Chambers\'s Edinburgh Journal, No. 442
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Various >> Chambers\'s Edinburgh Journal, No. 442
It is impossible to believe that the human frame could stand out for
weeks against so hot a siege. It would appear as if Franklin must
really have confessed too much. It has already been said, that the
confused state of the whole evidence renders it difficult to find how
far a case was made out against the Earl and Countess of Somerset.
Such a confession as Franklin's only makes matters still more
confused. That Sir Thomas Overbury really was poisoned, one can
scarcely doubt, if even a portion of what Franklin and the others say
is true; but the reckless manner in which the crime was gone about,
and the confusion of the whole evidence, is extremely perplexing. Not
the least remarkable feature in this tragedy is the number of people
concerned in it. We find, brought to trial, the Earl and Countess of
Somerset and Sir Thomas Monson, who, though said to be the guiltiest
of all, were spared: Weston, Franklin, and Mrs Turner, were executed:
Forman, and another man of science who was said to have given aid, had
gone to their account before the trials came on. Then, in Franklin's
confession, it was stated that 'the toothless maid, trusty Margaret,
was acquainted with the poisoning; so was Mrs Turner's man, Stephen;
so also was Mrs Home, the countess's own handmaid;' and several other
subordinate persons are alluded to in a similar manner.
The quietness and secrecy of the French and Italian poisonings have
been already alluded to. The poisoners, in general, instead of acting
in a bustling crowd, generally prepared themselves for their dreadful
task by secretly acquiring the competent knowledge, so that they might
not find it necessary to take the aid of confederates. They generally
did their work alone, or at most two would act together. It certainly
argues a sadly demoralised state of society in the reign of King
James, that so many persons should be found who would coolly connect
themselves with the work of death; but still there was not so much
real danger as in the quiet, systematic poisonings of such criminals
as Tophana and the Countess of Brinvilliers. The great Oyer of
poisoning was, however, calculated to make a very deep impression on
the public mind. It filled London with fear and suspicion. When
rumours about poisonings become prevalent, no one knows exactly how
far the crime has proceeded, and this and that event is remembered and
connected with it. All the sudden deaths within recollection are
recalled, and thus accounted for. People supposed to be adepts in
chemistry were in great danger from the populace, and one man, named
Lamb, was literally torn to pieces by a mob at Charing-Cross. The
people began to dwell upon the death of Prince Henry, the king's
eldest son, who had fallen suddenly. It was remembered that he was a
youth of a frank, manly disposition--the friend and companion of
Raleigh and of other heroic spirits. He liked popularity, and went
into many of the popular prejudices of the times--forming altogether
in his character a great contrast to his grave, dry, fastidious, and
suspicious brother Charles, who was to succeed to his vacant place. He
had died very suddenly--of fever, it was said; but popular rumour now
attributed his death to poison. Nay, it was said that his own father,
jealous of his popularity, was the perpetrator; and it was whispered
that _this_ was the secret which King James was so afraid his
favourite Somerset might tell if prosecuted to death. In a work called
_Truth brought to Light_, a copy was given of an alleged medical
report on a dissection of the body, calculated to confirm these
suspicions: it may be found in the _State Trials_, ii. 1002. Arthur
Wilson, who published his life and reign of King James during the
Commonwealth, said: 'Strange rumours are raised upon this sudden
expiration of our prince, the disease being so violent that the combat
of nature in the strength of youth (being almost nineteen years of
age) lasted not above five days. Some say he was poisoned with a bunch
of grapes; others attribute it to the venomous scent of a pair of
gloves presented to him (the distemper lying for the most part in the
head.) They that knew neither of these are stricken with fear and
amazement, as if they had tasted or felt the effects of those
violences. Private whisperings and suspicions of some new designs
afoot broaching prophetical terrors that a black Christmas would
produce a bloody Lent, &c.' Kennet, in his notes on Wilson's work,
says that he possesses a rare copy of a sermon preached while the
public mind was thus excited, 'wherein the preacher, who had been his
domestic chaplain, made such broad hints about the manner of his
(Prince Henry's) death, that melted the auditory into a flood of
tears, and occasioned his being dismissed the court.'
