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derately open by the exhibition of mild aperient medicines, and the patient is to be fupplied with cooling and foftening drinks. But though our ancestors were as well inftructed in the mode of treating inflammation, as we their children, yet they were infinitely behind us in the knowledge of the modus operandi, of the means they employed. This was not difcovered until the immortal John Brown arofe," who boldly difengaging himself from the trainmels of fcholaftic error, p. 6, and difregarding the falfe glare of deceitful analogy, fought an acquaintance with the laws of life, by observing and generalizing its peculiar phenomena."

It is true, that the difcovery of this new fource of knowledge has not, as yet, led to an amelioration of our practice; for that we muft wait, perhaps, until fome other genius, equally fublime, fhall illuminate our hemifphere. But though we may not have learned to cure difeafes with more certainty, we talk of them more eloquently.

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Befides thefe general rules for the treatment of pneumonia, this author thinks we have difcovered in the digitalis, a very powerful remedy for the complaint, which has effected,' he fays, p. 135," a revolution in medical practice, as it relates to the counteraction of inflammatory diforders." He acknowledges, however, that it has not completely answered the high encomiums bestowed upon it by fome of its admirers, but ftill thinks, with Dr. Currie, that "it may almoft be faid to be poffeffed of a charm for allaying inordinate action of the heart and arteries; and in this point of view, as well as for its efficacy in fome kinds of dropfy, particularly hydrothorax, its introduction into medicine is one of the greatest benefits our science has received in modern times."

. Having warmed himfelf with the contemplation of the power this deleterious drug poffeffes of diminishing the quickness of the circulation, (and almost every other poifon taken into the ftomach produces the fame effect) this author ventures to recommend it, nay fpeaks of it as almost a specific for the cough attendant on the measles, and fome other fimilar complaints. "Thefe eruptive diforders," he fays, p. 140, "more generally occur in the peculiarly irritable habits of children, in whom excitability can, for the most part, be moderated with extreme facility by a judicious employment of this powerful drug. The cough, which is frequently violent, may generally be fubdued by fox-glove, in dofes apportioned to the age of the patient, and to the degree of prevailing irritation." But the digitalis is fo uncertain in its operation, and fo little under controul, that we are

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perfuaded it will often happen that no alteration in the velocity of the pulfe will be perceived, until fuch a quantity of the poifon has been taken as will not only moderate, but altogether extinguith the excitability, or, more properly, the life of the patient. The digitalis feems therefore in a peculiar manner improper to be adminiftered to the very delicate fubjects for whom it is here recommended.

- The author proceeds to treat of tubercles, another source of confumption; he then defcribes the conftitutions most prone to the difeafe, and in the eleventh chapter he informs us in what manner this tendency is to be counteracted. Perfons of delicate complexions, and of irritable habits, who are fubject to enlargement of the glands of the neck, or to hemorrhage from the lungs, who have narrow chefts and long necks, are more liable than others to this complaint, which ufually makes its firft appearance about the time of puberty. Of trades or occupations difpofing to confumption, the author thinks it may be laid down as a general rule, that those carried on in clofe confined rooms have the greateft, thofe in the open air, as the butchers, failors, gardeners, and grooms, have the leaft tendency to produce the complaint. The rules neceffary to be obferved for preventing confumption in perfons predifpofed to the complaint, are given under the heads of diet and regimen, clothes and habitations, exercife and bathing. On each of these subjects the obfervations are in general judicious, but fuch as have been fo often repeated, as not to need being noticed here.

In the twelfth and thirteenth chapters, which conclude the volume, the author gives what he calls the hiftory of pulmonary confumption, alfo accounts of fome diforders refembling confumption, with further obfervations on the method of treating them. The marks by which it has been fuppofed, confumption might be detected on its firft attack, are fo uncertain and irregular in their appearance, that no dependence, this author acknowledges, are to be placed on them. This muft neceifarily be the cafe, as the first symptoms of confumption are the fame as thofe of a fimple catarrh or cold. It is only, therefore, by thofe fymptoms continuing and increafing, notwithstanding proper attention has been paid to them, inftead of diminishing, and at the end of a few days disappearing, that we are led to a fufpicion of their terminating in confumption. Regularity in diet, keeping the body as nearly as may be in a moderate and equal deof warmth, and avoiding all fubjects of irritation, either

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corporeal or mental, are among the means recommended by the author in the cure of confumption, when curable, which it only is, he obferves, in its early ftages; but the remedy on which he principally depends is the fox-glove, " which, under due regulations," he fays, p. 244," and with fufficient attention to other circumftances of regimen and diet, may be employed with a profpect of almost invariable relief." The relief afforded by the digitalis in confumption, is fuppofed to be produced by its power of diminifhing or reftoring the balance of excitability, in different parts of the system, a want of which occafions hectic, the invariable attendant on the complaint. "A want of due balance in excitability, between the lymphatic and other parts of animal organization, appears to conftitute the effential character of fcrophula in its different forms; and to this inequality the phenomena of hectic fever are perhaps with most propriety to be attributed." We have no doubt that the author thinks he has fome idea of a balance of excitability between the lymphatics, and other parts of animal organization, although it might not be easy for him to make the doctrine intelligible to the uninitiated; fortunately it is not abfolutely neceffary that it fhould be known. To diminish the velocity of the circulation, without materially reducing the ftrength of the patient, is the object to be attained, and this the author thinks the digitalis is competent to perform. Some experience, and an intimate acquaintance with the practice of others, who have used the digitalis oftener than we have, convince us that it is both too violent and too uncertain in its effects, to merit the commendation lavished upon it in this work. The author has feen, and is fatisfied, that inhaling a modified atmosphere, from which we were promifed by another theorift, the most important benefit in this complaint, has completely failed, p. 267, and the practice of adminiftering it is abandoned. Had he deferred the publication of this treatife a few years longer, the work in other refpects would probably have been much benefited by the delay, and we have no doubt he would have found he had abundant reafon for altering the opinion he at prefent entertains of the efficacy of the digita lis, either in confumption or dropfy.

