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^ ' 3 / ^ " 
 
 
 HINTS 
 
 RESPECTING 
 
 Lettsofto^ O.C - 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED IN THE YEAR 
 
 M.DCC.XCV. 
 
A 
 
HINTS, &c. 
 
 IV yTAN, from the nature of his ftrudture, 
 is heir to innumerable evils. The very 
 phasnomena, common to all, of growth and 
 dilToiution, render his frame liable to painful 
 revolutions. That ftrudfure, formed, as it is, 
 with a wonderful chain of dependent actions 
 of folids and fluids, with ramifications of vef- 
 fels that elude the mofl; penetrating eye; is, at 
 the fame time, expofed to all the viciflitudes 
 of climates and feafons — to infedlions that float 
 in the air — to poifons from rabid animals 
 
 and 
 
 * As foon as poflible after being bit by a rabid animal, 
 the part (hould be waflied with c»ld water, for a confider- 
 able length of time — fo long, tVat after dropping a little 
 
 B I black 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 and venomous reptiles ; as w^ell as from 
 the deleterious juices * of different vegeta- 
 bles ; 
 
 black ink into the wounded part, the blacknefs of the ink 
 fhall be totally wafhed off. Tais may be very conveniently 
 done, by pouring water out df the fpout of a kettle, fuf- 
 pended high above the p art thp ftreain ol water is directed 
 upon ; after t hisj no time fhould be loft in cutting out 
 the bitten part with a fharp knife or razor — And, as there 
 have been inftances, even after thefe precautions have 
 been adopted, of fatal effects enfuing, ii would be advife- 
 able to burn the wound with a hot iron, or with a cauftic, 
 fuch as the lapis infernalis. In thofe inftances where the 
 deleterious effefts have fupervened, after both cutting out 
 the wound, and cauterizing it with a hot iron, it is pro- 
 bable, that the long fangs of the dog may have paffed 
 deeper than the knife or burning-iron has extended ; and 
 therefore, for the greater certainty of perfeft fkfety, a 
 ftick of the lapis infernalis fhould be pointed like a dog’s 
 tooth, and worked into the bottom and every cavity of the 
 wounds after ufe ofadl -the other jncaas of nreveniion. 
 
 ay * Laudanum, or tinfture of opium, is not only fwallowcd ^ 
 . ^ ^ ^ fometimes in large dofes through miftake, but oftener de- 
 
 fjgnedly. The firfteffe£l is, fleepinefs, and torpor gradually 
 eading over the fyftem, to almoft univerfal infenfibility. 
 
 It is difficult to convey any thing down the throat, when 
 the infenfibility is confiderable; and in that cafe, a fyringe 
 may be employed, to convey into the ftoraach a vomit of 
 tvhite vitriol, even to two drachms. From the moment 
 ’ that the accident of taking this poifon is difcovered, the 
 
 </ 
 
 
 
 
 infenfibility muft, if poflible, be prevented, by roufin^ 
 
 the 
 
Continuation of NoU, pagl 5 . 
 
 ‘ The great objeft, however, fhould be, to eradicate en» 
 tirely all rabid infeftion. The human fpecies, happily, 
 does not communicate the difeafe like rabid animals ; but 
 he will carry infe£Hon in his habit much longer than them, 
 before it exhibit its dreadful effefts. Within twelve 
 months, I have known two perfons die hydrophobic, 
 about eleven months after the bite of the animal : Some 
 Authors mention years ; but, in general, the fymptoms 
 fhew themfelves within a few weeks of the accident. 
 Dogs, I believe, never exceed fix weeks, and rarely as 
 many days. In order, therefore, to eradicate the difeafe 
 out of the kingdom for ever, nothing more feems requi- 
 lite, than, at any period of the year moll convenient to 
 dog-ownei's, to fhut up every dog in the kingdom for 
 feven weeks ; in which time, every one having received 
 rabid matter, would evince it, and of courfe be killed. 
 The infeflion being thus annihilated, to prevent its en- 
 trance into the kingdom, in future, every fhip having a 
 dog on board, upon entering any Britifh harbour, mull 
 fubmit to the fame rellraiiit, of fubje£Hng the dog to 
 feven weeks quarantine. Thus, perhaps, at an expence 
 under fifty pounds. Canine Madnefs might for ever be 
 excluded from this maritime kingdom. If Cats could 
 he confined to the fame quarantine, it would be advife- 
 able ; but, probably, this animal receives the infeflion 
 only from the dog. — s 
 
