rence of any unfavourable consequences. The other remedies for fever, viz, emetics, sudorifics, and blood-letting, have all an indirect tendency to diminish the temperature; but the effect is less in degree, and it is brought about by means less safe and less certain, than by the application of cold to the surface. The volume concludes with an appendix of three parts; containing, first, a letter to Dr. Clark of Newcastle, respecting the fever wards established in the Liverpool workhouse; secondly, two letters on the erection of a lunatic asylum in Liverpool; and, lastly, a letter to Dr. Beddoes, on the use of the nitric acid in lues venerea. The letter to Dr. Clark is principally valuable as shewing the exemption from fever which the Liverpool workhouse has enjoyed for many years, though fever patients from all the town have been received into a ward, situated in the very centre of the building. The general fact is, indeed, very similar to others which have been lately adduced by Dr. Clark's correspondents, and which prove, in the most striking manner, that the typhus conta gion is, at least in this climate, very mited in its sphere of operation, and of comparatively little activity, unless accumulated by confined air, or detained by filthy clothes or furniture. The letters on the lunatic asylum, principally relate to a local controversy, and have no connection with the subject of the volume. We cannot, however, refuse our readers the gratification of perusing the follow. ing beautiful and affecting passage, respecting the great Howard, written soon after he set out on the journey, in which he terminated his career of philanthropy. li "Having awakened the powers of reason, and the true spirit of charity, throughout the nations of Europe, he is now attempting to diffuse them among the disciples of Mahomet. While the sovereigns of Russia and Germany are carrying devastation and slaughter along the coasts of the Euxine, and the shores of the Archipelago, this prophet of mercy approaches the benighted followers of the crescent from another quarter, with a mission of peace and love. He was last heard of from Petersburg. Thence passing through Moscow, he purposed to enter the Turkish empire eastward of the sea of Azof, to avoid the storms of war. The rout he has cassia, and passes along the shores of the Caspian into Persia and Armenia. His pilgrimage will then extend across Arabia Petrea, and through the isthmus of Suez, marked out crosses the mountains of Cir into the continent of Africa, If life is granted him, he will traverse the nations that inhabit the southern shore of the Mediterra nean, and passing into Europe by the streights of Gibraltar, return by Spain and France to England. To this singular tour he has devoted three years, and he himself, it is said, has little expectation of living to go through it. It is most probable, therefore, that we shall not see him again. But no matterwherever he finds a grave, the spot will be hallowed, and his name consecrated in the admiration of posterity." Quo nihi! majus, meliusve terris, afford a just idea of the nature of Dr. The above analysis will, we conceive, Currie's additional volume. It contains an ample confirmation of the utility and success of his practice, in situations of extreme urgency; and when employed by persons whom we cannot suspect to have possessed any undue prejudice in its favour. It also contains detached observations on other parts of medical practice, which are highly valuable, The observations on scarlatina are, in our opinion, more really important than some whole treatises which have been written on the subject. Unfortunately, however, we cannot read the second volume, without recollecting the sensations with which we perused the first. The novelty and sagacity of the observations, the dignity and perspicuity of the language, the precision and simplicity of the practical directions, the profundity and extensiveness of the pathological speculations displayed in the former work, all contributed to raise Dr. Currie to the first rank among medical writers. But the materials of the present production are apparently thrown together without much order or much selection. We meet with diffuse and common-place details, informing us only of that we were more fully acquainted with before; and the author submits to be the editor of long, uninteresting letters, the substance of which might have been communicated with more effect by a single paragraph from his own luminous pen. We hope we shall not be considered as too fastidious, if we point out a circumstance which has impressed us with some degree of disgust; we refer to the epithets of profuse, and, we fear, extravagant commendation which are attached to the names of almost every individual who is mentioned in this additional volume. Praise, even when derived from the most respectable quarter, in order to be valuable, should be select and discriminate. . Before we conclude, we must express our deep concern at the account which the author gives of the declining state of his health; but we hope and trust that his apprehensions are without foundation, and that he may long continue an ornament to his profession, and a benefit to mankind. ART. XVIII. The Works of Dr. John Brown. To which is prefixed a Biographical Account of the Author. By WILLIAM CULLEN BROWN, M. D. &c. 3 vols. 8vo. THE principles of the Brunonian doctrine, as it is usually termed, are now familiar to all those who feel any interest in the investigation of the phenomena of life. It would be superfluous, therefore, to enter into a minute analysis of the system, or to attempt to trace its application through all the varieties of health and disease. But in announcing this edition of the works of Dr. Brown, we cannot avoid subjoining a few remarks on the nature of his system, and on the force of the objections which