they may not, to the ruin of your colonies, fall in their enfranchised state, and with their new-born energies, under her dominion, or her influence. Of such a reconciliation there is danger perhaps even at the present moment; but upon the conclusion of the war, at latest, such an event will almost infallibly ensue, unless precluded by the wise measure which I advise you now to adopt. Supposing the Republic even to be rash enough to recur to her counter revolutionary efforts, the folly would only retard, not ultimately prevent, a coalition fatal to our colonies, would subject them to new intermediate perils, and leave them exposed in the sequel, to dangers not less imminent than those with which they are at present menaced, without leaving a British minister at liberty to employ those means of prevention, which may now be unobjectionably used. The evils therefore which exist, and those which are likely to arise, the dangers of the war, and those to which peace will give birth, admit but of one remedy; are to be prevented or lessened by one only expedient. If you would wield the sword without new disadvantages, if you would sheath it without peril to our colonies, and if you would diminish the difficulties which oppose the restitution of peace, you must embrace without delay, the present opportunity; you must adopt the measure I propose. A wall of perpetual separation between France and St. Domingo must necessarily be built; and therefore the liberty and independency of the new people must be acknowledged, and must be placed under British protection. By that wise use of the present opportunity, and by that mean alone, the great revolution which has taken place in the West Indies, an event pregnant perhaps with grander, and more lasting effects, than any of the late revolutions of Europe, may be rendered wholly innoxious, nay, largely beneficial to this country; and pernicious only to that unprincipled power, which first rashly made, and then wickedly tried to reverse it.' Regarding the present as intimately connected with the author's former pamphlet, and as discussing a subject of much greater magnitude and importance than the public at large. seem to be aware, we have been induced to allot to it a larger space than we usually assign to publications of this size; and we make no doubt that the extracts given in this article will amply justify our conduct. We must add, however, that through the whole of this argument the writer presumes on the disposition of the Blacks of St. Domingo to enter into an amicable treaty with the British Government; while the recent information of the newspapers, if such may be credited, assures us that overtures of this nature have been already made, but that this sable colony, flushed with its victory over the French troops, cherishes the most extravagant ideas of its own consequence, and insists on terms totally incompatible with an amicable arrangement with Great Britain: yet it may be objected by this author that we have only endeavoured to tempo rize with them, and have not adopted his broad plan of con* duct. It may be so: but if the demands of the inhabitants of Hayti, or of Dessalines their chief, be such as the public papers state, these people are not yet in a temper of mind to conclude a treaty to our advantage. Still the thoughts here suggested should be kept in view; and no opportunity ought to be lost, to improve to our security and to profit by that black empire in the West, which at present lowers with so terrific an aspect over our possessions in that region of the globe. In conclusion, the author warmly espouses the cause of the Negroes; reprobating, in the most pointed terms, that greatest opprobrium of the commercial Christian world, the SlaveTrade. Being a firm believer in the moral Government of God, he does not hesitate to afford us his view of the subject in connection with this idea: Yes, Sir, however it may revolt the prejudices of many who regard the raising our eyes beyond second causes, as no part of political wisdom, I will freely confess, that I can hope no good result from the measure here recommended, or from any other precautions of national prudence, while we continue to defy the justice of Omnipotence, by the horrible iniquities of the Slave Trade. I know the unequalled miseries inflicted upon myriads of the children of Adam, by that commerce; I know the horrors of the system which it feeds and perpetuates; I believe, that there is a righteous governor of the earth; and therefore I dare not hope well of the fortunes of my country, while she stands with an impious obduracy, between the mercy of God, and the deliverance of Africa. Nor are there symptoms wanting, which appear to develope a providential plan, for the relief of that much injured race, and the punishment of their oppressors. In the wonderful events and coincidences which have planted, fostered, and defended, the liberty of St. Domingo, I seem to see that hand by which the fates of men and nations are directed. I seem to see it in that strange train of public evils, which, since the first blaze of light revealed the full guilt of the Slave Trade, and since we rejected the loud call for reformation, have chastised our national obdu racy. I seem to see it, in the dark clouds which now menace the domestic security, the idolized wealth, the happiness, and even the li berty and independency, of my country.' Though we hope that the author's imagination paints a darker cloud as hanging over Great Britain than really exists, we are not insensible to the intimate connection which subsists between national virtue and national prosperity, nor to the horrible judgment in which mighty empires have been involved by their own iniquities. Mo-y. ART. ART. XI. Medicina Nautica; an Essay on the Diseases of Seamen comprehending the History of Health in the Channel for the Years 1799, 1800, and 1801. Vol. III. By Thomas Trotter, M. D.; late Physician to his Majesty's Fleet, &c. &c. 8vo. pp. 500. 9s. Boards. Longman and Co. WE E have more than once had occasion to notice the very commendable zeal and industry for which the author of this volume has been distinguished, in the useful and honorable situations which he has filled in the British Fleet *. The present publication is the last which he means to compose on nautical medicine: but, in a future edition, it is his intention to incorporate with his work any observations which may be transmitted to him relative to the subject of it. The first part of this volume gives, like its predecessors, a history of the health of the fleet; and the remainder is composed of observations, by himself or correspondents, on various topics connected with naval discipline or diseases. Dr. Trotter merits every portion of credit for his persevering exertions to increase the comforts, and improve the accommodations, of our brave seamen; and in some important particulars he has been able to effect very salutary changes, more especially in the ventilation of ships, the separation of the diseased, and the supply of vegetable and fresh animal food. Little can be done by medical men, unless commanding officers are disposed to co-operate with and sanction their endeavours; and we are happy to find, that the present work abounds with instances of the great attention which officers are disposed to give to subjects connected with the health or comfort of their crew.