Art. 16. Speculations and Conjectures on the Qualities of the Nerves: By Samuel Musgrave, M. D. F. R. S. &c. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Elmfly. 1776.

The intention of the Author, in this work, is to prove, that in all diseases, the firft morbid impreffion is probably made upon the nerves; the other parts receiving the miafma entirely from them; and in fhort, that the nerves are the fubject of all disorders univerfally.' He undertakes likewife to fhew, that it is highly probable that when medicines cure diforders, they act upon the body wholly through the nerves. -It has ever been the cuftom with medical theorifts to fet up fome particular and exclufive caufe, and then endeavour to bring under its dominion as many effects as poffible. There is certainly scarce any affection of the body that is not immediately or remotely connected with the nerves, either as a caufe or an effect; nor is there any medicine received into the body which may not be faid in fome manner or other to act upon the nerves, or to have its operation influenced by them.-But that the nerves are principally, or folely, concerned in, and adequate to, the production of almost all orbid fymptoms, and that medicines at wholly through the medium of the nerves; are propofitions by no means fatisfactorily proved, by the ex parte evidence produced in this publication.

Art. 17. An Effay on the Nature and Cause of the (fo called) WormFever By Samuel Mufgrave, M. D. F. R. S. &c. 8vo. 6d. Payne. 1776.

In this practical Effay, the Author endeavours to fhew that dif orders are often erroneously attributed to worms, when they proceed from a very different caufe. He confirms this opinion by the testimony of Dr. Hunter, who has diffected great numbers of children, fuppofed to have died of worm-fevers, and whofe complaints were of course treated as proceeding from worms; in whom, however, there appeared upon diffection to be not only no worms, but evident proofs of the diforder having been of a very different nature.'-The Author afcribes the fuppofed worm-fever to an irritation or morbid affection of the bowels, arifing from the ufe of improper food, and particularly of fruit. His remarks on this fubject certainly deferve attention.

Art. 18. Thoughts on General and Partial Inoculations, &c. By the Honourable Baron Thomas Dimfdale, first Physician and actual Counsellor of State to her Imperial Majesty the Empress of all the Ruffias, and F. R. S. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Owen. 1776.

This performance commences with a tranflation of two little treatifes formerly published by the Author, in the Ruffian language; in the first of which he propofes the best methods for extending the practice of inoculation through the whole Ruffian empire; and in the next, gives a fhort eftimate of the numbers of thofe who die of the natural small pox, with a view to demonftrate the advantages that may accrue from the practice of inoculation.

Though no doubt can be entertained that many thousand individuals have had their lives preferved, by the process of inoculation; yet there is too much reason to infer, from an examination of the bills of mortality, that the community at large have fuffered by this prac REV. Nov. 1776. tice,

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tice, as it has hitherto been conducted. For fince it has been pretty generally adopted, an evident and alarming increase of deaths, from the natural fmall-pox, in the city of London particularly, has been obferved; the difeafe having been more widely fpread through the means of the inoculated, and communicated to a great number of perfons, who otherwife might have escaped it.

Of all the objections that have been made to the practice of inocu lation, this alone has not been removed: and the Author, who juftly thinks this matter of great importance to the community, accordingly gives it a diftinct confideration. He fhews that to encourage partial inoculations, would be to increase the evil, by fpreading the disease, in a destructive manner, among the neighbours of the inoculated: and that a well regulated hofpital, inftituted for the purpofe of inocalation only, can effectually answer the purpose of abating the natural mortality, and fecuring the community from being infected by the patients. In this free country, it is in the power of the legislature alone effectually to encourage fuch an establishment, and invest with proper powers thofe who would carry a plan of this kind into execution. To the legislature accordingly the Author has very properly dedicated these tracts.

Art. 19. Of the Improvement of Medicine in London, on the Bafis of Public Good. 8vo. 1s. Dilly. 1775.

Under the foregoing very general title, this pamphlet contains an account of the plan, origin, and progrefs of the General Difpenfary, fituated in Alderfgate ftreet, and established in 1770, as an auxiliary to the hofpitals in this metropolis. It is an useful peculiarity in this charitable inftitution, that advice and medicines are not only given to the poor, who may attend at the Difpenfary, but also at their own habitations. The benefits of it, we are here told, have in the space of only five years been extended to 12,000 difeafed perfons; a great part of whom were too abject to purchase the relief of medicine, or to procure a friend that had fufficient influence to open the lofty gates of an hofpital. The relief thus extended to many thousands of indigent objects, is here faid to have probably occafioned a fenfible decrease in the bills of mortality: the diminution in the burials having been nearly progreffive every year fince its first establishment. Other advantages are enumerated attending this inftitution, which feems to merit the very great encouragement that it has hitherto met with from the Public.

