their time in the purchase and perusal of numerous books, which are likewise very costly; the latter condense the whole into one small volume, which their readers can very conveniently carry in their pockets, if their heads are not sufficiently capacious. So much have these popular writers simplified the practice of physic, that nothing more is necessary than to be furnished with one of these books, which may be very conveniently carried about, and when a patient is afflicted with any complaint, dysentery for instance, all that is requisite is to look in the index for the word dysentery, then turn to the page pointed out, and give the medicines there directed. Can any thing be easier than such practice?

The success of these writers with the public has been commensurate with their merit, the sale of some of their works having been very extensive. This general diffusion of medical knowledge has been and is likely to continue of the greatest advantage to the poor, as in consequence of it, they can obtain medicine and advice gratuitously from their richer and better instructed neighbours. The rich indeed do not derive the same essential benefits from it, for, though very willing to prescribe for others, they are not so fond of administering to themselves. Occasionally it is advantageous even to them, as happened in the following instance: A gentleman to the southward was appointed overseer of the poor for the parish in which he lived, and, as he possessed a copy of Buchan's Domestic Medicine, he supposed that he could very easily save the expense of paying a Doctor by attending the paupers himself. Accordingly, he sallied forth with Buchan in his hand, to put his design into ex ecution. At the next annual meeting of the overseers to take into consideration the condition of the poor, none could be found! the only one left having runaway to save his life. Thus the rich were relieved from the charge not only of doctor's fees, but also of the poor-rates.

Nothing, however, can be so good but that some discon tented minds will be dissatisfied and cavil at it. Thus it

is with country physicians in the present case. They say, that where a servant or some inferior member of a family is sick, that he is dosed until the master or mistress becomes alarmed, when a messenger is dispatched after the doctor, "to come as fast as he can, for that such an one is dying," which prognostic the doctor frequently finds fulfilled on his arrival, or nothing is left for him to do but to confirm the sentence; whereas, had he been sent for a few days sooner, the life of the person might in all probability have been saved.

of

These practitioners likewise assert, that the very general prevalence of this species of quackery, if not originally caused, is much increased by popular works on medicine. And, moreover, that even where no mistake is committed on the part the person prescribing, as to the nature of the disease, that much mischief may be done in consequence of the improper directions given by these authors.

This last complaint at least is, we are sure, totally inapplicable to Dr. Ewell's work, only see his manner of treating injuries of the head for example: "As it will be fair," says he, page 218, "to conclude from the deprivation of the senses, that the brain may have sustained some injury-if the patient be of a plethoric habit, a moderate bleeding will be required, after which the bowels should be evacuated by purgative medicines, or glysters. One or two stools being procured, and, if possible, the warm bath used, the anodyne sudorific drops† should next be exhibited, to produce perspiration and excite absorption of the extravasated blood; and this mixture to be continued in doses of ten or twelve drops every four or six hours until the patient is out of danger, taking care to keep the bowels open.' Should the scalp be lacerated, fomentations and poultices are directed so as "to induce suppuration, which, being established,

* He is speaking of those cases in which a patient is rendered insensible from some accident.

† Composed of one-third laudanum and two-thirds antimonial wine.

a relief of all the symptoms will occur." Can any directions be more plain, more simple, or more erroneous? But comments would insult our readers. They no doubt are satisfied with the specimen we have given, and will gladly dispense with any farther extracts from the "Medical Companion." As to the style of the performance, it is faulty and incorrect in the extreme; but this blemish is lost in the magnitude of more im portant errors.

It is not to be inferred from what we have said, that we condemn the exhibition of all medicines by persons who have not received medical educations. We by no means think that a physician is to be applied to on every occasion, to prescribe some simple remedy for some slight complaint; but we reprobate the idea of placing the most active and poisonous drugs of the shop in the hands of old women, and men perhaps more ignorant. We hold it absurd to suppose that such persons can acquire correct medical information from the best books the profession affords. As for the Medical Companion, and similar works, whom can they teach?

Principles of Surgery, Volume 3d, Part 1st.-Containing a Series of Cases calculated to illustrate chiefly the Doctrine of Tumors, and other irregular Parts of Surgery, and to instruct the young Surgeon how to form his Prognostics and to plan his Operations. By JOHN BELL, Surgeon. London: Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orme; T. Cadell and W. Davies. 4to. pp. 298. 1808.

MR. BELL has been so long known to the public as an au

thor, that we shall not detain our readers with a dissertation on his merits or defects. To us he appears to be a surgeon of extensive reading, and an anatomist of profound skill, to be bold and dextrous as an operator, and, if not always correct,

uniformly pleasing and animated as a writer. In the description of diseases and operations he is unrivalled by any modern surgical author. He is as candid in confessing his own errors, as he is acrimonious in pointing out those of others. In argument he is diffuse, and frequently incorrect; hence he brings forward opinions which he cannot maintain, and prefers charges which he cannot support. He is sometimes inconsistent and contradictory, from the inattention and rapidity with which he writes. He follows no system, but writes his. "Discourses" upon what subject he thinks proper, and digresses when he pleases. Notwithstanding the faultiness of his language, he possesses, in an eminent degree, the art of engaging the atten tion of his readers; and we are acquainted with the works of no medical author whose productions are equally voluminous and equally interesting. The volume before us, in particular, is replete with valuable matter, and interesting cases and dis sections, which we will now lay before our readers, premising that it is impossible, in some instances, to do justice to the des scriptions of Mr. Bell, on account of the numerous and admirable plates with which they are accompanied.

The following is the chapter of contents; its conciseness, and the total want of an index, are great imperfections, reference to any particular passage or fact in the book being very tedious and difficult.

"Discourse 1. On the excellency and importance of this department of surgery.

2. On the unlimited growth of tumor, the facts proved by various examples, and infer ences of very general application in practice deduced from it.

3. Of tumors of the bones.

4. On tumors of the nostrils, gums, and throat. 5. Of the various operations practicable in the several stages of polypus. Of the first stage, or, of small and incipient polypi.

Second stage of polypus.

Of the third and last stage of polypus.

6. On tumors of the gums, lips, cheeks, and

throat.

7. Of Salivary tumors.

"Memoir on the surgical diseases of the poor."

Our readers, we presume, are sufficiently aware of the " excellency and importance of this department of surgery," or if they are not, they will be after perusing some of the cases de tailed below. With regard to the formation of tumors, we cannot agree with the author, who thinks they are caused by a mere increase of that regular and healthy action by which the body is nourished. Tumor then would be a simple augmentation, without a change of structure. How then are scirrhi formed? Is not the texture of a gland totally changed when it is affected with scirrhus? Some tumors appear to be nothing more than an increased deposition of matter, without a corresponding increase of absorption; but this is surely not the case in all tumors. With regard to the unlimited growth of tumors, the author relates two cases in proof of his posi tion, in which, indeed, the tumors had acquired very great size; but does it follow that those which were of a totally dif ferent nature would likewise become as large if undisturbed? Mr. Bell likewise contends, that parts which are distended thicken in proportion to the distention. This is partially true, but false as an universal principle of the animal economy. If the distention causes a slight inflammation in the part, then this thickening takes place, otherwise not, except in the case of the impregnated uterus, which, not being diseased though enlarged, obeys not the laws of diseased action. The diseased coats of an artery, in a case of aneurism, thicken at first, but ultimately they become thinner, and rupture, the deposition not increasing in proportion to the distention. Hence it would appear that Mr. Bell's reasoning is too general, his principles too broad, and are true only to a certain extent. The rule of practice,