head-ach which remains by binding on the forehead a cataplafm of black rye bread, and vinegar.

In this manner the unfortunate man is perfectly restored, without blowing up the lungs, as is neceffary in the cafe of drowned perfons; on the contrary, they begin to play of themselves fo foon as the furcharge of phlogifton makes its efcape from the body.

It is well worthy of obfervation, how diametrically oppofite the modes are of reftoring to life, those who are deprived of it by water, and thofe who have loft it by the fumes of charcoal: the one confifting in the internal and external application of heat, and the other in that of cold. It may be alledged, that the ftimulus of the cold produces heat, and the fact feems to be confirmed by the Ruffian method of reftoring circulation in a frozen limb by means of friction with fnow. But what is finguIar in the cafe of people apparently deprived of life in the manner treated of is, that the body is much warmer when brought out of the room than at the inftant life is restored, and that they awake cold and fhivering. The colour of the body is alfo changed from a livid red to its natural complexion, which, together with fome other circumstances, would almoft lead one to fufpect, that they are ftored to life by the fnow and cold water fomehow or other freeing them from the load of phlogifton with which the fyftem feems to be replete; for although the first ap

re

bath does when a perfon remains too long in it.

In short, I think it is altogether a curious fubject, whether you take into confideration the mode of action of the principle emitted by burning charcoal, and our phlogifticated cruft; or the operation of the fnow and cold water. However, I fhall by no means take upon me to decide, whether the dangerous fymptoms related above are produced by the air in the room being fo faturated with phlogifton as to be unable to take up the proper quantity from the lungs, which occafions a furcharge in the fyftem, according to your theory, or whether fo fubtle a fluid may fomehow find its way into the circulation, and thereby arrest the vital powers; nor fhall I determine whether the livid hue of the body when brought out is changed into a paler colour by the atmofphere fomehow or other absorbing and freeing the blood from the colouring principle, as you have fhewn to be the cafe with blood out of the body: thefe are curious inquiries that I fhall leave to your investigation. I have only endeavoured to collect facts from a number of natives who have met with this accident themselves, or have affifted in restoring others to life. It is fo common a cafe here that it is perfectly familiar to them, and they never call in medical affiftance.

I am, &c.

man body produces heat, yet, if often repeated in a very cold atmosphere, it then cools instead of continuing to heat, juft as the cold

drinking large quantities of fpirits, have been printed and diftributed at Liverpool. They were drawn up by Dr. Houlton of that place, in confequence of fome melancholy accidents happening from this caufe, where proper affiftance was not fought for. As fuch accidents are but too common, it is of importance that the most fuccessful practice in thofe cafes fhould be generally known.

Many perfons are destroyed fuddenly by drinking large quantities of Spirits. Their first effects are fimulant; they quicken the circulation, and occafion much blood to be thrown upon the head. They afterwards prove fedative; they bring on ftupor; lofs of reafon, total; of motion and fenfation, al moft total. Their effects may be partly owing to their entering, in fome degree, into the circulation, but depend chiefly, when violent, on their action on the nerves of the ftomach. In confequence, the brain is affected, and the nervous influence fufpended if not deftroyed. All the parts of the body therefore partake of this infenfibi lity. As the skin in fome cafes may be burnt even without feeling, fo the ftomach and inteftines may be ftimulated confiderably without any effect. The motion of the heart and lungs is much enfeebled and interrupted, but continues irregularly till death enfues.

To rescue the perfon from fo dangerous a state is extremely difficult. To counteract thefe effects by medicine is less likely, both as the power of swallowing is loft, and as, probably, little or no abforption then takes place. But we ought to endeavour, ift, to eva

cuate the poifon; or elfe, zdly, to dilute it, and thereby weaken its action. With a view to the first, brifk vomits may be given; but, from the want of irritability of the ftomach, thefe often will not act, unless given early, when they are of great fervice in cafes of intoxication. A dock-porter, who died in the Liverpool Infirmary from this caufe, Feb. 28, 1780, got down over night, nearly 12 grains of emetic tartar diffolved, yet it produced little or no effect, though he lived till the next day. Purges are alfo proper, but liable, though in a lefs degree, to the fame objections. Sharp glyfters may be adminiftered and will produce fome evacuation, but their operation does not extend far enough. Large glyfters, of water only, or of water in which purging falts are diffolved, thrown up with fome force by a fyringe, might be of more fervice.

Oil has been advised to be given, to help to evacuate the fpirit, or to weaken its action.-But when the inactivity of the ftomach is become fo great and the danger fo preffing, there feems more reafon to expect fuccefs, from largely diluting that poison, which we in vain attempt to evacuate. When intoxication has been produced by drinking ftrong liquors, large quantities of water, or weak liquids, drank are found to leffen it very confiderably. And though the power of fwallowing be loft, yet by means of a pipe (as a catheter) paffed beyond the glottis, or even down into the ftomach, water might be poured in, in fuch quantity as was judged fufficient to dilute and carry off the liquor in the ftomach. To the water might be

added,

added, with advantage probably, vinegar, or any kind of acid: or purgatives might be diffolved in it, to facilitate the poifon's paffing off by the intestines. A pipe of this kind too would afford the best method of introducing fubftances into the ftomach to promote vomiting.

