of the protection offered by the Government. This is more or less the case in every country except England and America, and perhaps the principal reason of their little progress in freedom. Hence the feverish excitement in their capitals and large towns, and the comparative inertness and palsy of the country. Every town and village in America has its peculiar Republican government, based on the principle of election; and is, within its own sphere, as free and independent as a sovereign state. On this broad basis rests the whole edifice of American liberty. Freedom takes its root at home, in the native village or town of an American. The county, representing the aggregate of the towns and villages, is but an enlargement of the same principle; the State itself represents the different counties; and the Congress of the United States represents the different States. In every place, in every walk of life, an American finds some rallying-point or centre of political attachment. His sympathies are, first, inlisted by the government of his native village; then, by that of the county; then, by the State itself; and finally, by that of the Union. If he is ambitious, he is obliged to make a humble beginning at home, and figure in his native town or county; thence he is promoted to the dignity of representative or senator of his State; and it is only after he has held these preparatory stations that he can hope to enjoy the honour of representative or senator in the Congress of the nation. Thus the county is the preparatory school for the politician of the State, and the State furnishes him with a proper introduction to national politics."

A better defence of the democratic institutions of the United States we have never met with, than that which our last extract furnishes.

"Democratic institutions, as they exist in America, are without a precedent in history. The ancients never dreamed of a government similar to that of the United States; and its very existence was precluded by the ignorance of the masses and the absence of a periodical press. Never before have the people at large participated in or assumed the government of a state. All the arguments in the world in favour or against Democracy must, therefore, remain conjectures, till time shall have solved the problem. The question, in America, is no longer whether Democracy is to be established, but whether it is to be changed. It exists there already, and cannot be abolished without a most dangerous and violent revolution. The Tories are the Revolutionists in America; the Democrats are the Conservatives, and adhere to the government. The point at issue is, whether the latter are to give up a form of government under which they have prospered and made such immense improvements, merely because doubts are entertained as to the possibility of retaining it for ever?—whether they shall surrender a power which, once departed from them, will never return to its source, and to obtain which they would have to make new and additional sacrifices?

The face of the world is changed; why should the old forms of government be the only ones adapted to its new character? The people have acquired information and power; why should they not use them in the establishment of governments, when they can do so without commit

ting an act of injustice to others? Democracy in America is a legitimate and historical form of government, and does not clash with the established manners and customs of the country. The most perfect despotismthat of China-has lasted for thousands of years; why should liberty alone be for ever banished from the earth? If tyranny could find such a basis, should justice be built in the air? I much rather believe that the liberty of the ancients was not established on a basis sufficiently large to withstand the attacks of factions, and that the overthrow of their republics was chiefly owing to the little power which was vested in the majority of the people. A whole nation is seldom deceived about her true interests, and cannot be bribed by a party. The people may make faults; but they have always the power of repairing them, and where they have a share in the government, are identified with its continuance and progress. If it be true that universal history contains the judgment of the world,' we must consider the downfall of Rome as the punishment of its political crimes, and may hope for the freedom of America as long as her people shall be worthy of it."

We have before hinted at some of the author's objectionable, as well as exaggerated pictures. In conclusion, we add, that he indulges in not a few groundless or fanciful theories, and that he generalizes, sometimes without offering a sufficient induction of facts, and sometimes again in opposition to that induction. Upon the whole, however, we look upon his work as a valuable contribution to our knowledge of America, and an able illustration and defence of free institutions. But surely he speaks without the authority either of experience or Divine inspiration, when he fancies that the republic which he so much admires, is at some future day, to include the whole of the American continent, and become " and indivisible."

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ART. IX. Curiosities of Medical Experience. By DR. MILLengen. 2 vols. 8vo. London: Bentley. 1837.