But suspicion did not stop here. When King James himself died in much
pain, his body shewing the unsightly symptoms consequent on his gross
habits, poison was again suspected; and as it had been said on the
former occasion, that the father had connived at the death of his son,
it was now whispered that the remaining son, anxious to commence his
ill-starred reign, was accessory to hurrying his father from the
world. The moral character of Charles I. is sufficient to acquit him
of such a charge. But historians even of late date have not entirely
acquitted his favourite, Buckingham, who, it was said, finding that
the king was tired of him, resolved to make him give place to the
prince, in whose good graces he felt secure. The authors of the
scandalous histories published during the Commonwealth, said that the
duke's mother administered the poison externally in the form of a
plaster.
FOOTNOTES:
[4] _State Trials_, ii. 932.
[5] _State Trials_, 941.
NEURALGIA.[6]
Obstructives and sceptics are in one sense benefactors: although they
do not generally originate improved modes of thought and action, they
at least prevent the adoption of crude theories and ill-digested
measures. To meet the criticism of these opponents, inventive genius
must more carefully bring its ideas and plans to the test of practical
experiment and thorough investigation; and as truth must ultimately
prevail, it cannot be considered unjust or injurious to insist upon
its presenting its credentials. This is, we submit, one of the
benefits resulting from schools, colleges, and guilds: it is difficult
to impress them with novel truths; but in a great degree they act as
breakwaters to the waves of error. In no department of social life is
this doctrine better illustrated than in the medical profession, which
is among the keenest and most sceptical of bodies in scrutinising
novelty; but it has rarely allowed any real improvement to remain
permanently untested and unadopted. We believe this to be the fair
view to take of a class of scientific men who have certainly had a
large share of sarcasm to endure.
General readers, for whom we profess to cater, take no great interest
in medical subjects and discussions; but as historians of what is
doing in the world of art, science, and literature, we think it our
duty to record, in a brief way, any information we can collect that
may be beneficial to the suffering portion of humanity; and in this
'miserable world' it is most probable that one-fourth part of our
readers are invalids. Why should they not have their little troubles,
whims, and maladies studied and cared for? The disease which gives a
title to this short notice is perhaps one of the most mysterious and
vexatious to which our nature is liable; both its cause and cure are
equally occult, and its _modus operandi_ is scarcely intelligible. A
contemporary thus playfully alludes to the subject in terms more funny
than precise:--'What is neuralgia? A nervous spasm, the cause of which
has, however, not been satisfactorily and conclusively demonstrated;
but we may, perhaps, obtain a clearer view of its nature, if we look
upon it as connected with "morbid nutrition." Every one knows that the
system is, or ought to be, constantly subject to a law of waste and
repair; and if the operation of this law is impeded by "cold," "mental
excitement," or any other baneful condition, diseases more or less
unpleasant must ensue. The _vis naturae_ uses certain particles of
matter in forming nerves; others in forming membrane, bones, juices,
&c.; while used-up particles are expelled altogether from the system.
We can readily conceive that each order of atoms is used by a distinct
function, and has a different mission; and any morbid perversion or
mingling of their separate destinies must end in disorder and
suffering--nature's violent endeavour to restore the regularity of her
operations. A cough is simply an effort of the lungs or bronchiae to
remove some offending intruder that ought to be doing duty elsewhere;
and may we not call neuralgia _a cough of a nerve_ to get rid of a
disagreeable oppression--nature's legitimate _coup d'etat_ to put down
and transport those "_red socialist_" particles that would interfere
with the regularity of its constitution? Let us fancy, for a moment, a
delicate little army of atoms marching obediently along, to form new
nerve in place of the substance that is wasting away: another little
army of carbonaceous particles have just received orders to pack up
their luggage and be off, to make way for the advancing
nerve-battalion; but in their exodus they are met by a fierce
destroyer, in the shape of an east wind--a Caffre that suddenly throws
the ranks of General Carbon into disorder, and drives them back upon
the brilliant and pugnacious array of General Nerve: a battle-royal is
the result. General Nerve immediately places lance in rest, and
advances to the charge with the unsparing war-cry of: "Mr Ferguson,
you don't lodge here!" and if Caffre East-wind is not despised and
trifled with, he is generally beaten for a time; but great are the
sufferings of humanity--the scene of this encounter--while the fight
is raging.'
