The two most interesting papers are one by Pringle on Jail Fever, and one by Le Cat on the Malignant Fever which raged at Rouen about the middle of the last century.

Of the memoirs on Surgery, which are 50 in number, many possess but little value. Some, however, may still claim a share of our attention, and may be read with advantage by the prac tical surgeon. The best are those by Le Cat, Warner, and Sharp. A paper by Wathen, on removing Obstructions from the Eustachian Tube, appears to us of considerable value: the history of the man who swallowed melted lead at the burning of the Edystone Light-house, by Spry and Huxham, is to be regarded as an authentic relation of a curious matter of fact; and Sir Hans Sloane's Account of the introduction of Inoculation in this Country must still be regarded as an interesting historical document.

Twenty four biographical sketches are also given in this volume of which those that relate to Heberden, Pringle, and Russel are among the most valuable.

In the 18th and last volume, we have abridgments of the original work from the second part of the year 1796 to the year 1800 inclusive. The Chemical papers enumerated in the systematic index are only 12 in number, but they are of much greater value than those of the preceding volume. Three are written by Mr. Hatchett, two by Mr. Tennant, two by Dr. Henry, and the remainder by Dr. Pearson, M. Crell, Mr. Biggin, Dr. Hulme, and Mr. Howard. Some of the other papers might properly be classed in the chemical department; such as that of Count Rumford on the Chemical Properties of Light, which is placed under the head of Optics; Tennant on the Diamond, inserted among the mineralogical papers; Hatchett on the Nature of Membrane, placed in the same section; and Wollaston on Gouty and Urinary Concretions, classed under physiology. All these memoirs are reprinted nearly in the original words.

The papers on Anatomy are nine, six of which are from the pen of Sir Ev. Home; with ten papers on Physiology, and three only on Medicine and Surgery. These, like the former, are almost exactly transcribed. The only biographical notice is that of Dr. N. Hulme.

In fine, that these abridged Transactions contain a large mass of very valuable matter is certain: but we are disposed to think that the public would have been more gratified, either by a complete reprint of the works themselves, or by what might more properly be considered as an abstracted abridgment,

ART. X. An Introduction to Medical Literature, including a System of practical Nosology. Intended as a Guide to Students and an Assistant to Practitioners. Together with detached Essays, on the Study of Physic, on Classification, on Chemical Affinities, on Animal Chemistry, on the Blood, and on the Medical Effects of Climates. By Thomas Young, M.D., F.R. and L.S., &c. &c. 8vo. pp. 6co. 18s. Boards. Underwood and Blacks, &c. 1813.

WE

E have here a work which displays a considerable share both of industry and of erudition, and which will probably be regarded as a performance of standard merit: yet we must not conceal our opinion that it is in some respects defective, and that the author has not in every instance employed his acknowleged talents to the greatest advantage. His principal object is to afford a book of reference on all subjects connected with medical literature, chemistry, pharmacy, the different branches of anatomy, physiology, pathology, the practice of medicine, and the materia medica. We agree with him that this species of bibliotheca is a desideratum in, our language; and, as far as we are acquainted with the elaborate productions of the German writers, they by no means possess that share of merit which would induce us to be desirous of a mere translation of them. While they are tediously minute in their references to the older continental authors, whose volumes are scarcely ever consulted, except as objects of mere curiosity, they are very defective in the account of the English, and mote particularly of the detached essays which have appeared in our different periodical works. We cannot, however, entirely coincide with Dr. Young in the validity of the apology which he makes for the imperfection of his own composition: viz. ‹The non-existence of any work in the English language, resembling that which is now offered to the public, while the subject is of the most undeniable importance, must be admitted as an apology for its appearing with many imperfections, which, although they might have been, and may yet be diminished, by a greater portion of labour and attention, are still in some degree obviously inseparable from the nature of the undertaking.' The non-existence of any book like his own in the English language may have rendered his undertaking more laborious: but this circumstance should rather have induced him to make additional exertions, than to rest satisfied with imperfections which it is confessed might have been avoided.

On these defects, however, especially when they are so candidly acknowleged, we are not disposed to dwell with too much severity; nor indeed do they form the principal source of the objections which we shall offer against the result of Dr. Young's

7

labours.

labours. The grand error, into which he has fallen, is an attempt to write a body of reference with a great variety of new terms and systematical arrangements. Surely a most material point to be attempted in such a production, which is professedly intended as a guide to the student of medicine, is the facility of reference. The author objects to the alphabetical form, because, he says, it leaves him who consults it always in uncertainty whether he may not have failed of obtaining a considerable part of the information which it contains, for want of knowing under what appellation he ought to look for it." Without professing to be the unqualified advocates for this arrangement, we cannot but remark that the objections against it may be easily obviated by a proper distribution of the articles, and the introduction of a sufficient number of synonyms: but we fear that no mechanical aid of any kind could enable the student, or even the greater number of established practitioners, to detect the information which they may require, obscured as it is in Dr. Young's pages by a multitude of new (or at least unusual) denominations, and those classed in so novel a manner that, without the aid of an alphabetical index, it would probably elude the search of the most sagacious inquirer.

