from the papers of the late Dr. Andrew Marshall, lecturer on Anatomy in London. Dr. Johnson, of Bristol, F. L. S. &c. intends shortly to prepare for the press, a treatise on the medicinal Leech, the outline of which was lately printed at Edinburgh, under the title, "Disputatio physica inauguralis quædam de Hirudine complectens." It is the Doctor's intention to describe minutely the singular structure of this interesting and useful animal, and to illustrate his description by engravings. In this country (Sweden) Dr. Jenner ranks as one of the greatest benefactors of the human race, and vaccination is performed on all children within nine days from the time of their birth. The court, the clergy, and the medical profession, have zealously concurred; and, in consequence, the scourge of the small-pox is considered as extirpated from that country. Dr. Hedin's Report of these happy results has been reprinted by our House of Commons. Smithson Tenant, Esq. has discovered a new method of double distillation by means of steam, whereby double the quantity of fresh water may be raised from salt water in a ship's kettle, that has hitherto been obtained. The circumstantial description of his process shows how steam can be made to pass through water, and thus contribute to evaporise it, so that an additional quantity of fresh water may thus be procured in the same time and with the same apparatus from sea-water at sea. Mr. Housham has published a Series of Observations on the Formation of Human Bones. He began with a child or fœtus only seven weeks old, and continued his observations at different times for several years. He inspected the process by means of a powerful microscope, from which he observed that the arteries secrete a mucilage which forms cartilage; that the cartilage shortly becomes tubular, with numerous spiculæ around it containing phosphate of lime; that in the course of time bony matter is completely deposited; and that, finally, laminæ appear. He describes with great minuteness the various forms which the matter assumed during the entire process of ossification, and also the structure of the most perfect bones, their nerves, blood-vessels, membranes, periosteum, &c. PHILADELPHIA DISPENSARY. FROM the Annual Report, published by the Managers, on the 26th instant, it appears that THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN PATIENTS have been attended by the Physicians of the Dispensary from December 1st, 1813, to December 1st, 1814. Patients remaining from last year Admitted since that time Of these the number Cured is 110 3417 3311 The small number of deaths may be accounted for, by observing, that of these Patients, there are many cases of vaccination and of pregnancy. A considerable proportion of trivial cases also necessarily occur in an institution of this nature. The receipts of the Dispensary during the past year, have been Balance due the Treasurer The expenditures, including balance due the Treasurer last year, and the payment of some of last year's accounts, have been December, 1814. 21 74 $2107 89 $2107 89 METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. State of the weather during the last six months of 1814. JULY. Thermometer-Lowest at 8 A. M. 60. 13th of the month. Highest at 3 P. M. 85. 17th Winds-westerly-frequent rains-an uncommonly cool month.-A violent tornado on the 1st, at Beaufort, South Carolina-28th of the month a very heavy rain at Philadelphia, commencing at 8 P. M., and continued for twelve hours. AUGUST. Thermometer-Lowest at 8 A. M. 60. 22d of the month. Highest at 3 P. M. 85. 16th. Winds-chiefly westerly-several rains-measles continue -plague at Smyrna this summer. SEPTEMBER. Thermometer-Lowest at 8 A. M. 51. 26th of the month. Highest at 3 P. M. 82. 4th. Winds-variable from west to east-considerable rainan aurora borealis on the 11th-on the 6th and 7th, frost at Quebec, so severe as to destroy nearly all the tobacco, melon, and cucumber plants, and the potato stalks-it was preceded by very warm weather, rain and thunder. The yellow fever prevailed at Gibraltar on the 16th, and at Cadiz on the 25th of this month. OCTOBER. Thermometer-Lowest at 8 A. M. 38. 24th of the month. Highest at 3 P. M. 77. 3d. Winds-much easterly wind-very fine clear weather with little interruption. The crops of grain have been good, and well got in the fruits of the earth plentiful and in perfection. NOVEMBER. Thermometer-Lowest at 8 A. M. 31. 29th of the month. Highest at 3 P. M. 65. 14th. Winds-northerly-but little rain-a smart shock of an earthquake, felt in Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode-Island, on the 28th, between 7 A. M. and 15 minutes past 7, in these different places. DECEMBER. Thermometer-Lowest at 8 A. M. 20. 26th of the month. Winds-westerly. First snow on the 6th, light-snow six inches deep on the 10th-ice in the river on the 12th-a meteor seen here and at New York on the 19th, about six minutes before 5 o'clock, A. M. Spotted fever appeared in Vermont and New Hampshire-the measles have continued throughout the year in this city, but have not been very prevalent-no small-pox. RECENT BRITISH PUBLICATIONS. A Practical Treatise on Porrigo or Scalded Head, and on Impetigo, the humid or running Tetter, with coloured engravings figurative of the diseases. By the late Robert Willan, M. D. F. R. S. and F. A. S. Tracts on the Gout, illustrated by numerous cases; and on some Internal Inflammatory Affections, by Thomas Sutton, M. D. of the Royal College of Physicians, &c. &c. Facts and Observations relative to the Fever, commonly called Puerperal. By J. Armstrong, M. D. The Medical Guide for Tropical Climates, &c. by Richard Reece, M. D. Veterinary Medicine and Therapeutics, containing the Effects of Medicines on various Animals; the symptoms, causes and treatment of Diseases, with a select collection of Formulæ. Pt. I. The Materia Medica, pharmaceutical preparations and compositions. Pt. II. The Disorders incident to neat cattle, arranged according to the Nosology of Cullen, by W. Peck, Lond. Lectures on Comparative Anatomy, with one hundred and thirty-two engravings. By Sir Everard Home, Bart. F. R. S. 2 Vols. royal 4to. Enquiry into the Probability and Rationality of Mr. Hunter's Theory of life. By John Abernethy, F. R. S. 8vo. Observations on the Diseases of Females; by Charles Mansfield Clarke, illustrated by copper-plates. Pt I. Royal 4to. A Treatise on Hernia, by Antonio Scarpa; translated from the Italian by John Henry Wishart. 8vo. Commentaries on the Treatment of the Venereal Disease, particularly in its exasperated state. By Edward Geoghegan. Octavo. Practical Essay on the Diseases of the Absorbent System. By William Goodlad. 8vo. An Essay on Medical Economy, comprising a sketch of the state of the Profession in England, and the outlines of a plan calculated to give to the Medical Body in general an increase of usefulness and respectability. 8vo. An Essay on the Prevention and Cure of Insanity; with Observations on the Rules for the Detection of the Pretenders to Madness. By George Nesse Hill. 8vo. An Account of Baths and of a Madeira House at Bristol; with a drawing and description of a Pulmoneter; and Cases showing its utility in ascertaining the state of the Lungs, in diseases of the Chest. By Edward Kentish, M. D. 8vo. Results of Experience in the Treatment of Cases of Defective Utterance, from deficiencies in the roof of the mouth, and other imperfections and mal-conformations of the Organs of Speech. By John Thelwall, Esq. 8vo. A Treatise on Hydrocephalus, or Dropsy of the Brain. By James Carmichael Smyth, M. D. F. R. S. 8vo. An Account of the most important recent Discoveries and Improvements in Chemistry and Mineralogy to the present time; being an Appendix to the Dictionary of Chemistry and Mineralogy. By A. and C. R. Aikin. 4to. Facts and Observations deduced from long and extensive Practice on Liver Complaints and Bilious Disorders in general, and on such derangements of these Organs as influence |