the Human Kind and other Animals. 281 



The following is the full list of diseases, which Mr. 

 Blumenbach has referred to this section, or class, viz. : 



1. Amenorrhoea, 



2. Cancer, 



3. Clavus, 



4. Hernia congenita: 



5. " Prolapsus variae species, ut ille vesica urinaria 

 inverses cuius curatiorem notitionem debemus acumini 

 egregii Bonn :" 



6. Herpes, 



7. Tinea capitis. 



Amenorrhoea is, doubtless, a disease peculiar to 

 the human kind, if it be a fact that the human female is 

 the only animal, which is liable to the catamenial dis- 

 charge. And this opinion, advanced by some of the 

 earliest naturalists* whose writings have descended to 

 us, is warmly supported by Mr. Blumenbachf. I must 

 confess, however, that I do not think the observations 

 of my ingenious friend are by any means conclusive. 

 I will not assert, that they are merely negative. Natu- 

 ralists and travellers of credit assure us, that various 

 species of Mammalia, especially in the order of Qiia- 

 drumanae, do menstruate. Nay, some of the Glires, 

 or llodentia%, also, it is said, have a catamenial dis- 



* Pliny, &c. 



t De Generis Ilumani Varietate Nativa. p. 50, 51. — See, alsa, 

 the author's Inslitutiones Physiologies, 8cc. Sect. XLII. p. 421. 



| See Dr. Span-man's account of the substance called " Basse?*- 

 piat" which he thinks, is most probably the menstrual excretion of 



