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their ftudies; and from which, still many improvements may reasonably be expected.

Remarks on the Difeafe commonly called a Fiftula in Ano. By Per cival Pott, F.R. S. and Senior Principal Surgeon to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London. 8vo. 2s. 6d. sewed. Hawes and Co.

Twerk Eeneraly believed greatly to excel all other nations

HERE was a time, when our good neighbours the French

in the art of furgery. Whatever might be the cafe in the laft age, it is evident, on comparing the prefent practice in Paris with that of London, that we are now infinitely before them in point of fimplicity of operation, and consequently in rational furgery. To this truth, the freatife now before us bears special teftimony.

Mr. Pott's firft intention is to inform thofe of less experience, that a real fiftula in ano is a much more uncommon difeafe than is generally fuppofed; and that what is frequently mistaken for fuch, is a mere abfcefs, or collection of matter, without fifluld or callofity. He proceeds, in his fecond fection, to confider the disease under its various appearances with regard to afpect, fitua tion, and fymptoms: but as these are generally known, we fhall pafs on to Sect. 3d, in which our Author delivers his method of treating the patient before the maturation of the tumour. Here we find him, in two inftances, advifing, from experience, a method of proceeding very different from the ufual practice on fimilar occafions. Speaking of that fpecies of tumour in which the fkin wears the yellowish tint of the eryfipelas, This kind of inflammation, fays the Author, generally makes its attack with naufea, vomiting, flight rigor, heat, thirst, and reftlefsnefs. The quickness of pulfe, and heat of fkin are indications for fome degree of evacuation, and indeed fometimes render it requifite; but it is a very prevailing opinion with many practitioners, that thefe evacuations fhould be freely made, and frequently repeated: in fhort, that the cure of this kind of inflammation is fafely to be effected by them; which is fo far from being true, that the prac tice has proved fatal to many.' This obfervation, from a gentleman of Mr. Pott's experience, deferves particular attention; efpecially as it applies equally to eryfipelatous inflammations inTM every other part of the body.

The other inftance in which, in the firft ftage of the difeafe, the Author, moft judiciously, fteps out of the beaten path, apcars in his method of relieving the patient in a total fuppreffion

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of urine; a symptom frequently attendant on the formation of an abscess near the rectum and bladder. They who have not often seen this cafe, generally have immediate recourfe to the catheter; and for this they plead the authority of precept: but the practice is fo effentially wrong, and I have feen fuch terrible confequences from it, that I cannot help entering my proteft against it: the neck of the bladder, from its vicinity to the parts where the inflammation is feated, and from its being involved in the fame common membrane, does certainly participate, in fome degree, of the faid inflammation. This will in fome meafure account for the complaint; but whoever confiders the extreme irritable state of the parts compofing that part of the urethra, (if I may be allowed fo to call it) and will at the fame time reflect on the amazing and well-known effects of irritation, will. be convinced that the principal part of this complaint arifes from that cause; and that the disease is, ftrictly speaking, fpafmodic.' -The true, fafe, and rational method of relieving this complaint, is, by evacuation and anodine relaxation: viz. venefection, gentle cathartics, femicupium, bladders of hot water applied to the pubes and perineum, glyfters compofed of warm water, oil and opium.' There may have been cafes, fubjoins our Author, which have refifted and baffied this method of treatment, but I have never met with them.'

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Suppose the matter already formed fo as to require being let out, he advifes the ufe of the knife or lancet in preference to the cauftic, the latter being neceffarily attended with lofs of fubftance; and, instead of cramming the wound with a large quantity of efcharotic drefings, to introduce fuch only, as, by their fmall quantity and emollient quality, will permit and encourage a gradual fuppuration. If, upon opening the abfcefs, it fhould appear, either from the rectum being perforated or denuded, that there is a neceffity of laying the two cavities into one, he advifes the operation to be immediately performed in the following

manner :

The curved probe-pointed knife with a narrow blade (of which there is a plate given) I have always found to be the moft ufeful and handy inftrument of any: this introduced into the finus, while the furgeon's fore-finger is in the inteftine, will enable him to divide all that can ever require divifion; and that with lefs pain to the patient, with more facility to the operator, as well as with more certainty and expedition than any other inftrument whatever. If there be no opening in the inteftine, the fmalleft degree of force will thruft the point of the knife through, and thereby make one; if there be one already, the fame point will find and pafs through it: in either cafe, it will be received by the finger in ano, will thereby be prevented from deviating, and being brought out by the faid finger, muft neceffarily divide Rev. Dec. 1765.

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all that is between the edge of the knife and the verge of the anus.' The operation being performed, a foft doffil of fine lint muft be introduced between the lips of the wound, and the rest of the fore dreft with the fame.

Whoever compares this fimple operation with those in fimilar cafes of former times in this kingdom, and even of the prefent age in other countries, will immediately be convinced of the value of this treatife. The latter part of the work is chiefly employed in demonftrating the abfurdity of the ufual method of treating this diforder, particularly in France, in which the Author reafons candidly, judicioufly, and, we think, convincingly to unprejudiced readers.

An Effay on British Ifinglafs: Wherein its Nature and Properties are compared with the foreign Sorts; with the beft Methods of converting them into Fining, Glue, and Starch, for the Ufe of the Brewer, Vintner, Paper-ftainer, Sc. comprehending a fuccina Analysis of Ifinglofs, and Rationale of its Action in clarifying Liquors. Interfperfed with Hints for the further improving of Malting, Brewing, Fermenting, and for preventing the Wooden Apparatus in the Brewery from speedy Decay. By H. Jackfon. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Newbery.

