it, complete fuccefs attended its ufe. We fubjoin the formula" of the compofition, and fincerely with that larger experience may confirm Mr. Moore's opinion of its merits.

"Take of white hellebore root eight ounces; white wine two pints and a half. The root is to be cut in thin flices, and infufed for ten days, occafionally fhaking the bottle. Let the in fufion be then filtered through paper.

"The mixture employed for the gout, confifted of three parts of the above wine of white of hellebore, and one part of liquid laudanum."

The dofe is the fame as of the Eau medicinale, two drams being the full dofe, but half that quantity in general fuffices.

Mr. Moore ftrongly vindicates Dr. Jones from the fufpicions which naturally attach to the circulation of a noftrum; and we are happy to fee him fo vindicated. Our fufpicions were raised merely by the circumftances; but it is painful to fufpect; and we are happy to difmifs thofe feelings in the prefent inftance.

ART. 27. Communications relative to the Datura Stramonium, or Thorn-Apple; as a Cure or Relief of Asthma: addreffed to the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. Several of them never before published. 8vo. 90 pp. 35. 6d. Sherwood, Neely, and Jones. 1811.

The Datora Stramonium, or Thorn-apple, has long been known by its narcotic qualities. Internally adminiftered, it produces delirium, ftupor, and if in fufficient quantity, death. Thefe qualities have been applied to various purpofes, efpecially in the eaft, where women are faid to give it occafionally to their hufbands; and knaves to perfons whom they defign to plunder. Its medicinal effects have been investigated by various practition ers; at one period it was fuppofed to have great influence in maniacal, convulfive, and epileptic cafes; but experience has not confirmed the favourable opinion of its beneficial effect, and it has fallen into difufe as a remedy. Of late, however, much attention has been excited by advertisements in the newspapers, ftating the good effects of fmoking Stramonium in cafes of asthma; and many perfons have given it a trial. Some of their cafes were publifhed in the Monthly Magazine, and the editor has deemed them worthy of being reprinted with additional matter in the form of a pamphlet. The cafes ftated in this compilation are highly fa vourable to the remedy; and the editor, we doubt not, thinks he is doing public good in bringing them into notice. We fear, in this refpect, he will be deceived. Afthma is a complaint produced by various caufes, and occurs in very different habits. Stramonium operates as a narcotic; the cough is quieted, and the fpafmodic action of the muscles fubfervient to refpiration, ceafes for a time, and the patient imagines that he is relieved. In fome inftances

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inftances the relief is certain; in others again, where the cough and fpafmodic action of the mufcles are excited to remove an of fending caufe, by quieting thefe diftreffing fymptoms, we deftroy the very actions which, under due regulation, would be falutary.

ART. 28. Obfervations on the Act for regulating Mad-Houfes, and a Correction of the Statements of the Cafe of Benjamin Elliott, convicted of illegally confining Mary Daintree; with Remarks addreffed to the Friends of infane Perfons. By James Parkinfon. 8vo. pp. 48. 2s. Sherwood, Neely, and Jones.

1811.

The following are the particulars of the cafe, which has called forth this well-written pamphlet.

"Nearly four years ago, Mrs. Mary Daintree, who had loft her husband fome months before, became fo much deranged in her mind as to be troublesome, by the frangeness of her conduct, to the neighbourhood in Rofoman Street, Clerkenwell, in which fhe refided. She was fometimes feen walking up and down the street where the lived at four or five o'clock in the morning, in the mast agitated manner. Sometimes the fancied that voices came down the chimney, or through the wainscot, or were to be heard in the air, calling her reproachful names, and accufing her of killing her husband. At other times The would be feen walking about with a long cord wrapped many times round her body, or her arm, faying that she had been ordered to wear it, and would not admit of its removal. One evening in particular, her diftrefs feemed to be fo great, and she having tried to conceal a cord, and then a knife, as it was fuppofed for the purposes of felf-deftruc tion, that it was found neceffary to fit up with her all the night."