ALTHOUGH We have not seen the whole of this work, parts of which, we believe, have previously appeared in a periodical publication, yet a sufficiently accurate account may be given of its character, from observing the peculiar qualities of the portion that has come to our hands. The work is one of the most entertaining of those that we have seen for many months; but while it amuses by means of a great mass of anecdotes that are singularly curious and wonderful, and comprises the results of an extraordinary extent of reading, detailing these in an agreeable and a learned manner, we are also instructed, not only in reference to the many strange and various fashions that have heen prevalent in medical practice during different ages of the world, but are benefited by being led to see the delusive, absurd, and mischievous fancies and practices which men are capable of countenancing. It is neither the history nor the

science of medicine which Dr. Millengen here presents, and yet there are many excellent things said, and facts recorded, that would greatly enrich any regular or philosophic performance on kindred branches of knowledge, whether body or mind were the immediate subjects of illustration.

Some of the most striking portions of the work treat of various uncommon diseases both of the body and the imagination, of deviations from nature as in the case of Gigantic and Dwarfish Stature, of Obesity and Leanness, &c. There are sections on Insanity, Plague, Love Potions, as well as on Frightful Idiosyncracies. There accompany the record of these wonders, the results of the author's studies, experience, and reflections as to their origin, and the methods of cure that have been, and also those that should have been adopted. There are discussions on many analogous subjects, such as Enthusiasm, Medical Fees, the Burial of the Dead in Churches, Varieties of Language as well as Races among Mankind, and many other topics which, in desultory works of the kind are to be expected, but which there is no occasion for us anxiously to specify.

We have said that Dr. Millengen has produced an agreeable and a learned work. It must, however, be added, that he not only draws largely from antiquated authorities, with respect to facts and anecdotes-nor, according to the nature of the work, could this be avoided-but the theories thereon built are frequently erroneous, far-fetched, or in opposition to the most approved methods of philosophy. But it is with the anecdotes and the reported facts, rather than with profitless controversies regarding opposing medical theories and systems of practice, that we have to do.

It is by no means new to hear the application of the rod strongly recommended in behalf of certain urchins; but probably many of those who take their doctrine from Solomon, are unaware that flaggellation has other immediate uses.

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Various expedients, in addition to a better diet, have been resorted to, to restore lean persons to a better case; but amongst the most singular that we have on record, is that of flagellation. Galen says, that horsedealers having been observed to fatten horses for sale by flogging them, analogous method might be useful with spare persons who wish to become stouter. He also mentions slave-dealers who employed similar means. Suetonius informs us, that Musa, the favourite physician of Augustus, used to fustigate him, not only to cure him of a sciatica, but to keep him plump. Meibomius pretends that nurses whip little children to fatten them, that they may appear healthy and chubby to their mothers. No doubt but flagellation determines a greater influx of blood to the surface, and may thus tend to increase the circulation and give tone to parts which would otherwise be languid. With this intention, urticatio, or whipping with nettles, has been frequently used in medical practice with great advantage.

Xenophon thawed his frozen soldiers by flagellation. In amorous despondency and grief, Coelius Aurelianus recommended this process; and Elidous Paduanus precognizes it to bring out tardy eruptions. The most singular effect of this castigation is recorded by Meibomius, in his work De Flagorum Usu, &c. dedicated to a councillor of the Bishop of Lubeck, with the following epigraph

• Delicias pariunt Veneri crudelia flagra.

Dum nocet, illa juvat; dum juvat, ecce nocet.'"

It is well known, that food, rich and abundant, materially influences the corporeal condition of mankind, and generally tends, if judiciously taken, to improve the aspect; but it is also frequently observed, that enormous eaters are miserably lean. Dr. Millengen mentions that during the late war, a French prisoner was known" to eat four pounds of raw cow-udder, ten pounds of raw beef, and two pounds of candles, per diem, diluting his meals with five quarts of porter;" yet, he adds, this carnivorous monster was " a perfect skeleton." It does not appear that gluttony was the cause of emaciation in the following cases :—

"A remarkable case of leanness is mentioned by Lorry, in a priest who became so thin and dry in all his articulations, that at last he was unable to go through the celebration of mass, as his joints and spine would crack in so loud and strange a manner at every genuflexion, that the faithful were terrified and the faithless laughed. One of these miserable laths once undertook a long journey to consult a learned physician on his sad condition and having begged to know, in a most piteous tone, the cause of his dessication, was favoured with the following luminous answer: Sir, there is a predisposition in your constitution to make you lean, and a disposition in your constitution to keep you so. Another meagre patient, being told that the celebrated Hunter had fattened a dog by removing his spleen, exclaimed, with a deep sigh, O, Sir, I wish Mr. Hunter had mine."