 The above plan was fuggelled to me, think] 
 friend Dr. Bardlley, 
 
 
 by my 
 
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 f 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 bles-f-j and notlefs from exhalations :|; of the 
 foil he treads upon, and of the minerals § he digs 
 
 fr(?ra 
 
 the attention of the patient, and fhalcing him forcibly, to 
 keep him from falling afleep ; for if fleep can be pre- 
 vented, death will not enfue. 
 
 + I think it is Mr. ThicknelTe, in his Travels through 
 Spain, who defcribes a pi£lurefque mode of travelling 
 he adopted in the lefs frequented provinces of this king- 
 dom, where he might occafionally meet with wild fruits, 
 without being able to afcertain their falubrity. His chaffe 
 was drawn by a mule, on whofe back was feated a monkey, 
 drelTed out like a poftillion: whenever he wanted to afcer- 
 tain the fafety of eating any fruit or vegetable with which 
 he was unacquainted, be applied to the monkey ; and 
 whatever this diverting animal chofe to eat or refufe, his 
 mailer did the fame, and by this precaution fuffered no 
 injury. 
 
 ^ In fuffocation by noxious vapours, damps, or the 
 air of pits, the perfon fhould be removed into frefh air, 
 and cold water Ihould be repeatedly thrown upon the face, 
 drying the body at intervals. The fame plan may be adopt- 
 ed in apparent death from lightning — with the addition 
 of flight eleftrical fliocks, if a machine can be procured. 
 
 § Arfenic and Laudanum are the moll general poifons 
 made ufe of by perfons who wilh to dellroy themfelves ; 
 and it is hence proper that the means of prevention fhould 
 be as generally known. — Arfenic itfelf, when taken into 
 the llomach, is apt to excite vomiting, 'hut not always. 
 Whether this elfefl be produced, or otherwife,-it would 
 
 B 2 be 
 
( 8 ) 
 
 from under him. Numerous and varied as arc 
 thefe fources of deftrudlion, there are others, 
 which, if not equally fatal, are not lefs painful ; 
 from fradlures, wounds, and a thoufand acci- 
 dents to which he is expofed ; and they all uni- 
 formly prove, that Man is a frail being, with 
 inceffant claims on humanity for fucccur. 
 
 Of the various nations which thehuman cha- 
 ra<fter affumes, one of the moft fublime is that 
 wherein a creature prefumes to interpret the will 
 of the Creator. It was hence natural, in the 
 infancy of fcience,when the anatomical ftrudture 
 of the body, and the aftion of morbid powers, 
 were equally unknown, to apply to the Mi- 
 niflers of the Divinity for relief : hence Priefls 
 
 be advifeable to promote full vomiting as foon as pofDble. 
 The quickeft and eafieft vomit is while vitriol ; and in 
 order to expedite the operation, a drachm at leaf!, diffolved 
 in water or any fluid, may be given. Arfenic being heavy, 
 and liable to get entangled in the rugae of the floraach, is 
 very difficult to be extricated ; but whatever the quantity 
 is that may be evacuated, in that proportion is the danger 
 of life diminiffied. The flomach fhould be well fupplied 
 with gruel, barley water, or fome foft mucillaginous 
 drink, with a quarter of an ounce of liver of fulphur 
 (hepar fulphuris) diffolved in each pint or quart of fluid, 
 as liver of fulphur tends to decompofe the arfenic, and 
 renders it milder in its efreft. 
 
 officiated 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 officiated in the temples and public places, in 
 a two-fold capacity ; till fcience in general, and 
 the hiftory of difeafes in particular, became 
 more univerfally cultivated, and better un- 
 derftood ; and the medical art conftituted 
 a diftindl profeffion, in utility and dignity, 
 inferior to none. Its objed: is, to aid hu- 
 man mifery of every fpecies to which hu- 
 man imbecility is prone. It includes, not 
 only an endeavour to remove difeafe and pain 
 of body, but alfo to comfort the afflided minds 
 of the patient and of his deareft connec- 
 tions ; and, even in the melancholy period, 
 when fcience and folicitude are equally fruit- 
 lefs, to foften that dread feparation which each 
 individual is deftined to undergo. 
 
