improve his capacity and powers without exposing him to repentance or remorse.

All this is very judicious and very true-and we wish heartily that young men, who, in the high tide of paffions and animal fpirits, are launching out into life, would or could read fuch a book as this, with the reflexion and impartiality which feem, alas! to be too rarely the attendants on that early period, and not wait till the experience of maturer years convince them that M. BERTRAND has reafon on his fide: for then it is too late to make the best of the prefent life.

ART. IV.

Contrepoifons de l'Arfenic, du Sublime-Correfif, du Verd du Gris, & du Plomb, &c.-Antidotes against the poisonous Effects of Arfenic, Corrofive Sublimate, Vercegreafe, and Lead: To which are subjoined Three Differtations; the Firft containing Medico-Chymical Refearches concerning the different Methods of diffolving Mercury, &c.-the Second, an Enumeration of the different Methods of uniting Mercury to Iron, &c.-and the Third, New Obfervations on Ether. By M. P. TOUSSAINT NAVIER, M. D. King's Physician, Correspondent of the Royal Academy of Sciences, &c. Paris, 2 Vols. 12mo. 1777.

TH

THIS humane and learned Phyfician has, for thirty years past, employed his principal researches and labours against thofe enemies of mankind, epidemics, contagious diforders and poiJens. The last of these great plagues of humanity is the subject of the work now before us. The principles which the Author lays down in treating of the nature and effects of the four metallic poisons, mentioned in the title, as alfo of their antidotes, are founded upon a great number of experiments, made with the utmost attention, circumfpection, and affiduity, upon a variety of natural fubftances, which, by their affinities with thefe poifons, are adapted to remove their corrofive qualities. The Commiffaries appointed by the Medical Faculty to examine thefe experiments were, Meffrs. Macquer, Defeffarts, and Bucquet; and their report is honourable, in the higheft degree, to the refearches and labours of M. NAVIER, whofe fuccefs in finding out the antidotes fo long fought after, is now beyond all doubt.

M. NAVIER begins this work by a difplay of the nature and effects of each of the poifons here mentioned. He then enquires, which of the fubftances (blended with them in the form of a fluid) are the moft efficacious in correcting their corrofive qualities: and it luckily happens, that those which he prefers are easily procured, and perfectly innocent in their

ufe.

As to the perfons who have been poisoned by arfenic, the remedy propoled by our Author is as remarkable for its fimplicity

as

504 Navier's Antidotes against the poisonous Effects of Arfenic, &c. as for its falutary effects. He prescribes large quantities of milk, as that fubftance diffolves the arfenic as easily and effectually as water, and, at the fame time, foftens the viscera that have been irritated by the corrofive influence of the poifon. He obferves, on this occafion, that the arfenic is fo far from curdling the milk, that, on the contrary, it prevents its coagulation. He prohibits the ufe of oil, because it is incapable of diffolving the arfenic. After the use of milk, he prefcribes the liver of fulphur of Mars, the dose a dram, taken in a pint of warm

water.

In cafe liver of fulphur cannot be procured, M. NAVIER recommends to the patient a lixivium gently alkaline, or soapwater, and thereupon a folution of iron in vinegar or any other acid, or even a portion of ink, if nothing else can be got.-A prescription of ink may make some of our Readers ftare, as this is a potion of a poisonous nature, according to a vulgar opinion but our Author proves the contrary, both by the ingredients which enter into the compofition of ink, and by relating the cafe of a perfon, who by a mistake drank a large portion of this liquid, without any bad confequences. M. NAVIER finishes the cure by the use of milk and warm fulphureous waters, which experience has fhewn to be of great efficacy in removing that numbness, those paralytic complaints, and convulfions that are the conftant effects of poifon.

