V.-Education: its Elementary Principles, Founded on the Nature of Man. By J. G. SPURZHEIM, M. D., of the Universities of Vienna and Paris, &c., &c. With an Appendix, by S. R. WELLS. Sixth American Edition. New York. Fowlers & Wells. 1847.

In these days, when the attention of statesmen and philosophers is strongly directed to the mental and physical training, and education of the rising generation, in order to the permanent improvement and amelioration of the human race, such a work as this by Dr. Spurzheim, cannot fail to be read with deep interest by every philanthropist.

A few extracts will show what the work is.

"As to the definition of the work, I think it necessary to state that I intend to introduce in this volume several topics which are not generally considered as falling under education in the common acceptation of the word, merely denoting instruction in literature and accomplishments; I use this term as embracing every means which can be made to act upon the vegetative, affective, and intellectual constitution of man, for the purpose of improving this, his threefold nature."

In speaking of the perfectability of man, he does not contend that they can lose one faculty and acquire another; but that all living beings can be, by judicious training, materially improved, the desirable faculties strengthened, and the pernicious ones weakened. After enumerating many instances, in which desirable qualities in plants and animals may be fostered and strengthened, he says:

"Plants and animals succeed only if treated according to their natural qualities, and the education of man, will not and cannot succeed, without adapting it to his nature."

"Children are not pieces of blank paper, on which you may write whatever you please. Every poet is not a Homer, every musician a Handel, a Mozart, or a Haydn; nor every painter a Raphael. A child that might, by proper education, make a Lacitus, will, under other circunstances, be a Dogberry. He then devotes a chapter to Anthiopology; and proves that organization and faculties are transmissible, according to certain laws, from parents to children. He then treats of vegetative functions, and gives directions for physical training. Of mental cultivation he says:-"It is time to abandon the immense error, that words and precepts are sufficient to call internal feelings and intellectual faculties into active exercise. *** The sight of a person wounded or in danger, makes a greater impression on the mind, than reading that thousands have been killed in a battle. Natural language, in general, has more effect on the feelings than artificial signs; we are, for instance, more likely to smile or laugh on looking at a gay face, than on hearing the word gaiety pronounced. **** From the considerations unfolded in the preceding chapters, I draw the conclusions, that education ought to be founded on the nature of man; that the true principles of education ought not to be confounded with school-learning; that great improvements remain to be made even with respect to instruction in the arts and sciences; and that the education of the feelings, which I consider as the most important, and place far above the understanding, will require to be quite newly modelled."

After considering the details of education, he sums up in the following conclusions:

"The great object of education is, not to create, but to prepare, develop, or impede and to direct the natural dispositions-vegetative, affective, and intellectual. The nature of the fundamental powers, and the conditions on which their manifestations depend, must be known, to enable us to cultivate and direct them. The difference between the feelings and intellectual faculties, is par

ticularly to be attended to. Then if the means of excitement and those of direction be employed, as I have detailed them, arts and sciences will improve, moral evil will diminish, and mankind will become more happy. I do not flatter myself, however, that in the present state of mankind, the most perfect education can abolish all disorders. Hence, institutions of another kind are necessary, which I shall speak of in the following pages."

He then in an appendix, treats of legislation in regard to the punishment of malefactors, and shows conclusively that the present manner of treating criminals, instead of answering the end for which it is intended (the prevention of crime, and the reform of criminals,) actually debases, hardens, and confirms the criminal in his vicious propensities.The criminal comes from the house of correction, instead of a reformed and useful man in society, an outcast, having the mark of Cain on his brow, from whom every man flees and shuts the door against him; so that, even if he would, he cannot be an honest man. These things ought not so to be." In this respect his veiws are not new; for men celebrated for their strong intellect, and philanthropic exertions, have long endeavored to reform the present mode of treating criminals. We believe the time is not far distant, when there will be as great an improvement, in the treatment, and punishment of criminals, as has lately been made in the treatment of insanity. Hear Dr. Sperzheim.