Now comes the question: How to get rid of this cruel invader? Dr
Downing has undertaken to give an answer, which we believe to be
satisfactory. In addition to the proper medical and hygienic
treatment, which is carefully and ably stated in the work before us,
Dr Downing has invented an apparatus which appears to be very
efficacious; and we will therefore allow him to describe it in his own
words:--'From considering tic douloureux as often a local disease,
depending on a state of excessive irritability, sensibility, or spasm
of a particular nerve, and from reflecting upon its causes, and
observing the effect of topical sedatives, I was led to the
conclusion, that the most direct way of quieting this state was by the
application of warmth and sedative vapour to the part, so as to soothe
the nerves, and calm them into regular action. For this purpose, I
devised an apparatus which answers the purpose sufficiently well. It
is a kind of fumigating instrument, in which dried herbs are burned,
and the heated vapour directed to any part of the body. It is
extremely simple in construction, and consists essentially of three
parts with their media of connection--a cylinder for igniting the
vegetable matter, bellows for maintaining a current of air through the
burning material, and tubes and cones for directing and concentrating
the stream of vapour. The chief medicinal effects I have noticed in
the use of this instrument are those of a sedative character; but its
remedial influence is not alone confined to the use of certain herbs.
A considerable power is attributable to the warm current or intense
heat generated. When the vegetable matter is ignited, and a current of
air is made to pass through the burning mass, a small or great degree
of heat can be produced at pleasure. Thus, when the hand is gently
pressed upon the bellows, a mild, warm stream of vapour is poured
forth which may act as a _douche_ to irritable parts; but by strongly
and rapidly compressing the same receptacle, the fire within the
cylinder is urged like that of a smith's forge, and the blast becomes
intensely hot and burning.'
Those who wish to know more of this mode of treatment, had better
refer to the work itself. We must content ourselves with having simply
drawn our readers' attention to it.
FOOTNOTES:
[6] _Neuralgia: its various Forms, Pathology, and Treatment._ Being
the Jacksonian Prize Essay of the Royal College of Surgeons for 1850;
with some Additions. By C. Toogood Downing, M.D., M.R.C.S. Churchill,
London.
ANCIENT GLACIERS IN THE LAKE COUNTRY.
Mr Robert Chambers, in a recent tour of the lakes of Westmoreland
(April 1852), has discovered that the valleys of that interesting
district were at one time occupied by glaciers. Glacialised surfaces
were previously observed in a few places not far from Kendal, but
without any conclusion as to the entire district. By Mr Chambers
conspicuous and unequivocal memorials of ice-action have been found in
most of the great central valleys, such as those of Derwentwater,
Ulleswater, Thirlwater, and Windermere. The principal phenomena are
rounded hummocks of rock on the skirts of the hills, and in the middle
of the valleys; and as these hummocks, whatever may be the direction
of the valleys, invariably present a smoothed side up, and an abrupt
side downwards (_stoss-seite_ and _lee-seite_ of the Scandinavian
geologists), it becomes certain that the glaciers proceeding from the
mountains at the upper extremities were local to the several valleys.
The smoothed hummocks are very noticeable in Derwentwater or
Borrowdale, the celebrated Bowderstone resting on one; a particularly
fine low surface appears at Grange, near the head of the lake. At
Patterdale, in Ulleswater Valley, the rocks are so much marked in this
manner, that the whole place bears a striking resemblance to the
sterile parts of Sweden; and some small rocky islets, near the head of
the lake, are unmistakable _roches moutonnees_. The two valleys
descending in opposite directions from Dunmail Raise, have had
glaciers proceeding from some central point: in that of Thirlwater,
the rounded hummocks are conspicuous at Armboth; in the other, near
Grasmere, and near the Windermere Railway Station. In all these cases,
the characteristic striation, or scratching produced on rock-surfaces
by glaciers, is more or less distinct, according as the surface may
have been protected in intermediate ages. Where any drift or alluvial
formation has covered it, the polish and striation are as perfect as
if they had been formed in recent times, and the lines are almost
invariably in the general direction of the valley.
* * * * *
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