Retrospect of Dontestic Literainre— Medicine. 
ally adverse to the employment of that ré- 
medy, without the aid of which all our 
efforts to cure many forms of hepatic dis- 
order, will prove as unsuccessful as those 
which we daily witness the trial of, to 
cure, or even suspend, confirmed Phthisis 
Pulmonalis. On this account then, how- 
ever premature and imperfect the attempt 
may appear, I have thought it right to 
offer to the perusal and consideration of 
my medical acquaintance, the following 
pages, (drawn up more than’a year ago, as 
an Introduction to the intended work) by 
Way of temporary caveat at least, to stay 
their judgment on the question, until the 
evidence for; as well as the objections 
against the use of Mercury, shall be fairly 
Jaid before them.” 
By this it appears, that the pamphict 
is not to be considered an hasty pro- 
duction in consequence of the work be- 
fore mentioned. It is, however, only 
an introduction to a larger work, which 
will soon appear. We are theréfore 
willing to wait for its publication, rather 
than pass a hasty censure on these con- 
fessedly imperfect materials. 
It would be a great satisfaction to us, 
if we could admit Mr, Maryan’s Opini- 
ons, contained in his “ Treatise on the. 
Juapossibility of the Disease called. Hy- 
drophobia, arising from the bite of any 
rabid Animal.” That this, like most 
other diseases, has been in some cases. 
imaginery, cannot be questioned. But 
there arc few of these imaginary diseases 
that do not imitate a reality, and such 
we are obliged to: assert of the disease 
now in question. We have witnessed 
it in children who were perfectly ig+ 
norant of the cause of their complaints, 
and if the matter could be any longer 
questioned, it is now for ever put at 
rest by a very ingenious paper* of Mr. 
Surr, giving an account.of the syinptoms 
mm several horses ail bitten by the same 
On the remaining medical produc- 
tions of the past six months, we must 
be short, on account of the space we 
have been obliged to allow the former 
articles. 
Dr. Carneiro has collected all the 
worn out arguments against the Cow 
Pox, and made what may be found a 
formidable pamphlet in Portugal, where 
the names of Rowley, Moseley, and 
Limpscome, on one side, and Ring and 
Blair on the other, may not be so hack- 
nied as among us. The good cause, how- 
_* See Medical and Physical Journal, 
No. 130. Ye ee 
Monrury Mac. No. 194, 
—— 
661 
ever, has not wantedits new advocates. 
But by this time the public must be left 
to decide for itself. ‘Thé profession are 
‘not better informed than other indi- 
viduals. Cases. of failure must rest on 
the credibility of witnesses. In the 
mean while the general security.is such, 
as to leave the minds of most of those 
who have adopted the practice in per- 
fect tranquillity. 
Dr. Buxton has published a little 
duodécimo volame, which we récom- 
mend to the attention of those families 
in which consumption has shown its 
dreary form. ‘he plan he proposes for 
a regulated temperature in the apart- 
ments of invalids, though far from new, 
is simple, and within the comprehension 
of those who aré most interested in it. » 
Dr. Uwins, of Aylesbury, has publish- 
ed a sipall work, entitled “ Cursory 
Remurks on the Causes, Prevention, and 
Treatment of Fevér, occasioned by the 
recent appearance of an Epidemic Dis- 
order in Aylesbury and ws Neighbour- 
hood.” We aré not pleased with this: 
little performance, because it is too cor- 
rectly what its title proposes, that is, 
too cursory. Medicine depends go 
much on the most minute accuracy. 
that if he that runs may réad, yet hé 
that writes should stand still; and nét 
attempt in three or four sheets to givé 
éduses, pteveritions, and resend: de a 
of so formidable a complaint as. fever, 
We are first entertained with a dispute 
in Edinburgh, between the cantagignists 
and the non-contagionists, in which it 
is easy to ste, that the difference was. 
principally about words, and there the - 
dispute is left by Dr. Uwits. We shall 
extract: a passage, the better to explain. 
ur meaning. From Dr. Rush, che 
great advocate for thé non-contagious’ 
dog. “> property of Yellow Fever, the following 
1s quoted. 
“It is from nastiness degenerating into 
infection, that the bodies, clothes, beds, 
and apartments of the poor in Great Bri- 
tain derive their poisonous, their pesti= 
lential charge. Ey a common putrefactive - 
process, this septic venom is formed, and de« 
rives none of its qualities from pulsating. 
arteries or glands. Away, then, with this 
preposterous phrase, from the poison en = 
gendered by septic processes, and let 
* human contagion” for thé: future mean, 
nothing but small pox, vaccinia, and the 
kindred forms of morbid secretions. It. is: 
high time that the producis of putrefac- 
tion should bé distiiguished from those of 
secretion.” . 
4Q _ Ta 
