Stationary at any given height, and -feveral improvements are fuggested refpecting the conftruction, inflation, mode of direction, and fecurity of landing.

What has hitherto been the grand defideratum for the conftruction of balloons, a durable and air-tight varnish, feems to be now in a great measure happily discovered.

• It was fome time ago (fays this Writer) reported at Paris, that M. Dutourny de Villiere had undertaken to conftruct a balloon fo truly impermeable, that he would warrant the duration of it for feveral weeks in the air. And it is fince known, that this defideratum has been effected, in the compofition for the celebrated balloon of Meffrs. Auban and Vallet, firft made fubject to direction.-The Writer [of the work before us] unacquainted with what had then been done in this matter, could not help remarking the ftriking properties of the cochuc, to anfwer every intention of the beft varnish,-if it could be diffolved, and afterwards made to recover its prefent unadhesive form.-He has, however, after expenfive trials and combinations, been able to reduce it into a limpid liquor :-the fecret he now discovers to the world; and it is merely this:

Take any quantity of the cochuc, as two ounces averdupois: cut it into small bits with a pair of fciffars. Put a ftrong iron ladle (fuch as plumbers or glaziers melt their lead in) over a common pitcoal or other fire. The fire muft be gentle, glowing, and without fmoke. When the ladle is hot, much below a red heat, put a fingle bit into the ladle. If black smoke iffues, it will presently flame and difappear: or it will evaporate without flame: the ladle is then too hot. When the ladle is lefs hot, put in a second bit, which will produce a white smoke. This white fmoke will continue during the operation, and evaporate the cochuc: therefore no time is to be loft; but little bits are to be put in, a few at a time, till the whole are melted. It fhould be continually and gently ftirred with an iron or brafs fpoon. Two pounds, or one quart, of the beft drying oil (or of raw linfeed oil which, together with a few drops of neats-foot oil, has stood a month, or not fo long, on a lump of quicklime, to make it more or lefs drying) is to be put into the melted cochuc, and stirred till hot: and the whole poured into a glazed veffel, through a coarse gauze, or fine fieve. When fettled and clear, which will be in a few minutes, it is fit for ufe, either hot or cold.'

The art of laying on the varnish, the author fays he is not at liberty to make public. He mentions only that it confifts in making no inteftine motion in the varnish, which would create minute bubbles; that therefore brushes are improper; and that every bubble breaks in drying, and forms a small hole. He recommends the varnished filks made by Mr. Fawkner at Manchefter,

chefter, whofe fecret confifts only in the peculiar mode of application.

Our Readers will judge, from the above fhort quotation, that this writer is in little danger of becoming obfcure by aiming at brevity. In fome cafes, as particularly in the directions for meafuring heights by the barometer (built on Sir George Shuckburgh's experiments in the Philof. Tranfact.), prolixity and tautology have rendered the operation apparently more intricate than it really is. The language is in general animated, but not free from affectation, nor always correct; nor will the fingularity of writing conftantly woud, coud, fhoud, throw', floguifton, foguifticated, make any great addition to his literary character. In the two laft mentioned words, the u is probably inferted to fhew that the g is to be pronounced hard, as in guilt; but we apprehend the mere English reader will be more likely to give fome found or other to the u itself. He had perhaps fome fimilar reason for writing aironaut, airoftat, airopaidia (the title of the book) with an i instead of an e; a mode of spelling and pronouncing which we could not have expected from one who quotes Greek. But thefe are only fraws floating on the furface of the ftream; and we fhould not perhaps have noticed them if they did not appear to have been defignedly scattered there, and injudiciously meant as embellishments.

ART. XII. The Triumph of Benevolence; occafioned by the national Defign of erecting a Monument to John Howard, Efq. 4to. Is. 6d. DodЛley, &c. 1786.