 To merit and fuftain this eulogy, various 
 branches of fcience mud be cultivated, and 
 particularly Anatomy, which implies a know- 
 ledge of the conftituent parts of the human 
 body, and of its effiential fundions. No dif- 
 fedion of the brute can convey this knowledge, 
 becaufe Man differs in his organization from 
 every other animal 3 nor can any delineation of 
 parts, by drawings or prints, fuffice. The 
 mod ingenious capacity, after the niced exa- 
 mination 
 
( 'O ) 
 
 mination of the plan of a building, cannot com- 
 plete the edifice; nor can the human ftrudture be 
 known by any other medium than diffedtion of 
 the human body. Without a knowledge of the 
 parts, the means of remedying the defedts inci- 
 dental to thofe parts, when under difeafe, mull 
 ever be deficient. As the moft ingenious artift, 
 if ignorant of the parts of a compound machine, 
 is incapable of redHf}dngor reftoring its move- 
 ments ; and no machine is fo comolicated as 
 the human fyftem; confequently, anatomical 
 knowledge is effential to medical fcience in 
 general. 
 
 Thisfadl is indubitably eflablLflied in the mind 
 of every enlightened man : Neverthelefs, in the 
 prefent year, a Bill, entitled the Dead Body Billy 
 was brought into Parliament, and fupported by 
 fome of its Members ; calculated to augment 
 the impediments to anatomical knowledge, by 
 increafing fines and penalties on procuring dead 
 bodies ! By a perverfion of language, this 
 barbarous, becaufe unfcientific Bill, was fup- 
 ported under a plea of humanity ! — as if it 
 were inhuman to acquire that knowledge 
 which enables one man to remove or mitigate 
 the miferies of another ! 
 
 Could 
 
( ” ) 
 
 Could this knowledge be annihilated by 
 fines and penalties, what would be the confe- 
 quence to one of thefe Senators, were he acci- 
 dentally to break a leg, or fradture the fkull ? 
 In his anguifh, would he not regret the want 
 of that knowledge he had contributed to pre- 
 vent or impede ? 
 
 Or, were an affedlionate wife, perhaps not 
 formed fo favourably for parturition as moft of 
 her fex, in her agony, to demand the aid of 
 experience — humanity, weeping over human 
 woe, muft turn afide her dejedled countenance; 
 for perifla mud; the miferable objedt under the 
 hand of ignorance. 
 
 Not in thefe indiances alone, but in every 
 flep of life, from childhood to old age, the 
 knowledge of Anatomy is effential to human 
 comfort ; and to prevent the acquifition of 
 this knowledge, is an adt of inhumanity : it 
 is a felo de fe of individual felicity. 
 
 In a political view, it would certainly be 
 improvident, as the Undent of the healing art 
 would hence be compelled to travel to a foreign 
 country, to acquire that knowledge which is 
 
 denied 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 denied him in his own j and probably France 
 would ag;ain become the centre of fureical 
 knowledge, if not of medical fcience. 
 
 Indeed, the fenhble part of the community 
 have been fo fully convinced of the neceffity of 
 human diffedHon, that, inftead of augmenting 
 lines and p<unifhments, to prevent the pradlice 
 of ftealing dead bodies, the humane Wiiber- 
 force brought a Bill into Parliament a few 
 years ago, the objedt of which was, I think, 
 to fubjedt malefadtors, who fliould fufter death 
 by the fentence of the law, to diffedtion. This 
 Bill was rejedted by the Houfe of Lords, un- 
 der a plea, that the terror of dilfedlion was 
 greater, in the view of criminals, than death 
 itfelf ; and that, by indifcriminate diffedlion, 
 this terror would be leflened, and the dread of 
 committing crimes be proporticnably weaken- 
 ed. 
 
