in every branch of medicine, have rendered that work value able from the weight, rather than the worth of its contents. Even fince Dr. Parr commenced his labour, important changes have occurred, in confequence of which he has added an appendix, or, what he terms," Cura Pofteriores;" containing 156 pages; and we are confident he might annually publish an additional volume of equal bulk; for already his " Cura Pofteriores" are pofterior to the ftate of Chemistry and of Pharmacy. Formerly, whilft elementary treatifes were few, when fcarcely any fyftems of medicine, or its collateral branches, were formed, when infulated facts were detailed in the tranfactions of Philofophical and Medical Societies; when the materials of Natural Hiftory, of Botany, and of Materia Medica, were to be fought for in the narratives of travellers, and felected from a variety of publications, whoever undertook to collect and arrange all these particulars in the convenient form of a dictionary, conferred an effential obligation on the public, and fuccefs was commenfurate with the bour and ability that were employed. We need not enumerate the various lexicons and dictionaries on medical fubjects, which appeared on the continent during the two laft centuries; none of which are in much esteem in this country. Dr. James's valuable and erudite work, publifhed about fifty years ago, obtained great and merited fuccefs, till fuperfeded by the more modern publications of Motherby and Wallis; which, in its turn, will give place to that of Dr. Parr, or its rival, the Edinburgh Dictionary. But for the reafons before flated, we do not anticipate that these recent volumes, though, as we fhall presently fhow, executed with ability, will obtain a fimilar degree of reputation.

Having offered thefe objections to the general utility of fuch publications in the prefent ftate of medical science, we fhall quote Dr. Parr's arguments in their favour; and further we are willing to admit, that many perfons, especially practitioners in the country, and all thofe who wish to know fomething of medicine, without having the opportunity of confulting many books, may derive confiderable information from the Dictionaries before us.

"If," fays this author, "a dictionary be fometimes the refuge of indolence, it is an ufeful refource in circumstances of emer. gence. It offers a collection of opinions at one view, and within moderate limits, fuggefts hints from fources beyond the reach of common acquirements, beyond the extent of a common library, and leads the inquiring mind into paths of which he might not have fufpected the existence, or been unable to purfue the intrica cies. If thefe be the general advantages of a dictionary, this form

is peculiarly applicable to a science where emergencies frequentiy occur, where the time for reflection is thort, and the practitioner, from anxiety and diftrefs, unfitted for cool confideration. A man of fenfibility is, in fuch circumstances, obliged to conceal his pangs under the appearance of compofure, and to cover doubt and hefitation by a feeming calmnefs and confident decifion. His fituation alfo is often little adapted for deriving affiftance from numer ous authors in different languages, nor is his mind always fo carefully regulated by education as to purfue a chain of reasoning Atrictly inductive, or to detect error under the femblance of plau fible improvement. To bring before him, therefore, the opinions of diftant eras and countries, to offer what the ableft profeffors have thought, to describe how they have acted, must be a valu able acquifition to one clafs, while to the intelligent and experi enced it may be no ufelefs remembrancer; an index to thofe fources of information which may be more minutely, and therefore more advantageously, followed. It is not the leaft of the advan tages of the following pages, that they detect many reputed difco veries of modern times in the neglected authors of former periods; and the fanguine admirer of what is new, may learn, from the reception which any propofal has formerly experienced, to appreciat with greater accuracy its value." Pref. p. v.

We fhall now ftate our opinion of the manner in which this author has, executed his talk. It were too much to-expect that he fhould fucceed alike in each department, or that he fhould difplay an equal degree of knowledge upon every fubject of which he treats. Few men, deeply verfed in chemical fcience, are practically converfant with Pathology; the fkilful furgeon, and accurate anatomift, feldom know much of Materia Medica and Pharmacy; or regard-Botany with affection. We conceive that Dr. Parr is too found a practitioner to be offended at our not ranking him amongst the admirable Creightons," when we pronounce that his work, though very refpectable as the production of one indi vidual, would have been more valuable had he affociated with him other labourers, who had devoted their attention to particular branches of the profeffion. His account of difeafes, their hiftory, caufes, fymptoms, and cure, is, in general, accurate and perfpicuous; he has confulted moft publications of importance; has contributed much original matter, from the refult of his own obfervations, and the effects of his prac tice in a variety of cafes; and has given references to the beft authorities. The chief defects in this portion of the work, are a blind attachment to the doctrines and opinions of Dr. Cullen, and an adherence to the principles and routine of practice imbibed in former days, by which most practi

tioners

tioners of a certain ftanding are ftrongly influenced. In con fequence of this prejudice, we find that Dr. P. has very flightly mentioned fome new remedies of confiderable importance: thus, in the treatment of fever, the aftonishingly beneficial effects of cold affufion, as recommended by the late ámiable Dr. Currie, are fcarcely adverted to. Dr. P. informs us, (vol. i. p. 649) that

"Two methods of extinguishing fever at once have been empleyed; the one confifts in evacuations, and the other in the application of cold. We are confident, if, on the firft shiver, an emetic be given, followed by a warm fudorific, and within three or four hours an active laxative, fo that the operation of the whole fhall have been completely effected within the limits of the fir period, the fever will, in almoft every inftance, be ftopped or difarmed of its feverity, and be no longer a difeafe. If the fecond period has commenced, the chance of fuccefs is lefs; but we have fucceeded. Beyond that time we can only regulate the progrefs of the difeafe, and conduct it fafely to its termination. Cold, it has been faid, by Dr. Kirkland and our predeceffors, will have It is not true. Cold the fame effect of at once checking fevers. is a remedy of fingular importance; it will greatly mitigate the fymptoms; it will render the folution of a paroxyfm more complete; and in remittents, or eruptive fever, fo far leffen the complaint as to be no longer dangerous; but it will do no more.”.