Art. 20. Medical Advice for the Use of the Army and Navy, in the prefent American Expedition. Intended for the Perufal of private Gentlemen, as well as Medical Practitioners: By William Rowley, M. D. 8vo. 1 S. 6 d. Newbery. 1776.

The utility of this publication appears to us very problematical. The private gentlemen' engaged in the prefent American expedition

The Author was induced to hasten the publication of these tracts, on account of a plan which he had feen (and which is mentioned in the fucceeding article), of a difpenfary for inoculating the poor of London, at their own houses; which he confiders as fraught with very dangerous confequences to the community, and not likely to anSwee any good purpote if put in execution."

will fearce, we fhould hope, be tempted to practife upon themselves, in a new climate, under the guidance of this fcanty fet of inftructions; while they can enjoy the perfonal affittance of the army and navy furgeons provided by government. Nor can we conceive that any of the Medical Practitioners,' for whofe perufal it is likewise faid to be intended, granting that they have not had any experience of the treatment of the difeales of hot countries, would be fo improvident as not to furnish themfelves with the works of Lind, and other writers of credit on the diseases of the warmer climates. We shall fay nothing of the disjointed, and fometimes ungrammatical phrafeology, in which this fuperficial advice is conveyed.

It is remarkable that, in the list of remedies,' recommended by the Author, neither ipecacoanha, nor calomel are to be found. Tartar emetic may in many, though furely not in all cafes, prove an ufeful fubstitute for the former: but no well informed or experienced practitioner would choose to pass the tropic of Cancer, without the

other.

Art. 21. A fure Guide in Sickness and Health, in the Choice of Food, and Ufe of Medicine, &c. By William Smith, M. D. 8vo. 6 s. bound. Bew. 17:6.

After having had fo many, and fuch long tete-a tetes with our Author, always too receiving him on our first floor; it may feem uncivil now to give our old acquaintance only a thort abrupt audience in the Catalogue: but really there is fuch a tirefome monotony in his converfation; and the old fubjects are so often ferved up again, almost in the fame words, that we begin to be weary of the connection. Our laft conference indeed [See M. R. Vol. 51. 08. 1774. p. 291.] was fomewhat enlivened, and rendered interesting, by fome strong fymp. toms of medical herefy in our quondam rigidly orthodox friend; and by the novelty of a wonderful fecret powder which he recommended to us. Here likewife, we must own, the nearly equal virtues of a new invented and fecret Tonic Tincture are first announced; and aftonishing accounts are given of its unparallelled efficacy: yet, to quit our mataphor-fuch is the general complexion of the prefent work, and fo nearly does it refemble the preceding performances; that we can only yawn over it, and give the Reader little more than a dull table of contents.

The Author fets off, as ufual, with a little Rabbinical and Hutchinfonian philofophy. Here we meet with a moft edifying criticism on Tobu and Bobu; terms highly worthy of inveftigation, as they occur, the Author informs us, in a very ancient book, afcribed to Abraham the patriarch. Pofitively, we will just stop a moment to transcribe and perufe a fhort paffage or two.

The wind or air of the living God is one; two, air from air; three, water from air; four, fire from water.-He has made out of Tobu a fomething, and he has made that which has no being; he has hewed great pillars from a fubtile air, which cannot be felt; water from the air; he has digged and hewed Tobu and Bobu, mire and dirt, &c. pretty concife ftile and manner this of father Abraham, confidering he was an Antideluvian.

Having thus difcuffed the philofophical parts of his undertaking, the Author next defcants on the animal economy, and the non-natu

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rals-and then commences the old round; fetting off with nervous difeafes, and in fucceffion treating of the gout, rheumatism, asthma, catarrhs, &c. fevers and infection, and terminating with dyfenteries, fcurvy, king's evil, and leprofy; generally clofing each chapter, as of old, with a train of prefcriptions.-But in moft cafes, the Author's boafted Deobftruent Powder, and wonderful Tonic Tincture, fail not to be commemorated and earnestly recommended. He laments the coftliness of these precious compounds, but ftill referves the fecret of their preparation. The foreign court which had formerly been tampering with the Author, have not yet, we fuppofe, come up to his terms. We shall only further add, that the purchasers of this volume will here too meet, at least with a well written dedication, scarce inferior to that which excited our furprise in the front of his former publication.

Art. 22. Fifteen Minutes Inftructions to every One who wishes for a thorough Cure of the Venereal Difeafe in any of its Stages, &c. By G. French. 12mo. IS. Grant. 1776.

