certainty as to the quarter in which the disease originated. It is usually ascribed to the Anterican continent, and believed to have been imported into Europe by the crews of Columbus, on his return home: a belief, however, which seems to be altogether without : foundation. The reader who is desirous of examining the authorityon which this opinion rests, together with the various names by which it was at first recognized, may consult the author's article on Medical Technology, in the Transactions of the Medical Society of London, series ii. vol. i. p. 21 and following, and the notes there subjoined. "Linnéus stands alone in arranging syphilis as an exanthem, along with small-pox and measles. He thought himself justified from the fever which occasionally accompanies the copper-coloured spots on the skin, in an advanced stage of its secondary symptoms. "In the Amœnitates Academicæ, vol. iv. art. 72, entitled 'Specifica Canadensium,' by M. Von Coelln, we have an exact formula for exhibiting the lobelia syphilitica, or Indian specific for syphilis, as delivered to Sir William Johnson, who purchased it of the Indians at a high price. Among the Hindus, the disease is commonly known by the name of Persian fire; a term, however, of much earlier date than any records we possess of the existence of syphilis, and applied by Avi-, cenna, and the writers of the Saracenic schools, to a particular species of anthrax. The Hindu specific for the cure both of syphilis, and elephas is a composition of arsenic, sanc' hya, in Arabic shucc,, but which the Persians call mergi-músh, or mouse bane. The oxyd employed is the white arsenic, a. calciforme, and the following is the mode in which the medicine is prepared, as given in the Asiatic Researches, vol. ii. art. viii. Take of sauc' hya (white arsenic)' fine and fresh one tólá, (equal to 105 grains); of picked black pepper six times as much; let both be well beaten at intervals for four days successively in an iron mortar, and then reduced to an impalpable powder in one of stone with a stone pestle, and thus completely levigated, a little water being mixed with them. pills of them as large as tares or small pulse, and keep them dry in a shady place. One of the pills must be swallowed morning and evening with some betel-leaf; or where betel is not at hand, with cold water. If the body be cleansed from fouluess and obstruction by gentle cathartics and bleeding, before the medicine is admi nistered, the remedy will be the speedier.' The Cabirája, or Hindu physician, relies implicitly on the virtues of this composition, and confidently predicts the most certain success in both the above diseases. The cathartic previously employed is commonly manna, which is worked off with copious draughts of a cooling decoction of the nilufer or nymphæa nelumbo. 66 Make 'See also Sir William Jones's Works, vol. i. p. 553, 4to. edit." It is certain that the keen comprehensive mind of Mr. Hunter first called the attention of practitioners to the number of morbid poisons which affect the genitals, the lips, and other parts covered with a thin cuticle, and exposed to contact› with the secretions of another person. But that same com prehensive mind fixed the exact character of the venereal ulcer, and also of several others. Without assigning any náme to the latter, he marked those peculiarities in which they differ from the former, and from each other. As we are no where told what forms a genus, what a species, and what a variety, we may be allowed to express a wish that Mr. Good had satisfied himself with referring us to Celsus and Hunter. The former, in his "Chapter de Obscænarum partium vitiis," describes, with the greatest accuracy, every disease on those parts excepting the venereal ulcer; and Mr. Hunter, after a most minute description of that ulcer, concludes with an account of " diseases resembling the ve nereal, which have been mistaken for it." In this he almost translates the above chapter of Celsus, though it is well known that he was unable to read him; and such must ever be the coincidence between writers who describe from nature only. To what purpose, then, is the accuracy of these writers obscured by the introduction of words ill understood, or by referring to diseases on which we can scarcely form a conjecture. To what purpose are we told of the virtues of the lobelia syphilitica, when we are ignorant of the disease for which it is found a remedy; or why are we still more confused with the Persian fire, a term older than syphilis? or to what purpose have we a receipt for syphilis and elephas, when we know that the remedy prescribed will cure neither the venereal disease nor elephantiasis. This is the part of the work which we view with the most regret. Mr. Hunter's comprehensive mind is, indeed, admitted, but none of his nicer discriminations are so much as hinted at. Even his term "morbid poisons,"-now adopted by Jenner, Abernethy, and all who wish to be particularly correct, is passed over; and the whole concludes somewhat like the last mentioned genus, with a remark that "the varieties have not been sufficiently defined for classification. It is very probable they never can be for artificial arrangement, as Dr. Bateman has also lamented. But it would be dreary indeed if we are to remain nothing better for the labours of Celsus and Hunter. We shall therefore conclude with transcribing an arrangement, not a classification, attempted agreeably to the language of the one, and the discriminating observation of the other. The following is the conclusion of the chapter on the local Characters of Morbid Poisons, in a work alluded to in our COLLECTANEA. "If this distinction of the local actions induced by morbid poisons be admitted, it will resolve itself into the following division: Encreased and altered secretion on secreting surfaces, without loss of substance. 2. 3. loss of substance, viz. non-secreting surfaces, with 1. Slough, with consequent fungus and scab, as in yaws. 4. 5. Ulceration, kept up by the irritation of the secreted pus, as in sivvens and some anomalous phagedænæ. 6. venereal." with a thickened edge and base, as in the Thus it appears, that, it these eruptions, to use Dr. Bateman's expression, bid defiance to [artificial] arrangement, they admit of descriptions according to nature. Happy the students who, from this time, are relieved, in this instance at least, from nosological enigmas, and directed to the study of nature. This is still more remarkably illustrated in the succeeding extract. We could not dismiss a nosological article without turning to typhus. Here again the index deceived us, and brought us to "Order II. PHLOGÓTICA.—Inflammations.