1816.1 Sketch of Prof. Tauscher's Tours in Russia in Asia. regions is exposed to no few dangers as well as difficulties; a circumstance which renders them less known than they deserve to be. Since the journies performed under the auspices of the Empress Catharine by the Russian Academicians-Pallas, Gmelin, Lapuchin, Georgi, Falck, Rytschkow, Laxman, and others, I am not aware that any thing of consequence has been attempted towards enlarging our knowledge of the districts of the Steppes and their productions." Our traveller quitted Moscow in May, 1809, and pursuing his course through Wolodomir, Murom, Pensa, Arsamas, and Saratow, a pretty German colony, where he remained some weeks, he crossed the Wolga, explored the colonies in that quarter, and commenced a partial journey eastward through the Steppes from Schafhausen; thence he followed the line of the Irghis, surmounted the steppic ridge Obtschey Sist, * branch of the great Uralian ridge, on whose western slope the Irghis has its source, and arrived safely in three weeks at Orenburg, the Asiatic frontier fortress on the Ural, having, with his attendants, “passed through the dreary Steppe with out any other canopy by day or night than the firmament of heaven." After a short residence in this town, whose caravan-trade with several nations of Central Asia, such as the Bucharians, Chivenzes, Afghans, Persians, &c._renders it a most interesting spot, "I undertook a tour through the upper districts of the Ural river, formerly Jaik, to the little town of Guberlinsk, 300 versts distant from Orenburg. Near this place the principal chain of the Upper Uralian ridge, stretching in a northerly direction, is intersected by the Ural which loses itself on the other side of the ridge, in the unknown and unfrequented regions of the Khirgisian-Mongolian Steppe." Having explored these parts, Professor Tauscher returned with a rich booty of plants and insects to Orenburg, with which, as the autumn was closing, he found his way back through Kasan and Gorenki to Moscow. Hitherto be had visited only the Horthern part of the Tartarian Steppe, which is watered by the Irghis. With a view of exploring its midland and southern stricts, he set out when the spring 1810 was sufficiently advanced, and retraced his steps to Saratow, having been furnished with every assistance by its government; he then crossed over to the left bank of the Wolga, steering 103 his course in a south-easterly direction through the German petty colonies on the Caramsan to the fortress of Usen, which lies insulated in the midst of the Steppe, and is again half fallen to decay in spite of its late reparation. "It was in this quarter," says Tauscher, "I first saw at a distance the wild horse of the Steppes, described by Pallas. Whether this animal be of the wild, aboriginal race of horses, or a descendant of our own domestic species gradually relapsed into the state of nature, is a point which has not been hitherto ascertained satisfactorily. All the Cossacks of these environs concurred in assuring us, that their attempts to tame them, which have been sometimes made with single horses of the Steppe caught for the purpose, have but seldom succeeded; and that they have in no one instance long survived the loss of their freedom. Of the steppic goat (the Antilope Saiga of Pallas) which is accustomed to spend its winter in the southern parts on Lake Aral, I saw numerous herds returning with the warmer season to the Northern Steppe, where, both for their skin and flesh, they become valuable objects of the chace to the Cossacks. From Usen (or Usenkaja Krepost). I travelled to the neighbourhood of the memorable salt lake, Elton, whence the greater part of the natives of the centre and south of Russia obtain their supplies of salt. I then visited the equally remarkable lake Bogdo (or Washuntschaiskoi) lying a little more southerly, and the mountain of the same name n its vicinity, which is held sacred by the Mongolian nations." Here the traveller collected all the plants and seeds of the steppic garden, which were sufficiently ripened for his purpose (among which was the Tritic. Orient. of Linnæus, or Fritillar. cornuta of Fischer), and no inconsiderable stock of insects which were most plentiful in that tract of the Steppe called Rynpesk or Naryn (sandy desert) the soil of which, though its surface be covered with a loose and arid sand, is remarkable for a much more luxuriant vegetation than any other parts of the Steppe, even those whose soil consists of a clayey loẩm. Thence he came close upon that branch of the Wolga called the chtuba; in its environs are some considerable vestiges of ancient Tartar towns, among whose ruins are often found silver and copper *Pap. Persephone Huebn. N. Argentina. 