A Treatife on Experience in Phyfic. 2 Vols. 8vo. Wilkie. 125. Of the different treatifes that have been publifhed in favour of the medical ftudent, there is, perhaps, not one fo well calculated as the prefent to render him a well informed and rational practitioner. He will here fee himfelf gradually, and, as it were, imperceptibly, led on to the knowledge of the most important truths, and will be taught how to avoid the prejudices and miftakes that might retard or mislead him in his profeffional purfuits. The ingenious author bas contrived to treat the most abftrufe fubjects in a lively and pleafing man ner. He begins with pointing out the different ways in which we acquire knowledge, and after defcribing the characteriffics of falfe and true experience, which are the fubjects of two separate and very interefting chapters, proceeds to treat of erudition, and its influence on experi ence. "He who never reads-fays our author-fees in the world only himself. As he has no idea of what has been thought by others, he confiders all his own reflections as of the greatest importance. It is therefore only by erudition that fuch a one can enlarge the narrow circle to which his genius is confined." Complaining of the prejudices againft erudition, and alluding to the practitioners who proceed on empirical principles, and are averfe to reading, he fays, "I met in confultation with a phyfician, of this lamp, not long ago. I pointed out the difeafes in the cleareft manner, and happening to have in my pocket Van Swieten's Treatife on Difeafes of the Army, in which the cafe was very accurately defcribed, a very experienced phyfician, who was of the confultation, handed it to this Lentilius, to convince him I was in the right. The old man anfwered, with no little vivacity, and without opening the book, I have no opinion of their foreign fpecifics; they may be very good in their own country, but they are very ufelefs in ours." ufelefs, and poor in ideas; great in mi nute things, and very little in great ones." The reader will be pleafed with what he fays about genius. Here is a part of it: There are different forts of ge nius, and of courfe different forts of men of genius; and likewife men of great genius, of different kinds and merit. Poets, of the firft order, are to be confidered as men of great genius; and indeed the word Poet fignifies Creator. Newton, Leibnitz, Colbert, and Turenne, were men of great genius; and fo were Homer, Virgil, Voltaire, and Racine: and yet Turenne would never have deter mined the laws of the univerfe, nor would Newton have gained a battle. Colbert would not have written the Iliad ; nor Leibnitz the Henriade, or the tragedies of Corneille and Racine. There are as many diflinctions in genius, as there are between the voice and the genius of each individual." We meet with fome excellent remarks on the genius for obfervation, and the influence it has on experience in phyfic. The author confiders its utility, the impediments to it, the means of acquiring it by fludying the phenomena of difeafes, &c. He defcribes the manner in which phyfician ought to reafon from analogy and induction, and treats very minutely of the caufes of difeafes, and the incans of inveftigating them. a The following paffage is extracted from the chapter o aliment, confidered as a remote caufe of difeafe. "To much food is prejudicial to the body, and particularly to the mind. Continued voracity renders us ftupid. Temperance conftantly adds to the activity and energy of the mind. The ancient Egyptian phyficians derived all difeafes from the aliment; and their prefcriptions therefore were chiefly confined to vomits, purgatives, and abstinence. The best way to preferve health, is to eat even lefs than we are able to di geft. In treating of the characteristics of me- "Cheyne has very well faid, that we dical learning, the author diftinguifhes muft. preferve our ftomachs clean if we what is ufually called erudition from true with to keep our heads clear. A boy learning. Erudition, he tells us, cone who was found in a foreft, poffeffed fo fidered by itfelf, is a mixture of good acute a fenfe of fmell, from the fimpliand bad things, often contradictory to city of his diet, that he was able to dif each other, and badly digefled; which tinguifh by it falutary plants from thofe burthen the memory at the expence of which had bad qualities. But this delicommon fenfe, and render the fimply cacy foon wore off when he came to live lettered man, rich in provifions that are like other men. A certain blind man is EUROP. MAG, F faid faid to have diftinguifhed colours by the touch, but he could do this only when his ftomach was empty. Pythagoras ate and drank with great moderation with a view to elevate the faculties of his mind. Carneades, previous to his difpute with Chryfippus, is faid to have purged himfelf with hellebore, in order to clear his brain, and increase the force of his imagination. It is related of Protogones that during the feven years he was employed on the picture of Jalyfus, his food confifted wholly of lupines and a little water. He was of opinion that this light and fimple nourishment would leave him the freedom