NOVEL.

ART. 19. The Prison of Montauban, or Times of Terror; a reflec

tive Tale. By the Editor of Letters from the Swedish Court.

12mo. 6s. Craddock and Joy. 1810.

We have no objection to this little tale, but its title which is fomewhat affected. Indeed it is interefting and well told, and in every particular has a good moral tendency. It has its foundation in the melancholy hiftory of Robefpierre's atrocities, and not improbably had its origin in fact. At least many fimilar fcenes must have taken place at that horrible period, which needed no emblazonment of the imagination.

BOTANY.

ART. 20. Elements of the Science of Botany, as established by Linneus; with Examples to illuftrate the Claffes and Orders of bis Syftem. 2 Vols. 12mo. Many Plates. 16s. Murray. 1809- :

The elegance of thefe little volumes cannot be too highly praised; nor are they lefs remarkable for diftinctnefs of illustration, and judicious felection. The elementary knowledge of Botany can. not perhaps be acquired with more eafe and fatisfaction than from fuch a manual. The plates, which are very numerous, are engraved in little more than outline, from unusually neat and correct defigns. The flight degree of fhading which is added is not fufficient to destroy the effect of colour, if the ftudent should be inclined, by way of exercife, to tint them from nature. The few plates which explain the fyftem are remarkable for distinctnefs, each part being pointed out by dotted lines and the name written oppofite to it. The rest of the plates are examples, in which the plan of the author has been to give speci mens of all the Linnean claffes and orders; taking them according to the arrangement of Linnæus and giving one example of every order in each clafs. Every plant thus introduced is further characterized in a brief defcription, which generally con tains fomething curious or interefting. The author does not confine himself to English plants for his illuftrations, but takes the whole range of nature.

Probably with a view to facilitate the ftudy of Botany to thofe who are unacquainted with learned Languages, the anthor, has entirely omitted the Linnæan Greek names of the lales and orders, and has fubftituted for them English definitions. Thus Diadelphia is, "Clafs 17. The filaments of the ftamina united, making two fets." Polyadelphia, "Clafs 18.

The

The filaments of the ftamina united, making more than two parcels." It is rather remarkable that neither the work nor the plates exhibit any names of author, defigner, or engraver.

ART. 21. Introduction to the Linnæan Claffification of Plants, illuftrated with Engravings; to which is added, a Goffary, and the Latin Terms of Linnæus, with the corresponding English Words. By Henry Wyburd. Crown 8vo. PP. 94. 55. Darton and Harvey. 1810.

If neatnefs of printing and of plates were a fufficient recommen. dation of a scientific manual, we could not fpeak too highly of the prefent publication; but, befides that its object is to do what has been done a thousand times, and in a thoufand forms, we do not, in every inftance, fee the correctnefs which fhould diftinguish such an introduction. The example given to Diadelphia, for inftance, prefents us with three fets of ftamina; while that fubjoined to Polydelphia is the well known form of Diadelphia decandria, which characterizes the flowers of the pea-tribe. The Gloffary explains many terms which in fact require no explanation, being ufed in the plain and common fignification of the English words; and the explanation of the Latin terms of Linnæus abounds with faults, both in the terms themselves, and in the rendering of them in English. The adjective terms are given in various genders, without any oftenfible reason, and many are totally erroneous. We cannot hesitate, from t' efe circumftances, to pronounce, that the author is very imperfectly qualified to compile fuch a Linnæan grammar, and ought rather to continue his own ftudies than undertake to inftruct others.

MEDICAL.

ART. 22. A complete Treatife on Farriery, comprifing the Tranfactions or Modern Practice of the Veterinary Art; exhibiting the true Characters, Causes, Symptoms, Prognoftics, and improved. Methods of treating the Difeafes of Domestic Animals, including thofe of Horfes, Cors, Sheep, Pirs, Dogs, &c. &c. intended as a Compendium to the young Veterinary Surgeon, Farrier, Groom, Farmer, Grazier, &c. forming a new and practical Nofology of all the Difeafes of Domeftic Animals. By J. Feron, Veterinary Surgeon, 12th Light Dragoons. PP. 496. Stockdale.

