perfect evidence in general to be deduced from them, is very materially weakened by the great appearance of a want of candour, with which they are for the most part accompanied, and the evident disposition which they so frequently discover to flatter the particular opinions of the person to whom they are addressed.

The author, under the term fumiga. tion, very improperly confounds every species of this process, and thus from the ill-success which attended the smok

ing of clothes and rooms formerly, and now occasionally practised, adduces a specious, though an uncandid and fallacious argument, against the use of the plan lately brought forward.

His tone may be judged of from the following remarks, which occur at the beginning of the chapter on contagion and typhus :

"The spirit of fumigation had arrived at its full height, on the introduction of the nitrous vapour, published by a court physician, countenanced by the admiralty, and directed by the codex officialis of the sick and hurt board. But not one of its supporters have yet ventured or deigned to go one step into the inquiry concerning the nature of contagion, or its chemical attraction

for this vapour. The naval department,

they were led to believe, would eagerly embrace the practice, on the authorities which accompanied it; but fortunately for the service of the country, it came at a time when the subject of health was beginning a new æra; and when both officers and surgeons doubted the validity of what came in so ques tionable a shape.

"The world has now seen a second edition of Dr. Smyth's work; in which he has published some reports of naval surgeons to the commissioners of sick and hurt, on the supposed efficacy of this anti-pestilential fume. I do not mean at this stage of the discussion, to criticise those select reports; but I feel most unfeignedly for the reputation of the medical officers, when I behold official documents laid before the public eye in defence of the grossest delusion. Yet these are all that the board have produced from seven hundred surgeons, after seven years war! There is one thing for which I give the reporters due credit; attention to cleanliness is a part of their operations. But at the same time I cannot help remarking the passive spirit of these gentlemen, with the fuming pipkins in their hands, that they pever asked then.selves, what is the chemical nure of this contagion? Does it possess form or substance? How does this vapour act in destroying it? These questions arose so naturally from the employment of fumigation, that it shows as much a want of

common curiosity, as it was unphilosophie, not to interest themselves in the business. A disease disappearing, during the time any article of the materia medica is used, may receive the credit of the cure from an ignorant bystander, or a shallow observer; but the man who notes the history of cases; the mind enquiring after truth must weigh causes and effects; draw conclusions from reasona ble premises, and appeal to principles confirmed by experiment and matter of fact only. To say that the nitrous vapour subdues contagion, without explaining the manner, is like the fly on the chariot wheel in the fable. It reminds me of a story told to chil

dren, that the great mogul orders a bell to be rung when he goes to dinner, and conceits that the whole world dines at the same time. In like manner, these gentlemen trim their pipkins, and conceit, while the fumes ascend, that whatever is contagious within their reach, is annihilated and destroyed."

We are not a little surprised, that Dr. Trotter, who is not a Tyro in medicine, should bring forward a piece of decla mation so much at variance with the information which practical experience furnishes, as that which we have now quoted. Is it necessary to know the proximate cause of a disease, and the exact operation of a medicine, in order to effect its cure?

And must we regard the cure of every complaint as hopeless, when we are ig norant of its precise nature; and throw aside the use of every remedy which experience has demonstrated to be serviceable, merely because its mode of operation is unknown? Surely Dr. Trotter will not assert, that because we are ignorant of the nature of syphilitic poison, and of the mode in which mercury operates in destroying it, that we are to cast off the use of this remedy, and leave the disease to itself, until our knowledge of it is more complete. And yet his reasoning with regard to a destroyer of contagion, will go, on examination, precisely to that length. The author admits, that the stench of bilge water may be destroyed by the nitrous fumigation, as was stated to him by a captain of the navy, in a letter which is inserted in this work; and he accounts for the effect, by supposing, that the vapour employed, underwent certain chemical changes by coming in contact with the offensive exhalation of bilge water: but if this is admitted in the present instance, there does not appear to be any thing unphilosophical in supposing that the same may take place when contagious matter comes in cons