-The Markham sick-mess, as planned by Capt. (now Adml.) Markham, described in the present volume, is an admirable example of how much may be done by a judicious commander in the furtherance of these important objects: The plan is to establish a mess for the sick, by the consent of each ship's company, which is to be done from the salted provisions, &c. which the sick are unable to use when indisposed, and confined to the sick-berth. There are numerous diseases, when it is either improper for the patient to use the ship's diet, or when, from want of appetite, he dislikes it. A large allowance, therefore, goes to his mess-mates, which, if not devoured by them, has often been sold on shore to disadvantage. Now, instead, of this superabundant allowance being given to a man whose appetite rejects it, or to his messmates who may sell it for bad purposes, Captain Markham of the Centaur has long been in the habit of directing the purser to keep a * See M. R. N. S. Vols. xxiii. and xxxii. REV. JUNE, 1804. book book of credit for all such provisions, from a list daily furnished by the surgeon, which credit goes to the use of the sick, and is converted into a fund for supplying live stock, whether sheep or poultry, porter, vegetables, fruit, &c. when the ship goes to sea; from this also new bread is daily baked for the use of the whole.'- The fund of a mess, well supported in most ships, would even afford to keep a cow for the use of the sick, which would certainly be the first and greatest comfort that could be bestowed.' It must give every one great satisfaction to find that the gallant Tar, who passes a life of danger in the service of his country, can, when sick, be thus supplied in an easy, effectual, and cheap mode, with many of the comforts and indulgencies of private life; and we earnestly hope that so noble an instance of paternal care may not only receive the support of every humane and considerate officer in the service, but be enjoined by the higher powers. The author takes much pains to enforce, wherever he can, the attentions to proper ventilation which he has so often strenuously recommended, as the best means of preventing or removing fevers: but he never can do this, without at the same time throwing out very harsh observations against the use of mineral acid vapours, as destroyers of infection. This seems to be a favourite and lasting ground of invective with Dr. Trotter; who on the subject of contagion seems to have acquired an extraordinary degree of irritability, which is, on every occasion, anxious to shew itself.-The question on the use of these vapours is not, however, in our opinion, susceptible of being determined from the evidence which is here given; and we doubt much whether any new practice could ever receive a fair and candid examination, with the unfavourable predispositions which the author and many of his correspondents in this particular case seem to entertain.. We have not always approved Dr. T.'s reasoning on medical or chemical subjects; and we conceive that prejudice alone can make him see any force in the argument, which he adduces as so decisive against the use of acid vapours, viz. that it is necessary to know the precise nature of contagion, before we can attempt to neutralize or destroy it.-Dr. Trotter, we presume, win hardly be inclined to admit the application of this argument in his own practice, where (unless his speculations are more fortunate than they appear to us in every case to have been) he must occasionally prescribe for and perhaps sometimes cure diseases, the nature of which he has not been precisely able to demonstrate. The chapters on Typhus and Contagion are principally composed of the histories of fevers which appeared in the Fleet, 195 Fleet, transmitted to the author by Navy Surgeons. Many of them discover marks of observation and experience, though the general results do not add much to our knowlege of the subject. Documents of this kind may indeed be prolonged to an indefinite extent, without bearing with them a proportional advantage. A very fair opportunity presented itself, in the treatment of Fevers in Seamen, for trying the effects of the cold affusion recommended by Dr. Currie. This, as well as cold ablution, we are informed, was sometimes employed: but we have not in most of the cases a sufficient number of particulars, to judge of the degree of benefit received from those practices. A short chapter gives an account of the progress of vaccination; and a subsequent section contains observations on Pneumonia, Catarrh, and Ophthalmia.--The consideration of Phthisis Pulmonalis follows; a disease which, as far as the author's experience proves, is most effectually to be prevented, or cured, by invigorating means.-A very good chapter is allotted to spasmodic and nervous affections, which are described as frequently shewing themselves in the stoutest and bravest seamen, accustomed by education and habit to adventure, and familiar with danger in every shape: An inaptitude to muscular action, or some pain in exerting it; an irksomeness or dislike to attend to business or the common affairs of life; a selfish desire of engrossing the sympathy and attention of others to the narrative of their own sufferings; with fickleness and unsteadiness of temper, even to irascibility; and accompanied more or less with dyspeptic symptoms; are the leading characteristics of nervous disorders, to be in general referred to debility, increased sensibility, or torpor of the alimentary canal.' These symptoms the author has seen varied in numerous shapes; and he has frequently observed, at one time, several well marked cases of hysteria. He considers the monotonous life of a sailor as particularly disposing him to such complaints; and in general he concludes that any causes which tend to debilitate the system, particularly the stomach and bowels, have a similar effect. Tonic medicines, but more especially change of scene, and gentle exercise on shore, are the best remedies for these disorders.-Nostalgia is not infre quent, as may be supposed from the severe circumstances under which sailors are often taken on board ships of war. The efficacy of vegetable acids in the cure of scurvy is now fully ascertained, and government affords a considerable supply for the use of the Navy. The author, however, deems it highly improper that there should be a regular daily allowance of lemon juice to sailors, whether they have any symptoms of 02 Scurvy |