When the glands of the mefentery become fcirrhous, the patients are liable to a flow fever; their pulfe is quick and fometimes irregular, but is never fo flow as in health. In the cafe of worms in the ftomach and intestines, although the pulfe be generally quick, yet sometimes it is flower than natural, and irregular; but when this happens, the skin is cool, and there is no fever. But in the dropfy of the brain, when the pulse becomes flow and irregular, neither the heat of the skin, nor any other of the feverish fymptoms, are fenfibly abated; for in this cafe the motion of the heart is not accelerated in proportion to the degree of heat and fever.

• We often find a flow irregular pulfe, in perfons of a delicate habit, when labouring under cramps of the ftomach, fpafmodic colics, and violent nervous headachs (as they are commonly called); but it is obfervable, that in fuch cafes this kind of pulfe is always attended with a cool fkin.

• When therefore with a flow and irregular pulse we meet with thirst and a feverish heat, watching, a ftrabismus, or double fight, a delirium, and fcreaming, fucceeding the fymptoms mentioned in the firft ftage, we may ftrongly fufpect water in the ventricles of the brain. But this is ftill more evident, when foon after the patient grows comatofe, the pupil dilates and lofes its motion, the pulfe becomes quick, the cheeks are flushed, the tendons start, and convulfions follow.

It is true, indeed, that fome of thefe very fymptoms are obferved towards the end of common fevers, in which, from the brain being much affected, the patient falls into a come before his death. But a fever from water in the brain is easily diftinguished from others, by attending to the whole courfe of the disease, and particularly to the pulfe, which, after having been at firft quick, becomes flow and irregular; and, laftly, acquires a greater frequency than ever. Befides, the fcreaming, fquinting, and dilatation of the pupil, rarely occur in other fevers.

The fymptoms of no diftemper refemble these of water in the brain fo much as those which arife from worms in the ftomach; for with a flow fever there is a want of appetite, vomiting, pain in the head, raving, and convulfions; but when worms in the ftomach or inteftines occafion a flow and irregular pulfe, the patients have not that feverish heat fo obfervable in the internal hydrocephalus.'

The caufes and cure of this diforder are fo much the fame with those of other dropfies, that we forbear to mention them. We cannot, however, conclude this article without observing, that the symptoms of the disease here treated of are accounted for in that ingenious manner, which fo much distinguished

this

this celebrated author, whose productions have ever afforded us the highest fatisfaction, and will remain a more lafting monument of his medical abilities, than the temporary fame we can bestow.

V. Libellus de Natura, Caufa, Curationeque Scorbuti. Autore Nathanaële Hulme, M. D. To which is annexed, a Propofal for preventing the Scurvy in the British Navy. 8vo. Pr. 35. Cadell.

TH

HE exceffive depredations frequently committed by the fcurvy in long fea-voyages, muft render the confideration of it of the highest importance to all maritime and commercial nations; and every attempt to ascertain the most proper method of curing it, lays claim to the attention of the public. Dr. Lind, whofe Treatife is the best that has been written on the scurvy, has imputed the production of the diforder partly to a moisture of the atmosphere; but the author of this differtation contends that it is the coldness, and not any humidity of the air, which is a principal predisponent cause. As a specimen of the style and Latinity of this small treatise, which is an useful abridgement on the fubject, we have felected the following passage, on account of its containing two uncommon facts, not generally known.