and delicacy of imagination. "We are told by Philo, that the Therapeutifts were not permitted to eat before the fun went down, and that they did this from an opinion that as the fearch of wildom ought to be the em ployment of the day, the care of the body should be deferred till night. We are told that many perfons of this fect abflained many day's together from every kind of food, and lived, fays Philo, in this manner, chaunting their hymns, like the grasshopper that feeds on the dew. Amidst all this enthusiasm we may difcover fomething reasonable in their notions; for we find them avoiding the exceffes of the table, which are the greateft corrupters both of the body and mind. Wine, faid they, defroys our reafon, and high feafoned difhes ferve only to ftimulate our concupifcence. "Mr. Law, the famous financier, in his younger days, ufed to eat only a little bit of chicken once a day, that he might be the more fuccefsful at play. Newton was fatisfied with a little bifcuit and a glafs of canary, whilst he was compofing his celebrated treatife on colours. This is the reason why Boerhaave tells us he was always furprized at reading or being told that philofophers fancy all their ideas depend on themfelves, when food is known to extinguifh, as it were, the powers of the mind; and when mathematicians, who, before they place themfelves at table, would be able to refolve the most difficult problem, rife from a great repaft ftupid and inactive. "He who finds himfelf lazy and fleepy foon after a meal, may be affured that he hath ate and drank too much. Too great a quantity of aliment impedes digeftion. It expands and corrupts in the ftomach, and if not thrown up by a vomit, as was the cuftom of the Romans, towards the decline of their empire, will excite head-ach, colic, or what is well known in England, by the name of furfeit, and fometimes even death, as was the cafe with La Metre, who died after eating enormously of a pasty at Lord Tyrconnel's." This fenfible performance was originally published in German. The pre fent tranflation is elegant and correct, and the anonymous writer has added a great number of learned and judicious notes, which add greatly to the value of the work ANECDOTES OF THE AUTHOR. John George Zimmermann, M. D. Firft Phyfician to his Majefty at Hanover, Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Berlin, of the Oeconomical Society at Berne, and of feveral other learned inflitutions, is a native of Zurick in Switzerland, and is now about 50 years of age. Befides the work we have been reviewing, he is the author of a treatife on the Dyfentery, which is much efteemed by medical readers. He is likewife well known to the literary world by his Effay on National Pride, of which, if we miftake not, two different tranfla tions were publifhed in this country. This ingenious phyfician ftudied phyfic at Gottingen, and took his doctor's degree there about the year 1751, under the aufpices of his celebrated countryman the late Baron Haller, who entertained a high opinion of his abilities; and in the year 1767, upon the death of Dr. Worllioff, procured for him the post he now enjoys at the court of Hanover, where he is univerfally refpected for his great medical and literary abilities. Offervations on the Prognoftics in acute Difcafes, by Charles Le Roy, M. D. F. R. S. Regius Profeffor of Pinfic in the University of Montpellier, and Member of the Royal Society of Phyficians at Paris, &c. Tranflated from the French, with Notes. 8vo. Wilkie. 55. THE 'HE art of prognofticating in phyfic, has always been confidered as a very effential proof of a phyfician's knowledge; and his abilities in his profeffion are very ment. often meafured by his fkill in this departA phyfician who excels in this art, muft have ftudied difeafes both in his clofet, and at the bed-fide of the fick. He mut muft likewife poffefs a clear, fteady, and penetrating judgment, which fuffers no fymptom, not even the most minute one, to escape him, and which knows how to give to each fymptom its juft value. These are qualities which every practitioner does not poffefs, and even they who do will probably not be difpleased to have an ufeful compendium, like the prefent, which may facilitate their ftudy in this way. The learned author informs us in his preface that his first care was to diveft himself of all fuperftitious veneration for the writings of Hippocrates; that he has carefully compared the prognoftics of that celebrated ancient, with his own obfervations; adopting fuch as were conformable to truth, and correcting or rejecting fuch as were defective or erroneous; that he has had in his eye the best writings on this matter; and has availed himself of fuch lights as the frequent diffection of morbid bodies has occafionally thrown on the fubject. A work on fuch a plan has long been a defideratum in phyfic, and the prefent feems to be very judiciously executed. The English editor has not thought fit to make himself known, but he is certainly entitled to the thanks of the public for the fenfible preface, and the many ufeful notes with which he has enriched the work. ANECDOTES OF THE AUTHOR. Dr. Le Roy was the eldest of three