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perhaps not capable of direct proof,) which is believed to have taken place, deferves to be noticed. It is well known that the vaccine disease is unaccompanied by any eruption but the individual pock on the part inoculated. With the view of difcrediting it, children have been inoculated with the fmall-pock poifon, under the name of the vaccine, which has fubfequently broke out in an univerfal eruption, to the surprise and terror of the unfufpecting parent. This it may be well fuppofed would operate as a check upon vaccination; and reports have not been wanting of the numerous eruptions from the cow-pock. It is even believed that fome children have fallen victims to fuch infamous proceedings. As there is no reftraint upon thefe people, it is high time for the legislature to take fuch meafures for the welfare of the public, as may put a stop to the great increase of quackery amongst us, by enacting fevere laws against perfons who fhall presume to practice medicine without proper qualifications.

If, in the common arts of life, an apprenticeship of from three to feven years is deemed neceffary to qualify the perfon to practise them, why should it be supposed the more important science of medicine can be understood by fuch a fet of illiterate people as undertake to purfue it? Is all the previous neceffary information acquired by intuition? Yet fuch must be the cafe if we imagine them qualified to take charge of the life of a patient. Many of these wretches can scarcely read or write; and others, are perfons disappointed in the pursuit of the business they first fet out in life with.* Hence the immenfe quantities of quack medicines advertised to cure every difeafe, which not only run away with the money, but too often with the life, of the credulous fufferer. Who would truft a phyfician to make him a pair of shoes, or a fuit of clothes? Why then should persons of this stamp be trusted with the delicate structure of the human body? If these patent poifons are to be tolerated, let them at least be

* See a ludicrous quarrel on the subject of patent medicines, &c. between one Thomas Stokes, and Richard Lee of New York, in the Philadelphia Gazette : in which one accuses the other of having been bred a taylor; whilst he retorts by asking his antagonist if he was not bred a carpenter, &c. &c.

made the fubject of a heavy duty, by which means the public will be in fome measure benefited by them.

Any communications on the subject of quackery, which may tend to overthrow this growing evil, will be received with pleafure, by the

EDITOR.

Obfervations on Accidents arifing from Burns, Scalds, &c.

MR

R. KENTISH, a furgeon in England, wrote a few years ago an invaluable treatife on burns, which is not generally known throughout America; though from its excellence it certainly deserves to be. In this treatise, after combating the usual mode of treatment, by cold applications, he recommends from experience a method quite oppofite. His theory is, that as the part burnt (when not actually destroyed) is in a high state of excitement from the action of the most powerful ftimulus in nature, that excitement is to be gradually reduced, by the use of lefs powerful ftimuli, till the part is brought to a healthy ftandard; juft as when from the effect of cold a part becomes froft-bitten, its welfare depends, not on too great and sudden addition of ftimulus, but on small degrees gradually applied. Hence, in reference to burns, in place of ice, venæfection, &c. he uses fpirits of wine, brandy, fpirits of turpentine, &c. and these heated, (even when the cuticle is detached), to bathe the part with, whilst a liniment is preparing of common yellow bafilicon and fpirits of turpentine. Once in twenty-four hours is fufficient to drefs the fores; and it is recommended always to have the dreffing ready before the old one is removed. As the action of the part diminishes, the exciting measures are to be diminished. Proof spirit or laudanum, made warm, are now fufficient: about the third day, fuppuration commences, when mild applications are necessary, as the ceratum e lapide calaminari. He recommends 3j. of flor. zinc. to 3j. of ung. cer. alb.-Lime wa ter and linfeed oil are recommended to strengthen the skin.

The internal means depend on the intention, " to restore the unity of action of the whole fyftem as foon as poffible:" for this purpofe æther, alkohol, &c. are administered within the first eight to twelve hours, wine or ale fubfequently, and laudanum about the third day: this is under the idea of its being a large burn; as in smaller ones, laudanum or wine may be ufed more early in lieu of the powerful stimuli mentioned.

If any part is dead, a bread and milk poultice is applied during the process of floughing, and after the flough comes away. Sometimes exciting, fometimes depreffing, fo as to keep up an exact balance; and a rather ftrict diet is recommended, inftead of much strengthening food, which promotes too copious fuppuration.