Her vagaries and mischievous propenfities increafing, on ap plication being made by her nephew and niece, Mr. and Mrs. Elliott, with whom the lodged, to her brother, he desired that fhe might be placed in a private mad-houfe, which was done. on the 28th of November, 1807. The following day Mr. Park. infon firft faw her, and finding her anfwers rational, though her manner was ftrange and eccentric, he declined figning the certificate, till he had gained more information refpecting the nature of her infanity. A perfon who lodged with her in the fame house, and her own fon, affured Mr. Parkinson of their being convinced that she was infane, and affigned fatisfactory reafons for their opinion; and after a fecond examination, he had no hefitation in figning the certificate.

"Her confinement lafted about three months, during which fhe was vifited by her fon every week or fortnight, at the importunity of Mr. and Mrs. Elliott, with whom he continued to live. At this period fhe faw an acquaintance from one of the windows, whom the called to, and informed that she was confined

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there

there though perfectly in her fenfes. Her acquaintance, therefore, applied to Mr. Burrows, who immediately introduced her to Mrs. Daintree, and upon her brother's coming to town, the was released, in confequence of the repeated applications of thefe acquaintances.

On October the 29th, 1810, three years within a month after the time of figning the certificate, I, (Mr. Parkinfon,) received a fubpœna, and attended as a witnefs on the trial of Benjamin Elliott, his wife, and Sarah Bodkin, Mrs. Daintree's fifter, for a confpiracy, the object of which was illegally to deprive Mary Daintree of her liberty. On being called up, the following examination took place.

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'Q. When did you fee Mrs. Daintree firft at Mrs. Burrows? "A. The morning after fhe had been brought there; when I was furprized at finding her the widow of a man whom I had known and refpected.

"Q. In what ftate did you find her?

"A. She feemed well in health, and her converfation appeared to be rational, but her manner was strange and peculiar. I would wish to observe, that I was then unable to determine, whether that was the confequence of irritation or not.

"Q. Well, fir, what then?

"A. I acquainted Mr. B. that I did not fee fufficient reafon to convince me of the propriety of figning the certificate; but that I would call in St. John's Street, and endeavour to inform myfelf as to the nature of the madness.

"Q. Well, Sir, you then went to St. John's street? "A. Yes, Sir.

"Q. Well, Sir?

"Mr. Alley, addreffing Mr. Gleed in an under voice, faid, We'll have none of what paffed in St. John's street.-Mr. G. Why not?-Mr. A. Because it is converfation."

"Mrs. Daintree's fon being examined, he fwore, that "he had never feen her any more mad than fhe was then." He did not recollect having been formerly interrogated on the fubject by Mr. Parkinson, and denied that he had ever acknowledged to that gen cleman, that his mother was infane. From the lapfe of three years, Mr. Parkinson, though convinced the young man in courr was the fame whom he had formerly queftioned, was unwilling to fwear to his identity; and the defendant was fentenced to fix months imprisonment in the houfe of correction in Cold-bath-fields. This cafe was unquestionably a hard one; and it did not appear that Mr. Elliott could derive any advantage from the confinement of Mrs. Daintree, further than getting rid of a public nuifance; whilft he enfured her fafety, preferved the peace of the neighbourhood, and afforded her a chance for amendment.”

Many unfortunate cafes, doubtlefs, have occurred, where the liberty of the fubject has been violated; where an individual has been immured within the dreadful enclosure of a receptacle for

