Genre:

Essay

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [2]

Illustrators:

S S, pseud.  [S S]
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Subjects:

Botany, Natural History, Agriculture, Commerce

    Includes a discussion of the natural history of cotton plants.

Genre:

Notes

Subjects:

Medical Practitioners, Surgery

People mentioned:

Astley P Cooper Cooper, Sir Astley Paston, 1st Baronet (1768–1841) ODNB
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Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Botany, Agriculture, Race, Industry, Technology

    Describes the appearance, development, cultivation, and processing of sugar cane.

Genre:

Regular Feature, Notes, Instructions

Subjects:

Disease, Medical Treatment, Sanitation

    Explains the dangers of visiting sick rooms and how to purify the air of such places. Gives advice on remedying palpitations of the heart.

Genre:

Regular Feature, Notes, Instructions

Subjects:

Physiology, Light

    Presents John H Curtis's Curtis, John Harrison (1778–1860) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> claim regarding the link between the colour of the eye and its strength.

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Gender, Anatomy, Psychology, Design, Sex, Medical Practitioners, Radicalism

People mentioned:

Harriet Martineau Martineau, Harriet (1802–76) ODNB
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    Discusses the 'innate distinctive powers and attributes, both mental and bodily' which divide the male from the female. Physical distinctions include the claim that woman is more delicate and has a weaker muscular system than man. Psychical distinctions include the claim that man is formed 'for corporeal and intellectual power' while woman is formed for 'gentleness, affection, and delicacy of feeling'. Adds that woman is more credulous, more sympathetic to others, more inclined to adopt the opinions of others, 'follows and imitates man', but 'intuitively seizes the character of things within her sphere'. (74) Concludes that the 'Author of nature' has made woman unfit for 'the intellectual world' and the 'physical labours of life', but fit for 'quieter intellectual occupations'. Expatiates on woman's 'natural and proper position' and 'those pursuits and objects for which she is fitted'. (75) Condemns the 'American women-reformers' for advising woman to embark on careers in the rough world of 'the arts, science, politics, and government', thus destroying her sex and 'dragging' woman 'from her peaceful shade of home–from the sphere assigned to her by her All-wise God'. (77) Believes medicine to be 'the most revolting' profession 'to be practised by women' owing to their 'instinctive delicacy and refinement' of mind. Warns that a medical training and, moreover, a medical career, must be 'highly offensive' to and destructive of 'female modesty and reserve'. Challenges arguments of Harriot K Hunt Hunt, Harriot Kezia (1805–75) WBI
Close   View the register entry >> and Elizabeth Blackwell Blackwell, Elizabeth (1821–1910) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>, but points out that the qualifications that render women 'invaluable' as nurses 'unfit them to be physicians or surgeons'. Ends by stressing that there is a 'sex of the mind and of the brain'. (79)

Genre:

Regular Feature, Notes, Instructions

Subjects:

Anatomy, Natural History, Physical Geography, Meteorology

    Present numerous statistics concerning human anatomy, insects, geography, and the temperature of the earth's surface.

Genre:

Essay

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Subjects:

Ornithology, Animal Behaviour, Sound, Music

People mentioned:

Johann M Bechstein Bechstein, Johann Matthäus (1757–1822) WBI
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    Describes the habitat, diet, and singing powers of the nightingale.

Genre:

Regular Feature, Notes, Instructions

Subjects:

Mathematics | Mental Illness, Disease

Publications cited:

De Morgan 1830 De Morgan, Augustus 1830. The Elements of Arithmetic, London: John Taylor
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Genre:

Regular Feature, Notes, Instructions

Subjects:

Medical Treatment, Providence

    Laments the failure to discover a cure for hydrophobia, but is 'confident that, in the Providence of God, there is for every bane an antidote'.

Genre:

Regular Feature, Notes, Instructions

Subjects:

Steam-power, Breeding

    Explains the meaning of horse power as applied to steam engines and presents Alexander von Humboldt's Humboldt, Alexander von (Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von) (1769–1859) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> view on germination.

Genre:

Essay

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Subjects:

Ornithology, Natural History, Animal Behaviour, Breeding

People mentioned:

Georges L Leclerc, comte de Buffon, Buffon, Georges-Louis Leclerc, comte de (1707–88) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Capt. King, King, Capt (fl. 1855) ED1/3/5/1
Close   View the register entry >> Otto von Kotzebue, Kotzebue, Otto von (1787–1846) WBI
Close   View the register entry >> James Drummond, Drummond, James (1783–1863) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> William Bullock, Bullock, William (early 1780s–after 1843) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Mr Wilson Wilson, Mr (fl. 1855) ED1/3/5/1
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    Expatiates on several features of various species of humming bird, including their colouring, migration and eating habits, and flying and defensive behaviour.

