The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-11-13 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

,Arethma, its Species and Complications ; or, Researches
into the Pathology of Disordered Respiration ; with
Remarks ork the Remedial Treatment applicable to each
Variety, 4.c. 4-c. FRANCtS HoPKINS RAMADGE,
. M.D., 14' .A.S., Fellos, of the Royal College of Physi
clans. Loudon : Longman and Co.

This is the production of a medical man who has evi
dently read much, and observed and reflected more on the
subject upon which he writes. ,As any opinion which we
can form of Dr. Rarnadge's work must necessarily be au
.unprofessional one, we shall confine our reinarks upon it
to a general summary of its contents.
From a perusal of the preface we are given to under-
stand that the flattering reception which the doctor's
"Treatise on Consumption" experienced encouraged
him to prepare and publish a digest of his- experience
upon astknaa—a malady less fatal, it is true, than the sub-
ject of his fbriner work, but one which, from the variable
blitni.:e of Great Britain and other circumstances con-
nected with its meteorology, must be of great interest to
the philosophical practitioner of medicine.
After devoting forty pages of his work to an historical
nccourit of asthma, whichlie closes with remarking that
the diseaSe ." is seldom productive 'of present danger,
but often betokens much future inconvenience," the
practical bearings of the work are commenced and con-
tinued throughout the remainder or the voluine.
The views submitted as regards what are termed the
"complications" of asthma, appear to be most instruct-
ive and practical. It is in vain fur medical practitioners
to lay down—as it would argue ignorance in them to fol-
low out in practice—one uniform abstract principle, as
-each individual case must determine the individual and
'perhaps mixed or apparently contradictory mode of treat-
anent. Dr. Ramadge insinuates a doubt if there be such
a form of the disease as uncomplicated or essential
"nervous asthma;"—were he at this moment sitting at
our elbow he Would perhaps change his opinion; --,-but at
page 41 sets':out by assuming its reality and detailing its
ordinary symptoms.
Passing to the treatment of the disease we find, in a
subsequent portion of the work, a new remedy, the
Er of of Rye, or Secale Cornutunz" favourably spoken
of, as having-been found in the doctor's practice " re-
inarkably serviceable." He says, "although I have not
,
used it to so great an extent as to warrant my pronoun-
oink definitely upon its powers, yet I am fully persuaded
that, by its stimulating properties, it exerts an efficacious
action in some forms of unnatural dilatation. Thus, in
nervous asthma it may restore the air cells, unduly ex•
paneled, to their natural state, by removing the spasm
which counteracts their collapse:' Clever men *some-
times indulge in theories, and it must he tor his (Ct.-ores-
•sional brethren alOne to judge of what they, we presume,
technically style the rationale of the new medicine just
instanced in the relief of this troublesome and very ha-
rassing malady.
Towards the close of the vohnne there is-an interest-
ing and intelligible account of "asthma complicated with
disease of the heart ;" but the most interesting chapter
is, perhaps, that which treats of the complication of asth-
ma with hysteria. Several clinical cases are given to
illustrate the doctor's successful mode of treatment.
As an appanage to the work there is a series of plates
with a letter-press -explanation. The former clears up
points, otherwise obscure, in reference to what is techni-
cally called. the morbid anatomy or ettects of diseased
action going on in the system. These plates are of much
use, as appealing to the elle of the unprofessional reader.
•Throogliout these pages there are many, and, is they
'appear to us., curious, theoretical disquiiitions. Indeed,
we had not cut open and perused many leaves before we
were fully sensible that the doctor is fond of mounting
his hobby. Hobbies, we apprehend, are dangerous ani-
mals to bestride, and how much more so to ride in so
'speculative an art as the science of medicine is, and, from
its figure, ever will and must be. tvery man, however,
is free to entertain his own opinions, more especially in
this age when the bounds of political and even scientific
reform are illimitable and unconfined. Doctors have a
prescriptive, or, at least a proverbial right to disagree ;
in accordance with this ancient professional privilege we
find Dr. Rainadge maintaining that the only correct and
successful curative principle in diseases of the chest--in
consumption particularly—is to expand or blow the lungs
uuT ;—on. the per contra, a well known practitioner of
Liverpool mounts his hobby, and maintains, with a reso-
,ktion.and courage equally undaunted, that consumption
is to be cured only by blowing the lungs IN
" Who shall decide when doctors disagree ?"

