66 
to the rapidity of the circulation, the 
change of the venal into arterial blood, 
and of the arterial into venal, that we 
eught to attribute the almcft conftant 
permanence of temperature which is ob- 
ferved throughout the whole fyftcm. 
Yet, as no exact experiment exifts which 
demonftrates a perfect equality between 
the température of the extremities and 
that of the center, one may, ftriétly fpeak- 
ing, give a reafon for the nearly conftant 
duration of our temperature, without at- 
ending to the difference of capacity of 
arterial and of venal blood; but as this _ 
explanation is by nd means fo fatisfactory, 
IT think what is here offered by me may 
be admitted, until experiments move ac- 
curate than thofe of CRAWFORD have 
roduced different confequences. 
Thefe cbfervaticns fead us ftili to many 
ether moft important confequences. 
The cold fit at the approach of fevers 
is preceded by languor, a fenfe ef de- 
bility, and a diminution in the quantity 
of blood which paffes the lungs ina given 
time; under which circumftance there 
is lefs vital air decompofed, and confe- 
quently lefs calcric difengaged: but foon 
after a fpafm comes en upon the furface 
of the fkin, the circulation is accelerated, 
and the blocd rufhes in abundance to the 
heart, which increafes the confumption of 
vital air, and the communication of ca- 
loric to the whole of the fyftem. 
In putrid fevers, the putrefcent ftate of 
the fyftem which increafes the quantity 
ef carbonated hydrogene commonly con- 
tained in the venal blood, muf ftill add 
to the acceleration of the circulation and 
of refpiration. For this reafon, probably, 
the temperature of the human body is 
never more exalted than in this kind of- 
fever. 
Topical or lecal inflaramation is ac- 
companied with a higher temperature than 
is natural to animals. The pulfation of 
the vecels, and microfcopical obferva- 
tions, indicate an acceleration of the cir- 
culation of the blocd paffing through the 
inflamed part; on the other hand, the 
ftagnation of the ferous fluid in the ad- 
jacent cellular membrane occafions, under 
this circumftance, a tendency to putre- 
 fation. Trefe two caufes concur in aug- 
menting the temperature obferved in topi- 
cal inflammations ; and, in fact, the blood, 
affing with greater rapidity, and com- 
bining itfelf with a greater quantity of 
eart-onated hydrogeney gives out a much 
reater cuantity of caloric 1m & given’ 
FS 4 
time. 
Animal Heat.....Negleéted Biography. 
-tioned in them. 
[ Zug. 
To the Edtior of ibe Monthly Magazine. 
SRR hs 
N the firt volume of your Magazine, 
page 130, were fome pertinent obfer- 
Vations on the fubje€t o: Negiected Bio- 
graphy. It isa pity that thefe obierva- 
tions have not excited more attention in 
your readers, fo as to have procured trom 
them fome valuable commun:cations re- 
fpecting thofé eminent perions to whole 
memories biographical juftice remains yet 
to be paid. It was expected that the 
long-promifed edition of the ‘* Biegraphi- 
cal Didicnary’” would have amply fup- 
plied many of the deficiences complained 
of, and that it would have been caft in 
an improved form. ‘That work has, at 
length, appeared; but, to the furprize of 
many, the execution is uncommonly ilo- 
veniy. Ali the old lives have been re- 
tained in their priftine wretched ftate, and 
with all their errors. Ihe new lives are 
comparatively but few, and very ill- 
written. A great number of interelting 
names are entirely omitted; and others 
are juft mentioned, without any traits of 
character, or any’ fpecification of their 
merits. The life of Badcock>is taken 
verbatim from the fketch given in a Ma- 
gaziné of 1790 and 17913 and no notice 
is at all taken of the more finifhed and 
correét memoir of that ingenious man in 
Dr. WaTKins’s Effays. The eccentric 
John Henderfon, of Oxford, is pafled over 
in filence, though a curious account of 
him is to be met with in the volume juft 
mentioned. Many others are alfo totally 
negle€ted, as Dr. Edward Cobden, the 
divine and poet; Dr. John Shebbeare, the 
politician; Dr. George Lavington, pre- 
late, cum multis aliis. Some ot the edi- 
tors cr publifhers of that collection have 
dealt very unfaithfully with the public, 
in putting ferth fuch an imperfet work, 
after fo confiderable a lapfe of time fince 
the preceding edition. No excule can 
poflibly be made for carelefinefs like this, 
when it is confidered, that about four 
years have been confumed in preparing 
this impreflion 5, nor can any apology be 
urged for thefe omiffions, when the ne- 
ceflary information was fo very eafy to 
be had. 
With your leave, Mr. Editor, I will, 
in the future numbers of your valuable 
mifcellany, communicate, under the head 
of NEGLECTED Bi0oGRAPHY, brief me- 
moirs of fuch eminent perfons as have 
been entirely omitted in biographical col- 
leGkions, or have been but {lightly men- 
And I fhail hope that 
fome of your intelligent readers will affift 
in 
