humour, hoping it will not be long before we shall receive as much pleasure in displaying the beauties of his next production, as we have felt pain in exposing the few and trifling imperfections in the one before us. "Verùm ubi plura nitent in carmine, non ego paucis "Aut humana parum cavit natura." Q. Hor. Flacc. XI. An Analysis of the Leamington Spa, in Warwickshire; with "Publica morborum requies, commune medentem The writer of this pamphlet appears also to be a man of great and universal erudition, for indications of science and literature are profusely poured forth in every page, and even upon the most common occasions. Thus, instead of informing his readers that the LEAM is slow in its course, because the ground is nearly level, he learnedly pronounces it to be "torpid in its course, from want of sufficient descent," which has a far greater air of classical elegance. "Leamington is a place of some antiquity, and retains the agnomen of priors from its being formerly attached to the monastery of Kenilworth." Independently of the health-restoring waters of Leamington, numerous other attractions are here portrayed for the visiter. "If romance be the gusto, Guy's Cliff and Warwick Castle present themselves." "To the pilgrim of genius, Stratford upon Avon, the birthplace of the immortal Shakspeare, affords ample scope to indulge his warmest enthusiasm." P. 9. We shall pass over our author's geological remarks, and also his chymical examination of the waters, since we find that Dr. Scudamore and he do not agree in their results. We have also stated enough in our last number, respecting the composition of these springs. "With regard to the Vol. II. No. 5. X iron which the waters testify on the addition of tincture of galls," our author thinks it owing to the iron pipes through which they flow; and as to what is called the chalybeate spring, Dr. Weatherhead considers it to have no claim to that appellation. "Indeed it appears to be simply a brackish water, with a very slight impregnation of the usual saline constituents." 24. Medicinal Properties. These waters are considered by our author as aperient and diuretic; their laxative operation being gentle, unaccompanied by griping, and leaving no relaxed or exhausted feeling afterward. There is no debility, he avers, produced by their use, even if continued daily for three weeks together. On the contrary, they increase the appetite, clear the complexion, and invigorate the whole system. The principal diseases to which these waters are more particularly applicable, are ophthalmia, dyspeptic affections, liver complaints, chronic dysentery, jaundice, scrofula, cutaneous complaints, paralytic affections, diseases of the joints, rickets, debility, and irritability. The usual and best time, Dr. W. observes, for drinking the waters, is before breakfast. The common dose is a tumbler full for an adult, which is to be repeated in a quarter of an hour, the patient walking about in the interim. The walk is to be continued for a short time after the second dose, when tea is to be drunk freely for breakfast. Where the usual dose of the spring is too weak to produce its operation, a blue pill is sometimes taken over night-a plan which Dr. W. cannot approve of, as he thinks it better to quicken the action of the water, by adding some of the crystallized salt. Not being one of the intiated in the mysteries of the place, we cannot pretend to disipute the point; but from what we have seen of visceral discase, and from what we know of the practice of able physicians at similar watering-places, we should not be disposed to condemn the blue pill in conjunction with deobstruent waters. In respect to dietetics, our author's remarks are of the most commonplace kind; and although he can so liberally criticise the introduction of poetical quotations into the writings of others, he hesitates not to press them, on all occasions, into his own service! And here we shall close this short article, with an observation directed to nobody, unless somebody should consider it as not inapplicable to his own case. It is this: that when a medical writer seats himself in the critic's chair, he should not "travel beyond his RECORD," and, under pretence of passing judgment on books, give vent to the most scurrilous abuse of men. Such conduct is now readily appreciated by the profession. and rewarded accordingly. XII. Practical Observations on the Colchicum Autumnale, as a general Remedy of great Power, in the Treatment of Inflammatory Diseases, both Acute and Chronic; and therefore as a Substitute for Bleeding in Disorders which are connected with increased Action of the Heart and Arteries. By CHARLES THOMAS HADEN, &c. &c. &c. Burgess and Hill, pp. 84. COLCHICUM Would appear to comprise the virtues of the lancet, cathartics, diuretics, specifics, sudorifics, tonics, aromatics, sedatives, and expectorants; in fact, just as the alderman's beef, in the Tale of a Tub, comprised the quintessence of peas, partridges, pheasants, and quails. It was used centuries ago in catarrhs, dropsies, fevers, bronchial affections, &c. and given up for want of correct therapeutical rather than botanical knowledge. Single investigations produce perfection of experimental skill in the use of a medicine, and insight into separate qualities, as far as they can be elicited by art. By disregarding coagulability and exclusion of common air, the French brought transfusion of blood into disgrace; but Dr. Blundell has restored it to notice by his accuracy. Colchicum is similarly resuscitated, and the Messrs. Haden have done all in their power to add effect and extent to its use. Mr. H. sen. is the Mentor, giving the multiplied experience of an old practitioner not unskilled to judge ;" and Mr. H. jun. self-confessedly 66 non æquis passibus sequitur patrem." Ere we enter into analysis, let us just say, that we shall occasionally break in upon the arrangement in our way, in order to make our foreshortening as replete as possible with the pith of the perspective before us. Mr. Haden, sen. first