medical science, in modern times, have been still farther strengthened by his work on Indigestion now before us. The principle by which he has been guided, in the composition of this treatise, is not that of presenting a condensed account of what has been done by preceding writers on the subject under consideration, but that of laying before his readers the results of his own observations and experience respecting it. Dr. P. employs the term Indigestion in an extended sense, not as synonymous with dyspepsia, but as including under it that disease; and he divides it into three stages. The first of these he believes to arise either from the existence of indigestible food in the stomach, or from debility of that organ, irritation of its nerves, and a vitiated state of its peculiar secretion. In what he terms the second stage, the disease assumes somewhat of an inflammatory character, the epigastrium becomes tender to the touch, the pulse acquires a degree of hardness and fulness, and sometimes tenderness extends from the epigastrium over great part of the right hypochondrium. The third and last stage, according to the author, is marked by the establishment of organic disease in some neighbouring or distant sympathizing viscus, as in the liver, pancreas, spleen, lower bowels, heart, lungs, brain, &c. He remarks that it is a curious fact, and one of the greatest importance in the treatment, that the organic affection rarely takes places in the original seat of the disease, but in other organs with which the stomach sympathizes.' We do not doubt, however, that simple indigestion will lay the groundwork of organic disease of the stomach, and more especially of its pyloric extremity; and we are inclined to think that this melancholy consequence is of more frequent occurrence than it has been usually supposed to be. We have in our recollection more than one instance, in which profound mental affection appeared to have acted as the exciting cause of schirrus of the stomach; whether by continually interfering with the performance of healthy digestion, and thus keeping up an incessant local irritation, or by what other means, we shall not pretend to determine. 1 We cannot enter at length into a consideration of the several stages of indigestion now enumerated, nor consider in detail the varied and judicious treatment which Dr. Philip has recommended to be pursued in each of them. We could have wished, however, that he had refrained from those general expressions in which he has indulged, against the employment of mercury. That it may be abused, no man will question: but as little can' we doubt that it is our most power powerful instrument in the removal of diseases of the digestive organs. Dr. Philip himself, with all his caution, is forced to place on it his main reliance: but we do not remember to have met with any writer, or practitioner, who has recommended the mercurial pill to be given in such minute doses as. he has ordered. He prescribes, in some cases, a single grain, or even half a grain, of the mercurial pill, to be taken two or three times in the day; and he reports in the most flattering terms the efficacy of this practice. The tenderness of the epigastric region, in the second stage of indigestion, is referred by Dr. P. to increased vascularity and nervous irritation of the pylorus, in which we fully agree with him; and he has supposed that the morbid condition spreads by simple contiguity to the edge of the liver, which lies over the pylorus, and thence to the whole of that organ. In this stage of indigestion, leeches, according to Dr. Philip, give but temporary relief. Blisters we have ourselves known to be uniformly serviceable in such cases; and the author speaks highly of the efficacy of a permanent drain from the integuments of the epigastrium. Nothing has been found by Dr. P. so useful in correcting the inflammatory tendency which forms a part of the disease in this stage, as small doses of nitrate of potass in gum-water, given repeatedly in the day. These remarks serve to confirm us in the opinion which we have conceived, of the probable efficacy of external cold applied to the epigastrium during the existence of this tenderness; and more especially during those fits of severe pain, which so frequently attend stomachcomplaints. Some portion of professional intrepidity, we own, will be required to carry into effect this proposal: for external warmth to the region of the stomach is universally deemed indispensable in such cases; and a contrary practice would be regarded by most persons as certainly injurious, or perhaps fatal. During that state of debility which occurs in the second stage of indigestion, after the employment of means for reducing the inflammatory tendency of the complaint, Dr. Philip very judiciously recommends the cautious employment of a vegetable diet; and he states, in decided terms, the benefit which he has derived in such cases from the use of sarsaparilla. A very interesting subject of consideration is afforded by the influence exerted by the stomach, in its disordered states, on the functions of the heart. Palpitation is no uncommon effect of confirmed indigestion; and Dr. Philip states that he has met with instances, in which true inflammation of the heart was was the consequence of the disease of the stomach. When we consider the relative position of the heart, lying on the surface of the diaphragm, immediately beneath which is the stomach, as well as the contiguity of the oesophagus to the thoracic aorta, we shall not be surprized that sudden flatulent distension of the stomach and gullet, or other derangements and irritations of those parts, should produce powerful effects on the great centre of the circulation. Those who have the misfortune to labor under stomach-complaints (and they are peculiarly the inheritance of literature) can best tell the distressing sensations which they produce in the heart; at one time causing an irregularity of its action, at another even, threatening a total cessation of its functions. Dr. Philip has appended to his treatise on Indigestion the papers formerly published by him on the closely connected. subjects of Dyspeptic Phthisis, and habitual Asthma; with the addition of such new matter in reference to them as he has. since collected. His merit in describing this form of phthisis, and pointing out a successful method of treating it, demands. our warm approbation: but we must be