have been urged against it, as well as on the effects which it has produced in the opinions and practice of medical men. For it must be remembered, that it was originally advanced as a discovery which would constitute a new era in the annals of medicine; and it professed to remove at once all the discordancies of medical hypotheses, and to reduce the principles of the science to a few demonstrable axioms. How far, then, it may be enquired, have these lofty pretensions been realized? Is medicine no longer a conjectural art? Or do the professors of it still obstinately shut their eyes to the light of truth? The fact is, we believe, notwithstanding the vehemence with which the doctrine was first inculcated, and is now defended by the editor, that, although it be to a certain exte: founded on a correct generalisation of facts, yet on the whole it is justly considered as affording a limited and imperfect view of the phenomena of health and disease. The general opinion may now be deemed more correct, when there is no longer a contention for party triumph; when it is not a question of the comparative merits of the system of this teacher or that professor, but merely of the actual truth of this particular doctrine. And we cannot but condemn the disposition which the doctor has shewn of continuing the comparative discussion of the Elementa since it has betrayed him into an intemperance of language not greatly conducive to the discovery of truth, as well as into some hasty, and ot very logical conclusions. The editor has prefixed a plain and simple narrative of the life of the author. It is not enlivened by those original re flections on human character which render Dr. Beddoes' account at once interesting and instructive, but it may be considered as in general more authentic; it is more copious with respect to many of the incidents of the author's life, and is divested of that air of levity, which, however attractive to the general reader, appears to have given offence to the editor, and other relatives and friends of the author. The circumstances attend. ing Dr. Brown's unsuccessful attempt to obtain the vacant theoretical chair are stated more fully than in the former ac count. One of these circumstances, which has not been before related, seems to have given rise to the first breach of that confidential friendship which subsisted between Brown and his patron; and corroborates the observation of Dr. Beddoes, that "friendships originating in protection are very prone to terminate in enmity, unless difference of rank and pursuit totally preclude competition." It will also perhaps give us a less unfavourable view of Dr. Cullen's conduct towards his protégé, if we compare with the general weakness of mankind, when such a competition for fame and power is excited. editor states, "who was then travelling on When the present Dr. Gregory," the the continent, was appointed to the professorship of the theory, which had become va cant, and for which Mr. Brown had unsuc cessfully applied, it became necessary to find a person qualified for executing the duties of the situation during Dr. Gregory's absence. Cullen, affecting to regret his having been disappointed of the chair, assured him, that in the temporary appointment, which he would by all means endeavour to procure might ultimately prove highly advantageous to him. In the mean time, he said, it would be necessary for him to obtain a diploma, and to prepare a text book. The di ploma could have been procured at any time; he, therefore, immediately commenced the composing of his text book, which he did with such assiduity, that, as his materials had been long before prepared, in a short time he presented it to Cullen in a tolerably finished state. Cullen had never in the least doubted, that, in his pupil, his favourite opinions would always have a warm and able advocate, who would keenly defend them in their fullest latitude: he was not a little surprised, therefore, when, on the present occasion, the first sketch of the Elementa Medicine was submitted to his inspection. The anecdote is perfectly consistent with the artlessness and unsuspecting disposition of the man." (P. lviii.) It would appear, therefore, that Brown was not incited to sketch a rival system in consequence of the quarrel with Cullen, but that his wish to introduce this system into the school, in which Cullen's was then received and admired, was, in fact, the cause of that estrangement on the part of the latter, which was followed by so much virulence and enmity on the part of Brown. The editor concludes his biographical detail with an account of "the progress of the Brunonian doctrine on the continent, and in other parts of the world," from which it appears, that it has found advocates wherever it has been introduced. He seems to be extremely impatient of opposition where it has been encountered, and is very angry with Dr. Hufeland and others for attempting to modify the doctrine, and especially for daring to combine those parts of it which they consider as exclusively good, with the heterodox hypotheses of the chemical physiologists. He will not admit of any modification or compromise, for this singular and novel reason: "As the doctrine is in itself entirely new and singular, it must either be entirely erroneous, or irrefragably true; for there can be no medium between it and doctrines diametrically opposite"! (p. cxcv.) And he lavishes a good deal of passionate and indecent declamation against the "preposterous chemical system" of "a few crazy people in Germany”—“ engendered in the delirious brains of a set of men, as mad, &c. &c.”