not foon destroyed; but our author's chemistry is fo little of this world that we know not how to explain it. Even his friend Dr. Beugo, is not very confiftent with modern disco veries, when he explains the chemical analysis of animal matter. We shall first give a specimen of this part of his work, from his remarks on animal falt, which he afterwards tells us were not intended for information.'

Animal falt may very properly be admitted as a TI OVVUITION, i. e. a concomitant caufe of folidity, with their other principles of fulphur, and fpirit or mercury among the older chemifts, before Boyle and Homberg's time: the three together being always, in their opinion, neceffarily co-exiftent under the feveral appropriated peculiarities of refpective proportion and modification; as hypoftatic principles of each fort of fubftance, on this globe at leaft; whether animal, vegetable, or foffil which they termed their tria prima, and feemed to think that it was the peculiar-fpirit-mercury,-or fpecial modification of this, that gave the fpecific character to the other two principles, requifite alfo for the diftinct conftitution of each kind of fubftance, which derives its specific qualities from fuch combination, as they fancied, of these primary principles. Salt, indeed, appears to have been, in their ideas, the principle which chiefly afforded confiftence and a band of union to the others. The animal falt-fulphur-fpirit,-were each of them of a peculiar kind only specific to that order of fubftances: the vegetable the fame; and the foffil the fame; and by fome were believed to be fo originally and effentially, constituted or formed at the creation of the world.'

Again, a body of a calcareous nature, we find, may be produced by fire or acids. He has not explained his opinion of the conftituent parts of agate, except that it is produced also by an acid.

"From the specimens of foffil elephants tuks, which I have feen in the emperor of Germany's cabinet of natural curiofities at Vienna, and in other museums, I obferved that feveral were rendered throughout calcarious *, while others were entirely changed to the hardeft black agate; the conclufion will, therefore, follow, that an immenfe length of time must have elapfed to have caufed the absorption or decompofition of animal matter from the tufk, and to have rendered it fufficiently calcarious for the homogeneous fubftance with which it was faturated; for it is a known law in nature, that all bodies first become calcarious or friable before they enter into a lapidescent state.'

The property which the earth has had of rendering animal fubstances calcarious, feems to be entirely undefined by any of our learned physicians. That agent which has operated upon thefe fubftances muft, in its effects, be fimilar to the operation of fire. It has by fome chemifts been attributed to acids.'

We

We own that we have inferted these paffages to excufe ourfelves from taking any farther notice of this confused vifionary performance. Foffil bones, of a peculiar nature, have been very often found, without our being able to afcertain the animals to whom they belong. The hippopotamus is ftill fo little known, that we may well doubt of the fource of this fofil, notwithstanding it should be found fimilar to a jaw-bone, that is fuppofed to have really belonged to this animal. Even if it were ascertained, many circumstances would affect the conclufion which our author has drawn, and which has been much better fupported by the ingenious Buffon.

The Appendix contains accounts of other foffils, with remarks on Buffon's, Toulmin's, and Whitehurst's fyftems; but the reader must be an edipus, who can perceive his views, or understand his arguments. If this paper had not been withdrawn from the fecretary of the Royal Society, in order to be published, it would not probably have received this distinction from the committee.

Aretaus, confifting of Eight Books, on the Causes, Symptoms, and Cure of acute and chronic Diseases; tranflated from the original Greek. By John Moffat, M. D. 8vo. 6s. in Boards. Richardfon.

WE

E are not of that monopolizing fpirit, which once led mankind to preserve their treasures from the prying eyes of the profane and the uninitiated: on the contrary, we are convinced that truth will be more loved the more it is known; and what mankind have not yet clearly perceived, the increase of real knowledge will infpire a diffidence in draw. ing its rules into practice. But in our zeal to appropriate the doctrines of other ages, and to communicate them to those who are unskilled in the ancient languages, we fhould not lofe fight of the peculiarities of the author. He should appear with his native air if his garments are different, he should preferve his own gait, his peculiar ftep, nor, with his dress, change his manners, or his meaning. We fhall examine the translator very particularly; but muft premife fome remarks, merely because he has stepped forward with fo flight an account of his author, as to render it very neceffary.

The age of Aretæus, after fome difputes, is now pretty clearly fixed to have been a little after the time of Andromachus, and before the death of Titus. Wigan fufpects him to have been known, at that time, by the name of Archigenes; but Archigenes, though of the pneumatic fect, and a scholar

of Athenæus, did not very accurately attend to the diftinctions and periods of difeafes, for which Aretaus is particularly celebrated; nor are the pneumatic tenets very confpicuous in his few remains. The language, in thofe parts quoted by Galen and Aetius, is also very unlike that of Aretus; befides Aetius, as well as Paulus, quote each of these authors feparately and diftin&ly. It is of fome confequence, in the history of medicine, to avoid this confufion: we have given the outline of the principal arguments only. Aretaus is undoubtedly, in many respects, a valuable author: his pointed, energetic, and concife language fixes the attention; his accurate and comprehen five defcriptions are eafily retained in the memory; and his active, well adapted remedies will ftill fuggeft new refources, or useful attempts. It is well known, however, that his work is imperfect. The firft four books are wholly wanting the tranflator fays the first five; but the greatest and most material part of the defcription of epilepfy remains. Since the defcriptions are wanting, the tranflator has omitted.

the

cure,

tique.

which has ftill farther mutilated this venerable an

After this short account, I will only add, that our author writes eight books in Greek, the four firft, on the causes and fymptoms of acute and chronic difeafes, and the other four, on the cure or therapeutics. It is matter of regret, that the five first chapters, in the firft book of the caufes and fymptoms of acute difeafes, have been loft; I have, therefore, purpofely avoided to give the cure of thefe, as it, in fome meafure, appeared contradictory to common fenfe to obviate caufes and fymptoms, which were not in the original, or did not exist: I must likewife obferve that the fifth (the fixth) chapter holds the place of the first, in order that it might better pleafe the eye, and have more the appearance of a whole.'