1. N. Lactea. F. N. Fortalitium nob, N. Melanura nob, &c. 104 Return of Church Livings under 1501. per Annum. [March 1, coins of their former tenants. Pursuing his way for about 400 versts, always in the vicinity of the Wolga, he reached the fortress of Zaritzin on its left bank, and travelling 25 versts farther, the famous Moravian colony Sarepta. Here he pass ed the leisure of the hot months, so dangerous to the sojourner in the naked Steppe, though he employed himself successfully in repeated visits to the surrounding country, and particularly the adjoining islands in the Wolga. Later in the season, when the approach of autumn had begun to renovate the withered vegetation, he made an excursion with a friend to the banks of the Don and Flo vla, a small river that runs into the former. "A chain of chalk hills of various elevations and curvatures, spreads itself along the left bank of the Flowla for about 150 versts. The vegetation of these hills is totally different from that which usually flourishes in the Steppes, and resembles, in many respects, what is found near the Southern Caucasian mountains." Having here increased his collection of plants and insects, he quitted these hills, passed through the delightful colonies of Norka, Krestowoi, Bujerak, Ustfolicha, and many others, lying on the Medwediza; again sought the Wolga, and returned through Dubowka, Zaritzin, &c. to Sarepta. On his arrival here, he found directions from Moscow, that himself as naturalist, with Langsdorf the celebrated circumnavigator, should accompany an embassy to the Chan of Bukharey; a country which is regarded as the Eden of central Asia, and has never yet been trodden by the foot of an European naturalist, or explored in a physical view, though amply deserving of the pains; as its position and climate warrant the expectation of its possessing inexhaustible stores from every kingdom of nature. Pleased with this change in his pursuit, he left Sarepta in the beginning of September, and, traversing 1,400 versts in less than three weeks, he reached Orenburg, where he had the disappointment to find from Prince Wolchonskoi, who was charged with arranging the mission, that some unforeseen difficulties had prevented it for that year. Whilst at Orenburg he visited the salt-works of Ilesk, which is 60 versts distant from the former, and is the easternmost point that Russia possesses in the Khirgisian Steppe, on the other side of the Ural. This place afforded many saline plants. Towards the middle of October he left Orenburg on his way back to Moscow, meeting at Casan MR. EDITOR, "AN INCUMBENT," v. iv. p. 381, having requested through the medium of your pages an Abstract of the return of all Livings under 150l. per annum, laid before parliament in the last session, I inclose you that of 1808 referred to by him; if you think it worthy a place in your Miscellany, and should receive from any other correspondent the return of 1814, and insert that also, your readers will, by comparing the two documents, be enabled to see what the corporation of Queen Ann's Bounty has accomplished in the seven intervening years. To this return the number of parishes and impropriations in each diocese are prefixed, taken from Capper's Statement of the Church Preferments, referred to also by your correspondent; for the poverty of those livings chiefly arises from the ecclesiastical property of many parishes being either appropriate or in lay-hands. It must be observed, however, that the return includes all chapelries under the jurisdiction of the diocesan, since in Chester and St. David's there appear to be more livings under 1501. per annum than there are parishes. While treating on this subject the beneficence of parliament shewn in another mode of assisting and permanently relieving the Poor Cures," and entirely independent of the operations of Queen Ann's Bounty, is worthy of record. By the 46 Geo. III. c. 155, sec. 2 and 3, special commissioners acting under the great seal exonerated 1263* livings, whose clear annual amount did not exceed 150l. from all present charge of land-tax, and from all further assessment See Highmore's History, &c. of Mortmain, p. 378. 1816.1 Number of Parishes, &e: in England and Wales. aug exceeding to L.so per Annum. L.70 319 80 90 120 130 140 100 thereon. And by similar and subsequent Number not acts, the said commissioners have been since empowered to continue to " ment the incomes of other small livings" by the same means. Being unable to state myself to what extent they have done so, perhaps the secretary to the board of commissioners, should this attract his notice, will obligingly communicate to you the particulars, for the information of the clergy, the public, and your &c. H-N. Jan. 12, 1816. Total under the value of 150%. . 3998 105 THE opinion of thy medical readers almost every family, being requested by on a question now happily interesting to leave to offer the following coup de plume a correspondent (vol. iv. p. 487), I beg in reply. Among the thousands that it annually falls to my lot to vaccinate, it happens that some have already abscesses or eruptions upon them, which render them at the time insusceptible of vaccination. At the place of applying the vaccine. ichor, inflammation, sometimes a little vesication and discharge of matter are speedily produced, and very soon pass. away. This fugitive affection is not the cow-pock. The parent is informed that the child at the time is iosusceptible of it, and also of the small-pox inoculation. I have witnessed the effects of inoculation with such matter, and of such inoculations being continued from subject to subject. They produced only their like. The effects, in every instance, were transient and superficial. When the eruption