—a language which, we think, rather serves to refute his own claims to good sense and good manners, than to overthrow the objections of his opponents, or to support the validity of the doctrine which he maintains. A brief examination of Dr. Hufeland's objections, as well as of the editor's reply, will not be superfluous' because the former are such as have generally been advanced against the Elementa, and because the latter, we may presume, is the best defence that can be offered. Dr. Hufeland remarks (in a note upon his System of Practical Medicine, which has not appeared in our language), that, "on the principles of the above theory, it is impossible to explain in what manner rest, as well as exercise, invigorates the system; for, if the human body has received from nature its determinate portion of excitability, and life consists only in a successive exhaustion of it, non-consumption may indeed preserve, but surely never can increase it; and exercise must always diminish, but never can augment it." He afterwards adds, that all these contradictions, however, vanish, when we connect with the ideas of life the chemico-material processes which are constantly associated with it, and by which the restoration of the excitability can alone be effected." This objection has frequently occurred. The editor considers it as specious, yet very futile: the author of the doctrine, he answers, affirmed that the nervous system, including the medullary, nervous, and muscular solid, is the seat of the excitability. Now the continual waste of these solids is repaired by apposition of fresh matter from the blood: the food, therefore, which supplies the blood, "must necessarily be the original source of the renewal of the excitability in the nervous system;" as it repairs he seat or matter in which the excitability is inherent, it consequently occasions an accumulation of the principle itself." (p. cxc.) This we cannot but consider as an unsatisfactory solution of the difficulty. The author never meant that exhaustion of excitability depends on the waste of the nervous or muscular solids, and returns with the reparation of them. The inorganised chyle possesses no excitability to add to the muscle, of which it becomes a part: it acquires that property after its combination. In acute diseases the solid is so far from being repaired by food, that its substance is much wasted, at the same time that there is the most exhausting excitement; how is the excitability retained or repaired? But it may be observed, that a muscle separated from the body, when the circulation no longer goes on, continues for some 3G 4 time to obey the influence of stimuli, and to repair its irritability by intervals of rest. And the living muscular system has its excitability exhausted and restored much more speedily than any conversion of aliment into muscle can be sup. posed to take place. The presence of oxygen, and of the galvanic fluid, both affect the excitability instantaneously, and a temporary suspension of the former produces speedy death; they are probably, therefore, more connected with the changes of the excitability than the assimilation of food. The above explanation of the inconsistency, however, has generally been advanced by the commentators on the Brunonian doctrine; and, in adopting it, the editor accedes to that very proposal of his adversary, against which he had just lavished so much violent declamation; for he now resorts to digestion and assimilation, to the "chemico-materiel processes which are necessary to life," in order to defend the fundamental prin ciple of the doctrine. But the truth is, we can discover no reason for believing that this was the original opinion of Brown; nor is it easily reconcileable to the assertion contained in the note to paragraph 39. He there not only makes no allusion to the action of assimilation, but expressly affirms, that "the accumulation, increase, or abundance of excitability, take any term you please, is not occasioned by any action or operation, but by the want of action, the want of operation" It seems obvious, therefore, that he is desirous that the accumulation of excitability during the abstraction of stimuli should be considered as an ultimate fact, of which it is unnecessary to attempt any explanation. And to this view of the subject every philosophic mind will readily accede; for the fact, we believe, is indubitable. Unfortunately, however, the author reduced himself to a dilemma, and threw an obstacle in the way of the implicit reception of this fact, by setting out with a piece of hypothesis, which stands in direct contradiction to it, viz. that "a certain portion of excitability is assigned to every being at the commencement of its existence, and incessantly exhausted by stimuli." Now the whole of Dr. Brown's theory requires that the process of generating excitability be supposed to be incessantly going on, for, even during the most profound sleep, stimuli, i. e. exhausting powers, are in cessantly applied; the cessation of all excitement is synonimous with death. If, then, some hypothesis be necessary, we apprehend that the contradiction, which has excited so much useless controversy, would have been avoided, and the general fact correctly expressed, by stating, that a paver of generating excitability is assigned to each being at the commencement of its life. As it is only against this inconsistent hypothesis that some of the objections, advanced by Hufeland and others, can be levelled, these will necessarily be done away, either by omitting the hypothesis altogether, or by assuming that modification of it which seems to accord with the facts. Dr. Hufeland next observes, that "it is equally inconceivable how it should happen in the case of great indirect debility (which is supposed to arise from excessive stimulation, and the consequent exhaustion of the excitability), that the ex. itability may be restored by sill stronger stimuli;" (or, to use the correction of the editor, which does not remove the verbal objection, by stimuli little short of those which produced the excitement), "for if the advocates of this system