No. 712.

LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 1837. [1836-37.

LECTURES

ON

MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE,NOW IN COURSE OF DELIVERY

AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF LONDON.

BY PROFESSOR A. T. THOMSON.

LECTURE XXIX.

PERSONAL SAFETY. - WOUNDS. -- Circurn-stances which will increase the danger ofinjuries. Old age. Feebleness of consti-tution. iJ’IalpositiO1 of Ûscel’a and arte-ries. Fragility of bone; subsequent dis-ease. I1aemor1’hargic constitution. Occu-pation of the person. Inflammation of thelungs. The atmosphene. Negligence, orwant of medical skill. Case in point, bySir C. Bell. Misuse of splints. Promptattention to Í1ùuries. Period within whichdeath traceable to a uound is legallychargeable as a murder. lYlw’ders whichmay be mistakenfor suicide. Mayheim, 01’

. mutilation. Partial disablement and dis-figurement. Law against mala-pl’axis. ’,

GENTLEMEN :-In forming a prognosis ofwounds for medico-legal purposes, I havealready hinted that several circumstances,besides the character of the wound itself,are to be taken into account. With regardto age, it is evident that as life advanceswounds become more hazardous, and areless likely to heal, owing to the diminishedenergy of the circulation, the obliteration ofmany of the minute vessels, and the generalloss of tone which is peculiar to the latterYears of life. The muscles become loose,flabby, and relaxed, consequently, thepowers of healing and of repairing anyinjury to those parts are diminished. Lifeis altogether less stable than in youth,which rebounds, as it were, with an elasticforce under the depression of injuries,whilst, in the old, the lessened degree ofvital power renders every iniurv a more or

less permanent evil. Anything exciting in-flammation of the skin, particularly of theextremities, is apt to terminate in mortifica-tion in the old; thence wounds which, inthemselves, are trifling in the young andthe middle-aged, become serious and mortalin the old. But, besides the period of life,considerable difference exists in the ori-

ginal fabric of the body; some are bornwith vigorous constitutions, others withfeeble ; some are not affected by anything,others are of the most excitable tempera-ments, in all of which differences mustnecessarily take place in the issue of in-juries ; and thence, also, the necessity ofattending to the constitution in forming aprognosis respecting wounds.

In some instances danger may arise frompeculiarity of original structure ; the heartmay occupy the right side of the thorax ;the stomach has been found below the

umbilicus, whilst the bladder has beenfound above it. In the body of SMITHERS,who was hanged for arson, which is pre-served in the Museum of Uraiversity College,every viscus, both of the thorax and theabdomen, was transposed. Thus, a woundon the right side, in this man, would havepenetrated the heart; or, if in the abdo-men, one on the left side might have passedthrough the large lobe of the liver, woundedthe gall-bladder, or penetrated the pyloricportion of the stomach. A singular case ofdeath from malposition of an artery hap-pened in Dublin. A fish-bone stuck in thethroat of an individual, and was attemptedto be pushed down with a probang, by oneof the best surgeons in that city. In hisattempt, an immense gush of blood followedthe effort to push it down, and the patientdropped down dead. In this case, the arteriainnominata had dipped between the tracheaand the oesophagus, just at the spot wherethe bone had lodged, the point of whichwas forced into the vessel by the probang,and thus caused the haemorrhage whichkilled the patient.These deviations render a person who is

wounded, more or less susceptible of dangerthan he would otherwise be ; but, except incases of premeditated murder, wounds be-comins dangerous onlv from mal-uosition of

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parts, must always be viewed in a point brain were in a brittle state, the temporaryfavourable to the accused, and the devia- congestion in the head, owing to the reten-tion accurately pointed out to the court by tion of the breath which always accom-

the medical witness ; and the probable con- panies efforts to raise great weights, wouldsequences of these, as they bear upon the be likely to rupture a vessel, and the deathcase under consideration, should be made of the individual have no connexion what-evident. In the case, which I had occasion soever with the blow to which it had beento notice in my last lecture, of a boy having attributed. That such a state of vessels asdied from blows on the head from a small this occurs is well known; death, from rup-stick, no danger would have followed the ture of vessels.in the brain, may even ariseblows but for a peculiarity in the bones of from more obscure causes ; and this factthe head, which were remarkably thin and displays the necessity of not forming anbrittle, and, consequently, the accused had opinion in cases of the fatal result of sup-very properly the advantage of this devia- posed wounds, or blows, without inves-