tact with the nitrous vapour. The result of the latter combination is certainly unknown; but there is nothing so absurd in the supposition of its taking place, as to interrupt an examination into the real merits of nitric vapour in destroying contagion. The author seems to entertain an idea of its being a part of the doctrine of the advocates for nitrous fumigation to suppose, that the oxygene contained in the acid, is afforded to the atmosphere, and thus assists in purifying it. He therefore asks, with much self-complacence, what becomes of the azote with which it was previously combined? It must be observed, however, that the idea thus attributed to the advocates for nitrous fumigation, forms no part of their doctrine, which goes no further than to point out a mode by which the power of contagion is destroyed, without attempting to determine by what means this effect is produced. The author's extensive experience confirms the observations of Dr. Currie, with regard to the use of cold affusion in typhus. The large and indiscriminate use of bark is condemned, and the employment of antimonials in the advanced stages of this disease considered improper.

Quarantines, he is of opinion, have hitherto been conducted on very erroneous principles. By way of speedily and effectually purifying any contaminated goods, he thinks there should be proper establishments, where they might be exposed for a certain time to moderate heat, and a free current of air. To these institutions, he would add a small medical establishment, where affected persons, or those suspected of being so, might be detained, with the advantages of proper medical aid.

The author has not been able to determine, how far contagion may be carried by the air, but he supposes that a few yards may be sufficient for perfect safety.

The chapter on ventilation is principally directed to officers, and contains many useful directions, on the mode of procuring a free supply of air to the lower decks, and removing from them what has been vitiated. As an instance of the great necessity of such a supply, the author states, that in the summer season and warm climates, the Orlop deck comes very near, in some corners, to a vacuum, as he frequently ascertained by the sweat bursting out as soon as he

entered it. What the doctor's ideas of a vacuum may be, we know not, but we confess it to be greatly beyond our powers of conception, to imagine such a state to occur, where the communication with the surrounding air is uninterrupted. His own feelings may be very good evidence with himself, but we must own that though we run the risk of having reflections thrown upon us for dullness, they do not, to our minds, in this instance, completely prove his position.

We suspect that the author's information is incorrect, when he states, “that experiments have lately been made, that prove the proportion of the oxygene to be greater in the island of Martinique than in Great-Britain." The most accurate observations which have come to our notice, shew no difference in the proportions of the component parts of atmospheric air in any part of the world. Dr. Trotter considers dry rubbing with sand, as a much better method of cleaning decks, than the continual use of water, which, besides keeping up a constant dampness that is very inimical to health, disposes the wood to rot, and, by leaving saline particles on the iron, nails, &c. rusts them and thus weakens the ship.

Two short chapters are devoted to observations on the small and cow-pox, and to pneumonia, catarrh, and opthalmia, (ophthalmia); after which the author goes on to phthisis pulmonalis, a disease, which he informs us has been particularly frequent among seamen since the year 1800. The very long cruises made in blocking up the enemy's fleets; the severe duty required of the men sometimes at sea, but more particularly in the short periods of equipment; and the constant use of lemon juice, served, in the author's opinion, to dispose very much to attacks of this complaint. His idea of its proximate cause is, that it consists in an exhausted excitability, in which the arteries have an increased irritability, while the lymphatic system is torpid. He is inclined to agree with Dr. Beddoes on the good effects of a lowered atmosphere, in the cure of this complaint; and considers it highly improper to employ the debilitating plan. The author very humanely and very properly recommends, that whenever a seaman is at all indisposed, he should be kept from duty for some time, in order to prevent the occurrence of a serious indisposition.

In a chapter upon spasmodic complaints, he takes occasion to point out, as a very singular circumstance connected with the constitution of seamen, that they are particularly subject to such complaints as are called nervous.

