fore conclude, by stating, that a legend exists respecting the Chinese emperor Tam, who reigned about 16 centuries which adds plausibility to the opiago, nion. The festival of the lamps in China is an annual exhibition, said to be in commemoration of the downfall of the emperor Ki, who shut himself from the light of the sun, in a palace perpetually illuminated. So splendid was the spectacle, that the emperor Kam irresistibly inclined to behold it; but not daring avowedly to leave his court, he put himself into the hands of a magician, who enabled him, seated on a fine throne to sail through the air, and contemplate from above the whole solemnities of the festival. Whether all the above notices are adequate to demonstrate the fact I shall not say-but it seems scarcely possible that there should not be some (solid) foundation for such notions of the ancients or that the whole of these legends should be but the product of an excursive imagination! We were long ago informed by the wisest of men, that there is nothing new under the sun.

ON THE INFLUENCE OF HABIT.

It is well occasionally to remind physicians of the powerful influence of habit on the human system; we have at page 86, adverted to this, and we now give more in detail, the extraordinary fact, of corrosive sublimate having lost its noxious properties in the person of a Turk, from this circumstance alone.

"A man about 106 years of age was lately living at Constantinople, who was known all over that city by the name of Solyman, the eater of corrosive sublimate. In the early part of his life, he accustomed himself, like other Turks, to the use of opium, but not feeling the desired effect, he augmented his dose to a great quantity, without feeling any inconvenience, and at length took a drachm or 60 grs. daily. He went into the shop of a jew apothecary, to whom he was unknown, asked for a drachm of sublimate, which he mixed in a glass of water, and drank it instantly. The apothecary was dreadfully alarmed, because he knew the consequences of

The Conde D'Ericeyra, a nobleman of letters, and curious in natural knowledge,brought from the frontiers of this country, a young well. She is 17 years old, but in stature exwoman, without a tongue, who yet speaks very

ceeds not one of 7 or 8. I was with her at the Conde's house, and made her pronounce every letter in the alphabet, which she can do distinctly, except Q, which she calls Cu, after the common pronunciation of all her country people. She hath not the least bit of tongue, nor any thing like it; but the teeth, on both sides of her jaw, turn very much inward, and almost meet. She finds the greatest want of a tongue in eating; for, as others, when they eat, move their meat about with their tongue, she is forced to use her finger. but I believe doth it imperfectly. Her voice, She pretends to distinguish tastes very well, though very distinct, is a little hollow, and like that of old people who have lost half their teeth. The Conde, who is a friend to the muses, has written the following epigram on

the occasion:

"Non mirum elinguis mulier quod verba loquatur,

Mirum est cum lingua quod taceat mulier."

In the year 1774 we find mentioned under the deaths, in the Gentleman's Magazine, p. 390, that of a Mr. Mazarella at Vienna, aged 105. It is added, that " a few months before his death he had new teeth; and his hair, which was grown gray by old age, became black again.

BRONCHOTOMY IN SUDDEN CHOAKING!

The efficacy of this operation may be in some measure appreciated by an event which took place some years (1808) back, at the Richmond tavern, in Dublin.

'One of the waiters attempting to swallow a piece of beef-steak, was almost instantly choaked. The circumstance was so sudden, and the event so melancholy, that the whole neighbourhood was immediately alarmed.Surgeon Crampton, who lives opposite the tavern, was consequently resorted to, who, on examining the body, found the vital principle completely suspended, and with great promptness and presence of mind, made an incision in the windpipe, and introducing a quill, continued to inflate the lungs by blowing into them, until symptoms of returning life did not a little astonish the appalled spectators. The poor man happily is in a fair way of recovery.

دو

SEA SERPENT!

Much doubt has been entertained as to the existence of the Sea Serpent, which has been said to have been seen So repeatedly in our northern waters.Why this should have been the case, under the existence of such a crowd of respectable witnesses, we have to learn; and still less can we understand why the truth of those statements have been ridiculed in so extraordinary a manner.Ridicule is not always the test of truth, and perhaps, the following account of a similar animal may serve to substantiate the statements, thus opposed without the slightest reason.