 If this reafoning M'ere well founded, it afford- 
 ed the ftrongefl argument in favour of the Bill 
 itfelf, as it regards Anatomy ; for, if this fuper- 
 flitious terror were in general removed, the op- 
 portunities of dilTedtion would be facilitated and 
 increafed. It might at length, probably, be fre- 
 quently 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 quently permitted by the friends of patients in 
 general, and particularly of thofe who might die 
 in hofpitals; but, whilft this terror of dilfeclion 
 is encouraged, it would be equally cruel and 
 impradticable to introduce the practice on hof- 
 pital patients, without ruining the character 
 of the hofpitals themfelves. Were patients to 
 enter a ward under the terror of difledtion, the 
 very dread of fuch an event might fhorten 
 exigence, and prove equally inhuman and fatal.' 
 Nor do I know of any method of readily pro- 
 curing dead bodies, in a free country, whilft 
 this dread pervades the community. The time 
 may come, when the higher ranks may fuffer 
 the influence of reafon to furmount every ob- 
 ftacle, and permit more frequent difledtions 
 among their equals, as the moft effedtual means 
 of facilitating the practice among the lower 
 individuals of the community. 
 
 Fortunately for the Medical Art, the Dead 
 Body Bill alluded to, has not yet acquired the 
 fandtion of Parliament : but, fhould it ever 
 pafs into a law, and the heavy fines and pe- 
 nalties, to be enadled by it, prevent the acqui- 
 fition of fubjedts for dilTedtion, a fociety, to 
 C counteradl 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 countera6t this difficulty, might be inftituted, 
 the members of which ffiould engage, that 
 each ffiould be diffedted on deceafe. As the 
 Faculty are peculiarly interefted in the pro- 
 motion of anatomical knowledge, fuch a fo- 
 ciety ffiould be firfl; formed among themfelves. 
 
 One might be led to conclude, by the 
 care taken of dead bodies, and the pomp 
 adopted to convey them, “ food for worms,’' 
 that they were imagined to rife identically 
 again, and inherit immortality. At this pe- 
 riod of fcience, hoAvever, it cannot but occur 
 to fuperficial obfervation, that the body is 
 compounded of periffiable elements, of thofe 
 fubflances which it daily takes in for its nou- 
 riffiment ; and therefore, on this ground, it 
 would be as rational to confecrate a dead cow, 
 a calf, or any other food on which the body 
 had lived, and by which it had grown. 
 
 To refine on this idea, it would become 
 an inveftigation of the Phyfiologilf, rather than 
 of the Undertaker or Herald, to give to the 
 deceafed the proper funereal accompaniments. 
 Thus, to an Alderman or Common Council- 
 
 man, 
 
( >5 ) 
 
 man, might be added a turbot or a turtle, or 
 perhaps a furloin : to a fine lady we fhould 
 feledt chicks and fyllabubs ; and fo on ac/ in- 
 finitum, agreeably to previous habit, conftitu- 
 tion, or rank ; and, doubtlefs, each of thefe 
 are as likely for returning life, as their quon-* 
 dam mailers and miftrefies who had fed on 
 them. 
 
 Although this might be attended with a re- 
 volution in Heraldry and Church Hiftory, it 
 would have one good effedl on the fpedlator 
 among the tombs, as he might immediately re- 
 cognize the rank and charadler of the deceafed 
 by the emblematic infignia, and thereby even 
 afcertain the caufes of death. On a tomb with 
 a fluttering dove might be fuggefted, that 
 within repofed a tender love-fick maid : by 
 another, creiled with horns, he might be ex- 
 cited to pity or ridicule fome unfortunate huf- 
 band; and, under a calapaih and calapee, might 
 lie dormant an Eafl: India Diredlor, or even a 
 Member of the Board of Controul. 
 
 It has been acknowledged, that, in medical 
 experiments,- the firft eflays fhould be made 
 C 2 on 
 
( >6 ) 
 
 on the experimentalift. Storck tried his poifons 
 firft on himfelf, and thereby acquired merited 
 honour. The inftitution already fuggefted, is, 
 that the members of the Faculty fhould unite 
 in a fociety to difledl one another. At the firft 
 aflbciation, probably, deaths among themfelves 
 might not be adequate to the demands of their 
 numerous pupils } but, as the fociety increafed, 
 there would be no doubt of a plentiful fupply. 
 
