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the point blank evidences of tlio absorption of the animal parts of tubercle—are always found imbedded in an artificial cyst , produced by the hardening and contraction of iht coagvlable lymph which nature pours out in inflammatory attacks , or \ a pauses of the constitutional malady—i . e . in an improved condition of the blood- Thus we have solved the problem M . Louis considered unsoivable . / The conditions of spontaneous arrest of pulmonary lesions are , 1 st , an improved condition of the blood—the drying up of the corrupt fountain of the malady—and 2 nd , the effusion of plastic exudation around deposits or cavities , which serves in the former case ( deposits ) as a ' wall of circumvallation' to separate the diseased from the healthy , the living from the dead parts ; and in the latter ca 6 e ( cavities ) to dry up and bring together ulcerating walls . "
He also describes the four ( not three ) phases of consumption , and the causes of the disease . But the portion of the work which will most directly appeal to the public is the history of one hundred and forty-seven cases of consumption , some of them in the last stage , which have been cured , and which therefore prove that consumption is curable , or that at least it is not necessarily fatal . When we said that Dr . Balbirnie ' s treatment was not dependent on his theory , we alluded to the theory of tubercle being deoxy dated fat ; of course his treatment depends on his theory of the causes of consumption , as , for example , in the following passage :
" To us , indeed , it is the clearest of truths , viz ., that stagnation , or insufficient RENEWAL OP TMK AIR IN THE CHEST—DEFECTIVE LUNG-PLAY , DEFECTIVE BLOODPURIFICATION , WITH AN EQUALLY ESFEEBLKD ACTION OF THE CUTANEOUS FUNCTIONS — -ALL RESULTING FROM BOI > ILY INACTIVITY LIE AT THE FOUNDATION OF THE PHENOMENA of the tuberculous constitution . Another equally obvious truth , to us , is this , viz ., that , the treatment that will full-surely realise the greatest success YET RECORDED , IS THAT WHICH IS BASED PRE-EMINKNTLY ON THE CORRECTION ov these two master-evils . This treatment includes regimen , bathing , exercise , change of air and scene , agreeable society , and every other precaution and resource which hygiene can supply . _' : ' In females sedentarily employed , * the cases of consumption , compared ¦ with all other diseases , were three times as numerous as among those engaged in active domestic occupations (^ servants , housekeepers , shopkeepers ) . Men following in-door work , fall into consumption much . earlier in-lite than-those employed out of doors . In iemales generally , the ratio of case s was highest in those following in-door sedentary employments , less in those having mixed in-door occupations , and least of all in those employed out of doors . la men , the ratio of cases of Consumption to all other diseases is somewhat higher in those following in-door
labour than iu those employed in the open air ; and among the in-door operatives the ratio is highest where there is the least exercise , and lowest in employments requiring strong exercise . The disease also occurs earlier in life among those whose occupations give a higher ratio of cases . " The iiyuriousness of the worst occupations is not unavoidable , certainly not uncbunteractable . No occupation by which man may honestly earn his bread , need be , should be , per se , unwholesome . Employments owe their malign influence to the unfavourable circumstances of the employed—to the wilful , systematic violation of sanitary laws , under which they are pursued . The cupidity of the employer , and the recklessness of the workman , are the greatest disseminators of disease . The impure air of workshops , prolonged Lours of labour , constrained positions of body while at work , deficiency of light , &c , are not . necessary or irremediable evils of man ' s toiling lot . But these evils are often tenfold aggravated by the mental and physical depression produced by dissipation and injurious habits of all sorts . Undoubtedly the inhalation o £ minute particles of minerals , inetals , and animal and vegetable -substances floating in the atmosphere , are sources of pulmonary irritation , and eventually causes of Consumption , in stonemasons , needle-pointers , flax and feather dressers , glass-cntteis , turners , &c ; but by far the greatest injury is inflicted on the constitutions of the men by collateral causes which they have perfectly under their own control . " These questions we must leave to the profession—non nostrxim est iantas componere lites— enough if we have called attention to a book worthy of all attention on a subject of hxunense importance .