Putting the body into a warm bath, or the legs and feet in warm water, will be of ufe, by leffening the quantity of blood accumulated in the head and in the larger veffels and fome of the water may perhaps be abforbed. With a view to relieve the oppreffion, bleeding, and opening the temporal artery are advifeable. If the pulfe is found to become freer and fuller on lofing fome blood, more may be taken away. Blifters may alfo be applied with advantage.

The coldness of the extremities, and the evident difficulty with which the circulation is kept up, point out the propriety of affifting it by warmth and friction applied to the fkin (as in recovering drowned perfons.) Motion, to prevent fleep, may probably be ferviceable in fuch cafes. Great care should be taken to loofen the neckband, garters, and every kind of bandage, and that the body should lie in a natural, eafy, pofture; on the fide is perhaps better than on the belly, though that has been recommended, that the ftomach might the easier difcharge its contents. The breathing fhould not be obftructed nor the neck lie low, or in a bent pofition.

Hints for the General Improvement of Commons, recommended to the Confideration of every Perfon concerned

MONG the number of re

A fources which this country is

fuppofed to have in store, none is perhaps pregnant with more benefit to the tate, and to individuals, than our commons, or wafte land. Every man who has turned his thoughts this way, perceives the lofs futained in the neglect of fo ftriking an object; but the brighteft jewel cannot give lufire, till it be polished;, nor can these rude tracts of land yield their due profit to fociety, till they are cultivated. Some perfons, from mere indolence and inattention, fome through timidity, and others, perhaps, from a commendable perfuafion that the inclofing of them would tend to the prejudice of the poorest clafs of mankind, continue to overlook the advantage they might acquire from them; and thus fociety loses the advantages it ought to derive from this fruitful fource. With refpect to the latter objection, it is indeed more than fpecious; there is, it must be allowed, fomething invidious in the very idea of wrefting from the poor, the only inheritance they have; in which too they have that beft of titleLong Poffeffion. Therefore, from equal motives of humanity, and found policy, their property and intereft in commons ought to remain inviolate; and the more fo, as they hold it by a tenure that does not admit of alienation.-Let commons then remain in their prefent ftate, as to owners and poffeffors, but let the fenfe of this country be fhewn, in adopting fome method for their improve

ment

ment, which will be of infinite advantage to the nation at large.To promote fo laudable a project then, it were to be wifhed that a bill in parliament might be procured, not for the inclofing, but, for the improvement and better regulation of all the commons in England; which is the more earnestly recommended to the attention of the landed intereft, left the neceffity of the times fhonld hereafter happen to justify government, in ftriving to grafp at an influence over this object, in a manner which may be lefs palatable, and yet not more beneficial to the public.This bill fhould be fo framed, as to enforce fomething like the following practice: The overfeers of the poor, or rather fome able furveyor or furveyors, to be employed for that purpofe, fhould firft exactly afcertain, in every parish, where there is any confiderable tract of common, what flock that common will fairly fupport.-This done, if the proportion of common be large in proportion to the number of inhabitants, let every houfe, from the largest manfion to the meanest cottage that is inhabited, have an equal right of keeping one cow, or fix fheep, or any other proper ftock in the like proportion. After this allotment, let every eftate have a right to stock the furplufage in proportion to what it pays to the poor rates. Let every cottager, and every proprietor of an ellate, have a right to ftock his proportion, or to let it to any other perfon at his option; but let no perfon prefume to overflock, under fuch penalty as the wisdom of the legiflature hall think proper to inflict. Let the overfeers of the poor have

a power to oblige every perfon in terested in the common, to labour himself, or to fend a labourer in his fead, four days in the year; or elfe pay fix fhillings in money for every cow, or proportional stock he has a right to keep; provided he be not called upon in time of corn or hay harvest, or feed feafons. Let the money given in lieu of labour, and the perfonal labour of others, be employed, under proper direction, in extirpating brakes, bushes, fuize, fern, and other rubbifa, in draining wet parts, levelling and filling up broken ground and rutts, in making baulks to confine the roads to narrower compafs, in erecting flood-gates, and fiops, and making trenches, for the purpose of watering and flooding fuch parts as admit of that most valuable of all improvements; in fhort, in doing every thing to the common, which a good hufbandman would do to his farm, or a gentleman to his park.

Where the commons are fo fmall as not to admit of a cow, or the like proportion of ftock, to every houfe, then let the overfeers of the poor have a power to let them to any proper tenant; and, after deducting out of the rent what may be neceffary towards their yearly improvement, diftribute the remainder, among fuch induftrious parishioners as have nothing to trut to but their labour, and who are not relieved by the poor rates.

Much improvement may undoubtedly be made upon this plan. -But it is to be prefumed that no perfon, unless he be blinded by prejudice, can make any objection to a fcheme, which appears to be productive of fo much advantage;

for