 Upon entering into this fociety, each mem- 
 ber fhould be bound ; that, on his deceafe, his 
 body fhall be difpofed of, agreeably to the de- 
 cilion of the fociety at large, or of a committee 
 appointed for that purpofe. 
 
 It muft be a lingular pleafure to the mem- 
 bers of this fociety to refledl, whilll living, on 
 the great ufe they will be of to the community 
 after death j and thar, however mankind may 
 doubt of their utility prior to this event, none 
 can helitate afterwards to add fuch a tribute of 
 approbation. They would enjoy the pride and 
 fatisfadlion of exemption from the common 
 fate of being eaten by worms, thefe worms 
 eaten by birds and filh, and thefe birds and 
 
 filhes 
 
( 17 ) 
 
 fifhes eaten by their friends— -a moft horrid 
 reflection ! 
 
 The Eaft and Weft Indian might perhaps 
 efcape the earth-worm, from the greater ra- 
 pacity of the crabs. Thefe crabs make excel- 
 lent currie — which the living Eaft and Weft 
 Indian devours with as much eagernefs as the 
 crabs devoured the defunCt ! 
 
 Too many perfons, indeed, meet a prema- 
 ture tomb in the watery element and be- 
 come 
 
 * The direftioris given by the Humane Society for the 
 recovery of drowned perfons, cannot be too generally 
 diffufed ; and I fhall therefore add here an abridgment of 
 them. 
 
 1. Convey carefully the body, with the head ralfed, to 
 
 the neareft convenient houfe. 
 
 2. Strip, dry the body, and clean the mouth and noftrils. 
 
 3. Young children — ^between two perfons in a hot bed. 
 
 4. An adult — Lay the body on a blanket orbed, and, in 
 
 cold weather, near the fire : In warm feafons, the 
 air fhould be freely admitted. 
 
 It is to be gently rubbed with flannel, fprinkled with 
 fpirits ; and a heated warm-pan, covered, may be 
 lightly moved over the back and fpine. 
 
 6. To 
 
( i8 ) 
 
 come food for the inhabitants of the turbulent 
 ocean. Thefe, again, may furniih the tables 
 of furviving friends, whofe refinement may 
 trace, in a rich cod’s head, the lineaments of 
 ibme honefi; tar * ; or, in the delicate whiting, 
 
 or 
 
 6. To rejlore breathing — Introduce the pipe of a pair of 
 
 bellows (when no apparatus) into one noftril ; the 
 other, with the mouth, clofed — Inflate the lungs till 
 the bread; be a little railed ; the mouth and noftrils 
 muft then be let free. Repeat this procefs till life 
 appear. 
 
 7. Tobacco fmoke is to be thrown gently into the funda- 
 
 ment, with a proper inflrument — or the bowl of a 
 pipe covered, fo as to defend the mouth of the afhftant. 
 
 8. The breafl to be fomented with hot fpirits — if no figns 
 
 of life appear, the warm bath, or hot bricks, &c. 
 
 5. Eleftricity early employed by a medical affiftant. 
 
 * The Writer of this performance was pofTefTed of the 
 jaw of a fhark, that, during the bathing in the fea, of fome 
 bailors, feized upon the arm of one of them, and tore ic 
 from bis bodv. The remains- of the unfortunate feaman 
 tvere brought on board ; foon after which he expired. — ^ 
 A furviving lailor, who had entertained a- fingnlar cfteem 
 for the deceafed, vowed that his friend fhould be buried 
 with all bis limbs, and indantly ftripped, and jumpedi 
 into the fea with a drawn knife in his hand. The fhark 
 continued to wallow near the fhip ; and the failor, who 
 
 was 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 or gelatinous maid, fome love-Jick female who 
 might have preferred the cryftal grave to fur- 
 viving the difappointment of an ardent but 
 flighted affedtion ! — whilft, in the remora, or 
 more brilliant king-fifh, fome African mer- 
 chant, 
 
 was an expert fwimmer, dived under the belly of the fhark, 
 into which he plunged his knife. The ftroke was re- 
 newed ; and at length the fhark, exhaufted by the lofs of 
 blood, was drawn to the fhip, and the arm of the deceafed 
 taken from his flomach. The limb was then fewed up 
 in canvas with the deceafed failor, and decently committed 
 to the waves, after the ufual funeral ceremonies. 
 