is got rid of, the subject is vaccinated without difficulty. Sometimes subjects affected as above are found susceptible of vaccination. The perfect pock is produced in the ordinary way. I inoculate from it without hesitation. It produces its like. Contrary to the opinion of some of the deceased, and of others of the yet living adherents of Dr. Jenner, I find that in all the ordinary cases of vaccination the ichor may be used at any period with success, though it is most certainly active when taken early. I do not mean that it produces any effect different from that produced by the ichor taken at a later period. The effect is the same in every case of vaccination. The surgeon of Buonaparte, when accompanying him on: the capture of Vienna, acting upon that favourite apophthegm of his compatriot savans-La veritable Science ne connoit VOL. V. P 106 Dr. Walker on Vaccine Inoculation. point des ennemis, informed me by let ter, that by breaking the crust or scab which he had preserved, and dissolving it in water, he was enabled to inoculate with it. In India, where vaccination is more extensively carried on than in any other part of the world, they succeed in preserving the vaccine ichor in an active state in this encrusted form when other modes utterly fail them; and by letter last week from the hot climate of Rio Janeiro, I am informed they have successful recourse to the same mode of keeping up vaccination. In subjects affected, as already mentioned, from which I hesitate not to inoculate, the character of the previous eruption seems determined to the place of inoculation, after the prophylactic ef fect of vaccination has been completed. It is mostly completed about the tenth day, as is manifested by that certain criterion, the induration and inflammation at the part, forming in whites a crimson areola, in blacks, an areola of jet. The passive business of the pock becoming concreted into a scab of a peculiar appearance (in colour like a tamarind stone) does not take place; a discharge is set up which prevents it: the arms become and continue sore till every residue of the previous eruption is completely swept away. Subjects previously troubled with discharges from the ears, or with eyes so tender as not to be able to endure the light, are often in this way effectually relieved; and when children of this description are brought to me, I find it not difficult to assure the mothers that my wish is benevolent when I hope to give their children very sore arms, and that the sores may be long continued. Sometimes on turning up the sleeve of a child to examine it and to inoculate from it, that modification or change at the inoculated part which I have been describing has begun. What's the matter with this child?'- Nothing, sir,' replies the parent, only it has an eruption under its cap, an abscess on its neck,' vel cætera. I certainly do not inoculate from it. Such operation I know might produce inflammation, a little vesication and discharge of matter, effects transient and superficial. If the morbid actions thus set up by the insition of the improper matter from the diseased subject who had gone through the vaccination should seem lingering, the inoculation of the genuine matter, on whatever part of the body, would soon bring the whole skin under its influence. The part where the improper matter had been applied [March 1, would at once cease to be under its little morbific effect. It would presently heal. Thus then vaccination is frequently instrumental in carrying off bad humours; it does not produce them. Perhaps I have not yet with sufficient distinctness replied to the inquiry of C. F. Webb; I further offer him, then, the following opinion. It appears to me that-when at the place of insertion of the lancet, whether in the inoculation of the small-pox or of the cow-pock, a distinct, the proposed, or true eruption is produced, the inserted virus, in producing such effect, is engaged in a work, whether acting upon fibres, nerves, vessels, or their contained fluids, that would effectually prevent the entrance of bad humours into the system, even the venom of a viper if the laucet had been besmeared by it. I mean by this statement suppositions that vaccination and variolation are works so distinct, that begun, carried on, and completed in the constitution, they admit not any other disease to mingle with them. They only shew themselves near relatives to each other. While. they uniformly arrest, during their presence, the progress of other diseases, as of meazles, chicken-pox, scarlatina, they exist sometimes and go on together, each diminishing the effect of its sister disease. Even in this condition of the subject, variola and vaccina are so distinctly separate from each other, that the prac titioner may demand of the candidate for inoculation: Utrum horum ? and applying his lancet to the pock of the one or the other, he will produce only the one distinct disease. I have mentioned the circumstance of my inoculating, without hesitation, from a patient in whom there will eventually be determination of the character of a previous eruption to the inoculated pars; and thy correspondent may be very fairly apprehensive, that in continuing to take the matter of inoculation too long from such