The a

was reduced by the subsequent ar- ment by the necessity of the case, rival of very extensive consignments. no less than by every principle of eTowards the close of this month the conomical science. Had the system demand for coffee was very animat- of 1797 been much longer adhered ed, and the prices for some time im. to, there can be no doubt that every proved considerably : the market thing like a measure of value would had been previously in a very fluc. have gradually vanished. The detuating and unsettled state. Soon preciation of paper would have proafter, the price declined to the form- gressively increased; prices would er rate. in August, both at London have continued to rise; one class of and the outports, the demand for the community would have been encotton was brisk and extensive. riched, and all others ruined; conVery considerable sales, for home tracts would have been only so many consumption, were effected both at pieces of waste paper ; gold and silGlasgow and Liverpool.

ver would have completely disappear. mount of cotton imported from the ed from circulation; and the Bank of beginning of the year till September, England would have in a little time has been, Bengal 58,479 bales, absorbed into itself the whole wealth Surat, 27,549 ; Madras, 4599; Bour- and property of the kingdom. This bon, 515; Brazil, 9028; American, state of things was not to be endured; 2599; West India islands, 3775; and and a return to the old standard had Smyrna, 298. The accounts from therefore become indispensable. But the East Indies state British goods the malignant effects ascribed to this to be in considerable demand in Ben- measure could not, even if real, be gal.

sensibly felt during the year the hisIn the course of the two last months tory of which we have to record. In of the year, a considerable rise took December 1818, the bank issues, place in the prices of sugars, caused, which a year before had amounted no doubt, in part, if not altogether, to L. 29,210,035, were reduced to by recent intelligence of a destruc- L.26,487,859 ; which is somewhat tive hurricane in the West Indies. more than the quantity of paper

in The demand for cotton, previously circulation in June 1816; and the on the rise, continued to augment resolutions of the Lords expressly in consequence of the news of the provided, that the operations of the failure of the cotton crop in the bank, in calling in a portion of their East Indies. The result has been paper currency, should be gradual, that prices have risen considerably, not violent. The effect of these opeThe price of rum continued unalter- rations, therefore, could not be very ed.

sensibly felt at the period of which The check given to the issues of we write, except by speculators, and paper by the resolutions adopted by persons without capital, to whose the House of Lords on the 21st of projects, we grant, the measure neMay, and which subsequently led to cessarily proved fatal. All this is prothe enactment of what has been call. ved by the state of our exports and ed Mr Peel's bill, gave rise to much imports for the year 1819. needless and ignorant clamour; for The following account of the total although that measure could not fail real, or declared value of the proto have a powerful effect upon prices, duce and manufactures of the united to give a severe blow to speculation, kingdom, exported from Great Briand to advantage greatly the public tain, during each of the three years creditor, it was forced upon Parlia. ending on the 5th of January 1819,

| .

| L 12,284,274

.

will give our readers a better idea possibly be accomplished by obser-
of the gradual improvement of our vations of a general character:
commerce and industry than could
1817.
1818.

1819.
L. 42,955,256.
L. 43,626,253.

L. 48,903,760.
Total and Official Value of Foreign and Commercial Merchandise exported

from Great Britain to all parts of the world.
1817.
1818.

1819.
L. 14,545,256.

L. 11,534,616. An Account of the Total Value of all Articles imported into Great Britain

during each of the three years ending on the 5th of January 1819, as calculated at the official rates of valuation.

1817.
1818.

1819. Foreign and Colonial Mer.

L. 26,406,694 L.29,962,913 L.35,880,983 chandise, Produce of Ireland and the L. 3,698,931 L. 4,002,318 L. 4,276,654

Isle of Man,
Total value of imports,

L. 30,105,565 L.33,965,231 L 40,157,637 Hence it appears that the produce consumption appear to have receiand manufactures of the United King- ved nearly a commensurate indom, exported during the year end- crease. There can be little doubt, ing on the 5th of January 1819, ex. we think, that our capital, science, ceeded the manufactures exported machinery, and enterprise will render during the year ending on the same this prosperous commencement proday of January 1818, by no less a sum gressive ; and that the demand for than L. 5,277,507; and that the im. the products of British labour will ports of the former exceed those of augment in proportion as the nations the latter by L.6,192,406. If this be of the Continent recover from the not symptomatic of improvement in miseries and sufferings to which they our commerce and national industry, were so long subjected, and as they we know not what is. The powers advance in wealth and knowledge. of production and the powers of We subjoin a Table, shewing the prices of Bullion per ounce during

the year 1819.