tion, and was acquitted. tigating, closely, both the nature of theSlight wounds are, also, sometimes ren- employment and the state of health of the

dered dangerous in persons extremely person who has died.irritable ; or diseases may exist which, Again, wounds in themselves not danger-even independent of wounds or blows, ous may bring on diseases in some vitalwould have soon terminated fatally; and organ, which may terminate fatally. Thus,questions may thus arise, whether death is inflammation of the lungs is not an unfre-to be ascribed to the injury or to the quent cause of death from wounds, anddisease. more especially of compound fracture ; yetIn the Nottingham case, which I for- it would be far from just to condemn a man

merly read to you, I am clearly of opinion for inflicting a wound which might inducethat the injury had little influence in caus- such an inflammation in one case, when aing death. A case is related by CHAUSSIER, thousand of a similar description, and asof a boy who was killed by a very gentle severe, recover. In giving, therefore, anstroke of a switch upon the head; the fata- opinion as to the cause of death after thelity was ascertained to have proceeded infliction of a wound, the lungs, as well asfrom previous absorption of the skull at the the wounded part, should be most carefullyparticular part struck. inspected; and, if indications of inflamma-Some diseases subsequent to an injury, tion having recently existed there display

however, cannot be otherwise than decided themselves, the accused, most undoubtedly,as resulting from it. Thus, a boy who was ought to have the benefit of the observation.shot by a gentleman with small shot, and But even before death you should be ablewounded in the leg, was apparently doing to form a probable prognosis in cases ofwell for some days, after which, however, this description. Two men fight a duel,he was attacked with tetanus, and died. and one is hit in the arm, so as to produce aThe gentleman was tried for murder, found compound fracture of both radius and ulna.guilty, and executed. His antagonist is arrested, to wait the issueSome persons have what is termed a of his wound ; on the second day the in-

" haemonhagic constitution," so that, when flammation assumes a dark colour, with aeven slight wounds are inflicted, they im- gleety discharge, and he becomes restlessmediately become dangerous from the great and irritable, with a quick pulse, and painloss of blood ; or, there may be variations seizes him in the side ; you may pronouncein the ordinary distribution of blood vessels, him in great danger ; but not from the ex-which may render slight wounds equally as tent or nature of the wound, but from thehazardous as in persons with a haemorrha- state in which his system was when hegic constitution. The trade of the wounded received the wound. If he be, otherwise, inperson should not be overlooked in forming a weak and irritable state, the inflammatorya prognosis of the probable consequences of attack may be veiled, and the practicewounds. A man receives a blow on the adopted, consequently feeble, and the diseasehead, it is not much thought of, but, after will run on and terminate in death. Dis-some days, he is seized with vertigo, stag- section, in such cases, exhibits marks ofgers, drops down, and dies. The blow is recent inflammation in the lungs, coagulablesuspected to have been the cause of his lymph exuded, and, not unfrequently, puru-death ; the head is opened; a vessel is lent matter on the surface of the lungs, orfound ruptured, sufficient to account for his in the bronchial tubes. Besides, therefore,death, and the individual who struck the being cautious in forming a prognosis inblow is arrested, and put upon his trial, such a case, the knowledge of this closeeither for murder or manslaughter. The connexion betwixt wounds and the lungs,evidence that he struck the blow is clear, should make us watchful of the first symp-and he is about to be condemned. Now, toms, the appearance of which will alwaysthis person may be perfectly innocent. If be a guarantee for the most active practice.the occupation of the deceased led him to Another consideration not to be overlook-Ilft heavy weights, and the vessels of the ed in forming a prognosis of wounds, is the

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state of the weather, and the locality, or the mass of mortification is at this time weigh-place of residence, of the individual, in re. ing upon the constitution. The consultantsference to its salubrity or insalubrity. agreed that it could not be expected thatExtreme of cold or heat, thunder-storms, the mortified arm would slough otf, andmuch rain, snow, or hail, all increase the that an operation afforded the only hope.danger of wounds. An insalubrious atmo- Then the question arose, was this the pro-sphere may render slight wounds dangerous, per time to amputate? It was observed,and dangerous ones mortal. A wounded on the one hand, that the operation shouldman carried into an hospital, where cases not be deferred :-I. Because the line ofof gangrene are at the time, or into a hut separation was commenced, showing thenear a dunghill, where putrefying animal system capable of an effort; 2. Because theand vegetable matter is collected, or, in man’s pulse was better through the in-fact, in any place in which nitrogen, car- fluence of wine, bark, opium, and ammo-bonic acid, and sulphuretted hydrogen, are nia, an effect which could not be relied onpresent in any considerable quantity, call- for any length of time; 3. The skin wasnot be expected to get well ; hence a large free above the line of mortification and in-proportion of the wounded patients of flammation, which might not be the case to-over-crowded hospitals die, not from the morrow.

