We shall give a short account of the leading circumstances, as they are now stated. Mr. Davy, assistant to Dr. Beddoes, at the Pneumatic Institution, was induced to respire the gas discovered by Dr. Priestley, and denominated by him the dephlogisticated nitrous gas. After having ascertained that its nature and properties had been mistaken by late experimentalists, he ventured to breathe it pure; and Dr. B. thus relates the consequences : The first inspirations of the gas produced giddiness, fulness of the head, and in short, feelings resembling those of incipient intoxication, but unaccompanied by pleasurable sensation. At this next experiment I was present. The quantity was larger, and the gas more pure. The scene exhibited was the most extraordinary I had ever witnessed, except in the case of that epileptic patient, whom I have described (Considerations on airs, part iv. p. 13.) as agitated," in consequence of the respiration of oxygen gas, with a long succession of the most violent movements. The two spectacles differed, indeed, essentially in one respect. In the former every thing was alarming in the latter, after the first moments of surprize, it was impossible not to recognize the expressions of the most extatic plea sare. I find it entirely out of my power to paint the appearances, such as they exhibited themselves to me. I saw and heard shouting, leaping, running, and other gestures, which may be supposed to be exhibited by a person who gives full loose to feelings, excited by a piece of joyful and unlooked for news. As in the case of the epileptic patient, no weariness or depression follow: so in this case, no exhaustion or languor or uneasy feeling took place. The experiment Mr. Davy has very frequently repeated, and generally with the highest pleasurable sensations, and, except under particular circumstances, with considerable muscular exertions, which have not in any instance been succeeded by fatigue or sadness.' The effects of this gas, on several of the author's friends, are detailed in the succeeding pages; we shall select a few of the most remarkable instances: Mr. J. W. TOBIN (after the first imperfect trials), when the air was pure, experienced sometimes sublime emotions with tranquil gestures, sometimes violent muscular action, with sensations indescribably exquisite; no subsequent debility-no exhaustion.-His trials have been very numerous. Of late he has felt only sedate pleasure. In Mr. Davy the effect is not diminished. PATRICK DWYER has always exhibited a ludicrous struggle between a propensity to laugh, undoubtedly produced by the air, and an eager desire to continue the inhalation. Rev. ROCHEMONT BARBAULD felt exhilarated, and was compelled to laugh, not by any ludicrous idea, but by an impulse unconnected with thought, and similar to that which is felt by children full of health and spirits-lassitude and languor through the day after.wards, which Mr. B. is disposed to attribute to hot oppressive weather, and a preceding sleepless night. 1 1 Mrs. BARBAULD THE CHILDREN'S FRIEND. At first pleasurable sensations, occasioning involuntary laughter; some momentary faintness afterwards.-We now understand the regulation of the dose, so as perhaps to be able to remove Mr. Barbauld's languor, and to give Mrs. Barbauld the pleasure without the transitory faintness.' ← Mr. WILLIAM CLAYFIELD has most resisted the effects of the gas. Pretty strong doses produced a transitory intoxication. In two instances, very large doses have excited the violent muscular orgasm, accompanied with exquisite pleasure, and followed by no debility. Mr. ROBERT SOUTHEY Could not distinguish between the first effects, and an apprehension, of which he was unable to divest himself. His first definite sensations were, a fullness, and dizziness in the head, such as to induce fear of falling. This was succeeded by a laugh, which was involuntary, but highly pleasurable, accompanied with a peculiar thrilling in the extremities - a sensation perfectly new and delightful. For many hours after this experiment, he imagined that his taste and smell were more acute, and is certain that he felt unusually strong and chearful. In a second experiment, he felt pleasure still superior-and has since poetically remarked, that he sup poses the atmosphere of the highest of all possible heavens to be com posed of this gas.'. After some time, Dr. Beddoes tried the effects of the gas in his own person; and we shall quote the account of his feelings: The first sensations had nothing unpleasant; the succeeding have been agreeable beyond his conception or belief, even after the raptur ous descriptions he had heard, and the eagerness to repeat the inhalation which he had so often witnessed. He seems to himself, at the time, (for why should one fear to use ludicrous terms when they are expressive?) to be bathed all over with a bucket full of good humour; and a placid feeling pervades his whole frame. The heat of the chest is much greater from a small dose than he ever felt from the largest quantity of oxygen. A constant fine glow, which affects the sto mach, led him one day to take an inconvenient portion of food, and to try the air afterwards. It very soon removed the sense of distention, and, he supposes, expedited digestion. He has never tried to bring on the high orgasm; but has generally felt more alacrity at the moment-not one languid, low, crapulary feeling afterwards. It occurred to him that, under a certain administration of this gas, sleep might possibly be dispensed with-he is sure that from less sleep he derives more refreshment than for many years past. And his morning alertness equals that of a healthy boy.' In the first case, however, where this gas was inhaled by a patient liable to hysteric fits, the paroxysms were brought on with increased violence, and continued, with some intermission, during several weeks. Dr. Beddoes proposes to employ the gas in the cure of palsy, and he mentions the following cas in support of his intention: • The The first patient that offered was a man aged twenty-six, whe after a course of excessive debauchery, especially with regard to fermented liquors, had been deprived, ten months before, of the power of one side. Among other things, which will be minutely related here. after, he complained of a pain when he held his head down. THIS MAN APPEARS JUST WELL. He has done a good deal of taylor's work within this fortnight. Besides the recovery of his muscular power, his general health has been most strikingly improved. We detain him in order to observe whether he will fall off again.' Though Dr. B. has not yet given an account of the method employed by him to produce this powerful agent, he intimates that it may be considered as oxygen in a more active state. That we may not be accused of mis-statement respecting his hopes of its utility, we shall add another quotation from the pamphlet: We intend to oppose