1802.] Statiftical Account of the Parifh of Crofbyravenfworth. 421 
principally adopted the method recom- 
mended by Dr. Jenner and others, who 
have written upon the vaccine-inocula- 
tion; but he has never experienced that 
the vaccine-matter will, in a length of 
time, lofe its infe€tion, and cannot he 
communicated by infertion, as moft au- 
thors upon the fubjeét have afferted. On 
the contrary, he has never known it lefs 
infectious, how long foever it had been 
kept, than when recently taken from the 
patient. This, however, may have been 
occafioned by his making the incifions ra- 
ther larger than fome of the medical men 
do, by which means the punctures receive 
a greater quantity of fluid, and confe- 
quently the inoculated perfon is more 
likely to become infected. It is needlefs 
to add, that this gentleman’s exertions in 
the caufe of humanity are highly merito- 
rious*, 
There have been of late years few in- 
ftances of mortality among young people, 
but what have been occafioned by pulmo- 
nary complaints, or ** tubercular affec- 
tions of the lungs,” which have indeed 
proved fatal to many; nor has it ever 
occurred, that a confirmed phthifis has 
yielded to any, even the moft ingenious 
prefcriptions of the faculty; though the 
patient generally flattered himfelf to the 
laft with the hopes of recovery. Some 
have died lately of the pleurify and the 
dropfy, and one of an abcefs of the liver, 
which, though it formed pretty well out- 
wardly, it was not deemed advilfeable to 
Open, on account of the extreme debility 
of the patient. One inftatice has occur- 
red of an inflammation of the brain, which 
terminated fatally. The patient feemed, 
from the firft attack of the diforder, to have 
loft al {peech and recollection ; nor did the 
fiupor yield in the leaft to the application 
of leeches, fetons, blifters, warm cata- 
plafms to the feet, nor any internal medi- 
cine whatever. About the tenth day the 
young man died. The peopl: here, when 
pretty far advanced in life, are generally 
carried off by complaints in the bowels, or 
by old age. 
In the. vale of Birkbeck, a branch of 
the Lune takes its rife; and, in the 
lower parts of the parifh, three or four 
fireamlets {pring, and form the river Ly- 
vennate, which runs north, and unites ir- 
felf to the Eden, a little before that river 
enters the county of Cumberland. Birk- 
MRR R a DLN ht a 
* To Mr. Gibfon, the compiler of thefe 
reports is indebted, not only for all the ma- 
terials, but for the compofition of the greateft 
part of this Statifical Account. . 
beck water, principally oozing from the 
mofles, is of a brown colour, but never- 
thelefs abounds with pretty large quanti- 
ties of trout, eels, and, in the {pawning 
feafon, a few falmon, Lyvennate, fpring- 
ing amongft limeftone, is as clear as. 
cryftal, and, being foftened by a courfe 
of three or four miles, makes tolerable 
water for bleaching. Its trout is of high 
repute, but it cannot boaft of any falmon. 
In Birkbeck Fells is a mineral fpring, 
which, from its contiguity to the parifh 
of Shap, ufually obtains the appellation of 
Shap-well, This mineral-water is well- 
known, and juftly efteemed, for its medi- 
cinal virtues. The ftones over which it 
pafics are tinged with a whitifh colour ; 
and it appears to be ftrongly impregnated 
with fulphur and rock-falt. It is found 
to be a powerful diuretic, and, in fome 
degree, cathartic, efpecially with the af 
fittance of Glauber’s falts. The mode- 
rate ufe of this mineral ftrengthens the 
ftomach, and promotes digeftion ; and it 
is generally employed with fuccefs as a 
warm-bath in moft feorbutic and rheuma- 
tic complaints. During the faummer fea- 
fon great numbers refort to this place for 
the purpofes of bathing, and drinking the 
water, though the accommodations are 
not in themfelves inviting, nor indeed.in 
any manner fuitable for the valetudinarian 
and infirm. Nature, by liberally pro- 
viding thefe falutary {prings in almoft 
every part of the earth, inconteftibly 
proves the kind and benevolent intentions 
of Divine Providence towards the human 
race, who thus adminifters diftillations 
more wholefome and effe&tual than all the 
artificial preparations of the chemift and 
the apothecary. 
An inftance, very extraordinary in na- | 
tural hillory, occurred about two years 
ago in the village of Crofby ; and which, 
unlefs it had been rendered indifputable 
by ocular demonftration, wouid,: in all 
probability, have been confidered as fabu- 
lous and incredible. A young chicken, 
only two days old, that had by fome ac- 
cident oneof its legs broken, was brought 
by the children of the houfe to which it 
belonged, with many tears and lamenta- 
tions, and placed on the hearth before 
the fire. A female cat, which was at 
that time in the houfe, approached the 
wounded and helplefs bird, and, to the 
aftonifhment at leaft of the elder part of 
the family, took it under her proteétion, 
Nor did {he remit her care and attention 
to tre unfortunzte bird, until it recovered 
of its broken limb, and was able to fol- 
low her about, which it continued to do- 
312 tor 
