the community, that they fhould afford to it all the aid of their fafcinating charms, rather than lend them to fupport a mode of drefs that is growing obfolete." The annual ftuff ball, however, at Lincoln, is continued with great fpirit; and if the zeal with which schools of industry were firft eftablished shall not abate, very excellent effects may continue to fpring from the patriotifm and active charity of the ladies of Lincolnshire.

At p. 69 the author applies himself " to the confideration of thofe more particular caufes which operate directly upon the Яeece." Here we strongly recommend his example to all book. making agriculturifts. We had marked feveral paffages, as worthy to be extracted, between pp. 100 and 110; but they will not fail to be noticed by those who fhall purchase this book, and we with it may be extensively demanded. At p. 124 we meet with half of a fentence, (including" apoftolic fame") in which the author forgets himself, and lapfes into a profane agricultural jeft; for fo it is, though he probably did not intend it. Such things fhall never pafs unnoticed by us.

"When the name of Young is mentioned, every agriculturist recollects the character of that celebrated farmer,' P. 198. Whether Mr. L. defigned, or not, to be ironical, we cannot fay; but we are informed, that any one who has known the actual fate of this gentleman's farm will affirm the irony. At p. 320 the author falls into a mistake not unufual, calling Great Britain and Ireland the united kingdoms," inftead of kingdom. May they for ever continue one kingdom, in defpite of all the excitements to rebellion which can proceed from the conclave of Pius VII., dictated by Talleyrand and Buonaparte!

We fhall take our leave of this refpectable dealer in wool, recommending to him a greater compreffion of his language, the pile of which is good, but the fuple much too long.

MEDICINE.

ART. 33. Cafes of the Excifion of carious Joints. By H. Park, Surgeon in the Liverpool Hofpital; and P. F. Moreau, De Barfur-Ornain, M. D. de l'Ecole de Paris, with Obfervations by James Jeffray, M. D. Profeffor of Anatomy and Surgery in the College of Glasgow. Illuftrated by Engravings. pp. 4s. 6d. Murray. 1806.

12mo. 210

This is a work which deferves the ferious attention of practical furgeons. Dr. Jeffray has here republished the Cafes of Mr. Park, of Liverpool, who firft propofed the excifion of the carious extremities of the bones of joints, as preferable to amputating fuch diftempered limbs; and he has added a fmall work by MonGear Moreau on the fame fubject. This French furgeon, before he faw Mr. Park's cafes, appears to have entertained fimilar ideas; Kk and

BRIT, CRIT, VOL. XXIX. APRIL, 1807.

and he defcribes feveral operations of the above kind, though performed in a manner fomething different from that recommended by our countryman. Befides the works themselves, Dr. Jeffray has fubjoined a Commentary, in which he endeavours to point out an improvement in the mode of operating; and has invented a very ingenious inftrument for that purpofe. It is a fine faw, jointed like a watch-chain; and by its flexibility adapted for paffing round a bone, which it may be made to cut through with lefs injury to the foft parts, than when a straight saw is ufed.

This may be readily conceived, but for the defcription of the various operations we muft refer to the work.

We have perhaps too few facts yet to decide, whether Mr. Park's plan is a real improvement; or whether it does not refemble the amputation at the joint of the thigh, the success of which is barely poffible. Mr. Park has performed the operation at the joint of the knee twice. In the firft cafe he was fuccefsful: the limb however became immoveable at the knee; it was fhortened nearly three inches; and bowed flightly outwards. The next patient upon whom the operation was performed, died.

Mr. Moreau operated once upon a knee case. Three months and a half after the operation, when the appearance of the wound was promifing, the patient was carried off by a dyfentery.

Dr. Jeffray does not appear to us quite correct in fome of his obfervations; for he fays that "Mr. Park had fhewn, by his fuccefs in cutting out the extremities of the bones of the knee, that the excifion of various joints was not only practicable but fafe." Now as one patient out of two died, the fafety of the operation is furely not afcertained. Another inaccuracy occurs in commenting upon Mr. Moreau's cafes, he afferts that "they were all fuccefsful." This is rather too strong an affumption; for although the patient, who underwent the operation on the knee joint was thought to have died of an epidemic dyfentery; yet, as the wound was not healed, and the callus was ftill too weak to venture the foot to the ground, the cafe cannot with strictness be termed fuccefsful.