wounds, but of hospital gangrene ; and, " Against this it was suggested, that theunder such circumstances, Dr. BECK justly man was better to-day than lie was yester-remarks, " it is the duty of the medical day, and so might be in a situation betterexaminer to apply the maxim of HIPPO- able to undergo the operation to-morrow.CRATES, that everything which happens to This man’s tongue is cleaner, his pulse isthe injured person contrary to correct pro- firmer, his senses are improved, he has hadbability, does not belong to the essence of less delirium, he is more alive to what isthe disease." It must, however, be also going on around him ; but a hardness of

kept in remembrance, that of the causes of the skin, with inflammation, is spreadingdeath, in such a case, although the wound up the arm on the inside ; advice was againis the slightest, yet it may have contributed asked, and amputation performed.materially towards the development of the " One o’clock.-The patient bore the ope-others. ration well ; indeed, it was quickly done,The last consideration to be attended to, so that I hope there was not much shock

in forming a prognosis of wounds, is one to the constitution. He lost no arterialwhich I would most willingly throw a veil blood. It was observed that the smallerover,-the want of skill, or negligence, of the vessels were more active than the trunk.surgeon in whose hands the wounded per- When they were tied the profunda humerison may have fallen. Haemorrhages that was seen to pulsate; but the humeral ar-might have been suppressed in other hands, tery, though tied distinct and separate frommay prove fatal from ignorance of the mode the surrounding substance, did not pulsate.of taking up vessels,-collections of pus This is a singular circumstance, and is tomay not be evacuated when necessary,- be explained by the consideration, that theoperations may be either neglected or im- main artery belonged to the forearm, whichproperly hurried,-and imprudences in diet was dead, and the rachialis to the armmay be permitted. A case of death arising where there was still circulation.from a tight bandage is detailed by Sir C. " Five o’clock.-He has taken some gene-BELL.* rous soup, and a little pudding ; every four

11 Ali elderly man, a lean artificer, fell hours he is ordered a spoonful of port-from a height, and broke both the bones of wine, in which the extract of bark hasthe forearm; the surgeon had put on splints been infused, and he is to have an opiate inand a bandage, without due attention to the evening.the inevitable degree of swelling which "Evening.—His pulse rose from the ope-must accompany so great an injury. In the ration, and remains fuller than in the morn-morning, when brought to the hospital and ing. He is quite sensible, and vain of hisexamined, the hand was swollen, dark, nonchalance.and cold; and although the bandage was 11 second day.-He slept six hours last

immediately undone, the impression was night. Countenance better; tongue cleaner ;made, and vesications appeared upon the pulse much fallen, and quicker.surface. In a few days the whole forearm’ "T/tu’dday.—Pulse 92, and stronger; theand hand mortified. dressings have been partially removed from

"CMMMaoK.—The arm is acknowledged the shoulder ; the integuments are not so

to be irrecoverably gone; a line of separa- fu!l as I could wish ; the wine is takention is commenced in the blush on the from him; he is indulged in ale, and it

skin, which goes round the elbow ; but the agrees with him.age and circumstances of the patient forbid "Aday.—He was dressed to-day. Thethe hope of the forearm being cast off. The stump discharges a considerable quantity of_________________________ thin pus ; pulse 96, and tolerably steady.