HE home-manufacture of an article which is imported a an exorbitant price, and forms a disadvantageous balance in the way of commerce, is a fubject of great importance; and the inventor of a method by which we may be supplied with fach article from our own labour and our own materials, is entitled to the countenance and patronage of the legislature. The preparation of Ifinglass hath been long kept a fecret by the Ruffians, Neuman, indeed, and others, have given a defcription of the fifh from which this particular fpecies of glue is extracted, and a fort of hearfay account of the process by which it is made: the Ruffians, however, were the first inventors of this art, have 'continued to be the fole manufacturers, and from them all Europe has been fupplied.

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In Mr. Jackfon's effay we meet with the following interesting particulars that the art of making Ifinglafs in England from British materials, after a moft rigid fcrutiny into its merits, has been adjudged a new and useful invention; that several tons weight of this manufacture have been confumed and inconteftibly poved in a court of judicature, to answer the purposes of the Foreign; and that all forts of Ifing lafs may be manufactured at home, as soon as we receive a due fupply of materials from our

American

American provinces, the rivers of which are well known to abound with an inexhaustible plenty and variety of fish, that will yield fine Ifinglafs fufficient for the confumption of all Europe, provided a juft encouragement be given to our fisheries.That our Author's intent in the prefent publication was to fet the subject of British Inglafs in its true light, and to communicate a method whereby the most perfect fining for the purpofe of clarifying malt liquors may be made from the fame, equal in efficacy to that made from any fort of foreign lfinglass whatever; that the coarfer forts, if perfectly dry and found, are not inferior to the belt flapie-ifinglafs, for the ufes of the brewer; they require only a longer time, and a proper management, to be formed into fining: that from fome very accurate experiments, made by a gentleman of undoubted honour and veracity, it appears, that fining made with British Ifinglafs performs its office more fpeedily, and falls closer to the bottom, than the foreign; that the fine, pellucid forts, are confumed in making mockpearls, and in ftiffening linens, filks, gauzes, &c. the ufe of gums and starch being justly laid afide, on account of their dif poling the fabrics to rot, crack, and mildew; that the inferior forts have been reduced two hundred per cent. fince the cammencement of the Brith manufacture; that for this article there is an annual remittance of forty thousand pounds fterling; that the yearly confumption' in the brewery is calculated at twentyfive tons; that one in four has been faved by the home manufacture; and that by an adequate fupply of materials from our own colonies, this importation may be entirely fuperfeded.

If the above particulars are juftly reprefented, we hope Mr. Jackson will reap the fruits of his application and invention. We think, however, it would have been more to his reputation, if, in one part, he had not appeared a little in the character of a noftrum-monger. The virtues of Ifinglafs for the purpose of fining are much injured, if, by being expofed to heat, its diffolution is urged beyond a certain point: and this difpofition to liquify is more remarkable in British than foreign linglafs. The whites of eggs, fays Mr. Jackton, well whisked up, and commixed with British fining, greatly prevents its fluidity, and acts very powerfully in the bufinefs of fining; but as that addition is generally too costly for this purpofe, we hope to be able to discover fome cheap fubititute to answer the fame intentions. As this must be the refult of experience, we fhall be filent in this point, at prefent, except that it may not be imp:oper to hint, that there is a certain faline matter eafily procurable, which, if commixed to the proportion of a dram to a barrel of fining, greatly improves its clarifying principles, the rationale of which, thall be mentioned hereafter.' Poffibly our Author may have been provoked to this piece of fecrecy by the prejudice and invi

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dious cenfures of his enemies; and of which he more than once complains. So firmly, fays he, is this bigotry established, that I have lately been affured by unexceptionable evidence, that a certain faponaceous* brewer perfifts to deny the practicability of making Ifinglafs in England, and reprefents the affair as an infidious trick to impofe upon thofe lefs happy in discernment than himself; this circumstance reminds me of a story fathered upon a certain Welchman, who, on his arrival at London, miftaking British afparagus for leeks, began to devour the wrong ends; and, notwithstanding he was frequently admonished of his error, yet, rather than acknowledge it, continued to eat it fo all his life-time.'

Our Author fuppofes that the fining powers of Ifinglass depend apon its fibrous texture. These fibres are easily rendered vifible to the naked eye; and are fitted for their operation by being separated, macerated, or in part diffolved by a proper medium.Neither gum, fize, glue, jellies, which are a kind of half-finifhed glue, or Ifinglafs ittelf diffolved in hot water, poffefs the fining properties of Ifinglafs when duly divided by a fubacid menftruum; and the beft menftruum for this purpose is firong ftale beer.— That any perfon may have an opportunity of obferving the operation of fining, or be fatisfied as to the relative merits of British or foreign Ifinglass, Mr. Jackson directs the following experi

ments.

• Provide a cylindrical glass, about five inches diameter, and two feet long, which may be eafily procured at the glass-houses; let it be made pretty strong, with a narrow rim, that it may be laid over with a cover occafionally, and likewise have a glass cover fitted to it, like what the confectioners use. Let a small whifk be prepared, by ftripping off as many flender twigs from a birch broom, or common whisk, as will give it the thickness of half an inch in the middle, where it is to be tied round with pack-thread; draw off as much beer out of the butt intended to be fined, as will fill the glafs within four inches of the top, then beat up about fix fpoonfuls of fining in a bafon, with the whisk, a few minutes by itself; after which add gradually a little of the beer in the glafs, and whifk it again till it appears very light and frothy: ftir the beer about brifkly in the glass, and immediately pour in the fining, and commix them very well, put on the cover, and place the glafs in a good light; as foon as the mixture has lott its vertical motion given it by stirring, innumerable little maffes, refembling brown-coloured curd, may be perceived to form and move in various directions throughout the whole liquor, which every moment increase in magnitude, till at length they feparate at confiderable diftances, and fome parts fall down

Mr. Combrune defines wort to be a species of foap.

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