changes of the atmosphere, as the cause on which they depend, and as the immediate agent by which they are produced. The various forms which the clouds assume, the different changes which they undergo, the manner in which the modifications are converted into each other, the occurrence of rain and of fair weather, not to mention the more obvious phænomena of thunder and lightning, are all to be traced to the action of the electric fluid.

The tenth chapter treats on the superstitious Notions which appear to have had their Origin in an Observance of certain meteorological Phænomena.' As a specimen of Mr. Forster's manner, we shall quote the commencement of this section; premising that, in our opinion, his ideas on the subject are generally well founded :

There is a natural tendency in the human mind, arising from the faculty of association, to attach ideas of good or evil to those objects which have been observed to precede or to accompany pleasurable or painful circumstances: hence the origin of many superstitious opinions.

From such association of ideas, many animals were antiently worshipped, either as good or evil spirits; and even at a later period, when their worship was rejected as superstitious, or useless, they were considered as foreboders of evil or of good. Many of these superstitions originated in the observance of facts, ascribable to atmospheric influence. Thus,, certain birds being affected by peculiarities of the air, previous to thunder storms, or other terrible events, and showing signs of their affections by particular habits, were found to be foreboders of tempests, hurricanes, and other dangerous atmospheric commotions; and they were subsequently considered as evil omens in general, gaining, as it were, an ill name, by their utility as monitors. So the crow garrulous, before stormy weather, was afterwards regarded as a predictor of general misfortune. Many animals too were considered by the antients as influenced by human prayers and supplications. In this manner, the observance of many real facts laid the foundation for superstitions, which terrified the ignorant, and which the designing made use of in order to acquire respect, and to aggrandize their own power. Hence the rise of sorcerers, augurs, and other impostors, the interpreters of omens and portenta, who pretended, in the peculiar flight and song of birds, to read the destinies of monarchs and of nations. It is probable, that out of a number of such predictions, some might happen to be true, where the sagacity of the augur penetrated farther into probable events than the ignorance of the multitude; and this fortuitous coincidence enhanced the public credulity, strengthened the empire of superstition, and became a fatal impediment to the progress of science throughout succeeding ages.'

This chapter, as well as some of the preceding, is illustrated by numerous quotations from the classical writers, which

are

are appropriate and interesting: but many of them are inaccurately transcribed. We have only farther to remark that this tract, although it contains many errors of style, and some weak and unimportant observations, possesses considerable claims to respect, and must tend to the advantage of the science which the author has cultivated with so much assiduity.

ART. V. A Practical Synopsis of Cutaneous Diseases, according to the Arrangement of Dr. Willan, exhibiting a concise View of the diagnostic Symptoms and the Method of Treatment. By Thomas Bateman, M.D. F.L.S. Physician to the Public Dispensary, and to the Fever Institution. 8vo. 128. Boards. Longman and Co. 1813.

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VERY member of the medical profession is sufficiently sensible of the loss which it sustained by the premature death of Dr. Willan; in consequence of which his classical work on the diseases of the skin was left in so unfinished a state, that the part which still remains unprinted is not likely ever to meet the public eye. We are happy, however, to be able to say that this great desideratum is, in a considerable degree, supplied by the author of the volume now before us; though Dr. Bateman, in his preface, modestly declines any comparison with Dr. Willan, and very candidly acknowleges how far he is indebted to him for his materials:

To prevent any misapprehension in regard to the nature and object of this volume, it may be necessary to state, that it is not brought forward with any pretensions to supply the deficiencies which have been left in the valuable treatise of Dr. Willan, or to be consi dered as the completion of that original work. Its sole purpose is to present an abstract of the classification proposed by that respected author, together with a concise view of all the genera and species, which he intended that it should comprehend. The materials for the description of the first four Orders have been obtained principally from Dr. Willan's publication, of which the first part of this Synopsis may be regarded as an abridgement: some additional facts, however, have been supplied from subsequent observation. The remainder of the matter has been derived partly from personal experience and research, but principally from a constant intercourse with Dr. Willan, upon the subject of these diseases, during a period of ten years, while his colleague at the Public Dispensary, and from his own communications in his last illness, before he departed for Madeira, when he kindly undertook a cursory perusal of his unfi nished MSS. for my information, during which I made notes relative to those points with which I was least acquainted.'

Our readers will recollect that the last part of Dr. W.'s system, which he lived to finish, was the fourth, comprizing

Bb 4

the

the order of bulla; and that four orders still remain unpublished, viz. pustules, vesicles, tubercles, and spots. The principal features of the arrangement, as originally announced by Dr. Willan, are entirely preserved by Dr. Bateman, and very nearly all the subordinate divisions: but a few alterations and some additions occur; and, although it is obvious that the author has been unwilling to deviate from the method of his predecessor, we think that he has shewn great judgment and discretion in this respect. His work differs essentially from that of Dr. Willan. While the latter is to be regarded as a complete treatise on cutaneous diseases, including an accurate investigation of their nature and origin, adjusting their nomenclature, comparing their phænomena with the descriptions of other writers, antient and modern, and discussing the merits of the various means proposed for their cure, Dr. Bateman presents us with no more than a practical synopsis;' in which these topics are treated in a brief and cursory manner; and the main point to which the attention is directed is to lay down a correct diagnosis, and to establish general principles on which the treatment ought to be conducted. In accomplishing his object, we think that he has been remarkably successful; and we have very seldom perused a medical work with more complete satisfaction.

