however, are very refpectable. His ftyle is manly and perfpicuous, his arguments plain and folid, and his practical obfervations of the higheft importance.

X. A Course of Phyfiology, divided into Twenty Lectures, formerly given by the late learned Dr. Henry Pemberton, Profeffor of Phyfic at Gresham College, Fellow of the Royal Society, and of that at Berlin. Now first published from the Author's Manufcript. 8vo. 5s. Nourfe.

TH

HE benefit which a man of learning can confer on fociety is not limited by the bounds of his natural life, but may continue to be felt by pofterity for ages after the author is no more. At the decease of fuch a perfon, it is ufual to search his cabinet for manufcripts with the fame avidity with which in the cafe of other men their laft wills and teftaments are fought after. Then it is that often productions which either modesty had concealed, or the defire of polishing with-held from the public view, are exhibited to the world, and mankind in general are rendered heirs of the literary treasures. The late Dr. Pemberton was one of the writers to whom these obfervations are applicable; for this is now the second posthumous work which has appeared under his name.

The first of these lectures treats of medicine in general; in which the author presents us with a fummary view of the ftructure and œconomy of the human body, and specifies the feveral divifions into which the medical fcience is distinguished; namely, Phyfiologia, Pathologia, Semeiotica, Hygieine, and Therapeutice.

The fecond lecture contains an illuftration of the firft four general divifions of medicine above mentioned. Refpe&ting phyfiology, the author obferves, that it is founded on the knowledge of anatomy, and is a branch of philofophy highly worthy of attention, not only as being an enquiry into the nobleft of all the works of nature, but also fubfervient to the investigation of diseases. From this fubject the author makes a tranfition to pathology, and mentions the various fources from whence diforders may arise, either as they depend on accidents within the body, or the influence of the non-naturals. Semeiotice, or the doctrine of figns, he confiders as diftinguished into two kinds, either fuch as indicate the prefent ftate of the body or difeafe, or the future alterations to be produced in them. Under the head of Hygicine, or what regards the prefervation of health, he delivers a fuccinct account of the effects of the nonnaturals, both in their regular courfe and deviation from a healthy standard.

The third letter is employed on therapeutics, or the cure of diseases, where the author gives general remarks on the me

thods

thods of obtaining that end by alterant and evacuating medicines.

Having, in the preceding lectures, given a concise view of the feveral parts into which the fcience of medicine is divided, the author returns, in the fourth lecture, to a more particular confideration of phyfiology. The title of that lecture is, Of the Stomach. We there meet not only with a distinct anatomical description of that organ in the human body, but the author also introduces a comparative view of the ftomachs of ruminating animals and birds. In the fubfequent difcourfe he treats in the fame manner of the intestines.

In the fixth lecture, Dr. Pemberton explains the process of digeftion. After invalidating the opinion, that digeftion is chiefly performed by the mufcular action of the ftomach, he delivers an account of the manner in which, more probably, it is conducted. That our readers may have a specimen of the work, we shall select a paffage from this lecture.

• Others have attributed this power of digeftion to an acid in the ftomach, by which they have fuppofed the aliment to be corroded, as metals are diffolved in aqua fortis, and fuch like acids. That acid humours may be produced in the ftomach is evident; for this is often a difeafe; and it is as certain that great part of what we take into the ftomach, namely all our liquors, except water, are difpoted to turn four, and often do fo in weak ftomachs. But whether any other acid is in the ftomach, befides what arifes from this caufe, is at least doubtful. It is not to be fuppofed, that this acid, of which weak stomachs complain, is the inftrument of digeftion; for if it were, fuch stomachs should digest their food the best of any, whereas the great complaint attending fuch ftomachs is indigeftion. Again, great part of the fubftances we digeft are not diffolvible in acids, particularly the fat and oily parts of animals Farther the effect of digeftion is quite contrary to the effects of acids; for the fubftances, which are digefted in the stomach, are brought towards an alkaline ftate, and towards what those fubftances would turn to by putrefaction. And any step towards putrefaction seems little likely to be promoted by acids; for they are the best preservatives against that kind of corruption.

