Retrospective Criticism. 439 



Well-powdered Strychnine supports the suppuration of wounds tolerably 

 well, and stimulates the locomotive system, without inconveniently exciting 

 the brain. It happens also in certain palsies, such as those which are caused 

 by the carbonate of lead, that the power of motion is restored, without the 

 production of those violent shocks which have been so unpleasant to pa- 

 tients. M. Bailly has observed, with respect to this medicine in general, 

 that it often excites a marked turgescence about the head, heightening the 

 colour of the face, which demands the suspension of the remedy, if not the 

 intervention of blood-letting. {Brande's Quar. Jour., Jan. 1828, p. 494.) 



Art. VIII. Retrosjjective Criticism. 



Heating Hot-houses hy Hot Water. — Sir, I have just read, in your Maga- 

 zine (Vol. III. p. 423.), a letter from a Mr. John Barrow of London, claim- 

 ing on behalf of Mr. Atkinson (by whom he was employed), the first sugges- 

 tion of heating forcing-houses by hot water in the early part of 1822, and 

 also the first adoption of it in the latter end of the same year. Mr. Barrow 

 observes : " That in the year following (which, of course, would be 1825), 

 Mr. Atkinson was introduced to Mr. Anthony Bacon, who then lived at 

 Benham, near Newbury, where he had made some experiments in heating 

 forcing-houses with hot water, but no house had been heated to prove how 

 far Mr. Bacon's plan would answer; his (Mr. Bacon's) first attempt was 

 made at Abernaen (read Aberaman) in Glamorganshire, in 1822, with one 

 large cast-iron pipe about 1 2 ft. long," &c. 



" This however not being found to answer," continues Mr. Barrow, " it 

 was upon Mr. Atkinson's explaining the principle of action in his model, 

 and the necessity of having two pipes to cause circulation, that Mr. Bacon 

 allowed him to adopt his own plan for the forcing-house at Elcot, and I 

 was employed under Mr. Atkinson's direction, and executed the boiler and 

 pipes for one vinery ; and when this house had been tried with success, Mr. 

 Bacon had other houses done.ypon the same plan, which were executed 

 under Mr. Atkinson's direction, and I had an opportunity of seeing what 

 Mr. Bacon had done, and also had his model, which went to the extent of 

 his invention. I have tried it on my own premises, and am quite convinced, 

 as far as his invention went, it never could have been successfully applied." 



Now, Sir, for as much as Mr. Barrow only acted under Mr. Atkinson's 

 directions, I can easily understand him to have believed what he writes, 

 and not to have seen any other model of my brother's than the above 

 named; I cannot, however, so easily understand how Mr. Atkinson could 

 have been ignorant (if ignorant he was'', that, so far from the single pipe 

 being either the extent of my poor brother's invention, or his first and unsuc- 

 cessful attempt, it was, on the contrary, only a second experiment made here 

 to try how far iron and fuel might thereby be saved ! No, Sir ; his first and 

 successful attempt with the two pipes was made herein the year 1821, solely 

 under my brother's direction, as the bills in my possession, and the work- 

 men now in my employ will clearly prove, as well as that the whole appa- 

 ratus has continued to act as perfectly and satisfactorily ever since ! So 

 much so, indeed, that the forcing-houses at Elcot (my late brother's newly 

 built residence in Berkshire) have been fitted up on the same plan. Thisa 

 letter addressed by Mr. Whale, the gardener at Elcot, to the Horticultural 

 Societj', and afterwards published in your Magazine (Vol. III. p. 186.), will 

 fully testify. 



I beg pardon for having troubled you at such length, but I considered it 

 due to the memory of my late brother, to show that, however the heating 

 of rooms by hot water may have been partially suggested or adopted by 



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