As fome late mifcarriages in inoculation, tho' but very few, had ftaggered many people about a practice, which, I was firmly perfuaded, was of the most falutary nature, I thought it my duty to give a ftate of my opinion to the public, with the reafons of it, in hopes that what had convinced me, might poffibly convince others. Befides this, I conceived I had fomething new and ufeful to offer, at least improvements on the common methods of management. And feeing these things related to a diftemper at present in this place, I cannot think unprejudiced people will judge it unfeasonable.' It were to be wifhed this phyfician had obliged us here with an account of the numbers of the inoculated, and of the proportion of those who died in confequence of inoculation, and by the natural infection; as the apparent ratio between them is the principal argument that ruft finally determine a great majority of reflecting perfons for or against the former. In p. 21, he fays the mifcarriages were few, very few indeed: but ftill this is not fufficiently precife and definite. He propofes to difcufs his fubject, 1. By premifing fome general things, and a fhort inquiry into the nature of the diftemper. 2. By fhewing, from fuch premises, what state of the body is moft favourable for the reception of it; and how the body fhould be prepared, both for the natural and artificial infection. 3. By enquiring, whether it be moft eligible to run the hazard of the natural difeafe, without any previous precaution or preparation; to take it in the natural way premeditately after due preparation: or by inoculation? And laftly, he proposes to conclude with a few reflections on the whole. There is nothing fo new or material on his firft head, as to require any citation or abftract. On the fecond he juftly obferves, with fome other writers on this fubject, that, as this is an inflammatory disease, foft and flexible veffels, containing a cool and temperate blood, have been found to conftitute the most favourable ftate of body for this difcafe; and fuch a flate he fuppofes to be chiefly attainable by a cooling, vegetable, and milk diet, which difpofes the fluids rather to an acescent than a putrefactive condition. Befides which, evacuations may be neceflary in fome, which are to be prescribed and règuIared by the phyfician. But he thinks, and, as he fays, from his own experience, that fomething further may be done towards a more effectual préparation for the fmall- -pox. This he profeffedly takes from Boerhaave's fuppofition,, that a fpecific medicine against the effects of the variolous poifon might be found in fome fubtile, yet uncorrofive, preparation, and happy union of antimony and mercury. Such a medicine our author fays, he has conftantly used in preparation; and avers, that he never faw one. fo prepared, in any confiderable danger from the difeafe: though he adds, that one of them received the confluent pock naturally. It feems then it was not preventive of eruption, which we are to fuppofe Boerhaave hoped it might. But our author's attributing this confluence to the patient's riding near 20 miles in cold damp weather the first day of the fever, does not feem altogether fo rational, for whatever the agitation from riding might do, we should imagine the fame exercife in fultry hot weather might have a more direct tendency to difpofe to a confluence. However, the patient, who was a hale young gentleman, got very fafely over it. Now, fuppofing the good effects of this medicine fo very general, dr. Adam Thompson would deferve a liberal acknowledgement from his country, and the gratitude of his whole fpecies, for a more explicite communication of it. On his third head, concerning the preference of a natural or artificial infection, befides the general phyfical arguments, fo happily corroborated by the very general fuccefs of inoculation, our author reasonably concludes it a peculiar advantage, that it determines the crifis of the fever from the internal to the external parts. This leads him to investigate the reafon for the character of the fmall-pox, being taken from the number and condition of thofe in the face, which feems both new and ingenious, and it is briefly this: "That the carotid arteries, which fend branches to the nofe and mouth, where the natural infection is generally admitted, fend confiderable branches alfo to the brain; whence a proportionable part of the fame inflammatory particles, that conftitute the pustules on the face, may probably be lodg'd on the membranes of the brain, and, as they are mild or otherwife, muft produce more or lefs danger, fince the face, confider'd by itself, is a place of none." Amongst his general reflexions on the whole, he thinks it eligible to make the incifions rather in the lower than upper extremities; as the axillary arteries iffue from the fubclavians, which derive their origin from that trunk of the aorta, that fupplies the head and a great part of the thorax with branches. He confeffes an ulcer in the leg may prove lefs tractable after the disease; but thinks that circumftance fhould be overlook'd; especially as he affirms, that a few dofes of the bark feldom or never fail to difpofe it to a kindly, healing condition. He adds, that tho' inoculation has been proved to be much the fafeft way of receiving the infection, yet it has fometimes proved mortal; and indeed, confidering how precipitately it is often applied, he is furprized it has not been much more frequently the case. Inoculation feems to be confidered, he obferves, as a mere chirurgical operation: and accordingly almoft every one, who knows how to handle a lancet, is intrufted with the whole management of it. But it has been fhewn, he fays, that what ought to be done on this occafion for the security of the patient, a judicious and skilful physician can only judge. Upon the whole, the author feems a rational practitioner, who has confidered this fubject with attention; and tho' his expreffion, as a phyfical writer, might here and there admit of improvement, he appears better qualified in fome branches of medical erudition, than it is to be apprehended a majority of the American practitioners may be. MONTHLY CATALOGUE, MISCELLANEOUS. 