¥g2 
avities of the abdomen, and thus fpeedily 
terminated ltis exiftence. Again, another 
had, by miftake, made ufe of arfenic, 
which cccafioned violent pains, not _un- 
Kke thofe of a common cholic. ’ A large 
quantity of fweet oil, taken internally, 
was the means ‘of his prefervation ; 
whereas the remedies employed in the 
ether cafes would have been totally inef- 
fe&tual. Here I willingly clofe a narra- 
tive, the recital of which cannot but ex- 
eite the moft painful fenfations: to 
fengthen this illuftration would lead me 
tog far beyond my prefcribed limits; 
ince cafes of this nature happen fo tre- 
quently, that it would be eafy to extend 
the account of them by a long catalogue 
ef interefting but fatal accidents. 
What is more natural than to place 
confidence in a remedy which we have 
kvown to afford relief to others, in the 
fame kind of affection? The patient 
anxioufly inquires after a perfon who had 
been affiided with the fame malady. He 
is eager to learn the remedy that has been 
ufed with fuccefs. His friend, or neigh- 
bour, imparts to him the wifhed-for ‘in- 
tellicence. He is determined to give it a 
f2ir trial, and takes it with confidence. 
From what has been ftated, it will not 
be dificult to conceive, that if his cafe 
does not exaGlly correfpond with that of 
his friend, any chance remedy may be ex- 
tremely dangerous, and even fatal. 
The phytician is ubliged to employ alk 
his fagacity, {upportéd: by his own: ex- 
perience, as well as by that of his pre-_ 
deceflors; and, neverthelefs, he is often 
under the temporary neceflity of difcover- 
ing, from the progrefs of the difeafe, what 
he could not derive from the minuteft re- 
fearches. ‘How then can it be expected 
that a novice in the art of healing fhould 
be more faccefsful, when the whole of 
his method of cure is either the impulfe 
ef the moment, or the effect of his own 
eredulity? It may, therefore, be truly 
faid, that life and death are often en- 
trufted to chance. 
From what has been premifed, it may 
be confidently afferted, that a zofirum, or 
wniverfal remedy, is as great a difidera- 
twm as the philofopher’s ftone, or as a 
perpetual and univerfal peace among men. 
This laft, indeed, is not phyfically im- 
‘pofible; itonly requires, that mankind 
be unitormly difpofed in their morat feel- 
ings. But an univerfal medicine can 
only be expected to gain credit with the 
weak, the credulousy or the ignorant. 
One of the moft unfortunate circum- 
fances in the hiftory of fuch medicines 
Preach Syftem of Public Inffruftion. , 
if Sept. 
is the infinuating and dangerous method 
by which they are puffed into notice. And 
as we hear little of the baneful effects 
which they muft daily produce by being 
promifcuoufly applied, people attend only* 
to the extraordinary inftances, perhaps 
not one in fifty, where they have afforded 
a temporary relief. It is well known, 
that the mcre_ powerful the remedy is, 
the more permanent and dangerous muft 
. . 5 ~ a 
be its effects on the conftitution ; efpeci- - 
ally if it be introduced, like many patent 
medicines, by an almoft indefinite in< 
creafe of the dofes. 
There is another confideration, nof 
apt to ftrike thofe who are unacquainted - 
with the laws of animal ceconomy.—= 
When we intend to bring about any re- 
markable change in the fyftem of an or- 
“ganized bedy, we are obliged to employ 
fuch means as may contribute to pro- 
duce that change, without affeéting too 
violently the wimg powers; or without 
extending their action to an improper 
length. Indeed, the patient may be gra- 
dually habituated to aimoft any ftimulus, 
but at the expence of his palfied organs, 
and a broken conttitution. Such are the 
melancholy effects of impofture and cre- 
dulity! Were it poffible to colle all 
the cafes of facrifices to this myfterious 
infatuation, it is probable, that their 
number would exceed the havoc made by 
the {word, and the bayonet. : 
ASE. Me WHELICH. 
London, Aug. 13, 1798. 
IN 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazines 
SIR, 
Am, im common with every true 
friend to {cience and the beft interefts 
of humanity, much pleafed with the ac- 
count given us. in your laft Magazine, o 
the prefent fyitem of public inftruction in 
France. I ardently with that ir may be 
productive of the greateft advantages 
whieh its mof zealous friends can expec? — 
from it, and that by the diffnfion’ of 
knowledge through every order ot focietys 
mildnefs of manners, and a genuine fpirit 
of philanthropy, may pervade that great 
and powerful nations. The part of the 
{yftera which feems to me the mof im- 
portant, is that alfo which is likely te 
be attended with the greateft difficulties 5, 
I mean the primary {ehools: and I fhould 
be greatly obliged to any of your cor- 
re{pondents who would anfwer me the 
following queries. Do the primary {chools 
include both boys aad girls ? Under what 
penalties are parents obliged to fend their 
children? And, in point of fa&, wey 
haw 