our Nepenthe to the equable decay induced by time and intemperance; and we hope to palliate some of the evils of extreme old age itself. Τ We are emboldened by experience to pledge ourselves for the safe employment of the gas. We shall, indeed, be sadly disappointed if it do not sometimes prove the most delicious of luxuries, as well as the most salutary of remedies. In saying this, it may be allowed me to suggest to those, who have not attended to the tenor of my opi nions, that I now for the first time venture to hold forth these hopes. However urgently I may have recommended the investigation, my language, with regard to its issue, has always been, that I would not answer for the discovery of a gaseous remedy in any denomination whatever of disease. That natural or forced decay may be repaired, and the faculty of pleasurable sensation renovated, is now no longer a mere conjecture supported by loose analogies we see the strongest probabilities daily accumulating in favour of the opinion. It must only be remembered that so desirable a change cannot be effected by the agent applied in any manner to any constitution. It must be properly used in proper cases. Considering the present abundance of expert chemists, we cannot presume that others will not be able to prepare the gas perfectly without our instructions. Nevertheless, those who attempt to use it medicinally should be apprized that the utmost care is necessary in its preparation and employment. A deleterious, instead of a salutary fluid, as the author can attest from his own painful experience, may easily be obtained. Probably neither Dr. Priestley, nor the Dutch chemists, ever procured that which can be respired with safety. The difference, and its causes, will hereafter be pointed out.' At the conclusion of the Notice, some intended publications are announced, which are designed to forward Dr. Beddoes's plans for the improvement of medicine. Fer...r ART. 870 ART. X. Tracts and Observations in Natural History and Physiology* With Seven Plates. By Robert Townson, LL.D. &c. pp. 232. 7s. Boards. White. 1799. THIS HIS volume contains a few miscellaneous and rather desultory notices, on subjects of natural history: indeed, the author fairly confesses, in his introductory advertisement, that' the greater part of them are thrown in for the purpose of making a sizeable volume. This is candid: but it is no apology for printing unimportant matter. In such a case, we may ask, with the French satirist, "Are you condemn'd, Sir, under pain of corporal punishment, to publish a book?" In the tracts concerning the respiration of the amphibia, Dra Townson acknowleges that he has been anticipated by Swammerdam, and other naturalists, in his opinions respecting the respiration of amphibious animals; which he conceives to be in a great measure voluntary, and to depend on the action of the muscles on the throat. There are several experiments, detailed at great length, designed to prove that frogs and some lizards absorb a great quantity of moisture by the skin, and that' it transpires again by the same medium. We shall transcribe the general conclusion, and the Doctor's observation respecting a vulgar error: From whence it appears, that these animals sometimes absorbi nearly their own weight of water, and, as in the third experiment, in the short time of an hour and a half, and by the under surface of the body alone; this certainly is truly remarkable.' This ejection of water is no new observation, though it has beere chiefly noticed in Toads. It has been considered as their urine, and as poisonous, and they are accused of ejecting it with a mischievous intent. As far as my observations extend, it is common to all the Frog-tribe, but I conjecture that it is neither urine, nor ejected as an ordinary evacuation, nor given them by nature as a poisonous and missile weapon, to be used in their defence; but that it is pure water, and only voided as an incumbrance previous to their efforts to escape. To all of them, on such occasions, so much liquid in the bladder would certainly be very inconvenient, and particularly to those which leap.' A sketch of the mineralogy of Shropshire forms the only other part of the book which deserves particular notice. The plates, which are very well executed, represent; 1. The respiratory muscles of the Salamander; 2. The lung of the Lacerta lacustris; and the scapula of the Salamander. 3. The * For an account of Dr. Townson's " Philosophy of Mineralogy,” see the xvth article in our Review for the preceding month, p. 326. REV. DEC. 1799. urinary Ff urinary organs of the common frog. 4. An under-view of the muscles of respiration of the tortoise. 5. A view of the insettion of those muscles into the shell of the tortoise. 6. The Sarcite, a crystallization found on the Calton-Hill at Edinburgh, and considered by the author as a non-descript. Fer.. ART. XI. Strictures on the Modern System of Female Education. SCARCE CARCELY any subject has more generally invited discussion than that of education; and, as our physical and moral well-being is eminently concerned in obtaining just sentiments respecting it, we wish that we were enabled to compliment our fellow-creatures on their clear and rational views of it: but, notwithstanding our improvements, it yet remains imperfectly understood. The narrow conceptions and degrading prejudices of grown children mislead the rising generation; and we proceed, from age to age, displaying a degree of imbecility and vice which cannot be deemed natural to the human character. Man, abstractedly considered, is a being to be admired, not vilified; he is capable of vast attainments; and there is every reason for supposing that he is far from having reached the perfection of his nature, either in body or in mind. Man in cultivated society incomparably surpasses man in his savage state but there are still many errors and vices in society which demand and admit a remedy, and the removal of which must tend to a farther advancement of his being.In making this remark, we would not be thought to abet any wild and Utopian speculations: but we would encourage every reasonable and virtuous effort for the amelioration of humanity. We wish that the superior as well as the subordinate institutions of society were more propitious to general virtue, and. to that conduct which tends to make man in every condition an healthy, rational, moral, and happy animal. In the attainment of this end, much depends on his education and early habits, but not all. We soon find something in THE WORLD which influences us more than any ideas formed in the nursery, the school, the college, or in the circle of our family; and, if the principles and practices of this Great Seminary of Man be inimical to his improvement, the lectures of the private and the academical preceptor will have no powerful and important effect, if they prove not absolutely useless. The |