as it poffeffed before this æra be difcovered, the profit of working it would be only, though at that time it would have been double, hence the more thefe rich mines have been worked the nearer approaches have been made to poverty; the gain was at all times fictitious, the lofs certain at first as at last piles of gold and filver, heavy and burdenfome reprefentatives, instead of labouring to increase them; the mines, thofe gulphs that fwallow up mankind fhould be clofed, in order to leffen the quantity, especially as their product is scarce fufficient for the fupport of the wretches, that are hired or condemned to them. But the nations will never be brought into a confederacy by the prospect of conferring a general bleffing on mankind. We have nothing to confole us but a well grounded hope that in a few ages, perhaps fooner, it will be neceffary to abandon this pernicious labour, which gold itself, grown too common, will be no longer able to recompenfe.'

By fuch refting places, properly difpofed, the general reader may be allured into a path before avoided as uninviting and wearifome. Had the author but been able to fatisfy the philofopher by exactnefs of chymical knowledge and cautioufnefs of conjecture! But the nicenefs of chymical investigation he difdains, "because chymiftry oftner confounds than feparates the component parts of bodies ;" and how often have the flights of his imagination hurried him to the very fummit of hypothetical extravagance!

Notwithstanding his acknowledged fkill in the arts of Compofition, it would be difficult to defend his prefent work from the charges of prolixity and repetition. His former productions are by no means totally free from this latter fault, and old age is not likely to correct it.

To these specimens and obfervations it would be unjuft not to add that in his accounts of the fituation of mines, he is copious, entertaining and inftructive, and that the ample quotations from the late mineralogical travellers, with many original communications, render this natural history highly valuable to the English reader, who cannot always gain accefs to the productions of foreign obfervers. One fingularity obferveable in thefe quotations, and which the work of none but a Frenchman could have exhibited, is too eurious to be overlooked. The number of quotations perhaps, equals, if it does not exceed, the number of pages; and yet among fo many, there is not one from any author who has not either written in French, or been tranflated into French, if we except two or three references to Latin authors.

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ART.

ART. XVII. Guftavi Orrai, M. D. Defcriptio Peftis, &c. A Defcription of the Plague which raged at Jaffe in 1770, and in Mofcow in 1781. By Dr. Orræus, 4to. Petersburgh. 1784.

THIS

HIS interefting work is divided into two fections, the first comprehending the history, cure, prophylaxis with cafes and other fupplemental matter; the fecond containing the general deductions flowing from the facts on the theory, The author was phyfician to the Ruffian general Romanzow; and as he was prefent, while the plague raged in both cities, his account would feem entitled to confiderable attention. The first fifty pages are filled up with the general narrative of its rife, progrefs, and termination. This agrees pretty exactly with that which we have already received from others, and efpecially from Dr. Merter's, many copies of whose book have been imported into this country. For this reafon, as well as because more curious matter attracts our attention, we shall pafs on to the fubfequent divifions, obferving only that it appears from a table given by the author that at least 56,000 perfons were cut off by the plague alone in Mofcow during the course of 1771, of whom 21,401 are allotted to September.

The remainder of the work (near 200 pages) confists of general propofitions arranged under different heads, and confirmed and explained by a commentary fubjoined. In the prefent article we fhall felect a number of the most curious and important of these obfervations, omitting all remarks upon them, that as much space as poffible may be allotted to a work which will probably not be procured without great difficulty in this country. In the prefent ardour of inquiry about fevers, information coming from fo good authority cannot but be acceptable. Under the title of Experientia we meet with various propofitions relative to the diagnofis treatment and cure of the plague, with other collateral fubjects.

The plague first broke out in houses and hofpitals where the air was moift, tepid and impure. When it appeared in better fituations, it was capable of being eafily fuppreffed.

At first it generally affumes the form of a petechial fever, and does not exhibit its pathognomonic fymptoms.

It exerts its chief violence on the common people, comparatively few of higher ftation being feized with it. Ten individuals only among the numerous nobility at Moscow perifhed, and not a fingle phyfician notwithstanding their frequent intercourfe with the infected.

Among the occafional causes the most efficacious seemed to be, 1. Clofe and imprudent intercourfe with the infected. 2. The handling of things infected with the nuifance, efpecially fuch as had been fhut up from the air. 3. Baths and all

tepid

tepid vapours. 4. Rancid fat, either much handled or used for food. 5. Errors in diet and violent paffions.

Leucophlegmatic and cachectic habits, perfons affected with cutaneous diseases; thofe advanced in years and children at the breast were leaft expofed to the contagion. Fat perfons, though in other refpects in perfect health were infected in greater number and recovered with more difficulty than thofe of a spare habit.

The fame perfon has often been known to have repeated attacks.

It prevailed moft in fpring and autumn, efpecially in warm, rainy weather. On the contrary, as foon as the wea ther became dry and fettled, and at the fame time the wind blew from the north, it was, if not quite fuppreffed, much mitigated and on the approach of winter, the contagion was fenfibly impaired, and when a conftant cold came on, was totally destroyed.

Some obfervations feem to indicate that birds and infects during the prevalence of the plague feldom appear in places highly infected. The author tells us that he could find few infects at Jaffe at the time of the plague, though afterwards they appeared in great abundance. When the infected army removed into a vineyard, the infects were at first numerous but foon quitted the place. At Mofcow scarce a crow.or jackdaw could be feen, though at other times they are in great abundance. An apothecary whofe fyrups used to be infested by ants could not obferve one at this time, though the next fummer they returned as formerly.

