mra and ourth sections espezialle, which lokal Eety of temperature in a:lierent classes of sumala, 721 remarks on torbidity, on steen, and on the spille 13 in diseases." "Erntete with cuflone and HİLTESİS tions. A. 13 clearly establishest, haɛ cold, and wank

243

ited materi

1; for at his which orrily under

ct.

tal in procal society ›lishment, ich oppoether the

the com

of laws, Dally his

rity with ›licity of brought ty, con

f every me time

e satis.¡ments

ention,

midst, timate

different parts, &c. Then followed disquisitions on the vital functions, circulation and respiration, and on digestion, secretion, absorption, and excretion; on animal temperature, and the influence of heat and cold; on the hybernation of animals, and on sleep: and the course was concluded with a view of the growth and gradual decay of the animal body, and of the means of restoration and reproduction; with remarks on population and longevity, on the means of preserving health and prolonging life, and on drunkenness, the temperaments, passions, and antipathies. These lectures were illustrated by various drawings and preparations, which contributed, with the simplicity and perspicuity of the language in which they were delivered, to interest the attention of his audience and to render a technical subject intelligible and agreeable.

The zeal and activity of Dr. Reeve were not, however, limited to professional pursuits. The same spirit of diligence and alertness manifested itself in all the concerns of life. Whenever any measure of public or private utility was proposed, his ardent mind entered quickly and steadily into the project, and his time and means were devoted to its accomplishment; particularly when the amelioration of the condition of the poor and ignorant was the leading object. While resident in London, his attention had been excited by the establishment of the system of general education, proposed by Lancaster; and in the course of his travels in Switzerland, he was delighted to meet with a similar institution at Iverdun, (so admirably described by Mad. de Stael,) and to have the opportunity of becoming acquainted with its benevolent and enlightened founder, with whom he entered into a minute examination of its plan. Being thus strongly impressed with the practicability of the design, and confident of the extensive benefits likely to result from enlightening the minds of the lower orders of mankind, Dr. Reeve was among the first to promote the establishment of a school at Norwich, upon the liberal plan of inviting the children of the poor, of all denominations of religion, to partake of the blessing of knowledge; maintaining, that it would be equally unjustifiable to refuse the benefit of education to the members of any sect, or to the advocates of any peculiar catechism, as it would be in him to limit his professional assistance to persons who held a particular

oreed. His activity and personal exertion contributed materially to the establishment and success of this school; for at his house the preparatory meetings of the committee, which organized the institution, were held; and he voluntarily undertook a census of the infantine poor in his own district.

The same indefatigable zeal was greatly instrumental in promoting the formation and prosperity of a philosophical society at Norwich. If he did not actually found that establishment, he chiefly contributed to clear away the obstacles which opposed its foundation, and to harmonize and bring together the various combination of age, rank, talent, and taste, in the common cause of philosophical inquiry; and the little code of laws, by which its proceedings were regulated, was principally his work. His regular attendance at its meetings, the alacrity with which he entered into the discussions, the fluent simplicity of his elocution, and the various information which he brought forth, on the different subjects introduced to the society, contributed to the utility and success of the institution.

Thus constantly engaged in the active promotion of every useful and benevolent, object Dr. Reeve was at the same time rising steadily in professional reputation; and he had the satisfaction of finding not only that his practice and its emoluments were increasing, but that his skill, assiduity, and kind attention, were highly valued by those who received his aid. In the midst, however, of these gratifying prospects, secure of the ultimate rewards of his talents and acquirements, assured of the permanent confidence and attachment of his fellow-citizens, and happy, as one unusually capable of happiness, in the little domestic circle rising around him, as well as in the intercourse of a few intelligent and esteemed friends, he found his activity and his enjoyments gradually threatened by the symptoms of a slow disease. This insidious indisposition commenced about the end of the year 1811 or the beginning of 1812, and was observed with some alarm by his friends: but he still continued his usual pursuits; and it was not till the month of May, 1813, that he first mentioned the disease, in the course of a regular correspondence with the writer of this memoir. He then described it as a bad state of habit, or one of those conditions of the constitution treated by Mr. Abernethy among the "disorders of health." It was characterized by indigestion, weakness,

