It would be easy to descend to a great variety of particulars, in which the means of curing, or mitigating diseases, have been radically improved, during the period under consideration; but the limits of this retrospect forbid such details. It is sufficient to remark, that a large portion of diseases, however faithfully observed by preceding, and even by the most ancient physicians, have, within this period, been better understood, arranged, and discriminated than ever before; and that remedies of superior efficacy have been selected, their qualities, virtues, and uses more fully ascertained, and the best mode of their application rendered more definite and precise. The number of incurable diseases, also, has been diminished, and the treatment of many hazardous and violent ones so far improved as greatly to diminish their force and danger. The recent doctrines of Associ ation and Sympathy in morbid action, and the interesting practical doctrine which results from them, of the transfer of morbid action from vital parts to such as are less essential to life, have unfolded a vast extent of medical exertion and usefulness, which was nearly unknown to the physicians of former centuries.

The practical writers on medicine, during the eighteenth century, were very numerous and respectable. From so large a catalogue it is difficult to select the few names of which the brevity of this review will allow the insertion. Besides a considerable number of those mentioned in the foregoing pages, WINTRINGHAM and HUXHAM, on epidemical diseases, deserve a high place; CLEGHORN, on the diseases of Minorca; HILLARY, WHYTT, FOTHERGILL," HEBERDEN, LIND, JACK

b Dr. FOTHERGILL died in 1780, in the 68th year of his age. Distinguished as he was for his learning, the solidity of his talents, and the extent and success of his medical practice; he was rendered still more con

SON, FORDYCE and CHISHOLM do honour to the British nation. Among the French SENAC and LIEUTAUD, and among the Germans STORCK and DE HAEN hold the first rank; to say nothing of many others, in almost every cultivated part of Europe, who have obtained much distinction by their practical writings on medicine.

SURGERY AND OBSTETRICKS.

That department of medicine which treats of diseases to be cured or alleviated by the hand, by instruments, or by external applications, is denominated Surgery. At the close of the seventeenth century this art had considerably emerged from the low state in which all preceding ages had left it. Many respectable writers had appeared in the course of that century, whose exertions to improve the practice of surgery, and to diffuse the knowledge of such improvements, were attended with so much success as to render the progress of it comparatively rapid at the commencement of the eighteenth century.

It will be easy to perceive that the numerous improvements in other branches of medicine, which are detailed in the preceding parts of this chapter, must have greatly advanced the progress of surgery. Every step in the cultivation of anatomy and the theory and practice of physic confers some advantage on medical or operative surgery.

spicuous by the purity of his moral and religious character, and the ardour of his philanthropy. His great influence was continually exerted for the increase of human happiness. Of every institution within his reach, which had for its object the advancement of useful knowledge, or the interests of humanity, he was a zealous and active promoter. Of public and private charity he was an illustrious example; and we are informed, that a large number of those improvements which have so much contributed to the health of the city of London, either originated from his counsels, or were effected, in a great measure, by his influence.

The improved state of the mechanic arts has likewise served to divest it of much of that useless machinery with which it was formerly encumbered, to retain only what appears to rest on the basis of experience, and to aid ingenuity in supplying many important deficiencies. Hence, the surgery of the eighteenth century may not only boast a more intimate acquaintance with the structure and functions of the human body, and with the fundamental principles of diseases, but likewise a superior simplicity, neatness, ease and expedition in the performance of operations.

Early in the century which forms the subject of this retrospect, LAURENCE HEISTER, Professor of Surgery in the University of Helmstadt, published his system of surgery, which continued till about fifteen years ago to be the only tolerably complete system in possession of the public. This work comprised whatever the experience of former times had approved as useful, and such observations and precepts as the knowledge and experience of the learned author himself enabled him to add. Some other systematic arrangements of chirurgical knowledge were, indeed, attempted about the middle of the century. PLATNER, Professor of Surgery at Leipsic, published his institutes of surgery in the year 1745; and LUDWIG, of the same University, favoured the world with a similar publication in 1767. But both these works, though possessed of great merit, are too compendious to give a clear and distinct account of the numerous topics of which they treat.

In Great-Britain, Mr. CHESELDEN was much distinguished by his chirurgical eminence in the early part of the century. He improved the lateral operation of Lithotomy, and devoted much attention to the diseases of the Eyes. His pupil, Mr. SAMUEL SHARPE, obtained soon afterwards a high

reputation. His Treatise on the Operations of Surgery, and his Critical Inquiry, were deservedly considered as performances of great value at that period. The elder MONRO, of the University of Edinburgh, deserves also to be mentioned among those who did much to improve the practice of surgery about that time. Towards the middle of the century Dr. WILLIAM HUNTER, of London, began to acquire great celebrity as an anatomist and surgeon, and was joined not long afterwards by his brother, Mr. JOHN HUNTER, who, as an operator, was still more distinguished. To the exertions of these eminent men the art is indebted for many valuable improvements, both in theory and practice. After the middle of the century Mr. PERCIVALL POTT began to take a high station among British surgeons, added greatly to the progress of the art, and published many excellent writings, which are still in the highest esteem. The present Professor MONRO, of Edinburgh, has enriched surgery by many important additions to the preceding stock of knowledge, which greatly increase the lustre of his reputation. Late in the century, about the year 1788, Mr. BENJAMIN BELL, of Edinburgh, completed his System of Surgery, which was compiled with much learning and diligence, and exhibited an advantageous view of the progress and improvements in surgery up to that period.

The particular improvements in surgery during the late century are extremely important, and reflect great credit on the ingenuity and labours of those by whom they were made; but they are likewise so numerous that only a few of them can be mentioned consistently with the necessary brevity of this retrospect.

The means of putting a stop to Hæmorrhagies, from the division of the larger blood-vessels, have

been much improved during the period under consideration. The first notices of the instrument for this purpose, called the Tourniquet, originated in the seventeenth century. It is amazing that so simple an instrument, and so obvious a means of compressing arteries, should have remained unknown till that period. Surgery must have been in a deplorable state of rudeness and imbecility when no operation of importance could be undertaken on any of the extremities but with the greatest danger of bleeding to death, and large wounds, otherwise in no degree hazardous, must often have proved mortal for the want of this simple contrivance. The first attempts to construct it were very rude and imperfect; and it was reserved for Mons. PETIT, of Paris, by adding the screw, to render it much more convenient and powerful in the compression of arteries. Another interesting improvement in securing arteries belongs to the late century. Instead of the needle and ligature, which were formerly used for this purpose after operations, the tenaculum, or forceps, is now employed, which produces much less pain, and prevents many ill consequences of the old method. The first application of the needle and ligature to surgical purposes, which is ascribed to AMBROSE PAREY, of the sixteenth century, was a great improvement. Since that time many variations have taken place in the mode of using them; and in the course of the eighteenth century, the different kinds of Sutures have been still further improved in many important respects.

The treatment of diseases of the Head from external violence has been extremely improved within the period of this retrospect. For this interesting part of the progress of surgery the world is much indebted to M. LE DRAN, Mr. PоTT, Mr. BROMFIELD, and others.