48 
some time, if possible, to be employed in 
attending military hospitals, especially in 
the field. i 
During the summers, oral instruction, 
ag it best offers, in other branches of na- 
tural history besides botany, in natural 
philosophy, and in the speculative sci- 
ences, if in these last any lectures should 
promise more than books. From one or 
the other, the acquisition of as many 
facts as possible concerning the mental 
operations, should be considered as an 
essential part of the stock of the know- 
ledge necessary to the physician.” 
After this the Doctor proceeds to in- 
guire, whether it is meant to tolerate 
‘the existing irregular practitioners, and 
advertising guacks?” and “ whether the 
present race of regulars deserve to have 
an unrestrained monopoly of the sick 
trade, secured to them by law? 
“ What” adds he, ‘ could invalids 
Jose by the suppression of all quack me- 
dicines for consumption, while the regu- 
lar faculty is in snug possession of the 
hot-well, here by the side of the Avon? 
What is there in Godbold’s vegetable 
balsam, that this water cannot replace? 
and (faith in the gift of St. Vincent fail- 
ing) have we not the air of Clifton close 
at hand, offering itself to us as presump- 
tive heir to the reputation of the water? 
Should vou allow the said water and the 
said air, to be abundantly calculated to 
satisfy any cravings of credulity; con- 
sider a little, 1 beseech you, the accom- 
modation of that part of the faculty, 
which is engaged in the great correspon- 
ding branch of medical practice. This 
cannot be said to be carried on by cor- 
responding societies; the term is too 
Jarge ; knots of two or three only, are 
concerned in this correspondence. These 
brother doctors, Sir, though separated so 
widely as Tain from you at this moment, 
or more so, sympathize as tenderly, and 
are as ready to relieve one another's dis- 
tresses, as those knights of old, of whom 
we hear as brothers in arms. Take for 
instance a common case: the family 
docter in London, Dublin, or where 
you please, cannot bear to think, that 
the sou or daughter of a dear friend of 
his should die at home, just under his 
nose. So no sooner does it come toa 
Hotwell case (a term within a few weeks 
synenimous to a corpse) than off the in- 
valid is sent witha pass. Invalid and 
pass are delivered to the receiving doc- 
tor, whose feelings, as he is a stranger, 
capnot be so much overpowered by the 
tenderness of friendship. And when the 
4 
Memoirs of the late Thomas Beddoes; M.D. [Feb: 1 
patient is dead and disposed of, the re- 
ceiving party you know, may never be 
again distressed by the sight of any of 
the family. He prescribes therefore, a 
way his friend had done before him, ad~ 
ding of coursé, so much per day of the 
said Hotwell water, which, I repeat it, 
may be considered as a worthy substitute 
for any quack composition ever put to- 
gether. So it goes on, until the jaws of 
the patient are either locked by death 
or despair.” 
He maintains, that- the whole art of 
Hotwell physic, may be acquired by any 
person in three days, as it consists of 
nothing more “ than a little vitriolic acid 
for the night sweats, chalk mixture for 
the bowels, poppy syrup, or that fayour= 
ite nostrum the black drop, or what you 
please of the like, for the anodyne.” 
It is well known that the extreme 
heat which took place during the Autumn 
of 1808, occasioned a great mortality 
among the labouring classes, who were. 
exposed to its influence in the open fields. 
This circumstance gave birth to a hu« 
mane , pamphlet, by Dr. B. entitled 
*‘ Good Advice for the Husbandman in 
Harvest, and for all those who labour 
hard in hot berthes; as also, for others 
who will follow it in Warm Weather,” 
From this we learn with equal sorrow 
and surprize, that the people in the 
“happy vale of Gloucester” indulge in 
harvest debauchery to such an excess, 
that it has been proved ‘* a Severn man’s 
stomach will hold just nineteen pints!” 
This sccne of inebriation excites the pa- 
ternal animadversions of our author, who 
discants on the advantages of sobriety, 
and clearly demonstrates that the drink 
of one day exhausts more than the sober 
exertions of three.” He observes, thata 
hot sun and a long day’s hard labour are 
sure to produce a fever, which instead of 
being encreased by strong potions of ale 
-and cyder, ought on the contrary to be 
kept down by thin diluting liquors. He’ 
recommends also, * that no one should 
swallow at once an excessive quantity 
of cold water, or stand much in a streaut 
of cool air, while at rest, and growing 
Jess and less warm, after being drenched 
with sweat,” 
In August 1808, he transmitted two 
cases of hydrophobia, which were insert~ 
ed in the “ Medical and Physical Jour- 
nal,” for September; in the number for 
November, appeared another paper, 
giving an account of some dissections; 
and we believe, he was a frequent contri- 
butor to that periodical work, 
Of 