In our remarks on this volume, we shall principally confine ourselves to the last four orders, being those which were left unfinished by Dr. Willan; viz. pustules, vesicles, tubercles, and spots. A pustule is defined to be an elevation of the cuticle, with an inflamed base, containing pus.' There are five genera of pustular diseases; impetigo, porrigo, ecthyma, variola, and scabies. It is evident that the order of pustule is to be considered as quite artificial, in which the diseases are characterized solely by the formation of purulent matter; and perhaps a doubt may arise how far this circumstance is a convenient basis on which a nosological arrangement should be built. In well marked cases, and at certain periods of the disease, the existence of pus is an obvious and striking occur rence, that cannot be easily overlooked or mistaken: but we conceive that in many diseases, which according to Dr. Bateman's system are to be ranked as pustular, no proper pustules will be discoverable; and, on the other hand, we shall often meet with the semblance of pustules, in cases which, in this system, are placed among the vesicles.

The impetigo, which is intended to include the different kinds of moist tetters, and the porrigo, which includes ringworms, scald heads, &c. are well defined genera, and probably are intitled to the appellation of pustular diseases; although, as

we

we have just remarked, the proper pustular appearance is often not to be recognized. The directions for the cure of the different species of porrigo seem to be judicious, and present a candid account of the effects of the principal remedies that have been proposed for the removal of these disagreeable complaints.

The word ecthyma is used to denote an eruption of large, hard, inflamed pustules, which are scattered over the body, not attended by fever, and not contagious. It is an affection of little importance in itself: but, as the author observes, the diagnosis of this eruption from the contagious pustular diseases, as well as from some of the secondary appearances of syphilis, is of considerable importance in practice, and renders it necessary to notice this genus.'

Though the scabies, or common itch, is a disease in most cases very easily known and discriminated, yet it does not readily find its proper place in a nosological arrangement:

This troublesome disease, which, from its affinity with three orders of eruptive appearances, pustules, vesicles, and papule, almost bids defiance to any attempt to reduce it to an artificial classification, is not easily characterized in few words. An extreme latitude in the acceptation of the term has indeed been assumed by writers, from Celsus downwards; and no distinct or limited view of the disease has been given, until near our own times. Celsus has included other forms of pustular disease among the different species of Scabies; and some of the earlier writers, after the revival of learning, considered almost all the eruptions, to which the skin is liable, as modifications of this disease: even our countryman, Willis, to whom the contagious nature of true Scabies, as well as its specific remedy, was well known, has not sufficiently separated it from some other pustular and pruriginous affections."

The lower classes of people, who from obvious causes have the best opportunity of becoming acquainted with this disease, have noticed four different varieties; and these have been introduced into Dr. Bateman's arrangement, under the specific names of papuliformis, lymphatica, purulenta, and cachectica. While, however, he admits the propriety of this division, he observes that the practical discrimination, in many of these cases, is more difficult than in any other order of cutaneous disease.' It is well known that some naturalists have contended for the existence of a peculiar species of insect as the cause of scabies, and that delineations of it have been published with marks of accuracy and authenticity. Yet Dr. Bateman was never able to detect any thing of the kind; and he is disposed to regard their presence, when they do exist, rather as an accidental occurrence than as being essentially connected with the formation of the pustules.

The

The order of vesicles comprehends seven genera. A vesicle is defined to be a small orbicular elevation of the cuticle, containing lymph, which is sometimes clear and colourless, but often opaque, and whitish or pearl coloured. It is succeeded either by scurf, or by a laminated scab,' This definition is, we believe, nosologically correct: but, practically, it will often be impossible to detect the distinction between the pustule and the vesicle; since an elevation of the cuticle containing whitish or pearl coloured lymph must, in its external characters, be very nearly allied to a pustule. The seven genera of vesicles are the chicken-pox, cow-pox, herpes, rupia, miliaria, eczema, and aphtha. The term herpes, which has been frequently employed in a very vague manner, is restricted by Dr. Bateman' to a vesicular disease, which, in most of its forms, passes through a regular course of increase, maturation, and decline, and terminates in about ten, twelve, or fourteen days.'

Doctor B. notices six varieties of herpes, which appear to be distinguished from each other with considerable accuracy: but we confess that we are not competent, from our own observation, to determine how far the descriptions accord with the actual phænomena of the disease, or are capable of being included under the generic definitions.

Rupia is a genus introduced by this author, and takes its appellation from the sordid condition of the diseased parts; it is thus described:

:

The rupia is characterized by an appearance of broad and flattish vesicles, in different parts of the body, which do not become confluent they are slightly inflamed at the base, slow in their progress, and succeeded by an ill-conditioned discharge, which concretes into thin and superficial scabs, that are easily rubbed off, and presently regenerated.'

The eczema is characterized by an eruption of small vesicles, on various parts of the skin, usually set close or crowded together, with little or no inflammation round their bases, and unattended by fever. It is not contagious.'

The most important species of eczema is that which arises from the irritation of mercury, and has lately been described under the appellations of erythema mercuriale, hydrargyria, &c. It is remarkable that an affection which is of considerable violence, and not of very rare occurrence, should until lately have been little noticed.

The 7th order of tubercle is defined to be a small, hard superficial tumour, circumscribed, and permanent, or suppurating partially.' It comprehends eight genera: but, as Dr. Bate.man observes that some of them require surgical treatment and

some