administered the various preparations of colchicum, but he found them late, and then often violent, in effect; this was meliorated by uniting cathartics, but not effectually till it was given in the simplest form; the powder of the dry bulbs-in conjunction with a neutral salt-usually the sal polychrest. Thus he has employed it for more than six years "as his common prescription in gout, rheumatism," and "all diseases of excitement." It controls the action of the heart and arteries; is a "material auxiliary to the lancet," in diseases of excitement, and it seems to diminish action without causing any inanition of physical power; so that perfect health, rather than convalescence, demanding tonics, follows. The pulse becomes natural, and the general effect of the medicine is almost always. established in pure inflammations, after the purging has taken place, and even before. Bleeding is generally superseded, unless in affections of vital parts, and then is commonly required but once. Relapses are usually slight, and stand in need of slight repetitions of the colchicum. In acute cases not relieved in twelve or fifteen hours, increased doses, with calomel or the black dose, are given to accelerate the purging. Continuation is necessary, if inflammatory symptoms remain; but if prescribed at the dawning of diseased action, this will seldom be expedient. Mr. Haden's (sen.) posological rules are, to give from 2 to 8 gr. pulv. colchic.sulph. potass. j. (vel magis) in rose mixture, every four or six hours, under the general restrictions laid down. In chronic cases a daily morning dose is given (colchic. gr. v. sulph. potass. j.) in a full draught of warm water, continuing it, if necessary, for weeks, with any purgative adjunct required. (P. 17.) Bleeding postponed is sometimes superseded, says Mr. Charles Haden, especially in inflammatory fevers, pneumonia, &c. On the contrary, though it may succeed by itself, in one case of pneumonia or inflammatory rheumatism, it may merely act as auxiliary, with active and repeated blood letting, in another. A case is given which expresses an important diagnostic remark, that invigorating diet and medicine produces relapse in the convalescent stage of sthenic diseases, with an unclean tongue. By its different appearances the author hopes, in time, to detect the primary situations of irritative and inflammatory action. In another description of irritative and inflammatory action, a learned friend of ours has surprised us by the accuracy with which he distinguishes the mucous from genuine phthisis, by the peculiar streak in the middle of the dorsum of the tongue, and its furred edges. A quick pulse certainly commands caution, but who has not seen the tongue furred from sheer debility, and become rubrous as a cherry on moderate invigorating diet, &c.? Sudden shocks to the nervous system produce a furred tongue; we have a case of gunshot wound of the thorax, where it was formed an hour after the accident--before any particular disturbance of the constitution had followed.* Mr. C. Haden gives a case of acute rheumatism, reduced by Colchicum and blood-letting, but which afterwar rallied from the premature use of bark, the tongue being unclean. May not i former drug render the symptoms passive by its sedative properties, whilst the disease itself may actually continue to exist? All remedies speedy in their action generally require to be proportionally protracted—or it will be found that the seeming effect is rarely real. Mr. Charles Haden's mode of exhibition and rules for the limitation of the remedy do not materially differ from his father's. His officinal preparation is composed of one part of powdered colch. 3 carb. of potass, and 5 sulph. potass. The dose is 3j. three or four times a day, with half a pint of warm water, in effervescence with tartaric or citric acid. After purging, if likely to be ill borne, the colchicum may be given alone. In chronic complaints calomel or blue pill, and aloes with ipecacuan, form a useful night pill, with one or two dram doses of the compound daily. The children's dose of the same varies from 16 gr. to ij. Mr. H. sen. says, "In organic derangements of structure, when occasionally attended by inflammatory symptoms, the above treatment answers perfectly in curing super-induced inflammation; so much so, that at times the general actions are so much subdued as to give no notice, by symptoms, of the existence of the primary diseases; thus, in one case, gangrene was going on in the foot, whilst the inflammation which produced it was subsiding under the use of colchicum." Colch. gr. vj. sulph. potass. 3j omni mane has never failed with long perseverance in chronic rheumatism. Plethoric hæmorrhages, passive or habitual, and consumptions, (though "it does not cure,") are relieved without the expense of blood, and the severe consequences of accidents are averted by it. The elder Mr. Haden's horse had a violent inflammatory attack of the chest and joints, which yielded too effectually to doses of colch. 3ij. magnes. sulph. 3j. 6tis. houris, but the animal was much purged, and had colic-which is attributed to overdosing, and neglect of spice in the equine prescription. We have seen fatal colic follow the administration of a cold clyster to a horse. "In the fevers of children, in which colchicum generally succeeds, opening medicine is often an indispensable requisite in the prescription.' In the case of a child nothing availed till a decided purgative brought away a load of faces. In nine instances out of ten this case will represent the just treatment of complaints of children, and colchicum will, in our opinions, have nothing at all to do with it. Indeed, throughout the whole of these cases, we cannot help suspecting that the secondary component is not raised to its just level; but Mr. Haden, however, admits throughout the indispensable necessity of combined purging. In lumbago great stress is laid upon using warm bathing, and warm beverages in conjunction; sometimes calomei and antimony is recommended. |