298 Medicine. 



The improved state of the mechanic arts has like- 

 wise served to divest it of much of that useless 

 machinery with which it was formerly encum- 

 bered, to retain only what appears to rest on the 

 basis of experience, and to aid ingenuity in sup- 

 plying many important deficiencies. Hence, the 

 surgery of the eighteenth century may not only 

 boast a more intimate acquaintance with the struc- 

 ture and functions of the human body, and with the 

 fundamental principles of diseases, but likewise a 

 superior simplicity, neatness, ease and expedition 

 in the performance of operations. 



Early in the century which forms the subject of 

 this retrospect, Laurence Heister, Professor of 

 Surgery in the University of Helmstadt, published 

 his system of surgery, which continued till about 

 fifteen years ago to be the only tolerably complete 

 system in possession of the public. This work 

 comprised whatever the experience of former times 

 had approved as useful, and such observations and 

 precepts as the knowledge and experience of the 

 learned author himself enabled him to add. Some 

 other systematic arrangements of chirurgical know- 

 ledge were, indeed, attempted about the middle 

 of the century. Platner, Professor of Surgery at 

 Leipsic, published his institutes of surgery in the 

 year 1745; and Ludwig, of the same University, 

 favoured the world with a similar publication in 

 17G7. But both these works, though possessed 

 of great merit, are too compendious to give a clear 

 and distinct account of the numerous topics of 

 which they treat. 



In Great-Britain, Mr. Cheselden was much 

 distinguished by his chirurgical eminence in the 

 early part of the century. He improved the lateral 

 operation of LitJwtomy, and devoted much atten- 

 tion to the diseases of the Eyes. His pupil, Mr. 

 Samuel Sharpe, obtained soon afterwards a high 



