‘ 
Retrofpe of American Literature=—Chemiftry, Mathematics, Sc. 69% 
he warmly undertakes to “ expofe the 
medical, philofophical, and literary er- 
rors of that author, and vindicates the 
_ right which the faculty of the United 
States have to think and decide for 
themielves, refpecting the difeafes of 
theirown country, uninfluenced by the 
notions of the phyficians of Europe.” 
It.is unpleafant to obferve fuch marks 
of animofity and exceilive irritation in 
the mutual animadverfions of perfons 
who are both intitled to great public 
refpect. 
From Dr, Caldwell likewife, the pub- 
lic have lately received ** An Oration 
on the Caufes of the Difference, in 
Point of Frequency and Force, between 
the Endemic Difeafes of the United 
States of America, and thofe of the 
Countries of Europe, delivered, by Ap- 
pointment, to the Philadelphia Medical 
Society.’ , 
The Ifland of Jamaica has lately pro- 
duced a refpeétable work, in quarto, of 
néar 400 pages, under the title of 
** The Medical Affiftant; or, Jamaica 
Praétice of Phyfic, defigned chiefly for 
the Ufe of Families and Plantations, 
by.THomas Dancer, M.D. late Phy- 
¥icidn tothe Bath, andIfland Botanift.” 
Though this work is principally in- 
tended for popular ufe, it is likewife 
we!l calculated to afford information 
to phyficians concerning the difeafes of 
warm climates, and efpecially to fuch 
as are going, for the firft time, to re- 
fide and praétife medicine in fuch cli- 
mates. 
The learned Profeflor BARTON, of 
the Univerfity of Pennfylvania, within 
a few weeks, has prefented to the pub- 
lic a fecond edition of his ** Collec- 
tions for an Effay towards a Materia 
Medica of the United States.” This 
edition is enriched by the addition of 
a variety of matter, chiefly in the form 
of notes, containing the refults of much 
recent and interefting experience, in 
the ufe of a number of aétive medici- 
nal plants found in the United States. 
Dr. Currie’s “ Letters on the Kine- 
pox, and a Variety of other medical 
Subjects,” and Mr. Loncgporuom’s 
*¢ Treatife on Dentiftry, explaining the 
Difeafes of the Teeth and Gums, with 
the molt effectual Means of Prevention 
and Remedy,” &c. are of fo jittle im- 
portance or value, that it would be 
improper to detain the reader by any 
particular account of them. 
CHEMISTRY. 
From the prefs of Mefirs. Swords, in 
oh . 
New York, has lately iffued an * Ex- 
planation of the Synopfis of Chemical 
Nomenclature and Arrangement ; con~ 
taining feveral important Alterations 
of the. Plan originally reported by the 
French Academicians, by Samuen L. 
MitcHILtL, M.D. F.R.S.E. Profe{- 
for of Chemiftry in Columbia College, 
&c, &c. with a Chart annexed.” Be- 
fides Dr. Mitchill’s former propofals 
to fubftitute the term /eptonx for azote, 
and phlogifton for hydrogen, he urges, in 
this performance, the difcarding of the 
term caloric, and the adoption of azti- 
crouon in its place; contending, that 
the matter or principle denominated 
the matter of beat, on a more compre- 
henfive furvey of its powers and ope- 
ration, is more accurately denominated 
the principles of repulfion ox anticrouon. 
Dr. Felix Pascatts has lately pub- 
lifhed an ‘* Annual Oration, delivered 
before the Chemical Society of Phila- 
delphia,” in which he prefents a rapid 
fketch of fome of the more memorable 
difcoveries in modern chemiftry, the 
application of fome of thofe difcoveries 
to the advancement of other fciences, 
and of the arts; and 6f the profpect, 
‘which the further progrefs of chemiltry 
prefents to view, of elfential improve- 
ments in the ftate and condition of 
man. bs 2 
MATHEMATICS AND ASTRONOMY, 
It is with great pleafure that we an. 
nounce an increafing attention to thefe 
important fubjeéts among many people 
in the United States. 
‘* Effays, Mathematical and Phyfi- 
cal, containmg new Theortes and [l- 
luftrations of fome very important and 
difficult Subjects of the Sciences, never 
before publifhed,”’ we obferve to be’ 
a work of Mr. J. MANSFIELD, of 
New Haven, in the ftate of Conne&i- 
gut. The eflays are on the following 
FibjeQs :—1. Ufe of the negative Sign in 
Algebra. ~ This is offered as an origi- 
nal difiertation, compofed with the 
view of obviating the difficulties which 
occur in the ftudy of algebra and the 
higher branches of the mathematics. 
—2. Ganiometrical Properties. . 
thor here lays claim to fome originality 
from the manner of difcuffing the fub- 
ject, which he hopes will be. found 
more fhort, clear, and eafy, than that 
of other Englith writers —3. Nautical 
Aftronomy. 
ficit principles are neceffarily the fame 
with thofe contained in all the elemen- 
tary books, ftill the author belies 
that 
The au-. 
in this traé, though the. 
