disease, Among the Romans, the utility of cupping appears to have been properly appreciated, and the practice of it to have been general. Celsus has given us a correct and elegant description, both of the instrument employed, and of the operation, in his chapter entitled " De Sanguinis Detractione per Cucur bitulas. This fact has not escaped the notice of Mr. Mapleson, who has quoted the passages in question, with becoming commendation, Our author has even dipped into the "Arabian Nights" for historical information respecting his favourite art, and found that the chattering barber possessed, among other qualifications, the art of cupping.

This operation, indeed, as a remedy for disease, appears to have spread all over the world. In India, it is performed by natives, generally females, who continue to use the same means as the Egyptian cuppers. The late Mungo Parke, in his travels into the interior of Africa, saw cupping practised with a bullock's horn. In the islands of the South Sea, and in New Holland, local extraction of blood is prevalent; and consists in applying the mouth to scarifications previously made by incisions with a sharp reed, From the account given by Lionel Wafer, it appears that the American Indians were in possession of the art of abstracting blood by superficial scarifications, which were made by little arrows shot against various parts of the naked body of the patient. Negroes, newly imported from Africa into the West Indies, have been known to make punctures, from which they would suck the blood by the intervention of a gourd, with a view to counteract the bad effects of bruises, We have the testimony of Galen to prove that cupping and scarifying was practised during the dark ages.

Mr. Mapleson says, that one of the most important improvements in his art is the invention of the spring-box, by means of which a number of incisions are made at once, instead of being done in succession by the lancet or razor. Mr. Mapleson does not know of the existence of any account of this invention at an earlier period than that mentioned in Heister, the first edition of whose works was published about the year 1710; and he has himself had spring scarificators in his possession, the workmanship of which clearly indicated them to have been made about that period,

"Until little more than a century ago, scarification and cupping appear to have been operations performed by the regular surgeon, when deemed necessary. About that period the use of warm baths was introduced into this country by a person who had resided some years in Asia, and which still continue to be designated nearly by their original appellation, haumaum, the Turkish appellation for a warm bath, corrupted in common parlance into hummums. As these baths were copied from those of Egypt, a country to which I bave

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endeavoured to trace the origin of scarification and cupping, which were there generally performed in the warm bath, sq, when the practice of warm bathing was introduced into this country, the practice of cupping accompanied it."

Mr. Mapleson quotes, both from the Tatler and Spectator, some curious observations, to show the manner in which bathing and cupping were first made public in England.

"The Queen's Bagnio,* in Long Acre, is made very convenient for both sexes, to sweat and bathe privately every day, and to be cupped in the best perfection, there being the best and newest instruments for that purpose, Price 5s. for one single person; but, if two or more come together, 4s. each.-There is no entertainment for women after twelve o'clock at night; but all gentlemen who desire beds may have them at 2s, per night.

"Persons may be cupped at their own houses. The way of cupping is the very same as was used by the late Mr, Verdier, deceased. "Wash-balls, perfumed, camphired, and plain, shall restore complexions to that degree, that a country fox-hunter, who uses them, shall, in a week's time, look with a courtly and affable paleness, without using the bagnio or cupping.

"Air-pumps, single and double barrelled, with apparatus for demonstrating the several properties of the air.-Small air-pumps, with glasses for the new way of cupping; scarificators, one of which makes at once ten, another thirteen, another sixteen, effectual inci sions."

The operation having fallen into contempt by thus getting into the hands of low mercenary fellows, both physicians and surgeons neglected it: the former, because patients had recourse to it without previous advice; and the latter, because, being performed by others, their professional profits were necessarily diminished.

"Of Of late years, however, the utility of this local abstraction of blood has been recognized by all the more enlightened and eminent practitioners of both medicine and surgery. The practice has, consequently, been rescued from that class of inferior practitioners into whose hands it had fallen. Men of experience have devoted themselves to this peculiar operation; among whom I trust I may be allowed to class myself as an humble individual, an instrument, I hope, for good, in the hands of Providence. Still the adroit performance of this operation, simple as it may appear, continues to be confined to a few individuals in the metropolis. My purpose, in committing these few pages to the press, is to render more extensive the practice of an operation, now generally acknowledged to be in many cases essentially useful, and which the remarks contained in the subsequent pages, especially if aided by a very few practical lessons, will, I trust,

* Tatler, vol. ii. No. 95, p. 429, Chalmers's edit.

+ Spectator, vol. iv. No. 289, note,

enable any man, possessed of common ingenuity, to perform with pro. priety, and even elegance."

II. Diseases' in which Cupping has been employed.-It does not follow, because cupping has been ordered by various practitioners in all the diseases which form the long list given by our author, that the benefit resulting from that operation in those diseases must be undoubted. Mr. Mapleson says, that he has found cupping very useful in particular kinds of head-ache; and we have seen particular kinds of head-ache made worse by cupping. To enumerate, therefore,-and still more so, to specify by their individual names, the complaints in which the operation of cupping is likely to be of service, is to advance more, in favour of that operation, than experience warrants us in adopting. Besides, it could not be expected of our author that he should even enter on this part of his present performance; for, as in most cases, he is deprived of the means of knowing the ultimate result of the disease in which he has been directed to apply the cupping-glasses, his report respecting the success of cupping in any disease cannot be received as any thing of much authority. We regret, therefore, to find such a report in this book, and, what is still worse, we are sorry to see it drawn up in so positive a language; for it will, we fear, produce mischief both among those patients who, from sordid motives, would rather save the pastry fee of a medical attendant; and among the inferior, yet numerous, class of practitioners, who may be disposed to take Mr. Mapleson's book for their guide as to the propriety of having recourse, or not, to the operation of cupping.