MEDICAL REPORT.

Under this head we mean to con- clusion in some cases, air, exercise, fine ourselves to a simple detail of a and society in others, with mild and few of the more prominent facts, re- humane treatment in all, afford the lative to public health, furnished by only prospect of eradicating this, the the different medical reporters for greatest, evil with which human na: the year, without indulging in any ture is afflicted. Every separate case speculative remarks on a subject should in fact be made a separate which professional men are alone study, and the regimen judiciously competent to handle in a proper and carefully adapted to the condimanner.

tion, habits, and previous life of each A Committee of the House of individual patient. Experience has Commons were lately engaged in an happily proved, that there are cominvestigation of the causes and cure paratively few cases so settled and of insanity, a malady which has, for malignant in their character as not

, some time past, been on the increase in time to yield to the constant and in this country; but no satisfactory unwearied observance of this, the

, information, we regret to say, was only system, which reason, religion elicited by a long and arduous in- and humanity alike unite to recomquiry. Of the practitioners and o. mend. ther persons connected with the re- In the course of the month of ceptacles for persons labouring un- March, scarlatina, in every variety der mental infirmity, scarcely two of form, and in every degree of viruwere agreed, either in their mode of lence, was epidemically prevalent in accounting for the disease, or in the London and its vicinity. It would treatment proper to be prescribed; also appear, by the Report of the one recommending purgatives, ano- Dispensary of the New Town of Ether vomiting, a third tonics, a fourth dinburgh, for the quarter ending on phlebotomy, and a fifth mercurials the 1st of this month, that fevers and alteratives. With one class, the were as prevalent as in the quarter cold, and with another, the hot bath ending on the 1st of December prewas the favourite remedy : and while ceding; while the whole number of a few derided all medical interference cases had been increased by 374. in cases of mental sickness, by far the The proportion of fevers to other greater number held, that, in propi. complaints had therefore diminishtious circumstances, no disease what. ed. On the 1st of December it was ever can resist the powers of medi- as 1 to 9; on the 1st of March it cine, properly applied. Amidst such was as 1 to 10.9. The greatest ex. a number of conflicting statements ertions have been made by the Maand opinions, it was hardly to be ex- nagers of the Royal Infirmary of pected that the Committee could Edinburgh, to accommodate all the arrive at any definite or very impor- fever patients who applied there, and tant conclusions.

It would seem,

we understand that the number of however, from the documents pub- such patients who applied there and lished relative to the course of regi. at Queensberry House averaged amen pursued at the Retreat at York, bove 160 in the month, for several and other places conducted upon the months prior to March. Contagion same enlightened principles, ibat sc- has been stated to be the exciting

а

cause of by far the greater number of don Dispensary. But these instances the cases of fever existing in Edin. were extremely mild in their chaburgh. For the unusual prevalence of racter; none of the patients, whose scarlatina in London, and its imme. constitutions had been previously diate neighbourhood, we have heard fortified by vaccination, died; and no specific cause assigned. In adopt. only in a few individuals, with whom ing both remedial and prophylactic this was not the case, has the con. measures, the practitioner must al- tagion of small-pox produced symp. ways look for much assistance from toms answering to the descriptions the beneficent provisions of nature; of chicken-pox, as given by Dr Hebut as to the general efficacy of these berden, and by Dr Thomson in his measures, when early resorted to, paper on the Varioloid Disease. the experience even of a single Dis- Measles, however, have been extenpensary seems to furnish conclusive sively prevalent among the poorer evidence. The misfortune often is, classes; but the mortality has chief. that many cases become utterly hope- ly been among children of feeble less before medical advice or assis. constitutions, and among those who tance is sought for; and hence the had previously suffered from hoopremedies that might be expedient, ing-cough, or long continued ca. or absolutely save life, at the com- tarrhs. mencement of the disease, cease to be Many cases of death by poison available in its more advanced stages, having occurred in the course of the or, if resorted to, might be attended year, we think we cannot do better by the most fatal consequences.

than exhibit, in a tabular form, for Small-pox has been more preva- speedy reference, when individuals lent in Edinburgh than usual, and qualified to administer antidotes can six of the cases are marked as variola not be suddenly called in, the subpost vacciniam.