The plague is fometimes fporadic, and then very malig. nant fevers of a peftilential nature (quafi peftilentiales) prevail and fpread to a confiderable distance.

While the plague rages, no other epidemics prevail, and in other acute difeafes the plague unexpectedly fupervenes. During the time of the plague, pimples, angina, rheumatic pains, a gravative pain where buboes, wounds, &c. had formerly been fituated, ftrangury, nocturnal pollutions, the nettle rash, puftules with an acrid lymph, fweating and excoriation of the toes, urine of a deep colour and with lateritious fediment, were very common occurrences.

The fmall pox, intermittent fevers, especially quartans and dropfies portended the extinction or at least the remiffion of the plague.

It is diftinguished from other diseases by its highly conta gious and deleterious nature, as well as by the buboes, carbuncles and other eruptions which accompany it.

The various appearances it affumed are all referable to the four following heads. . The period of infection, in which

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evident

evident marks of the disease, but without fever, appeared. 2. The flow type, in which after a long period of infection, it affumes the form of a malignant fever, both with respect to the mildness of the fymptoms and length of period, 3. The acute. 4, The very acute type, in which last the symptoms are not only very violent, but very anomalous.

The figns of a lefs virulent contagion during the period of infection, are flying pungent pains in the glands and muscles, heat of urine, drowsiness, abundant fecretion from the febaceous glands, especially in the face and hands, coftiveness with copious pulpy and vifcid excrement, heavinefs, laffitude and fainting, a glandular fwelling, attended with little pain and dark-coloured spots indicated a more virulent contagion, and the tranfition to one of the species was pointed out by depravation of the taste and vifcidity of the faliva; anorexia, whitenefs and foulness of the tongue, and head ache.

The miasma is often thrown off by the infenfible perfpiration; but after the abovementioned fymptoms have made their appearance, it cannot be expelled but by speedy and fufficient sweating produced either by exercife or diaphoretics. Remedies adapted to the most urgent fymptoms, were used with fuccefs.

A long period of infection generally terminates in the flow type of the difeafe, if no remedy be applied. The infected perfon being hitherto without pyrexia, is feized with shiverings, very various in different perfons in vehemence and duration, which are fucceeded by very moderate heat and a febrile, weak, irregular, and often intermitting pulfe. There is a conftant gravative pain of the head; the urine is crude and turbid without depofiting any fediment, the tongue moift and foul; no thirft, dejection of fpirits, belly at first bound with tumour of the hypocondria and borborymi; but. the abdomen feels foft; naufea and vomiting of a vifcid greenifh naburra recur at irregular intervals during the first days.: Various eruptions appear though not indeed in all cafes, The rudiments of buboes and carbuncles increase but without occafioning any violent pain, and others arise in new places, and if they fuppurate in five, fix, or feven days, the patient recovers. On the contrary failure of fuppuration and other bad fymptoms, as great debility, diarrhea, and low delirium, indicate certain death, which fometimes does not hap-. pen before the fourteenth day.

In this, which is the most dangerous and incurable fpecies, neutral falts and analeptics early exhibited in fufficient quantity, and at the later period corroborants and aftringents feem to be the most efficacious of the numerous reme

dies

dies that were employed. But the fuppuration of the buboes and carbuncles was promoted by every poffible effort, as being the true falutary crifis..

The acute type is preceded by a fhorter period of infection, and often fuddenly attacks perfons in health. The order of the symptoms is nearly as follows: bad tafte, vifcid faliva, acute head ach; redness of the eyes and face; foul and sometimes dry tongue; fhivering, confiderable heat: pulfe fuller, ftronger and more frequent, than in the flow type, urine higher coloured and greater thirst. Belly bound; buboes and carbuncles foon appearing, much vomiting at first, delirium generally low. When a refolution or fuppuration of the buboes and carbuncles take place on or before the fourth day, the patient recovers. But if fuppuration does not come on, thefe eruptions increase very much, the delirium continues, the vires vitæ with the pulse fink, and hæmorrhages and pituitous excretions occur. After death, which happens on the third, fourth, or fifth day, and while the body is yet warm, new exanthematæ appear; and the corpfe is obferved to be uncommonly pale, fomewhat tumid, flexible and WITHOUT ANY FOETOR.

The acute fpecies was perfectly cured by fudorifics early employed, after which the refolution or fuppuration of the buboes and carbuncles took place. At a later period emetics, faline preparations, corroborants and aftringents were ufed with the most evident fuccefs in many cafes, while the utmost endeavours were employed to bring about the maturation of the buboes and carbuncles. It was fometimes neceffary to use repellents, when they were growing to a large fize.

The varieties of the very acute type may be referred to two heads. 1. A perfon without any previous fign of infection is fuddenly feized with alternate hot and cold fits; but the heat foon vanishes and the furface of the body feels cool. Pulfe hard and very frequent violent headachs; great anxiety about the præcordia, furious delirium; tongue smooth and dry, and at length livid; laborious refpiration; the eyes much protruded, very red and having an appearance of ferocity, turgenency of the face and neck, which are at first red and then turn livid: fpontaneous vomiting feldom occurs; this violent ftate feldom continues twenty four hours, Moft die, apparently, apoplectic or fuffocated; fome expire more eafily. After death the places where the buboes were breaking out turn livid, and dark fpots are feen in various parts.

2. Debility fupervenes at the very firft onfet and increases, being attended with anxiety; the patient never recovers from this ftate unless seasonable affiftance be adminiftered.

The

pulle