368 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



It came on at the age of thirteen 

 as has been already stated. He 

 was then in the service of Prussia, 

 at the siege of Thionville: they 

 were at that time much straitened 

 for provision, and as he found this 

 did not suit him, he deserted into 

 the town. He was conducted to 

 the French general, who presented 

 him with a large melon, which he 

 devoured, rind and all, and then 

 an immense quantity and variety of 

 other species of food, to the great 

 entertainment of that officer and his 

 suite. From that time he has pre- 

 ferred raw to dressed meat; and 

 when he eats a moderate quantity 

 of what has been either roasted or 

 boiled, he throws it up immediate- 

 ly. What is stated above, there- 

 fore, respecting his never vomiting, 

 is not to be understood literally, 

 bu t imports merely , that those things 

 which are most nauseous to others 

 have no effect upon his stomach. 



There is nothing farther to re- 

 mark, but that since the attested 

 narrative was drawn up, he has 

 repeated^ indulged himself in the 

 cruel repasts before described, de- 

 vouring the whole animal, except 

 the skin, bones, and bowels; but 

 this has been put a stop to, on ac- 

 count of the scandal which it justly 

 excited. 



In considering this case, it seems 

 to afford some raattersforreflection, 

 which are not only objects of con- 

 siderable novelty and curiosity, but 

 interestingandiniportant,by throw- 

 ing light on the process by which 

 the food is digested and disposed of. 

 Monstrosity and disease, Avhether 

 in the structure of parts, or in the 

 functions and appetites, illustrate 

 particular points of the animal eco- 

 nomy, by exhibiting them in certain 

 relations in which thev are not to 



be met with in the common course 

 of nature. The power of the sto- 

 mach, in so quickly dissolving, assi- 

 milating, and disposing of the ali- 

 ment in ordinary cases, must strike 

 every reflecting person with won- 

 der; but the history of this case 

 affords a more palpable proof, and 

 more clear conception of these pro- 

 cesses, just as objects of sight be- 

 come more sensible and striking, 

 when viewed by a magnifying glass, 

 or when exhibited on a larger scale. 

 The facts here set forth tend also 

 to place in a strong light the great 

 importance of the discharge by the 

 skin and to prove that it is by this 

 outlet, more than by the bowels, jj 

 that the recrementitiouspartsof the i 

 aliment are evacuated: that there 

 is an admirable co-operation esta- 

 blished between the skin and the 

 stomach, by means of that consent 

 of parts so observable, and so neces- 

 sary to the other functions of the 

 animal economy ; and, that the pur- 

 pose of aliment is not merely to ad- 

 minister to the growth and repair 

 of the body, but by its bulk and 

 peculiar stimulus to maintain the 

 play of the organs essential to life. 



Observations respecting the Etixine; 

 J'rom the French ofLe Chevalier's 

 Voyage to the Fropontis. 



THE Euxine possesses the ad- 

 vantage of having not one rock, 

 and of affording several harbours, 

 roadsteads, or anchorages, on all its 

 coasts; yet every year witnesses fre- 

 quent shipwrecks, occasioned by the 

 ignorance and inexperience of the 

 Turkish mariners, who sail without 

 charts, without rule, and almost as 

 chance directs. No observations 

 are to be expected from them, on 



