created a feeling of intense sorrow, amidst a very large circle of friends and acquaintances. "It is, however, in a public light that we must view the deprivation society has sustained in the loss of this worthy and intelligent man. His example and his taste as a botanist had spread a spirit of improvement over the whole province of Ulster; and the beautiful grounds of Nurseryville were the resort of almost every scientific person who visited this part of Ireland. Nor did his active and enquiring mind rest contented with bringing to a state of the highest perfection the more mechanical parts of those interesting pursuits in which he had been engaged for the major part of his life; he examined, with the study and the investigation of a man of science, into the most abstruse parts of botanical pursuits. His acquaintance with this branch of knowledge was allowed to be very considerable. He also corresponded with the first naturalists of the present time; and considered no expense too costly in storing his mind with every useful information, or in enriching his gardens with the rarest and most valuable plants. His taste and skill were the boast of his country; his hospitality was proverbial, both among friends and strangers; and his melancholy death will be a great public loss, and will long leave behind it feelings of deep sorrow, in the bosom of every man who enjoyed his society or his friendship." Mr. Harvey occasionally corresponded with both our Magazines, and none of his friends more sincerely regret his loss than we do. Every accident of this sort ought to teach us to make the most of life, by employing or enjoying every moment; and to be always ready, in respect to worldly affairs, to leave it, by ordinary or extraordinary disease, at the shortest notice. "The remains of Mr. Hervey were removed from Nurseryville to the family burying-ground at Annahilt. The multitude of persons who filled up the long train of the funeral pageant, persons of the first respectability, and of different religious and political opinions, best bespoke the universal esteem in which he was held. It was an esteem that sprung from a firm conviction of his worth; and this, like wealth honestly earned, will wear long and well." It may afford a useful lesson to our readers, to mark the steady fortitude and vigilant exercise of duty with which Mr. Hervey met his approaching end; knowing it to be an inevitable result, and knowing also that it would be attended by dreadful previous suffering. He received a scratch on the cheek, and was bit in the arm by a dog in June, and as soon as possible afterwards had a portion of the flesh of the arm cut out, and a course of medicine prescribed. It is uncertain whether or not he attended to the medical prescription with sufficient rigidity; but on the 2d of Sept. he first discovered himself to be labouring under the influence of hydrophobia, by experiencing a spasmodic affection, when he attempted to put some water into his mouth. "He was in Belfast on business on the 1st inst., and dined with one of his friends, without any thing remarkable being observed in his manner, except, it is now said, a restlessness and a dulness of spirits. Soon after his arrival at home, however, he found himself unwell, and continued so until morning, when he rose to take a glass of water, and found that he could not bear to look at it. From that moment he knew all was over, and that not a hope remained; notwithstanding which, such was his nerve, that he retired to bed, without alarming the family, until his aunt came to call him to breakfast, and even then he did not communicate to her the awful certainty of his approaching end, but sent into Comber for two of his particular friends, under pretext of business, to whom he communicated his fatal discovery and situation. Dr. Purdon was immediately sent for, and did his utmost to alleviate his distress; but all was in vain, no human aid could then avert the sad fate which awaited him. Although perfectly aware of his own situation, he remained firm and collected, frequently expressing his hope that the Almighty would endue him with firmness to meet his fate as a man and a Christian, and giving occasional instructions for his friends' govern

ment, after his demise, until within a few hours of his death." (Belfast Chronicle, Sept. 7.)

About a week after we had prepared the above account, we saw in the Scotsman an account of Mr. Harvey's case, which enters much more into detail than that in the newspaper which was sent us. A more fearful relation we never read, and we should not harrow up the feelings of our readers by the following concluding paragraph, were it not for the purpose of appending some remarks. "He struggled dreadfully, and appeared to wish to get himself out of the bed. He screamed with the most appalling agony, and called for Dr. O'Neill to cut his jugular vein. He besought his friends about him to put an end to his horrible torment, if they had the smallest spark of pity remaining in them. Some of his labourers came in, and assisted in holding him down. So intolerable was the dreadful agony of the sufferer, that he threatened to bite those who held him, if they did not kill him or let him up. Fearing that the courage of the men might fail, Mr. Miller called on them to remain firm, if they valued their existence. Hearing this, the tortured sufferer exclaimed, Miller, you savage, I will never forgive you.' He continued beseeching those about him, alternately, to put an end to his pain; when, finding all ineffectual, he cried out,' If ever the soul be allowed to haunt those who have done them wrong, I will return and torment you all.' He then ceased shouting, but three or four times he was heard to say, in an under tone, 'severe, terrible,' in a manner that showed he was perfectly sensible, though the agony in the height of the paroxysm was too great for even a man in his senses to bear. At 20 minutes to 4, squeezing the hand of one of his friends, and breathing his name, he expired. The self-possession, the firmness, the disinterestedness, and the amiable kindness evinced by Mr. Hervey, during his unparalleled sufferings, though only indicative of his general character, are sufficient to excite our astonishment at the fortitude and magnanimity which a noble spirit can display." (Scotsman, Oct. 10. 1829.)

As a general principle, it can never be laid down as a part of the duty of a physician to do any thing with a view to shorten life; but, in such a case as that of Mr. Hervey, we certainly think his friends would have been justified in administering hydrocyanic acid. We think we should have done so, had we been in the place of Mr. Miller. On mentioning this dreadful case to Professor Thomson of the London University, he informed us that, from past experience, he had little doubt of being able to cure hydrophobia, if ever a case should again come before him. He referred us to the MedicoChirurgical Transactions, vol. vii. p. 299. in which is given by him a case of hydrophobia, with the appearance of the body on dissection, and remarks on the nature and treatment of the disease. On dissection, the spine was found to be the part chiefly diseased, there being great turgidity of the blood-vessels, and depositions on the coats of the spinal marrow. The following is the proposed method of cure: repeated cuppings all along the course of the spine; early administration of large (15 grs.) doses of calomel, then prussic acid; and, when the excitement is abated, powerful tonics. It is highly consolatory to think that there is even a prospect of curing this dreadful malady; and we have no doubt but it, and several others at present considered incurable, will, with the progress of medical science, be ultimately subdued. The first step towards the curing of any disease is to ascertain on what part of the system it operates, and if every one who dies of this malady were dissected by such men as Dr. Thomson, it could not fail to be discovered. A correspondent of the Morning Chronicle, speaking of Mr. Hervey's case, suggests the idea of neutralising the canine poison by administering to the dog or man "under its influence the Wourali poison, which, he says, acts as a sedative. — Cond.

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