1 Emarks on the life and writings of dr. John Hill, Owen. Those who expect to be entertained with learning, wit, or humour in this pamphlet, will find themselves miferably disappointed, upon the perufal of it. The writings of dr. Hill really deferve a good criticifm; and that ingenious gentleman would doubtless profit by it. But fuch a wretched rhapfody of dulness and fcurrility, as the work now before us, is inexpreffibly below contempt: it is impoffible to read it, without conceiving a bad opinion of fo abufive a man, as its author appears to be. The doctor has doubtless his faults as a writer, and as a man, and had these faults been candidly reprefented to him, it might have tended to his reformation, instead of provoking him to refentment, as this injurious attack might be expected to do, except for the reafon above hinted. II. The adventures of captain Greenland. 12mo. 4 vols. 12s. Baldwin. Το To avoid a repetition of the fame characteristics, we refer the reader back to our accounts of John Daniel, Howel ap David Price, Charles Ofborne, efq; and Patty Saunders; to whofe diftinguifh'd names, we may add that of III. Cleora: or, the fair inconftant, &c. 12mo. 3 s. Cooper. IV. The comedies of Terence, tranflated into English profe. By mr. Gordon. 12mo. 3 s. Longman, &c. As a fpecimen of what this mr. Gordon is able to do as a tranflator of the Latin claffics, take the ignaram artis meretricia of Terence, (See Clitipho's foliloquy, Self-Tormentor, Act II. Scene I.) which mr. Gordon renders, quite a "Atranger to the trade of thefe BITCHES.' V. Examples of the interpofition of providence in the detection and punishment of murder. With an introduction' and conclufion, by Henry Fielding, efq; I s. Millar. Thefe examples are chiefly collected from a well-known book, entitled, God's revenge against murder, and from Turner's hiftory of remarkable providences. This fmall collection is well enough adapted for the amusement and admonition of the common people. VI. A catalogue and defcription of the etchings of Rembrandt Van-Rhyn, with fome account of his life. To which is added a lift of the beft pieces of this mafter, for the use of those who would make a felect collection of his works: Written originally by the late Mr. Gerfaint; and published by meff. Helly and Glomy, with confiderable additions and improvements. Tranflated from the French. 35. feffries, at Charing-cross. 12mo. The editor informs us, that mr. Gerfaint drew up this catalogue, &c. from a collection of Rembrandt's works, in the poifeffion of the ingenious mr. Houbraken of Amfterdam. As the pieces of this great artist are now fold at a very high price, and his manner imitated so nearly as to deceive good judges, this catalogue may be of ufe, by enabling the curious to reject all the fpurious pieces which have been of fhall be intruded into collections of his works; and difappoint the artifices of those who, tho' they do not impofe upon the unwary a bath-metal ring for gold, do yet fell counterfeits of another kind, with the fame intention to defraud. VII. Horace, b. II. fat. VII. imitated, and infcribed tó Richard Owen Cambridge, efq; by Sir Nicholas Nemo, knt. 4to. Is. Owen. As In our last we mentioned mr. Cambridge's imitation-of this Satire of Horace; which gave rife to this fimilar attempt, wherein the ingenious author has more fcrupulously adhered to his original. VIII. A fupplement to the Memoirs of Brandenburg : containing a preliminary difcourfe to the whole work, and two differtations: the firft, on the ancient and modern government of Brandenburg; the fecond, on the reasons for the enacting and repealing of laws. By the author of the Memoirs. 12mo. Is. Nourfe. Having given a fufficient account of the Memoirs, (See Review, vol. IV. p. 201.) we think it unneceffary to enlarge upon this fupplement; of which we fhall therefore fay nothing more, than that we believe it to be genuine, and that it is proper to be bound up with the memoirs. IX. Remarks on Letters concerning MIND. (See Review. Vol. III. p. 463.) 8vo. I s. Rivington. S. These remarks, as we are told in the preface to them, are taken from the original characters of the author of the Letters; and referred to paffages in those letters, in order to illuftrate or explain them. Tho', fays the editor, the letters, and thefe papers were written for private ufe, (See Review, referr'd to as above); yet, it is prefumed they may be ferviceable to mankind; and, at the fame time, preferve the memory of a worthy and good man.' X. Happiness revealed, &c. Being the fequel to the economy of human life. 8vo. I s. James. A weak and trivial performance, by no means worthy the notice of lord Chesterfield, to whom the author has infcrib ed it. CONTROVERSIAL. XI. Predeftination calmly confidered. By John Wesley M. A. 8 d. Trye. In this work mr.Wesley.fmartly,and,in our opinion, fuccefsfully encounters the doctrine of abfolute unconditional electi on and reprobation: In oppofition, particularly to dr. Gill. XII. The bishop of Exeter's anfwer to mr. J. Welley's letter to his lordship. 8vo. 2 d. Knapton. This epiftle is written, to corroborate a charge brought against mr. Wesley, in the 3d part of the enthusiasm of the methodists and papifts compared, concerning his behaviour to the miftrefs of an inn in Cornwall: from which charge Mr. Wesley endeavoured fome time ago to clear himself. See the prefatory epiftle to the bishop's fecond letter to the author of the enthufiafm, &c. XIII. A |