 + Labat, who fays that the Caribs eat human flefb, 
 adds, that they prefer that of an Englilhman to a French- 
 man or Spaniard, as being more delicate and palatable. 
 The (harks, according to this author, give the Englifh 
 Nation the fame preference. Nouv. Voyage aux Ifles, 
 t. 1, ch. 20, p. 470. — He attributes this preference to the 
 flronger perfpiration of the Englifh, and not to the white- 
 nefs of their fkin, for which they have been long dif- 
 tinguifhed from other Nations. In the crufades, when 
 people from every part of Europe were aflembled toge- 
 ther, the Englifh were remarked for the whitenefs of their 
 hands ; in which refpeO; they (fill excell all the world. 
 
 The Author of Hiftoire Morale des Ifles Antilles, 
 ch. 21, p, 537, fpeaking of the Caribs, fays, “ Et difent 
 “ que les Francois font les plus delicats, et les Efpagnols 
 “ les plus duis.” — In Sumatra, the foies of the feet and 
 
 palms 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 chant, or wealthy planter, might recognize the 
 agonizing fibres of a negroe-fiave, forcibly torn 
 from native land and every endearing connec- 
 tion, to contribute, whether living or dead, 
 to their luxury and refinement * ! 
 
 palms of the hands are preferred. Phil.Tranf, v. 6, p. 168. 
 — Martyr fays, the Caribs preferred the legs and thighs, 
 but never eat any part of women or girls. The dogs em- 
 ployed by the Spaniards to hunt the Indians, paid the fame 
 deference to the female fex. Rech. Philof. v. 1, p. 226. 
 
 Antonio de Herrera, in his firft. Decade, relates, that 
 the famous dog Baremel, whofe inftinft was fingular, 
 guarded a narrow pafs in the Ifland of Hifpaniola ; and 
 that, one day, an Indian woman, being defirous of palling 
 by him, addrelfed him thus : “ Seignior Dog, do not 
 
 hurt me ; I carry this letter to the Chriftians.” He 
 
 adds, that “ the dog immediately fmelled at her, p d 
 
 “ upon her, and fuffered her to pafs without injury.” 
 Bolfu’s Travels, v, 1, p. n, n. Rech. Philof, fur les Ainer. 
 V. 1, p. 78, n. Martyr de Nove Orbe, dec. 1, 1 . 3, p. 23. 
 
 * It is faid, that, from, the fatality attending llave-lhips, 
 crowds of fiflipurfue them with fingular avidity, in order 
 to feall upon the poor objefts who may die, and be thrown 
 overboard into the fea. Barbot, in his Guinea (ch. 17, 
 p. 227), fpecifies fome of thefe filh that are more parti- 
 cularly fond of the vileft part of the poor flavc ; and 
 -delicately adds, ” They aj-e neverthelefs tolerably good 
 ” meat, when well drefled and feafoned.” 
 
 What 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 What an intelledual enjoyment muft thefe 
 Gentlemen of the Faculty experience, when, 
 inftead of having their minds embittered with 
 fuch cannibal ideas, they view, in diftant, but 
 true perfpedlive, the noble ends they gratify ! 
 What a luxury to hope, that, one day, another 
 Monro or Cruiklhank may be exhibiting to 
 wondering fpedlators the beauties of their lym- 
 phatics ! — a future Abernethy, a bladder with 
 calculi ! — and a fubfequent Wathen, or Ware, 
 elucidating an optic nerve ! 
 