* Surgical Observations, p. 294. ° S’ixth day.-A hardness of the integu-L 2

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ments has taken place, yet the pus is not was full of people, some of whom instantlybad. The pulse numbers as yesterday, but ran out to procure surgical assistance. Ithere is more thrill in it, and the tongue is happened to be passing at the time, andbrown. He is, if possible, to take more entered the shop. I found the unfortunatenourishment, and the wine is to he resumed, gentleman sitting on a chair, supported byThis man continued to sink, rallied under several people, and the blood rushing, perthe most diligent attentions of the apothe- saltem, from the common carotid of the

cary and house surgeon, who rose during left side. I immediately got a piece ofthe night, to feed him and give him brandy strong thread, which I waxed, and, with.in his gruel ; but the stump dried up, and out any difficulty, threw it over the openhe died." end of the bleeding vessel. EverythingA most instructive case of the fatal ef- went on well, and the patient recovered

fects of abuse in diet and regimen, even in completely, both in respect to his state ofrecovery from severe wounds, is given by mind and condition of body ; he is stillDr. HENNEN.—(Military Surgery, p. 353.) alive.""A young officer of the - regiment Although the law of England looks to the

had his os frontis fractured, and a part of intent, and little to the nature of the wound,it removed, at one of the decisive battles in criminal cases of wounding, yet thein the neighbourhood of the Pyrenees. enactment passed in the reign of JAMES I.,The skill of his medical attendants carried which refers to the period within which ahim through the immediate effects of the person who has been wounded with a cri-injury ; but his own social disposition led minal intent must die, in order to constitutehim, with the wound still open, to the the act murder, is still in force. It de-society which frequented the coffee rooms clares, 11 that the thrusting or stabbingand the brothels of the city, where our another, who has not a weapon drawn, orgeneral hospital was at the time esta- who hath not then first stricken the partyblished. A return of all his symptoms, in a stabbing, so that he die thereof within sixmost aggravated form, was the speedy con- months after," shall be adjudged murder,sequence, and death very shortly ensued." though done upon sudden provocation. TheIn cases of decided mal-practice, no same provision as to time constitutes, also,

feeling of delicacy towards the surgeon part of the law of murder in other countries.should prevent him from giving an opinion The difficulty, in all these cases, is to tracefavourable to the author of the wound, and the death clearly and indisputably to theopenly attributing the blame, if merited, to wound in question. It is well known thatthe surgeon. No medical man can stand after serious wounds, from which the per-excused for failing to make himself ac- sons recover, the organs in the differentquainted with every improvement in his cavities of the body have their dispositionprofession, and to apply it to the symptoms to disease very much increased, and causespresented to his view-and then, if, on ex- which, in a state of health, would scarcelyamination, the injury be found to be such affect them, operate very powerfully. Thus,that no effort of art could have prevented for example, a man receives a wound in theits fatality, the death of the patient may be thorax; the slightest atmospheric changesjustly attributed to the nature of the wound. affect the respiratory organs ; some monthsOn the contrary, prompt attention to take after the wound is well, he catches cold on aadvantage of every favourable occur- slight exposure, inflammation ensues, andrence, sometimes, happily, saves life under he dies. Another is wounded on the head,the most threatening aspect of affairs. I but recovers; before six months expire, hehave some hesitation in illustrating this makes some violent effort in lifting a heavyremark by an anecdote of myself ; but I am load, or he is transported into a violent pa-induced to forego the silence which I roxysm of anger, or commits an excess inwould otherwise maintain, by having ob- drinking, phrenitis supervenes, and he, also,served the following note in p. 333 of Dr. dies. In both these instances an advocateDARWALL’s edition of Dr. BECK’s " Ele- might contend, that the death should bements of Medical Jurisprudence :-- ascribed to the wounds, as, unless these had"There is one instance, and only one, rendered the habit so susceptible of diseased

of a divided carotid not proving fatal. In impressions, the individuals, in all proba-this instance, Mr. CARPUE, of London, being bility, would not have suffered. But it iscalled at the moment, secured the vessel. not in this light that such cases are to beAn officer, who had been sent from the viewed by the surgeon, and he would illWest Indies in a state of insanity, arrived perform his duty to consign the accused toin London by the Portsmouth coach, which punishment on such grounds. On the otherhe directly quitted, leaving behind him his hand, in such a case as the following, and inluggage. He strolled along the street till many others of a similar nature in otherhe arrived at Knightsbridge, where he went cavities, there can be no hesitation in tracinginto a cheesemonger’s shop, and taking up death to the wound, however long beforethe cheese-knife, which lay on the counter, the fatal issue takes place. A ball enteredcut his throat from ear to ear. The shop the right eye of a French soldier, towards