Before we comment on thefe affertions, relative to the ef fects of cold on fever, we must requeft our readers to perufe the following remarks on the fame fubject, extracted from the page immediately following.

"Some late trials would fuggeft the queftion, whether, in the earlier stages, cold may not be employed more actively than is thefe plans. We allude to Dr. Currie's recommendation of cold affufions, and particularly their effects in Scarlatina. In his practice, they are only employed to counteract violent heat; and the heat is greatest in thofe inflammatory fevers which are generally accompanied with local inflammation, or where we expect hourly local inflammation to take place. We own that we have hesitated in ufing this reinedy with that spirit and decifion from which alone we can expect falutary confequences. In a lefs degree, fponging the body with cold water has been found ufeful in mitigating the heat. It is alfo highly refreshing and agreeable to the patient." P. 650.

From this confeffion, it is evident that the author is incom. petent to judge of the effects of cold affusion from his own practice; and certainly from the trifling way in which he employed it, could expect no more than partial relief.

When early and properly applied, this remedy has frequently at once cut fhort the complaint. Dr. Currie has enumerated feveral inftances of this on the third day, and has even witneffed this beneficial effect, when the remedy was delayed till the fourth day. Amongst many inftances, the following is fufficient to atteft the utility of the cold affufion. Fiftyeight foldiers were feized with fever; of thefe, thirty-two went through its regular course, and two of them died; in the other twenty-fix, the difeafe was evidently cut short by the cold affufion; not by gently wiping the fkin with a moift fponge, but by dalhing buckets full of fea-water over the naked patients. Neither of the men who died were fubjected to this treatment, which, judicioufly applied, is perfectly fafe, and even agreeable. Many other inftances might be adduced to prove, that Dr. Parr's negation of the power of cold, in at once cutting fhort a fever, is totally unfounded.

The articles on Materia Medica and Botany, with fome exceptions, are well felected, and carefully written. Among the inferior articles in this department, we would name the author's account of Digitalis, which is chiefly taken from Dr. Withering. Dr. Parr feems to be better acquainted with the noxious, than the life-faving properties of this po tent drug; and confefles that he has always preferibed it with a timid hand, or, to ufe his own phrafe," with a trembling caution."

In Chemistry, the author's knowledge is confiderably be. hind the prefent ftate of the fcience. See the articles blood, bile, refpiration, &c.; and the nomenclature which he has adopted is quite out of fashion. We cannot bestow much commendation on his Natural Hiftory, of which the following is a fample.

"Boa, a ferpent, the etymology of whofe appellation is un known, which is met with in Calabria.”

Under the head "Alimenta," we find much useful and pleasant food; but in fome inftances the author fpeaks with unbecoming doubt, and is not always correct. Thus he acquaints us, (vol. i. p. 76.) that the flesh of the Hippopotamus, though eaten by the Africans, and the inhabitants of the fhores of the valt river of the Amazons, would fcarcely fuit an European palate," as the flesh is dry and coriaceous." Now Sparman, Vaillant, and other naturalifts, who have partaken of it, defcribe it as being wholefome, fucculent, and delicious food; the fat of it is melted and drank by the Hottentots, and the feet afford excellent nourishment.

"as

« Among

"Among the bruta," (lays Dr. P.) "we find fame fpecies of Armadillo ufed as food; and the flesh of the Rhinoceros is faid to be eaten by the Moors and Hottentots: it muft be, however, in the earlier periods. We recollect hearing that the trunk of the elephant is delicate nourishment, but we cannot discover our authority."

To remove the author's doubts, we may remind him that Vaillant had frequent opportunities of feeing the Hottentots feed on the trunk and other parts of the Elephant; but he preferred the feet to any other part. The fame intelligent traveller alfo informs us, that the blood of the Rhinoceros is highly efteemed by the Africans in the cure of diseases; and that the flesh of it is fuperior to that of the Elephant, though not equal to that of the Hippopotamus.

Among the leffer faults of Dr. Parr, may be ranked an af fectation of etymological fkill, which is occafionally displayed in very whimsical derivations: thus, Balneum, which any fchool-boy would derive from the primitive Bakaveïov, is traced by Dr. P. to Bahλw, to caft away; and avia, grief. Who would expect to find an article like the following one, in a Medical Dictionary?" BRONTE, (quafi povrn, from Bpɛuw, to roar.) Thunder. Was it from hence Lord Nelfon derived his title ?" As if it were not fufficiently known to be a local title. But perhaps this is wit!

The Edinburgh Medical Dictionary is compiled much on the fame plan as that of Dr. Parr. But Dr. Cullen has contributed more to its compofition; for whole pages from that author are inferted without alteration or abridgment. The plates, which accompany this work, are much inferior to thofe in the rival publication, which indeed deferve great praife, for neatnefs of execution, and fidelity of reprefenta tion. After a careful perufal of the leading articles in each work, we think that the difference of price is not more than commenfurate with the difference of value in the two publi

cations.

(To be concluded in our next,)

ART.