582 
and to protra& the perpetuity of the 
difeafe. 
In fuch cafes, the great object of the 
medical practitioner ought to be, without 
apparent defign, to divert the attention of 
his patient from any melancholy fubje& of 
remembrance or anticipaticn. ‘This is mott 
effectually done by thofe means that are 
calculated to direct his. notice to external 
objects, or to engage him in fome mecha- 
nical-occupation. 
Perhaps one of the principal caufes of 
the alarmingly increafed prevalence of ner- 
vous difeafes at the preient time, is the 
modern cultivation among ladies, of what 
is called a literary tafiz, that is, a tafte for 
works of fentiment and fancy, which too 
frequently induces an inattention to, and 
even a contempt for, that minute detail of 
houlewifcry, and the various operations of 
manual ingenuity, by which the matrons 
and virgins cf former periods, not only in 
an effential manner contributed to domef- 
tic comfort and accommodation, but like- 
wife fecured themfelves in a great meafure 
from that indulgence of paflion, and thofe 
confequent difeafes of the imagination, to 
which fo many females of more recent days 
have fallen the melancholy victims. 
Among the initances of fever that have 
eccurred duing the laft month, one is Te- 
markable for having been received from 
tiie efavia, of a chur¢h-yard, almoft eon- 
tiguous to the difpenfary. The cafe al- 
‘huded too was, that of a boy about eleven 
years of age, who, after having made mar- 
bles of the clay, amuled himfelt in playing 
with them,. with his companions, on the 
graves of the recentiy-deceafed. 
A cafe of a fimilar nature was noticed 
inthe firt of thefe reports; and another 
eccurred to the Writer not many months 
fince, at a confiderable diftance from the 
maetropolis. 
New Patents lately enrolled. 
[May 1, 
A grave-digger, at prefent uniter the 
care of the Reporter, has been, fince he 
entered into his employment, very fre- 
quently attacked with fever, which from 
circumftances evidently appeared to have 
been ocecafioned by the noxious nature 
of his occupation. Such. facts as thefe 
demonttrate in a moft impreflive manner, 
the danger arifing from church-yards fitu- 
ated in the centre of populous towns : thofe 
- confecrated fpois, which were deftined ta 
be the peaceful repofitories of the dead, 
are thus too frequently converted into fer- 
tile fources of mifchief and mifery to the 
living. This muf prove the cafe in a ftill 
more aggravated degree, in thofe cemete- 
ries which are exceflively and indeceptly 
crowded; in which, ftrata above ftrata of 
cadaverous matter lie in the clofeft con- 
tact, and where one body is not unfre- 
quently mutilated or removed te give place 
to another. Such a foil as this, compofed 
entirely of human relics, conititutes an 
accumulated mafs of malignant and almoft 
irrefiftible contagion. Independently of 
fuch phyfical confiderations, there is ne 
man, in fpite of all his reafonings, but 
mult feel a fentimental repugnance toe mo- 
left the quiet, and to violate the fanéctity 
of the grave. i | 
The general records of mortality have 
of late been unufually crowded; but a 
ftill more peculiar fatality feems to have 
prevailed for thefe few laft menths amon 
men of extraordimary genius, and of the 
moft eminent moral and intelle€tual endow- 
ments. So many lights of the world as 
Pulteney, Darwin, Moore, Wakefield, 
Geddes, and the late Duke of Bedford, 
have rarely within fo brief a fpace been 
loft to the community. 
I. R. 
25 Eajt fireet, Red Lion Square, 
April 24th, 1802. 
NEW PATENTS LATELY ENROLLED. 
=a 
MR. POTT’S PATENT for a2 ARTIFICIAL 
LEG. 
Patent has been. granted to Mr. 
: Pott, cf Belford, Northumberland, 
| for an Artificial Leg, which is made of 
light materiais, and has great refemblance 
to the bony and flefhy parts of the natural 
leg. By this the wearer is enabled to 
avoid thofe femi-circular motions, which 
moft artificial legs require: all its mo- 
tions are perfeétly at his command; he 
has the power of turning the foot inward 
and outward, and can imitate almott every. 
motion that can be performed by the na- 
tural lee. The wearer of Mr. Pott’s ar- 
tificial leg can, with the utmoft eafe, fit, - 
kneel, rife, pull on and off a boot, and 
even walk feveral miles without incurrin 
great fatigue. 
This ingenious invention was the off- 
fpring of neceility: the Patentee having 
unfortunately. fuffered amputation above 
the knee, was led to contrive the beft pof- 
fible method of fupplying the deficiency. 
Aithough we prefume not to anticipate the 
merits of future inventions, yet we fhall 
be 
