1802.) 
im different countries, without the fmal- 
ket fufpicion of unfair conduét on either 
fide: of the truth of this pofition, the 
difcovery of the identity of lightning with 
the eleétrical fluid, which was made about 
the fame period, by Dr. Franklin in Ame- 
rica, and a gentleman in France ; as well 
as that of oxygen-gas, by Mr. Scheele, 
and Dr. Prieftley, afford remarkable ex- 
amples. If then we may reafon from 
thele faéts to the fubjeét in queftion, it 
muft be obvious, that the ftriking coinci- 
dence between the procefs of Guyton, and 
that recommended by Dr. Johnitone, is 
infufficient of itfelf, unlefs fupported by 
ether evidence, to invalidate the claim of 
the former to originality, or to eftablith a 
complete proof that he derived his know- 
ledge of that procefs from this country. 
We would not indeed abfolutely af- 
firm, fince we cannot know, that the 
_ French chemift had never, in his re- 
fearches, received a reflected ray of light 
from the work of Dr. Johnftone; but 
again {uch a mere poffibility the internal 
evidence difplayed in the peculiar fea- 
tures of M,. Guyton’s Treatife on this 
fubjeét muft be allowed to militate with 
confiderable force. Befides, when we 
take into confideration, that the procefs of 
Dr. Jolnftone feems, in a great meafure, 
to have been neglected, even by his own 
countrymen, and that, moreover, at the 
period when Morveau promulgated the 
fame procefs, for the purification of viti- 
ated air, the properties of the muriatic- 
acid-gas, in a very peculiar manner, en- 
gaged the attention of the chemical world ; 
no doubt can, we think,. be entertained, 
that this ingenious chemift aéted from his 
own reafoning alone, and was altogether 
unacquainted with the previous employ- 
ment of the fame means by the Englith 
phyfician. But, whatever difference of 
opinion may prevail refpecting this point, 
it cannot be denied, that to M. Guyton 
we are indebted for having fully efta- 
blifhed the efficacy of muriatic fumiga- 
tions, by a variety of well-condu@ed and 
decifive experiments. 
On the whole, the difcovery refpeéting 
the power of the mineral acids in a ftate 
of vapour; to prevent or controul. the 
deftruétive agency of contagion, appears 
to us {o important, and fraught with fo 
many benefits to fociety at large, that we 
confider not only the individual to whom 
we owe the original fuggeition, but alfo 
thofe who. have been more elpecially in- 
firumental in. intrcducing it into general 
practice, as well intitled to the gratitude 
of mankind. Whatever fhare, therefore, 
Dr. Fohnftone the Propofer of Acid Fumigations. 
205 
the labours of his predeceffors may be 
fuppofed to have had in dire&ting the 
views of Dr. Smyth to the employment of 
the nitric-acid-vapour for deftroying the 
contagion of infe€tious fevers, he is cer- 
tainly deferving of the highelt praife from 
his countrymen, for the laudable attention 
with which he profecuted his inveftigation 
of this interefting fubject, as well as for 
the indefatigable zeaJ with which he has 
Jaboured to introduce this falutary prac- 
tice into our fhips and hofpitals: for, al- 
though the muriatic muft be admitted to 
poflefs advantages,which render it fuperior 
to the nitric acid, not only from its greater 
expanfibility and more powerful aétion, 
but from the eafe and fafety with which it 
may be applied in all cafes whatever ; yee 
the antifeptic powers of both are fo very 
powerful, that either of them, it fhould 
feem, may be employed with the greateft 
confidence of fuccefs, in every fituation 
where the virulence of infeétion cannot 
be fubdued by the common methods of 
ventilation and cleanlinefs. 
Public ignorance refpeéting the manser 
in which contagion is propagated, and of 
the means neceflary to be purfued in order 
tocheck, and effeétually put a {top to, its 
progrefs, has hitherto greatly contributed 
to augment the fatality of infeétious dif- 
orders. It were therefore much to be 
wifhed, that the higher ranks of fociety, - 
who have the means of information in 
their power, would endeavour to diffufe a 
more general knowledge of the methods 
which experience has fanétioned as moft 
effe€tual in guarding againk infeétion,or of 
deftroying it, where it has been once intro- 
duced. The poor, as being more expofed 
tothe caufes produétive ot febrile conta~ 
gion, are generally indeed the firk to 
fuffer from its influence: but the evil does 
not always terminate here; for, as {parke’ 
of contagion frequently fly off, difeafe 
may be thus communicated to the families 
of the rich, among whom otherwife it 
would not have been produced. Since 
then, it appears, that the welfare of the 
rich is clofely conneéted with the profpe- 
rity of the poor; motives of felf-preferva- 
tion fhould operate on the former, indepen- 
dently of a principle of benevolence, to 
relieve the wants and alleviate the miteries 
to which a ftate of extreme indigence is 
unavoidably expofed. | 
—‘¢ Tua res agitur, paries quum proximus 
ardet: 
Et negle&ta folent incendia fumere vires.” 
R. HAL. 
St. Pancras, — 
Sept. 8, 1802. 
To 