were consistent with themselves, these should completely exhaust it." The editor's answer to this is, "that the impression made by every stimulus is less the second than the first time, still less the third than the second time, and sr forth, until it ceases to produce any further excitement; and this also unquestionably is one of the properties of the excitability, as appears from its manifest effects." (p. exciii.) We accord with the editor in this appeal to fad for his reply to the objection. The difficulty of conceiving the nature of this operation arises from the imperfection of language, by which we are compelled to use terms (such as exhaustion, accumu lation, &c.) borrowed from mechanical operations, which bear little analogy to the actions of animal life. The fact, that the debility from over excitement is to be removed by gradually diminishing or changing the stimulus, and not by abstracting it altogether, is founded upon a comprehensive view of the living pow ers, and will not be disputed, because we cannot accurately describe the mode in which the effect is produced. With respect to the fundamental principle of the doctrine, that health and strength are produced by regular and moderate stimulation, and that debility is the consequence of excessive excitement on the one hand, and of defective excitement on the other, no objection has been, or can, we believe, be offered. It is the great universal law of organic life; applicable to all the variety of liv. ing beings, whether animal or vegetable; and illustrated in all their functions, vital, intellectual, and corporeal. Upon this the great merit of Dr. Brown's original theory rests; and it is a generalization which may fairly be ranked with the most demonstrable and comprehensive truths, which have been ascertained by the researches of modern philosophy. The moralist, as well as the physician, may derive advantage from keeping the principle in view; for the proper conduct of the passions and the understand. ing, as well as the physical circumstances which contribute to the health of the body, is inculcated by the tendencies which it points out. Moderation becomes the golden rule in all our actions, with a view to the prevention of moral and physical disease; and by the proper application of moral and physical stimuli we are taught to alleviate the morbid state when it has already been induced. The author has given us a good illustration. Great" superabundant excitability so speedily brings on death, that the only means of restoring health is first to encounter it with a very small dose of diffusible stimulus, a dose scarcely exceeding the scanty portion of stimulus that occasioned it; after wasting a part of the superabundance, we may proceed to a somewhat stronger dose; and thus be constantly taking off whatever superfluity still remains, till at last the salutary mediocrity is regained. To give examples: a famished person is not immediately to be gratified with a full meal; a person afflicted with long-con-continued or excessive thirst is not immediately to be indulged with a large draught; but food should be given bit by bit, and drink drop by drop, then both of them by degrees more plentifully. A person benumbed with cold should be gradually warmed; a person in deep sorrow should have good news gradually communicated to him. The news of the safety of the Roman soldier, who survived the disaster of his countrymen at Cannæ, should have been communicated to his mother in a roundabout way; at first as having no better foundation than doubtful report; then as being somewhat more to be depended on; afterwards as being still more probable; then as not admitting a shadow of doubt; and last of all, before he was introduced, the mother should have been at the same time fortified, or had a part of her very abundant excitability taken off, by other stimuli, and a glass of Falernian wine." (par. 43.) The latter prescription may, perhaps, be considered as the recommendation of a favourite stimulus, rather than one which the principle would immediately suggest. Its effect we doubt not. We know that a person may become potvaliant,' and encounter danger, that might otherwise be fatal. It well illustrates, however, the efficacy of stimuli, totally different in kind, in removing a dangerous debility. Thus in the indirect debility induced by intense application of mind, the relief obtained from a change of occupation, from poetry or music, is greater and more speedy than from absolute indolence, or the total want of occupation. Numberless illustrations might be offered. Thus far we accompany the philosopher with great pleasure, and with much instruction. In what relates to the general state of the animal economy in health, and with a view to the prevention of many diseases, we adopt the ingenious doctrine of Dr. Brown to a great extent. But however angry the editor may be with Hufeland, we cannot but express ourselves in his words: "I receive it for what it is, the doctrine of stimuli with respect to the organic body, and on this account I esteem it very highly. Only I believe that the knowledge of the relation of stimuli is not alone sufficient for attaining a just idea of life, and of disease and its mode of treatment." (p. cxcviii.) When Dr. Brown affirms that all diseases arise simply from the degree or quantity of excitement, and consist simply in direct or indirect debility, and then proceeds to arrange them in a numerical scale, so many objections start up in the mind of the physician, accustomed to contemplate diseases, that a particular refutation of the system can hardly be attempted. We find that the study of the nature and operations of the different functions respectively is discarded, although general disease is much more frequently the consequence of the derangement of individual organs than of the general excitability in the |