There is a view of the fubject, which none of these authors have taken, but which feems to us important. The amputation of the thigh is rarely had recourfe to, but to fave the patient from impending death. The principal queftion then furely is, whether the excifion of the carious bones, or the amputation of the limb gives the unhappy fufferer the best chance of furviving the calamity. Now it appears to us undoubted, that the exci fion of the carious bones is a much more dangerous operation than amputation. The wounded furface is confiderably more extenfive; and it has this capital difadvantage, that the union by the firft intention is impoffible. Whoever confiders the great fuppuration that must occur; with exfoliations, and all the tedious concomi

tants

tants of fuch accidents, will be fully convinced of the greatness of the danger.

The next confideration is the patient's fufferings. The pain of amputation is violent; but the excifion of the carious joint is far more terrible. Mr. Moreau acknowledges, and his defcription proves, that the torture of this new operation exceeds that of amputation; and befides the immediate pain, the irksome diftrefs refulting from the tedious treatment of an immense wound, is fer greater than is likely to be endured after amputation. For when this laft operation is moft fuccefsful, the wound is quite healed in a very few weeks. Whereas in Mr. Park's fuccessful cafe of excifion, many exfoliations occurred; at one time a finus was laid open; at another, a feton was paffed through an abcefs; and after the utmost attention the wounds were eight months in healing. The patient then had a fall, and bruifed his knee; this occafioned a fresh fuppuration, which delayed his cure fo long, that it was five months before the limb was able to bear the weight of the body. After all was over, there is no doubt that the limb was far preferable to any wooden leg. Yet we cannot help thinking that the great increase of danger and pain, makes the remote, and perhaps fallacious hope of fuch a benefit, far too dear a purchase.

1

With refpect to the operation of the elbow joint, the cafe is widely different. The danger and the pain of the excifion of this carious joint, is far lefs than of the knee joint; and the advantages refulting from the operation when fuccefsful, is far greater. For it appears from Mr. Moreau, that after the ope ration, not only the ufe of the hand is preserved, but the motion of the elbow joint is recovered.

We therefore flatter ourselves, that by Mr. Park's discovery, an arm may fometimes be faved; and that by Dr. Jeffray's ingenious faw, the danger and pain of the operation may be diminished.

ART. 34. The Medical Guide, for the Ufe of Families and young Practitioners in Medicine and Surgery. Being a complete Syftem of Modern Domeftic Medicine; exhibiting a comprehenfive View of the latest and most important Discoveries in Medicine, Pharmacy, &c. Fourth Edition, confiderably enlarged and improved. By Richard Reece, M. D. Member of the Royal Col lege of Surgeons, &c. 8vo. 536 pp. 95. Longman. 1807. We briefly noticed the first Edition of Mr. Reece's book, in our 22d volume, p. 436.-Since that time, it has been brought by public favour to a fourth edition, and extended by the additional attention of the author to nearly twice its original magnitude. Much of that favour which the author has experienced is doubtlefs owing to the luminous arrangement of his matter, which, in a work intended for continual reference, is by no means

of fmall importance. He gives firft a lift of the medicines which are of most general ufe; and then, in alphabetical order, a lift of the difeafes for which medical affiftance may be required. Though we by no means recommend to any perfons, unexperienced in me. dical matters, to rely too far on any book whatever; yet as fuch affiftance will be fought, let us advife what we pleafe, it is an advantage to have a work fo judicious as that of Dr. Reece in circulation for that purpose.

It would be an advantage, in our opinion, if the medicines were alfo arranged in alphabetical order, as well as the diseases; for though there is an excellent index, it is always defirable to have as little occafion as poffible for an index. It is an additional advantage to the public, that all the medicines recommended by the author, are alfo to be had, by applying to him, conve. niently arranged in a cheft of finall fize, and fo marked as not to be mistaken.