In confirmation of the propriety of this practice, I may add, that a few days after perufing the treatise, I burnt my finger very feverely with fealing wax, whilft fealing a letter. I immediately applied the spirit of turpentine, which gave instant relief, and in five minutes no fymptom of a burn remained, (except a flight crifpness of the cuticle, which continued fome hours,) although at first great redness of the part existed, with an apparent dif position to a blifter. A few days after this, one of the members of my family fcalded feverely all the external part of the fingers with boiling water, producing exquifite pain and rednefs, and an appearance of vefication. By holding the fingers. in fpirit of turpentine the pain immediately fubfided, and foon ceased altogether, leaving the parts perfectly well in about a quarter of an hour. Not long after this, my fon playing with a kettle of boiling water, tilted it over upon his ankle and the upper part of the foot. Some time elapfed before the shoe and ftocking could be removed, during which, feveral vefications raifed: in drawing off the stocking the cuticle was detached from two or three of these. The child was in great agony, when his mother (I being from home) applied the spirit of turpentine with very great relief. When I came in, I found him still in great pain, fobbing and complaining very much. As foon as possible, I prepared fome of the liniment, purposely leaving in the mean

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time the parts expofed to the air. The pain became nearly as acute as at first; but ceased almost immediately on applying the liniment, and in five minutes he was playing about the room with his brothers. He was only five years old, and nature cannot deceive at that age. In less than a week the parts were perfectly well, by the use of the liniment twice a day.

Another member of my family, foon after fcalded the fingers feverely, but by the timely application of the fpirit of turpentine for about half an hour, all inconvenience was prevented.

On the eighteenth of February, 1804, a poor woman applied to me to see her child, who had on the fixteenth fcalded its left fore arm and fingers very feverely; the child had scarcely flept fince the accident, owing to the violence of the pain. The neighbours had applied train oil and potatoes fcraped, all the next day, together with cold water, by which the child had taken a very violent cold. I found a great part of the cuticle detached, and exposing it to the air, increased the agony of the little fufferer. In lefs than ten minutes after applying a pretty confiderable quantity of Kentish's liniment, the pain had nearly fubfided, and he foon fell into a quiet fleep. I ordered it a mixture of laudanum and tincture of cinnamon every two hours; and by applying the remedy for two or three days, the parts began to affume a healthy appearance. It was then dreffed with Turner's cerate, and in about ten days a new cuticle was completely formed. A dose or two of purging medicine were given towards the close.

In March I was defired to fee a child of about twelve months old, who had fallen with one hand into the hot ashes and embers. Scraped potatoes, &c. had been applied, and when I faw it fome hours after, the whole of the fingers and thumb and part of the back of the hand were largely veficated. The water was evacuated from the blifters, and the liniment applied twice a day for three or four days, when it was changed for the Turner's cerate; which in a few days restored the parts to perfect health.

So well convinced am I of the efficacy of this mode of treatment, that I now keep the liniment conftantly made for domeftic use, and wish strongly to recommend every family to keep it, together with the spirit of turpentine, at all times in readiness for use, in accidents arifing from burns, fcalds, &c.

JOHN REDMAN COXE.

An Account of a Voyage to Batavia, in the Year 1800. By Dr.

THE

HORSEFIELD.

HE ship China, in which I acted as physician, failed from America, December 22, 1799; fhe measured upwards of 1000 tons, and carried thirty-fix guns. The number of perfons at this time on board amounted to 158. On leaving America, a large number of our ship's crew were affected with catarrhal, pleuritic and rheumatic complaints, which had been produced by the cold and wet weather, to which we were expofed, during the preceding part of this month, in our paffage down the river Delaware. Soon after entering the pure air of the ocean, and arriving in more temperate latitudes, our people fpeedily recovered; and during the continuance of our outward voyage, enjoyed an uncommon degree of health. Since the adoption of those falutary regulations, which have lately been recommended by the experience of several eminent navigators, a great change has taken place in the condition of feamen during long voyages. Provided the voyage is not continued beyond a certain time, (perhaps four or five months,) before refreshments may again be procured, no clafs of men, I believe, enjoy a greater exemption from difeafe. The purity of the fea air-the excellent quality of the articles of provision, and the moderation used in their enjoyment-the regularity of difcipline established in all well regulated fhips, which compels the men to take care of their health-and the want of opportunities of indulging in exceffes, all, powerfully contribute to keep feamen healthy.

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