ways obftructed in the king's-evil. We likewife obferve in the rickets, a preternatural largenefs of the belly, and other fymptoms that point out a primary affection in that region. Befides doctor Heifter, after diffecting fix or feven bodies that died of this disease, mentions among the most ufual appear ances, that the belly was too large, from the intellines being diftended to twice their natural bulk with air; that worms and a deal of mucus were in that bowel; and that the glands were obftructed and hard, particularly thofe of the mefentery. We may safely conclude that the stomach was always in a 'natural state; as this accurate anatomift fays nothing of it.

It would therefore feem, that, when the kinkcough continues for a long time, the inteftines lofe their contraile power on which account, as well as from the ftate of the fluids taken up by the abforbent veffels, obftructions are formed in the correfponding glands of the mefentery; and fo either of the two mentioned difeafes is produced, according as the constitution happens to be pre-difpofed.

Fourthly, but what in my opinion tends more than any thing to confirm that the kinkcough hath its feat in the inteftines, is that the returns of the paroxyfms have generally been obferved both by phyficians and others to be periodical; from which, as well as from other circumftances, fome of the best writers on the subject have been led to draw a parallel between this disease and intermittent fevers. Now, though it be still a matter of difpute, where intermittent fevers have their proximate caufe; the moft probable opinion is, that it lodges in the guts. It deferves indeed to be feriously enquired into, whether all intermittent diftempers do not depend on a primary affection of that canal. It is exceedingly remarkable, that even intermiflions of the pulse prognofticate with great certainty a future diforder in the inteftines. I have met with fome fingular intermittent difeafes which undoubtedly had their feat in that bowel.

It must be acknowledged, that Dr. Butter's opinion con-t cerning the feat of this disease receives great fupport from analogy; but to exclude the lungs and ftomach entirely from any fhare in exciting the kinkcough, feems to be an affertion not fufficiently authorised by facts. Dr. Butter observes, that' the notion of the lungs being the feat of the kinkcough is very improbable; firft, becaufe the generality of pectorals do more harm than good; fecondly, becaufe pulmonary coughs, if not dangerous, and efpecially in young fubjects, terminate much fooner than the kinkcough; and thirdly, because he does not know that the rickets or fcrophula, though often the caufes, were ever the effects of a pulmonary cough.

With refpect to pectorals, it is certain that thofe of the attenuating kind are frequently advantageous in this difeafe; an effect which would not naturally follow, were the lungs entirely free from a participation of the morbid caufe. The benefit often observed from the application of blifters to the region of the thorax, may likewife be urged in defence of at leaft a partial pulmonary affection. With regard to the fecond and third arguments advanced by Dr. Butter against the opinion of the lungs being the feat of this difeafe, they may, perhaps, be answered upon the confideration of the greater violence of the kinkcough than any other pulmonary cough.

That the ftomach is not the feat of the difeafe our author thinks probable, from the abfence of pain of that organ, fickness, faintnefs, &c. Befides, fays he, we can never sus pect any intermitting diforder of having its feat in the ftomach, when we confider, that vomits render obfcure intermiffions more diftinct. There is, undoubtedly, much force in thefe arguments; and yet the good effects which have been ob. ferved from the ufe of vomits in this difeafe afford roon for opposing an opinion that wholly rejects the probability of a morbid affection of the ftomach.

Notwithstanding the few objections we have mentioned. against Dr. Butter's hypothefis, we are of opinion, that his doctrine is fupported by arguments of great weight; and that if the intestinal canal fhall not be admitted as the fole origi ginal feat of the kinkcough, yet, that an affection of that tube deserves to be confidered as acceffary to the production of the difeafe in at leaft as high a degree as the lungs and ftomach.

In the fourth chapter, the author treats of the caufes of the kinkcough, of which he determines the pre-difpofing caufe to be an irritability of the nervous system.

In the fifth chapter of this treatife, we are prefented with the hiftory of hemlock as a cure for the kinkcough. Nineteen cafes are minutely and diftin&ly related, wherein Dr. Butter has prefcribed this remedy for the kinkcough, with a degree of fuccefs which highly entitles it to the farther experiments of the faculty in general. He declares, however, that he will not be anfwerable for the fuccefs of any experiment that may be repeated after him, unless it be performed exactly according to the method which he has defcribed, and alfo with the very preparation of hemlock that he has always used. This is a caveat which cannot juftly be conftrued into a diffidence of the efficacy of the medicine; for the circumstances in which Dr. Butter administered it were not of an uncommon VOL. XXXVI. 08, 1773. U nature,

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nature, and he has given in the Appendix an account of the preparations of hemlock which he has ufed.

In the fixth chapter, the author treats of the cure of the kinkcough by hemlock, both fimple and complicated with the following complaint, viz. worms, dyfentery, dentition, an ague, finall pox, and meafles; and alfo with the ftate of pregnancy. We fhall present our readers with the author's directions relative to the use of hemlock in this disease.

• There is but one indication in this disease; namely, to give hemlock.

• The true rule of giving this medicine is, to begin with a very small quantity diffused in a watery vehicle.

This mixture is to be given by little and little, so as to be finished in twenty-four hours, or a natural day, and to be repeated daily,

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A fmall addition of the bemlock mass should be made to the mixture every day, or every other day, till fymptoms of relief appear.

• You are then to continue that dofe so long as it seems to produce good effects.