It would not have much increased the bulk of the volume, and it would have been very fatisfactory, not only to thofe for whom it is defigned, but to the more critical readers, if he had tranflated the whole, and given fome account of the editions which he ufed, and explanatory notes relating to the different medicines which Aretæus employed. That we might not accufe him, without reafon, of error, we have examined Wigan's, Boerhaave's, and Henry Stephens' edition, in the we have compared. We mention this not from often. but to inform him that we have neither haftily passed over his work, or petulantly criticised it.

paffages

tation,

In A retæus, as one of his refpectable editors has observed, every word is a fact, and every adventitious ornament is diligently pruned. His fimple arguments are fo clearly explained,

plained, that while others look for ornaments, it is enough for him to write the facts themfelves. Thus we admire the skill of thofe ancient painters, who, with the fewest and fimpleft lines, without any affiftance from fhade, feem almost to infpire their figures with life.' Our author has tranflated this pafiage, in his introduction, fomewhat differently: we do not complain that he has not inferted it as a quotation; but that he has not more carefully recollected it, in the course of his fubfequent labours. His tranflation is generally too diffuse: it is fometimes alfo erroneous. Let us take the first chapter as a fpecimen, that we may not seem to have felected one for any particular purpose. We shall mark the subjects of our obfervations by Italics.

Tetanus is a fpafmodic affection of the muscles belonging to the maxilla and the tendons, accompanied with fevere pain, frequently with fudden death, nor does it easily admit of a remedy. The diftemper is communicated to the whole frame, and every part partakes of the original affection.

There are three different fpecies of this convulfion; the first is, when the body is extended; the fecond, when it is bended backward; and the third, when it is curved forward.

The first takes place when the patient is ftretched out in one direct line, and cannot be made to incline either to the one fide or the other. The other two are eafily known and diftinguished from the mode of tenfion and fituation of the perfon affected, hence we call the reflection backwards opisthotonos, the nerves on the back parts being chiefly affected; but if the patient is bended forwards, it obtains the name of emprofthotonos, from the affection of the nerves on the anterior parts, the name thereof originates from the tone of the nerves, and the mode of tenfion.

They arife from an infinite variety of caufes; from wounds, a puncture of the membranes, mufcles, or nerves, and in such cafes they generally prove mortal, especially that which arises from a wound.

• When this affection arifes in women from abortion, they feldom furvive; fome are feized with this convulfion from a violent ftroke in (on) the neck, and not unfrequently a fevere cold ferves as a caufe; on this account, winter especially produces affections of this nature, and next to it the fpring, with the autumn, but the fummer least of all, unless a wound, or the raging of fome epidemic diftemper has laid a foundation. It is obferved, that women are more liable to this disease than men, from the frigidity of their fyftem, but they more frequently furvive, from their inherent moisture.

With regard to the different periods of life, children are much barraffed with it, but they are not fo fubject to die, because the difeafe is as it were domeftic and familiar to their conftitution. Youth fuffers lefs, but among them death is more

com

common; manhood leaft of all; but old age is, of all other periods, the moft liable to the affection, and death is more frequently the confequence; for frigidity, and the want of moisture, infeparable from old age, likewife the peculiar nature of death, operate as caufes. If humidity is conjoined with frigidity, thefe fpafmodic contractions are lefs hurtful, and attended with much lefs danger.

The concomitant fymptoms of this affection are the following; its attack is fudden and inftantaneous upon all, there is a pain and tenfion of the tendons, both of the back and mufcles of the maxillæ and thorax. The under jaw is fo clofely locked to the upper, that it is not easy to feparate them either by levers or wedges; and if any one, by forcing the teeth afunder, fhould inftill a liquid of any kind, they do not fwallow, but throw it back, either holding it in the mouth, or rejecting it by the nostrils. The isthmus, likewife, adheres closely, being shut, and the tonfils, obdurated and tense, will not yield to the compreffion of what is to be taken down. The face is red, variegated, the eyes nearly fixed and stiff, can only with difficulty be made to roll, fuffocation is violent, refpiration vitiated, with a diftenfion of the hands and legs, the mufcles vibrating, the whole face variously distorted, the cheeks and lips quivering, the maxilla vibrating, and the teeth gnashing, in fome the ears are likewife perceived to move; and I have indeed, with afionishment, beheld the urine fuppressed to a violent degree of frangury, or fpontaneously flowing upon the preffure of the bladder.

Thefe fymptoms are common to all the genera of fpafmodic convulfions, but each has its diftinguishing and peculiar marks.'

In the first fentence there is a mifreprefentation. Aretaus fays that it is an affection of the nerves, often attacking the mufcles and tendons of the cheeks.' In the next paffags, marked with Italics, there is a more obvious fault. After parts,' fhould be a colon, then read tonos is the usual name of the nerves and their tenfion.' "Evrasis, tenfion, is a very peculiar word, and occurs in Hippocrates: it occafionally means either a natural or a morbid tension: Tadios is the Ionic genitive. If our author had looked into Harry Stephens' tranflation of this paffage, he would not have fallen into this error; but we muft, in justice, acknowledge, that this is not the only inftance where we perceive that he has gone to the original.

numerous.

• Infinite variety' is too strong a phrafe; uupiai, means very Laid the foundation,' is certainly the meaning of Aretæus, and not preferved by his best tranflators. If the fubfequent fentence were read as follows, it would approach nearer to the manner of his author. Women are more liable to it from their coldness, but more often efcape from their

6

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