| 432 
gration of fouls into new bodies, and 
their revifiting the ‘earth, under other 
forms, to be a plaufible theory; yet how 
is it poflibJe that thefe fouls, having under- 
gone their Juft:ations, being purified from 
all terrene pollutions, and now waiting 
for their tran{miffion to a new ftate of ex- 
iftence, how is it conceivable that thefe 
fhould bear about them marks and dif- 
tinctions acquired in the life which they 
are hereafter to lead? Here we find Ro- 
mulus, Numa, Marcellus, and others, ap- 
pearing under certain characters fuited to 
their future condition and aétions. Even 
if they were to live over again all their 
former life, yet in thzs flage, when they 
are purified and have drunk the waters of 
Lethe, they ought to have no charaéteriftic 
marks of their earthly existence. J. A. 
(To be continued.) 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
On the MEDICAL APPLICATION of ELEC- 
TRICITY, by RICHARD SHILLITOE. 
LECTRICITY above many other 
aids of the fcience of medicine, has 
been too often confidered by its admirers 
as acatholicon, or, univerfal worker of 
good ; and by its adverfaries as an inert 
remedy, or at beft only calculated to ef- 
fect difeafe through the medium of the 
imagination. 
To render the application of this fluid, 
both fafe and effectual in curing dileafe, 
not only its peculiar properties fhould be 
known and its modus operandi underftood, 
but the manner in which it fhould be ap- 
plied, as well as an attention to the nature 
of the difeafe to be cured. 
It is I conceive to a want of due difcri- 
mination in thefe refpeéts that fo many 
contradictory accounts appear, concernin 
she medical effects produced through the 
medium of electricity. 
The farther to elucidate my opinion on 
this fubjc&, I will juft introduce’a few 
faéts which have come under my own ob- 
fervation, in which it has been of peculiar 
fervice. 
In moft inftances of acute infammation 
of the eyes coming under my novice, I 
have found that immediate relief is re- 
ceived by the application of the ele&tric 
aura; on the contrary, I have generally 
had to obferve that the chronic ephthalmia 
has been more fuccefstully treated by 
{parks emitted from a fine point. 
Two days aiter a failor had received a 
contufion on one of his fingers, his hand 
became fo firmiy clenched that confider- 
Different Effedis of Eleéiricity—Query. 
[June I, 
able force could not open it. Sparks from 
an cleétric machine were applied, when in 
a few minutes it relaxed. During this 
ftate of relaxation a moderate fhock was 
pafled through his hand, which ab{olutely- 
produced the contrary effe&t, fer it then 
became as firmly clenched as before. 
Sparks were again applied, which reftored 
it to its natural ftate: this alternate con- 
traction and relaxation was fucceflively 
produced by thefe different forms of elec- 
tricity. 
From thefe circumftances in conjunétion 
with feveral others, I prefume,, that in all 
local complaints, {parks will invariably be 
found ta be more efficacious as well as 
more fafe than fhocks ; but this more par- 
ticularly fo in the firft inftance. And fur- 
ther, that as long as {parks are capable of 
producing any excitement, it is an invari- 
able rule with me for the reafon before- 
adduced, to prefer them to fhocks. 
Ingram-court, Fenchurch frree?, 
May 12, 1805. 
—=— ae 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, - . 
OUR Correfpondent A.B. in your 
Magazine for July, 1804, expreffes 
a wif for the appeirance of an Englifh 
tranflation of Poggio Bracciolini’s cele- 
brated dialogue. J beg leave to inform 
him, that many of the hours which T can 
fpare from my profeffional duties, are de- 
voted to Italian literature; and I fhall 
be willing to undertake the tranflation, if 
he will favour me with a copy of this 
work, which is not at prefent in my pof- | 
fefion, and of which I pledge myfelf due 
care fhall be taken. I fhill for this pur- - 
pofe leave my addrefs with you, and fhall 
be glad to hear from A. B. 
Dungenefs, Iam, Sir, &c. 
May 63.1805. je} /T ae 
eS 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR; . 
Fe you fometimes admit a folitary 
\ Query, oblige me by prefenting the 
foliuwicg to your readers :—Whether 
Kepler was the real inventor of the magi¢e 
lanthorn in 1665? I have fomewhere 
read either that the magic lanthorn or the 
principfe on which it is conftruéted was 
known to Roger Bacon ; but as I amnot | 
aware of the period when convex lenfes 
were firt known, I am incapable of 
judging how far the faé& may be allowed 
as an anecdote of optical fcience. 
- Your's, &c, SCLIOPTRICUS.- 
Ta 