and local pains, which appeared to be sometimes muscular, and sometimes, he thought, in the nerves and bones; by swellings in the lymphatic glands, and an enlargement of the bone of the right arm. At this time he trusted that exercise on horseback, country air, the shower-bath, and a nutritious diet, with an occasional alterative or laxative, (though the bowels had never been out of order,) would restore him in a little time to health. And during the summer of 1813 a considerable amendment was in fact produced; but he still suffered from a succession of tumours, which were tedious in suppuration, and slow in healing; and in the course of the winter the malady seemed to be again aggravated. In the following spring, the left knee was seized with pain and swelling, which occasioned so much lameness, as to render walking almost impracticable, and to prevent any communication with his patients except in a carriage; and even that was accomplished with pain and difficulty. In this state of lameness, with two puffy tumours on the scalp, and with a considerable loss of flesh and strength, he determined to quit Norwich and his profession for a time, in search of health; and, having first consulted several of his brethren in London, he resorted to the coast of Sussex, in the beginning of June 1814. In addition to the lameness of the knee, and to the glandular swellings and tumours of the scalp, which were multiplying and increasing, he had for two or three weeks felt some difficulty of respiration, with a sense of obstruction and huskiness in the larynx, as if from catarrhal inflammation, which also affected the voice. He found his general health improve, and his pains diminish, during his stay at Worthing, by the use of the warm sea-bath, and by the application of a blister and some other local expedients to the knee: but the wheezing increased, and the voice was nearly lost, especially in the mornings. About the 20th of July, indeed, this affection of the trachea became considerably aggravated; the difficulty of breathing increased, and a violent cough now ensued, with a discharge of mucus, sometimes tinged with blood. Hence he was induced to quit the sea-side, and proceed to Bath. On his arrival at Bath, on the 1st of August, he found the complaint in the wind-pipe less troublesome; but the swelling of the knee was not diminished; it was painful and hot, with an apparent increase of fluid in the cavity of the joint, while the leg was

cold and edematous. Under the direction of Dr. Parry, who paid him the most friendly attention, eight leeches were applied to the knee, and afterwards some refrigerant lotions; and he took saline effervescing draughts with squills, and adopted an antiphlogistic regimen. The affection of the trachea somewhat abated, and the voice improved. One of the tumours of the scalp was opened by the knife, and discharged an albuminous fluid, with a good deal of blood, from a wounded twig of the temporal artery; the discharge continued free, and several ounces of blood were lost by a second hemorrhage. Diarrhoea now came on, and an erythematous inflammation attacked the left ear; and both these symptoms continued several days. The muscular pains were relieved; but the tongue became white, and the appetite failed. The knee becoming hot and painful, was again bled with twelve leeches; but these symptoms were not relieved, though the swelling and tension were somewhat diminished: and more decided fever ensued. Leeches were also applied to the vicinity of the trachea; and opium and James's powder were taken with a view to the relief of the dyspnea and wheezing, which assumed somewhat more severity in the morning paroxysms, putting on occasionally the appearance of spasmodic asthma. The febrile symptoms were somewhat abated, when, on the 2d of September, Dr. Reeve set off on an easy journey to his father's house at Hadleigh, and passed a few days at Mr. Martineau's house, near Islington, for the of rest, purpose and of seeing some of his medical friends in London. He arrived at Hadleigh on the 16th of September. The inflammation of the wind-pipe was now obviously increased, producing much irritation and cough, augmenting the difficulty of breathing, and occasioning a sensation of choking in attempting to swallow. These symptoms were not relieved by blood-letting, the application of leeches, and free doses of hyoscyamus and opium. Restlessness, and agitating dreams ensued; and the respiration being more and more impeded, by the increasing disease in the respiratory tube, he sunk calmly, in the full possession of his faculties, and in his accustomed serenity of mind, under the roof of his father, and in the presence of his afflicted wife and mother, on the 27th of September 1814, in the thirty-1ourth year of his age.

The regret which followed this event at Norwich was great