• When the medicine begins to lofe it's effect, you are to proceed in augmenting the quantity a very little as before.

If any untoward, or contraindicating fymptom comes on, you can either give the medicine in lefs quantity, or discontinue it for a time as may feem neceffary.

• To a child under fix months, you may begin with half a grain of hemlock, diffolved in an ounce of fpring water properly sweetened.

For a child from fix months to two years old, the mixture may confift of one grain diffused in an ounce and a half of water.

For a patient from two to four years of age, two grains of hemlock in two ounces of water will be fufficient at first.

You may proceed in this manner, always allowing half a grain of hemlock in your firft daily dofe for every year of the patient's age till he is twenty.

After the patient is twenty years of age, you may always begin with ten grains of the hemlock mafs for the first natural day's confumption.

• It is not neceffary to increase the vehicle of your medicine in the fame proportion: it should be of fuch a quantity as not to be trouble fome to swallow, while at the fame time it fufficiently divides the medicine, fo as not to feel thick in the mouth.

One ounce, and eight ounces of water being confidered as the two extremes, there will be no difficulty in adjusting

intermediate quantities to different ages, efpecially as no great accuracy is required.

Such patients as diflike a liquid medicine, may have the hemlock in the form of powders, bolufes, or pills.

• If the patient has not two ftools a day, it will be proper to add a fufficient quantity of magnefia, or polychreft fait to the mixture.

Adults, for the fame reafon, may ufe fenna tea, or poly chreft falt, or fifteen or twenty grains of the aloètic pills."

As the ftomach and bowels are very weak in this difeafe," it is evident, that the diet fhould be light and of eafy digef tion. Little or no animal food should be allowed. All fermented liquors are improper. The most suitable diet is finall broths, milk, plain puddings, gruel, toaft and water, and the like. If the patient is an infant on the breaft, the nurse's milk is the best food, cfpecially if it purges.'

In the feventh chapter, Dr. Butter lays before us feveral corollaries, defcribing the various operations of hemlock, as he has obferved them in the cure of the kinkrough. With refpect to these it may be urged, that they do not clearly enough evince the operations which he imputes to hemlock to have been really the effects of that remedy; fince they are not confiftent with one uniform mode of action, and may as well have been the confequence of the particular fituation of the patients as of the ufe of the medicine. This objection receives additional weight when we obferve, that the corollaries are respectively drawn from only a few of the cafes here related. On the whole, however, Dr. Butter has placed the efficacy of hemlock in the kinkcough in fo favourable a view as does honour to his own obfervation, and will, we hope, prove the means of recommending that medicine to farther trial.

VII. Mifcellaneous Pieces, in Profe, by J. and A. L. Aikin. 8vo. 35. feed. Johnson.

THIS volume confifts of ten fhort effays on the following fubjects.

I. On the Province of Comedy. There are two fources of comic humour, viz. character and incident. The firft, fays our author, is attached and appropriated to the perfon, and makes a part, as it were, of his compofition. The other is merely accidental, proceeding from aukward fituations, odd and uncom mon circumstances, and the like, which may happen indifferently to every perfon. If we compare thefe with regard to their dignity and utility, we fhall find a farther difference; fince that proceeding from character belongs to a very respect

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able part of knowledge, that of human manners; and has for its end the correction of foibles; whereas that proceeding from incident is mean and trivial in its origin, and answers no other purpofe than prefent mirth.

From this general remark the author proceeds to obferve, that the comic character may be derived from national peculiarities, the improprieties of fashion, popular fuperftitions, profeffional abfurdities, ladicrous fingularities, &c.

This effay merits the perufal of every comic writer, who wifhes to acquire a lafting reputation by a juft, delicate, and well directed ridicule.

II. The Hill of Science, a Vision, reprefenting a multitude of people climbing up a fleep afcent, towards the temple of truth.

III. On Romances, an imitation of the style of Dr. Johnson. IV. Seláma, an imitation of Offian.

V. Against Inconfittency in our Expectations. In this effay the author expofes the folly of thofe, who vex themselves with fruitless wishes, or give way to groundfefs and unreasonable difcontent. The following obfervations place this point in a light, in which, perhaps, it has feldom been confidered.

Men of merit and integrity often cenfure the difpofitions of Providence for fuffering characters they despise to run away with advantages which, they yet know, are purchased by fuch means as a high and noble fpirit could never fubmit to. If you refufe to pay the price, why expect the purchase? We fhould confider this world as a great mart of commerce, where Fortune expofes to our view various commodities, riches, eafe, tranquillity, fame, integrity, knowledge. Every thing is marked at a fettled price. Our time, our labour, our ingenuity, is fo much ready money which we are to lay cut to the beft advantage. Examine, compare, chufe, reject; but stand to your own judgment; and do not, like children, when you have purchafed one thing, repine that you do not poffefs another which you did not purchafe. Such is the force of wellregulated industry, that a steady and vigorous exertion of our faculties, directed to one end, will generally infure fuccefs. Would you, for inftance, be rich? Do you think that fingle point worth the facrificing every thing elfe to? You may then be rich. Thoufands have become fo from the lowest beginnings by toil, and patient diligence, and attention to the minutest articles of expence and profit. But you must give up the pleafures of leifure, of a vacant mind, of a free unfufpicious temper. if you preferve your integrity, it must be a coarsefpum and vulgar honefty. Thofe high and lofty notions of morals which you brought with you from the schools must be