"That a body of men," says the author, by education and habit accustomed to adventure, braving danger in every hideous form, and surpassing hardship, famine, and fatigue, in every shape, (the very relation of which appals the puny imagination of timid minds, enfeebled by luxury and delicacy in the fashionable or retired walks of life) should be subject to complaints more nearly allied to the tender feinale, than the robust mascuJine constitution, would appear a paradox, did not daily experience confirm the fact."

"There is a something in the atmosphere of a ship, perhaps deficiency of oxygene, and the local confinement on board, that, to particular persons, are a never-failing cause of vapours and dyspeptic feelings. The

motions and actions of the stomach and intestinal canal are retarded and become irregular, and habitual costiveness,at sea is com mon in many constitutions. I do not think that this depends so much on the sea diet as has been generally imagined. The situation itself affords less variety than most other conditions of life; day after day you go through the same kind of routine, the same objects are presented to the eyes, the same smells to the nose, and the same sounds to the organs of hearing. As all stimuli lose their effect by repetition, and as a peculiar train of ideas so naturally follows external impressions on the organs of sense, that condition of mind is generated which is usually styled nervous. But the effect appears to fall chiefly by sympathy or association on the stomach and bowels. This complaint, therefore, belongs with more propriety to the catalogue of the sea diseases than has been either suspected or believed; and, if we may judge from the multitude of cases which have come under our observation, it ought to be considered as a very common one. have seen in a sick-birth, at one time, no less than five or six strongly-marked instances of violent hysteric. Long cruises in bad weather, joined to severe and irksome duty in the foggy and variable climate of the channel, will, at all times, produce these complaints; such is the duty of a blockade. On the contrary, I believe the disease is little known in the southern latitudes, for I have seen both

I

officers and surgeons prefer a West-India station, solely with a view to escape it, which they could not do in the home cruises."

Independent, however, of the causes now enumerated, the author considers the disease as being particularly favoured by a gouty constitution, fevers and fluxes, the too liberal use of spices, but

particularly hard drinking and frequent mercurial courses. Change of scene, and moderate exercise on shore, particularly on horseback, readily effect a cure.

Dr. Trotter's earliest labours were on the subject of scurvy, and the retrospect of them justly affords him considerable satisfaction. In the present volume, he slightly notices this disease, in order to express his disapprobation of the plan now in use in the navy for preventing it, that of continually giving an allowance of lemon juice to seamen. This he considers as unnatural in winter, and unnecessary, except when the disease has actually appeared. Vegetables, (which may always be carried out to sea,) and fresh meat, (when it can be procured), will effectually prevent it, but at the same time there should never fail to be a sufficient stock of lemon juice, or rather of the concrete acid of lemons, in hand, for the purpose of administering, when ever symptoms of scurvy appear.

The volume is concluded by an account of Capt. Markham's sick birth, and sick diet; a few observations on sea-sickness; and some communications from various navy surgeons on the ma lignant ulcer, so common and so obstinate among seamen.

The sea diet is very well worthy of observation, and the plan of it should be universally adopted through the navy, as affording to the sick sailor various comforts, which could not be furnished by the public, but at a very great expence.

thor in a letter to Sir Evan Nepean, "The plan," as is mentioned by the au" is to establish a mess for the sick, by the consent of each ship's company, which is to be done sick are unable to eat when indisposed, and from the salted provisions, &c. which the confined to the sick birth. There are numerous diseases, when it is either improper for from want of appetite, he dislikes it. A large the patient to use the ship's diet, or when, which if not devoured by them, has often allowance, therefore, goes to his messmates, been sold on shore to disadvantage. Now, instead of this superabundant allowance being given to a man whose appetite rejects it, or to his messmates, who may sell it for bad purposes, Captain Markham, of the Centaur, has been long in the habit of directing the purser to keep a book of credit for all such provisions, from a list daily furnished by the surgeon, which credit goes to the use of the ing live stock, whether sheep or poultry, sick, and is converted into a fund for supplyporter, vegetables, fruit, &c. when the ship goes to sea; from this also, new bread is daily baked for the use of the whole."