• Uptote cum autem, in regionibus femper calidis, foramina cutis adeo patula fint, ut materia putrefcens corpore exeat aeque cito ac generatur, morbus rarius apparebit ; quamvis idem genus cibi affumitur, quod certe fcorbutum in frigidioribus locis crearet, ubi materia putrefcens magis frigore obferatur et retinetur. Ob hanc caufam quoque fit, regiones frigidas, magis obnoxias huic vitio effe, quam calidiores; et hieme, quam aeftate. In India enim Occidentali, fub coelo Caribbaco, nautae noftri diaeta marina utentes, falvis tamen corporibus, falem ipfum, ex omni parte corporis, fub fpecie fudoris expulerunt, et in copia quoque vix credibili. Vidi enim eum falem fic infudare per calceamenta, maxime ad oras eorum, ut cruftas falfas albas, iifdem inhaerentes, formet, ter vel quater fpatio diei; et cum idem linguae admoveretur, perquam ftimulans, et acris erat; calceamenta quoque putrere, et dehifcere fecit. Si igitur per foramina pedum, tantum materiae ejicitur, quantum judicare liceat expelli per totam superficiem corporis, quae, his in regionibus calidis, femper femperque humore profluit? et quantum differentiae fit quoad quantitatem materiae, quae fic, dato tempore, iis locis calidis corpore ejicitur, ex ea, quae frigidis expellitur, minime difficile eft conjectare?

Haec

Haec materia per vias cutis fic expulfa, tam noxia eft, quam enecare ea animalia, quae, in frigidioribus regionibus, infeftare corpus humanum folent, et a Graecis #ofapia nominantur. Quamvis id mirum fortaffe quibufdam videatur, tamen res eft bene cognita his fub zona torrida navigantibus. Idque quidem in mentem revocat, narratiunculam illam de quam maxime nobiliffimo Don Quixote de la Mancha *. Hic enim, inter navigationem fuam ulnas non multas numerantem, in rivo fatis parvo, vultu ferio res magnas intus teftante, armigerum fuum humilem rogavit, ut totum corpus manu pe detentim percurreret, et perfcrutaretur num forte, haec animalia ad huc non corpus reliquerant; fimulque dixit ei, Hifpanos ad Indiam navigantés, his abfentibus, fatis certo fcire, an lineam aequinoctialem tranfiiffent necne. Dictum factum; Sancho enim obediens, poplitem finiftrum verfus, manum caute fub vefte admovit, et paulo poft, vultum fignificantem magiftro attollens, Eques intelligens ei inquit, Invenift'n' unum igitur? Imo plura, refpondit Sancho, digitos fimul celeriter quaffans; tum fubito manum foedatam aquis bene lavit.'

To this differtation is annexed a Propofal for preventing the Scurvy in the British Navy.

This important problem has been treated of by feveral authors, who have recommended the ufe of acids, or fermenting liquors. What is further urged in the prefent propofal is, that orange or lemon-juice and fugar fhould be fo mixed with fpirits and water, or wine and water, where finall beer cannot be had, as to become, in a manner, the common drink of failors when at fea. The expence of this juice, along with the fugar, the writer computes would scarcely amount to three farthings a day for each man; which, though it might rife to a confiderable fum, when calculated for the whole British navy, he thinks would be more than balanced by the reductions and other advantages attending the execution of fuch a plan.

ift, The favings that would be made to the hospital expences, by having the men prefer ved from the fcurvy. 2d, The expence of the elixir of vitriol and vinegar, which might be very well spared, if the native vegetable acid should be introduced, by way of diet, as is here propofed. 3d, The perpetual lofs arifing to the government, during a war, in raising men to fupply the place of those who die of that fatal malady. 4th, The time the fleet may lie in harbour, or be supplied with vegetable refreshments from afhore: fuppofe two or three

*Famous adventure of the enchanted bark.

VOL. XXVI. Auguft, 1768.

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months in the year. 5th, The many inconveniencies which arife to the fleet, in time of war, from being unhealthy when at fea; or having many of their men left fick on shore.'

VI. Remarks and Dissertations on Virgil; with some other Claffical Obfervations: by the late Mr. Holdsworth. Published, with Several Notes and Additional Remarks, by Mr. Spence. 4to. Pr. 1. 1. Dodsley. Concluded.