This hafty adviser first flightly distinguishes the ftages of the disease, and refers to various numbered regimens, and remedies, for the cure. Finally, he advifes his infected Reader, above all things, to procure the drugs, at a shop of credit. But he would have given him advice much more falutary, had he at once honeftly advised him to throw his laconic inftructions into the fire, and without lofs of time put himself under the care of fome Surgeon of credit.

Art. 23. An Anfwer to a Pamphlet, written by Dr. Letifem, entitled, "Obfervations preparatory to the Ufe of Dr. Meyersbach's Medicines." 8vo. IS. Almon.

Some impudent hireling has here made an impotent attempt to defend Meyersbach (who, it is faid, has not ability fufficient to defend himself), against the attacks of Dr. Lettfom; of whofe unanfwerable pamphlet we gave an account in our last month's Review. See P. 314.

AMERICAN CONTROVERSY. Art. 24. The true Merits of a late Treatife printed in America, entitled, "Common Senfe;" + clearly pointed out. By a late Member of the Continental Congrefs, &c. 8vo. Is. Nicoll. From fome circumftances, and expreffions, it feems probable that this Pamphlet was written in South Carolina; but there is no intimation of its having been actually published there; though it is addreffed to the inhabitants of America.' Its defign is to put the Americans on their guard against the fpecious declamation and plaufibility of the Pamphlet entitled COMMON SENSE: which was, alfo, addreffed to the inhabitants of America.' Its Author is, evidently, a person of cool judgment,-cautious, confiderate, and penetrating: a man whofe fteady view of things is not apt to be caught by the glare of fplendid language, or to be hurried away by a torrent of elocution. He undertakes to fhew the fallacy of all the principal pofitions advanced by Mr. Common Senfe. He begins by attacking that writer's notions relative to the origin of fociety and govern

Monthly Review, October, 1774, page 293.

+ See Review, June, 1776, p. 493

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ment;

ment; and then proceeds to a defence of the British conftitution against the above-mentioned writer's objections: most of which will be found in the Article referred to in the note. Our Author likewife vindicates the connexion which fo long and fo happily fubfifted between the mother-country and the colonies, before the prefent and unhappy rupture; and alfo anfwers the objections of common fenfe against a reconciliation. He then goes on to explode the new plan of continental government; and he denies the fufficiency of their power to carry that plan into execution, with any degree of permanency. After this, he fhews the abfurdity of the fuppofed connexion of the new ftates with France and Spain; and concludes with a melancholy foreboding of the ill confequences of the American scheme of independency.

Art. 25. The Religious Harmonist, or a Recipe for the Cure of Schifm, the fatal Source of our American Disputes, &c. 12mo. 4d. Bew.

A collection of papers originally published in the London Packet, and the Middlefex Journal, under the fignatures of Pacificus, and Philo Patria. The Author tells us, that after revolving the matter, with much perplexity in his mind,'-the perplexity is ob vious enough, he thinks that the original fpring of our American broils may be traced higher than the late revenue or taxation act, which is a mere pretence, and that Schifm is the real thing:' and fo he writes a great deal about fchifm and hypocrify; fetting, as he fays, all his wits to work,' for an antidote against them. are forry that the poor man had not better employment. Art. 26. Letters on the American Troubles; tranflated from the French of Mr. de Pinto. 8vo. Is. 6d. Boofey, &c. 1776.

We

Characterized, as a foreign article, by one of our correfpondents, in the Review for June, 1776, p. 456.

Art. 27. An Oration delivered at the State-Houfe in Philadelphia, to a very numerous Audience, Aug. 1. 1776. By Samuel Adams, Member of the General Congress of America. 8vo. 1 s. Johnson.

Mr. Adams, the American Cicero, declaims, with warmth and energy, against kingly government, and hereditary fucceffion. In fome parts of his harangue, he defcends to cool reafoning *, in support of the scheme of American idependency; but he excels mott in the inflammatory. There are paffages in this Oration which would have done honour to a Roman tribune, when the republican spirit of that mistress of the world was at its greatest height.

Art. 28. Additional Papers concerning the Province of Quebec, being an Appendix to a Book entitled, "An Account of the Proceedings of the British and other Inhabitants of the Province of Quebec, &c. in order to obtain a Houfe of Affembly in that Province." 8vo. 5 s. Boards. White.

Thefe Additional Papers contain many curious and interesting particulars respecting the difaffections and diforders produced in Ca

* Most of his arguments, however, are to be found in the celebrated American pamphlet entitled Common Sense; of which Mr. Adams is, in the whole, or in part, the reputed Author.

† See an account of this article in the Review for July, 1775.

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