WE

E have frequently, when speaking of Dr. Howard's benevolent and useful publications*, embraced the occafion of paying our tribute of fincere applaufe to the merit of his tranfcendant philanthropy; but no writer hath more happily expreffed the peculiar character of his patriotic virtue, and labours of love for the benefit of the diftreffed part of his fellow-creatures, than hath Mr. Burke, in one of his eloquent addreffes + to the Public:-"To dive into the depths of dungeons; to plunge into "the infection of hospitals; to survey the manfions of forrow and ❝ pain; to remember the forgotten, to attend to the neglected,

to vifit the forfaken, and to compare and collate the diftreffes ❝ of all men in all countries;"-thefe have been the objects of this excellent man's refearches, in his vifits of fingular and un

* State of Prifons in England and Wales, Rev. Vol. LVII. p. 8. Account of Prifons in Germany, Italy, &c. Rev. Vol. LXIII. p. 530. Hiftorical Anecdotes of the Baftile, Rev. Vol. LXIV. p. 95. Appendix to the State of Prifons, &c. Rev. Vol. LXXII. p. 41. And, we beHeve, fome other tracts, which we do not at prefent recollect.

+ Speech at the Guildhall, Briftol, 1780.

precedented

precedented charity, to almost every country in Europe! And which he is now extending to the inhospitable regions of Turkey, in the laudable hope, that the means which he has difcovered to check the influence of the jail infection, will be efficacious, likewife, against the plague.'-May his generous enterprize be crowned with fuccefs!

The Poem now before us, is written in praise of this excellent FRIEND OF MAN! and the perufal of it hath afforded us great pleasure. With the wreath which the Poet, with animated hafte,' has woven to deck the shrine of Howard,' he hath twined no mean chaplet for his own brow: as the reader will perceive, from the following fhort extract:

• From Public Gratitude the notes arife,

To honour virtuous HowARD yet on earth;
While Providence yet fpares him from the fkies,
Th'enduring Statue fhali atteft his worth.
Lo, Albion's ardent fons the deed approve,
Wide o'er the realm to spread the generous flame,
A fpirit like his own begins to move,

A thousand virtues kindle at his name.

This, this the moment, Britons, ye fhould chufe,
While the fair act no modeft blush can raise :
The good man's abfence fhall our love excuse,
And give the full-plum'd luxury of praise.
By Heaven commiffion'd, now our Patriot flies
Where Nature fcourges with her worst disease,
Where plague-devoted Turkey's victim lies,
Where spotted Deaths load every tainted breeze:
With love unbounded, love that knows not fear,
Wherever pain or forrow dwells he goes,
Kindly as dew, and bounteous as the sphere,

His focial heart no poor distinction knows.
Ah, what is friend or foe to Him, whose soul
Girding creation in one warm embrace,
Extends the faviour arm from pole to pole,
And feels akin to all the human race!

To all the human! all the brutal too;

Bird, beaft, and infect, blefs his gentle power,
From the worn fteed repofing in his view,

To the tame red-breaft warbling in his bower.'

By a note added to one of the Letters annexed to the Poem, we learn, that Mr. Howard allots to his horfes, grown old, or infirm, a rich pafture to range in, for their lives:-this is, indeed, 'girding the creation in one warm embrace!' The charity of Howard is uniform throughout; it extends to all animated beings; and may be juftly compared to the dew of heaven, which defcends alike on all--the juft and the unjuft! What an admirable contraft to the conduct [the boafted fern virtue !] of thofe re

nowned

nowned heroes of old Rome, who turned out their aged and exa haufted flaves, and left them to starve!

The poem from which the foregoing extract is taken, is fol lowed by a pretty Sonnet, written by W. Upton, and addreffed to Dr. Lectiom, a zealous and munificent promoter of the defign of erecting a flatue in honour of Mr. Howard, in his life-time; a defign which, perhaps, few befide the modeft Howard himfelf will disapprove.

We have, alfo, in this publication, copies of letters * from various friends and contributors to the above-mentioned under taking; fome offering their advice, for the improvement of the plan, and an extenfion of it, to prifon charities and reforms; and pointing out what the writers conceive to be the most proper fituation for the intended column.-There is alfo a lift of Subfcribers, who are numerous; and we have the pleasure to fee that the fum fubfcribed is already very confiderable.

*Chiefly, if not wholly, felected from that valuable mifcellany, the Gentleman's Magazine.

MONTHLY

CATALOGUE,

For SEPTEMBER, 1786.

MEDICA L.

Art. 13. The remarkable Effects of Fixed Air in Mortifications of the Extremities; to which is added the Hiftory of fome Worm Cafes. By John Harrifon, Surgeon, of Epfom, Surry. 8vo. 1s. Baker and Galabin. 1785.