H

AVING in a preceding Number of our Review given fome account of the Remarks contained in this volume, we now proceed to the Differtations. Upon these our obfervations will be few, as the nature of their fubjects will not permit us to be copious. We will endeavour, however, to perform what may be juftly expected from us, and convey to our reader an adequate idea of their scope and execution.

The first has for its title, "On the two Philippi,” and is written in seven letters to C. J. Efq. Of this the direct purpofe is to reconcile the feeming contradictions between the hiftorical accounts of the two famous battles of Pharfalia * and Philippi, and the following paffage of Virgil, which, as it has hitherto been understood, speaks of them as fought upon the fame spot.

Ergo inter fefe paribus concurrere telis

Romanas acies iterum vidêre Philippi;

Nec fuit indignum Superis bis fanguine noftro

Aemathiam, et laetos Haemi pinguefcere campos.'

The author, however, has not confined himself merely to Virgil. He has paid attention to feveral collateral confiderations, and, in particular, endeavoured to defend the other poets, who, in mentioning these battles, agree with Virgil, and feem to have copied from him.'

Of the first Letter, the former part is employed in the explanation of the writer's defign. Arguments are next adduced to fhew the improbability of Virgil's committing fo material a mistake in the history of his own times; and from hence occafion is taken to enumerate the writers, who, upon an ill-grounded fuppofition that this was Virgil's meaning, have represented both battles as fought exactly on the fame spot." The fathers Catrou and Rouille are mentioned in particular, as having laboured, during their whole account of the war of

* The distance between Pharfalia in Theffaly, and Philippi on the borders of Thrace and Macedonia, according to the belt accounts, is above two hundred miles.

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Auguftus and M. Antony against Brutus and Caffius, to prove, that their famous battle was fought on the plain between Pharfalia and the Theffalian Philippi; exactly on the fame spot where Pompey the Great had been defeated by Julius Cæfar.

In the fecond letter he proceeds to prove, upon the authority of Appian, that Brutus was defeated by Octavius near Philippi, on the borders of Thrace and Macedonia; and in the third corroborates his teftimony by that of Plutarch and D. Caffius, whofe accounts are examined by our author in a manner which shews him to have been equally well acquainted with the geography and history of antiquity. The latter part of this letter specifies the objections of Catrou and Rouille to the authority of the above-mentioned hiftorians; objections, we muft own, very weak and unfatisfactory. They are of opinion, that the teftimony of Virgil, Manilius, Ovid, and Lucan, almost all cotemporaries with Auguftus, ought to prevail against three hiftorians who were ftrangers, and who wrote above a century after the time we are speaking of.'

To these objections, however, Mr. Holdfworth has thought it neceffary to reply in a very particular manner; and to this end he has dedicated his fourth letter. In the firft place he obferves, that although they were not natives of Italy, they were all born fubjects of Rome; and that notwithstanding they chofe to write in the Greek language, they could not be unacquainted with the Latin tongue, as great part of their lives was paffed in Rome, or in the neighbourhood of Rome, and as they were advanced to the highest dignities of the state. Of every advantage, therefore, requifite to their purpose, they must have been poffeffed. He farther remarks, that it is probable the three Greek hiftorians were upon the spot, which cannot be affirmed of the poets; and, in proof of this, adduces reasons which we must own to be in fome measure fatisfactory. Upon the fecond objection, that they wrote above a century after the battle of Philippi,' he justly remarks, that it may have weight with regard to particular circumftances or fprings of action, wherewith thofe who write in after-times cannot be supposed to be fo well acquainted as those who lived at or near the time; but that in the prefent enquiry, whether a remarkable battle was fought in this or that place, it is of little force. He next proceeds to enquire, whether thefe hiftorians were furnished with proper materials for their hiftory, whether they erred through inadvertency, or whether they did not wilfully endeavour to deceive us. That they were poffeffed of the means of information, he imagines few will difpute; as it is not probable that Auguftus, the great encourager of learning, would neglect furnishing his Palatine library with fome me

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