VI. Practical Observations on the Rhadix Rhatania, or Rhatany Root, a production of Peru. By RICHARD REECE. London. p. 50. 12mo. 1808. THE rhatany root is imported from South America, where it has long been known, and collected for the use of Portu⚫guese merchants, who employed it in improving the colour and astringency of red wine for the English market. It resembles the madder-root in its external appearance, and is supposed to be the root of the cinchona cordifolia, although no precise information is yet furnished on this subject. In its sensible qualities it is more like the Peruvian bark than any other substance, for it discovers a grateful astringency, an aromatic bitter taste, and yields a considerable quantity of extractive matter. These quali ties, along with its colouring matter, are imparted both to cold and boiling water, and to proof spirits. From this short history the inference follows, that it possesses great powers as a tonic and stomachic medicine; and, accordingly, evidence is adduced to show that it is superior in efficacy to the preparations of cinchona, and never fails of curing all sorts of disorders! Some of the root and extract has been brought into our drug market, and it is said to be cheaper than the bark, which is an additional recommendation in its favour, and may lead to some useful application being made of it in the hospitals and dispensaries of the united kingdoms. It has been given under the following forms: in substance, infusion, decoction, and tincture. Fine powder has answered best in intermittents and epilepsy, in doses from ten to thirty grains, every two or three hours, in some mint water, or in the form of an electuary; and the other formulæ may be prepared and administered in the same manner as the bark is directed to be employed in that koran for English apothecaries, the London Pharmacopoeia. VII. On Hydrophobia, its Prevention and Cure; with a Description of the Different Stages of Canine Madness. Illustrated with Cases. By BENJAMIN MOSELEY, M. D. Physician to his Majesty's Royal Military Military Hospital at Chelsea, &c. &c. p. 34. 8vo. Lon don, 1808. THE kind of writing to which this pamphlet, and a great part ТЫЕ of newspaper medical essays belong, if such authors are not shamed out of their present course, will cheat many out of the comfort of their lives, and deprive them of the benefits of thinking there is some truth in physic. We have always objected to this continual talk about diseases and remedies, and when we find a writer addressing himself to the people and not to the brethren of his profession, we suspect his motives are not always so disinterested as they should be. Dr Moseley is sufficiently well known by his former publications, to require any proofs of his understanding being under the influence of an eccentric vanity. It is from this principle that he has been impelled to publish, in the Morning Herald, two cases, with some remarks on canine madness, in which he treats ancient and modern physicians with the greatest contempt, and tells the Quidnuncs no one has ever seen and described the disease in all its stages. But, to any man acquainted with medical books, such an assertion betrays no small mark of ignorance and presumption. Who has not read, in the first volume of Medical Communications, in the Manchester Memoirs, in Dr Ferriar's Medical Facts and Observations, and in Dr Hamilton's work on Hydrophobia, several histories minutely detailed, and written with the most accurate attention, by men of talents and reputation? Yet Dr Moseley pretends to inform the world, that the symptoms of hydrophobia are as ill understood as they were in the time of Ovid and Celsus; happily, however, many cases have occurred to him lately, and he has cured them.-P. 9. Two of these cases are circumstantially related; one patient died ten hours after the Doctor saw him; the other was cured by rubbing in four ounces of ung. hydrargyri fort. within 48 hours after the commencement of the disease. Several other cases are alluded to, which were successfully treated in the same way, by speedily affecting the system with mercury, and applying lunar caustic to the wounds. However cavalierly Dr Moseley has treated his predecessors, it must be allowed that he has shewn no preference to his contemporaries, for he does not allude to any one of them amidst his quotations, and he seems to think himself the only man who has described the disease, and knows how to treat it. VOL. IV. NO. 16. Kk MEDICAL PART III. MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE. UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. HE Classes for the different branches of Medical Education will be opened the ensuing session as follows: A Course of Practical Anatomy will be given under the superin tendence of Dr Monro junior, and Mr Fyfe. Clinical Lectures on the Cases of Patients in the Royal Infirmary, by Dr Home and Dr Duncan-the first lecture by Dr Home, on Tuesday, November 8, at 4 o'clock afternoon. Clinical Surgery by Mr Russel-the first lecture on Monday October 31st, at 5 P. M. During the summer session, lectures will be given on the following branche of education. Botany, by Dr Rutherford. Midwifery, by Dr Hamilton. Morbid Anatomy, by Dr Monro junior. Clinical Lectures on Medicine, by Dr Home. On the 24th of June, the Senatus Academicus of Edinburgh conferred the degree of Doctor in Medicine on the following Gentlemen, after having gone through the appointed examinations, and publicly defended their respective inaugural disserta tions: From IRELAND. Michael McCreery, John Grimke, Francis Hunter, Richard Greene, A. B. T. C. D. De Somniorum Phanomenis. Richard Kennedy, A. B. T. C. D.De Aque Natura et Usu. De Hydrochephalo Acuto. From AMERICA. De Podagra. De Etheribus. From JAMAICA. James Veitch, Colin Rogers, Georgius Goldie, From SCOTLAND. De Methodo Tractandi et Praca- De Hydrope Asthmatico, in Ceylonia Charles Wightman, A. M. Ed. De Consensu Ventriculum inter et Charles Fergusson Forbes, Cerebrum. De Febre Intermittente. John 1 William Bonsall, From WALES. De Hydrope Anasarca. And, on the 12th of September, the same honour was conferred on the following Gentlemen :- Robert Chisholm, From ENGLAND. De Rheumatismo Acuto. Joseph Carter, Evan Gryffydh, Usher Glanville Doyle, De Dyspepsia. From WALES. De Visus Sede. From IRELAND. De Tumoribus Syphiliticis. George Frank Todderick, M. B.} De Aure Humana. A. M. T. C. D. James Vance Miller, A. B. T.C.D.De Dyspepsia. De Apoplexia Hydrocephalica. From SCOTLAND. S De Opii usu ejusdemque Effectil us Benjamin Bartlet Buchanan,{in Corpus Humanum. De Frigoris Effectibus in Corpus Нитапит. De Scorbuto. De Respiratione Difficili. De Hydrocephalo Acuto. From SOUTH CAROLINA. De Dysenteria. From INDIA. Thomas Taylor, A. B. T. C. D. De Rubeola Vulgari. UNIVERSITY |