wards the inner canthus, are confined, as well by the action of some of the fibres of the orbicularis, as by the contracted state of the conjunctiva, they must be freed from their connexion with both. "The tarsus is then comparatively loose, and in the worst cases can with ease be everted. It remains but to perform the subsection of the eyelid, described page 21, to complete that part of the operation which relates to removing the contraction of the conjunctiva."—p. 46. After this has been done, Mr C. proposes, that a speculum be applied so as to retain the eyelid in its natural position; and he makes use of the speculum of Mr Pellier for this purpose, employing, at the same time, a proper bandage to keep it in its place, until, by an alteration in the structute of the diseased parts, they are enabled to perform their original functions. "This alteration it easily effects; for, by its pressure, it gently stretches the conjunctiva, and promotes the absorption of its diseased growth; and thus, by removing both cause and effect, it combats the disease with the surest prospect of success." The practice recommended is fully illustrated by distinct cases, and drawings are given of the specula. We hope, that the sketch we have now given, will enable our readers to form a just estimate of the merits of this essay, and be sufficient to recommed the practice to their attention. PART PART III. MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE. SIR, Letter to A. DUNCAN, jun. M. D. THIS paper, together with that on the external use of cold water in malignant fever, was written in 1769-1779, and sent to Dr John Fothergill, for the Medical Society of London, in the beginning of the year 1779. It was read several times; at first ordered to be printed, afterwards postponed, and laid amongst their archives. It is probable that they thought this practice so rash and daring that they would not give their sanction to it. The Society was soon afterwards dissolved by the death of Dr Forthergill, Dr Hunter, and Dr Solander; and, I, with some difficulty, recovered my papers from Dr Thomson, Secretary to the Society. Dr Simmons published my paper on fever in 1786, but this paper on the small-pox never saw the light. I sent it, with others, to Dr Currie, at Liverpool; it is the same he alludes to in the second volume of his Medical Reports. I beg leave to present you with this copy, that, if you think proper, give it a place in your useful Medical Journal. Edinburgh, 15th Sept. 1807. "On the External Use of Cold Water in the Small-pox. Communicated to Dr FOTHERGILL, and read by him to the Medical Society of London, 1779. By WILLIAM WRIGHT, M.D.F.R. S. c. "In the year 1768, the small-pox was in a manner epidemic in Jamaica; it proved fatal to a number of people who took it in the natural way, but only to a few who were inoculated and properly treated. "This disease became general about the months of April, May, and June, in the parish of St James. Such as had the disorder in the natural way, had a load of pustules, and often of the confluent kind. Sydenham's cool method of treatment was cal led led to our remembrance by the success of the Messrs Suttons, and of Dr Dimsdale. But although a liberal use of cold drinks were allowed the sick, little benefit could be expected from cool air, in such a climate and season of the year. "It is well known that the quantity and quality of small-pox depends on the duration and violence of the eruptive fever;-any expedient, then, to mitigate the one, would, of course, render the other more favourable. "The Maroon negroes* in Jamaica, and some nations on the coast of Guinea, have a custom of plastering the bodies of such of themselves as are taken ill of the small-pox, and especially during the eruptive fever, with wet clay, and with such good effects as determined me to try the cold bath. "So soon as a person was seized with the variolous fever, whether from inoculation or otherwise, I caused an assistant to throw cold water on their naked bodies every four or six hours. The consequence was a truce from the fever, from the headache and pain in the back; a glow succeeded, with a kindly perspiration. The eruption after this was for the most part favourable. "In other cases, where the small-pox had made their appearance, and by their quantity, and the continuance of the fever, a confluent pock was apprehended, the cold bath not only abated the fever, but diminished the number of pustules, and the patients went through the disease easier. I do not recollect more than one person out of five hundred, treated in this manner, but what agreed perfectly well with the cold affusion. "So soon as the eruption was completed, and the fever gone, I desisted from the external application of cold water; I kept my patients in cool air, and allowed them cold water through the whole course of the disease. "The secondary fever was prevented, or greatly mitigated, by timely purging the patient; and so soon as the pustules were at the height, by discharging the contents by a needle or some sharp-pointed instrument +; by the bark, and sometimes epispastics. But where the fever run high, antimonial wine or James's powder was given; but in common, cooling laxatives, small doses of emetic tartar, with or without opiates, were sufficient; and lastly, the bark and port wine." Extract *«Maroon negroes.-Soon after the English settled in Jamaica, a number of runaway negroes assembled in the mountainous places: They became formidable, and committed such ravages and depredations on the white inhabitants, as greatly obstructed the settlement of the country.-Governor Trelawny obliged them to capitulate in 1739." A practice common on the coast of Guinea. Extract of a Letter from Dr Gairdner, dated St James's, October 24th 1778. "The small-pox made their appearance in this parish, and it became necessary to inoculate the negroes on Green-park, and Castle Wemyss estates, and also those of the small settlements. The practice was the same as Baron Dimsdale recommends, only during the eruptive fever, we used the cold-bath, that is, we dashed cold water on their heads and in their faces, which had a remarkable effect in giving immediate ease; it carried off the fever, and no doubt lessened the cruption. "At Castle Wemyss estate, when the negroes were feverish, I made them go in below the spout of water. They were so much pleased with its good effects, that they often went below it of their own accord. All of them had the small pox remarkably easy. One hundred and twenty of them were inoculated without any preparation; they were kept at easy work during the whole time of the disease, and were all able to go to their usual employment in 14 days after being inoculated. "The same success did not attend the negroes on the small settlements, which I think was owing chiefly to their not using the cold bath." Quarterly Report of Diseases treated at the PUBLIC DISPENSARY, (near Carey-Street,) London, from August 31st to November 30th The long period of warm weather was suddenly terminated early in September, wind N. W.; about the 20th the wind a gain blew from the south-west, and rain fell on several days to wards the close of the month. The wind continued to blow from the same mild quarter, with a moderate temperature, to the third week in October, when several wet and stormy days ensued. November has been, on the whole, cold, wet, and stormy, with some smart frosts near the end of it, accompanied with fog. The autumnal season appears to have been, generally speaking, healthy. The number of diseases, in the preceding list, is considerally smaller than is usual within the same period. most prominent acute disorders have been eruptive fevers, and particularly the measles, which, during the months of October and November, have been very prevalent, and, when occurring in young children, have proved very fatal, by terminating in violent inflammation of the organs of respiration. In some cases this inflammation destroyed the patient in two days, notwithstanding a pretty active evacuation of blood; in others effusion appeared to take place, and a difficult, wheezing, and quick respiration, with expansion of the nostrils, and constant coughing, continued for many days, not in the least degree affected by local or general blood-letting, blisters, nauseating or emetic doses of antimony and ipecacuanha, nor by any other expedient. And the majority of patients, whose strength enabled them to sur mount |