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MRS . STOWE ON HER TRAVJELS . Sunny Memories of Foreign Lands . By Mis . Harriet Beech . er Slowe . Author of " Uncle fom s Cabin , ' . Sampson , Low , and Go Iff the preface to these volumes Mrs . Stowe states that she would riot have published her new book in England but for certain misrepresentations of the circumstances related in it , which have obtained currency in this country , and which she thinks it desirable to refute . She also begs the English reader to remember that her " Memories" are addressed especially to the American public- —requests that due allowance may be made for them accordingly ^—apologises for taking an inveteratoly amiable view of our country and its inhabitants , by assuring us that her "impressions" have been set down as the results of " a most agreeable visit "—and declares that she would have been placed far more at her- ease if there had been no prospect of issuing the present publication in England . To speak plainlywo believe these
, explanations and excuses to be occasioned by a very natural anxiety on Mrs . Stowc's part not to be tried by the literary standard of Uncle Tom ' s Cabin , " on her second appearance among us as a writer . Feeling this conviction , and having , moreover , no sympathy with that unprofitable kind of criticism which cannot examine a writer ' s later literary offspring without making disparaging references to the first born children of his brain , we beg to assure Mrs . Stowe that her present book of travelling experiences is in no danger of being estimated by us , in any critical point of view , by the literary standard of her iiunous fiction . So far as the main purpose of this notice is concerned , whatever genuine sparkles of light there may bo in the " Sunny Memories" shall not be darkened for a moment by so much as the shadow of " Uncle Tom . "
Looking , then , at this work only as the production of an American lady , who , from certain circumstances , -was received with very uncommon respect and regard in England and in other European countries that she visited , we have , in a general way , nothing but a negative objection to mako against it . It is not in &ny respect a striking book ; it has nothing fresh and original about it ; and it differs in no important point that wo can discover , from the printed travelling gossip of American ladies in general . Mra . Stowe , as a traveller , mny claim tbo merit of looking at tlio brightest and best aide ol
everything that she observes , und of writing- in certain places , and on certain subjects , with great good , fiertso . Wo wish that she was a little less pnmly conscious of her own humility in somo passages , and a little lesfl devoutly free a » d eoay on ecirious subjects in others , JPIonty of limits migtot Do . iouod -with her besides the dufocts just indicated , if-we choeo to go . into details . But , . » he has askod us to mako allowances , and we htive very readily made Uiem . > What wo have not been ablo to do is to feol any onLUusinsn » qr extraordinary interest , while reading her book . When wo navo emu Wat * t > is ttiadtjrutel y clever in « , aoiivoutfonol way , good humoured
and amiable , in its general tone , and straightforward and sensible In certain detached passages , we have spoken our conscientious opinion , and need Bay no more . ' Having expressed what our ovrn estimate is of " Sunny Memories , ' the only duty that remains to be performed is to let Mrs . Stowe appeal from our judgment to the judgment of our readers . Are we right or wrong in considering that this passage might have been written by any woman of ordinary intelligence or education either in England or America ?—" When the ship has been out about eight days , an evident bettering of spirits and cdindition obtains among the passengers . Many of the sick ones take heart , and appeal * again among the walks and ways of men ; the ladies assemble in little knots , and talk of-gpttiftg on shore . The more knowing ones , who have travelled before , embrace tbis bnrjortiup ^ ty to show their knowledge cf life by telling the new hands all sorts of hobgoblin' stdries aootrt the custom-house officers and the difficulties of getting landed in England . It is a cartons fact , that old travellers generally seeetn to take this particular delight in striking counternation into younger ones . " ' You'll have all your daguerreotypes taken away , ' saya one lady , riho , in rlghtof having crossed the ocean nine times , is entitled to apeak ex cathedra on the , subject . , 41 ' All our daguerreotypes ! ' shriek four or five at once . * Pray tell what for ?" ,
" ' They will do it , ' says the knowing lady , with an awful nod j "* unless you hide them and all your books , they'll burn up—;— ' - -,-- . ¦ ,. ; . " ' Burn our books 1 ' exclaim the circle . " O , dreadful 1 What do t , liey do-that for ?* 44 They ' re very particular always to burn up all your books . 1 knew a laidy t&o had a dozen burned , ' says the wise one . " ¦ ¦ -r . . ¦ -... ¦ : ¦ . ! : " ' Deat me ! will they take our dresses ? ' says a young lady , with increasing alarm . - , j 44 No , but they'll pull everything out , and tumble them well over , I can tell you / 41 ' How horrid ! ' ' ; ' -., -u 14 An old lady , who has been very sick all the way , is revived by this appalling intelligence . 41 ' I hope they won't tumble over my caps , '' she exclaims . , , ' - •'« .. . / 14 Yes , they will have everything out on deck , ' says the lady , delighted with the increasing sensation . 4 1 tell you you don't know these custom-house officens . ~ ' " ¦ ' ¦ '"' ¦ ¦ ¦¦ 44 4 It's tbo bad i' ' 'It ' s dreadful 1 ' ' How horrid ! exclaim all . ..- ; ... . 44 41 shall put my best things in my pocket , ' exclaims one . 'They don't searcii our pockets , do they ? ' ' - ' r ?
