fened by cold. And when, from the insupportable and agonizing agency of those three destroyers, whole regiments were ready to sink to the earth, and there expire, the approach and assault of the Russians or Cossacks on their rear or flank, never failed to revive and arouse them to a desperate and vigorous resistance. And no sooner was the enemy repulsed, than they all returned to their enfeebled condition; and hundreds of them, not from recent wounds, but from exhaustion and torpidity, dropt at the feet of their comrades, to rise no more. So powerful on their wasted and enfeebled systems, was the influence of the pride of soldiership, invincible bravery, and an ambition to conquer.

Once more. The following fact, transmitted to us on respectable authority, is well worthy of the attention of all physicians, but more especially of those of the army and

navy.

"In the year 1625, the city of Breda suffered, from a long seige, all the miseries that fatigue, bad provisions, and distress of mind could bring on the inhabitants. Among other misfortunes, the scurvy made its appearance, and carried off great numbers. This, added to the other calamities, induced the garrison to incline towards a surrender of the place; when the Prince of Orange, anxious to prevent its loss, and unable to relieve the garrison, contrived, however, to introduce letters addressed to the men, promising them the most speedy assistance. These were accompanied with medicines against the scurvy, said to be of great price, but of still greater efficacy; many more were to be sent there. Three small vials were given to each physician. It was publicly given out, that three or four drops were sufficient to impart a healing virtue to a gallon of water. We now displayed," (says the narrator, who was himself a physician belonging to the

garrison, and engaged with his colleagues in the moral practice for it was nothing more)" we now displayed our wonder-working balsams. Not even were the commanders let into the cheat practised on the soldiers. They flocked in crowds about us, every one who had the scurvy soliciting that some part might be reserved for his use. Cheerfulness again appears in every countenance, and an universal faith prevails in the sovereign virtues of the remedies. The effect of this delusion was truly astonishing; for many were quickly and perfectly recovered. Such as had not moved their limbs for a month before, were now seen walking the streets with their limbs sound, straight, and whole. Many, who had declared that they had been rendered worse by all former remedies, recovered in a few days, to their inexpressible joy, and the no less general surprize, by taking what we affirmed to be their gracious Prince's cure." From this occurrence, the drug, whatever it might have been, was afterwards known by the name, sometimes of the "Prince's,” and sometimes of the "Commander's Balsam."

It is by the like operation of hope and cheerfulness, confidence in their own skill and faith in their remedies, that quacks perform many remarkable cures, in cases where educated physicians, employing no moral means, had practised unsuccessfully. Nor is this all.

Homœopathy is virtually a scheme of moral medicine. It is not to be fancied, even by the most enthusiastic credulity, that the material remedies administered by Hahnemann and his followers, in doses so infinitely minute, can have the slightest influence in the cure of diseases. Yet, that cures, at times very remarkable, are produced by their practice, is not to be denied. To what then is their success attributable? The answer is easy. It is the product of several causes—a

temperate and well directed diet and regimen, which they strictly enjoin; and of cheerfulness, hope, and a firm belief in recovery, which they sustain in their patients, by their confident and unqualified assurances of success. Thus do they produce and maintain in the brain a sound and salutary condition; while that organ extends a healing influence throughout the system.

Other things being alike, moral remedies act most powerfully and successfully on persons of an active temperament, whose organs of Hope and Wonder, Benevolence, Ideality, and Firmness are largely developed. Hence; as respects this form of practice, the beneficial effects of an acquaintance with phrenology. It enables the physician to detect in his patients their greater or less fitness for moral treatment.

REVIEWS.

ART. VI.-Elements of Pathological Anatomy, illustrated by numerous engravings. "In Morbis, sive acutis, sive chronicis, viget occultum, per humanas speculationes fere incomprehensible."-Baglivi. By SAMUEL D. GROSS, M.D. Late professor of General Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathological Anatomy, in the Medical Department of the Cincinnati College. Vol. II, 8vo., Boston, 1839. Marsh, Capen, Lyon & Webb and James B. Dow.

(Continued from the August number.)

We pass by the next three chapters on hemorrhage, softening and gangrene, to trace out the progress of purulent secretion through ulceration, granulation and cicatrization, all of which display the presence of pus. Ulceration implies excessive absorption, in connexion with purulent secretion. This remark must, however, be understood with some limitation. During the suppurating process, before the opening of an abscess, we have no evidence of increased absorption, but the reverse; and, subsequently, while the cavity is filling up, absorption does not appear to be active; again, parts which have lost their vital properties slough off, leaving excavations

or depressions, that have not depended on absorption: in many cases, moreover, absorption is deficient and the granulations rise above the proper level. Some, particularly the last of these suppurating surfaces are ulcers. Our author does not believe in ulceration without inflammation conjoined with increased absorption, but concedes that the secretion of pus is not necessary.

We do not, however, believe in the existence of those cases. The purulent secretion may be scanty, but analogy justifies the conclusion, that in all cases where inflammation and excited absorption, by their combined action, produce an ulcer, that is, the destruction of the surface of a tissue, there is purulent secretion. Surgery is often called to grapple with ulcerative action, and sometimes foiled. Ulcers occasionally spread far and wide, in despite of every effort. In many of these cases, the constitution is in fault; in others the ulcerative action is specific.

Granulation, the subject of the next chapter is, intimately associated with this. Granulation exhibits two secretions, the lymphatic and the purulent. Coagulable lymph is the material out of which the granulations are formed, and into which the vessels that supply them so liberally with blood, extend from the surrounding parts; but these granulations are themselves secreting surfaces, and the fluid they pour out is pus, perhaps also lymph. The surgeon judges of their healthy condition, as he judges of the state of other secreting organs-by the quality of the discharge.

The natural and desirable termination of this series of sanito-morbid actions is in cicatrization or skinning, which makes the subject of the next chapter; and from which, for the purpose of varying the style of our analysis, we shall make a short extract.