which happened in the year 1778. Mr. Nichols afterwards purchased the copy, and has now made it public. It fhews, as the Editor fays, the ideas which that induftrious Antiquary had, and his endeavour to make even the minuteft record fubfervient to the great plan of national hiftory. But we apprehend, however ferviceable Mr. Mores's minutia may prove, that it cannot be neceffary for others who are difpofed to purfue the plan, to imitate his method, at leaft fo far as exactly to copy from the regifter the names of all who were chriftened, married, or died in the respective parishes. The parochial history of England, on fuch a plan, could hardly be comprized within the compass of five hundred volumes in folio.

The account of the parish of Tunftal is introduced by fome memoirs of Mr. Edward Rowe Mores, the Author.-We fhall only obferve farther, that the defign of the work, of which the prefent is the firft number, is, to prefent the Public with fome valuable articles of British Topography, from printed books and manuscripts. One part of the collection is to confift of re-publications of fcarce and curious tracts, another of fuch manufcript papers as the Editors are already poffeffed of, or may receive from their friends.-Communications to be addreffed to Mr. Nichols, Printer, in Fleet-ftreet.

ART. XI. Two Differtations on the Mint and Coins of the Epifcopal Palatines of Durham. Illuftrated with Plates of Coins, Coats of Arms, &c. By Mark Noble, Gent. 4to. 7 s. 6d. fewed. Birmingham, printed for the Author. Sold by Baldwin in London. 1780.

T

HE firft of thefe Differtations is intended to afcertain the time when, and on what occafion, the bishopric of Durham was privileged with a mint. It appears, that this was not till the reign of King Stephen, when it was either granted to or ufurped by Geoffrey Rufus, Bishop of this See; but it was probably a grant, as this Rufus efpoufed Stephen's caufe, and rendered him important fervices.

The fecond Differtation prefents the Reader with an account of all the coins of the Bifhops of this See, from the reign of King Edward the First, to that of Henry the Eighth, both inclufive; from whence it appears, that we have almost a complete feries of their money, for near three centuries.

This Diflertation is rendered more entertaining by fome account of thefe Bifhops in their fucceffive order. Among other anecdotes, the following, which relates to Thomas Ruthall, iş remarkable. He preceded Cardinal Wolfey as Bishop of Durham, in the reign of Henry VIII. He was in great favour with Henry, who ordered him to draw up an account of the

royal

royal revenues, which he accordingly did, and at the fame time took an eftimate of his own riches, and bound them up in vellum, which he laid up together; but unfortunately for him, when Henry fent Cardinal Wolfey for the royal eftimate, the fervant by miftake delivered the Bishop's, which the Cardinal (though he was apprized of the mistake, being jealous of our prelate) prefented to the King, telling him it would inform him where to apply when he wanted money; for the Bishop was the richeft fubject in the kingdom, it appearing by this account that he was worth one hundred thousand pounds ; a vast sum for a private person to poffefs at that time. When the Bishop difcovered the error his fervant had made, it had fo great an effect on him, that his uneafinefs threw him into a diforder which put a period to his life, ann. 1522.'

2.11

Mr. Noble is well difpofed to fpeak favourably of the Bishops whom he enumerates. Bifhop Tonftall, the laft in whofe time the privilege of coinage was poffeffed, is highly extolled; and he, no doubt, on fome accounts merited applaufe and efteem: pity it is to add, as is added in the excellent account of the life of Bernard Gilpin, publifhed a few years ago by the Rev. Mr. William Gilpin, and confirmed by other hiftory, that he was well versed in the arts of temporizing, and poffeffed a large fhare of that complying philofophy which, taking offence at nothing, can adapt itfelf to all things. See farther accounts in Gilpin's Life, p. 102.

Towards the end of the volume, the Author, with much propriety, prefents the Reader with a lift of his Authorities for the plates of coins, &c. in this work. This is followed by authentic papers, taken from the records of Durham, &c. To all which is added an account of feveral hundred English, Scotch, Irish, and Brabantine coins, accidentally found in 1778, by a fervant, in removing bean-ftalks from a piece of land at Sudbury Green, near Thrapftone, Northamptonshire.