444 Well , Tio , hot here ; but I tell you they'll searcii your pockets at Antwerp and Brussels , ' says the- lady . . ... ¦ ..,.. 44 Somebody catches the sound , and flies off into the state-rooms with the intelligence thai ; ' the custom-house officers are so dreadful—they rip open your trunks , pull out aii yofcr tilings , burn your books , take away your daguerreotypes , and even search your pockets j ' and a row of groans is heard ascending from the row of state-rooms , as all begin to revolve what they have in their trunks , and what they are to do in this emergency . ¦ ' - ' ¦ ' ' ¦ ¦ ; 44 4 Pray tell me , ' said I ,. to a gentlemanly man , who had crossed four or five times , las there really so much annoyance at the custom-house ? ' . , / , 44 ' Annoyance , ma ' am ? No , hot the slightest . ' " ' '• ¦ ¦ -- '~" - 44 But do they really turn out the contents of the trunks , and take away people ' s daguerreotypes , and burn their books ?' 44 4 Nothing of the kind , ma ' am . I apprehend-no difficulty ^ I never had any . There are a ftw articles on which duty is charged . I have a case of cigars , for instance ; I shall show them to the custom-house officer , and pay the duty . - If a person seems disposed to Be fair , there is no difficulty . The examination of ladies' trunks is merely nominal ; notuing is deranged . ' . _ .-..- ,,. % :, . _ - , j 44 So it proved . We arrived on Sunday morning ; the custom-house' officers , vejry genfcle--manly men , came oh board ; our luggage was all set out , and passed through a rabid ^ exanii nation , which in many cases amounted only to opening the trunt and SMtttlngit , iinid 7 4 U was over , The whole ceremony did not occupy two hours , "; - . . ' : ' i
Take another example . Is it above the average magazine writing marie ?** 44 Well , we are in Scotland at last , and now our pulse rises as the sun declines in thfe west . We catch glimpses of the Sol way Frith , and talk about Kedgauntlet . f ; . ; : - < l 41 One says , ' Do you remember the scene on the pea-shore , with which it opens , describing the rising of the tide ? ' . , - '; . ..-44 And says another , ' Don't you remember those lines in the Young J ^ ochinyar song S ?^ --4 Love swells like the Sojway , but ebbs like its tide . '' ., " 441 wonder how many authors it will take to enchant our country from Maine to Hew Orleans ,, as every foot of ground is enchanted here in Scotland . ' ' 4 < The sun went down , and night drew on ; still wo Were in Scotlatid . Scotch ballads , Scotch tunes , and Scotch literature , were in the ascendant . We saag ' Auld Lang- Syne ,- ' ' Scots wha liao , ' and ' Bonnie Doon , ' and then , changing the key , saag 4 Dundee , ' ' Elgin , ' and 4 Martyr . ' .. v , 41 4 Take care , ' said Mr . S * don't get too much excited . '
41 4 All , ' said I , this i ^ a thing that comes only once in a lifetime ; do let us iiave'tn ' e comfort of it . We shall never come into Scotland for theirs * time again . ' ' ' ¦ '< iVi ' 44 4 Ah , ' said another , how I wish Walter Scott was alive J' >' . : " While we thus at the fusion point of enthusiasm , the cars stopped at Lockerbie , vvftere the real Old'Mortality is buried . All was dim and dark outside , but we soon became conscious that there was quite a number collected , peering into the window ; and , ^ fit ^ i a strange kind of thrill , I heard my name inquired , for in the Scottish , accent . I went to tho window , there were men , women , and children there , and liand . ' after ha « El wtts presented , with the words , Ye ' re welcome to Scotland J' . . . ; ¦ ' 41 Then they inquired for , and shook , hands with , all the party , having in some myi * tcrious manner got the knowledge of who they were , even down to little G——— , ¦ Whom they took to be my son . Was it not pleasant , whon 1 had a heart ao warm for tliiaold country ? I shall never forgot tho thrill of those words , 4 Yo ' rc welcome to Scoti * ad , ' nor tho ' Gudo night . '" . r ...
