afked me whether I thought he had no feeling; however, he complied. I then divided the tendon with my fciffars: he was asked which I had cut; he anfwered, "the ftring;" but when he turned his head around, and found it was actually the tendon, he was much furprised that he had felt no pain: and when I talked to him afterwards, he declared he felt not the leaft pain, and abfolutely thought I had cut the string only.'

Let it be remembered, that many parts are infenfible in the healthy, which acquire a very exquifite fenfibility in the diseased

ftate.

Art. XXIX. An Account of a fuccessful Method of treating fore Legs, by Mr. Jofeph Elfe, Surgeon to St. Thomas's Hospital.

This method is fo exceedingly efficacious, that Mr. Elfe fays, it will feldom fail where there is not a carious bone.-The method is this:

The first thing we do, if the ulcer be foul, is, to endeavour to make it clean, by the application of a bread and milk, or fome other emollient poultice. When we have obtained this end, we apply a linen cloth moistened with tincture of myrrh or Goulard's eau vegetau-minerale, as from experiment we may find beft to agree. If these fhould give pain, we then firft apply dry lint, and upon that a piece of cloth spread with the ceratum epuloticum, or ceratum album. Over this we lay a very thin plate of lead, cut to the figure of the fore, and juft large enough to cover its edges. This is fecured upon the part with a bandage drawn as tight as the patient can bear it, even fo as to make the leg feel numb, which is rolled from the toes to above the knee. In proportion as the fore contracts we leffen the fize of the plate. When the patients are well, we recommend it to them for the future, to keep the leg conftantly rolled tight in the day-time.

Now, though this method be exceedingly efficacious, yet it is not without its difadvantages. I have faid that it is fometimes dange rous to heal thofe old fores: when, therefore, from the long continuance of this drain, or from the bad habit of body, we apprehend ill confequences from healing the ulcer, we content ourselves with bringing it into a better condition, and with keeping it fo, by a judicious application of the bandage. Even where we have no great fears about healing the ulcer, it may be prudent to advife an iffue in the other leg, to order now and then a dofe of fome laxative medicine, and to confine the patient to a fpare diet for fome time after the fore is well. But if, notwithstanding thefe precautions, any dif order fhould fupervene, which may be imputed to the healing of the ulcer (fuch as pulmonic complaints, which are the most frequent) we immediately endeavour to open the fore again.' Art XXX. An uncommon Cafe of a fatal Hernia, by Mr. Jofeph Elfe, Surgeon to St. Thomas's Hospital.

From this history and diffection we learn, that a fatal ftrangulation may happen, though the whole circumference of the gut is not inclofed in the ftricture; and that where only a very fmall portion of the inteftine has defcended, an hernia may

be

be formed, and yet the external appearances be either very inconfiderable or none at all.

Art. XXXI. An Account of the Effects of the Cicuta, and a Carrot Poul, fice upon a Can èr of the Breaft, in a Letter from Arthur Nicolfon, M. D. Phyfician at Berwick, to Richard. Huck, M. D. F. R. S. This was undoubtedly a genuine cancer of the breaft. The carrot poultice was first applied alone, and afterwards joined with the boiled tops of the cicuta; and with fuch good effect, that the cancerous cavity was filled up, and the cicatrix advanced fo far, that from a fore four inches broad, and two inches deep, it, in the fpace of fix weeks, would not receive an almond. But foon after the ulcer was brought into this, ftate, behold the catastrophe!

She was feized with violent fits of anxiety, orthopnæa, globus byftericus, and the most horrid fridor dentium I had ever heard; fo that I really thought her teeth must have been ground to pieces. When the recovered from the fit, fhe faid this grinding of her teeth was to keep down the lump in her throat. Thefe fits were fo fevere, that we often thought her expiring. They lafted for a few hours at firit, but increafed gradually in length, till the 15th of February,

when the died in one of them.'

Is there not fome little degree of probability that these fatal appearances might be the effects of a metaftafis, in confequence of the difeafed part being brought into a healing ftate? This, however, could be no objection to the ufe of the remedies; for had the difeafe been left to itself, it must neceffarily have proved mortal.