"At a meeting of the Wernerian Natural History Society, (1808) Mr. Peter Neill read the following account of the enormous Sea Serpent, which was driven ashore on one of the Orkney Islands a few weeks ago. The serpens marinus magnus of Pontoppidan, has hitherto been considered as a fabulous monster, and denied a local habitation and a name, by all scientific and systematic naturalists, who have affected to pity the credulity of the good bishop of Bergen. One of these monsters however, has, effectually to prove its existence, been heroic enough to wreck himself on the Orkney Islands. came ashore at Rothesholm or Rougom Bay, in Stronsa, near to Shearers. It was 55 feet

He

long; but the tail seemed to have been broken by dashing among the rocks; so it is calculated to have been 60 feet in the whole.

Where thickest, it might equal the girth of an Orkney horse.-The head was not larger than a seal's, and had two spiracles or blow holes. From the back hung down numerous filaments, 18 inches long, (the mane described by Pontoppidan): these filaments bear the most perfect resemblance to the silk worm gut, or India sea-grass used in trouting. The monster had three pair of fins, or rather paws; the first pair, five and a half feet long, with a joint at the distance of four feet from the body.-Alas! a tempest beat the carcase to pieces before men and ropes could be collected, and only a fragment (about 5 feet) of the back bone, and a whole paw are preserved. M. Laing, esq. M. P. has got these, and is to send them to our University Museum." (Edinburg.)—Univ. Mag.New Ser. 10. p. 534.

Idem. v. 11. p. 156.-Some further information on the same subject—and sufficient we think to deprive even scepticism of any further doubts respecting the fact.

THE GLOW WORM.

Mr. John Murray in a communication made to the Royal Society on the luminous matter of the glow worm, states some curious facts as the result of his own observations and experiments. He shows that this light is not conlight; that it is not affected by cold nor by nected with respiration or derived from Solar magnetism, nor by submersion in water.

Trials of submersion in water in various temperatures, and in oxygen are detailed. When a glow worm was immersed in carbonic acid gas, it died shining brilliantly; in hydrogen it continued to shine and did not seem to suffer. Mr. Murray infers that the luminousness is independent not only of respiration, but of the solar rays.

The luminous matter, in a detached state, from which it appears to be a gummy albuwas also subjected to various experiments, minous substance, mixed with muriate of soda, and sulphate of alumine and potash, and to be composed of spherules. The light is conby an opaque medium. sidered permanent, its eclipses being caused

APOTHECARY.

In the Biography of the Rev. Dr. Parr, Univ. Mag. 7. p. 298, we have the following observation on the above name:

"The father of Dr. Parr was also an apothecary, or keeper of a shop; for this is the real meaning of the word which is derived from apotheke, the Greek word for a shop. In our country we apply the term apothecary only to those shop keepers who keep medicinal drugs in their shops: but the very same Greek word, which gave us the name of apothecary, has given to the French the name of boutiquier, or shop-keeper in general. Thus, as is common with them, they struck off the a in apotheke, and the word became potheke. The letter p, being of the same order with the letter b, was changed into b, and the word became botheke. But the French, as we all know, cannot pronounce our th, or the Greek Theta; hence they transformed the word into boteke, vulgarly spelt boutique, their name for shop, whence came boutiquier, their name for shop-keeper: and they think it a fine piece of raillery to call us a nation boutiquiere, or a nation of shop-keepers."

MEMORANDA.

Yale College.-At a commencement, held on the 8th of September, 16 persons received the degree of M. D.-The honorary degree of M. D. was likewise conferred on 5 individuals.

Hartford, (Conn.)-5 or 6 persons were lately poisoned by eating mushrooms! A cat also died, after licking the platter. (They were of the white kind!)

Boston. Thermometer, (1 P. M.) September, 5-86°: 6=83°: 7=68°: 8=68o: 9= 62o: 10=66°: 11=67°: Rain 3.73 inch.

