mount the disease, have, in general, suffered severely in the

same way.

Two instances have occurred in which the measles interrupted the progress of other diseases. In one case the hooping-cough, which had continued above six weeks, was suspended by the occurrence of the measles, but returned on the decline of the latter. It was not in the inflammatory state, as Dr Adams * supposes those cases always to be which are thus superseded. Another child, about thirteen months old, had suffered, almost from its birth, a singular spasmodic affection of the larynx or trachea, insomuch, that it never awoke from sleep, or cried, or was startled, but respiration became immediately impeded, and was performed with a crowing noise, somewhat resembling that of croup, for many minutes. Medicine had no effect upon this complaint, but, on the occurrence of measles, the spasmodic attacks ceased, and they have not returned since the child's recovery.

The scarlatina was generally mild, presenting the eruption, accompanied with a slight sore throat. In one family it occurred under different forms; the father was found dying of the malignant sore throat, having had no eruption when application was first made to the Dispensary; the rest of the family went through the disease, exhibiting the eruption more or less. The early use of emetics, according to the recommendation of Dr Withering, appeared to render the disease milder, and abbre

viate its course.

Of the small pox a few of the virulent cases only are to be found on our list; but it has been lately very prevalent and fatal; circumstance much to be lamented, especially since a national testimony, as it were, of the existence of a safe preventive has been laid before the public. They who circulate the poison seem to forget or to disregard the mischief of partial inoculation, and the numbers which they weekly contribute to swell the bills of mortality. Whenever the poison is introduced among the habitations of the poor, it never fails to multiply its victims. We lately learnt that, in a court adjoining Shoe Lane, in the course of one month, twenty-eight persons had died of small-pox! The general interference of Government, in our domiciliary concerns, is doubtless to be deprecated; but, while we submit our seafaring men to the outlawry of the quarantine, (for its severity almost warrants that title) we can see no possible objection, on the grounds of despotic interference, to compelling those who will receive the variolous contagion, to confine its sphere to their own houses, and to restraining public institutions from communi

* Observations on Morbid Poisons.

cating

cating the poison to any one, unless they receive the inoculated into their wards, and dismiss them after the danger of infecting others is over.

Nov. 30th 1807.

THOMAS BATEMAN.

Decomposition of the Fixed Alkalis.

We are informed, that, in the month of November, a paper of Mr Davy's, (Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution in London), was read at the Royal Society, containing a detail of experiments, by which Mr D. has succeeded in decomposing the fixed alkalis. He attempted in vain to effect this decomposition, when the alkali was in solution; but, on connecting caustic alkali, barely moistened, with the zinc end of a powerful galvanic apparatus, he found a globule of metallic matter, resembling quicksilver in its appearance, attached to the platina wire, used as a conductor; it appeared, also, with every conductor afterwards used. This metallic matter becomes malleable at a low temperature, i. e. we believe, below 40° of Fahr. Its specific is 7, taking water at 10, as ascertained by a comparative experiment in mercury; it has so strong an affinity for oxygen, that it explodes, with flame, immediately on coming in contact with water, or even the smallest moisture, hydrogen being disenga ged. When placed upon ice, it immediately burns, leaving a small hole in the ice, containing the regenerated alkali. Thus, the experiment is both analytic and synthetic. The alkali consists of about 85 parts of the metallic base, and 15 oxygen. Mr Davy preserves this singular base in naphtha. These observations apply to potass. A similar base is obtained in the same way from soda, and is possessed of similar properties, but it resembles silver more than mercury; is congealed and malleable, only at a much lower temperature than the base of potass; and constitutes only 81 parts of soda, with 19 oxygen.

Mr Davy has also discovered oxygen to be one of the constituent parts of ammonia; and he has reason to believe, that the alkaline earths consist of a metallic base, of a similar nature with the bases of the alkalis in combination with oxygen; a subject which he is now investigating.

In the List published of the June Graduates, the names of nine gentlemen were omitted, viz. Drs J. Armstrong, J. Ayre, T. Bent, P. Gilroy, R. M. Hawley, J. Low, D. Plenderleath, G. G. Spilsbury, T. K. Wint, in consequence of an imperfect set of their Theses being sent to us. In our next we shall give a perfect List.

THE

EDINBURGH

MEDICAL AND SURGICAL JOURNAL.

1. APRIL 1808.

PART I.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

I.

Report from the Select Committee of the House of Commons, appointed to inquire into the State of Lunatics. Ordered to be printed, 15th July 1807.