Genre:

Essay

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Subjects:

Astronomy, Superstition, Analytical Chemistry

People mentioned:

Pytor S Pallas Pallas, Pytor Simon (1741–1811) DSB
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Institutions mentioned:

Académie des sciences, Paris Académie des Sciences, Paris
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    Outlines the origins of the ancient superstitions surrounding objects allegedly moving from 'celestial space to terrestrial regions' (139). Describes seventeenth-century French and English observations of such objects, including those of Pierre Gassendi Gassendi (Gassend), Pierre (1592–1655) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>. Explains that when the 'philosophic mind of Europe' was beginning to acknowledge what had 'been deemed a vulgar error', there arrived detailed reports of falling stones from the eminent natural philosophers Mr Williams Williams, Mr (fl. 1809) ED1/3/5/2
Close   View the register entry >> and Jean-Baptiste Biot Biot, Jean-Baptiste (1774–1862) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> (140). Describing the chemical composition and physical characteristics of aërolites, the author points out that in terms of chemical composition, these objects are similar to 'metallic masses [...] lying in insulated situations' of the earth (141). Discusses various theories of meteor showers including those of Pierre S, marquis de Laplace Laplace, Pierre-Simon, marquis de (1749–1827) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> and Humphry Davy Davy, Sir Humphry, Baronet (1778–1829) DSB ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>. Outlines medieval and modern observations of some spectacular meteor showers, including those of Alexander von Humboldt Humboldt, Alexander von (Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von) (1769–1859) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>.

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Botany, Natural History, Design, Embryology, Vitalism, Light, Spectroscopy

People mentioned:

John F W Herschel, Herschel, Sir John Frederick William (1792–1871) DSB ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Mary F G Somerville Somerville, Mary Fairfax Greig (1780–1872) DSB
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    Notes the dependence of the beauties of the vegetable world on the 'secret agencies' in sunlight, and the 'Eternal goodness and order' to be 'read in every leaf' (154). Distinguishes between growth in plants and crystals and traces the development of a plant from seed to flower. Describes the latent vitalism in seeds and the chemical and combustion processes involved in germination and vegetation. Considers the power of light to awaken the 'dormant powers' of a plant to be illustrative of the 'mutual dependence of the vegetable and animal kingdoms' (155). Believes that it is the 'call of science' to explain some of the mysteries of vegetable growth. Goes on to explain the nature of the solar spectrum and the importance of actinic rays on vegetable growth (156).

Genre:

Regular Feature, Notes, Instructions

Subjects:

Medical Treatment, Sanitation, Disease

    Explains how 'cleanliness, sobriety, and judicious ventilation' can 'oppose cholera'.

Genre:

Short Fiction

Subjects:

Botany, Vitalism, Horticulture

    The mother of the character Georgina explains how 'the vital force' causes flowers to blossom and, using an analogy between human intellectual and plant growth, discusses the benefits of strengthening the soul before it is allowed to blossom (167).

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Race, Physiognomy

    Distinguishes the various physiognomies of the inhabitants of the Philippines, including the Spanish and Japanese Tagals, and peoples deriving from Japan, Java, and the archipelago of the South Seas, and the Tinguian Indians.

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Physiognomy

People mentioned:

Johann K Lavater Lavater, Johann Kaspar (1741–1801) CBD
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Genre:

Essay, Illustration

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Subjects:

Ornithology, Natural History, Zoology, Specimen Trading, Hunting

People mentioned:

Georges L Leclerc, comte de Buffon, Buffon, Georges-Louis Leclerc, comte de (1707–88) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> George Shaw, Shaw, George (1751–1813) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Carl Linnaeus Linnaeus (or von Linné), Carl (1707–78) DSB
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Publications cited:

Pennant 1790, Pennant, Thomas, ed. 1790. Indian Zoology [...] An Essay on India [...], trans. by J. Aikin, London: R. Faulder
Close   View the register entry >> Bennett 1834 Bennett, George 1834. Wanderings in New South Wales, Batua, Pedir Coast, Singapore, and China: Being the Journal of a Naturalist in Those Countries During 1832, 1833, and 1834, 2 vols, London: Richard Bentley
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    Describes the striking physical features and habits, and some of the mysteries surrounding, the bird of paradise, including Johann R Forster's Forster, Johann Reinhold (1729–98) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> claim that the ancient Egyptians mistakenly confused the bird with the phoenix. Notes the breeding place and flying behaviour of the bird.