New York.-72 deaths for the week ending September 11.-Cholera Morbus 2, Consumption 12, Dropsies 3, Dysentery 6, Dyspepsia 2, Fevers 4, Flux Infantile 5, Ente ritis 3, Hepatitis 3, Small Pox 1, Tabes Mesenterica 6, Whooping Cough 4.

Baltimore.-30 deaths for the week ending September 13.-Cholera Infantum 3, Bilious Fever 3, Infantile unknown 6! Typhus 3, Cho lera 2, Consumption 3, Small Pox 1.

Richmond.-The Small Pox has made its appearance here. Five cases were reported last week.

Norfolk.-14 deaths for the month of Au gust.-Bilious Fever 1, Debility 3, Putrid sore throat 4, Cholera Infantum 2.

Charleston.-40 deaths from the 29th of Aug. to Sept. 5.-Yellow Fever 16! Croup 2, Whooping Cough 3. Swine Pock 1!

Thermometer-(2. P. M.) Aug. 29=85o: 30=85°: 31=81"; Sept. 1=820; 2=81o: 3=83°: 4=85°:-little rain!

The Yellow Fever is still prevailing to a considerable extent. Six new cases were reported on the 6th of September-four on the 7th -four on the 8th-one on the 9th-five on the 10th-seven on the 11th-five on the 12th.

Savannah.-4 deaths for the week ending Sept. 7,-Fevers 2.

New Orleans.-56 deaths from Aug. 10. to Aug. 16,-32 of fevers, viz. Yellow 15, Malignant 3, Putrid 3, Bilious 5, Remittent and others 6. Only 4 new cases were reported Aug. 17; on that day there were 14 interments! Yellow and other fevers 11. Aug. 18, nine interments! Three of Yellow Fever, two of Dyspepsia. Aug. 19, 16 interiments, Fevers 12! Aug. 20, 7 interments-Yellow Fever 4. Aug. 21 & 22, 25 interments-Fevers (mostly yellow) 13!

Thermometer-(2. P. M.) Aug. 15=87°: 16 88°: 17-899: 18-91°: 19-91°: 20= 92°: 21 93°:

Necrology.---Dr. Sylvester Woodbridge, Southampton;-Dr. Bott, Petersburg;-Dr. William Nailing, at 26, Granville Co. (N.C.) Aug. 30.-Dr. Morris, Natchez.

ARS LONGA,

VITA BREVIS.

VOL. I.

TORTURE.

It will not be deemed irrelevant to the intentions of the Esculapian Register, should its pages occasionally deviate from what may be deemed strictly medical, provided the connexion is indirectly to be traced in the extracts given to our readers. The fact is, so extended is the Science of Medicine, that there is scarcely an occurrence, physical or moral, which may not be referred to some or

other of its diversified branches.

Pain and suffering are relative in their nature;-Individuals are always to be found, who seem to oppose, both mentally and corporeally, the common character of man.-The excruciating tortures of the Inquisition, have not surpassed the capability of man to bear them; yet, doubtless the majority of mankind would sink beneath them.--We propose to give an example in the following columns of sufferings the most acute, inflicted on an individual, who had,

No. 16.

from a species of religious enthusiasm, persuaded himself, that assassination was praiseworthy-and although we may be satisfied that his death was justly demanded; we cannot perceive, that the horrid sufferings he experienced, were the proper means for this end;--still less, that in a nation, considered civilized, these means of death, can be in any degree extenuated. The tortures inflicted formerly by our savages on their prisoners, may be considered as trifling in comparison-and the actions of the French seem more like those of demons, than of persons possessed of the common feelings of humanity, in the case of Damiens. In reading the record of those tortures inflicted on him, how must we rejoice, that we are citizens of an immense territory, in which such scenes would not be tolerated! How thankful that our lot is cast in a land of Liberty!

Robert Francis Damiens, we are informed from history, in the year 1757,