This volume may be amufing to many, but it will be chiefly acceptable to the lovers of heraldry, ancient coins, and church history.

ART. XII. Clinical Experiments, Hiftories, and Diffections. By Francis Home, M. D. one of his Majefty's Physicians, Fellow of the Royal College of Phyficians of Edinburgh, and Profeffor of Materia Medica in the University of Edinburgh. 8vo. 65. Murray. 1780.

TH

THIS publication confifls of records of practice in the Clinical ward of the Edinburgh Infirmary, under the direction of the Author; diftributed into feveral fections, each of which is clofed by fome general remarks. We fhall give a fum

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mary

mary account of the most important refults contained in this publication.

The firft fection contains experiments refpecting the moft proper time of exhibiting the bark in intermittents; from which it appears, that its efficacy is greater when given at the end of a paroxyfm, than a fhort time before it; and that the fit is even rendered more fevere by this last method of giving it.

Then follow experiments upon fome remedies used in the Typhus Nervofus. The conclufions drawn from thefe, are, that James's powder is a better medicine than tartar emetic in this fever, being lefs liable to excite profufe evacuations-that the good effects of bark depend upon the fituation in which it is given-that blifters are of little ufe, except that when applied to the temples they pretty certainly remove the head-ach attending this difeafe--that fomentation of the legs procures fome relief that the use of camphor is dubious-and that opiates are moft to be depended on as fedatives, and may be fafely given.

Sect. 3d defcribes the Pleuritis Spuria, a difeafe rather of the low nervous, than the inflammatory kind.

There is nothing in the next fection, on the Puerperal Fever, worth notice.

Sect. 4th contains a fingular cafe of the Measles, which is not capable of abridgment.

The experiments on fome remedies used in the Phthifis Pulmonalis afford fcarcely any ufeful conclufions.

In Sect. 7th we have three curious cafes of the Melæne, or Morbus Niger; from which it appears, that fmall bleedings, laxatives, and the vitriolic acid, are efficacious remedies in this uncommon disease.

From the experiments on the Rhododendron Chrysanthemum Linnai we learn, that it is a very powerful fedative, remarkably diminishing the frequency of the pulfe; but that it has no peculiar efficacy in the cure of the acute rheumatifm, for which it has been recommended.

A mortal cafe of Cephalgia, from compreffion, is the substance of the next article.

Sect. 10th contains experiments upon Sir Hans Sloane's Ointment in the Albugo or Leucoma; from which it would appear to be a valuable remedy.

The next is a pretty long paper upon Antifpafmodic Remedies. From his experiments on this order of medicines, the Author arranges them in four claffes, beginning with the weakeft. 1. Orange leaves, cardomime flowers, artemifia, pæonia, miffeltoe, henbane, caftor, mufk, cuprum ammoniacale, electricity. 2. Fear, flowers of zinc, camphor, blifters. 3. Affafætida, ether, mercury. 4. Bark, opium, bleeding.

The experiments on Antiparalytic Remedies afford nothing remarkable.

In Sect. 13th an account is given of the exhibition of Ol Terebinth. in the Sciatica. The form in which it was adminiftered was, a linctus of an ounce of honey and two drams of ol. terebinth. Of this a tea-fpoonful was taken morning and evening, with a draught of something warm. It proved a very efficacious medicine.

The next fection mentions the fuccefs of a liniment compofed of camphor, ol. terebinth. ung. nervin. and foap, in the Lumbago.

Sect. 15th contains four cafes; the firft, a fatal one of the Ifchuria Renalis; the two next, a fatal and an incurable one of the Ifchuria Veficalis; and the laft, one of the Ifchuria Urethralis. Some curious pathological remarks are afforded by these hiftories.

In the next fection are two cafes very particularly related, of the Diabetes. All the remedies that have been recommended for this disease, and fome new ones, were tried in these cases, but without effect.

