tion of Consumption, was to show the climates and the classes of people which were exempt from consumption. "Could a doctrine of exemp. tion," says he, "be established, we should only have to adopt as nearly as possible into our own conduct the circumstances on which exemption depends; on the other hand, if it shall appear that there are whole descriptions of persons peculiarly liable to the complaint, we may stand a chance of collecting from their history a lesson equally valuable on the habits to be avoided." The facts contained in the essay are many of them of infinite value, and cannot be too often presented to our minds; butchers, who eat much meat, and who are frequently exposed to the effluvia of putrid animal substances, makers of catgut and stable boys, who in the latter circumstance resemble butchers, fisherwomen and sailors, whose laborious occupation in the open air generates robustness of constitution, are almost entirely exempt from this disease; on the contrary, tailors and shoemakers, whose employments require bodily inactivity, and are carried on in close rooms, stone-cutters, who are continually inhaling into their lungs the fine particles rubbed off during the division of the stone,-needle-pointers, weavers, spinners, carpet-manufacturers, whose employments comprehend both the evils of confinement and inactivity, and the inhalation of foreign substances, are the most common victims to consumption. The practical inference that is drawn from these facts is, that we should imitate those habits of the exempted classes on which their exemption appears to depend; that we should endeavour, by the use of animal food, and strong and frequent exercise in the open air, to ge

nerate that robustness of constitution which prevents the access of consump tion. Beddoes conducted this inqui ry with admirable ability, and there is much reason for believing that the search after a preventative, rather than a cure, for this disease, is still the most promising means of encroaching on its fatality. Among the climates within our reach, Dr Beddoes prefers Egypt, Bengal, and the West Indies; he expresses doubts about the utility of Lisbon, Italy, and Madeira, and conjectures that the benefit which is sometimes experienced by those who go to these places is attributable rather to the voyage than to the climate.

Lisbon is now much less frequently resorted to by patients than formerly; and the tombstones of stran gers in the churchyards of Madeira afford but unfavourable testimony to the healing influence of its climate. This essay contains his first proposal for the employment of foxglove as a remedy for consumption; it was already known to have the power of producing the absorption and expul sion of dropsical fluids, and the recovery of some cases of consumption during its use led him to hope, with his usual intensity of belief, that it was able to effect the absorption and expulsion of those minute tumours or tu. bercles in the substance of the lungs, with which consumption in its worst form commences.

The next object on which he expended his activity and zeal, was to ascertain the virtues of the nitric acid, as a remedy for syphilis: he published several volumes of reports of his own trials, as well as those of his medical friends. On this subject, his most mature opinion appears to be contained in a letter, in which he says that nitrous acid seems to fail in more syphilitic cases than mercury; but it

ed on Dr Beddoes at Clifton. The account which he gives of the interview is amusing. "After visiting the infirmary, I was desirous of seeing the Pneumatic Institution. This institution was, several years ago, established by subscription ; as, at that time, a flattering idea prevailed, that the application of various gases afforded particular remedies, especially in affections of the chest. Since that hope has been (at least to a considerable extent) disappointed, it is simply employed as a dispensary. From time to time, however, some pneumatic experiments are still made there. The celebrated Dr Beddoes presides over this institution with considerable zeal: indeed it is indebted to him for its origin. I was very anxious to become personally acquainted with a physi. cian of whom such various opinions are entertained both abroad and at home. With this view I had procured several letters of introduction to him: amongst others, I was favoured with one from his father-in-law, Mr Edgeworth, with whom, and with his interesting family, I became acquainted at the house of Madame Lavoisier in Paris. Dr Beddoes does not properly live in Bristol, but in the adjoining village of Clifton. All his acquaintance had told me before hand, that I should find in Dr Beddoes a man, whose premier abord was rather repulsive. On entering his house, I gave the servant my introductory letters, that his master might be somewhat prepared, and not taken by surprise. After waiting about half a quarter of an hour, Dr Beddoes appeared with several books under his arm. The first words that he addressed to me were, Which Dr Frank are you? for there are a great many of you.' Before I could an