Genre:

Regular Feature, Notes, Instructions

Subjects:

Medical Treatment

People mentioned:

John Abernethy Abernethy, John (1764–1831) ODNB
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Genre:

Short Fiction

Subjects:

Superstition, Reasoning

    The protagonist laments the fact that his 'strong relish for physical philosophy has [...] tinctured my mind with a very common error of this age—I mean the habit of referring occurrences, even the least susceptible, to the principles of science' (193).

Genre:

Short Fiction, Serial

Subjects:

Medical Practitioners, Medical Treatment

    Describes the medical activities of a student physician, Edwin Wise, and his mentor, Dr Sympson, including the treatment of Edwin's sick father.

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Statistics, Prognostication, Natural Law, Astronomy, Astrology

    From an analysis of marriage statistics argues that marriage is not the result of 'arbitrary volition and chance' but that 'the passions and affections of men are governed by laws as certain as those of the heavenly bodies or any of the phenomena of nature'. Adds that while marriage statistics do not have the predictive certainty of the 'fortune-teller or the astrologist', they can be used to predict the 'acts of numbers of individuals' with 'sufficient certainty for practical purposes'. (211)

Genre:

Essay

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.[2]

Subjects:

Ornithology, Natural History, Specimen Trading, Breeding

People mentioned:

Prideaux J Selby, Selby, Prideaux John (1788–1867) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Johann R Forster, Forster, Johann Reinhold (1729–98) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Mr Parkins, Parkins, Mr (fl. 1855) ED1/3/7/4
Close   View the register entry >> Mr Cook, Cook, Mr (fl. 1854) ED1/3/7/4
Close   View the register entry >> Neil Arnott, Arnott, Neil (1788–1874) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Louisa A Meredith, Meredith, Louisa Anne (1812–95) –
Close   View the register entry >> Alexander Wilson Wilson, Alexander (1766–1813) DSB
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    Describes the physical features, habitats, defensive and eating habits, and breeding characteristics of gulls, with special reference to the black-headed gull, common skua, and stormy petrel.

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Health, Medical Treatment, Human Development, Sanitation

    Gives advice on nursing infants. This includes suggestions for types of medicine to administer to children, an attack on 'Sanitary enthusiasts' for their recommendations regarding fastening children's clothes, and the claim that 'sickly growth' follows from constant suckling (218). Concludes with the dictum, 'Let us subdue mere Nature at her first start, and make her civilised in her beginnings' (219).

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Medical Practitioners, Gender, Heroism, Hospitals

    Noting how the Crimean War has allowed 'the brightest side of our nature' to appear, provides a biographical account of Florence Nightingale Nightingale, Florence (1820–1910) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>. Observes that she 'is endowed with literary and scientific tastes in a remarkable degree'. (243) Relates the sacrifices she made to pursue a medical career and to 'form and control the entire establishment for our sick and wounded soldiers and sailors in the Levant'. Praises her 'heroism in dashing up the heights of Alma in defiance of death and all mortal opposition'. (244)

Genre:

Essay

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [2]

Subjects:

Ornithology, Natural History, Animal Behaviour,

People mentioned:

Félix De Azara, Azara, Félix de (1742/6–1821) WBI
Close   View the register entry >> Charles N S Sonnini De Manoncourt Sonnini De Manoncourt, Charles Nicolas Sigisbert (1751–1812) WBI
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    Describes the habitats, physical features, and hunting habits of the various species of vulture.

Genre:

Short Fiction, Serial

Subjects:

Mathematics, Education, Commerce, Natural Theology

    Mr Churchill, responding to his wife's claim that mathematics is not 'poetical', denies that the 'grand science of numbers' is merely for 'trade', and argues that it is 'divine' and only 'prosaic' owing to the way it is taught (260).

Genre:

Short Fiction

Subjects:

Psychology, Astronomy

People mentioned:

Joseph Glanvill Glanvill, Joseph (1636–80) DSB
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    The protagonist is excited by one anomaly of the 'science of the mind' overlooked by the 'schools'—the tendency to find ourselves, while trying to recall a long-forgotten memory, 'upon the very verge of remembrance, without being able [...] to remember' (266). Compares the 'sentiment' he feels towards Lady Ligeia to that experienced on scrutinising various natural phenomena, including a chrysalis, 'the falling of a meteor', and two stars in the constellation Lyra. Astonished by Ligeia's learning, he asks 'where breathes the man who has traversed, and successfully, all the wide areas of moral, physical and mathematical science?'. (267)

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Psychology, Mesmerism, Spiritualism, Nutrition

People mentioned:

James Gregory, Gregory (Gregorie), James (1638–75) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Thomas Reid, Reid, Thomas (1710–96) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> John Locke, Locke, John (1632–1704) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> John Elliotson, Elliotson, John (1791–1868) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Pythagoras of Samos, Pythagoras of Samos (c. 560–c. 480 BC) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> John Abercrombie Abercrombie, John (1726–1806) ODNB
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    Presents cases supporting the claim that 'ordinary dreams take place in imperfect sleep' and are often caused by sensations conveyed from the skin through the nerves to the brain. Discusses how food, or a 'strong impression' made on the mind during the day, can influence dreams. Explores ancient interpretations of dreams and the possibility of influencing dreams by whispering in a sleeper's ear. (275) Records cases of 'intellectual feats' performed during dreams and notes that 'unexpected faculties' are sometimes manifested in the 'dying' and in 'somnambulic' 'idiots' (276). Wonders at the speed of travel and communication in dreams and records cases of dreams which are 'retrospective' and which 'coincide' with distant events (276–77). Gives examples of dreams which 'partake of the nature of second sight' and those of an 'allegorical' nature (277).

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Ornithology, Natural History, Zoology, Breeding

People mentioned:

Jakob Hermann Hermann, Jakob (1678–1733) DSB
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    Describes the physical features, habitats, rearing habits, and flying characteristics of the white stork.

Genre:

Illustration

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

K N Woods Woods, K N (fl. 1855) ED1/3/9/5
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Subjects:

Medical Practitioners, Hospitals

    Provides a portrait of Florence Nightingale Nightingale, Florence (1820–1910) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> for the 'thousands who have womanly hearts to pity and to love'. Upholds her reputation and ridicules the accusation that she gave up home for hospital in order 'to convert the British soldier to Puseyism'.

Genre:

Short Fiction

Subjects:

Astronomy, Measurement, Observation, Time, Instruments

    Observes that a character, Harry Woodford, counted the noises of eggs hatching 'with all the precision of an astronomer noting the ticks of his chronometer during the transit of a planet across the lines of his object-glass' (299).

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Disease, Medical Treatment

    Assesses claims regarding the catching of colds and remedies for the condition, not least the advice of 'Our grandmothers'. Upholds the efficacy of the cold bath as a 'prophylactic or precautionary' measure, but discusses the application of this treatment via the shower-bath and sponges (302).

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Natural Theology, Religion, Microscopy, Design

    Upholds the 'necessity' of teaching children religion; notes how 'easy' it is for a child to contemplate the 'goodness and power which formed and sustained' aspects of 'creation' by glimpsing the 'thousand wonders, which by the aid of the microscope, are presented to the eye' (310).

Genre:

Essay

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.[2]

Subjects:

Ornithology, Natural History, Zoology, Taxonomy

People mentioned:

Georges Cuvier, Cuvier, Georges (1769–1832) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Edward Forbes Forbes, Edward, Jr (1815–54) DSB
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Publications cited:

Smith [1838–49], Smith, Andrew [1838–49]. Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa: Consisting Chiefly of Figures and Descriptions of the Objects of Natural History Collected During an Expedition into the Interior of South Africa, in [...] 1836–36 &c., 5 vols., London: Smith, Elder and Co.
Close   View the register entry >> Levaillant 1790 Vaillant, François le 1790. Travels into the Interior Part of Africa, By Way of the Cape of Good Hope: In the Years 1780, 1781, 1782, 1783, 1784, and 1785, trans. by E. Helme, 2 vols, London: G. G. J. and J. Robinson
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    Describes the zoological classification, diet, physical features, importation, animal foes, and nesting habits of various species of the weaver bird, including the broad-shafted whidah finch and bottle-nested sparrow.

Genre:

Notes

Subjects:

Mathematics

    Presents William Whewell's Whewell, William (1794–1866) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> cypher of the name of an unidentified 'lady'.

Genre:

Essay

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [2]

Subjects:

Ornithology, Natural History, Zoology

People mentioned:

Carl Linnaeus, Linnaeus (or von Linné), Carl (1707–78) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Jean Perrein, Perrein, Jean (1750–1805) WBI
Close   View the register entry >> George Shaw, Shaw, George (1751–1813) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Coenraad J Temminck Temminck, Coenraad Jacob (1778–1858) WBI
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    Describes the physical features, zoological classification, eating habits, and habitats of the tentirostral birds.

Genre:

Regular Feature, Notes, Instructions

Subjects:

Medical Treatment, Psychology, Physiology, Reading

    Explains, in terms of blood flow, why 'reading while at dinner' causes 'nervous affections'.

Genre:

Regular Feature, Notes, Instructions

Subjects:

Microscopy, Parasitology, Disease

    Notes that the Annual of Scientific Discovery Annual of Scientific Discovery (1841–71) Waterloo Directory
Close   View the register entry >> has reported the considerable quantity of animal and vegetable parasites found in the teeth of a wide range of people. Notes that those who cleaned their teeth four times a day were free from such parasites.