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"The considerations, examined in the appendix of this work, tend to show that legislation in every branch ought to have only one aim, viz, the general happiness of mankind, and that of each individual, as far as it is compatible with the former, that penal legislation in particular, ought to be corrective; that in prisons, the inhabitants of which are sent back into society, all possible means of correction should be employed; that capital punishment might be abolished, and the crimes for which it is inflicted prevented by proper establishments. As punishment, however, is still the object of the penal code, I have treated of the different degrees of guilt which may be implied in criminal actions, and of some illegal actions that admit of extending motives, such as suicide and infanticide. From this appendix too, it may be inferred, how important and necessary, for legislators and judges, is the study of man."

There is also an appendix to the American edition, by S. R. Wells, containing a description of the temperaments, and a brief analysis of the phrenological faculties. Take the book all in all, it is just what we might expect from the known mental abilities, and enlarged veiws, of its scientific and benevolent author, and the wants of the present state of society. We most cordially recommend it to legislators, philanthropists, teachers, and parents who have children whom they desire to make a blessing to society, and an honor to themselves.

S.

VI.-1. Summary of the Transactions of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. From December, 1846, to April, 1847.

2. Transactions of the Medical Society of the State of New York. Vol. vii, Part I.

We return thanks for these interesting documents, and request a continuation of the favors. In a brief report on the now celebrated Letheon, made by Dr. Parrish to the College of Physicians, we find the following closing remarks, which we think so just, and in which we so fully coincide, that we must make room for them.

"From the above narration, it will be perceived, that a powerful agent for producing insensibility to pain, is now fairly brought to the test of experiment, and if the favorable accounts received, through the high authority which we have quoted, should be confirmed by subsequent experience, and if no serious effects should be found to follow its application, it may justly be considered as an important medical discovery.

"It is not intended of course by these remarks to give the impression that by the evidence furnished of the effects of this article, its true value is, as yet, sufficiently decided, to establish any conclusion in regard to it. This can only be tested by repeated and well directed experiments, made by those who possess a knowledge of the human system, which will enable them to judge of its precise effects, and to these we must look for the decision of its merits. "Before leaving the subject, we would venture a remark or two. in reference to the manner in which this new agent has been brought before the public.

Its composition is kept secret, though from its sensible properties, there is little doubt that it is an etherial solution of some narcotic substance. Dr. Bigelow instituted a number of experiments to test the effects of the inhalation of sulphuric ether and oil of wine, neither of which articles possess the peculiar properties of this preparation, though the oil of wine produced effects quite analogous to it; with this, patients were tranquillized and lost all inclination to speak or move, but their consciousness continued.

That an agent, which is said to possess such useful qualities should be patented, and that the patent should bear the name of an intelligent physician, and a man of science, must be a source of extreme regret to every liberal member of our profession. We understand that both the patentee and the proprietor, hold a diploma from a medical college; and we observe further, that the course of these gentlemen in making merchandize of this discovery, if not openly justified, is excused by the Boston Medical Journal. We trust that these facts are not to be taken as an expression of the sentiments of the medical community of Boston.

"If the agent referred to, really possesses the power claimed for it, if its character as a certain and safe means of assuaging human suffering should become established, how different would be the position of its discoverer from that held by the true promoters of science. Whatever plea may be set up at this late period, for the restrictive policy of securing patent rights for discoveries which tend to relieve the sufferings of mankind, or to extend the boundaries of science, the sordid motive of self-aggrandizement and individual interest in these, as in inventions relating to manufactures and the mere mechanic arts, will undoubtedly be attributed to those who avail themselves of this policy. It is to secure individual rights against the public appropriation of an improvement that the law grants the patent, vesting exclusive ownership in the inventor, with the right to dispose of his invention for his own profit. To us it would appear much more candid and manly for those who avail themselves of this privilege and use it to this end, openly to avow it and not attempt to excuse their course by pretending great solicitude for the public welfare; the fear, if their secret is made known, that unworthy and ignorant people may use it to the detriment of others, when it is well known that many of the most useful and indispensable substances in daily use, are, if properly employed, exceedingly dangerous and destructive.