Rules and an Address for Operative Conservative As•
Yoeiations. Manchester : T. Suwler.

Under the above head we have a short but well-timed
address, which, we understand, was written by Mr.
Sowler, Jun., of Manchester, showing the existing ne-
cessity for the establishment of operative conservative
societies generally, and more especially in the manufac-
turing clistricts of the country. The rules, thirteen in
number, are plain and simple, and will be found efficient
for intonditil purpose—the management of these as-
sociations. We transcribe the declaration recommended
for the adoption of these societies :
" We, the undersigned, declare our fixed determination to
maintain the tried and ancient principles on which the consti-
tution of our country is.founded ; and while we avow our readi-
ness to promote t he reform of all proved abuses, we declare it to
he our object to uphold the necessary connexion between the
established church and the state—the just prerogatives of the
monarch—the privileges of the [louse of Lords as an' indepen-
dent branch of the legislature—and the deliberative powers of
the Co,nruons' Ilouse of Parliament unfettered and uncontrolled,
convinced as we are, that on the united and energetic support
of those authorities depend the continuance of social order, the
security of property, the maintenance of religion, and the real
liberties of the people.
.• And we hold ourselves pledged to use all our influence to
return to parliament, as the reptesentative for this borough,
such a gentleman only as wilt support the principles set forth
iu the ave declaration."
LITE-141W WORTHIES IN HUMBLE LIFE.

Nearly all the great names conspicuous on the cata-
logues of renown, are. proofs of the success of genius in
contending with difficulties.—Metastaeio, a friendless
lad, singing verses in the streets, became one 'of the
greatest authors in Italian literature.—Gifford, the cabin
boy, was one of the most powerful authors of his age.—
Epictetus, the moralist, was born a slave, but became the
boast of the stoical sect of philosophers, and the intimate
friend of the best Emperors of Rorne.—FergUson was a
shepherd's boy, but raised himself:to the honour of the
first astronomer of his age, one of whose lectures George
IV. attended.—Murray was a shepherd's boy, but he be-
came one of the first instructors ofinankind.—Brown,
the author of the Commentary, Concordance, and Bible
Dictionary, was also a shepherd's-hoy.—Pope Adrian
was the son of a barge-builder, attended a charity school
at Lotivaine, and being too poor to purchase candles,
used to read in the church porches, and at the corners of
streets where lamps were burning.. He became so dis-
tinguished for his attainments as soon to become precep-
tor of Charles V..who elevated him to the Papal chair.—
Terence was an African slave, but raised hiMself to such
an elevation that the haughty consuls of Rome Courted
Ins society.—Franklin, the printer, became one of the
first statesmen of his age.—Sir Humphrey Davy. the son
of a wood carver, and the apprentice of an 'apothecary,
becatne the first chemist of his time.—Columbus, the
sailor, left a new world for his memorial.—Roger Sher-
man, the statesman of thd American revolution, was a
shoemaker.—Herschel, the great astronomer, was a.
British soldier in Nova Scotia, and commenced the stud),
of astronomy while watching at the sentry posts at night,
and has fixed his name among the orbs.—Shakspeare was
a botcher when young.—Samuel Lee was .a carpenter,
but became a professor of Hebrew in Cambridge Uni-
versity, England.—Adam Clark was the son of a coun-
try schorriroaster; btn rote to bethe'first hilifical critic of
modern times.—Robert Hall was the sort of a pour
dissenting minister; he rose to.be one of the most splen-
did orators of the British pulpit, and the best writer of
the English language.—Cuvier, the greatest of modern
naturalists,, was the son of a pensioned soldier, and a
charity scholar at college.—Prideaux, the author of the
"Connexions," and Bishop of Worcester, could not be
kept at school by his poor parents longer than to learn to
read and write, and he obtained the rest of his education
try %balking to Oxford, and obtaining employment in the
kitchen of Exeter College.