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the great angle, and could not be traced. depriving another of the use of such of hisHe himself deemed it of little consequence, members as may render him the less able,and the wound healed under the common in fighting, either to defend himself or an-hospital treatment. Some weeks afterwards noy his adversary. And, therefore, the cut-the man expressed a wish to leave the hos- ting off, or disabling, or weakening, a man’spital, although cautioned by the surgeon, hand or finger, or striking out his eye orand had scarcely reached the door when he foretooth, or depriving him of those parts,was seized with rigours, obliged to return, the loss of which, in animals, abates theirand died two days afterwards. On dissec- courage, are held to be mayheim. But the

tion, the ball was found lodged under the cutting off his ear or nose, or the like, aresphenoid cells and the hole of the optic held to be mayheim at common law, be-nerve.* As confident an opinion may be, cause they do not weaken, but only disfigurealso, delivered in cases in which pieces of him." But, nevertheless, castration wascloth have been carried into the abdominal always held to be felony, and this althoughor thoracic cavity by bullets, and being left the mayheim was committed upon the high-there have caused abscesses which have af- est provocation ; cutting out the tongue,terwards terminated in death. But, perhaps, putting out the eyes, slitting the nose, orit is much safer in every case to look to the cutting it off, were also afterwards, by anintent, whatever may be the consequence. Act of CHARLES II., declared felony without

In instances of insurance upon lives, in benefit of clergy.*which suicide is suspected, or alleged, it is In looking over the list of offences con-of much importance to ascertain the fact, as stituting " mayheim," it is curious to find socases have occurred in which the wounds much value put upon the foretooth at thesupposed to have been the cause of death early period at which the law was enacted ;have been inflicted after death, and this has had the enactment occurred at a later time,also been done with the view to conceal after the use of the cartridge for loadingmurder. A wound, however, received military muskets was introduced, we mightduring life, either exhibits appearances of understand the object, as a soldier is ob-incipent inflammation, or it causes greater liged to bite off the end of the cartridgehaemorrhage than one made after death. before the powder can be discharged fromIn such cases, also, if any weapon be found it. It was not very honourable to the Englishnear the deceased, we should ascertain law that it visited slitting the nose with thewhether that could possibly have inflicted punishment of death, and permitted morethe wound, or whether it have been placed serious wounds to be inflicted with impu-there afterwards. Two cases of this descrip- nity. So late as 1778, one TICKNER wastion may be mentioned. The first is that tried at the Old Bailey, under the Coventry’of Sir EDMUNDSBURY GODFREY, who had Act, enacted in the reign of CHARLES II.,been strangled, and thrown into a ditch, to which I have alluded, for injuries donewhere he was discovered with his own to one WILLIANT JACOB. There were severalsword run through his body; but as no blood wounds, but the one which bore chiefly onissued from the wound, an inquiry was in- the case was a cut on the nose, dividing thestituted, and the means by which he was integuments in an oblique direction; thekilled ascertained. The second case is that wound was slight, but sufiicient to leave aof a man who was found shot, and his own visible mark for some time. The prisonerpistol lying near him, from which circum- was convicted ; but Sergeant GLYNN orderedstance it was concluded that he had destroy- the execution to be respited until the opi-ed himself; but, on examining the ball by nionof the twelve judges could be procur-which he was killed, it was discovered to be ed, whether this conviction was proper,too large ever to have entered that pistol, within the meaning of the Coventry Act.in consequence of which suspicion fell on The judges decided that the conviction wasthe real murderers. right ; yet, fourteen years before this trial

Such, Gentlemen, are all the remarks took place, one WILLIAM LEE was tried forwhich I think necessary to be brought be- attempting to cut his wife’s throat with afore you relative to wounds. With respect razor while asleep. The wound was threeto Mutilations, the law of England takes inches in length, and quite across, but didspecial notice of these under the term not prove mortal. This was held not to. be° Mayheim," a legal term for maiming. It an offence within the Coventry Act.is scarcely necessary to say, that a mutila- With regard to the law on the aggravationtion comprehends both a wound and a per- of injuries by injudicious treatment, it ismanent deformity, or deprivation of some sufficiently explicit respecting persons notorgan or part of the body, which weakens qualified to practice surgery; but it is lessor destroys the functions of one or more so respecting the malpractice of those whoparts. By the eye of the law, it is viewed have been licensed as surgeons. It wasin the same light. " The term 11 mayheim," anciently holden, that if a person, not dulysays Judge BLACK&TONE, " is the violently .

* The number of Acts under Mayheim are nu.* Garangeot: Traite des Operations, vol. iii., Obs. 20. merous.-See Russell, 585.