Art. XXXII. An Account of the Ufefulness of Wort in fome ill-conditioned Ulcers, in a Letter from Benjamin Rush, M. D. Profeffor of Chymiftry in the College of Philadelphia, to Dr. Huck.

The great efficacy of wort, as an alterative, has frequently been pointed out, and is confirmed by the cafes here related. Art. XXXIII. Cafe of an incified Tumor in the Orbit of the Eye, cured by Mers. Bromfield and Ingram, Surgeons in London.

This cure was performed by evacuating the fluid, extracting the cyft, and afterwards treating it as a common fuperficial wound.-A fimilar cafe is related by St. Yves.

The two fucceeding papers contain two hiftories, which are a fatisfactory confirmation of what has been very ufefully and ingenioufly fuggefted by Dr. Hunter, in the preceding volumes of thefe Obfervations, concerning the aneuryfmal varix.

In the next article, Mr. Lynn gives us the hiftory of a retroverted uterus, accompanied with fome important obfervations by Dr. Hunter. In this difeafe the gravid uterus falls backwards into the pelvis, and is lodged with its fundus downwards between the rectum and vagina. Dr. Hunter has feen feveral of thefe cafes, and they all occurred about the third month of pregnancy. When taken early, the uterus may easily be

reftored

restored to its natural pofition; but if allowed to remain til! the impregnated uterus is fo much enlarged, as to be locked within the grasp of the pelvis, no effectual relief can be administered.

Art. XXXVII. and laft. An Account of a fimple Fracture of the Tibia in a pregnant Woman, in which Cafe the Callus was not formed till after Delivery: By Mr. Edward Allanfon, Surgeon at Liverpool. The contents of this paper merit the attention, both of the physiologist and of the practical surgeon.

ART. VIII. A Tour in Scotland. MDCCLXIX. 8vo.

73. 6 d.

Chester printed, and fold by White in London. 1771.

W

E have, on feveral occafions, with pleasure recommended the works of this eminent naturalift, to the notice of our Readers. His British Zoology, and Synopfis of Quadrupeds, are now become very generally known, and defervedly esteemed: but if any perufer of this article is unacquainted with those ingenious and entertaining productions, we refer him to the works themselves, or to what we have faid of them in the 39th volume of our Review, p. 403, and in our number for October laft, p. 328.

Mr. Pennant takes his departure from Downing, in Flintfhire, the place of his abode, and begins his descriptions with that of Chefter, where the narrative of his Tour properly commences. Hence the courfe of his Itinerary carries him through the counties of Derby, Lincoln, and York, the bishoprick of Durham, Newcastle, Northumberland, and fo on to Berwick, and to Scotland; giving an account of every town, and place of note, or object of curiofity, that lay in his rout; or that he thought it worth his while to quit the direct line of his way to vifit. And as he undertook this Journey from only the laudable view of perfecting his British Zoology, by an actual vifit to a part of the island which he had not feen, he was in no difpofition to injure his design by hurrying along, after the manner of those who make tours for pleafure and improvement, as though they were riding exprefs.

It has, for a few years paft, been the fashion, with a popular party in this kingdom, to ridicule and vilify the Scots and Scotland, in the keeneft and grofleft manner; but more difhonourable, however, to the abufers than the abufed. The natives of North Britain have been reprefented-we need not fay how they have been reprefented; and the country itself defcribed as the feat of indigence and mifery; as (in the strong expreffion of the acrimonious Churchill) the land

"Where half-ftarv'd spiders feed on half-ftarv'd flies."

* In the month of June.

But

But the more candid, the more gentlemanlike writer of the prefent Tour, gives us a very different idea both of the people and of the country, in general; jo different, indeed, that the perufal of his book is fufficient to excite an earnest defire in his readers to make the fame excurfion; and we are verily perfuaded that it wILL produce that effect: to the mutual advantage, perhaps, of beth nations:-if the diftinction be still allowable.