THE HE Select Committee, appointed to inquire into the state of the criminal and pauper lunatics, in England and Wales, and of the laws relating thereto; and who were empowered to report their observations and opinions, together with their proceedings, from time to time, to the House;

Have inquired into the matter to them referred, and have agreed upon the following Report:

Your Committee, upon entering into this inquiry, have felt it their duty to state, in the first place, The laws now in force respecting the care and maintenance of Criminal and Pauper Lunatics:

Secondly, The manner in which they are now ordinarily kept : Thirdly, The provisons and regulations which it has appeared to the Committee that it might be expedient to adopt in future.

CRIMINAL LUNATICS.

The only law relating to criminal lunatics, as distinguished from other insane persons, is the 40th Geo. III. c. 94. by which

VOL. IV. NO. 14,

I

it

it is provided, That in all cases where it shall be given in evidence upon the trial of any person charged with treason, murder, or felony, that such person was insane at the time of the commission of such offence, and such person shall be acquitted, the Jury shall be required to find specially whether such person was insane at the time of the commission of such offence, and to declare whether such person was acquitted by them on account of such insanity; and if they shall find, that such person was insane at the time of the committing such offence, the Court before whom such trial shall be had, shall order such person to be kept in strict custody, in such place, and in such manner, as to the Court shall seem fit, until his Majesty's pleasure shall be known; and it shall thereupon be lawful for his Majesty to give such order for the safe custody of such person, during his pleasure, in such place, and in such manner, as to his Majesty shall seem fit: And in all cases where any person, before the passing of this act, has been acquitted of any such offences on the ground of insanity, at the time of the commission thereof, and has been detained in custody as a dangerous person, by order of the Court before whom such person has been tried, and still remains in custody, it shall be lawful for his Majesty to give the like order for the safe custody of such person, during his pleasure, as his Majesty is hereby enabled to give in the cases of persons who shall hereafter be acquitted on the ground of insanity.

This statute does, indeed, empower his Majesty to give orders for the safe custody of persons so found to be insane, in such place, and in such manner, as to his Majesty shall seem fit; but as no provision is made for defraying the charge of their maintenance and cure, except where they have sufficient property of their own, which could be applied to that purpose under 17th Geo. II. c. 5. s. 20. it has been in most instances impossible to remove them from the county gaol.

In the course of six years, which have elapsed between the passing of the act 40. Geo. III. c. 94. and the time of making the returns which have been referred to your Committee by order of the House, it appears, that no less than 37 persons have been detained under the provisions of this act, and are now confined in different jails, where, if paupers, they are necessarily maintained at the county expence.

This number will of course annually increase, particularly if, as at present, no means are generally adopted for the cure of persons under such circumstances; and, if the parishes upon whom the burden of the maintenance of a lunatic must otherwise fall, shall, in consequence of his committing an offence, be enabled to throw that expence, during the remainder of his life,

upon

upon the county at large, and thus profit by the omission of that care and precaution which it was their duty to have taken for his safe keeping.

The great inconveniencies which must necessarily result from a continuance of the present system are fully detailed in the evidence of Sir George Paul, whom your Committee, on account of his humane and unwearied attention to every thing connected with this subject, thought it their duty to examine: And they fully concur in his opinion, that to confine such persons in a common jail is equally destructive of all possibility of the recovery of the insane, and of the security and comfort of the other prisoners.

They have also to state a fact, in confirmation of this opinion, communicated to them by one of their members, which fell within his own knowledge: Aaron Bywater was acquitted a few years ago at the Great Sessions for the county of Montgomery, of a murder committed by him, under the influence of insanity, and was ordered to be detained in the county jail, where he still remains. In less than three weeks afterwards, he, though ordered to be strictly watched, was allowed, during an apparently lucid interval, to escape out of the jailor's sight, and murdered one of his fellow prisoners.

It therefore appears to be highly desirable, that a building should be erected for the separate confinement of all persons detained under the above-mentioned act for offences committed during a state of insanity; and that provisions should be enacted, similar to those of the 17 Geo. II. c. 5. s. 20. directing the Magistrates of the county where the trial has been had, in all cases where it shall not appear to them that the lunatic has sufficient property to defray the expences of his own maintenance, to inquire into the place of his last legal settlement, and to make an order upon such parish, or, if that cannot be ascertained, upon the county where he has been tried, to allow such weekly sum for his maintenance, as shall from time to time be fixed by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, or such persons as his Majesty shall appoint to superintend such place of confinement. As one establishment of this nature will be sufficient for the whole kingdom, it may be expedient that it should be in or near the metropolis, and that power should be given to the Secretary of State to make such regulations as may not only provide for the due care and management of the persons there confined, but may also ensure a full examination, by competent judges, into the state of mind of any person who may appear to be cured, previous to his being allowed his discharge.

PAUPER