t > have been found of a length and dimensions, which almost countenance the opinion that a 'race of giants once existed on this earth. Crania have likewise been discovered, sunk deep in the earth, where they must have lain many centuries, varying so materially from the form of the head in the present race of men, as to baffle conjecture and bewilder investigation. In the valuable collection of Mr. Heavyside, is a human skull, which was found 200 feet below the surface of the soil, (the workmen who were sinking a well in which this skull was found, supposed at this depth they were digging maiden earth,) remarkable for its length, and the form of the ossa nasalin.* Another cranium, which was presented to me by Mr. Nicholls of Margarett Street, is as singular for its shortness, and for peculiarities in its general conformation.t " The most extraordinary perhaps, certainly the most noticed of these antient remains, are the fragments, and even the whole of the boney structure of an animal which has had given to it the appellation of mammoth. The bones of this creature have generally been found in Russia, Siberia, and North America; and some in England. It is but a few years since Mr. Peele exhibited the skeleton of one of three which were discovered in a swamp in the province of Pennsylvania; and the evidence for its having been indigenous in the northern climates of the old world, is very satisfactory. Not many years ago an unusually hot summer dissolved the snow so much in one of the northern provinces of Russia, as to lay open an immense cavern, in which were several maminoths entire. But unfortunately, as soon as the bodies of these animals were thawed, bears, wolves, &c. regaling upon the novel repast, left little more than the bones. Some portion, however, of muscle and integument were brought away; and in the splendid Museum of the Royal College of Sur ardour in the study of natural history, which reflects great credit on the ingenious proprietor. EDITOR. If these facts are not stated with precision, Mr. Heavyside will, possibly, have the goodness to correct them. This skull was found on removing the rubbish from beneath the foundation of a building in the parish of Marylebone, known to have stood 400 years. A complete mammoth was found in a state of perfect preservation, on the coast of the frozen ocean, by Schoumachoff, a Tongoose chief, in the autumn o of 1799, in the midst of a rock of ice. A detailed hisof this fact may be seen in in the Phil. Mag. 29. 141. The largest os femoris of the mammoth ever seen, , was found in Cheshire in a fossil state, now at Mr. Bullock's museum. tory geons geons of London, by the favour of Sir James Earl, I examined a portion of cutis clothed with fine soft fur, obtained from one of these tremendous creatures. The extraneous fossil, represented in the annexed engraving, and discovered in a stone quarry, thirty feet below the surface, at Wilmcote, near Stratford upon Avon, in the spring of 1810, undoubtedly belongs to the Lacerta genus; but whether it is an individual of any of the known existing species is not to be fully determined. The disagreement both in the disposition and form of the teeth in this fossil specimen with its congenors, lead rather to a conjecture that it may be an individual of an extinct species, which was found to exist in the climate of the British islands. -None of the known species of crocodile will live many years in this country, and indeed, like other species of the amphibia, will often not feed at all. The longest period a crocodile has been kept alive here was fourteen years. This animal was in the possession of my father, and when it died was presented to Mr. John Hunter, and may probably have been the individual in which he noticed the singular fact of chyle in the lacteals. I am, Gentlemen, Theatre of Anatomy, Blenheim-street, Your's, &c. &c. JOSHUA BROOKS. Janadry 7, 1811. To the Editors of the Medical and Physical Journal. Cases of Scarlatina Anginosa, treated by Mr. R. HAMILTON and his NEPHEW. GENTLEMEN, Cha FINDING some, remarks and cases of this formidable and fatal disease, in your last Number, by Mr. Goodwin, who *The obscurity which necessarily accompanies fossillized substances must prevent positive decision. Characteristic marks of species may be so altered, obliterated, or blended with carbonate of lime, &c. as no longer to deserve that denomination. The disagreement in our specimen with the existing species, is of a kind not likely to be produced by the process of fossillization. As far as can he determined from the drawing, the correctness of which is not to be doubted, the teeth do not agree, either in form or arrangement, with the corresponding animals of the genus Lacerta. This fossil is five feet nine inches long. as as well as you, solicit farther particulars on this head, I take the liberty to transmit, for your consideration, some cases and remarks on this interesting subject." Before proceeding further, I beg leave to observe, that the disease has raged here since September 1809, during which it has assumed many anomalous appearances both in its duration and symptoms, from the slightest affection to the most destructive malady. Most authors since the time of Sydenham, Pringle, Sims, Fothergill, have considered this disease as highly putrid almost under every form, and prepossessed with this idea, they have had recourse immediately: and indiscriminately to tonics and antiseptics. This treatment seems, however, to be fast losing ground. since the publication of Currie's Medical Reports, and Hamilton's Observations on Purgative Medicines. Without entering at present further into a history of the disease, I shall proceed briefly to mention the remedies which we chiefly employ. These are bleeding, blistering, vomiting, purging, cold affusion, sponging, &c. with the strictest antiphlogistic regimen. These powerful means, it must be understood, are not to be used indiscriminately, for in many instances, that early stage, in which their use would be attended with the greatest success, has elapsed before the medical practitioners can