pended a considerable sum. These lozenges, independent of being impregnated with steel, have the very important advantage of being combined with arrow root; thus they are not only tonic, but nutritious; admirable combination indeed! Fearful we may not do this great invention justice, we shall give it in the proprietor's own words:

"The genuine Aromatic Lozenges of Steel, prepared by Mr. J. P. Seddon, are cemented with a highly concentrated mucilaginous extract of the Indian arrow root; by which means, all the nutritive parts of this highly esteemed aliment, are reduced to so small a compass, that the lozenges taken in one day, are equal to a quarter of a pound of that medical food." So that six lozenges, weighing two drachms, contain the virtues of four ounces of arrow root!! The arrow root, made into a jelly with water, which very considerably increases its bulk, is termed concentrated!!! We shall probably next hear of Seddon's Arrow Root Lozenges, or, concentrated mucilaginous extract of the Indian arrow root!! Quere, would not a lozenge of potatoes also answer? They would probably experience a demand in Ireland.

The composition of the Aromatic Lozenges of Steel, is by no means so innocent as the advertisement infers, for, independent of the articles already enumerated, we have discovered a portion

of cantharides, vulgarly termed French flies!! Thus, this profound chemist ventures to advertise, as a general remedy for female diseases, one of the most powerful stimulants in the materia medica; and which very few practitioners would venture to give in the most obstinate cases. Notwithstanding Mr. Seddon is equal to the process of making a lozenge, and to writing his name, he gives in his directions but too many proofs of his total ignorance of the causes and nature of those diseases for which he recommends his lozenges, as a safe and efficacious remedy. In the prevention of abortion, he states, "that he has the satisfaction to declare, that many healthy children are now living instances of the good effects of the Aromatic Lozenges of Steel"!! Now, abortion more frequently arises from general plethora and irritability of the womb, than all the other causes put together. In such cases, these lozenges are better calculated to accelerate it, and by increasing the hæmorrhage and irritability of the womb, and inflaming the constitution, must place the life of the unfortunate patient in a most critical situation. Female complaints are also attended with very opposite states of the system; and the remedy applicable to one case, must necessarily be injurious in the other. In suppression of the menses, occurring in a woman of a plethoric habit, preparations of steel, and particularly cantharides,

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would prove highly pernicious, and even when attended with emaciation and languor, there may exist an irritable state of the bladder, affections of the kidneys, or acute fluor albus, which would render the use of cantharides highly improper. Again, in green sickness, there is generally a great disposition to pulmonary consumption; under Such circumstances, the steel and cantharides would probably put that formidable disease into action. Of the long list of diseases for which the proprietor recommends this lozenge, as a certain remedy, we cannot discover one, in the treatment of which the combined powers of steel and cantharides, in its different stages are applicable. A man must indeed have little regard for his own character, and much less for the health of females, to recommend to them the indiscriminate use of such potent remedies for the cure of diseases that arise from opposite causes, and in which its indiscriminate exhibition must unavoidably produce much human misery, and in many cases prove fatal to their future comforts, if not to their lives. The man, by placing into the hands of ignorance, such a medicine, becomes amenable to the laws of his country, and in a court of justice, would either be severely reprimanded, or sentenced to some exemplary punishment.

Nostrum-mongers boast of their medicines being recommended by the most eminent members of

the medical profession; but, from motives of prudence, take care to introduce only the names of those who are no more. The worthy Dr. Senate, or Mr. Seddon, unwilling to be out-puffed by their cotemporary advertisers, (for amongst this fraternity there exists a laudable emulation) declares, that the late Mr. Cruickshank recommended " Steel Lozenges. Mr. Cruickshank certainly might have prescribed steel in that form, but we are well persuaded, he never advised a pat to take Senate's Steel Lozenges, or steel with cantharia

Mr. Cruickshank too often witnessed the baneful effects of quackery, to give it the least counte nance, indeed no man more heartily condemned it.

A lozenge is a very commodious form for the use of many medicines, and therefore, still retains a place in our pharmacopoeias. Of late years, this form has been most shamefully abused. The lozenges generally sold being chiefly sugar and gum arabic, flavoured with some essential oil, to render them pleasant to the palate, instead of beneficial to the patient's complaint. During the solution of a lozenge in the mouth, a very considerable portion is absorbed, and in this manner, a person has been salivated by mercury, after inunction and the internal use of pills had manifested no effect on the constitution. As a proof, that the absorbent vessels of the mouth are in a very active state during suction, after masticating the bark of the

fir, or sucking a lozenge slightly impregnated with the oil of juniper, the urine (evacuated only four minutes afterwards) will strongly smell of it, although no portion was swallowed. It is also a very convenient form for the exhibition of certain medicines, by fitting them to dissolve slowly in the mouth, so as to pass by degrees down the gullet into the comach, or to act upon the pharynx and top of the wind-pipe. It is very extranary, that, although the lozenges of the London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Pharmacopoeias are prescribed by members of the college, they are not kept, as we can learn, by any chemist or apothecary in London. We are happy to observe, that Mr. Sheppard, Lozenge Manufacturer, in Fleet Street, has announced his intention of preparing, for the use of the faculty, the various lozenges of the different Pharmacopoeias, and those who are acquainted with the character of that gentleman (which, we believe, is well known to the trade) will not doubt of their being faithfully prepared, according to the directions of the Pharmacopoeias. Indeed, we must do him the justice to say, that the lozenges made by him, are very superior to those we have seen from any other maker, and that his business is free from quackery. Although, we are persuaded, he will not descend to empirical practices, we shall keep a watchful eye over him, and should any preparation be sent