No doubt this power, from whence digeftion arifes, is not to be fought for in the ftomach only, but also in the matter digested. The fubftances, which properly digeft in our ftomachs are such as will putrify; and meats become easier to digeft by being kept some time, whereby they approach nearer to a state of putrifaction. Meats by, being kept grow gradually tenderer, that is, the parts become lefs adhefive, and more

eafily

eafily diffolved, mean while their relish, by which they are agreeable to the appetite and ftomach, improves. At length indeed this flavour difappears, and a ftate of actual putrifaction fucceeds, whereby these meats now grow gradually lefs and lefs agreeable to the stomach, being got beyond what the digeftion of the ftomach fhould bring them to. This difpofition in the fubftances,, which digeft, to putrify, is probably the chief agent in procuring the digeftion in the ftomach; for as a gentle heat is a great promoter of putrifaction, so meats are acted on by fuch a heat in the ftomach. Thefe fubftances do not indeed become completely putrid in the ftomach; yet it appears that they approach toward a putrid ftate from this, that animal fubftances by a chemical analyfis do not yield any of those principles, which vegetables do before putrifaction, fuch as an acid fpirit, and fixt alkaline falt, unless perhaps fome of their juices in a faint degree, but afford a volatile alkaline falt, and fetid oil, fuch as vegetables give after putrifying; and the excrementitious fæces, which are excluded the body, after the nutritive part of the aliment is abforbed from it, is actually in a state of putrifaction.

However, vegetables in the ftomach do not wholly put off their acidity, nor even when they first enter the blood; for milk, a liquor feparated from the blood, will turn acid by keeping, yet in diftillation it will yield the fame principles as other animal fubftances do

Upon the whole, it feems not improbable, that as vegetable and animal fubftances are difpofed to diffolve by putrifaction, and that this diffolution is greatly promoted by a due degree of heat, fo the warmth of the ftomach disposes them to diffolve, and that the faliva, and other juices in the ftomach, by infinuating themfelves into thofe fubftances, as their texture is loofened, haften the difunion of their parts, and diffolve them in a much lefs time than is neceflary for their actual putrifaction. By this means the very bones of animals may be foon diffolved, which, when a carcass lies putrifying in the open air, grow dry, and remain a long time: for how much a due degree of heat, with the affiftance of a fluid, when fo confined, as may aid its infinuating itself into the diffolving body, will contribute towards the diffolution of these fubftances, the inftrument called Papin's digefter fhews. This is an iron pot, with a cover of the fame metal to fcrew close down. If flesh, or even bones, be put in this veffel, and the veffel be filled with water only; the cover being screwed clofe down, with a due degree of heat, which is not a great one, the flesh, and bones too, will foon be diffolved into a jelly.

As

As foon as the aliment is diffolved, it paffes out of the Stomach into the intestines, where it presently meets with a juice from the pancreas, and the bile from the liver.'

The fubjects of the remaining lectures are refpectively as follows. Of Secretion; Of the Secretions of the Kidneys and Skin; Of the Liver; Of Refpiration; Of the Brain and Nervous System; Of Senfation; Of Vision; Of the Difeafes of the Head; Of the Diseases of the Breaft; Of the Diseases of the Abdomen; Of the Difeafes of the Limbs, and external Parts; Of acute Fevers in general; Of the Cure of Fevers in general, by Regimen and alterative Medicines; Of the Cure of Fevers in general, by Evacuations.

In the nineteenth lecture, we find an observation which deferves to be communicated to our medical readers.

• If the fever run high, with too rapid a motion of the blood, and exceffive heat, cooling medicines, as well as a greater quantity of diluting drinks, are required, Thefe are of the acid kind. Perhaps the most effectual is nitre. But in the use of this medicine, it would be right to observe one caution, rather to give it diffolved than in substance; for nitre, while it diffolves, communicates to the diffolving liquor an additional coldness, which goes off again, after the folution is perfected; and by this property, when it is taken in substance, it gives an offenfive fenfation of cold to the flomach, which is avoided by giving the medicine already diffolved.'

