terial facts and useful observations, we cannot, confiftently with the extent of our own undertaking, attempt to abridge the remainder of the volume, without curtailing the different parts of it fo much, as might occafion fome risks of the author's meaning being mifunderstood. We think it better, therefore, merely to enumerate the titles of the different fections, by which our readers will fee what fubjects are treated of, and who would wish for farther information any must apply to the work itself.

In the feventh fection, the author treats of abortion and barrenness, and gives rules and cautions for the conduc and regimen of women during the several stages of pregnancy: In the eighth, of the haemorrhoids or piles, obftruction or incontinence of urine, ftrangury, and ulceration of the bladder: In the ninth, of difeafes of the ftomach and bowels: In the tenth, of nervous disorders, hysteric affections, low fpirits, and melancholy: In the eleventh, of confumption, or inward decay: In the twelfth, of dropfy: In the thirteenth, of diseases of the skin, and of glandular or cancerous fwellings of the face, neck,

and

and breafts: In the fourteenth, of the influence of the paffions on the body and mind, and effects of climates or changes of weather, on delicate conftitutions. In the fifteenth, of the falutary power of air, diet, exercife, and fimple medicines, in the prevention and cure of chronic difeafes.

There is likewife a fupplement to the whole, containing inftructions for those who confult a physician by letter, together with feveral fimple forms of medicines, occafionally referred to in the work. A remarkable fact related by our author, when treating of consumptions, we cannot avoid mentioning, as it fets, in a very strong point of view, the fatal effects of that dreadful diforder.

By the London yearly bills of mortality, it appears, that the number of those carried off by confumptions, makes nearly a fifth part of the whole dying by all difeafes put together. On examining the feveral bills of mortality for the last fix years, the proportions stood thus;

Sum total of deaths from December 1770 to December 1771, 21780, of whom died of confumptions 4809, being more than a fifth of the whole.

From

From the year 1771 to 1772, total of deaths 26053, of whom died of confumptions 5179, being about a fifth of the whole. From 1772 to 1773, total of deaths 21656, of whom died of confumptions 2825. From 1773 to 1774, total of deaths 20884, confumptions 4242. From 1774 to 1775, total of deaths 20514, confumptions 4452. From 1775 to 1776, total of deaths 19048, confumptions 4508, being nearly a fifth of the whole.

From the above it appears, that nearly five thousand people are annually cut off by confumptions in the cities of London and Westminster. And, our author obferves, that, on a moderate computation, upwards of thirty thousand people muft die yearly in Britain of this destructive malady. Of these by far the greatest part, we are told, are women, who fall victims to this disease in confequence of irregularities péculiar to their fex.

II.

Proposals for the Recovery of People apparently drowned. By John Hunter. F. R. S. Vid. Philofophical Tranfactions, Vol. LXVI. part II. 4to, London.

HE obfervations here communicated to the

THE

public, were committed to paper, we are told, at the defire of a member of the fociety, lately established in London, for the recovery of perfons apparently drowned.

As Mr Hunter's ideas on this fubject differ confiderably from all those who have formerly written upon it, in order to their being more clearly understood, he thinks it neceffary to set out with ftating some propofitions.

First, He affirms, that while an animal retains the powers, though deprived of the actions of life, the cause of that privation may frequently be removed; but, when the powers of life are destroy. ed, the action ceases to be recoverable. Secondly, Mr Hunter confiders part of the living principle to be inherent in the blood; for a more par

ticular

ticular account of this doctrine, a former number of our Commentaries may be confulted, And, laftly, He obferves, that the ftomach fympathises with every part of an animal, and that every part fympathifes with the ftomach; therefore, whatever acts upon the ftomach as a cordial, or roufes its natural and healthy actions, and, whatever affects it fo as to produce debility, has an immediate effect upon every part of the body. Befides this universal sympathy between the stomach and all parts of the body, there are alfo peculiar fympathies; thus, the heart fympathises immediately with the lungs. If any thing is received into the lungs, which is a poifon to animal life, fuch as the volatile part in the burning of charcoal, volatile vitriolic acid, and many other well known fubftances, the motion of the heart immediately ceases, much fooner than if the trachea had been tied; and from experiments, it appears, that any thing falutary to life, applied to the lungs, will restore the heart's action after it has been at reft fome time.

Violent deaths are divided, by Mr Hunter, into three kinds. The firft is, where only a stop is put to the action of life in the animal, not, however, by any irreparable injury to a vital part. If this action