ons of Julian le Roy, the famous watchmaker at Paris. He was fent by his father early in life to profecute his fludies at Montpellier; and, after taking a degree in phyfic in that univerfity, was tempted to try his fortune there as a phyfician. His great learning foon proeured him a profeffor's chair, and it was not long before he faw himself in the poffeffion of a confiderable income from his practice. He was elected a member of the Academy of Sciences at Montpellier, and by fome ingenious experiments on the dew, he obtained fo much repu tation in the philofophical world, that he was elected one of the foreign members of the Royal Society of London. About the year 1777, upon the death of a famous phyfician at Paris, his friends prevailed on him to remove to that capital. He was then in his fiftieth year. conftitution, naturally delicate and infirm, was but ill fuited to bear with the buftle and anxiety to which his new fituation expofed him. The chagrin and difappointment he experienced on this occafion, are fuppofed to have fhortened his days, for he did not long furvive his removal from Montpellier. His two brothers are ftill living. The eldest is a member of the Academy of Sciences at Paris. The youngest is profeffor and hiftoriographer of the Academy of Architecture. Both of them have acquired a diftinguished reputation as men of genius. His Elements of the Branches of Natural Philofophy connected with Medicine, viz. Chemistry, Optics, Sound, Hydrostatics, Electricity, and Phyfiology, including the Doctrine of the Atmosphere, Fire, Phlogifton, Water, &c. together with Bergman's Tables of Elective Attractions, with Explanations and Improvements. By J. Elliot, M. D. 8vo. John fon. 5s. THE HE ftudent who has the advantage of a regular education, is taught to confider philofophy as an indifpenfable branch of medical fcience. It is by this he is led to understand, and reafon about, the caufes of difeafes, and to form proper indications for curing them. It is to be lamented, however, that they who have not had fuch an education are in general but little acquainted with the principles of natural philofophy. For want of knowing what branches of it are neceffary for their purpose, there are some who encounter the whole of the fcience, and thus are either deterred by the formidable bulk of the matter, from entering on the fludy at all, or, conceiving it to be of little or no ufe in their profeffion, conclude that the advantages to be derived from it will not compenfate for the time and trouble they muft neceffarily employ in acquiring it. The latter objection par ticularly affects ftudents in the pharmaceu tical line, who having generally other employment, have but little leifure for fuch purfuits. It is in favour of readers of this clafs, that the prefent treatife is written. The ingenious author has treated his fubject in a manner that is at once clear, concife, and methodical. work is divided into three parts. firft is allotted to chemistry, the fecond to optics, found, hydroftatics, and electricity, and the third to phyfiology. As a fpecimen of the work, we fhall extract the following paffage relative to medical electricity: F2 The The Elec Ele@ricity has long been applied to medical purpofes, and often with good effect. The diforders relievable by it are chiefly thofe fuppofed to arife from obAtructions in the nerves; as palfies, gutta ferena, epilepfies, and the like. Rheu matifms, and other fimilar complaints have also been cured by it. The method of application in topical cafes, is either by firit electrifying the patient, and then drawing off fparks from the part; or elfe by difcharging the electrical fhock through it. It is moft prudent to try the former method firft. If that fails, the latter may be had recourfe to and in obftinate cafes the ftrength and frequency of the fhocks may be difcretionally encreafed. The electrical fluid has the effect of a ftimulus on the body; for when a perfon is ftrongly electrified, the momentum of the blood, and perfpiration are encreased. From a knowledge of this property of electricity, we may frequently be enabled to judge à priori, in what cafes it is likely to be of ufe. Violent fhocks fhould be adminiftered with caution; but there can feldom any injury arife from gentle, continued elecification; and much good may be expected from a prudent ufe of it. ANECDOTES OF THE AUTHOR. Mr. Elliot was born at Chard, in the county of Somerfet, in December, 1747. His father was an eminent clothier in that town; and defigning his fon for the medical profeffion, put him under the tuition of the celebrated Mr. Hare of Crewkerne, from whom he received the rudiments of his education. At the age of 14 he was bound apprentice to Mr. Bevett, an apothecary in Spitalfields; and, 'tis faid, that the only quarrels he ever had with his mafter were on account of his intenfe application to ftudy, which Mr. B. imagined, took off his attention too much from bufinefs. At the expiration of his time, he engaged as an affiftant to Mr. Chandler, in Cheapfide; who, at that time, was the moft eminent in his profellion; and being of a like fudious difpofition with our author, conceived a friendship for him, and was happy to encourage him in his purfuits. With this gentleman, and his partners, he continued feven years; and as they had the greatest practice of any apothecaries, in London, it may cafily be imagined that our author was not wanting to avail him- In the courfe of our author's chemical experiments, he difcovered that a certain faline preparation of Manganese was a * Author of the humourous Poem entitled, The Farmer's Blunder, and feveral thers; alfo of various theological tracts.. 