-Fixed heat and pain, or soreness; increased secretion, lesion of a particular part or organ; mostly accompanied with fever." "Order II. PHLOGÓTICA. From pay, incendo, ango.' Linnéus, for this order, employs phlogistici, from the same root; but, as the chemists have long since laid hold of phlogiston, and the term, though lately disused, has a chance of being restored, the author has preferred the derivative now offered. Cullen has phlegmasiæ, after Galen and Sauvages: but, as phlegmatia and phlegmatic, from the same source, import, in common medical language, very different, and almost opposite, ideas, this term is also purposely relinquished, to prevent confusion. Sauvages divides inflammations or phlogotic diseases (with him phlegmasiæ) into exanthematous, membranous, and parenchymatous: Linnéus into membranous, visceral, and muscular; referring the exanthematous diseases to another class. Cullen has disapproved of both these modes of division, as conceiving it difficult to ascertain the seat of the affection. "The whole of the observations of Mr. John Hunter upon this subject are worthy of being deeply studied; and will not a little elucidate the nature of the arrangement introduced into the present method. It may be sufficient to observe, that, in treating on in 3 flammation, flammation, he divides the body into two parts: 1, the circumscribed cavities, organs, and cellular membrane which connects them; anđ 2, the outlets of the body, commonly called mucous membranes, as the ducts of the glands, alimentary caual, &c. p. 240, 241, 254. He distributes inflammatory affections into three kinds, adhesive, suppurative, and ulcerative. Adhesive inflammation belongs chiefly to the former of the above two parts of the body, where they are deeply seated; and appears intended to take place in order to prevent suppuration. It applies, therefore, peculiarly to the genus empresma, in the present order, except in gastritis, enteritis, and cystitis; in all which, however, we frequently meet with striking examples of the adhesive inflammation, or true empresma, insomuch that the affected organ becomes at times so closely united with some adjoining membrane or other organ, as to obtain a kind of artificial wall or paries, and prevent the escape of its contents into another cavity, when ulcerated through the whole thickness of its substance. See the note on empressa, species 10. a. Suppurative inflammation belongs chiefly to the same division of parts, placed near the surface-Hunter, p. 252; and consequently applies pecu-liarly to the two genera of phlegmone and phyma. The ulcerative belongs chiefly to the second order of parts, p. 254, 255, as the mucous membranes and outlets; and hence principally applies to the genus erythema, as it must also be allowed to do to that of philysis. Deep-seated suppurative inflammations and abscesses cannot well be placed in either of these genera, and have a claim to be considered by themselves: they are hence included in the genus apostema, with which the order opens. "Dr. Young, if the author understands him rightly, unites the phlegmone and empresma into one and the same species of inflam mation, inflammatio phlegmonica, of which he makes them only dif ferent varieties. Phlegmone was, indeed, used with this latitude among the Greeks, for it imported inflammation generally; but it has long been limited to suppurative, and by most writers to subcutaneous as well as suppurative inflammations, or those immediately under the skin, and those too in which the suppuration is perfect, and occupies the whole cavity. It is possible, however, that the author may not have understood Dr. Young aright, as he afterwards makes the different species of what is here called empresma, species of inflammatory fever or cauma. "Phlegmon then, in the present method, is used to denote an inflamed subcutaneous tumour, perfectly suppurative; phyma, an inflamed subcutaneous tumour, imperfectly suppurative; ionthus, a subcutaneous tumour or tubercle, slightly inflamed, hard, and insuppurative; and phlysis, an inflamed, but low and broad tumour, ulcerative, exquisitely painful, and running among the tendons, of which the paronychia or whitlow is, perhaps, the only known species. The paronychia, as Galen has justly observed, has an approach to the erythema, or erysipelatous inflammation, which im mediately follows it, but the two must not be intermixed." We have often heard Mr. Hunter accused of obscurity, but, on 1 this occasion, we see him referred to by Mr. Good to "elucidate the arrangement introduced into the present method." We are much pleased with this remark, if it means, as we presume it must, that, after studying artificial arrangements, aud nosological methods, we shall meet with the clearest information by carefully attending to Nature and Mr. Hunter. We had prepared remarks on several other genera, but it is time to conclude. Having often expressed our opinion of Nosology in general terms, we gladly seized this opportunity of discussing the claims of an experienced, as well as a learned, practitioner. Most of the later systems have been the production of younger writers, of whom it may be delicate to say, that they were scarcely aware of the magnitude of their undertaking. It will, perhaps, be asked, Is medicine the only science which cannot be reduced to system? To this we answer, that system, in all the productions of nature, is artificial, and consequently, in some points, erroneous, but attended with little danger in any but medicine. The first inquiry is, What is intended by a system? The answer is not difficult:-Without certain marks which we perceive in what we chuse to denominate a class, a genus, and a species, the whole of natural science would appear without order: it would be difficult for philosophers to understand each other, or for learners to direct their inquiries. This must be admitted; but every philosopher has also admitted the difficulty of ascertaining the characters by which his ge nera are to be distinguished, and the imperfections of all: they have, therefore, contented themselves with the best, in doing which, they have selected certain permanent marks, which may be viewed, and must be admitted by every diligent inquirer into nature. Is such the case in the arrangement of diseases? To a certain degree, it may be answered. Then let us extend our systems to that degree, and no further. That certain diseases have been accurately characterised by the genius, diligence, and faithfulness of different authors, has already been admitted, and, besides those before enumerated (see p. 229 of our last Number), we might add Heberden for angina pectoris, Hey for fungus hæmatodes,* Jenner * The manner in which Mr. Good has disposed his notes, or "running commentary," as he very justly calls thein, has frequently induced us to read backward. Thus, the notes on Elephantiasis, commencing under the genus Syphilis, led us to Lues; and, by the same incident, the notes on lues have led us to Cancer. On this Our |