arrive. In the last stage only, are tonics and antiseptics admissible, and even here, when the throat is much affected, I have seen much more beneficial results from fomentations and repeated poultices, applied externally after blistering the neck, with the addition of inhalations of volatile and aromatic vapours. I may just mention that venesection was adopted chiefly from observing epistaxis to be a frequent symptom, and favourable in every case in which it occurred. Cases shewing the success resulting from Venesection. Case I, Miss Shepherd, aged 14, had been attending her uncle, who died of the disease on the fourth day. She was seized the day after his decease, with cold and hot fits, great pain of the head, throat much affected, pulse quick and strong, eruption appearing. She was directed to lose six ounces of blood,, which immediately relieved her head; had a purge, was repeatedly sponged with vinegar and water, drank saline mixture frequently; pursuing this plan for three or four days, she recovered rapidly, and no hydropic symptoms followed. Case II. Miss Right, aged 8.-This girl had the disease in a violent degree, being delirious. She was bled, sponged, purged; purged; and the throat being very sore, it was blistered, and afterwards repeatedly poulticed. The eruption continued out six days, and appeared in several places in groups of small pustules, which contained matter, &c. She soon recovered, and slight hydropic symptoms followed. Case III. Miss Denny, aged 14, was taken in the night with vomiting, purging, great pain of the head, much fever, and no appetite, throat sore. Was bled next morning about six ounces, and was sponged. Next morning she had so far recovered as to allow her to sit up, and on the following day returned to her usual occupations. In this case the disease, which attacked violently, was evidently cut short by the active remedies. Case IV. C. Turner, aged 10. This girl was so bad when first visited, as to render her recovery extremely doubt. ful. She had much fever, had been delirious, throat so much affected, that she could with the greatest difficulty ar ticulate tongue covered with a brown crust, eruption very full. This was the second day of the disease. I extracted about six ounces of blood from the arm, gave a purge, applied a blister to the throat, and ordered frequent ablution. In the evening she was much better, took saline mixture fre quently, and had the throat repeatedly fomented and poulticed. She recovered so rapidly, that in a few days she be came well. She experienced slight rheumatic pains of the joints, but had no swellings.* Case V. Sarah Cork, aged 8, was attacked with the fever in the usual manner. When visited, the throat was much affected, the eruption very full, considerable pain of the head, no appetite, pulse rapid and full. She was immediately bled about six ounces, took a purging powder, and was ordered to be sponged frequently in the usual manner. The ensuing morning she appeared nearly well, her purge operated, and she slept well during the night. After which she recovered very fast, and was no longer confined to her - bed. Case VI. Mr. Tydiman took the disease from his own children, five of whom laboured under it at the same time. Throat sore, deglutition difficult, tonsils inflamed, pains of back and loins with cold chills, and much pain of the head, with sickness. His tonsils were scarified and bled freely; he took an emetic, and afterwards a purge. Next day he was *N. B. Three children out of five died next door, all of whom, the mother informed me, had been well plied with bark and wine from the commencement of the disease. somewhat somewhat better, but the pain of the head had little abated, and the fever was considerable. He was now bleed to the quantity of sixteen ounces, took saline mixture frequently, and occasionally gargled his throat. Next morning he-was much better, and the pain of the head had quite subsided. After this he recovered very fast, returning to his work on the third day after. Case VII. Miss Tydiman, aged 12, was attacked in the usual way; took a purge which operated well; after which she became very sick and vomited repeatedly. Fever considerable, great prostration of strength, eruption out. She was now bled about eight ounces; immediately after which she again vomited. The stomach remained so irritable, that nothing could be retained; an opium plaister was therefore applied to her breast, which gave her a good night's rest, and she awoke next morning nearly free from fever, and became quite well in a few days. Case VIII. Godbold, aged 7, was seized with the discase on the recovery of her sister. She complained of much pain of the head and great difficulty in swallowing, eruption full, had been delirious the two last nights. She lost between five and six ounces of blood, which gave immediate relief to the head, and no more delirium occurred. In a day or two after she was quite well. The cuticle was thrown off in very large portions, but no anasarca succeeded. Case IX. Mrs. Southerfield caught the disease from her infant child, who died of it soon after her attack. Her throat was much affected, great pain in the head, much apparent debility. She was bled about twelve ounces, purged, and had a blister applied to the throat, and frequently used Mudge's inhaler. The common saline mixture was frequently exhibited. Notwithstanding the most serious apprehensions were entertained concerning her recovery, her mind being much affected in consequence of her child's death, as well as her bodily disease, yet she soon recovered her pristine vigour. Cases indicative of the beneficial Results of this Treatment at an advanced Period of the Disease. Case I. William Brown, ætat. 10, was attacked on the 20th July. The eruption appeared on the following day, and gradually became worse till the 24th, when first visited, At this time the throat was much affected, tongue and lips brown, great pain of the head; had been delirious during the night, seemed stupid and comatose, no appetite, great thirst, body costive, pulse quick, talking often incoherently. In |