A few cases of a stance of M. Orfila's valuable and in. similar description occurred in the genious work on poisons. western district of the city of Lon

Substances.
Symptoms.

Correctives.
Calcined magnesia : one ounce

to a pint of warm or cold water. Concentrated acids :

Burning pain, vomiting. A glassful to be taken every two.

Matter thrown up efferves- minutes, so as to excite vomiting. the vitriolic, nitric, oxa

ces with chalk, or salt of tar, Soap, or chalk and water; mucilic, &c. lime, or magnesia.

laginous drinks afterwards, such as linseed tea, or gum arabic and wa

(ter. Nearly the same: the e- Vinegar and lemon juice: a Alkalies : soda, am- )jected matter does not effer-) spoonful or two in a glass of water monia, lime.

Substances.
Symptoms.

Correctives. Preparations of cop- Symptoms nearly the same? White of eggs: (See under mere per, brass, &c. verdigris, S as from mercury. S cury,) mucilaginous drinks. halfpence, pins, &c.

Warm water, or sugar and water ; Extreme sickness, with o- afterwards a grain of opium, or Preparations of anti

ther symptoms of poison, as fifteen drops of laudanum every mony: emetic tartar, &c. above stated.

quarter of an hour, for two or

three times.
Obstinate vomiting, some- Same as for arsenic, with the ex-
Nitre.
2 times of blood, &c.

ception of lime water and alkalies.
Phosphorus. I Like mineral acids. 1 Same treatment.
Lead : sugar of lead, ) with constriction of the
Great pain in the stomach

Large doses of Glauber's, or EpGoulard's extract, &c. throat, &c.

som salts, in warm water.

Four or five grains of tartar eme

tic in a glass of water; if this does Opium, henbane, hem-- Stupor, desire to vomit,

not succeed, four grains of blue

No large lock, nux vomica, dead-beaviness in the head, dilat vitriol, as an emetic. ly nightshade berries, fed pupil of the eye, delirium, quantities of water. After the poimushrooms, &c. and speedy death.

son has been ejected, give vinegar, lemon juice, or cream of tartar. ( Strong coffee also is useful.

}

a

In and about London, affections the back. This distemper is conof the parotid and submaxillary tagious, as appears from many memglands constituted one of the epi. bers of the same family being afflictdemics of June. In a few cases these ed with it. Considerable debility proceeded to suppuration ; but for and mental depression accompanied the most part the swellings subsided this disease, and rendered convalesafter a few days' continuance, and cence frequently very slow : hence it were succeeded by no unpleasant is easily distinguishable from common consequences. In the Report of catarrh or ephemera. Diseases treated at the Dispensary The two following months were of the New Town of Edinburgh, it not, as far as we have learned, reappears, that during the quarter markable for the prevalence of any which ended at the commencement particular malady; but towards the of June, cases of fever had been as middle of September, affections of numerous as in the preceding, al- the stomach and bowels became comthough the epidemic was visibly on mon. Several obstinate cases of conthe decline. Of the 203 cases enu- vulsive asthma also occurred, but merated, less than a fourth had oc- were speedily subdued by half-grain curred in the previous month of May. doses of the extract of stramonium, Instances of epidemic catarrh or in repeated every four hours, as recomfluenza also made their appearance,

mended by Dr Kirby in his “ Cases but not to any extent ; it had the in Surgery.” The following month ordinary symptoms of pyrexia, and ushered in numerous instances of ca. in some cases was with difficulty dis- tarrhal, rheumatic, and inflammatory tinguished from continued fever. In disorders, as well as affections in the general, however, the tongue was less bowels ; which probably proceeded furred, the sensorial functions less from the violent alternations of temdisturbed, and but little pain felt in perature which took place about this