The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-02-12
THE ECLECTIC REPERTORY,
AND
.H1rdI. YTJH6/ pEVTCrt

MEDICAL G. PHII.OSOPHlCAL-F
IVA ted by Society of Ply sicians Published
by Edward Earle, Philadelphia
Of all the means which have been devised tn
disseminate information, that of Periodical
Journal rs, perhaps, the best adapted. The util-
ity OF such publications is indeed very decisivelv
evnced by the encouragement which they re-
ceNe among every people at all distinguished hy,
IN attachment to letters. 1t is, however in the.
United States, where access to the stores If lesr.
nng is impeded by peculiar obstacles that taey
seem to be more especially required, and TO hold
nut the greatest advantages. Easy Of circulate
on, they reach the remotest POI ITEMS ofour wide
spread territory, and open at q very moderate ex
pence, source of amusement and instruction
which to many would otherwise be deried Nor.
~ the salutary influence Of these popular vehi.
cles any longer with us, than in Europe, a mat
~ to be determined by experiment, or the re-.
suits OF the future Effects, the most beneficial
To our lite raiy relations, already be traced to.
their rapid multiplication, and extensive disper.
SION. They have insinuated into the minds of.
our people, who were once, confesSedly, too necs
l'gent OF liberal pursuits, a love of kno Wedge.
anu nave made us, what IN the language of a ce.
isbrated foreigner we have truly become of late.
one OF the most inqssitive and reading nations Oh
the earth.
Dispositions in every view suspicious, were
to De anticipated from the diffusion of writings
so emmentiy calculated to captivate general nj.
ention, and 60 delight or improve every dee.
variety OF taste, and every gradaton of ;nteilec.
tusi capacity.
AS its title indicates, the Journal now offered
I" me patronage OF the .a!;c, vii; DC odneiuct-
eo cneny on the principle of selection. The leaA
ding feature OF the plan more distinctly enrnc;x
ated, is to present, at stated intervals, cor, oe
synopsis Of the foreign Magazines, Journals and
EevIe ws, appropriated to Medicine and its kin
dred sciences 49, "
Whatever may be thought of the humility Of
In m II
VINO is converSant with the, periodical works oP
Europe. AS is incident to such publications tba
matter winch they contain is altogether of a miy.
ed nature, and ofmarits the most UNEQUAL ,rbe,,
are a vast field, where godeH wheat il too offer,
choaKed by useless or Pernicious tsrcs 6. where.
1t imports us. like the prudent husbandmsn. To
reject the one, and hoard the other. These pub.
hcat'ons are, moreover, at this time, so hume.
ro"s, so costly, and so difficult to be procuredI
ulat really they can only be consulted bv a IargS
majority otthe' cultvators of science in the IIni.
tee States, through medium somewha, similar
10 tne one now proposed. 1t Is therefore meant
TO give an extract so copious of their contents
AZ NOT only TO exhibit the progress of the physi.
Cal sciences abroad, but to do away. in n orre,,
degree, the necessity of recurring to the works
themselves.
This Journal, however lis not wholly to he reg.
uicted to the province Of selection A depart
ment, sufficiently spacious, will be reserved for
original contributions. But as eclectics the ed;.
tors must be permitted here also to exercise ,be,
right OF choice, and without arrogance or cspti-
BUSINESS, of excluding such articles as thew mac
deem unworthy Of preservation Thew will cor.
daily receive, and conspicuous!y insert, reports
OF interesting cases of disease, we'll written his
tories OF epidemcs, accurate meteorological OBJ
serVatIons, experimental enquiries, ingenious dis
quisltIons, notices OF new discoveries acute hut
temperate analyses of books and, in short, what.
ever in their estimation, may have tendency tn
enlarge the sPheres Of science and more psrti
culsrly, to recify the errors, amend the pr,c ice
and increase the usefulness of that bransh to
which they are professionally devoted.
The contents ofthe Journal will be arrsnoed
under the subsequent divisions
l. Selected Papers Original Reviews
2. Selected Reviews. 6 List of New PubIicss
s. Medical and Philoso- tons, foreign and de-
phcal Intelligence nestle.
Z. Original Papers