2 Specific T Ipecific in fome kinds of fever. Having, as we are informed, fatisfied himself of this by reafoning, and a fufficient number of experiments on poor people in his neighbourhood, he, by the advice of his friends, hired an apartment in NewmanStreet, and procured a diploma, in order to try his fortune as a phyfician. As, however, his reputation as a medical writer had, by this time, introduced him to confiderable practice, as an apothecary, he was unwilling to give up a certainty for an uncertainty, and therefore prudently refolved to continue the latter til be fhould find himself likely to fucceed in the former, and has removed his fhop Rimes, by Mr. Pinkerton. IT is an effablished and confirmed maxim, that modefty is always the attendant of true genius. If the reverfe is to be admitted, what must be faid of the author whofe volume now lies before us, whofe arrogance and felf-approbation are of the very first magnitude?" Novelty, fays he, muft ever appear ftrange, (happy difcovery!) efpecially to contracted minds; but novelty muft of neceffity be the companion of invention, and without invention who is a poet ?" After this oracular fentence, Gur author puts in his claim to invention; but on what ground does he found it? Why, truly, on no other (for not a fingle ray of it is to be traced in his poems) than that, fill retaining the ancient divifion of the Ode, he has altered the names of Strophe, Antiftrophe, and Epode, into Cadence, Antiphony, and Unifon; and into his Odes, Melodies, and Symphonies, as he calls them, has fometimes introduced, along with his Rimes, both blank verfe and profe profeffed. This invention he has the intollerable arrogance to compare to the novelty of Milton's Lycidas, of il Penferofo, and L'Allegro; to the novelty of the manner of Pindar's Odes, and the improvement of Virgil on Ennius. And he afterwards tells us, (the paffage fhall be cited at length, anon,) that he is poffeffed of the fpirit of Pope and Boileau! Till the prefent volume came before them, the Authors of the European Magazine never heard either of Mr. Pinkerton or of his poems. He has, however, by his own account, been exceedingly ill ufed by thofe ridiculous fcribblers who have now the impudence and folly to arrogate to themselves the character of directors of public tafte." After the above fentence, he thus expreffes himself; from Carnaby-Market to a more eligible fituation in Great Marlborough-Street. His practice in Newman-Street as a phyfition, is, at prefeut, confined wholly to the exhibition of his fever remedy, and to fuch patients as chufe to have his advife in other cafes, where their own apothecary attends. Our author's laft publication was the work of which we have already given an account. And as the chemical knowledge difplayed in that work gives us reafon to think that his discovery of a new febrifuge may be real, we hope that, in an age like the prefent, he will meet with due encouragement. Second Edition. 8vo. Dilly. "Some of my learned friends have advifed me to pafs in filent contempt, as indeed is ufually done, the rifible infults of thofe poor devils; who, were their limfy labours run down, muft exchange their profeffion for the better one of highwaymen, or farve. Others may think I have treated them with too fevere an af perity of fcorn. They may blame their own malignant flupidity. I thought this volume might hold fome rank in English poetry, elle it fhould not have appeared. And furely I may fay, without the flightest breach of modefty, that I know infinitely more of poetry than all the reviewers now living affembled in any one room in an alchouje. Many of the most eminent and most learned characters in Europe have teftified a very favourable opinion of thefe verfes. Were they, who are confeft to have a tafle the moft decifive in other writings of genius, bewitched with regard to the Rimes? Or have I had the honour to receive from thofe afinine pamphleteers (whofe praife is infamy) an attack perfectly atrocious and unprovoked? This, the reader will fay, is no dilemma. "After this open declaration of war against thofe facetious evangelifts, it is to be hoped they will treat any future publications of mine in the faine way they have done this. That is, they will fit down with an intention to condemu, perceivable to the moft inattentive eye, and in confequence of that intention, after lifping a deal of queer gibberish, and paw words, like bad boys as they are, produce fpecimens that of themfelves amply confute every thing they have tried to say. This they rightly call juftice." And this juftice of citation we fhall amply give him; convinced that the above fpecimen |