permitted to remark, that he was not the first who directed the attention of medical. men to this species of consumption; Morton, in his Phthisiologia, having distinctly treated of it under the name of Phthisis. Hypochondriaca. Among the symptoms which he enumerates, . as especially distinguishing this form of phthisis, are oppression of the chest, and unusual lowness of spirits; and the treatment which he advises in this disease is much better adapted to a dyspeptic affection than to a morbid condition of the lungs. He directs spirit of hartshorn and tincture of castor to be administered in such cases; and he strongly recommends the employment of chalybeate waters, without which indeed he declares that pulmonary or antiphthisical medicines will prove of no avail. "The timely use of chalybeates," he remarks, "is imperatively demanded, before the symptoms of pulmonary ulcer become apparent;" - thus distinctly intimating his belief that dyspeptic disease sometimes terminates in ulceration of the lungs. A milk-diet, he states, is rarely appropriate in this form of consumption, on account of the debility of the nerves, and unnatural acidity of the stomach. He considers the use of opium as safe; and he declares that it is often required by those distressing spasms of the stomach, bowels, and other parts, to which such patients are peculiarly liable. (Phthisiologia, p. 243. Lond. 1689.) — Although it is thus obvious that dyspeptic phthisis was well known to this illustrious physician, he appears to have had but little success in its treatment: ut plurimum lethalis is his expression. expression. The improvement of the practice of medicine, however, has now happily taught us a mode of administering mercury, which enables us to treat diseases of the digestive organs with a degree of success to which Morton and his cotemporaries were altogether strangers. Those who are curious to know in what way the physicians of that time supplied the place of this valuable mineral, in the treatment of disorders of the liver, will peruse with interest Morton's chapter on Phthisis Icteritia; where they will find that Dr. Philip needed not, in his treatise on Febrile Diseases, to have travelled to the writings of Kaulin in order to illustrate the influence of diseased liver on the production of pulmonary consumption. (Phthisiologia, p. 349.) To conclude our remarks on this work of Dr. Philip, we have much pleasure in stating that it contains a great portion of valuable information on the subject of indigestion, and presents a highly philosophical and practically useful view of that disease. We add with regret that less attention, than we could have desired, has been paid in it by the author to the arrangement and condensation of his materials, and to perspicuity of language. The discussion of his subject is extended with undue prolixity, and the volume has thus attained a size which it could not have reached if subjected to a wholesome revision. ART. VII. An impartial Appeal to the Reason, Interest, and Patriotism of the People of Illinois, on the injurious Effects of Slave Labour. 12mo. (United States.) 1824. H AVING recently examined the question of slavery as far as it regards our own colonies, with that temper and caution which the subject appeared to demand, we shall in the following pages make some observations on the same system as it exists at present in the United States of America. We have been principally led to the consideration of this topic, by the intelligence that a convention of the people of the state of Illinois is summoned to meet in the month of August next, ostensibly to consider the expediency of amending the constitution, but in fact with the view of rescinding the article by which slavery is prohibited in that state; and we regret to say that, by many well informed persons, it is thought that this attempt will be successful. If an individual were about to perpetrate some great crime, it would ill become one who called himself his friend to stand carelessly by, a silent and inactive witness of the transaction. On On the contrary, he would surely endeavor, by words of earnest remonstrance, and by the exertion of all his influence, to withdraw his mistaken friend from the precipice to which he was hastening. He would address himself to his reason as well as to his passions; and, appealing to his better feelings, he would point out to him the enormity of the projected sin, which he would describe to him as hateful in the eyes of God, and disgraceful in the estimation of man. Should such an appeal to the heart of his infatuated friend prove vain, he would endeavour to influence him through the channel of his baser feelings, and would operate on his fears by displaying the dangers that would be incurred; or on his love of gain, by shewing how incompatible would be the contemplated crime with his real interests. If, after all remonstrances, he found him still obstinately wedded to his evil purpose, he would not leave him without making a solemn and indignant protest against the commission of a great and premeditated sin. Such a sin is about to be committed in a country which has in other respects given a most noble example to the world; and admiring, as we do, the free institutions of America, we cannot witness this attempt to corrupt them, without expressing our earnest reprobation of an act so unjust and impolitic. Although the importation of slaves into the United States is now prohibited by law, slavery itself still exists in many parts of the Union, and more particularly in the Southern States. The following is believed to be a correct estimate of the amount of the slave-population of the whole United States in the year 1820, and of the rate of its increase in the preceding thirty years: 1 It may be proper, in the first place, to consider what is the situation of this vast and rapidly increasing body. By the testimony of every traveller who has visited the United States, it appears that the Negroes are completely an isolated class of beings. Between the free-born American and his slave, there is no single feeling in common; and contempt of the poor Blacks, as one of those travellers has observed, seems to be the national sin of America. "I never," says Mr. Duncan, saw a white and a black man either walking or eating together, nor ever heard of such a thing."* Professor Silli 66 - * Duncan's Travels through Part of the United States, vol. ii., p. 260. man, |