 That the fociety I have been recommending 
 will increafe beyond the demand of its mem- 
 bers, cannot be doubted, if we confider that 
 the metropolis nourilhes with its vitals no lefs 
 than ICO regular Phyficians, looo Corpora- 
 tion Surgeons*, and looo Hall Members, 
 
 belides 
 
 * It is not unufual in Societies, to be at the expencc 
 of painting each member who has pafTed the chair as 
 Prefident. This muft afford an excellent hint to the 
 Mafter, Wardens, and Corporation of Surgeons, who 
 might refine and improve upon it. But, to aft with con- 
 fiftency to the furgical art, inftead of a painting, the fke- 
 leton of each Mafter might be fufpended in the great Hall 
 of the Corporation, where th^Iafters might thus become 
 
 D ufefwl 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 be/ides irregulars, innumerable as the fands of 
 the fea. When this period fhall arrive, the 
 fupernumerary fubjedts may be difpofed of to 
 other learned feminaries, or to pupils, at a cer- 
 tain fixed price ; and the profits, which miufi; 
 be confiderable, appropriated to the Society 
 for the Relief of the Widows of Medical Men. 
 Then will the honour of this efiablifhment 
 become the theme of public praife and private 
 gratitude. We read of female Hindoos dying 
 for their hufbands ; but here the Faculty de- 
 vote themfelves as martyrs for their widows. 
 Left, however, the wives, from pure gratitude, 
 might be induced, by over-kindnefs, to haften 
 this generous cataftrophe of their hulbands, it 
 mu ft be a part of the plan of the fociety to 
 make their wives female members 5 more efpe- 
 
 ufeful to the young members, to whom, perhaps, they had 
 before been of none. A diftin£lion fo great muft certainly 
 produce numerous rival candidates, and perhaps even infti- 
 gate the Wardens to afpire to the fame honour — an ho- 
 nour, however, that fliould be invariably conferred upon 
 Mailers alone, unlefs the friends of the candidate Warden 
 could prove that the defunft had made fome ufeful dif- 
 covery in the art. A llimulus of this kind might animate 
 exertion in more ways than eating and drinking at Hall 
 Feafls. 
 
 dally 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 eially as fubje6ls of this fex may be v/anted in 
 the diffefting theatre, more than, perhaps, co- 
 veted at home ; and certainly nothing can. be 
 •a fweeter death than dying for furviving wi- 
 dows, and perhaps for the benefit of future 
 wives ; and it is alfo well known that the 
 tender fex, at leaf! when eternally blent, will 
 raife more money than the other fex. 
 
 Here, again, the intelledlual pleafures mull 
 be highly gratified. In one vial, hermetically 
 fealed, might be inclofed thefufceptible female 
 heart, that fluttered and changed at every vow. 
 Another preparation might exhibit the opa- 
 city of a once rolling and lucid eye, and force 
 upon reflection the changeablenefs of all fub- 
 lunary objedts : and ftill more fedative to fober 
 thought would the widower feel himfelf in 
 his arm-chair, with a pipe, and a neat flopper 
 made of the fore-finger * of his dear diffedted 
 
 rib ; 
 
 * Frazier fa) S, that the Chilefe make ufe of the bones 
 of their captives for flutes, and of their fkulls for diflres 
 to drink out of ; p. 64. Father Hennepin makes the fame 
 obfervation, in his Hifiory of a New Difcovery — So, 
 likewife, does Gem. Careri, V oy. du tour du Monde, t. 5, 
 D 2 ch. 6, 
 
( H ) 
 
 rib ; and the tongue dried, and dormant, under 
 a bell-glafs, fixed on a mahogany frame — a 
 tongue which, now filent, heretofore never was 
 at reft. 
 
 ch. 6, p, 68 ; and the Jefuit’s Letters by Lochman, v. i, 
 p. 94. The King of the Huns, in combat, killed the 
 King of Yve-chi, whofe fkull was ufed as a veffel upon 
 all grand ceremonies : Hift. Anc. des Peuples de TEu- 
 rope, t. 3. Careri fays, he faw St. John the Baptlfl’s 
 fkull at the Greek Mount at Jerufalem, which, he fays, 
 he worfliipped ; 1 . 1, ch. 9. And Abbe Fortis, in his 
 Dalmatia, mentions, that the iflanders of Arbe, in the 
 Gulph of Quaernaro, pretend to pollefs the heads of Sha- 
 drech, Mefhech, and Abednego ; p. 348. Lucius Florus 
 relates, that the Thracians made ufe of the Ikulls of their 
 captives, to drink libations to the gods ; 1. 3, ch. 4. — 
 All which evince, that bones have long been employed 
 in very interefling and important offices, inftead of being 
 buried, and loft to the community. 
 