T

HE two cafes, here related, of mortifications, feem to be in ftances of the Gangrena Senilis; for which poultices of flour, yeast, and honey, were applied in the act of fermentation. In the firft cafe (that of Mrs. Budworth, aged go) it was applied on the 20th of February; but though the fore had contracted a fifth part, and had no appearance which threatened a return of mortification, Mrs. B. died on the 8th of March following. The fecond cafe [that of Buckle, aged 70] is more in point, and bears more favourable teftimony to the operation of the poultice. Is it right in this cafe to afcribe the good effect produced to the fixed air? Is not the heat, generated by the fermentation, of ufe? Warmth and moisture are very beneficial in checking the progrefs of the Gangræna Senilis. Warm water fimply has been known of fervice in fuch cafes.

The hiftories of fome worm cafes cured by an unknown medicine (to ufe the Author's expreffion) are fubjoined. These we shall not examine. We do not, however, agree with the Prefident of the College, in the play, in maintaining that it does not become us to enquire; though, like Dr. Laft, Mr. Harrifon would ftop us at once, and fay, as he does in his book, "the means are a fecret." Such concealments are generally fufpicious, and are always unworthy of proREV. Sept. 1786.

feffional

feffional men. close.

They who practise them have seldom much to difArt. 14. An Account of the late epidemic Ague, particularly as it appeared in the Neighbourhood of Bridgnorth, in Shropshire, in 1784, with a fuccefsful Method of treating it. To which are added, fome Obfervations on a Dyfentery that prevailed at the fame Time. By William Cooley, Surgeon in Bridgnorth. 80. Is. Murray, &c. 1785.

Mr. Cooley appears to be a great admirer of Dr. Cullen, and applies, in this book, the Profeffor's theories to explain the appearances of the epidemic ague which occurred, as above, in Shropshire. Art. 15. Dr. Milman's Animadverfions on the Nature and on the Cure of the Dropy. Tranflated from the Latin, into English, by F. Swediaur, M. D. 8vo. 3s. Dodfley, &c. 1786.

When we noticed * the Animadverfiones, &c. (of which the book before us is a tranflation), it appeared to us, that the learned Author had fuggefted a confiderable improvement in the treatment of an obftinate and dangerous diforder. Subfequent experience has confirmed the opinion we then expreffed of the methods of cure recommended by Dr. Milman. In the Preface to this publication, Dr. Swediaur adds his teftimony to the advantage of them; and we think the Public much indebted to him for giving these useful observations an English dress, as they will, doubtlefs, be thereby rendered more extenfively beneficial.

Art. 16. Remarks on morbid Retentions of Urine. By Charles Brandon Trye, Member of the Corporation of Surgeons in London, and Surgeon to the general Infirmary in Glocefter. 2s. 6d. Murray. 1785.

Mr. Trye refers preternatural retentions of urine to the following caufes ft. A want of tone in the mufcular fibres of the body of the bladder; by which it will be deprived of the power to contract. zdly, To a paralytic affection of the bladder; in which cafe it will not receive (feel we fuppofe is meant) a difpofition to contract. 3dly, An inflammation or fpafm of the mufcular fafciculi, which furround the opening of the bladder into the urethra. 4thly, The canal of the urethra being rendered incapable of dilatation by inflammation, fpafm, ftricture, or preffure. 5thly, An extraneous body, as a stone lying upon the opening of the bladder, or lodged in the urethra. 6thly, The retention of the urine in the body may arife from a bursting or laceration of the coats of the bladder. The remedies for thefe affections are confidered. In the cafe of the urine's not coming away from a paralytic bladder, after the introduction of the catheter, Mr. Trye propofes to draw it off by means of an air-pump, a glass receiver, and a flexible tube terminating in a conical metallic pipe; an engraving of which inftruments accompanies this book, and deferves the confideration and attention of the profeffional reader. Art. 17. An Effay on the Jaundice, in which the Propriety of ufing the Bath Waters in that Disease, and also in fome particular Affections of the Liver, is confidered. By William Corp, M. D.

*See Rev. vol. LXII. Numb. for Jan. 1780.

Member