A new medicine, under the name of Ratania, or Rhatania root, is recommended at p. 267, of which the following account is given This root is the produce of Peru, and has been princi pally ufed by the wine-merchants of Spain, for the purpofe of heightening the colour of wine, and giving it a pleafant degree of attringency. From the many trials I have made with it, I am perfuaded that it is a very valuable strengthening medicine, and fuperior, in many refpects, to the Peruvian bark. The extract is the beft preparation." No account is given of this root in the author's li of Materia Medica, but we fee that he advertises à diftinct treatife on the fubject, foon to be published. In page 83, by an error of the prefs, it is called Raiana-root, instead of Ra

tania.

DIVINITY.

ART. 35. A Sermon preached before the Lords Spiritual and Tem poral, in the Abbey Church, Westminster, on Friday, January 30, 1807. By the Bishop of St. David's. 4to. 26 pp. Rivingtons. 1807.

25.

The text of this fermon is remarkable, "Because of unrighteous dealings, injuries, and riches got by deceit, the kingdom is tranflated from one people to another." A complete hiftory of many of the revolutions of modern Europe!-May it not ever become applicable to ourselves!

This fermon being preached before the Houfe of Lords by his Majesty's efpecial pleafure, after a temporary difcontinuance of the practice, the occafion is thus admirably noticed by the learned prelate.

* Ecclefiafticus x. 8. We regret that so striking a text should have no better authority than that of an apocryphal book. It contains, however, moft edifying doctrine. Rev.

"2. Foz

"2. For the folemn purpose of confeffing and deploring a great national fin, the murder of a lawful Sovereign, we are convened, on this day, by the laws of our Country, or rather by His frecial command, who is the organ of our Country's voice, the defender of her faith, the exemplar of her morals, and the guardian of her public duties*. If even to the third and fourth generation (that is, to an unlimited period of impenitent defcendants) men are liable to God's anger and to his punishments of fin; and if exifting or impending judgements may be mitigated or averted by repentance; the people of this country are as much concerned, at this day, in the duty and neceffity of repentance for the murder of a lawful Sovereign, as at the period, in which this great national fin was committed. We have perhaps stronger reafons; for we have now, more than ever, to lament not only the murderous act, which they were guilty of, but the example, which they fet." P. 6.

It is certainly a most remarkable proof of the pernicious effect of ill example, that the French who haughtily refufed to copy us in what was good, ftudiously imitated our republicans, (though with added atrocioufnefs) in the murder of their too mild and be nevolent king; and performed the iniquitous act within a few days of the fame period! This dreadful effect of cur example the bishop further notices in his difcourfe. He then adverts to the prefent ftate of Europe, the warnings which it holds out to us; and the neceffity of national repentance and reformation which it enforces. A very interefting part of this difcourfe is the enquiry how far repentance, for the murder of Charles I. has ever appeared to be national, from that time to this? Finding no fufficient traces of fuch a feeling, the bishop juftly concludes that "the murder of our lawful fovereign is fill a fufficient cause for our repentance, even if we had no additional reafons of our own." The other more ftriking caufes for our repentance the bishop of St. David's thus enumerates. 1. The neglect of church; 2. The neglect of the facrament; 3. The neglect of the fcriptures, and of family prayer. All these are important. But with regard to the laft, more particularly, we earnestly with that every poflible exertion may be made to restore and revive it, by precept, by example, by every chriftian method. There can be no hope indeed of real amendment till all thefe evils are removed. May the circulation of this excellent difcourfe be among the providential caufes in producing that effec,

ART. 36. Religious Experience effential to a Chriftian Minifter: A Sermon, preached at Broadmead, Bristol, August 1, 1804, be

"The Sermon appointed to be preached before the House of Lords on the 30th of January, which had been difcontinued for fome years, it was His Majefty's pleafure should be revived this year."

Kk 3

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