Great expectations in respect to the cure of consumptions, as well as of many other diseases, are produced by the very ingenious exertions of DR. BEDDOES; who has established an apparatus for breathing various mixtures of airs or gasses, at the hot-wells near Bristol, which well deserves the attention of the public.

DR. BEDDOES very ingeniously concludes, from the florid colour of the blood of consumptive patients, that it abounds in oxygene; and that the redness of their tongues, and lips, and the fine blush of their cheeks shew the presence of the same principle, like flesh reddened by nitre.  And adds, that the circumstance of the consumptions of pregnant women being stopped in their progress during pregnancy, at which time their blood may be supposed to be in part deprived of its oxygene, by oxygenating the blood of the foetus, is a forceable argument in favour of this theory; which must soon be confirmed or confuted by his experiments.  See Essay on Scurvy, Consumption, &c. by Dr. Beddoes.  Murray.  London.  Also Letter to Dr. Darwin, by the same.  Murray.  London.

* * * * *

SECT.  XXIX.

ON THE RETROGRADE MOTIONS OF THE ABSORBENT SYSTEM.

I. Account of the absorbent system. II. The valves of the absorbent vessels may suffer their fluids to regurgitate in some diseases. III. Communication from the alimentary canal to the bladder by means of the absorbent vessels. IV. The phenomena of diabetes explained. V. 1. The phenomena of dropsies explained. 2. Cases of the use of foxglove. VI. Of cold sweats. VII. Translations of matter, of chyle, of milk, of urine, operation of purging drugs applied externally. VIII. Circumstances by which the fluids, that are effused by the retrograde motions of the absorbent vessels, are distinguished. IX. Retrograde motions of vegetable juices. X. Objections answered. XI. The causes, which induce the retrograde motions of animal vessels, and the medicines by which the natural motions are restored.

N.B.  The following Section is a translation of a part of a Latin thesis written by the late Mr. Charles Darwin, which was printed with his prize-dissertation on a criterion between matter and mucus in 1780.  Sold by Cadell, London.

I. Account of the Absorbent System.

1.  The absorbent system of vessels in animal bodies consists of several branches, differing in respect to their situations, and to the fluids, which they absorb.

The intestinal absorbents open their mouths on the internal surfaces of the intestines; their office is to drink up the chyle and the other fluids from the alimentary canal; and they are termed lacteals, to distinguish them from the other absorbent vessels, which have been termed lymphatics.

Those, whose mouths are dispersed on the external skin, imbibe a great quantity of water from the atmosphere, and a part of the perspirable matter, which does not evaporate, and are termed cutaneous absorbents.