Before leaving the instances amongst these curiosities that are not less monstrously disgusting than wonderful, we select some accounts of certain individuals, who are called "Homophagous" and " Polyphagous." These persons are gifted or cursed with an omnivorous digestion. We pass over the cases drawn from Ovid and other ancient accounts, to come to modern times. "To this day," says our author, "in India, some voracious mountebanks devour a live sheep in an exhibition." Again, "Dr. Boehmen, of Wittenberg, witnessed the performance of one of these polyphagous individuals, who commenced his repast by eating a raw sheep, a sucking pig, and, by way of dessert, swallowed sixty pounds of prunes, stones and all. On another festive occasion, he ate two bushels of cherries, with several earthen vases, and chips of a furnace. This meal was followed up by sundry pieces of glass and pebbles, a shepherd's bagpipe, rats, various birds with their feathers, and an incredible

number of caterpillars. To conclude his dinner, he swallowed a pewter inkstand, with its pens, a penknife, and a sand-box. During this deglutition, he seemed to relish his food, but was generally under the influence of potations of brandy. His form was athletic, and he could convey four heavy men on his shoulders for a league; he lived to the age of seventy-nine, but died in a most emaciated state, and, as might be imagined, toothless." These, and similar accounts, certainly stagger belief; but many physicians in Paris, says Dr. Millengen, knew the celebrated gluttonous monster Tarrare, who commenced his career as clown to an itinerant quack, and used to attract the notice of the people by his swallowing enormous quantities of corks, apples, &c. We need not wonder, when told that these experiments obliged him to seek assistance in the Hôtel Dieu of Paris. But he had not yet learned to moderate his_monstrous propensities; for, he once was about to swallow the housesurgeon's watch, chain and seals, and was only prevented by having been told that he would be ripped up to recover the property. Yet

this is not all.

"In the revolutionary war, Tarrare joined the army, but was soon exhausted on the spare diet to which the troops were obliged to submit. In the hospital of Sultzen, although put upon four full rations, he was obliged to wander about the establishment to feed upon any substance he could find, however revolting, to subdue his voracious hunger. These singular powers induced several physicians to ascertain how far these omnivorous inclinations could carry him in his unnatural cravings. In presence of Dr. Lorentz he devoured a live cat, commencing by tearing open its stomach, and sucking the animal's blood with delight. What was more singular, after this horrible feat, like other carnivorous brutes, he rejected the fur and skin. Snakes were to him a delicious meal, and he swallowed them alive and whole, after grinding their heads between his teeth. One of the surgeons, Mr. Courville, gave him a wooden lancet case to swallow, in which had been folded a written paper. This case was rejected undigested, and the paper being found intact, it became a question whether he might not be employed to convey secret correspondence; but having been taken up at the Prussian outposts as a spy, being diguised as a peasant, without a knowledge of the language, he received a severe bastinado, which effectually cured him of an appetite for secret service; and, on his return, he had recourse to the safer means of obtaining food in kitchens, slaughterhouses, and dunghills. At last, a child of fourteen months old having disappeared under suspicious circumstances, he was driven out of the hospital, and lost sight of for four years, when he applied for admission into the hospital of Versailles, in a state of complete exhaustion, labouring under a virulent diarrhoea, which terminated his hateful existence in his twenty-sixth year. He was of the middle size, pale, thin, and weak; his countenance was by no means ferocious, but, on the contrary, displayed much timidity; his fair hair was remarkably fine and soft; his mouth was very large, and one could scarcely say that he had any lips: all his teeth were sound, but their enamel was speckled; his skin was always hot, in a