row,

swer him, he laid before me, in a several books, all written by Franks, constantly asking as he turned them over, Is that you? Is that you? The first that met my eye, was a Materia Medica, by Solomon Frank. I protested against this being mine. Then followed some of the works which I had written in elucidation of the Brunonian system. Having now recognised me, Brown became the first topic of our conversation. We were soon agreed upon what was wor◄ thy of praise and what of censure in that system. The conversation shortly after turned upon foreign medical literature, when I soon found that Dr Beddoes reads German as well as he does English, and is intimately acquainted with all our best authors. Among all the theories applied at present to the practice of medicine, that of Reill pleases him best. Dr Beddoes, in his conversation, which grew every moment more interesting, showed the same fire and animation that are observable in his writings."

In 1808 he set on foot a course of popular lectures on anatomy. Mr Davy, as was to be expected, had removed to London, and a Mr Alcock had succeeded him. By this gentleman the principal part of the discourse was delivered, but the introductory lecture was written by Dr Beddoes. It is printed in Dr Stock's account of his life, and contains some remarkable instances of his powers of exposition.

He was now arrived at the 46th year of his age; many persons of consequence had solicited him to remove to London, and the wide field which this wealthy and immense metropolis held out to his ambition at last induced him to take their advice, and to make arrangements for his re

moval. In the summer of 1806, however, he had been seized with symptoms of water in the chest. He was attended by Dr Stock and Dr Craufuird. As soon as he was aware of the nature of his complaint, for at first he obstinately denied it, he gave himself up as a lost man. With some difficulty his medical friends prevailed on him to consent to the application of boiling-hot water, as a means of raising a blister more sure and ra pid than the Spanish fly; the symp. toms, particularly the difficulty of breathing, had become so urgent as to render them unwilling to rely on so tardy and uncertain a remedy as the latter. "A napkin well heated was rolled up and forced into a pint cup, which it completely filled, leaving a convex surface rising about half an inch above the top. Boiling water was then poured on the napkin till it was thoroughly wetted; it was then hastily inverted, and held for exactly thirty seconds to the side." This application relieved him, and he be gan slowly to recover; but the attack seems to have somewhat diminished his activity, and he resolved to defer his removal to London, at least until the complete restoration of his strength. Dr Beddoes had, since his illness of 1806, recovered to an uncommonly good state of health, which last ed uninterruptedly till the autumn of 1808, when he was attacked by symptoms very similar to his former ones. Those which indicated disorder of the liver particularly attracted the attention of his medical attendants and himself; leeches were applied to his right side; mercurial ointment was rubbed in till it produced some sore. ness of the gums, and he experienced a partial and temporary relief; some degree of inflammation of the chest followed, but it yielded to appropriate re

medies, and on the 29th of November he was so far recovered as to be able to take a short journey into Wales. He returned in good spirits, and when talking about his health, expressed his conviction that his lungs were sound and vigorous. His breathing was never entirely free even in his best health, but during his late excursion he had mounted a steep Welsh hill with uncommon ease; his countenance, however, told a different tale; it was pale and fallen, and indicated strongly that all was not well within. On the 11th of December he visited a patient from home for the last time, but he still continued to give advice at his own house, and, with a few slight exceptions, seemed to enjoy his usual vigour of understanding. From the 14th of this same month, he began to suffer severely, although silently; he moved frequently from one apartment to another, to free himself from a weight and oppression in his chest, but in vain. On the 21st he felt and appeared much better, and remarked to his medical friend Mr King, " If this be not one of the lightings up before death, I am certainly better." On the 22d, in the evening, a stove was erected in his hall, and he was resolved to see it done himself; the pipe was conducted up the centre of the staircase, and he ascended to the top of the house to see it conveyed through the roof; during this exertion, his servants remarked that he was extremely feeble. The next day he was worse; at night he appeared very uneasy, and early in the morning his breathing became so difficult, that Dr Craufuird was called up to him. Some squill and foxglove were given him without relief. His medical friends left him at eight, but two hours afterwards were sent for again, and