confounded, and given a precision to the knowledge of disease hitherto unknown. The use of the microscope has also been introduced as a help to ascertain the true nature of many maladies; and the chemist has conferred innumerable benefits on man by the application of his science in connexion with the analysis of the fluids of the body, and with the preparation of drugs. He has been helpful also in introducing medicinal agents, which were not known towards the beginning of this century. In surgery the progress has "When we compare its state been even more marked. at the beginning of the nineteenth century, with its state two or three hundred years before that date, every one must confess that there was ample room and scope for advancement. For, assuredly, surgical operative practice must have been a dreadful department of the profession, when the art of arresting hemorrhage by the power of a silken thread was still unknown or still unpractised; when, in every operating theatre, and at every operation, the chafing-dish and searing-irons were as indispensable as are now the lint and the ligatures of the modern surgeon; and when the cries and the moans of the poor patient were smothered only-if smothered at all—by the hissing of the heated cauteries against the surface of his bleeding wounds." In addition to the mode of treatment, other This striking passage from Dr Simpson's address recalled an illustration from "Delafaye's Principles of Surgery," of the going out of the old practices, and the coming in of the new. We quote from the 6th Edit., Paris 1773. Having stated the uses of cautery, “ pour consumer toute la corruption de certaines parties molles, pour calmer des certaine douleurs vives, ou pour arrêter certaines hémorrhagies, parce que d'autres moyens supplient difficilement à celui ci," he adds-"Les Anciens faisoient peut-être, dans ces trois cas derniers, un usage trop fréquent du cautêre actuel; les Modernes au con benefits have been recently bestowed on man by advanced surgery. In hundreds of cases limbs are now cured which a century ago would not have escaped amputation. In the practice of medicine the advancement has been "Towards the middle of last century, fifty very marked. or sixty out of every hundred children born in London died before they had reached the fifth year of their age. Now, not above thirty or thirty-five in every hundred die." In Britain 600,000 children are born annually, and if we take the last century rate of mortality, there would have been 300,000 deaths of children under five years old; but it is known that not more than 200,000 die. Here there is a saving of 100,000 lives of children as the result of improved medical science. "If small-pox were as fatal now with our population of twenty millions as it was during the latter period of the last half century, or before vaccination, it would destroy in Great Britain alone some 80,000 lives a year; for with a population of about eight millions, it then yearly produced a mortality amounting to 30,000 or 40,000 deaths. Physicians may proudly point to this single discovery alone as a victory of medicine over disease and death." Again, some of the most destructive of diseases have been banished from their place among men, while the application of new remedies has healed diseases believed to be incurable. The use of chloroform in surgical cases and the revival of oil anointing have become blessings to multitudes. Many an earthly lot has been sweetened, many an operation has been performed, while the patient lay absorbed with pleasing traire le negligent un peu trop." We suppose the "ignis et ferrum" are now laid aside. thoughts; and the tendency to terrible consumption itself, when dealt with in youth, may be neutralised. Do we not, then, owe a great debt of homage to that science which has successfully "wrestled with the fiend of corporal pain," -added, under God, three or four years to the average of human life—and banished more than one disease from its power over our bodies? A SABBATH ON MOUNT CARMEL. Sabbath, May 7th, 1848-Convent of Mount Carmel.-A scorching Kamsin filled the air with mist, and robbed the first view of Mount Carmel of somewhat of its splendour. It remains, however, full of ideal beauty; the convent crowns the mountain-brow-standing as it were at the edge of a steep promontory, whose level summit retreats behind the monastery-a terraced garden occupies the slope in front of the main body of the building; before it lies the boundless sea-to the right, the bay of AcreKaiffa near at hand-in the distance, St Jean d'Acre, the Ptolemais of Saladin and of Richard—to the left, an abrupt descent, an indented coast, and Cesarea, which is itself concealed from view, though its position can readily be discovered. The summit is barren, covered merely by a few stunted shrubs. The prophecy uttered by Amos in the days of King Uzziah, of Uzziah, who loved husbandry, and had husbandmen and vine-dressers in Carmel*-that * 2 Chron. xxiv. 10. prophecy has been accomplished-"The summit of Carmel shall wither." "He I did not expect to find thus built upon and civilised the mountain at whose base Elias, alone abiding faithful amidst a nation of idolaters, raised his altar of stones in presence of the stern and gloomy altar which had been erected by the four hundred and fifty priests of Baal. I should have preferred seeing the mountain as it was described by the prophet-bare and solitary, its foot bathed by the sea- -it would then have better harmonised in my mind with the recollections of that grand scene. The false prophets cried aloud and cut themselves. is a god, either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awakened." The sun sinks towards the west-the hour of the evening sacrifice draws nigh-no voice replies, no flame descends upon the altar. Then Elijah called to all the people to come near unto him—that apostate people which trembles before Jezebel; he repairs the altar of the Lord, which had been broken down-he makes a trench about the altar, cuts the bullock in pieces, pours water upon the burnt sacrifice and upon the wood-and then Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that Thou art the Lord God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again." The fire of the Lord falls and con sumes the burnt sacrifice. the Lord He is the God!" "The Lord He is the God What a scene! Elijah has faith-he has faith because his soul is upright in him— our faith wavers because we so often halt between two opinions. And yet this man, who braves the nation, the priests, Ahab himself—this man on the same day arose and fled into the wilderness in bitterness of spirit, because a wicked woman uttered threats against him. He presented an undaunted front to thousands-he flies before a word from one! Well, these falls which we read of in the lives of holy men strengthen my spirit even more than their triumphs. When I see St Peter deny the Saviour, weep bitterly, and restored again to favour; when I see Jonas refuse to bear God's message to Nineveh, then repenting and receiving the Almighty's blessing; when I see David drawn into such grievous sin, and yet God taking pity upon him-then I feel hope rise within my breast. The holiness of Thy children, O Lord, crushes me to the very dust-their falls and Thy multiplied compassions, these are what restore my fainting courage. Just now I was walking upon the terrace of that wing of the convent which is destined for the reception of Arabs, a sound of rain ascended from the sea, a haze hung over the distant horizon. I recalled to mind those words of Elijah-"Rise, eat and drink, for there is a sound of abundance of rain." And lo, a cloud arose out of the sea like a man's hand. "Prepare thy chariot and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And the prophet ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel." " Brother Charles shewed my husband the interior of the convent-women are not admitted within its walls * 1 Kings xviii. T |