The plan of this volume meets with our approbation; and indeed the motives which appear to have induced the author to publish it appear equally good; but having faid thus much, we have exhaufted almoft the whole of the praife which it is in our power to bestow upon it. Although the book is not more ponderous than the variety of fubject which it profeffes to embrace demands, yet it is fo oppreffively heavy in its compofition, that we earnestly with it were poffible, by fome operation analagous to

what

what the author terms phyficing, to purge it of at leaft two-thirds of its contents. If Mr. Feron be a tolerable practical veterinary furgeon, we earnestly recommend him to confine himself to that practice, and not to be ambitious of the honours of authorship; for in fact he can neither write reasonably, nor spell his nonsense. It is difficult for us to convey to our readers an adequate idea of the style of this author; we therefore prefent the following extract as one which will fpeak for itfelf

"Having thus confidered the feveral involucra of this animal (the cow) in a foetal ftate, we shall now obferve the Specialities in its internal ftructure, peculiar to a fœtus. The umbilical vein joins the vena portarum in the capjule Glifoniana, without fending off any branches, as it does in the human fubject. We may next obferve the duct, called canalis venaffus, going ftraight from the tapfula Glifsoniana to the vena cava."

As a fpecimen likewife of the phyfiology of the author, we cannot with-hold the following paffage, which occurs after a brief account of the anatomy of the uterus :

"This fhort abftract of the anatomy of the uterus will be fuffi. cient to perceive, that at the earlieft period, the embryo, as fecreted from the blood of the male, confifts of living filaments, which poffefs certain capabilities, or irritability, fenfation, and affociation, and alfo fome acquired habits or propenfities peculiar to the male or female.

"The form, folidity, and colour, of the particles of nutriment, laid up for the reception of the first living filament, as well as their particular kind of ftimulus, may contribute, to produce a difference in the form and folidity of the foetus, fo as to refemble the mother as it advances in life. So thefe nutritive particles are fuppofed to be fimilar to those which are formed for her own putrition.

"Upon these principles in breeding, it is evident that the firft. attention of the breeder is to choose a mare, in fize, frame, bone, * ftrength, and free from any internal or external defects; but above all, the choice of a stallion moft become the object of our attention!!"*

ART. 23. Facts eftablishing the Effiacy of the Opiate Friction in Spafmodic and febrile Difeafes. Alfo Outlines of an Attempt to inveftigate the Nature, Caufes, and Method of Cure, of Hydrophobia, and Tetanus. Republished from the London Medical and Phyfical, and the Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journals. To which are added Cafes and Remarks, not before publifbed. By Michael Ward, late Surgeon to the Manchester Infirmary, Dif- pensary, Sc. &c. 8vo. pp. 208. Bickerstaff. 1809.

Although the chief contents of this volume have been for fome time before the public, through the medium of the Medical. -Journals, they are of fufficient importance to merit collecting into. a feparate

feparate work. The additional matter is alfo interefting; we therefore regret that Mr. Ward has adopted the plan of republifhing his facts in the defultory form of extracts. He has collected a confiderable body of evidence in favour of the plan which he fuggefts, and it would have been much more valuable and interefting, if it had been made the fubject of a regular hiftory, or treatife, which would have prevented many repetitions. Opium may be introduced into the fyftem by friction; either by mixing a portion of it finely powdered, with lard, or in the form of tincture, (laudanum,) combined with æther, or any fpirituous, or oily fluid, at the option or difcretion of the practitioner. It has proved decidedly beneficial in Typhus fever, in Epilepsy, Tetanus, Hyfteria, and maniacal delirium; and Mr. Ward thinks that it may be adminiftered with fuccefs in Hydrophobia. His remarks on that fatal disease are sensible, and merit attention from the profeffion. He animadverts with laudable feverity on the folly of giving liquid medicines in a complaint, the fury of which is fo manifeftly augmented by the fight of fluids, and the attempt to fwallow. We think his plan of opiate friction and cold affufion, deferving of trial; though we are not fanguine in our hope that they will prove fuccefsful in a difeafe, which has hitherto baffled every method of cure.

