Fralf-yearly Retrofpe& of Britifs Literature. 
plan. It will not be thought imperti- 
nent, ‘however, to {tate the manner in 
which the effufion of cold water ought to- 
be uled in fever ; one exacerbation, and one 
remiffion of fever, are ufually obfervable 
in the {pace of twenty-four hours; the 
moft advantageous time for affufion 1s 
when the exacerbation is at its height, or 
emmediately after its declination is begun ; 
this is ufually in the evening ; but the af- 
fufion may be ufed at any tine of the 
day, when there is no fenfe of chillings pre- 
fext; when the heat of the furface is flea- 
dily above aviat is natural; and when 
there is uo general or profufe perjpiration. 
An afperfion of cold water during the 
cold ftage of the paroxyfin of fever nay 
be fatal: its immediate effeGs are a 
fufpended refpiration, together with a 
pulfe, fluttering, feeble, and incalculably 
quick: it fhould never be reforted to, 
therefore, even though the thermometer, 
when applied to the body, fhould indicate 
unufual heat, if the patient feels a chilli- 
nef{S pervade him ; nor can it be ufed with 
fafety, though the patient feels no chilli- 
nefs, if the heat of the body, meafured by 
a thermometer, only equals the natural heat : 
and, laftly, the ufe of it is dangerous 
when the body is under profufe perfpi- 
ration, even though its heat, at the mo- 
ment of application, be creater than the 
natural heat ; for perfpiration is of itfelf 
a cooling procefs. Under thele reftric- 
_ tions the affufion of cold water may -be 
a 
ufed at any period of fever, and is reme- 
dial in a great variety of febrile difor- 
ders; in all cafes, however, its effets 
will be more falutary as it is ufed ‘more 
early. The*fame general rules may be 
adopted for the ufe of cold water in fever, 
as a drink, with thofe for external appli- 
cation. ‘This interefting work of Dr. C. 
is written with great perfpicuity, ele- 
gance, and fimplicity. In terms of com- 
mendation we would alfo notice Dr. 
BREE’s “ Pradical Inquiry on difordered 
Refpiration.” In this inquiry is exhi- 
bited a comprehenfive view of the nu- 
merous incidental circumftances which 
may injurioufly affect refpiration ; and 
cates of afthma are included under a ge- 
neral propofition of extenfive applica- 
tion to difeafes of thelungs: «that cer- 
tain inordinate contraGtions of the re- 
{piratory mufcles indicate the prefence of 
a matter offending the pulmonary organs, 
either by its oppreffive bulk, or acrid 
quality, or both.’ . The author propofes 
this as the moft important objeét of in- 
quiry ; anda great part of his elaborate 
work is dedicated to the fupport of this 
polition, One principal fubject of the 
Sor 
work is, that curious diforder of refpira- 
tion called convulfive afthma, in which 
*‘ the mutcless are contraéted with more 
energy and violence thanin any other ; 
but the contraétions do not obey any 
law, nor aflume any form which is not 
common to the extraordinary action of the 
fame mutcles in-milder inftances of dyfp- 
noea.”? ~ The cure of afthma, accordin: 
to Dr. BREE, is to be attempted in the 
intermiflions ; he ‘does not undertake to 
conquer the paroxyiin at its acceffion, 
unieis it belong to the fpecies which de- 
pends on habit. As a means of relief, 
he recommends, generally, naufeating 
dofes of Ipecacuanha, faline, and bitter 
medicines; vinegarand chalk, and ex- 
pectorants, not oily; antifpaimodics are 
found ufelefs, except when the contrac- 
‘tions depend on habit, which furnithes 
additional weight to the argument,againt 
fpafmodic conftriétion of the byonchia. 
The information tobe derived from this 
work is very confiderable. If in all re. 
{peéts it is not fatisfagtory, we-muit ac- 
knowledge the noyelty of the arrange- 
ment, and the dificulty of the fubje& 
which has never before had due’ at- 
tention .paid to its importance.’ A 
tranflation has appeared from the Ger- 
man of Dr. HUFELAND on “ The Art of 
preferving Life.” » Dr. H. makes the fol- 
lowing judicious diftin:tion in his pre- 
face: the obje&t of the medical art, is 
health ; that of the macrobiotic, long life. 
The means employed in ‘the medical are 
regulated according to the prefent ftate 
of the body and its variations ; thofe of 
the macrobiotic by general principles.’? 
This ingenious work is evidently intend- 
ed rather for the public at large, than for 
the profeffion in particular} the author 
confiders the nature of lite in\an organiz- 
ed bemg; what is its effence\ and what 
are its wants; he endeavours \o difcover 
under what circumftances the precefs can 
be haftened and fhortened, or retarded and 
prolonged. Dr. H.‘fuppofes that the 
duration of life, will, ceteris paribus, be 
proportionate, 1. to the innate quantity 
of vital power; 2. to the greater or lefs 
firmnefs of its organs; 3. to the {peedier 
or. flower confumption; and, 4. to the 
perfect or imperfect reftoration, On each 
of theie grounds feveral important con- 
clufions are deduced, and rules laid down 
for the attainment of a-healthiul longe- 
vitys ‘This work, though not containing 
much novelty of remark, is well worth 
perufal. The fame obfervation is appli- 
cable to Dr. BEDDOES’ “* Lefures, zutro- 
ductory to a Courfe of popular InfiruZion on 
the Conftitution and Management of the Hu- 
Man 