subject, we may at length unknowingly insert bod humours together with the genuine vaccine ichor. I think I have seen the effect of such inoculation; and the relating of it, I trust, may complete my attempt to entirely obviate and clear up every doubt of thy correspondent. In a day or two after inoculating a soldier (it was in Asia) on examining his arm, I found the fugitive affection already described to have taken place. There was considerable inflammation with discharge of matter. It was two or 1816.] Mr. Taylor on an original Letter of Mrs. Wollstonecraft. three days more before I could reinocu- 9 j. 1816. Fare P. S. The following extract from the proceedings of the most experienced body in vaccination any where existing, may shew their opinion on the life-preserving practice. "Bond-court, Walbrook, March 4, 1807. "At a Beard of Medical Assistants and Appointed Inoculators of the London Vaccine Institution, convened for the purpose of preparing a Report to the general Inquiries of the Royal College of Physicians, appointed by his Majesty to investigate the subject of Vaccination, "It was concluded on after a deliberate consideration of the facts, &c. "1st. That the Vaccine Inoculation, when properly conducted, is a practice peculiarly safe in itself, producing a disease which is generally mild in its symptoms, of transient duration, and as perfectly efficacious in protecting from the Small Pox, as is the variolous disease itself, in preventing its own future occurrence. "gn. That it is also a practice so simple and evident in its effects that mistakes can hardly occur in it, except through extreme ignorance or neglect, and that even on this account it is much to be preferred to the Small Pox, which is sometimes strongly resembled by other cutaneous diseases." It may not be un interesting to some of thy readers to add, that all applicants by letter, post paid, addressed to me, are supplied by return of post with the matter of innoculation, free of expense. NR. EDITOR As many of the readers of your entertaining miscellany will doubtless be gratified by the perusal of any thing which was written by the celebrated Mrs. Wollstonecraft, I send you the following letter for insertion. It was written by her to my wife, between thirty and forty years ago, and at the period when in a situation particularly adverse to philosophy, I began to study the writings of Aristotle and Piato. At the time she wrote this letter her mind had not been poisoned by those democratic principles and that revolutionary philosophy which auerwards proved so fatal to her, and so destructive to Europe 107 When France by myriads pour'd her laroless sons, More fierce than Goths, than Alans, or than Huns. MY DEAR MADAM, THOS. TAYLOR. I received a letter yesterday which you were so obliging as to forward. I must own I was a little mortified at your not writing a line with it, tho' I hardly could expect such a favor, after my seeming neglect in not answering your last friendly epistle. And as it would vex me to lose any part of your good opinion, I am in a hurry to exculpate myself, and to assure you that it was not the want of either time or inclination; but merely an accident that prevented my writing. As Mr. Taylor is confined to a regimen, I wish ed to have sent him a couple of chickens, in order to regale his animal soul, and to invigorate his vegetable one. The intellect I know has a continual treat; but, (contrary to the general practice,) poor body is by him neglected. He really uses it very cruelly, not allowing it a sufficient recruit of rest and sleep. I hope he attends minutely to Dr. Lettsom's prescriptions, and I sincerely wish they may have the desired effect, and remove his disease, and your care. It would give Frances and myself the greatest pleasure to be, in the smallest degree, instrumental in bringing about so desirable an event, and we should in our turn, thank our “Guardian Angels" for directing us to you. I hope, and believe Mr. Taylor takes care of himself, and above all, that he does not set up late at night, tell him, I shall think him destitute of both friendship and affection, if he neglects any method of regaining health. I had almost forgot the chickens, they are feeding in the yard, and the servant tells me, they are not yet fat enough to kill, so they must enjoy the vital air a little longer; but when they are fit for the spit, I shall send their bodies to you, and the souls may go where they please. I have heard several times from Miss Blood, and in her first letter she enclosed a note to you, I send it to you, it will, F health; but her cold still I find continues to suppose, give you some account of het tease her and if it does not soon leave her I shall set off for W-Green, and try to nurse it away. The weather is so extremely cold, I can hanlly stir out, yet you may expect to see me, very soon, I shall be glad to steal from nonsense and parade to your fire-side, and hope to find Mr. Taylor much better. Remember me to him, and say something very civil for me, in your own pretty way. should be very happy to see him if the walk would not be too fatiguing. My sister's compliments attend you, as do the best wishes of your affectionate friend, Rotherhithe, Nov. 9. M.WOLLSTONECRAFT. |