The remedies that M. NAVIER confiders as the most adapted to remove the pernicious effects of corrofive fublimate, are the fame that he employs against arsenic; that is to say, the different preparations of liver of fulphur, which decompounds* (or makes a resolution of) the mercurial falt, and forms, by the addition of the alkali to the acid, a neutral falt, that is not cauftic. It may therefore be affirmed (fays he), that by the means of thefe remedies, and the ufe of water lightly alkalifed, a complete decompofition of the corrofive fublimate may be effected, and of confequence its poisonous influence on the human body be prevented or removed, if this remedy be applied quickly. The

We use here the word decompound in the fenfe that is pointed out, both by its etymology, and the authority of our best modern writers in chemistry and natural philofophy. We are furprised to find no other fignification attributed to this term in Dr. Johnson's Dictionary, but that of compounding a fecond time, or the act of compounding again things already compounded; and we are ftill more furprised to find inftances of its having been employed in this sense both by Boyle and Newton. Notwithstanding thefe great authorities, we shall always ufe the terms decompofition and decompound in the contrary fignification, as indicating the refolution or reduction of a body into its principles or component parts, or expreffing operations of nature or art analogous to this.

Reader

Reader will find, in the work before us, an interefting account of the experiments by which the laborious Author was led to these discoveries and refults. This account exhibits a striking afpect of the fecundity of nature, and of the prodigious variety of combinations and affinities that take place in the fubftances which the ftupendous wifdom and power of the great Creator has fubjected to ftated laws of connexion, fympathy, oppofition and fubordination, from whence arife order, beauty, and utility. Our ingenious Author cautions very ftrongly against the ufe of any acids, even the moft gentle, in the prefent cafe; becaufe instead of foftening or diminishing the poisonous influence of the arfenic, they evidently increase it even lemonade is pernicious. He looks upon the use of treacle (theriaca) in the fame light all thefe, in his opinion, irritate the venomous matter, deprive the best remedies of their efficacy, and contribute to render the death of the patient certain and painful.

The verdegreafe or ver di grife (the third fpecies of corrofive poison here treated) leads M. NAVIER into ample and curious difquifitions; and as we are daily exposed to feel the pernicious effects of this fubftance, from the use of copper utenfils in the dreffing our food, this part of M. NAVIER's work deserves a particular degree of attention. It is certain, that what he remarks concerning the use and abuse of copper utenfils (previoufly to his entering upon the fubject) is alarming in the higheft degree. We fhould even think his cautions and admonitions exaggerated, if many of the moft eminent chemifts and phyficians of the prefent age had not given repeated warnings of the fame nature. As to the method of treating perfons who have been poisoned by verdegreafe, our Author prefcribes, in the cafes where the poifon has been recently fwallowed, first, emetics, and afterwards cold water gently alkalifed, which must be drank in great quantities. But in the cafes where the poifon has been long in the body, a different method must be followed, and this our Author defcribes circumftantially, and at great length.

Though lead is not confidered by M. NAVIER as a corrofive poifon, he imagines, nevertheless, that its pernicious effects may be corrected by the fame remedies that he prefcribes for the verdegreafe; and that these remedies will render unnecessary the violent purgatives, that are ufually employed in the complaints proceeding from lead, which purgatives he looks upon as more or lefs dangerous. He advifes the patients of this clafs to drink largely of acidulated liquors, to make afterwards the liver of fulphur the principal part of the cure, and to finish the cure with gentle purgatives.

The falutary effect of liver of fulphur, and particularly of liver of fulphur of Mars, as an antidote against arfenic, corrofive fublimate, verdegrease, and even lead, is undoubtedly a moft valuable difcovery, and one of the happieft applications of APP, Rev. Vol. lviii.

LI

chemistry

chemistry to medical practice that has been made in our times. For this important difcovery we are indebted to the fagacity, knowledge, and indefatigable industry of M. NAVIER.

The Three Differtations, which conclude this work, and have been honoured with the approbation of the Academy of Sciences, exhibit refearches, views, and experiments, which entitle the Author to an eminent rank among the improvers of chemical science.

ART. V.

Memoires pour fervir à l' Hiftoire de Cayenne & de la Guianne Françoise, -Memoirs relative to the Hillory of Cayenne and of French Guiana; containing an Account of the Climate of that Country, the Difeafes that reign among the Whites and Blacks, and those to which the Europeans are fubject on their Arrival there; toge ther with Obfervations on the natural History of the Country, and the Culture of its Soil. With Cuts. By M. BAYON, SurgeonMajor of Cayenne, Correfpondent Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences and of the Academy of Surgery. 2 Vols. 8vo. Paris. 1778.