The whole of thefe lectures may be reduced to one general character, which is, that they exhibit a diftin&t delineation of the phyfiological and pathological principles of medicine; and we doubt not of their being read with fatisfaction by those who are defirous of acquiring a general idea of phyfiology, as a branch of natural philofophy.

FOREIGN ARTICLES.

XI. Obfervations Phyfiques et Morales fur l'Infint des Animaux, leur Industrie et leurs Moeurs. Par Hermann Samuel Reimar, Profeffeur de Philofophie à Hambourg: Ouvrage traduit de l'Allemand fur la dernière Edition, Par M. Reneaume de Latache, Capitaine Reformé de l'Infanterie Etrangére. 2 Vols. 12mo. Amfterdam.

T

HE late Mr. Reimar had, in an excellent work on the principal truths of natural religion, attempted to difplay the Creator's particular views in the animal kingdom, by feveral fpecies of induftricus inftincts implanted in the brute creation; and the very favourable reception which that book, and especially this part of it, had met with from the public in Germany, has encouraged him to difcufs this inftructive fubject more at large, in a fubfequent work of which we are going to lay a concife account before our readers.

Our

Our author begins with observing, that the fenfe of the word Inftinct appears to have been hitherto very vague and uncertain. This he imputes to there being several sorts of inftincts; which he therefore endeavours to comprehend in one general definition applicable to them all, and afterwards proceeds to diftinguish each of them by a particular definition, and to confider each fpecies feparately.

By inftinct, in the most general and extenfive fenfe, he defigns any natural inclination for certain actions.'

He then diftinguishes in animals three different claffes of inftincts. 1. Mechanical instincts, or organical motions of the machine, common to both men and brutes, and operating independently of any reflexion. 2. Representative inftincts, partly relative to the prefent, as operating on the fenfitive organs, and partly to the paft, which is by the imagination of brutes confounded with the prefent. 3. Voluntary, or fpontaneous instincts, all, indeed, produced by pleasure or pain, yet mere fimple inftincts, whether natural or degenerated. Thefe innate fpontaneous inftincts he again fubdivides into the univerfal and primitive inftinct of felf-love; and 4. Particular inftincts either of paffions, or of induftry. It is this latter clafs that is chiefly, and indeed in a mafterly manner, investigated and explained in the prefent work, which confifts of eleven Chapters and an Appendix.

Chap. I. treats of the mechanical inftinct of brutes. Chap. II. of their reprefentative inftincts. Chap. III. of their voluntary or fpontaneous inftincts, and their diverfity. Chap. IV. of their induftrious inftincts. Chap. V. of the various ways of living of the animal creation. Chap. VI. of the particular wants of thefe various ways of living. Chap. VII. divifion and properties of the induftrious instincts, which he ranges under ten different heads.

Clafs I. of induftrious inftincts; of motion, as the most univerfal mean for attaining all ends.

1. The skill of moving the whole body from one place towards another, in different elements, and in various manners, according to the organical frame of bodies.-2. The power of moving particular limbs, according to the ufe for which they are defigned.

Class II. Of induftrious inftincts as means for fatisfying the first principal wants: viz. a wholesome air; the true element, and a convenient climate.

3. The dexterity with which brutes feck and find their true element when they happen to be born out of it.-4. The instinct of venturing into an element, contiguous to that where the animal was born; as from water on earth, from earth into water, and from both of thefe elements into the air.-5. The instinct of leav ing their natural elements, in order to undergo the change that is to lead them to another way of living.-6. The inftinct of remov. ing, at the change of feafons, to diftant climes and countries, and of returning from thence at the proper time, as in birds, quadru peds, infects, and fishes.-7. The art of foreknowing the change of feafons from which that variety of admirable operations refults.8. The instinct of retiring to fubterraneous places, and of shutting themselves up there, in order to fleep undisturbed. during winter.

Class III. Of industrious instincts relating to the second principal want, viz. the obtaining a fubfiftence both wholesome and fufficient.

9. The art of feeking and chufing that convenient fubfiftence. On this fubject he mentions the remarkable refult of 2314 experi

ments