Experiments in the cure of the Dropfy are the fubject of the next article. From the use of creme of tartar thirteen patients out of twenty were cured. The quantity given was from 3fs to Zii daily, diffolved in water. It proved purgative and diuretic. Dried fquills cured feven patients out of ten. In all those who were cured the fquills proved emetic, but not in the others. Iflues were ufed in fome anafarcous cafes, and proved ferviceable.

Section 18th contains experiments upon remedies used in Suppreffion of the Menfes. Compreffion of the crural artery was fucccessful only in one cafe out of fix. Bleeding was remarkably ferviceable where there were fymptoms of plethora. Savine in powder appeared to be a powerful remedy. Madder root powdered fucceeded in fourteen cafes out of nineteen.

From fome experiments in the cure of the Herpes, or Lepra Græcorum, it appeared, that cantharides relieved the complaint without curing it-that the elm bark had little effect-that vipers were ferviceable-that farfaparilla was not to be depended upon-that Plummer's pills (composed of merc. dulc, and fulph. antimon. præcip.) was a very powerful remedy-that the vitriolic acid was ineffectual.

Sect. 20th relates the vermifuge effects of the Spigelia Marylandica. In this paper Dr. Home mentions a diagnostic symptom of worms, which, he fays, is infallible. This is an oedematous fwelling of the alæ narium, upper lip, and often of the contiguous parts of the cheeks. The Spigelia appeared to be an e cacious medicine.

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The effect of decoction of Mezereon, as a deobftruent, is the fubject of the next fection. It appears to have great powers in the difcuffion of schirrous tumours.

From a few trials next related, a decoction of the Verbascum Thaplus feems to be of fome ufe in old diarrhoeas.

The antihæmorrhagic effect of dry cupping is established by fome experiments in the 23d fection.

The concluding article on Lithontriptics is of little confequence.

On the whole, we doubt not but the prefent volume will be perufed with advantage by the medical practitioner; yet it is obvious to remark, that there is little novelty, and lefs certainty, in fome of the articles; that, in fome inftances, the experiments are too few in number, and continued for too fhort a time; and that there is a flovenlinefs of ftyle and compofition in the work, which ought to have been avoided by a profeffor in fo celebrated a fchool.

ART. XIII. Medicine Praxeos Syftema, ex Academiæ Edinburgenæ Difputationibus Inauguralibus præcipue depromptum, et fecundum Naturæ Ordinem digeftum. Curante Carolo Webster, M. D. &c. &c. 8vo. 2 Vols. 10 s. 6d. Boards. Dilly, &c. 1780. N our acccount of a late publication fimilar to the prefent, we took the liberty of remarking, that the neceffary form of a fcholaftic difputation rendered it a tedious and troublesome method of communicating fcience to the world in general. The compiler of the prefent work has in some meature obviated this objection, by cutting off the formalities of introductions and conclufions, and making other abridgments as he faw occafion. In his preface, he fays, Delectas (difputationes) demum, prout res poftulare videbatur, mutavi, auxi, in epitomen redegi, et annotationes aliquando fubjeci. Et cum difputationes fuper quibufdam morbis reperiri non poffent, eas aliunde fupplere conatus fum.' It is impoffible for us, in a publication of this kind, to do more than give a lift of the subjects, with the names of the refpective authors.

The firft order, that of MORBI HÆMORRHAGICI, contains the following particular treatifes: De Plethora; Coghlan. De Hæmorrhagiis; Clapham. De Adminiftratione Antiphlogistica; Byam. De Epitaxi. De Hemoptoe; Caw. De Hamorrhoide; Claxton. De Mennorhagia in non Gravidis nec Puerperis; Daly.

The fecond order, of MORBI INFLAMMATORII, has the following fub-divifions: De Phlegmafiis, vel Inflammatione; Johnfton. De Cynanche Tonfillari; Toulmin. De Cynanche Tracheali; Meafe. De Ophthalmia; Wemyss. De Phrenitide;

Smellie's Thefaurus: See Review, October 1778, p. 395.

Bertram.