E have now before us an entertaining and inftructive publication, which will do honour to its Author, both as a philofopher and a patriot. During a refidence of twelve years in the country which he defcribes, M. BAYON examined, with attention, the climate and foil of the ifle of Cayenne, and of Guiana, their rareft productions, the diseases that reign there, and the remedies which prevent or heal them, and almost every object that might be improved to the increase of population and plenty in that colony.

The Firft Volume of this Work contains fixteen Memoirs. In the first we learn, that the island of Cayenne, fituated in 4 deg. 56 min. of northern latitude, knows only two seasons; the fummer, which begins ufually towards the end of July, and ends in the month of November, and the winter, which is only entitled to that name by the abundance of rain that falls between the month of November and June; for the heat is frequently more intolerable at Cayenne in that feafon, than in the midst of fummer. The heat, indeed, during the whole course of the year, does not differ above three or four degrees, according to our Author's account of that climate. During the most intense heat of the fummer feafon the thermometer of Reaumur rifes to 28 degrees, or fomewhat more; in winter it rifes to 23 or 24. Notwithstanding this permanent and uninterrupted heat, the frefhnefs, or rather coldnefs, of the nights is fo confiderable, more efpecially in the interior parts of the ifland, and even in the fummer, that the colonists are obliged to lie well covered. M. BAYON employs ten Memoirs in defcribing the nature and treatment of the various and numerous difeafes, which proceed

from

<

1

from this unequal temperature. His obfervations on the tetanos and the dragonneau deferve a particular degree of attention; as alfo thofe which are contained in the eleventh Memoir concerning the bite and the fting of venomous animals, and the amazing fagacity of the negroes in curing them. On this occafion M. BAYON complains, with great juftice, of the little pains that are taken to turn the talents of the negroes, and the knowledge they have acquired by a long experience, to the advantage of humanity, by encouraging them to difcover their fecrets. The gift of liberty (which, after all, is but their natural right) might render many of them ufeful members of civil fociety.

The three following Memoirs are principaily taken up in an account of the birds of Cayenne. The paraqua, the maraja, and the yacou, which have hitherto been but imperfectly known by our beft naturalifts, are here defcribed with great perfpicuity and accuracy. The two firft bear a confiderable refemblance of the pheafant.

The fifteenth Memoir contains an interefting defcription of the manihoe, which furnishes, in its different preparations, fuch a wholesome nourishment to a part of the New World; and as the water, or rather milk, that iffues from this useful root, is faid to have a poifonous quality, our Author has made feveral attempts to find out fome prefervative or remedy for this evil, and has employed fuccefsfully, for this purpofe, the ccimum, or bafil, that grows in Europe.

The Second Volume of this Work contains twelve Memoirs. In the first, our Author gives a circumftantial account of the foil and productions of Guiana (that large province, whole northern latitude is extended from 1 deg. 53 min. to 5 deg. 52.), and deferibes its climate. This Memoir is followed by three more of a chirurgical nature, containing curious obfervations on the manner of treating wounds, inflammations, and ulcers, in that fultry region. Thefe are fucceeded by four Memoirs on the quadrupedes and birds of Guiana. The electrical fhock of the famous eel, which of late has fo much occupied our natural philofophers, is amply treated in a Memoir entirely confined to this curious phenomenon. The tenth and eleventh are defigned 'to reform the miftakes and prejudices of the inhabitants of Cayenne and Guiana, with refpect to the improvement and culture of their lands; and they contain a great deal of useful informa tion in regard to that important article.

The fubject of the laft Memoir is a curious point in natural hiftory, which hath long exercifed the fagacity of philofophers, and been the object of repeated obfervations and experiments. It treats of thofe luminous bodies, which sparkle and fhine, during the obfcurity of the night, on the furface of the fea. M. BAYON

L12

made