Our readers will see the justice of our remarks when they shall have cast their eyes on the long catalogue of diseases in which cupping is stated by Mr. Mapleson to have been generally employed with advantage:- Apoplexy; angina pectoris; asthma; spitting of blood; bruises; cough; catarrh; consumption; contusion; convulsions; cramp; diseases of the hip and knee joints; deafness; delirium; dropsy; epilepsy; erysipelas; eruptions; frightful dreams; giddiness; gout; hooping-cough; hydrocephalus; head-ache; inflammation of the bladder, bowels, eyes, liver, and lungs; intoxication; lethargy; loss of memory; low spirits; lumbago; lunacy; measles; nervous complaints; numbness of the limbs; obstructions; ophthalmia; pleurisy; palsy; defective perspiration; peripneumony; rheumatism; to procure rest; sciatica; shortness of breath; sore throat ; pains of the side and chest, "

It is, however, just to observe, that Mr. Mapleson disclaims any intention of intruding on the province of the regular practitioner of medicine, by pretending to direct in what complaints cupping should be used. Indeed, our preceding ob

servations are intended less as a reproach to the author, than as a caution to his readers not to be misled by the apparent simplicity with which disease and remedy have been made to go hand in hand in the book under our present consideration.

Still, even in this part of Mr. Mapleson's little treatise, there are a certain number of facts which, coming from a man of so much experience and well-known integrity, ought to have some weight with the faculty.

In obstinate ophthalmia, Mr. Mapleson has found cupping preferable to the application of leeches.

"Indeed, several cases have occurred to me, where the redness of the eyes seemed to be augmented, and the sense of fullness to the feelings of the patient increased, after the application of leeches to the temples; when, by applying a cupping-glass over the part bitten by the leech, and thus taking away more blood, immediate relief has been produced."

The swelling of the eye lids, produced sometimes by the application of leeches, is completely obviated by applying a cupping-glass immediately after the removal of the leech.

In suppression of catamenia, the application of cuppingglasses to any part of the abdominal extremities is said to be eminently successful. Mr. Mapleson knows, we dare say, how painful the operation is when practised on the gastrocnemii muscles.

In phrenitis, cupping is the most energetic means of deple tion. One hundred ounces of blood have thus been removed, and the issue is said to have been successful.

"In apoplexy, when the patient is comatose, and cannot readily change his posture, I prefer taking blood from the temples; and have frequently drawn twenty, and even thirty, ounces, without materially lowering the pulse. Two cases of this description occurred to me very lately, where, under the direction of an eminent surgeon, the patients, who were females rather advanced in life, were each of them cupped to the extent of one hundred ounces of blood within a week."

In hydrocephalus, (we prefer calling it cephalitis, for, when cupping is of service, effusion of serum has not yet taken place,) Mr. Mapleson has performed the operation of cupping hundred of times.

But, of the various effects of cupping, the most extraordinary which Mr. M. has witnessed, is the effect of that operation, when performed in the vicinity of the head, in almost immediately suspending the state of intoxication in consequence of taking too large a quantity of fermented liquor..

"To illustrate this subject, I shall, from many cases within my knowledge, detail the following circumstances, which occurred some months ago. By the desire of a physician, I repaired, about ten NO. 274.

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o'clock at night, to a celebrated tavern, where we found four gentle. men, one of whom was laid on a sofa; his face extremely red, his eyes suffused with tears, the pupils dilated, and his knees every half. minute drawn up to his chin by violent spasmodic convulsions. Al. though the state of their companion was such as to create alarm, not one of the party could articulate sufficiently plain to give any account of what had occasioned it; but we learned from the waiter that a great deal of wine had been drunk.

"I was desired to take blood freely from the shoulders: in a short time after the operation was over, the gentleman, who was the youngest of the company, perfectly recovered his senses, and stated every circumstance that had occurred; that they had been hunting all the morning, and had hastily taken a good deal of wine upon an empty stomach, a condition in which it is very apt to induce sudden intoxication. He soon became so decidedly sober as to be able to see his companions safely home in a coach."

Like a skilful advocate, who leaves the strongest of his arguments for the peroration, Mr. Mapleson concludes his eulogium on cupping by the following striking and encouraging example:

"A gentleman, who is now in his 101st year, calls at my house generally twice or oftener in the year. He loses ten ounces of blood, and walks home, a distance of three miles, without inconvenience. He has enjoyed good health for the greater part of his life, and has no complaint at present but occasional vertigo."

III. Operation of Cupping.-Will it be believed, after all that has been said of this operation, that the correct performance of it is at present confined within narrow limits; and, according to our author, can hardly be said to extend beyond the boundaries of the metropolis of these realms. We know not how matters are ordained in regard to this operation in the medical department of the army; but we can assure Mr. Mapleson and the public, that the medical officers of the royal navy, who have incontestibly given the elan to military surgery in this country, (for their toils and their triumphs long preceded those of the land-service,) have, to our knowledge, been in the habit of performing, for many years, the operation of cupping on their own patients; for which purpose they supply themselves with the necessary apparatus, agreeably to the rules of the service.

In Scotland and Ireland, the art of cupping is not practised as a distinct profession; and our author has been informed that it is rarely, if at all, recommended even in Edinburgh, that supposed centre of medical information.

In Paris, the operation is hardly known. The cupping apparatus is not to be met with. We have seen Baron Larrey scarify an inflamed surface, by drawing very nimbly over it, in