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for infane patients, when the utmost charge that could be alledged against her, has been fome eccentricity of manner, or innocent deviation from established cuftom. It appears to us, that the exifting regulations of private mad-houfes, are either inadequate in themselves, or not duly enforced. According to the act, keepers of mad-houfes may not receive patients without an order, in writing, under the hand and feal of a phyfician, furgeon, or apo thecary. Now, this is really no protection whatever; honourable perfons, even, may be deceived in the medical practitioner they employ; but where the intention is to act wrong, how many of Shakespeare's apothecaries may not be found! Admitting the competency and the good principles of phyficians and fur geons, fecured by the honourable inftitution of which they ne, ceffarily are members, we heartily concur in the following judicious remarks of Mr. Parkinson." But how widely different is it with respect to fome of thofe perfons who call themselves apothecaries, and thence prefume to judge refpecting difeafes. Their abilities have been examined by no prescribed teft, nor have they received any authority to take on themselves the delicate and important task of judging of, or of practifing upon, the difeafes either of the body or of the mind. That in this metropolis, and in many parts of the empire, there are many very refpectable perfons, who with the defignation only of apothecaries, poffefs every acquirement which is requifite for the fuc cefsful exercife of their profeffion, is well known. But it is equally well known, that there is hardly a neighbourhood which is not infefted with fome ignorant and illiterate being, who having learned the names of many medicines, and of fome difeafes, feeks a livelihood by putting the lives of his neighbours at hazard, by pretending to remove the difeafes with which they happen to be afflicted."

Should the range of fuch men be enlarged-should they in addition to the calamities with which they are now able to inflict the families around them, be empowered, at their will, and on their judgment, to decree the confinement in a mad-house of any one, who from their ignorance, or their pliant fervility to a fuperior, or their eafy yieldings to interefted and well-managed importunities they may be induced to term infane ?"

POLITICS.

ART. 29. A Conftitution for the Spanish Nation. Prefented to the Supreme Funta of Spain and the Indies, Nov. 1, 1809. By the Alvaro Florez Estrada, Attorney-General of the Principality of Afturias. Tranflated from the Original, by W. Burdon. 8vo. 55 PP. 2s. 6d. Sherwood and Co. 181-1.

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Signior Don Estrada, like all young conftitution-mongers, begins with ideas of equality fo ftrong that even his tranflator,

Mr.

Mr. Burdon, who once knew no better, and now not much bet ter, thinks proper to contradict him. "The author's fintiments on equality," fays he in a note," are the refult of theory, rather than experience; and though they befpeak the benevolence of his heart, they fhew that he has confulted his feelings more than his judgment. The dream of equality has completely vanished in England, [happy are we that it has, for the most benevolent reafons,] and cannot long ftand the telt of reafon any where." P. 20. Thefe are famous conceffions, from Mr. Burdon. He fays alfo in his preface," I doubt he [Eftrada] has propofed to limit the executive power farther than is confiftent with the respect due to its authority." So far is well, but he adds, "yet when we recollect the evils that have flowed, in this country, both from influence and prerogative, it is pardonable to try any experi ment."-For which we fhould fubftiture," And when we recollet the blefings which have flowed, in this country, both from influence and prerogative, it is unpardonable to try rath experiments of forming an executive without them.”

We think it right to announce this tranflation to the British public, that they may be able to fee what progreis Spain has at this time made in the forming of conftitutions. Don Estrada, though he may mean well, wants much inftruction.

ART. 30. An Inquiry into the fuppofed Increase of the Influence of the Crown, the prefent State of that Influence, and the Expediency of a Parliamentary Reform. By John Ranby, Ejq. 8vo. 3s. 6d. Baldwin. 1811.

This Pamphlet contains a review of the arguments brought forward by the Edinburgh Reviewers, and in the feveral speeches of Lord Grey; in which the author has ably detected the weaknefs and fallacy of thele arguments, and fhown that instead of proof we have only affertions, and for the cool difpaffionate inquiries of candid and ingenuous scrutinizers of political conduct, the angry ebullitions of difappointed partizans. The following is a fpecimen of the author's reafoning:

"But if the queftion (concerning this increafe of influence) be flated in the shape of regular argument, it will be found logi cally inconclufive, as thus :-a miniftry generally difapproved of by the people can be fupported by the influence of the Crown. But the prefent ministry is generally difapproved of by the people. Therefore the prefent ministry is fupported only by the influence of the Crown. I deny the minor or fecond affumption, for it is not poffible for the Reviewer to prove it, confequently the conclufion fails, and the argument is null,"

The other arguments of the author are drawn from indifputable matters of fact, and the actual divifions which have taken place on great political queftions from the year 1790 to the prefent time. He has next given a fatisfactory statement of the origin and pre

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fent