ART.

ART. VIII. A View of the Evidences of Christianity, at the Clofe of the pretended Age of Reafon. In Eight Sermons, preached before the University of Oxford, at St. Mary's, in the Year 1805, at the Lecture founded by the Rev. John Bampton, M. A. Canon of Salisbury. By Edward Nares, M. A. Rector of Biddenden, Kent, and late Fellow of Merton College, Oxford. 8vo. 543 pp. 10s. 6d. At the Univerfity Prefs. Rivingtons, &c. London.

1805.

THE inflitution of Canon Bampton, allowing an extenfive range of theological fubjects to the preachers appointed under it, has produced fome of the most important illuftrations of facred truth that the prefent age has feen. Some of thefe have lately claimed our notice; and, in par ticular, the elaborate researches and acute remarks of Dr. Lawrence, concerning the language of our reformers, as connected with the right interpretation of certain articles of our church, long and profitably detained our attention.

Dr. L. contended, and with great fuccefs, against the Calvinifts. The prefent lecturer takes a larger field, and opposes, in turn, all thofe who, in the late pretended Age of Reason, have endeavoured, in any way, to employ the disco veries of modern times to the fubverfion of religious truth. His general object is to fhow that, notwithstanding all these attacks, Chriftianity ftill remains uninjured; and that, with every advantage of extended knowledge, acute talents, and unreftrained difcuffion, the affailants have, in fact, made no impreffion on that holy, edifice which Chrift founded, and his Apoftles built up on his foundation. These lectures may be confidered, therefore, as giving a general view of that conteft which we have all feen carried on for fo many years paft, in fo many different ways: with fatisfactory arguments to fhow that, in this conteft, Chriftianity has always been victorious, and is likely always to be fo, from the nature of the cafe itself, and the fair analogy between what has been, and what may be expected.

So wide an extent of argument required, undoubtedly, fome fubdivifion and arrangement; and the author accordingly defcribes the chief objections of the opponents under the heads of HISTORY, PHYSICS, METAPHYSICS, ETHICS, and CRITICISM. This arrangement, however, is not exactly followed; which, indeed, could not easily have been effected, though it is always kept, to a certain degree in view. The first fermon is employed in laying the foundation for the whole; by ftating that Chriflianity, in the

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courfe of eighteen centuries, has been fairly put to the teft which Gamaliel originally propofed for it. If this counfel, or this work be of man, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it." If, therefore, it can be completely fhown, that every human effort, for so long a period of time, has been infufficient, not only to overthrow, but even to weaken Chriftianity, the conclufion will irrefiftibly follow, that undoubtedly it is of God.

Had then Chriftianity," fays the Lecturer, "been of man, we may naturally conclude, from what has paffed in the world fince its first introduction, that it would before this have failed, either through fome inherent defect, or from fome outward oppofition. I fay from what has paffed in the world fince its first introduction, becaufe on this will depend the whole queftion, as fuggefted by the advice of Gamaliel. Had Chriftianity been no object of notice, or fubject of enquiry, to any but its own difciples, it might have endured juft as long as it has done, whether founded in error or in truth. It would have depended on the temper and difpofition of thofe only who embraced it but records of indifputable veracity tell us that it was from the first, and has been even to our days, as much an object of attention to its opponents, as to its friends and admirers. It has been in a ftate of very critical trial and probation from its very first appearance; it has been affailed by every weapon fuited to fuch an attack; it has ben perfecuted by the violent, derided by the infidel, fpurned at by the wicked, mifreprefented by the ignorant."

P. 5.

The particular reference which the author has made in his title page to the expreffion of the Age of Reafon, is thus explained in the fame difcourfe:

"In the lapfe of ages there will be different periods, no doubt, more friendly than others to the developement of truth, as well as periods more favourable to the prevalence of error and prejudice. During fome ages, the human mind may be fupine, indolent, and placed in adverfe circumstances as to its expanfion and its energies. At others, more favourable occafions will occur, in which it shall be in the way of every advantage conducive to the advancement of knowledge, and the confequent difcovery of the most important truths. Such periods we may well trace in the revival of leaning in Europe, and the glorious reformation of the Church.

"We have recently paffed a period of no fmall importance, though of a very questionable character. It has been oftentatioully indeed denominated the Age of REASON. I do not mean to allude only to the work of a fimple individual, diftinguished by this title, but allowing him the credit of having adopted a term admirably expreffive not only of his own defigns, but of that

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