How far the eminent physicians who have given this article their sanction, without knowing its contents, are justified in this departure from the rule, which has generally regulated the conduct of the most honorable and conscientious members of our profession in such cases, it is not for us to determine.— In the present instance, they may have deemed the circumstances of such a character as to warrant them in adopting this course; but we sincerely hope that no precedent will be thereby established which shall tend to lower the standard of physicians on this point. There is a principle involved in this question of patents, which is vital to the existence of the medical profession

as a liberal, humane and scientific art. If that be given up, and the doctrine be substituted, that the physician has a right to appropriate to his own pecuniary benefit any useful medical discovery which he may make, the barrier that now separates us from the charlatan is broken down, and the high position which our profession has long held as a humane and dignified calling is lost.

"We hope, therefore, that whatever may be the results attained by this new process, that medical men will be especially careful to avoid any compromise of principle in regard to the position in which it stands before the public, and that the whole medical community will, with one voice, enter their protest against keeping secret any process or preparation, a knowledge of which would extend our means for the relief of human suffering."

In the same transactions we find an exceedingly interesting report, by Dr. Moore, on the Meteorology and Epidemics of 1846. Also a valuable report, by Dr. Condie, on the diseases of children; amongst which he gives a full account of the cerebro-spinal affection described by Drs. Hicks and White in our first part, and in our Foreign quotations.

The New York Transactions open with a very able annual address, on mental manifestation in health and disease, by Dr. John McCall, President of the Society. The author seems to be deeply impressed with the truths of phrenology, and we confess our entire concurrence with him.

This is followed by an interesting paper on the Resources of the Medical Profession, by Dr. Joseph Bates; in which the author castigates the different forms of modern empyricism with commendable severity. It would be well if this paper were widely disseminated amongst the reading community. E. D. F.

VII.-The Students' Vade Mecum, or Manual of Examinations upon Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry, Materia Medica, Surgery, Obstetrics, Practice of Medicine, (including Physical Diagnosis and Diseases of the Skin,) and Poisons. Second edition, revised and greatly enlarged. By GEORGE MENDENHALL, M. D., Lecturer on Pathology, in the Medical Institute of Cincinnati, Member of the Philadelphia Medical Society, &c., &c. Philadelphia. Lindsay & Blakiston.

1847. pp. 575.

This Vade Mecum seems to be a very neat little work, and quite popular with students and young practitioners, for whom it was written, as the first edition is already exhausted. The second seems much superior to the first edition, since the author tells us he has brought his work up to the present advanced state of the profession.

We again echo the sentiment which we have advanced on several occasions, that we are no advocates for "manuals," "vade mecums," and the like; in justice, however, to Dr. Mendenhall, we think his equal to the best of the kind, and displays commendable enterprise and industry. To those who can content themselves with a smattering of medical knowledge, and who prefer reading by the noon-day sun to studying by the midnight lamp, we can honestly recommend the "Vade Mecum."

VIII.-A System of Human Anatomy, General and Special. By ERASMUS WILSON, M. D., Lecturer on Anatomy, London. Third American from the third London edition. Edited by PAUL B. GODDARD, A. M., M. D., Professor of Anatomy, etc., in the Franklin Medical College of Philadelphia, with 233 illustrations, by GILBERT. Philadelphia. Lea & Blanchard. 1847.

The rapid progress of this work through successive editions, shows the high estimate placed on it by the profession. We are assured by the American editor, that the present edition is a careful and exact reprint of the English work, with the addition of such other illustrations, as were deemed necessary to a more complete elucidation of the text, &c.

We need only remark that the work is gotten up in superior style, and must continue to be among the most popular of the day. The publishers will accept our thanks for the copy sent us through the hands of Mr. J. B. Steel.