It is, however, certain, that North (as well as South) Britain wore a face, a century, or half a century, ago, very different from that which the benevolent citizen of the world will behold with pleasure, in thefe more flourishing days. But although the cave of Poverty might formerly be found in the bleak recefits of Scotland, we can no longer trace, even there, the abode of the hungry goddess, fince Freedom and Trade have banished thence the infeparable companions Slavery and Siath. "Rich Industry," as Pope happily expreffes it, "now fits fimiling" on those plains, where once only Want was to be feen; her keen eye, and meagre vifage, fcowling toward the happier South, with a prepofterous mixture of envy and difdain.

But let us attend our ingenious Traveller, now arrived at the borders of Scotland, and proceeding in the road from Berwick to Dunbar The entrance into Scotland, fays he, has a very unpromifing look; for it wanted, for fome miles, the cultivation of the parts more diftant from England: but the borders were neceffarily neglected; for, till the acceffion of James VI. and even long after, the national enmity was kept up, and the borderers of both countries difcouraged from improvement, by the barbarous inroads of each nation. This inattention to agriculture continued till lately; but on reaching the fmall village of Eytown, the fcene was greatly altered; the wretched cottages, or rather hovels of the country, were vanishing; good comfortable houfes arife in their ftead; the lands are inclofing, and yield very good barley, oats, and clo ver; the banks are planting: I fpeak in the prefent tense; for there is ftill a mixture of the old negligence left amidst the recent improvements, which look like the works of a new colony in a wretched impoverished country.'

After defcribing Coldingham, Dunbar, and that tremendous rock the Bass Ifle, &c. and not everlooking the Solan geefe which fwarm fo wonderfully at the laft-named place, we arrive at Edinburgh. Of this capital we have an entertaining account; the cafile, the refervoir, the advocate's library, Holyrood houfe, Herriot's hofpital, the college, the infirmary, the REV. Jan. 1772.

E

botanic

botanic garden, the public walks, the new town*, &c. being the principal objects in detail. The new town lies on the north fide of the old city, to which it is connected by a very beautiful bridge, whofe principal arch is 95 feet high. In the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, befide the town of Leith, is fituated, I. Newbottle, the feat of the Marquis of Lothian, where our Author faw many valuable pictures, which he defcribes; II. Dalkeith-houfe, the feat of the Duke of Buccleugh, where is also a numerous collection of portraits by Vandyke, Holbein, and other masters; III. Smeton, another feat belonging to the Duke of Buccleugh; but of this laft edifice the Author takes no other notice than merely mentioning three pictures in it.

Leaving Edinburgh, he speaks of the country through which he paffed as well cultivated. The fields, he fays, are large, but moftly inclofed with ftone walls. Hedges, he obferves, are not yet become univerfal in this part of the kingdom; it not being a century fince they were known here. We are not furprized to hear this account of the flone hedges of Scotland, as they are ftill almoft the only fences we meet with in the moorlands of Staffordshire, and on the hills of Derbyshire; and farther northward, long before we reach the Tweed, they are yet more commonly to be feen: affording but a barren and cheerlefs view to the eye of the traveller, accustomed to the richer fcenery of the more cultivated parts which lie toward the warmer end of the island.

The country (Fifefhire) as far as Kinrofs, Mr. P. fays, is very fine, confifting of gentle rifings: much corn, but few trees, except about a gentleman's feat called Blair, where are great and flourishing plantations. And we rejoice to find that the fpirit of planting is fo generally and laudably diffufed through almost every part of North Britain: of which our pofterity will amply enjoy the advantages.

After defcribing Kinrofs houfe, built by the famous architect Sir William Bruce; and alfo that magnificent piece of water, Lough Leven; the fish, the birds, the rumbling brig at Glendow, and Cawdron Glen, we arrive at Caftle Campbell: which our Author thus piclurifes :- It is feated on a steep peninsulated rock, between vaft mountains, having to the South a boundless view through a deep glen fhagged with brush wood; for the forefts that once covered the country are now entirely destroyed.

A large and magnificent addition to this city, in which the houfes are all built on the modern plans of elegance and convenience. Formerly,

5