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authorised to be a physician or surgeon,undertook a cure, and the patient died underhis hand, he was guilty of felony. By a sta-tute of the 23rd HENRY VIII., the capitalpart of the charge was set aside, and it nowonly constitutes manslaughter; but thetrial of a late notorious quack, ST. JOHNLONG, for the death of a young lady, whichis fresh in the memory of the public, demon-strates to you the difficulty of substantiat-ing charges of this description. Whetherthe public would sympathise with a regu-larly-educated surgeon, in the same degreeas it did with the notoriously ignorant pre-tender on that occasion, I will not takeupon me to decide ; but, for the honour ofthe profession, I trust the experiment willnever be tried.

LECTURES

ON

MATERIA MEDICA AND

THERAPEUTICS,NOW IN COURSE OF DELIVERY

AT THE

WINDMILL-STREET SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

BY

GEORGE G. SIGMOND, M.D.

" LECTURE XIV.

TOBACCO.—ITS introduction into Europe; itsname ; its use in China ; its appearance inEngland. Raleigh’s love of it; KingJames’s hatred. Writings for and againstit; opposition of legislators. Trarieties ofNicotiana. The N. Tabacum. Law againstits growth in this country. Its cultivationIl1zd preparation for use, strong and mild.The tobacco-worm. The snuff, smoking,and chewing parts of the plant. Theiradulteration. Poison of tobacco. Effectsof smoking on the health. Its prophylacticproperties. Rules for smoking. Snuffing.Chewing.GENTLEMEN :-The discovery of a new

Continent was an æra of the deepest im-portance to the science of materia medica.The enterprising and gallant adventurerswho sought the distant shores, returned totheir native homes laden with the variousproducts of those new regions. Many ofthe products have been found to be of in-estimable value to the human race ; one

vegetable alone, the potato, has tendedmore to the happiness and civilization of agreat mass of the community than have themost brilliant discoveries of the philosopher.The spirit of inquiry had kindled an enthu-siasm which led to the most useful and im-portant results, and commerce received an

impetus from the anxiety which was mani°fested to introduce into the old world therich treasures which the three kingdoms ofnature poured forth so lavishly in the va-rious regions of this new world.Amongst these, a herb, the TOBACCO, has

engaged the attention of kings, of legisla-tors, of philosophers, of poets, of moralists,and of physicians. It has been lauded withthe most lavish encomiums; it has beenanathematised with the most bitter hatred;it has been cherished as a luxury, and in-terdicted as a poison ; it produces, in some,the most agreeable sensations; in others,the most nauseating effects. The herb to-bacco is acknowledged, almost by universalconsent, to have been introduced into Eu-rope about the year 1559, when JEAN NICOTwas Ambassador from the King of Franceat the Court of Lisbon. He thought thisplant, from the wonders related of it by thetravellers who had just returned from Ame-rica, a suitable present to a queen ; and hetherefore offered it for the acceptance ofCATHERINE DE MEDICIS, from which circum-stance it obtained the name by which it isknown amongst some of ourauthors, "herbareginae," whilst from the donor it was called" nicotiana" and 11 tobacco," either from itsgrowth in the island of Tobago, or, as ithas been asserted, from the pipe, origi-nally used in Virginia, which was so called,in which it was usual to smoke it, the nameof the plant amongst the natives being"Petum." THEVET, who first published afigure of the plant ill the year 1575, in hiswork entitled, 11 Cosmographia," claimsfor himself the reputation of being thefinder, and the first person who introducedthe seed of tobacco into France. It ap-pears, however, that the smoking of tobaccomust have been a common custom in China,even before the discovery of America.

PALLAS, the observing and correct traveller,tells us, that the preparation of the leaves,so peculiar to themselves, and the form oftheir pipe, prove that the custom must havebeen original, and not borrowed from nationswhich had commercial intercourse withthe Chinese; the pipe and tobacco-purseare parts of their dress ; the herb that isindigenous to their soil is of the mildestquality, and they have no relish for thatwhich Europeans use. Smoking is withthem a very common luxury, although it isforbidden by the law. They also thus in-dulge themselves, to obtain the intoxicationfrom opium. This drug is reduced to a sortof treacle, and poured into a small receptacleplaced at the end of a bamboo-cane; theinhaler lies down on a sofa; he takes asingle long inspiration, by which the kindledopium gives up its smoke, and is exhamted.If the expected enjoyment do not follow,a second or third inspiration is performed.This mode of using opium produces themost debilitating eflects upon the constitu-