 Valuable, indeed, muft have been the fkull of the bar- 
 barian, when the Engliffi have even offered one hundred 
 pounds for the fcalp only of an Indian : (Hutchinfon’s 
 Hlftory of the Colony of Maffachufets Bay.) It may be 
 prefiimed, that the whole head of even a learned European 
 would not fell for half the fum of the forehead only of 
 an Iroquois, and which is three times more than the pur- 
 chafe of a whole Heffian, who was eftimated, during the 
 American war, at thirty pounds ; and, paltry as the fum 
 is, fome Members in Parliament had the hardinefs to 
 oppofe even this cheap purchafe. 
 
 The 
 
( 25 ) 
 
 The fociety thus conftituted, and, of courfe, 
 fupplying fupernumerary fubjedls, whofe mem- 
 bers, naturally Ihocked at the ignoble prac- 
 tice of burial, would turn their attention to 
 make the bed; ufe of thefe lupernumeraries, 
 and would of courfe advert to the economical 
 invention of turning hulbands and wives into 
 candles and foap, by a chymical procefs *■. 
 
 This 
 
 * Accident has afforded many inflances, in proof of 
 animal fubftances being changed into a waxy matter, not 
 unlike fperma ceti, which is capable of making candles 
 and foap. In confequence of this matter refembling fperma 
 ceti recently found in the church-yard of the Innocents 
 at Paris, M. Fourcroy has given an analyfis of it, in the 
 eighth volume of the Annales de Chemie, Memoir the 
 fecond. The method of effefting this change with facility, 
 is fmce defcribed by Mr. Gibbes, in the Philofophical 
 Tranfa£Hons of London. In June he buried a cow, in 
 a place where, from the rifing of a river to fupply a mill 
 twice a day, it was fubmitted to the aSion of running 
 water. On taking this cow up in December, he found, 
 that where the water was conflantly running over it, there 
 it was changed into a fatty fubflance ; but, where the water 
 which had a£led on the matter could not pafs off, a veiy 
 difagreeable fmell was fenfible, and the flelli was not fo 
 much changed. A piece of this cow, that was perfeftly 
 lean, was flruck throusrh with a flick, and faflened to the 
 bottom of the river : this piece was perfeflly changed 
 • into 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 This mufh be not only highly beneficial to the 
 revenue, and ferve the poor in general, but 
 doubtlefs afford fingular elucidation to many 
 dark and knotty points in Philofophy ; for, 
 what could withftand the brilliancy of a 
 young widow turned into an illuminated chan- 
 delier, with ftreams of vivid light from fingers 
 and toes, and fplendour to dazzle from the 
 eyes ? Perhaps, the glimmerings of an old 
 woman might not pay for labour, or at the 
 lead; might light the kitchen-fire, or the to- 
 bacco-pipe alluded to ; but this lofs would 
 be refunded by the foap manufadtured from 
 an old fnrew, where no leys would be re- 
 
 into a fat matter, and had loft its offenfive fmell. Ho 
 adds, “ I have brought about this change in a much 
 “ fhorter time, in the following manner: I took three 
 “ lean pieces of mutton, and poured on them the three 
 “ mineral acids; and I perceived, that, at the end of three 
 “ days, each was much altered : that in the nitrous acid 
 “ was much foftened, and, on feparating the acid from 
 “ it, 1 found it to be in exaftly the fame ftate with that 
 “ which I had before got from the water ; that in the mu- 
 “ riatic acid w'as not, in that time, fo much altered ; the 
 “ vitriolic acid had turned the other black.” See Ap- 
 pendix to the Critical Review, new Arrangement, vol. 
 P- 536. 
 
 quifite 
 
{ 27 ) 
 
 qul/ite to heighten its afperity and abfterging 
 powers — whilft the almond foftnefs of a once 
 mild and bland companion would mollify the 
 fkin, and fupple the pores. And with this 
 I wa£h my hands off the interefting fubje6l. 
 
 FINIS. 
 

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