trough. I shall prove in the sequel, that 
common salt dissolves lead very abundantly. 
Indeed J believe that there is a pretty general 
suspicion of the noxious qualities of these — 
troughs, on which account they are much — 
less used than formerly. This is one of the 
cases, where common observation has anti- 
cipated scientific enquiries, or, to spealt 
more properly, is in contradiction to the de- 
ductions which have been hitherto formed 
The second part of this treatise con- 
tains the proofs of the existence of lead, 
derived from chemical analysis. The 
common mode of detecting it by sul+ 
phurated hydrogen, the author finds to 
be insufficient for the purpose, where the 
quantity is very minute; and he de- 
scribes some improved methods, the 
chief of which is to make a more con- 
centrated solution, by previously ob- 
taining by an alkali, allthe precipitable 
contents of any water, redissolving this 
in nitric acid, and then applying the test 
of hydro-sulphurated water. As we 
have considerable confidence in Dr. 
Lambe’s chemical knowledge, we think 
that this method may fully answer the 
purpose, and many other chemical ob- 
servations . are added, which will be 
perused with pleasure. 
Though we cannot agree with the au- 
thor in the general fr: sane which he 
would throw on a valuable metal, we 
acknowledge with pleasure the many 
useful hints that he gives on the varieties 
of the saturnine disease, and the means 
of additional security which he has fur- 
nished us. As this metal has already 
enough to answer for in the destruction 
of the human species, we should be sorry 
to be debarred trom using it for so many 
important and domestic purposes to our 
daily convenience; but if our author’s 
accusation were well founded, we could 
never regard it in any other light than 
that of a most insidious enemy, and 
could not think ourselves secure till we 
had entirely banished it from our houses. 