The volume begins with a Preliminary Essay on the Study of Physic, containing some sensible remarks, many of them professedly taken from Vogel. We have next a number of aphorisms, relating to the principles of classification, chiefly extracted from the Philosophia Botanica of Linné. Of the value of this treatise, only one opinion can be entertained: but of the propriety of its application to medicine we have great doubt; and we think that it was wholly unnecessary to occupy so much space with quotations from a book which may be found in every library. The third section, which includes the great body of the volume, begins by references to those authors who have treated on medical literature in general, and then gives a list of periodical journals, of historical and biographical works, of books on the study of medicine, collections of treatises on particular subjects, the collected writings of authors, general and miscellaneous productions, and publications on chemistry. The lists of references on these different subjects we conceive to be very valuable; although we might perhaps point out some omissions and some redundancies. An attempt is made to estimate the different shades of merit in several of the principal performances, by printing the names in capitals or italics, or by prefixing asterisks to them; and occasional short remarks are added, expressive of their character. In the difficult task of giving to each writer his due degree of importance, we think that Dr. Young has generally been judicious: but we regret

N 4

that

that the greatest part of his characteristic remarks are extracted from Rothe, a writer in whose decisions we are not disposed to acquiesce.

After the list of references to chemical writers, the author presents us with tables of the properties of different substances, in the arrangement of which he appears to be chiefly guided by the new electro-chemical principles. All substances are divided into eight classes, viz. Elements, Alkalies, Oxyds, Composi tions, Acids, Semi-acids, Salts, and Semi-salts. There are four orders of elements, viz. 1. Empyreal Substances, those that are negatively electrical, and support combustion with substances positively electrical. This order consists only of oxygen and chlorine, but to the latter the author judiciously prefixes a note of interrogation. 2. The Metallic Substances. 3. Pyrophoric, consisting of bodies that are positively electrical, combustible with oxygen, and void of metallic lustre. 4. This order is intitled Indeterminate, and contains only muriatium, or the supposed base of the muriatic acid; which, as in the case. of chlorine, is accompanied by a note of interrogation. The class of oxyds is divided into three orders, simple, binary, and ternary; and the same division is adopted with respect to the acids. In the class of semi-acids, are placed the Prussic, Gallic, Tannic, and Hydrotheic, or sulfurated hydrogen; and the eighth class, the semi-salts, includes the compounds of the semi-acids.

Chemistry is followed by Anatomy, which occupies about 25 pages, and consists principally of a mere enumeration of the bones, muscles, viscera, arteries, veins, absorbents, and nerves. These specifications might, we think, have been very well spared, as they appear to serve no useful purpose: but they are interspersed with valuable lists of references to the authors who have treated on the different parts of the body.The succeeding division of the work, on Physiology, is much more interesting, and is one of the best portions of the whole; the references are here also very copious, and are arranged under the different functions, in such a manner as to afford a complete introduction to the study of this science.

We next arrive at the most important part of the system, that to which all the rest may be regarded as more or less subservient, the account of nosology and practice. Before we enter on the arrangement of diseases, we have several sets of references; to general and miscellaneous works, on surgery, morbid appearances, and local affections, works relating to particular ages and sexes, to particular employments, and to climates, and works on exotic, popular, veterinary, and forensic medicine. These references are very copious; and if the arrangement of $

them

them be not perhaps in all respects the best that might have been adopted, they appear on the whole so valuable, that we are not disposed to dwell on minute defects. At the end of the different lists, is added, here as well as in other places, a simple catalogue of names, the meaning and object of which are not very evident. For example, after the section of general and miscellaneous books, we have 52 names placed in succession; to which that of Vogel is added, probably indicating that they are quoted or mentioned by this writer. We shall transcribe this list, because it may afford some amusement to our readers to be introduced to so large a circle of medical authors, with the greatest part of whom they were perfectly unacquainted:

"Medicus, Grainger, Glass, Grimm, Monteaux, Unzer, Baldinger, Kaempf, Lettsom, Bosch, Thilenius, Fritze, Schäffer, Isen flamm, Marcard, Kloeckhof, C. L. Hoffmann, Thompson, Burggrave, Strack, Wendt, Rosenstein, Piquer, Eller, Gardiner, Vachier, Lyson, Senac, Riegler, Wagler, Lorry, Girtanner, Elsner, Bacher, Böttger, Chicoyneau, Schilling, Poupart, Fothergill, Andry, Michell, Collin, Haeberl, Campbell, Senft, Weikard, Scherf, Mellin, Birnstiel, Bond, Lepecq de la Cloture, Taube." Vogel.'

Dr. Young arranges all diseases in five classes, under the names of Paraneurismi, Parhæmasiæ, Pareccrises, Paramorphiæ, and Ectopia. The first four include all diseases which depend on the vital action; and the fifth is denominated mechanical affections. Class 1. consists of nervous diseases, such as depend on the nervous and muscular systems; the second, of sanguine diseases, such as depend on the sanguiferous system; the third, of secretory diseases, or such as are connected with the state of the secre tions; and the fourth, of structural diseases, or those that are connected with the nutritive powers. The nervous class is not subdivided into orders; it corresponds to the neuroses of Cullen. The sanguine diseases are formed into two orders, phlogismi, which are described as affecting only or primarily the minute blood-vessels, and the pyrexia, or fevers. The parec crises, or secretory diseases, are arranged under the three orders epischeses, apocenoses, and cacochymia; retentions, effusions, and cachexies: the first signifying that the secretion is diminished or obstructed, the second that it is morbidly increased in quantity, and the third that its quality is vitiated. The class of paramorphiæ, or structural diseases, is divided into two orders, paraphymata, or local changes, which are stated as being principally confined to a single part of the body; and epiphymata, or eruptions, defined to be structural diseases frequently repeated, especially on the surface of the

body,