What does the reader say to tho following religious reflections on chivkli *^ and its enthusiasts?— . . .,: < ¦< .. »; ) 44 1 havo often boon dissatisfied with the admiration whioh a poetic education JaasJwovon into in / nature for oldvalry and feudalism ; , but on a closer oxaminaVion ^ , 1 . ajjot oort vinced that there is a real itnd proper foundation lor it , and that , rightly , ^ aoj ^ ood ^^ Uia poetic admiration is not inconsistent with tho spirit of Christ . l " For ^ lot us coriaider what it is we itdmiro in thosoDouglases , ioTinstancoj i whov'asiopreecntcil by Scott , are perlmps as good exponents of tho idea as any . -Waa if their ; imrd'rtcBS their cruelty , their hnstlncss to take offenco , thoir fondness for blood and jnwdor ? -Ap these , by mm of themsolvea , are simply disgusting . What , then , do wo admire ? Their courage , their fortitude , their scorn of lying and dissimulation , their high soiiBOof person *) honour , which led them to foel thcms « lvcu the protectors of the weak , mid'tu disdain to tnko advantage of unequal odds agn ' mut an enemy . If wo read tho book of Iniut * ht woshalleou that aomo of tho most striking representations of < 3 od appeal to tho voiTrennio prlnoiploB of ¦¦
our unture . l ¦• ; ' '' ¦'¦ t- 1 '" " - ' ' "Tho fact is , theio enn be no roliablo character which hha notita basis In'tliooe Qtrong qualitit'B . Tho bcautlAil lhuat ever rest in tho nnna of the aubliitto . Tho genilo needs tjib strong to sustain St . ab muclr as tho roclc-ilowera n « ed rook » to grow onj w yonncr ivy tno rugged wall which It orribtiaccb . When wo uro mhnlring thoao things , 'theiVrore , W 6 'l ) f 6 only admiring some oWuldos and glimmers of that which is'divine , and ' bo ctohiflgWirtufcr to JtlUn in whom all fulness 'dwell * . " ¦ ' « ' .. ' ''" > '!'' Ilero is M ; ra . Stpwe ' s nccOnnt of l ^ er w » oo ( , ing withsowo ^ ro ^ g i' § $ 6 Uie& ladies : t-t- ' . , i .,.,. . , , . -. ' . » .. •• ' ¦ / , en it- > 44 As wo woro Wttlking ' nlong a carria ^ cumo up nfter u » , in which wore tWo . 4 * di <» r ..: A bu « cl » of prinnoHcrt , thrown from thiHc « ni « go . ftillntinyfw ^ i ^ flofcodut-up ^ wnd tJiWDtlvj carriage stopped , and t ) ho ladjua rsqucatod to know W 1 wu » Mra , tftuwcu r < t > n » nsTv « l »« ife < ta tho ninrmntivo , they urged mo bo uurnoatly to como under their root and take some refresh" - ment , thWt I bogan toi ^ moinbor , wUAt l'lu \ & partly . loaC oight of , th « t I mrha i-Ory ^ ttowd ; > ,
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July 22 , 1854 . ] THE LEADE . R . 6 $ 9
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Leader (1850-1860), July 22, 1854, page 689, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2048/page/17/
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