ART. 24. Obfervations on the Management of the Infane, and particularly on the Agency and Importance of humane and kind Treatment in effecting their Cure. By Thomas Arnold, M. D. Fellow of the Royal College of Phyficians, and of the Royal Medical Society of Edinburgh; fenior Phyfician to the Leicester Infirmary, and fole Phyfician to the Leicester Lunatic Afylum. 8vo. pp. 61. 35. R. Philips. 1809.

Dr. Arnold writes with great fervour in behalf of the infane; and with him we rejoice, that in this age all unneceffary coercion and harsh treatment, of the unfortunate victims of mental derangement, are abandoned by the refpectable part of the profeffion. We do not discover indeed much of novelty in his obfervations, but they are fenfible and benevolent, and deferve the attention of those perfons who are interested in the cure of the infane. Having pro.. nounced thus favourably of the author's performance, we may be allowed to exprefs fome doubts refpecting the fuccefs which he informs us has attended his practice. He may not have been lefs fuccefsful than those of his brethren, who have devoted their atten tion exclufively to this particular branch of the profeffion, but we find nothing in his pamphlet to give probability to the affertion, that two-thirds of the infane patients committed to his care, in his own private inftitution, "have been fent home to their friends. perfectly restored to foundness of mind and understanding." P. 54. The deaths alfo are stated to be "very rare, not being more than in the proportion of one to thirteen and a half in the Lunatic Asylum,”

and "much fewer" in his own inftitution. Now this is to us wholly unaccountable, becaufe in the great Lunatic Afylams of London and of Paris, where the most humane attention ad fcientific practice are exercifed, the proportion of cures is only about one-third of the number admitted, and the deaths about one in feven. As the doctor has not given us any particulars of the cafes by which we might form our own conclufions, we muft unavoidably fuppofe, that he has been in the habit of receiving many patients into his private inftitution, who had no fufficient pretenfions to be ranked amongst infane perfons..

ART. 25. A Treatife explaining the Impoffibility of the Difeafe termed Hydrophobia; being caused by the Bite of any Rabid Animal. By W. Maryan, Surgeon, Rotherhithe Wall. 8vo. pp. 60. Cox. 1810.

The perufal of this pamphlet has forcibly convinced us that the age of writing abfurdly on medical fubjects has not yet paffed away. The author, however, differs from us moft effentially in opinion refpecting his obfervations, informing us that he is

"

firmly convinced of their very great importance and utility." We shall therefore very briefly ftate his pretenfions to this high claim. He thinks that witchcraft" may be confidered coeval with Hydrophobia;" and that this latter difeafe when inveftigated and underflood, will be found as unreal as witchcraft. To illuftrate his affertions, he adduces feveral inftances of recovery, when no other means were used, than fimply convincing the patient that his disease was imaginary. He alfo very fatisfactorily proves what no one could poffibly doubt," that there can be no poffible resemblance between the cow-pox and the bite of a mad dog;" and thence moft unaccountably determines the impoffibility of a man becoming affected by any disease of a dog. It is in vain to reafon with a man who would think of drawing fuch inferences; who denies the power of rabid animals to affect a human being, because he is not ufually affected with the diseases of an animal; and we should not have noticed this very trifling perform. ance, did we not fear that fome perfons might be deluded by it into falfe fecurity. It is true, as the author ftates, that many dogs fuppofed to be mad, are not fo, and that many persons who are bitten and who fuppofe themselves to labour under the fymptons of Hydrophobia, and even fubmit to fevere treatment, are not in the leaft affected with the disease; but the fweeping conclufion that no fuch complaint ever exifted is as falfe as the reasoning which attempts to fupport it is abfurd. It is contradicted by frequent experience, and lamentable facts; and the author's truly unfounded affertions, fufficiently manifest that he indeed has never feen the complaint of which he fo vaguely treats.